King 11.29 hee appointed me hereunto by his Prophet and chose me t 1 King 12.20 by his people I am not inferiour to any Prince that hath been before me What though I be not born of kingly bloud neither was David And what though Solomon and Rehoboam his son were possessed of the crown before me So was Saul and Ishbosheth his son possessed of it before king David But God for Sauls sin u 1 Saâ— 12.28 gaue the kingdom to David his servant and no man doubteth of his lawfull title so God for Solomons sin x 1 King â—1 31 hath given this kingdom to me his servant and my title is just Neither goe I beyond my line I am content with my ten Tribes let Rehoboam haue the rest Now being your lawfull Prince ô Israel it lyeth me upon to see the Church ordered as well as the Common-wealth to make Lawes noâ— contrary to the lawes of God for the holy and peaceable government of you to take heed you fall not to Solomons idolatry or follow other Gods Things substantiall and fundamentall I will in no wise change circumstances of things and ceremonies I may freely change for they are not permanent or perpetuall 18 And herein I can assure my selfe and others by example of DAVID the beloved of GOD y 1 King â—1 34.38 commended to me for his holy walking and upright admistration He ordred many things in the service of God otherwise then he had expresse warrant for in the written Law He removed the Ark z 1 Chron. 13. 15. from Kirjath-jearim to Ierusalem He appointed a 1 Chr. 16 â— 5 c. instruments of musick cimbals and vials and harps c. wherof there is no mention in Moses Law He b 1 Chron. 23. 25. distributed the Levites into their orders and offices making some singers some porters some assistants to the Priests yea and c 1 Chr. 24 the sacrifices hee set in 24 classes or courses and where shall we find these things warranted in the Law If David then our worthy Predecessor did thus order the Church and alter the ceremonies by his regall authority may not I which haue equall power in my dominions doe the like And Solomon his son before he fell from the true God to idols did many things otherwise then is written in Moses and God did allow them In his famous Temple he had d 2 Chron. 4.7.8 ten golden candlesticks and ten tables whereas God by Moses ordained of each e Ex. 26.35 but one In sted of one laver that Moses made to wash in Solomon made f 2 Chr. 4.6 ten cauldrons besides that other vessel which for the hugeness of it is called g vers 2. a sea with many other differences which who so compareth his works with Moses writings may easily perceiv These Priests of Levi are much to bee pittied that urge so the letter of the Law which I think they understand not They say it is written h Deut. 4.2 Yee shall put nothing to the word that J command you nor take ought therefrom but they minde not how this intendeth matters of faith and doctrines fundamentall which I willingly grant may in no wise be corrupted but ceremonies are variable and circumstances may be changed upon every just occasion as before I haue proved and the practise of my godly predecessours doth approue Accordingly mean I to retain my liberty and maintain my prerogatiue royall 19 It resteth to be scanned how we shal doe for Ministers if the Priests of Levi be put away And for this I i 2 Chron. 13.9 am reproched as violating the Law wheras necessity constraineth me to take other order I know that Aarons sonnes are appoinred by Law to doe the Priests office but the power is in the Church of whom they had their authority and mought still administer if they were not so scrupulous It is then their own fault that they are deposed and be it upon them for wee will serv God as did our fathers before these Aaronites injoyed the Priesthood I finde that of old the Patriarchs k Gen. 12.8 13.4.18 c. Abraham Isaak and Jaakob offered sacrifices themselues even then when Melchisedek the l Gen. 14 18.19 Priest of the most high God lived in the land I finde again how Moses did send m Ex. 24. yong men of the children of Israel to offer burnt offrings and peace offrings to the Lord. How ever therefore for order sake this work was committed to the sonns of Aaron yet hold I it not to be of necessity to salvation or of the essence and being of a true sacrifice that an Aaronite must offer it But seeing all the Lords people are holy yea a n Ex. 19. kingdom of Priests as the Lord calleth them in his Law they may no doubt being duely sanctified and consecrate thereto offer acceptable sacrifices unto God And hereof will I haue care that none shall administer o 1 King 12.31 but such as are consecrate but I will not debar p 1 King 13.33 any be he of what Tribe soever if he be fit otherwise As for these refractarie Ministers the Levites I will revenge me of them for they are the troublers of the State the boutefeus that set on fire all the country For loe how many people q 2 Chron 11.16.17 of all the Tribes of Israel are ready to leaue the land and run to Rehoboam in Ierusalem These men are the cause of all this stur and faction their doctrine impeacheth my supremacy and disturbeth the peace of the Church Wherfore as Solomon 1 Kin. 27 cast out Abiathar from being Priest unto the Lord because his hand was with Adonijah I also by like right 2 Chron. â—1 14 will cast out these Priests of Levi whose hands are with my enemy Rehoboam So rest and peace shall be unto my selfe and to my people 20 Yet a few words more of the events that are happened which in their simplicity many doe mistake and abuse against me The Prophet 1 King 3.1 that came out of Iudah to Bethel and gaue there a sign made some for to think I had sinned in deed My selfe I confesse was somewhat moved when I felt u vers 4. my arm withered but seriously weighing things after as they were I stayed my thoughts For first he came but as any false Prophet if God so permit may come at all times I mean with sign and wonder but without word of truth to convince the conscience He x vers 2. cryed against the altar but shewed no law of the Lord to condemn it He threatned destruction but who knows when the day shall come for no time was set down that men may be held with continuall expectation I find in the Law that a y Deut. 13 1.2 c. Prophet may arise giving a sign or wonder which shal come to passe and yet his
primitiue sincerity for the e 2 King 12 3. people offered still and burnt incense in the high places untaken away But so soon as this f 2 Chron. 24.15 aged father the Priest was dead the Princes of Iudah g vers 17. fawning on the King turned him away to the former superstition and again they h vers 18. left the house of the Lord God of their fathers and served groues and greivous idols and the high Preists son the Kings cosin who prophesied against their sins they i ver 20.21 stoned him to death by the unthankful Kings coÌ„mandment in the court of the Lords house even between k Mat. 23 35. the temple and the altar 10 When Ioash was taken away l 2 Chron. 24.25 by a bloudy death Amaziah his son succeeded m 2 King 14.3 like his father did uprightly in the eyes of the Lord n 2 Chron. 25.2 but not with a perfect heart for idolatry still continued in Iudah and o 2 King 14 4. the people burnt incense in the high places And the King himselfe to add unto all his fathers sinnes brought the Gods of the Aedomites p 2 Chron. 25.14 and set them up to be his Gods and worshipped them and burned incense unto them which turned to his ruin But Vzziah his son sought God and did uprightly yet q 2 Chron. 26.3 4 5. according to all that his father Amaziah did for the r 2 King 15 4. high places stood still for offerings and incense and Iothan his son s vers 32.34.35 trode the very same steps But Achaz son of Iotham marred all again and made it worse then before for t 2 Kin. 16 1.2 3 c. he walked in the way of the Kings of Israel yea and made his son to passe through the fire after the abominations of the Heathen and made an altar in the Lords house u ver 10 c. like to the idolatrous altar which he saw in Damascus and x ver 17. brake down the work in the temple of God and made y 2 Chron. 28.2 3. molten images for Baalim yea being afflicted for his sins he trespassed z ver 22.23 the more against the the Lord sacrificing to the Gods of Damascus which had plagued him “ vers 24. breaking the vessels and shutting up the dores of the Lords house making altars in every corner of Ierusalem and high places “ vers 25. in every citie of Iudah to burn incense unto other Gods And thus Ierusalem a Ezek. 23.11 Aholibah marred her selfe with inordinate loue and with her fornications more then her idolatrous sister Aholah or Samaria for Iudah b 2 Chron. 29.6.7 forsook the Lord turned their faces from his tabernacle shut the dores of his house quenched his lamps and neither burnt incense nor offered burnt offerings in the sanctuarie unto the God of Israel but sacrificed c Deut. 32.17 to Divils new Gods whom they knew not nor their fathers and burnt incense to d 2 King 18.4 Nehushtan the serpent of brasse 11 Then God raised them up the good King Ezekias who e 2 Chron. 29.1.2 c. did uprightly in the sight of the Lord according to all that David his father had done He opened the dores of the house of the Lord brought in the Priests and Levites 〈◊〉 16 c. clensed the Temple altar and instruments of Gods service sacrificed unto God g vers 21.25.29 for their sinnes restored the true worship sought the conversion h 2 Chron. 30.1 c. of all Israel i 2 Chron. 30.1 c. caused them to break the images cut down the groues break down the high places and altars through all his Dominions and k 2 King 18.4 brake in peeces the brazen serpent that Moses had made and Israel polluted Thus dealt hee l 2 Chron 31.20.21 well and uprightly and truely before the Lord his God even with all his heart and departed not from him But when he was laid down in peace Manasses his son repeated all the former evils and added more unto them if ought mought be For m 2 Chron 33.3 c. he went back and built the high places which his father had broke down and set up altars for Baalim and made groues and worshipped all the host of heaven and served them and built altars to them in the Lords house made strange Gods and caused his sonnes to passe through the fire and gaue himselfe to witchcraft and charming and sorcerie and used them that had familiar spirits and n 2 King 21.16 shed innocent bloud exceeding much till he filled Ierusalem from corner to corner and made Iudah and Ierusalem to erre to o 2 Chron 33.9 doe worse then the heathen whom the Lord had destroyed before them The p Ier. 7.17 18. children gathered wood and the fathers kindled the fire and the women kneaded the dough to make cakes to the Queen of heaven and to power out drink offerings unto other Gods that they mought provoke the Lord to anger they vers 30. set their abominations in the house wherupon his name was called to pollute it they Ier. 19.5 builded the hie places of Baal to burn their sonnes with fire for burnt offrings unto Baal and unto Ier. 32.35 Molech By which abominations they so provoked the Lord as hee forbad his Prophets Ier. 11.14 14.11 to pray any more to doe the people good for they Ier. 17.4 had kindled a fire in his anger which should burn for ever 12 And although Manasses rewed all before his death 2 Chro 33 â—1 12 c. and repented heartily when he lay fettered in Babel and being restored to his Kingdom vers 15.16 took away the strange Gods and altars and images that he had made and restored in Iudah Gods true religion saue onely that vers 17. the people sacrificed in the high places yet Amon his son would not be warned by his fathers evils but turned again from God made 2 Chro. 34 â— 4. 2 King 23 â—4 idols and images and altars of Baalim high places and groues and sacrificed 2 Chron. â—3 22 to all the images which his father had made and served them humbled not himselfe as his father Manasses had done wherefore he was soon rooted out of the land of the living and laid in dust 13 l 2 Chr. 3â— Iosias his son abolished all these former idolatries monuments of them did uprightly in the sight of God as David had done and m vers 19 27. trembled at his law judgments but the people n Ier. 25.3 4 c. would not hear the words of the Prophets calling them from their idolatry they sought not the Lord many of them but o Zeph. 1.5 worshiped the host of heaven on the house tops remaining
and all Ieroboams house none left aliue destroyed according to the word of the Lord. 23 Baasha whose hands had executed Gods wrath on Ieroboams house yet had no grace to forsake his sinne no not though he were threatned for it by a Prophet k 1 King 16.1 4. to haue like vengeance brought upon his own posterity but continued in that Idolatrie to his dying day and Elah his son in the second year of his reign felt the reward of his fathers sins and of his own l 1 King 16.8 13. was kild by a conspiracie and all that family rooted out none left unto Baasha either of his kinsfolks or his friends Neither yet would Zimri who rooted out Bashaes house be warned himselfe but walked still in Ieroboams sin wherfore m 1 King 16.15.18.19 reigning but seven daies God hastened wrath upon his head and he burned himselfe in his distresse 24 All this notwithstanding the people of Israel and Kings that succeeded left not Ieroboams sinns but added moe unto them and did worse then he And although wrath was encreased upon the Nation n 2 King 6 24.25 by sword and by famine that women o ver 28.29 did eat their own children for hunger and the Prophets did p 2 King 8.11.12 weep to think of the plagues before they came upon them yet could they not bee perswaded to leav their idolatrie The Lord gaue them cleannesse of teeth and scarseness of bread in all their cities q Amos 4.6 yet turned they not unto him Hee with-held rain from them and made them wander about to seek water to drink r Vers. 8. yet turned they not unto the Lord. He smote them with blasting and mel dew and kanker worms did consume their fruits s vers 9. yet turned they not unto the Lord. Pestilence he sent among them after the manner of Aegipt and killed their yong men with the sword t vers 10. yet turned they not unto the Lord. Hee overthrew them as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and they were as a firebrand pluckt out of the burning u vers 11 yet turned they not unto the Lord. And though the Lord a 2 King 17 13.14 c. testified unto them by all the Prophets and by all the Seers saying Turn from your evill waies and keep my commandements yet would they not hear but followed vanity and became vain in their idolatry till the land did spue them out as it had spued out the Heathens that dwelt before them they were b ver 23.24 spoyled by the Assirians and caried captives among the Heathens and Hethens came and dwelt in their sted 25 In like manner fared it with the Kingdom of Iudah many plagues did they feel for their idol service and many moe were threatned yet would they not turn from this iniquity Presently upon Rehoboams apostasie c 2 Chron. 12.1.2 c. they were set upon by the King of Aegypt their strong cities taken the treasures of the Lords house and of the Kings were lost and the men themselvs made d vers 8. servants to Shishak 27 The idolatrous Kings after augmented sin and wrath but could not be brought to amendment Jehoram lost e 2 Chron. 21.8 Aedom had his house and children robbed and carried away f ver 16.17 by the Philistims and Arabians and himself after two years sore sicknesse g vers 19. had his guts fall out and so died Amaziah was h 2 King 14.13.14 c. taken by the King of Israel the wall of Ierusalem was broken and the temple robbed Achaz was sold into the hands of i 2 Chron. 28.5 the Kings of Aram of Israel and six score thousand valiant men of Iudah were killed in one day k vers 6. because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers and two hundred thousand taken prisoners besides l vers 17.18.19 other miseries that came upon the Countrie But these and other plagues many which God laid upon them till m Isa. 1.5 6.7 the whole head was sick and the whole heart heavie from the sole of the foot unto the head there was nothing whole therin but wounds and swelling and putrified sores the land wasted the cities burnt with fire and the daughter Sion remained like a cottage in a vineyard yet the more they were smitten n vers 5. the more they fell away all labour was spent in vain upon them the o Jer. 6 2â— 30. bellows were burnt the lead consumed in the fire the founder melted in vain they were called reprobate silver because the Lord had rejected theÌ„ For though he threatned p Ier. 9 1â— to make Ierusalem a heap and a den of Dragons and to make the cities of Iudah wast without an inhabitant and sent unto them saying a Ier. 18.11 Behold I prepare a plague for you and purpose a thing against you turn you therefore every one from his evill way b vers 12. yet they said desperately surely we will walk after our own imaginations and do every man after the speculation of his wicked heart 27 Moreover when God had brought upon them the desolation threatned that c 2 Chr. 36 Ierusalem was broken up by the Babylonians the temple burned the people killed and the rest caried prisoners into Babel some poore men onely d 2 King â— 5.12 left to till the land yet that remnant afterward fled e Ier. 43.5 â— 7 into Aegypt both small and great and there committed idolatry again with f Jer. 44.8 the works of their hands burning incense unto other Gods in the land of Aegipt that they might bring destruction unto themselvs and be a curse and a reproach among all Nations of the earth 28 Behold in this mirrour whosoever thou art that readest the readines of all flesh to fall away from God the pleasure that men take in their own vain invenâ—â—ons and the difficultie to draw them from following after Satan Behold the madnesse and blindnes and astonishment of heart wherewith they are stricken that be given to idolatry and how this gangrene did spread the whole body over in the Church of Israel whose historie is left written for example and warning to us who all are subject to fall into like sin are lyable to like plagues and of like obstinacy in evill For though God haue scourged Christendom with fire smoke and brimstone g Rev. â— 17 c. out of the horses mouthes and horsmen conducted by the Angels of destruction yet the remnant of men not killed by these plagues h vers 20. haue not repented of the works of their hands that they should not worship divils and idols of gold and silver and of brasse and of stone and of wood which neither can see neither hear nor goe men i Rev. 16.11 haue blasphemed the God of heaven for their paines and for their
Witchcrafts 17 For by these and innumerable moe inchantments of Idolatrie which the day would not be enough to recken up this Circe the Ladie of the pseudocatholicks hath intoxicate the earth that the inhabitants p Rev. 17.2 are drunken with the wine of her fornication doting upon her reverend clergie her devout service her sacred ceremonies her hallowed Churches her Saints reliques and other like amatory potions wherin Christianism Iudaism and Paganism are tempered and mixt together in the golden Babylonish cup of her abominations 18 Hence is it that the reliques of this Romish idolatry are so fast retained among some which yet Rev. 17. â—6 hate the whore and eat her flesh and burn her with fire Of her haue they received their Diocesan Provinciall and Nationall Churches Of her haue they learned to make portesses or Leitourgies reading and singing their prayers upon a book with organs and melodie Of her institution haue they their solemn festivities of Christs Angels and Saints daies with their fasting Eves Of her hand haue they taken their Archbishops Lordbishops Suffragans Arch-deacons Parsons Vicars and a great many moe of her royall retinue From her haue they had their Churches Chappels Minsters baptized bells hallowed fonts and holy Churchyards though some of those high places are of more antiquity as having been built and dedicated to the Heathen Divils Finally from her haue been received lands livings tithes offrings garments signes gestures ceremonies courts canons customs and many moe abominations wherewith haue been inriched the r Rev. 18.15 merchants of the whore and all that sail s vers 19 with ships in her sea Thus with all the evils before mentioned and others moe then can be told which are very Gillulim the loathsome idols and execrements of the Queen of Sodom and the filthinesse of her fornication hath shee dishonoured and blasphemed the God of heaven and all that therin dwell with them she defileth the consciences of men with them she delighteth and solaces her selfe in fleshly ease and pleasure till in t Rev. 18.8 19. one houre she and all her riches pleasures wares merchandise shall perish and that be again fulfilled which was said by the Prophet Ezek. 23.43 Now shal she and her fornications come to an end CHAP. VI. A Conclusion Dehortary from this sin THE wares of idolatry being so common and universally spread by the merchants of the whore and conveighed into all nations it commeth to passe that many are interessed in this Mart buy and sell partake and communicate with these evils not being aware of the danger they come into hereby To warn them therefore of the mischiefe ere they fall into it or to help them out if they be fallen haue I penned this Treatise and add to the things fore written these few advertisements 2 This sin is direct against the Majesty of God whose honour is to be regarded aboue our own liues aboue the peace or tranquility of nations The sin provoketh the anger of God as adultery provoketh the rage of a man injured in his private bed As he a Pro. 6.34 will not spare in the day of vengeance and can not bear the sight of any ransom so the Lord is a b Ex. 20 5 gealous God and visiteth the sin of the fathers upon the children even to the third and fourth generation of those that hate him 3 Idolaters as they are shut c Rev. 22.14.15 out of the citie of the Lord the Church of Christ the heavenly Ierusalem so haue they further this doom against them they d 1 Cor. 6. â— 10 shall not inherit the kingdom of God The coÌ„municating with idols depriveth men of coÌ„munion with God for there is e 2 Cor. â— 14.16 no fellowship of righteousnes with unrightousnes no agreement betwixt the Temple of God and idols The partakers therfore in this evill though perhaps not authors inventors nor open maintainers of the same shall come unto shame and confusion before God for f Isa. 44.1 all that are of the fellowship thereof shall be confounded 4 Folly is a blot and shame unto men which they fayn would shun but wisedom is mans honour and g Eccl. 8. â— maketh his face to shine Of all foolishnesse idolatry is the greatest depriving men of sound judgement in the best heavenly things and possessing their minds with habituall vanity Therefore is this vice resembled by a h Pro. 9.1 foolish woman ignorant knowing nothing yet troublesome and talkatiue i Pro. 7.1 lowd in her babling of a smooth and k Pro. 2.1 5.3.8.9 flattering tongue and her mouth more soft then oil yet cruel also and malicious l Pro. 6 2â— 9.18 hunting for the precious life of a man bringing him to beggery death and hell But true religion or the fear of the Lord is resembled by m Prov. 8 1.4.6 wisedom which uttereth her voice to the children of men speaketh of excellent things the words 〈◊〉 8.9 â—1 of her mouth are all righteous plain her instructions better then fine gold and all her pleasures are not to be compared unto her Blessed â—ers 33.35 is the man that heareth her watching daily at her gates and giving attendance at the posts of her dores for he that findeth her findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord but he that sinneth against her hateth his own soule all that hate her loue death 5 To worship and serv the Divill is a thing horrible in religion and even in nature worthy of vengeance from the hand of God Though all manner sin pertaineth to the Divils service yet idolatry aboue all is counted and called the worship of Divils and so shall be punished The Heathens albeit they Rom. 1. â—0 21 had some knowledge of the true God and worshipped Act. 17. â—3 him ignorantly yet their worship is reckoned to Satan for 1 Cor. 10 â—0 the things which they sacrificed they sacrificed to Divils and not unto God Ieroboam made account he served the true God 1 King 2.28 even the God that had brought Israel out of Aegipt land notwithstanding the Lord hath thus testified of him that they were 2 Chron. â—1 15 Divils which he made when he made his calues for to worship God by And Israel before him made u Exod. 3â— 1 c. a calfe for like use but Moses doth blame them as having offered unto x Lev. 17. â— Divils and gone a whoring after them and prophesyeth that their children y Deut. 32 17. would also run into like blot Antichristians would seem to bee worshippers of God yet the Holy Ghost chargeth them to z Rev. 9 2â— worship the Divils when they think to serv God by idols Forasmuch then as all idols are Divils though fools count them Saints to partake with them is to forsake God and to bring our selues into satans damnation for the Spirit
hath protested that wee a 1 Cor. 1â— 21. cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Divils we cannot be partakers of the Lords Table and of the table of divils 6 Many fearful judgements are threatned of God against this sort of sinners and haue come upon them By Moses he b Lev. 26.16 Deut. 28 3â— 59 c. denounced hastie fearfull and consuming plagues aches and botches and incurable sicknesses sore diseases and of long durance which punishment hee brought even upon the c 2 Chr. 2â— 18.19 Kings for their idolatry Hee threatned famine and drought d Lev. 26. â—9 20. making heaven as yron and earth as brasse that the land should not giue her increase nor trees their fruit as came to passe in the e 1 Kin. 17 Luk. 4.25 daies of wicked Achab when heaven was shut three years and six moneths that it sent down neither rain nor dew wherby great famine was throughout all the land because they had forsaken the Lord and 1 King 18.18 followed Baalim Wilde g Lev. 26.22 beasts he menaced to send upon them which should spoil them and their cattell and make their high waies desolate of which plague they tasted in Samaria when the Lord whom they feared not h 2 King 17 25.26 sent Lions among them which slew them Hee said Levit. 26 25. hee would send the sword upon them which should avenge the quarrell of his covenant and this plague k 2 Chr. 12 â— 28.5 6 c. the Israelites often felt because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers Hunger and misery was prophesyed unto them that Lev. 26.26 Deut. 28. â—3 57. Ier. 19.9 Ezek. 5.10 they should eat and not be satisfied that men and women should eat their own children and after births and every man eat the flesh of his friend fathers should eat their sonns and sons their fathers when all things should lack in the seige and streightnes wherein their enemies should inclose them which extremities God m 2 Kinâ— 6.29 brought upon Israel in K. Iâ—râ—ms daies and after when n Lam. â— 11.12 children sucklings swooned in the streets gaue up the ghost in their mothers bosome for want of bread and drink and o Lam. 4. the hands of the pittifull women sod their own children for their meat and did eat their fruit even p Lam. 2. children of a span long The Lord threatned q Lev. 2â— 30.31 destruction of their high places and images and to cast their carkesses on the bodies of their idols that his soul should abhor them hee would make their cities desolate and bring their sanctuary to naught would not smel the savour of their sweet odours but scattred them among the Hethens draw the sword out after them all which with other like calamities came upon the idolaters whose r 2 King 23 16.2â— dead bones were taken out of their graues burned upon their polluted altars and the idolatrous Priests sacrificed upon them Ierusalem the holy citie s Ier. 52.13.10 was broken up and all the men of war fled the house of the Lord al great houses burnt with fire Kings captived in chains Princes nobles killed the Lord trode â—am 1.15 under foot all the valiant men Sion mourned and there was none to comfort her the â—am 2.1 â— beauty of Israel was cast down from heaven to earth God cut off all the horn thereof in his fierce wrath which he powred out like fire vers 6.7 causing the feasts and Sabbaths to bee forgotten in Sion and despising in the indignation of his wrath both King and Priest forsaking his Altar and abhorring his Sanctuary so that peoples eyes vers 11. failed with tears their bowels swelled their liver was powred upon the earth for vers 17. the Lord performed that which hee had purposed and fulfilled his word determined of old doing that to Ierusalem Ezek. 5.6 which hee never did before neither would doe any more the like because of all their abominations and Ier. 8.3 7.29 death was desired rather then life of all the residue of that wicked family for the Lord had rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath 7 All these and Rom. 15.4 Cor. 10.11 whatsoever else God threatned unto or brought upon Israel for their idolatries are examples written for us upon whom the ends of the world are come that we should not sin like them lest we be partakers of like punishments It is d Heb. 1â— 31. a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God For e ver 26.2 if we sin willingly after that we haue received the knowledge of the truth there is left no more sacrifice for sins but a fearfull looking for of judgement and a violent-heat of fire which shall devour the adversaries 8 Wherefore unto the children of men thus saith the wisedom of God f Pro. 1.22 23. O yee foolish how long will yee loue foolishnesse and scorners take pleasure in scorning and fooles hate knowledge Turn you at my correction loe I powr out my minde unto you g Prov. 2.2 4.5.12 cause your eares to hearken unto Wisedom incline your hearts to understanding seek her as silver and search for her as for treasures then shall you understand the fear of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God which will deliver you from the evill way h Pro. 6.24 25. from the flattery of the tongue of the strange woman Desire not her beauty in your heart neither let her take you with her ey-lids i Prov. 5.8 9.11 keep your way far from her and come not neer the dore of house least you giue your honour unto others and your years to the cruel and mourn at your end when you haue consumed your flesh and your body For k Prov. 2.18.19 surely her house tendeth to death her pathes unto the dead all they that goe unto her return not again neither take they hold of the waies of life Children keep l 1 Ioâ— 5.21 your selvs from Idols Amen FINIS