God if any that was not a Levite and of Aarons line did minister at the altar k Num. 18 3.7 he was to be slain Therefore Korah though a principall Levite was killed of God and all that took his part l Num. 16.9.10 32 3â— for presuming to doe the Priests office wherunto he was not called Such was the severity of God against the sinns that Jeroboam and his followers haue made so light of 4 Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron being newly entred into the Priests office wherto a many particular observances were annexed failed but in one point taking strange or common fire to burn incense in sted of hallowed fire from the Altar and behold m Lev. 10.1.2 a fire went out from the Lord and devoured them When the Ark of God was in transporting to Ierusalem upon a cart and the oxen shaking it endangered the overthrow thereof Vzzah a Levite that guided the cart of a good intent to help the Ark put forth his hand to hold it n 1 Chron. 13.7.10 but the wrath of the Lord was kindled against him and hee smote him that hee died there because he laid his hand upon the Ark which was not lawfull for him to doe God having charged the Levites o Num. 4.5 15. not to touch the holy things lest they died The men of Bethshesâ—esh a citie of p Ios. 21.4 16. the Priests when the Ark of God came home unto them out of the Philistims land because they looked into the Ark which by the Law q Num. 4.20 they mought not doe the Lord r 1 Sam. 6.19 slew of the people of that citie fiftie thousand men three score and ten So gealous hath God been for the transgression of every rite and circumstance of his Law that all mought learn to dread him and haue care of his commandements Here was no place found for those distinctions of mortall sinnes and veniall fundamentall and accidentall and other like quirks which the Serpent and his Seed haue invented to beguile mans heart The soule that s Ezek. 18.20 sinneth shall die and sin is every t 1 Ioh. 3.4 transgression of the Law the person that doth any sin with a high hand u Num. 15 30. blasphemeth the Lord must be cut off from among his people for x Gal. 3.10 cursed is every man that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to doe them and y Deut. 27.26 all the people must say Amen 5 The innovation then which Ieroboam brought in by his Kingly power what colours soever could be set upon it was loathsome idolatry His assembling of Israel unto Dan and Bethel was a double sin a departure from God and a schism from his people From God they departed by leaving Sion a Psal. 132 13.14 where hee loved to dwell and which should be his rest for ever There was his b Ps. 27.8 face and presence there was his c Deu. 12.5 name there was his d 1 Kin. 9 3 heart and eyes perpetually There e 1 King 8 was the holy and most holy sanctuary with the Ark f 2 Chron. 6.41 Heb. 9 4.5 of Gods strength the Tables of the Testament the memorials of ancient benefits the tokens of his loue and mercy and mysterie of salvation in the pot of Manna the rod of Aaron the book of the Law the Mercy-seat the glorious Cherubims and other g Heb. 9 1â— like resemblances of heavenly things not made by wit of man h 1 Chron. 28.19 by direction and pattern from God himselfe So the leaving of these was the leaving of God wherefore Israel now is said for to be i 2 Chron. 15.3 without the true God Ieroboams calues made to worship God by were teachers of lies being called k 1 King 12.28 Gods as resembling his presence who was not there and signifying his favour which l Hos. 8.13 was farr away as hallowing the place where Satan had his throne and sanctifying the worshippers polluted by apostasie So Ephraim was Hos. 12.1 fed with the wind and followed after the east wind for the golden Gods which Ieroboam made them were 2 Chron. 1.16 Divils unto God and so esteemed of his Saints 6 The schism from their brethren was a breach of that brotherhood and unitie in faith and loue wherin God had set the twelv Tribes of Israel to grow up together as branches of q Ezek. 37.17 one tree and members of r Eph. 4.4 one body whose abiding together was s Psal. 133 both good and pleasant but the renting asunder was a with-drawing t Heb. 10.39 to perdition because Gods u vers 38. soule had no plealure in them that forsook the x vers 25 mutuall gathering together of themselvs As in the former Jeroboam shewed y Eccles. 10 15. his foolishnesse not knowing the way into the Citie of the Lord so in this later he added to his sin doing that which the Lord did z Prov. 6.16.19 abhor 7 The pollution of the Temple is but a pretence and the sanctitie of Bethel rather in conceit then indeed and truth Solomons idolatry defiled himselfe and all the partakers but not the Temple wherin it never came Or if it had come there yet mought it haue been purged as a 2 Chr. 29.15.16 c it was in daies following Or if it had not been purged yet could no other place be hallowed without b 1 Chron 17.6 1 Tim. 4.5 the word of God For who could put his name there and cause him there to dwell but c Deu. 12. â— himselfe It was not Solomons sin that gaue Ieroboam right to the Kingdom but the d 1 King 11.29.31 word of the Lord in the mouth of the Prophet neither was it the pollution of the TeÌ„ple if defiled that could warrant the King to build him another for God was to appoint both e 1 Chron 21.18 22.1 place and f 1 Chron 28.2.3.6 person and without his g Ier. 7 3â— word nothing is lawfull in his service So sanctity in Bethel there was none at all but it was h Hos 4.15 Bethaven the house of iniquity The holinesse which had been there of old was onely by relation unto God that appeared i Gen. 35 â— and his Word which appointed an altar there when his presence departed and commandment ceased it was as common as any other place For this God ordained an k Exod. 20 24. Altar of earth to be made unto him in the wildernesse and all places where he should cause his name to be remembred that at their departure it mought be defaced not left for superstition 8 Ieroboams supremacy in the Kingdom of Israel could not bear him out in altering the ordinances of the service of God For he was a subject unto God bound l Deut. 17.9
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
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
doctrine may be abominable and God thereby z vers 4. proveth the hearts of his people The inchanters of Aegypt a Exod. 7.11.12 could also doe miracles even like unto Moses yet were they no Ministers of the Lord. What then though this falser had power to doe great things and thereupon was hired by the King of Iudah to come preach against me and seduce my people no wise man will rest on counterfeit miracles but will settle his heart on the Law of God which that Prophet could not convince me with all for then I had yeelded but sought to get credit by abusing that power which God did permit him to haue for my tryall The abuse of Gods name cannot goe long unpunished for it is a great sin neither scaped this Prophet due vengeance for his crime but as he went homeward he was slain b 1 King 13.24 by a Lyon Well worthy end for such as dissemble the message of the most High How ever therefore some think of this matter I am not perswaded hee was a man of God that came to so fearfull a death 21 But the death c 1 Kin. 14 of mine own son Abijah sate neerer me and made me look narrowly into mine actions till I found indeed whereof to resolue I sent mine own wife d vers 2. to Ahijah the Prophet for counsell about him but the cholerik old man e vers 6. would not suffer her to speak but breaking out into heat and menaces gaue her an answer before she asked It is easie to see his partiall affection hee leaneth towards Iudah and speaketh with bitternesse against me that never did him hurt And were it indeed that I had offended my fault mought bee shewed me in loue and meeknesse which would better beseem the Prophets of God then this their distempered carriage And what was the cause why he did so threaten me even the common calumnie that the Iews doe giue out for he said f vers 9· J had made me other Gods but how false this is I haue shewed before and it became not his gray head to beleev such reports and condemn me unheard I haue not forsaken the Lord my God but the thing is mistaken by the g vers 4. blinde Prophet who discerneth no better my actions then hee can doe colours My son is dead and gone for his day was come if he were cut off before the time it was rather for his vice then for his vertue The Prophet sayd there was h vers 13. some goodnesse found in my son towards the Lord God of Israel and therefore he must die But doth the Lord use so to reward them that are good before him It is said in the Scripture of wicked men that they i Psa. 55.23 shall not liue out halfe their daies yet now this yong mans death is brought as an argument to proue hee was godly Ahijah I perceiv is too old to bee k 1 Sam. 9.9 a Seer any longer else could he not haue been so much overseen in this his new doctrine Gods law l Exod. 20 biddeth children to honour their parents that their daies may be long in the land but this my child had his daies shortned doubtlesse for disobedience My other sonns m 1 Chron 11.14 consented to that which I did about religion and they liue and prosper he onely would be more precise then his brethren and his honour is laid in the dust Thus see I in my house the proverb fulfilled n Pro. 10. â— The fear of the Lord increaseth the daies but the yeares of the wicked shall be diminished For which I lament through fatherly affection but am nothing moved to leav my religion nay rather these judgements confirm me therein for I see how they that speak against it are cut off Yea God himselfe hath been my Protectour and with-held o 2 Chron. â—1 2.3.4 by his Prophet my enemies of Iudah from fighting against me On him will I lean and trust in his name being fully resolved not to alter my course but I and my people to continue as we are until we lye down in peace CHAP. IIII. A Conviction of Ieroboams impiety THese and the like pretences many Ieroboam could alledge for to justifie his cause wherein was onely shew but no weight of truth Yet such is mans corruption as he will admit of any colour rather then leav the sinne that he affecteth and being in high transgression of the Law will bear himselfe upon the Law as if it made for him in his iniquity But as David prayed God that hee would a Psal. 14.4 not incline his heart to word of evill to set himselfe to pretend pretences or forge excuses in wickednesse with men that work iniquity so need we all continually to aske of God this grace for as of Adam wee haue learned to sinne so also for to hide and cloke our sinne and cover our nakednesse though it bee but with fig-leaues That may be seen in Ieroboam here 2 For he not having faith in God nor resting on his promise who would bee b 1 King 11.38 with him and build him a sure house as had builded for David if he did that which was right in his eyes gaue himselfe to policie and followed the wisedom of this world which is c 1 Cor. 3.19 foolishnesse with God whereby he fell into vanity altered and innovated the ordinances of religion to the ruin of his house and of his people 3 The plea how he retained the grounds of true religion and varied but in ceremonies came out of Satans school where Gods commands are wont to bee extenuate The Lord required of his people intire obedience d Deut. 27 26. to all and every of his ordinances among which nothing was to be neglected nothing to be counted light or little for who so breaketh e Mat. 5.19 one of the least of his precepts and teacheth men so he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of heaven The lightest matters in mans account and circumstances that he presumes to violate haue in Gods administration procured heavy doom As for the place of publick worship it was enacted that whosoever brought not his sacrifice to the dore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation but offred it other where f Lev. 17.3.4 bloud should be imputed to that man he should be cut off from among his people yea such oblations were esteemed of God as offered g vers 7. unto Divils Likewise for the time though the Lord h Num. 9.10 dispensed with the unclean and travellers for keeping the Passeover yet if any were clean and not in journy and neglected to keep the feast in the 14 of the first moneth that person was i vers 13. to be cut off from among his people because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his due season And for the persons that should administer before