Dr. Thomas Comber, former Dean of Durham, wrote:
The great maintainers of this worship would prove it no idolatry by this notable maxim: “That in every thing we not look at the fact that is done but at the intention of him that does it.” Now the worshipers of images, they say, do not intend to commit idolatry. I reply, the heathens when they bowed down to their idols and offered incense and gifts to them as some Christians do to images did not intend either to worship a false god or to commit idolatry, and yet God calls and counts them idolaters, and such doubt they were. And if we apply this maxim to other sins, Noah did not intend to be drunk nor Lot to commit incest. Those who went out with Absalom in the simplicity of heart did not intend to be rebels nor Ahab to kill Naboth, Yea Pilate himself seems to have no design to condemn our Saviour, but can any man say all these were innocent? There are but few sinners in the world, if none be guilty but they who before-hand intend to do some great sin: if we go voluntarily into ill company, and drink by their rules, though we did not design to be drunk, yet we may be guilty of intemperance. The primitive martyrs (had they known of this device) need not have died, rather than have offered incense to the emperor’s image, or to those of his gods: for if their intention had been to honor the true God that way. they might have saved their lives, and by this doctrine might have been very innocent: but the maxim is extremely misapplied by these image-worshippers, for since God hath forbid that way of worship, no intention of ours can annul that law, or give us license to break it.

