him Now their Idolatry was mightily increased when they served the gods of all the nations round about them It is a question in the Ethickes whether a man may keepe intire and true friendship with many or not So we may aske what 〈◊〉 of worship could the Iewes performe to all these gods They served Baalim and Ashtaroth When the Hebrewes joynes the masculine and the faeminine together then they signifie many it is usuall wâ—â—â— the Hebrewes when they joyne the masculine and the faeminine together to comprehend the whole oâ— very many of the kind which they speake of as Gen. 5.7 He begat sonnes and daughters that is many children So Eccles 2.8 I got me men fingers and women fingers than is diverse sorts of Musitians So they worshipped Baal and Ashtaroth that is sundry sorts of Idols They served gnashteroth the gods of Syria 1 King 9.5 and they are put in the faeminine gender 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they fained to themselves as well women gods as men gods diverse feâ—â—s are onely for preservation of mortall kindes but they held their gods to be immortall why then should they imagine male and female amongst them Yet the Platonickes held that there were male and female amongst them and Trismogish 〈…〉 faeminiâ—â—â— They worshipped the gods of Syria There were many gods in Syria according to the severall divisions of it There were many of the gods of Syria according as it was diversly divided Syria interamâ—â—â— or Mesopotamia So Syria Seba and Syria Macha and Syria Damascena These had all sundry gods 2 Chro. 23. They worshipped the gods of the Philistines and of the Ammonites and yet the Ammonites and Philistines oppressed them eighteene yeares Iudges 10.8 Marke a difference betwixt the true religion and the false A difference betweene the true religion and the false when they came to serve the gods of the Philistines and the Ammonites they were their deadly enemies but when they turned from the false religion to the true then they cherished and loved them When men came from Gentilisme to Judaisme they were called proselytes and the Iewes shewed them all the favours that they did to any Iew So when they were converted from Iudaisme to Christianitie they called them fratres Iudai Act. 15. accounted of them as their brethren So when men were converted from Gentilisme to Christianitie then they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.6 and they cherished them as young plants therefore the Lord saith to Ieremie 15.19 Goe not thou to them but let them come to thee When they cryed unto the Lord in this trespasse the Lord answered them with a bitter tant Iudges 10.14 Goe and cry unto your Gods whom ye have chosen let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation Bernard saith well Quod deus dicit cum risu tu debes audire cum luctu The decrease The decrease Iudges 10.15 when the children of Israel said unto the Lord We have sinned doe thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee onely deliver us we pray thee this day and ver 16. And they put away the strange gods from amongst them and served the Lord and his soule was grived for the misery of Israel In the originall it is Anima ejus fuit contracta and opposit to this is 2 Cor. 6.11 Our heart is inlarged Verbum kum contiâ—â—â— alteri verbo absque copula praemissum agilitatem expeditionem notat atta takum Heere is the nature of our gratious God showne to us who is slow to anger and soone pacified and at whatsoever time a sinner repents him hee will put away all his sinnes out of his minde then the Lord arose and had mercie upon Sion Psal 102.13 The seventh increase The seventh increase of Idolatry Iudg. 17.4 when Micah sets up molten gods and graven gods to be worshipped Rabbi David observes that this word God in all this part of Scripture which entreates of Micah his Idolatry is alwayes prophanum nomen a prophane name taken for Idols except onely in two places The first in these words all the time that the house of the Lord was in Shilo The second is Iudges 18.10 The Lord hath given the Land into your hands Micah consecrated one of his sonnes to be a Priest to him Many irregularities in this when Micah consecrated his sonne to be a Priest verse 5. Here concurres many irregularities contrary to the Law in the consecration of this his sonne The first irregularity is in him who consecrates The second in him who was consecrated The third in making an Ephod to him to serve who was consecrate The fourth in the place where he served after he was consecrated and that was in a private house The first irregularitie was this The first irregularitie that hee tooke upon him to consecrate his sonne No man takes this honour upon him but he that is called of God as Aaron Que. How could Moses consecrate Aaron and his sons Levit. 8.12 13. seeing he was not of the sonnes of Aaron Moses was first a Priest and consecrated the Priestes to the Lord. The common Answere here is this that he did it at the commandment of God extraordinarily at the first establishing of the Priesthood But there is more in it then this for Moses was a Priest of God Psal 99.6 Moses and Aaron amongst the Priests Heere David tearmes Moses a Priest as well as Aaron and Moses Gerundensis saith that he was a Priest and therfore offered incense first and the Hebrewes call him Sacerdotem Sacerdotum the greatest Priest and that Moses offered a burnt offering on the Altar it is cleare Lev. 8.28 and Hiscuini saith that all the seven dayes Moses offered and in the eight day he said to Aaron from henceforth come thou and serve in this ministrie after that Moses had consecrated Aaron and his sonnes Moses children are not reckoned amongst the Priests but amongst the Levites 1 Chron. 23.14 Quâ—st 1. Aaron and his sonnes were those who consecrate who was it then that consecrate when the Priesthood was out of the right line from the time of Eli who descended from Ithamar and not from Eleazar â— Chron. 24.3 to the time of Sadock who was restored by Salomon to the Priesthood The Priesthood in the wrong line in Eli his time in Ahitob his time in Ahiâ—â— his time and his brother Abimelech his time in Abiather his time and the restored to the right line in Sadock The Priests who came of Ithamar and did consecrate being in the wrong line peccarunt usurpatione tituli yet there consecration was valid Answ These Priests although they were not in the right line when they entered into the preisthood and although there entrie was by usurpation yet being entred their consecration was lawfull for even as a tyrant Peccat usurpatione tituli yet he sinnes not in Iudging and giving out sentence and the subjects are bound to obey
Lordship then I have obteined my end Your Lordships in all Duty IOHN WEEMSE An Alphabeticall Table wherein are contained the chiefe matters and principle heads of the whole Treatise together with the Hebrew and Greeke Words A Aaron made the golden calfe 189. he sinned not of ignorance ib. the greatnes of his sin ib. Aarons Idolatry teacheth the infirmity of the Leveticall Priesthood 190. how the Lord spared Aaron though he was an Idolater Abel what it signifieth 203 Abraham an idolater 179 he left his father and Country for Gods cause 181 Abimelech what judgement befell him for robbing of his idoll 228 Achab how wicked a King he was 256 Acharon by the Hebrew is called an Atheist 3 Accursed what it is to bee accursed 322 Achaz playes the Politician 283. A comparison betwixt Achazaz and Amaziah and what proverb the Hebrewes apply to them 284 Adder how the deafe Adder is said to stop her eares 42 Adjectivum perpetuum and adjectivum distinctionis what 176 Adoption a difference betwixt Gods adoption and mans 298 Adorare what 265 Age to dye in a good old age what it signifieth 225 Alexander why he is called hircus caprarum 114 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 7 Angels never call themselves men in the Scripture 37. the Angels in working of miracles are not coworking causes 96 how good Angels differ from bad angels in hurting 107 how they take up things 117. they have a threefold motion 136. Angels refuse divine worship 168. the difference betwixt angelus mali and angelus malus 107. what Angel buffeted Saint Paul ibid Apollo why he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 22 Apostles how they are sayd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Christ 97 Apparitions how true apparitions are distinguished from false 39 Aramite why he is put for an idolater by the Syriacke 177 Archimedes his quickenesse of wit 106 Arke how long it was in Gilgal Shilo Nob and Gibeon 249. Arke called ariel lyon of God 257 Articles some articles of faith proved and beleeved some beleeved onely 10 Asa a comparison betwixt David Iosias and Asa 277. betwixt Amazziah Vzziah and Asa 278 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 7 Astrologie of judiciall astrologie and the divers names of it 43. Astrologie proceeded first from idolatry 54. it takes away Gods providence 55. it takes away liberty of will in civill things from man and that which he hath by grace 58. it is subordinate to no other science 61 how judiciall astrologie borroweth from other sciences and hath nothing of its owne 61. whether it be a science or not 62 Asuphim or collecti who 298 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 59 Atheisme the causes which leade men to Atheisme 3. Atheisme the â—enter of all sinne 16 Atheist the word Atheist diversly taken 5. how many sorts of Atheists there are ibid. they deny in their jollity that there is a God 8. when we dispute against Atheists although we use naturall middles yet we conclude not as Physitians but as Divines 10. a comparison betwixt a Christian a Devill and an Atheist 14. So betwixt Baalam and the Atheist ibid. So betwixt the Atheist and the Saduce 15. So betwixt the Epicure and the Atheist ibid. So betwixt the Devill and the Atheist ibid. The Atheist should be put to death 16. B. Baal whether he was a Prophet or not 128. why his house was turned to a Privie 195 the Lord would not be called Baal 215 three sorts of people diversely affected towards Baal 220 Baalberith what 227 Baalim a common name to all idols 214 what it signifieth ibid. Baragar what 133 Barbarisme whence it is derived Before to be before the Lord what it signifieth in the scripture 114 Beresheth what the Hebrewes call opus beresheth 92 Beth signifieth sometimes contra and not in ib. Borne what were the priviledges of the first borne 295 Bowing Cajetan makes two sorts of bowing 270 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 7 Bukera sacla what it signifieth 297 Buriall Moses buriall most honourable 209 C 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it is 59 Caph giminatum quid valet apud Hebraeos 279 caph by the Hebrewes is taken three wayes 279 Captivitie the difference betwixt the Iewes former captivity and the captivity now 332 Cemarim what they were 289 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 79 Chiun what it signifieth 200 Christ as hee was man wrought no miracles 97. the difference betwixt Christ and his Apostles in working of miracles ibid. how often the Devill tempted Christ 150. a threefold errour concerning Christ 304. Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us reasons proving that Christ is come 306 Church was first in a family then in a nation then scattered abroad 178. three sorts of gifts bestowed upon the Church 156. two sorts of effects in a Church 180. how the Iewish Church was divided 190 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 133 Circumcision a defence against witchcraft 153 circumcision a seale of the covenant of the Iewes 302 Cohen and Cumar how they differ 235 Conscience what it is called in the Syriack 9. how an erronious conscience bindeth 229. foure priviledges of a good conscience when it stipulates with God 227. foure sorts of consciences 272 Consecrate who did consecrate when the Priesthood was in the wrong line 234. Idolatrous Priests could not consecrate ibid. Contingency three sorts of contingencie 119 Covenant we must not covenant with hell the devill the world and death 26. the indirect covenant with the devill 42. what they doe who enter into the direct covenant with him 30 Conception twofold in the scripture 106 Corpus purum impurum and non purum how they differ 73 Craft of the Devill 131 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 88 Cruelty Of the cruelty of the Devill 141 D Dan committed idolatry 243. how long idolatry continued in the Tribe of Dan ibid Darts why they are called firy darts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what 3 Devill a great sinne to lye with the Devill 32. how many wayes he appeares to men 34. why the Devils are called hoary ones 34. the word devil taken three wayes in the scripture 88 of the power of the devill 90. of the knowledge of the devills 111 foure things makes him to have great knowledge 112. whence the devils had knowledge to foretell things to come 122. there are not devils more milder than others 146 diverse names given to the devill 151. the devils when they assume bodies they are not affected as our bodies are 154. he tempted the woman first in her irascible faculty 20. in her intelligible concupiscible faculty 21. how he corrupts our understanding 22. how he worketh in and upon a body 101. how he assumes bodies 102. The Divell cannot beget a child and why 106 hee can transport bodies and how 104. what knowledge the devill hath of the Scripture 123. hee flatters when he foretels things to come 124. his responses were doubtfull 125. how
thing can affect the devill as we are affected with such beauty affects not his sight musicke affects not his hearing nor odours his smell for he being a spirit nothing affects him but similitude of manners Therefore that is fabulous which is set downe in Tobit 6.14 That the devill was in love with Sâ—â—ah for her beauty he loved her not for the gifts of her mind for then he should have loved them best who exceede most in graces but he hated Christ above all others Therefore he doth not love any for the graces of their minde but hates them more when the devill beholds the goodnesse of the creatures as their beauty comelinesse honesty c. although in the generall hee see them to be good yet he is so carried with his habituall malice that he cannot like the good that is in any creature And even as these wretches who make themselves away have a generall liking of their life by the very instinct of nature yet through griefe and despaire they put often hands on themselves so the habituall malice of the devils suffers them not to like any good that is in the creature The counterfeit weapons in the Christian Church So the Christian Church useth false meanes to expell the devils as the Church of Rome useth salt spittle holy water and consecrate oyle the primitive Church first used this oyle in working of miracles then the fathers afterward used it by imitation and last the Papists use it as viaticum to further them to heaven So they use exorcising of devils Christ himselfe cast out devils by the power of the spirit and so he left this power of exorcising for a while in the Church for the establishing of the Gospell when it was new planted he doth otherwayes in constituenda ecclesia than hee doth in constituta ecclesia And even as a Gardiner when he removes a tree out of one ground to another he sets so many stayes to it to hold it up and he powres water against the roote of it daily but when it hath once taken roote hee pulls away the stayes from it and leaves it to the ordinary course of growing as other trees So the Lord bestoweth at the first in the infancie of the Church these miracles as stayes to confirme and uphold lâ—er but now when shee is setled he takes away these helpes and makes her to grow by the ordinary course of grace and if these miracles should have indured still in the Church of extraordinary things they should have become ordinary and nothing regarded In the Primitive Church these gifts lasted for a while but now to use this exorcising in the Church is to use that which is out of date and it is now but a carnall weapon which Satan cares not for Vrim and Thummim were two precious stones set in the breast plate of Aaron by the which hee answered the people when hee asked him of matters doubtfull these two stones were not in the second temple now if the priest should have put in two counterfeit stones in the breast plate and had given his answers to the people By them when as the Lord answered not by Vrim and Thummim would he not have beene holden for a deceiver So he who professes himselfe now to be an exorcist when as the gift ceaseth in the Church now hee is to be accounted an imposter and deceiver There were three sorts of gifts bestowed upon the Church some simply necessary as the Word and Sacraments some were necessary for her in statu legali when she was under the rudiments of the Law which are not necessary now under the Gospell as the ceremonies of the Law Thirdly some gifts were bestowed upon the Church in the infancie of the Gospel such as were the gift of tongues of healing and of exorcising and these now are abolished The matter may be illustrate by this comparison The Prince when hee is a child he hath a tutor to teach him and a regent or administrator to rule and governe him and thirdly hee hath his counsellers but when he comes to majority he hath no master any more he hath not a regent or administrator any more Exoreismus fuit apud â—udae osante Christi ad ventum sed postea una cum religione desiit apud ipsos translata est ad ecclesiam Christi Act. 19. but onely his counsellers who abides with him So the Church in her infancie was under Moses law as under 〈◊〉 pedagogue And when the Gospel was first planted the Church had these extraordinary gifts as a time for a regent or administrator but she hath the Word and Sacraments to remaine with her as her counsellers perpetually The true meanes to resist Satan The true meanes to resist Satan are first the shield of faith Ephes 6.16 Above all taking the shield of faith whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fierie darts of the wicked where the Apostle alludes to the custome of old for when they dipped the heads of their arrowes in poyson and shot them at their enemies they fired their flesh So Satans tentations are fiery darts and the shield of faith is said to quench them The souldiers of old had their shields made of raw neates leather as Polibius testifies and Vigetius writing de re militari and when the fiery darts lighted upon them they were presently quenched so these fierie tentations of the devill when they hit the shield of faith they are presently quenched abiunt in spicas Psa The next true meanes for the casting out of the devill is prayer and fasting Mat. 7.21 This kinde of devill is not cast out but by prayer and fasting Fasting and prayer are two excellent meanes to banish Satan therefore it is that the Lord alloweth the husband and the wife for a time to goe asunder that they may give themselves to fasting and prayer and then come together againe that Satan tempt them not to incontinencie and the Lord Ioel 2.16 wills the bridegroome and the bride to goe forth of their bed-chamber to sanctifie a fast Quest How did Christ Math. Chap. 9. ver 14. take the defence of his disciples when they fasted not as the Pharisees and Iohns disciples did seeing fasting is such an excellent meane for to banish Satan How excuseth hee them for intermitting this dutie Answ Christ takes the defence of his disciples here because it was not time for them to fast so long as the bridegroome was with them but elsewhere he reproves them for not fasting It is a good rule of the Schoolemen that affirmativa ligant semper sed non ad semper that is affirmative precepts bind us but not alwayes and at all times The Lord commands them to fast but not when the bridegroome was with them See Nehe. 8.10 Paul prayed thrice against the temptations of Satan and Christ blamed his disciples because they had not joyned fasting and prayer together to cast out the devill and where it is
warmed himselfe and of another peece of the tree hee made a God and worshipped and so the heathen mocked these worshippers of Idols Seneca Quid inquit brutalius est quam statuis sacrifices statuarium vero mensa tua excludas apud statuam genua tua flectis pictorem aperto capite coram te stantem despicis negligis what is more senslesse and brutish saith Seneca then for thee to sacrifice to an Idoll and yet thou will not suffer him who made the Image to come to thy table thou bowest thy knee before the Image and yet thou suffers him who made the Image to stand baâ—â—â—ded before thee and him thou despisest and â—â—gâ—â—cts So Diagoras jested at the Idolls of old and when he saw the Image of Hercules he pulled it downe and threw it into the fire and said this shall be the thirteenth labour of Hercules Thus we see every man a beast in his owne knowledge No sinne hath so many shifts for it as Idolatry hath Ier. 10.14 There is no sinne that hath so many shiftes for it selfe as this sinne hath as the whore wiped her mouth and said she did it not Prov. 30.20 So they denie extenuate and cover this sinne therefore it is that the Lord when he describes this spirituall whoredome Why the Lord describes Idolatry in such plaine tearmes hee describes it in more plaine and open termes then he doth bodily whoredome Ezech. 16.15 Thou powrest out thy fornications upon every one that passeth by his it was and verse 25. Thou hast opened thy feete to every one that passeth by and verse 26. Thou hast committed fornications with thy neighbour great of flesh and Chap. 23.30 Shee doted upon their paramoures whose flesh is as the flesh of asses and whose Issue is as the issue of horses but when the Lord speakes of bodily adultery he speakes in more covered termes as Prov. 9.17 Stolen waters are sweet So hee describeth by eating She eateth and wipeth her mouth Prov. 30.20 and the reason is because men are more sensselesse in taking up this spirituall adultery and they use moe shifts to hide it and therefore the Lord sets it downe in such plaine termes The Lord saith What signifies to set up an image before God Yee shall not make to thy selfe any graven image gnal pani before me gnal panai signifieth either continuance of time or noteth a place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First continuance of time that so long as I am So long as the Lord lives no image must set up before him ye shall not choose another god Num. 3.4 And Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the Priests office in the sight of Aaron their father gnal peni Aharon vivente adhuc Aarone So 1 Sam. 31 1. and the child Samuel ministred unto the Lord before Eli lipne gneli ante Eli that is while Eli was alive Deut. 21.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yee may not make the sonne of the beloved first borne before the sonne of the hated gnal peni ben juxta faciem filij exosae that is so long as the sonne of the hated liveth So Exod. 20. Ye shall have no other Gods before me gnal panai ante seu coram me that is so long as I live So it is taken for a place In no place an image must be set up before him ye shall neither set up an Idoll before me either privately or publickely for Gods face is every where privately the Lord forbiddeth them Deut. 27.15 Neither privately Cursed be he that maketh any graven or molten image an abhomination of the Lord the worke of the hand of the craftsman and putteth it in a secret place So the Lord abhored the chamber of their imagerie Ezek. 8.12 Neither publickely and he forbids them publickely to commit that Idolatry in the visible Church Cain fled from the face of the Lord Genes 4.16 That is from the visible Church So the propitiatorie in the Church of Ierusalem was called the face of God Exod. 25. they were called panes facierum because they stood before the propitiatory the face of the Lord therefore the Lord forbids to set up an Idol before him It was a great malapertnesse in the Iewes to set up their Idoles in mount Olivet just under the Lords nose therefore it was called 2 Kings 23.23 not mens Oliverum hamishka unctionis but chamishceth perditionis Elegans paranomafia God never looked out of the holiest of all but he saw this vile Idolatry to set up this image of jealousie in the sight of the Lord was a vile abhomination Ezek. 18. Before my face the lawes of men at the first commanded if the husband should apprehend the adulterer with his wife then he should kill them both as Solon and Draco his Lawes ordained Plutarch in the life of Solon Codice titulo l. Gracchus Covaruvius de matrimonio 2. p. c. 7 7. but the Law of the twelve tables mitigates this afterward Maechum in adulterio deprehensum necato si vilis est the husband might kill the adulterer with the adulteresse if he was a base person So when the Lord apprehends his Church committing abhomination with these Idols and apprehends her in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may he not justly kill the adultresse Before my face the Schoolemen have a good axiome Bonum nisi ex causa integra maluÌ„ vero ex quocunque defectu pessimum vero ex defectu maximo Circumstances doe much exaggerat a sin for as in man it is not enough that the body have all the compleate parts to make up the perfection of it but there is requisite likewise proportion colour situation of partes and if any of these be wanting then a man is thought an uncomely man Bonum hic ex integra causa nascitur but if any thing bee wanting then that breedes defect but the greatest defect ariseth of the greatest want and which is farthest from the good It was a great sinne in Absalon to lye with his fathers concubines in any place but to lye with them in the sight of the sunne before all the people this was a double sinne and a deformitie 2 Sam. 16.23 So for Cozbi and Zimri to commit their wickednesse in any place was a great sinne but to commit this sinne in the sight of Moses and of all the congregation when all the people were weeping before the Tabernacle of the Congregation Num. 25.6 this was a fearefull sinne So to commit this Idolatry in a private place was a great sinne but for the Israelites to have committed this sinne before the Lord in the sight of the whole Congregation this was a sinne committed with a high hand against the Lord. SECT 3. Of the division of Idolaters AN Idolater is either a formall Idolater A formall Idolater and a materiall Idolater or a materiall Idolater the formall Idolater is he who hath a false conception of God and worshippes him falsely The conception of God
Egypt ye shall not doe The next increase of Idolatry in the Wildernesse The next increase of Idolatry in the wildernesse was when they set up a golden calf to worship there because they saw the oxe worshipped in Egypt Ezec. 23.19 Yet she multiplyed her whoredomes in calling to remembrance the dayes of her youth wherein she played the harlot in the Land of Egypt The Idolatry of Egypt was a baser sort of Idolatry then the Idolatry of the Assirians Many were the plagues which they got out of Egypt first they brought out of Egypt the filthy leprosie or scab which lasted so long amongst them in the land of Canaan Secondly they forgat their circumcision for fourty yeares in the wildernesse and this they learned from the Egyptians who circumcised not Therefore when they came to Gilgall and were circumcised the Lord said Ios 3.9 this day have Irolled away the reproach of the Egyptians from you Thirdly the blasphemer who cursed the Lord Levit. 24. his mother was an Egyptian Fourthly the greatest part of that Miscellanea turba of whom they learned to speake with open mouth against the Lord came out of Egypt Exod 12.38 Fiftly they gate the patterne of this golden calfe out of Egypt and the second time Ieroboam brought the patterne of the golden calfes which he fet up out of Egypt and Sheshak King of Egypt was the first who robbed the temple of God 1 King 14.26 The Lord objects to his people Ier. 2.18 what hast thou to doe in the way of Egypt to drinke the waters of Sihor Sihor was a river in Egypt and to drinke the water of Sihor was to commit whoredome and spirituall Adulterie So Salomon calles bodily Adultery water stolen waters are sweete Prov. 9.7 and they say Abstine ab aqua aliena This water was called Sihor which signifieth blackenesse when they dranke this water they committed a baser sort of Idolatrie The Idolatrie of Egypt was a baser sort of Idolatry then the Idolatry of the Assirians then when they dranke the water of the river Euphrates for when they followed the Idolatrie of the Egyptians they worshipped oxen but when they dranke of the river Euphrates and followed their Idolatrie they worshiped the Sunne the Moone and the starres The Egyptians were the basest Idolaters and Sihor was the blackest water Therefore the Lord abhors Egypt and calles it the land of Cham Psal 105. C ham was accursed so was the land of Egypt Now let us consider who made this Idoll secondly whereof they made it And thirdly how great a sinne this was in setting up this Idoll to worship it First it was Aaron who made the calfe Aaron made the golden calfe It was neither ignorance nor complsiō that moved him to make this calfe but feare onely Metus gravis say they potest cadere in virum constantem a great feare may overtake a couragious man But Aaron heere was overtaken with a small feare Aaron saw not the people stonning him therefore his feare arose onely upon his owne apprehension Aaron was the man who committed this sinne Aaron sinned not of ignorance the high Priests lippes should preserve knowledge Mal. 2.7 he had knowledge enough to resist the sinne the servant that knowes his masters will and doth it not is worthie of many stripes Mat. 12. When a Prince doth against Iustice who should maintaine Iustice there is a speciall repugnancie betwixt his act and his calling So when Aaron to whom was concredit the puritie of Gods worship committed Idolatrie then there was a speciall repugnancie betwixt him and his profession how scandalous then was Aarons fall to the whole people In exemplum culpa vehementer extenditur quando pro reverentia peccator honoratur The fault is much agravated by the example when the sinner is much respected and honored The greatnesse of Aarons sinne may be taken up by the greatnesse of the sacrifice of the high Priest which was to expiate the sin Againe consider the greatnesse of Aarons sinne by the greatnesse of the sacrifice of the High Priest Moses Lev. 4. distinguishes sinnes according to the difference of persons if a common man sinned hee was to bring for one oblation a Kid of the goates a female without blemish ver 28. but if a Prince of the people sinned he shall bring a Kid of the goates a male without blemish ver 23. and if the whole congregation sinned then they shall bring a young bullocke for their sinne ver 14. and if the Priest who was annoynted sinne that is the high Priest for none was annoynted after the first institution as the high Priest was but he alone hee was to bring a young bullocke here the sacrifice of the Priest was as great as the sacrifice of the whole people If the eye be evill the whole body is full of darkenesse Matth. 6.23 and such Priests such people By Aarons committing this sinne wee are taught the infirmities of the Leviticall Priesthood Aaron made the calfe hence wee may learne what infirmitie was in the legall ceremonies that they could bring nothing to perfection Heb. 9.9 And this we may see in the ingresse progresse and ending of the Priesthood Aaron when the Priesthood was first instituted hee committed Idolatrie and Vrias in the progresse of the Priesthood hee committs Idolatrie And Cajaphas about the ending of the priesthood hee condemnes the Lord Iesus therefore Iesus Christ is our onely High Priest that must expiate our sinnes Secondly consider whereof this Idoll was made the people brought their Iewells and earings to Aaron Exod. 32.3 and of these the Idoll was made Idolaters are very profuse in the bestowing upon their Idoles all sort of cost Idolaters are very prodigall in bestowing things of great cost upon the Idoles Ier. 10.9 they brought the most pretious gold from Vphaz or Ophir to make their images of so from Tarshis they brought their most excellent silver they spared noe cost Nabuchadnezzer set up an Imag of gold Da. 3.1 whose hight was threescore cubits and the breadth therof sixe cubits And that is it which the Lord layes to the charge of the whorish Church Israel Ezech. 16.34 other whoores take gifts but thou givest gifts The three ages of the Church of the Iewes the golden are the silver age and the yron age In the Church of Israel there were three ages the golden age the silver age and the iron age The golden age they make to be that time when David gathered all materialles for the building of the temple and when Salomon built it The silver age they hold begunne in Iohash his tyme 2 King 12. when he repaired the temple howbeit there was not made for the house of the Lord boules of silver Snuffers Bassens Trumpets or vesselles of gold or vesselles of silver that was brought into the house of the Lord this was but a silver age in respect of the former golden age and now they had but
shieldes of brasse in the temple whereas in the first age they had shields of gold 1 King 14.27 The third age was the yron age when they stole out of the house of God the sieling sieled their own houses with it Ier. 22.14 so when they dwelt in houses of Cedar but the Lords house lay wast Hagg. 1.4 and when they robbed him of his tithes Mal. 3.8 wee live now under this yron age If any man bestow any cost now for the maintenance of the worship of God misers cry out with Iudas Marke 14.4 what needes this wast and they thinke it like bread cast upon the waters Eccles 11.1 But the Lord meetes with those who robs his Church for when they have sowne much they find but little encrease because they defraud him Rabbi Alsack writing upon Malachi telles us of a certaine man who had a peece of ground which brought forth yearely a thousand measures of graine and when the time of paying his tythe to the Priests came he payed but nintie bushels where he ought to have payed a hundred The next yeare his increase was not so great wherefore hee withdrew so much from the Priests at last his increase came but to an hundreth which was the first tenth that he was bound to pay the Priests an old man by chance meeting with him said unto him that he was glad of the late dignity that was befallen to his house how that God had gotten the increase and he became the Priest of his familie to get the tenths Idolatrie is a great sin because it is committed immediately against God at which words he was ashamed and repented him of his former sacriledge The greatnesse of this sinne of Idolatry which they committed heere may be considered by the worthines of the person against whom it is committed for as in bodily diseases those are most hurtfull that doe annoy the originall of our life most as the heart so in sinnes those are the greatest which are committed against God the fountaine of life There are some carnall sins and some spirituall sinnes Againe we may know the greatnesse of this sinne by the nature of the sinne it selfe There are some sinnes that are carnall sinnes and some spirituall Ephes 6.12 and these are greater then carnall sinnes Idolatrie is a spirituall sinne and adulterie is a carnall sinne The spirit being delighted with Idolatrie is a greater sinne then when the flesh is delighted with Adultery and there is a greater aversion from God in Idolatry Where there is a greater motive to sinne the sinne is the lesse then the conversion and adhaering to sinne in Adulterie Againe where there is a greater motive to sinne the sin is the lesse But these carnall sinnes hath Concupiscence which drawes them away and moves them to sinne but in spirituall wickednesse there is no such concupiscence to draw men to sinne their sinne resembles the sin of the devill more who is not led with lust or concupiscence to sin He that killes a man in passion he sinnes not so fearefull as hee who killes him in cold blood therefore those sinnes must bee the greatest which men are not led to by Concupiscence Notwithstanding Aaron committed Idolatrie in setting up this calfe yet the Lord spared him alwaies shewed great tokens of his mercy to the tribe of Levi as to Aaron Deut. 9.29 to the posterity of Corah Numb 26.11 and to Abiathar 1. King 2.26 and so Iosias when the Priests had committed Idolatrie in sacrificing in the high places hee did not kill them as hee did the Idolatrous Priests who were not called by the Lord 1 King 23.20 but onely commanded that they should eate of the unleavened bread amongst their brethren 2 King 23.9 which was injoyned to those that had any blemish in their bodie and they were forbidden to eate the bread of their God Levit. 21.17 They worshipped the calfe The oxe was a signe of plenty where the oxe is wanting the cribbe is emptie but much increase is by the strength of the oxe Prov. 4.4 Ioseph who provided corne in the time of famine is called Gods oxe Deut. 33.17 Lib. 1. Sacrae scripturae chap. 15. which booke is holden to be Augustines His glorie is like the firstling of a bullocke because he provided for the Egyptians and for his fathers family in the time of famine therefore it is said that the Egyptians placed the similitude of an oxe hard by Iosephes buriall place Whether the Idoll which they worshipped was a calfe or an oxe It may be asked whether this Idol which was set up was made in the forme of a calfe or an oxe And the reason of the doubt is because somtimes this Idol is called an oxe Ps 106.20 And they changed their glorie into the similitude of an oxe that eateth grasse And sometimes it is called a calfe vers 14. they made a calfe in Horeb. Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word gnegel vitulus with the Hebrewes signifies either vitulum subrumum that is a sucking calfe or it signifies vitulam tertiam Ier. 48.34 when it is three yeares old and then it is called indifferently Shor or gnegel bos or vitulus but when it is seven yeare old then it is onely called Shor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not gnegel that is an oxe and not a calfe Iudg. 6.4.6 Againe it may be asked whether it was a cow calfe or an oxe calfe which they worshipped The reason of the doubt is because Hos 10.5 he calls them gnegloth in the feminine gender which they worshipped in Dan and Bethel and they were made after the forme of this calfe which they worshipped in the wildernesse Answ David Esal 106.20 calls this calfe Shor an oxe calfe which they worshipped and the 70. convertes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies an oxe calfe and they plowed with oxen and not with kine And whereas Hos 10.5 puts them in the feminine gender calling them gnegloth this was spoken per Ligragnon per contemptum as the Iewes speak that is in contempt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Tob. 1.5 this calfe is put in the feminine gender sacrificantes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrificing to the Cow it should not be reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu potestati for what power is in an Idoll In contempt this calfe is called a cow calfe and not an oxe So Rom. 9.5 I have reserved to me 7000. men who have not bowed their knee to Baal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the feminine gender and he understands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting the infirmitie of the sexe So Virgil in his 9. booke when hee exprobrates to the Trojans their cowardlinesse he calls them not Phryges but Phrygias So Homer calls them not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie how farre degenerate and effeminate they were Whether it was the head of a calfe which they worshipped or not Thirdly it may be asked whether they worshipped the