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
sores and repented not of their works All k Rev. 13.3 the world wondreth and followeth the beast admireth the glory and magnificence of the l Rev. 17. whore and without Gods speciall grace none can keep himselfe from her for she sitteth m Prov. 9.14.15 in the high places of the citie calling them that passe by the way and her lips a Prov. 5.3 drop the honey comb liquor and her mouth is softer then oile though her end be bitter as wormwood sharp as a two-edged sword She taketh her b Ezek. 16.17.18 fair jewels of Gods gold and silver the holy Scripture and treasures therein and with them she maketh her images and heresies and covereth them with broydered garments as wrought by Gods own spirit and setteth his oil and perfume before them She c Ezek. 23.40.41 washeth her self as if she were clean from all iniquity and painteth her eyes as if she had the very visage of true faith and decketh her with ornaments as wanting no gifts of knowledg or utterance or other furniture of the spirit and she sitteth upon a costly bed as being seated and constituted in the best perfection Her table is furnisht with Gods incense and oil for the word prayers sacraments are the diet of devotion wherewith she feedeth her lovers and d vers 42. a voyce of a multitude being at ease is with her for many fools follow her because of her worldly prosperity she allureth and intertaineth all comers Thus with Pro. 7.21 her great craft she causeth men to yeeld and felleth down many wounded f vers 26. great is the number of all that are kâ—llâ—d by her for her heart is g Eccles. 7.28 nets and snaâ—es and her hands bands he that is good before God shall be delivered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her CHAP. III. Of Jeroboams Jdolatry that infected Jsrael and of the pretenses that he mought make for his sin THat the allurements of this whore Idolatry with her deceits and snares may be further manifested and people be warned to avoyd her destruction I will yet prosecute this argument against her to uncover her skirts and disclose her iniquity hunting her steps as they are traced in the Scriptures and left to be seen as a perpetuall type in Israel 2 The common-wealth of Israel did never enjoy such peace and happinesse as in the daies of Salomon son of David who reigned fortie yeares Him a 2 Sam. 1 24.25 the Lord loved whereupon he was named Jedidjah and chose b 1 Chron 28.5 him from among many sonns to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel and c vers 6. to build his house and courts and to be his son and he would be his father He gaue d 2 Chron. 1.12 unto him wisedom and knowledg and riches and treasures and honour so as there was no King like him before or after But Solomon e 1 King 11.1 4. loved many strange women who withdrew him from the loue of God that he f vers 5. followed the abominations and idolatries of the Heaâ—hen Then God g vers 9.10 was angry because he had turned his heart from him who had appeared unto him twise and given him a charge concerning this thing that hee should not follow other Gods but hee kept not that which the Lord had commanded him Therefore God h vers 11. rent the Kingdom from him and gaue it to his servant i ver 26.29 Ieroboam son of Nebat a man of the tribe of Ephraim with this certification that if k vers 38. he would hearken to all that God commanded him and walk in his waies and doe the right in his eyes he would be with him and build him a sure house and giue Israel unto him Now when Solomon was dead all this came to passe for Rehoboam his son l 1 Kin. 12. lost the most part of his realm and ten Tribes declined after Ieroboam and chose him their King 3 But he though otherwise a man wise and politick wanting heavenly wisedom relyed not in faith on the promise of God but went and consulted with flesh and bloud how he mought confirm the Kingdom to himselfe And thinking m 1 King 12.26 c. in his heart that if the people should as they were wont goe up to Ierusalem to worship God there their hearts would turn from him to Solomons son who reigned in that place and so they would kill him Being fraught with this fear and void of faith he thought to prevent these evils by setting up a place of Gods publick worship in his own dominions And knowing that the people would not easily be drawn to a new religion he retained a shew still of the old not altering any article of the faith nor yet many of the externall rites but as in Ierusalem there was a Temple and Altar and other outward signes of Gods habitation with his Church so would Ieroboam in Israel make Temples and Altars and signes of Gods presence that his people mought serv him there Then n 1 King â— 28 c. made he two calues or oxen of gold and set one at Bethel another at Dan with houses and altars and other like furniture and said to the people o vers 28. It is too much for you to goe up to Ierusalem behold thy Gods ô Israel which brought thee up out of the land of Aegypt 4 The changes and corruptions which he brought into Gods worship were cheifly these First of the place which God had p 2 Chro. 7.6 chosen to be at Ierusalem but Ieroboam would haue q 1 King 12.29 at Dan and Bethel Secondly of the signes or testimonies of the divine presence which at Ierusalem was by Gods own ordinance r Exod. 25 10 22. Num. 7.89 Psal. 80.1 the ark of the covenant with the glorious golden Cherubims whereon hee â—ate and from which his voyce had been heard but at Bethel and Dan by Ieroboams device s 1 King 12.28 were bullocks or calues of gold Thirdly of the time for the feast of Tabernacles appointed of God t Lev. 23.34 to be kept the 15 day of the seventh month Ieroboam put off untill u 1 King 12.32 the 15 day of the eighth moneth Fourthly of the persons administring the holy things which by Gods authority x Num. 18 1.7 Deut. 10.8 were Aarons sonns and their brethren the Levits but by Ieroboams dispensation y 1 King 12.31 were of other parts and lowest of the people These things being ‘ vers 31. consulted of and agreed upon by the King and State the people of Israel yeelded unto and practised accordingly shewing their prompt obedience and devotion in going z vers 30. because of the one even to Dan a citie in the utmost part of all the land Thus sinned Ieroboam made Israel to sin
to his fear and to keep all the words of his Law as another man Hee that bears rule over men must be just saith m 2 Sam. 3.3 the Scripture and rule in the fear of God his heart may n Deut. 17 â—0 not bee lifted up aboue his brethren nor he turn from the commandement to the right hand or to the left If he were in a straight and saw himselfe in danger hee should seek counsell of God and not of his own heart as Saul did of a Witch for the heart of man is decâ—itfull aboue all things and it is a double evill o Jer. 2.13 to forsake the Lord the fountain of living waters and to dig himselfe pits that can hold no water If he would worship God he should ask of him how for man is ignorant if the Lord inform him not what will please him He left not to the discretion of Moses or Solomon though wise and godly Governours any part or implement of the Tabernacle or Temple or any of the services in them used To Moses he told on the mountain p Ex. 20.22 c. the lawes and judgements which Israel should observ hee shewed him a pattern of the Tabernacle and things therin giving him this streight charge q Ex. 25.40 look that you make these things even r Heb. 8.5 all things after their fashion that was shewed thee in the mount and according to every point that the Lord had commanded s Exod. 39 42.43 so provided he the work to be made disposed of and ordered t Ex 40.10 19.21.23.25.27.29.32 as the Lord had commanded Moses 9 David with the other Prophets that assisted him in ordering the Ecclesiasticall estate and providing for the Temple had their commandements also u 2 Chron. 29.25 by the hand of the Lord and he gaue to Solomon his son when hee charged him to build the Temple a x 1 Chron. 28.11.12.13 c. pattern of the porch and of the houses closets galleries and chambers therof and the pattern of all that hee had by the spirit and for the courses of the Priests and Levites and for all the worke for the service of the house of the Lord and for all the vessels of ministration the weight also of gold for the candlesticks tables and other instruments y vers 19. all by writing sent unto him by the hand of the Lord. Thus was there nothing left to their own will or wisedome both matter and form of all things about Gods service was set down by God himselfe Yea and at first when it was in Davids a 1 Chron. 28.2 c. hart to build him a house he durst not attempt it without b 1 Chron. 17.1 c. consent of the Prophet and being forbidden of God he desisted 10 But Jeroboam would do things out of c 1 King 12.33 his own heart that was his sin He took d vers 28. counsell but it was of men not of God nor of his testimonies which had been Davids e Ps. 119.24 counsellors therfore f Hos. 10.6 shame did take Ephraim and ashamed was Israel of his own counsell He made g 1 King 12.31 house of high places but h 1 Chron. 17.6 spake the Lord any one word unto about this matter Nay Israel as the Prophet i Hos 8.14 saith forgat their Maker when they builded temples therefore k Amos 7.9 their temples were destroyed He appointed places for publick worship at Bethel and Dan but did the Lord l Deu. 12.5 chose them as Moses saith to put his name there and there to dwell Nay they m Hos. 12.14 provoked God with their high places therefore their bloud was poured upon them they n Hos. 5.6 went with their sheep and with their bullocks to seek the Lord but they found him not he withdrew himselfe from them He made altars o Hos. 8 1â— but they were unto sin He made pourtratures of bullocks but gaue God him any pattern or precept as hee gaue p 1 Chron. 28.18 unto Solomon Wherfore their bullocks did q Hos. 8.5 cast them off Gods anger was kindled against them He made a feast but in the moneth r 1 King 12.33 which he had forged of his own heart therfore God s Amos 5.21 â— 10 hated and abhorred their feast daies and would not smell in their solemn Assemblies but turned their feasts into mourning and all their songs into lamentation He ordained them Priests but their t Num. 17.8 rods had never budded neither had they u Deu. 33.8 Vrim and Thummim in their breasts Himself x 1 King 13.1 went up to the Altar to burn incense but it was with y Lev. 10.1 Nadabs fire He offered sacrifices to the God z 1 King 12.28 that brought them up out of Aegypt but God spake not to their fathers when hee brought them out thence “ Ier. 7.22.23 concerning burnt offrings or sacrifices but commanded them this obey my voice and I will be your God and ye shall be my people and walk ye in all the waies which I haue commanded you that it may be well with you This God did Ieroboam ‘, 1 King 14.9.10 cast behind his back therefore evill came upon his house He pretended ease to the people that they should not goe so a 1 King 12.28 far as to Ierusalem but they went b vers 30. even to Dan a citie c Iudg. 18.28.29 remote in the furthest part of the land So turned they their backs upon the d Nehem. 11.1 holy Citie where the Tabernacle e Psa. 76.2 of God and his dwelling was and sought to the possession of the Gen. 36. â— 6 handmaids child polluted of old by f Iudg. 18.30.31 publick idolatry therein erected and long continued whose Idol Ieroboam now reneweth doing g 1 King 14.9 evill aboue all that were before him Thus Ephraim h Hos. 5.3 is become a harlot Israel is defiled 11 And although God sent his Prophets i 1 King 13 14. with the word of power to reproue Ieroboams iniquity yet hardned he his haâ—t as did Pharaoh no threatning dismayed him no sign or miracle drew him to repentance But he scorned the Prophets eluded Gods judgements perverted his actions and pleased himselfe in his evill way because of his outward peace not minding how oft times the righteous k Esay 57.1 are taken away from the evill to come when wicked men are l Iob. 21.30 kept unto the day of destruction and shall be brought forth to the day of wrath Yet could not this King be m Pro. 12.3 established by wickednesse his idolatry was his overthrow for as a harlot it n Pro. 2.16 flattered him with words and drew him to forget the o vers 17. covenant of his God so went he unto
3 When Abram would provide a wife for his son of the best that he could find for the Canaanites he b Gen. 24.3 c. abhorred hee sent to his kindred of Nahors house who yet was not free from this leven of idolatrie neither c Gen. 31.53.19 he nor his posteritie Into Iaakobs house did this canker creep and his retinue also were polluted with d Gen. 35.2 strange Gods which Iaakob did his best for to doe away 4. But when he came with his family into Aegipt a land full of Idols having prepared his house as a pure virgin for the Lord after his decease the Aegyptians infected his children with idolatrie even in her youth e Eze. 23.8 laid they with this virgin Israel bruised the breasts of her virginity and powred their whordoms upon her Then was God wroth with idolatrous Aegypt and lifted up his hand to bring his people from among them and to execute judgment f Num. 33.4 both upon their Gods and upon their first born that ministred unto them and unto Israel hee sayd Eze. 20.6.7 Defile not your selvs with the idols of Aegipt I am the Lord your God but g Vers. 8. Israel would not hear nor leav her abominations or idols which she had loved Yet God h Vers. 9. respecting his own name brought them out of Aegypt into the wildernesse where i Ver. 10.11 hee gaue them his statutes and declared his judgements unto them k Exod. 20 3.4.5.23 23.24.32.33 severely and often charging them to keep themselvs from idolatrie 5 In those daies notwithstanding they made them l Ex. 32.31 Gods of gold and m Vers. 8. worshipped the work of their own hands even a molten calf and stayed not there but were given over unto further evil even to serue the n Act. 7.42.43 Amos 5. host of heaven as it is written in the book of the Prophets O house of Israel haue yee offred to me slain beasts and sacrifices fortie yeares in the wildernes nay ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your god Remphan the figures which ye made to worship them Also they joyned themselvs to o Num. 25 2.3 Psa. 106.28 Baal-peor and did eat the sacrifices of the dead such was the great fall of the people whom God had chosen from among all peoples of the earth for to be his they p Lev. 17.7 sacrificed to divils after whom they went a whoring as Moses told them 6 When notwithstanding all this God brought them in mercy to Canaan q Ezek. 20.15 a land flowing with milk and honey and most pleasant of all Countries and cast out the Heathens before their faces and r Deut. 24.25.26 warned them to beware of their idols yet there also they did s Iudg. 2.11 12 13 19 3.7 c. wickedly served Baalim and forsook the Lord God of their fathers and followed the gods of the peoples round about them serving their idols and t Psal. 106.37 38. sacrificing their sonnes and their daughters unto divils and shedding the innocent bloud of their children whom they offred unto the idols of Canaan And thus they did from age to age whiles the Iudges ruled them till God u Psal. 78.59.60 was wroth and greatly abhorred Israel and forsook the habitation of Shilo the tabernacle where hee dwelt among men and delivered his power the Ark of the covenant into captivity and his beautie into the enemies hand 7 Yet after this again in Samuels daies x 1 Sam. 7 3 4. they were defiled with their idols and in the daies of the Kings they increased wrath Solomon himselfe the wisestman on earth a 1 King 11.5 fell into this folly of serving idols even the abomination of the Heathens although God had b vers 9.10 appeared unto him twice and given him a charge concerning this thing And Rehoboam his son though for his fathers sinne c ver 11.12 he lost the most part of his Kingdom yet gaue himself to idolatry he forsook d 2 Chron. 12.1 the Law of the Lord and all Israel with him Then Iudah e 1 King 14.22 wrought wickednes in the sight of the Lord and provoked him more with their sinns which they cōmitted then all that which their fathers had done for they f vers 23. built them high Places and statues or pillars and g 1 Chron. 14.3 strange altars and groues on every high hill and under every green tree And Rehoboam made h 1 King 15.12 Gillullim filthy idols and i 2 Chron. 14 5. Chammanim idols or images of the Sun and Maacah his wife made k 1 King 15.13 Miphletseth an idol of terrour in a groue And Abijam his sonne l 1 King 15.2.3 walked in all his fathers sinnes neither was his heart perfect with the Lord his God although m 2 Chron. 13.8.9 he despised Ierobams calues and boasted that n Vers. 10.12 God was with him 8 Idolatry being thus fastned upon Iudah could hardly ever be weeded out again for though Asa the next King did his best o 1 King 15.11 c. 2 Chron. 14 3 c. 15.8 with an upright heart to abolish all the idols that his fathers had brought in yet p 1 King 15.14 were the high places not taken away but remained till Iehoshaphat his son was King who took away many both q 2 Chron. 17.6 groues high places howbeit not all for r 2 Chron. 20.33 the people had not yet prepared their harts unto the God of their fathers but s 1 King 22.43 offered still and burnt incense in the high places And when Iehoshaphat was dead his wicked son Ioram t 2 King 8 16.18 walked in the waies of the most idolatrous Kings of Israel even of Ahabs house whose daughter he maried and he u 2 Chron. 21.11 made high places in the mountains of Iudah and caused and compelled Ierusalem and Iudah to commit fornication that is idolatry And Ahaziah his son continued x 2 Chron. 22.2 3 4. his wicked way counselled also thereto by his ungracious mother Athaliah who after her sonnes death broke up the house of God and y 2 Chron. 24.7 all the things that were dedicated for the house of the Lord were bestowed upon Baalim Thus Baal was honoured of the people of God a 2 King 11.18 had a house and altars and images and a Priest to minister unto him 9 The Lord abhorring this great impiety sent this wicked King and his mother both soon unto hell and set Ioash b 2 Chron. 24.1 his yong sonne upon his throne who had for his Tutor and Patron the good high Priest Iehojadah by whose advice the people c 2 Chron. 23.17 destroyed Baal and his house and Gods d Vers. 18. true worship was restored albeit not brought as yet to the
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
and it “ 1 King 13.34 turned to sin unto his house even to root it out and destroy it from the face of the earth 5 Against this innovation there were some that presently rose up refusing to follow the religion of the King especially the Priests and Levites according to the charge they had ‘,’ Deut. 33 10. to teach Jankob Gods judgements and Israel his law “ 2 Chron. 11.13 resisted the superstition and put the people in mind of their duty which Jeroboam perceiving ‘ vers 14. put them from their office and ,‘, 2 Chron. 13. â— droue them out of his realm Some also there were of †2 Chron. 11.16 all the Tribes of Israel that hearkning to the wholesome doctrine of their Ministers and following their good example left their own Country and resorted to Ierusalem so strengthning the kingdom of Iudah Thus was there a controversie among the people about these the Kings ceremonies some counting them novelties and profane superstition others and they the many esteeming them laudable and well-fitting their State But the men of Iudah reproched them for this as having a 2 Chron. 13.11 forsaken God and made b vers 8. them golden calues for Gods and done many like abominations The Lord also used other means to draw the King and people to repentance by the admonition c 1 Kin. 13 1.2 c. of a Prophet confirmed by miracle by striking dead Ieroboams arm and healing it again and by d 1 King 14. taking away his beloved son Abijah These things though they could not but trouble both King and people yet could they not prevail to bring them to repentance for Ieroboam had many things to say for himselfe and much could he colour his new coynd religion answering the objections that were made against them by thâ—s or the like apologie 6 I See my course ô men of Israel to be much suspected if not wholly misliked of many some thinking my ceremonies to savour too rankly of Heathen superstition some charging me plainly with flat apostasie and forsaking of God But how far off I am from all such impiety how ever it please men to mistake my meaning and pervert my actions I hope to manifest unto all indifferent persons Chiefly sith that I haue neither spoken nor done against any article of the ancient faith nor changed any fundamentall ordinance of religion given us by Moses but worship with reverence the God of my fathers and loue him as I am taught e Deut. 6 4.5 30.20 with all my heart and with all my soul cleaving unto him alone who is my life and the length of my daies Other Gods of the nations I utterly abhor with all their impure rites and services and if any shall now or hereafter decline to such abomination I trust we shall shew f 2 Kin. 10 16.28.29 the zeal that we haue for the Lord our God against all their impiety The alteration that I haue made is in matters of circumstance things meerly ceremoniall whereof there is no expresse certain or permanent law given us of God and which are variable as time place and person giue occasion and such as good Kings haue changed before me and haue been blamelesse 7 And first for the place where God is to be worshipped which many now would haue at Ierusalem onely I finde the practise of our Patriarch Abraham and the fathers following to be far otherwise They sacrificed to God as occasion was offered in every place they came in g Gen. 12.7.8 Shechem and in this h Gen. 35.7 Bethel in the plain i Gen. 13.18 of Mamre and in k Gen. 26.25 Beersheba so this superstition of tying God to one place was not hatched in their daies After this when our fathers came out of Aegypt they l Exo. 24.5 offered sacrifices in the wildernesse and being come into this land in how sundry places of it haue they served God At m 1 Sam. 1 3 c. Shilo the Tabernacle Ark was many daies and all Israel sacrificed there Again at n 1 Sam. 7.1.2 Kirjath-jearim the Ark had abiding twenty years and there men sought the Lord and after that in o 1 Sam. 21 1.6 c. other places many But when David was King he removed the Ark p 2 Sam. 6 13 c. to Ierusalem and the Tabernacle which Moses had made he left in a high place q 1 Chron. 21.29 at Gibeon and thus were there two places of publick worship at one time and Salomon sacrificed r 1 King 3.4.15 in them both And shall we now grow so superstitious as to binde God to any one place Nay this all is the Lords land and his eyes are in every part of the same and it is not so materiall where we doe worship as whom we worship and with what affection for our God is neer in all times and places to all that call upon him in truth 8 But it will be said that Ierusalem is the place which God hath chosen promising unto Solomon s 1 King 9.3 to put his name in the Temple there for ever and that his eyes and heart should be there perpetually I answer the promise and covenant was conditionall if Gods t vers 4. statutes and judgments were observed for if they should turn away and u vers 6. serue other Gods God said x vers 7.8 he would cast out of his sight that house which hee had hallowed for his name and it should be an astonishment a hissing to all that passe thereby And see we not how Solomon forfeited his bond His wiues y 1 King 11.4 turned his heart after other Gods hee followed z vers 5. Ashteroth and Milcom Chemosh and Molech and other abominations of the Gentiles and “ vers 7. built them high places for which his wickednesse God was angry and hath rent his Kingdom from his son and given it to me Look to Gods place which was in Shilo a 1 Sam. 4. Psal. 78.60 c. where he set his name at the beginning and see what he did to it for the iniquity of Israel even b Ier. 7.12 14. so will the Lord doe to that house in Ierusalem wherupon his name is called wherin also they trust Example see in the rent of the Kingdom for at the same time when promise was made to dwell in that house for ever God promised c 1 King 9.3.1 also to stablish that throne of Solomons for ever howbeit already the throne is thrown down and most of the Realm committed to me As is the one doubtlesse so is the other no sanctity remaineth in the place so polluted with idolatry the holinesse is gone 9 And now that this Bethel where I build a house to our God is the place which he hath chosen to dwell therin we may boldly say for it is most
her p vers 19. and returned not again neither took hold of the waies of life but q Pro. 5.23 dying without instruction and going astray through his great folly when r 2 Chron. 13.20 the Lord plagued him and he was dead Nadab his son was soon s 1 King 15 25.27 kild in conspiracy and after him t vers 29. all Ieroboams house the remnant whereof u 1 King 14.10 was swept away as doung till all was gone the x vers 11. dogs eating him that dyed in the citie and the fowls of the aier him that dyed in the field for the Lord had said it CHAP. V. Of the Idolatry of these times far exceeding Ieroboams IT is the manner of men to bee more equall and indifferent judges of other times then of their own the sins sinners that are past and gone we readily blame but though the like or worse be in our daies we haue not either skill to discern or courage to condemn them We can easily say as did the Pharisees a Math. 23 â—0 If we had been in the daies of our fathers wee would not haue been partners with them in the bloud of the Prophets and yet upon every occcasion we also are ready to fulfil b vers 32. â—4 35 the mesure of our fathers walking in their sinnes resisting blaspheming persecuting all that speak against us for so doing Example hereof see in the Christian Church after the idolatry and overthrow of Israel for so far haue we been froÌ„ taking heed by their evils as we haue added unto all their sins and it was but a little which they then did in respect of the huge masse of abominations that hath since been heaped up even c Rev. 18.4 unto heaven 2 And first the frame and constitution of the Church hath quite been changed from the pattern given of God confirfirmed by Christs bloud and erected by his Apostles in all Nations For loe the man of sin hath joyned together many Parishes into one Diocese and many Diocecess into a Provincional and many Provincionall into one Nationall and many national into one Oecumenical or Catholike Church of which he himselfe will be the most holy Father the Bridegroom Lord Pastor Rector and Rock Of which Catholike society so combined we finde no record in the holy Apostles Writ where every Congregation of the Saints is d See Epistles to thâ— Churches iâ— Rome Corinth Ephesus and thâ— rest shewed in every Citie to be compleat in it selfe a Church and e 1 Cor. 1â— 27. body of Christ furnished with his f 1 Cor. 5. â— power and g Math. 1â— 20. presence every one under the guidance of h Act. 2â— 17.28 Phil. â— 1 Act. 14.2 many Bishops and not all under the government of one joyned altogether i 1 Pet. 5. in brotherhood through k Eph. 4. â— Ioh. 17.21 faith loue and obedience of the spirit but not in one visible catholike Church with a visible Head or Vicar Lord Papa Patriarch or Archpastor but onely Christ himselfe l Rev. 2 3 chap. walking among them overseeing their waies and works and approving or reprooving them 3 This pseudocatholike Church or false Ecclesiasticall Monarchy is an idol or beast bred in the bottomlesse pit surpassing all the abominations that ever stood up in the land of the living and had for the parent of it the Dragon or Divill m Rev. 1 â— that old Serpent who used his most utmost skil cuning craft to beget and bring forth this his foulest child It had also of the gravest and learnedst Divines in their ages to nourse it with the milk of humane superstition and the Princes of the earth to endow and adorn it with the riches and jewels of all worldly glory that when this Iezebel shewed her selfe on the stage of the world shee made all men astonied at her majestie enamoured the Nations with her beauty bewitched them with her sorceries and made them drunken with the wine of her fornications The forrest of Rome was the high place where this n 1 King â— 13 Miphletseth or idol of horrour should haue her seat for there grew many fair trees whose shadow o Hos. 4.13 was good to burn incense under and there before time had other beasts been hatched and honoured whose p Rev. 13. â— image in this place must haue reverence still 4 And here the mysterie of iniquitie wrought contrary to Ieroboams prevailed more and continued longer For he in policie to settle his Kingdom schismed or rent the Church in twain which God had conjoyned in one King 12. but Abaddon the king and patron of this our idol will haue his false Church resemble q Bellar. dâ— Rom. Pont. lib. 1 cap. 7 the politie of Israel in monarchicall unity to allure and gather all people hereunto But as Ieroboams counsell was divelish to divide without God so is Romes doctrine Satanean to conjoyn without Christ. The Church then was confined r Psal. 76. within one little land whose assembly was annuall s Psal. 122 132. in the earthly Ierusalem where the high Priest remained to reconcile them to God but now the Church Catholick is dispread t Math. 2â— 19. over all Ierusalem our mother u Gal. 4.26 is aboue and Christ our high Priest is x Heb. 8.1.2 9.24 in the very heaven there interceding for us unto God And for any one Citie to be as Ierusalem the place of resort for all Saints on earth or for any Arch-priest or Vicar of Christ to be his vicegerent and rule in his sted hee never appointed neither entred it into his heart but it is the excrements of the Popes wit whereby in policy he would maintain the pomp and magnificence of his Diana and in her his own pontificality 5 And that this Ladie might be made of y Ezek. 27 4. perfect beauty her friends haue devised to paint her face with this vermilion that the goddesse the z Bâ—llar de Eccl. miâ—iâ— l. 3 c. 14. CHRCH absolutely cannot erre either in things absolutely necessary or in other things which she proposeth to be beleeved or done of us whether they be found expresly in Scriptures or not Hereupon she trusting a Ezek 16 15. in her own beauty takes a pride and power to b Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 16. make Lawes Ecclesiasticall to binde and constrain mens consciences charging and obliging us to c Rhe. Test. 1 Tim. 3 sect 9. beleev and trust her in all things So this Idol of indignation being crept into d Esa. 33.22 Iam. 4.12 Gods throne to be Iudg and Law-giver surmounteth far Ieroboams dumb calues which had mouthes and spake not for this image can speak because she e Rev. 13.15 hath a spirit and exacteth worship of the inhabitants of the earth that all should f Conc. Trident Sess. 22.
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
God 16 And the more to deceiv this serpent maketh man himself his instrument to frame and set up his religion and service which bringeth to perdition For the wisedom and prudence of the natural man which is very c 1 Cor. 1.2 Rom 8 7 foolishnesse and enmity unto God the Divil doth abuse to d 1 King 12.18 Dan. 3. devise and establish a carnal worship and politick religion which exceedingly e Act. 19 28.35 pleaseth the naturals for highly doe they esteem of themselvs and of all their own inventions And Satan to confirm them addeth lying f Rev. 1â— 13.14 signes and wonders as fire from heaven to consume the sacrifices on the altar erected to his honour who is g Ioh. 12.3 Prince of this world whom worldly men adore Thus steppeth up Idolatry with her blind devotion a h Gal. 5.2 work of the flesh and of the Divill 17 And this sin so bewitcheth men given over therunto as through Gods just judgment it a Isa. 44. â— shutteth their eyes that they cannot see their hearts that they cannot understand They haue no knowledge or discretion to argue that if they can not giue life or sense or motion to a dead image nor any naturall power therunto to doe Ier. 10.5 good or evill how much lesse can they giue it spirituall life or any religious power vertue or operation For example a man maketh images of silver and gold and buildeth for them a court or pallace One image hee setteth on a throne and calleth it his King others he nameth Lords of the Councill Iudges and Iustices of the Common-wealth Vnto a Iudge he cometh and saith Good my Lord hear the cause of your suppliant and doe me right from the violence of my adversary an other while he supplicateth to the golden King falling down and saying deliver me for thou art my Leâ—ge Would not this man be derided of all for his folly and counted as witlesse as the image it selfe that he sueth unto No lesse is their madnesse that make images of Saints for religious use building for them Churches and Chappels One idol they name Christ an other S. Peter and the rest as they please to call them And though they bee altogether false representations as it the lot of images to be a Hab. 2 1â— teachers of lies so that the picture of Christ be in deed like Caiphas and S. Peters like Iscariot resembling no more the true visage of Christ and of Peter then K. Henry the S his picture is like the image of Iulius Caesar neither is there any more holines in these statues by any relation or reference then the Divill can giue them for word of God to sanctifie them there is none yet fall the fools down before these their fictions and say O Christ help me S. Peter pray for me But these stony Saints b Psa. 115â— 5 6.8 haue eyes and see not haue ears and hear not like them be they that make them and whosoever trusteth in them 18 Nor is there lesse impiety in idols of other nature and esteem For when among men one is set up as Head of the Church an other as Patriarch an other as Primate Arch-bishop Metropolitan c. all of them as very good Lords spirituall and these without calling and appointment from God these be c Zach. 11â—17 idoll Shepheards not true Pastors of the flock and the indignity and dishonour which they doe unto Christ is more then if disloyall subjects should choose and set up from among themselvs without publick Authority one to be Lord President an other Lord Chief Iustice and others in their severall rooms and offices for to rule the realm and to judge all the causes and occurrents of the same 19 So is it in all other religious ordinances of humane invention as when Antichristians set forth new Sacraments to seal up Gods grace and remission of sins what is it but as if some falser should make conveyances of crown land seal them with a signet of his own counterfeit making and call it by the name of the Kings privie seal When they make a new form or frame of Churches as to be Provinciall Nationall Oecumenicall with Arch-preists and Prelates to over-awe them mought they not with as good right alter the form of the Common-wealth making new Ditions and Iurisdictions with Curions Decurions and other new Magistrates to controul them When they make solemn daies of assembly and call them holy when they make new books canons constitutions ceremonies and call them Ecclesiasticall sacred laudable constraining men to keep and doe them they deal with Christ and his Kingdom as they that in a civill State should take upon them without commission to appoint new Terms Sessions Assises to forge new Laws Statutes Court-rolls evidences c and compell men to credit and obey them Now therefore ô Kings be wise Ps. 2.10.11 be learned yee Iudges of the earth serue the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling and purge your Realms of all idolatries the humane ordinances of religion which are after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ. For you would none of you suffer such innovation or alteration in your Civill Polities lest your Honours should be impeached much lesse should ye suffer it in the Politie Ecclesiastick to provoke God to wrath For he is a gealous God Exod. 20.5 and will visit this iniquity on Princes and on Subjects on fathers and on children blessed are they that watch and keep their garments from pollution of the world herein CHAP. II. How fast the sin of Idolatrie cleaveth to all flesh THE service of idols or of God by them although it be a sin more reprehended in Gods word more punished in his works then other vices yet is it most common and familiar with the sons of Adam easily compassing them about and hanging fast upon them As may appear by three demonstrations first how the best men in the world doe easily fall into it secondly after what pleasure they take in it thirdly and then how hardly they are drawn from it Of all these the Scriptures giue testimonies many 2 When God had renewed the face of the world after the sin-floud and Noahs three sonnes Sem Gen. 10. Ham and Iapheth had multiplyed on the earth our father Abram with his father Terah were foul of this sin Ios. 24.2 and served strange Gods till the true God called him from that impiety In his daies idolatrie was spread over all but men would not be reclaimed from it either by Abrahams word or sword though “ Gen. 14.14 17. Kings were given as dust unto it and as scattred stubble unto his bow The Nations in deed saw this great work of God and were afraid a Isa. 41.2 5.6.7 yet turned they not unto him from Idols but strengthned one another in their false religion and made them moe images to saue them from destruction
p vers 12. frozen in their dregs and shewed themselvs to be q Zeph. 2. a Nation not worthy to be loved So when Iosiah was dead Iehoahaz his son r 2 King 2â— 31.32 did as evill as all his fathers for the time which he raigned which was but 3 moneths and Iehojakim his successor s ver 36.3 dealt as badly and t Ier. 26 2â— 23. killed the Prophets which called them to repentance and u Jer. 36.2 25. burned their writings And after him x 2 King 24.8 Iehojachim proved no better though in these daies death came up into their windows and Gods wrath was in powring out upon Ierusalem And Zedekiah the last King did y 2 King 24.18.19 still evill in the Lords eyes a Jer. 37.1 â— neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land would obey the words of the Lord b 2 King â—4 20 therefore the wrath of the Lord was against Ierusalem and Iudah untill he cast them out of his sight For it was not the Kings onely that did all these evils but also c Ier. 44.9 their wiues d Ier. 32.32 and the Princes of the land the Priests and the Prophets and the men of Iudah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem even the e 2 Chron. â—6 14 chief of the people trespassed wonderfully according to all the abominations of the Heathen and polluted the house of the Lord which he had sanctified in Ierusalem and f vers 16. mocked the messengers of God despised his words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedy For that Citie Ierusalem had g Ier. 32.31 been unto him a provocation of his anger and of his wrath from the day they built it even unto the day that he should remoue it out of his sight they had h Eze. 6.9 whorish hearts and their eyes went a whoring after their idols and with them i Ezek. 23. â—7 they committed adultery till being wexen old in adulteries God said k vers 43. Now shall she and her fornications come to an end 14 And as it was with Iudah so was it also with the ten tribes of Israel who sucked the milk of Idol superstition in the daies of l 1 King 12.28 30. Ieroboam sonne of Nebat whereunto they were addicted m 2 King 10.28.29 15.27.28 c. alwaies after so long as their Common-wealth did stand even throughout the raign of nineteene Kings who added unto their fore-fathers sinnes and drew the people to most horrible impieties for which the land did spew them out n 2 Kin. 17 and Heathens came to dwell in their sted As these are o 1 Cor. 1â— 6.7 ensamples to us to the intent that wee should not be idolaters like them are written p vers 11. to admonish us upon whom the ends of the world are come so doe they plainly manifest the strength of this bewitching sin of idolatry which as a harlot stealeth away the heart of man and the pronenesse of all flesh not of such onely as are aliants from the Church but even of Gods own called people to fall into this vice if God restrain them not by his speciall grace 15 Now for the pleasure that men take in this sin it may be conjectured by the readines of all sorts of people as we haue seen to fall thereinto and by the cause of the same which is the flesh one of the Gal. 5.19 â—0 works wherof it is and therefore must needs delight the fleshly and that so much the more as it proceedeth from the chiefest part of the flesh namely conscience Rom. 1.22 c. â— Cor. 1.20 â—1 c. wisedom reason knowledge judgement prudence policie and whatsoever is most excellent in the naturall man It may also further be shewed by examples similitudes which the Scripture setteth down 16 The Prophet Esaias calleth mens idols their b Esa. 44.9 delectable things because of their desire that is towards them their pleasure in them Ezekiel compareth the idolaters of Israel to c Ezek. 23.2 3.5 c. a woman inflamed with loue towards some goodly yong man on whom she hath cast her eies and fixt her affections and forgetting all modesty she d vers 16. sendeth messengers for him and bringeth him to her e vers 17. into the bed of loue so f vers 18. discovering her fornication and disclosing her shame Teaching us by this similitude that idolatry is as sweet to the corrupted conscience and mind of man as lust and fornication is to any wanton body 17 The objects also of this vice are very pleasurefull and alluring for the doctrines rites ceremonies and observances of false religion with the gifts and learning of the Teachers therof are like unto the goodly proportion comely stature and glorious apparel which set forth and adorn the persons of men making them seem like g Eze. 23.6 Captains and Princes and pleasant choise-youths clothed in silks and h ver 12.15 all kind of Gentleman-like apparell whereby the womans heart i vers 16. as soon as she sees them becomes enamoured The externall pomp and shew that idolatry carryeth with it in temples and altars and images of gold in copes and vestiments in organs melodie in peaceable k Ezek. 13.16 7. visions sweet prophesies and lying divinations in diligent l Amos 4.4 5. sacrificing tithing thanksgiving and proclaiming free offrings with other like devotions these giue content to the worshippers conscience and please the minde no lesse then m Pro. 7.14 16.17 c. a feast with peace offrings and after it a sweet perfumed bed decked with quilts curtains most fine and costly n vers 13.15.18 courteous intertainment of a paramour with fill of loue and pleasure of dalliance all the night is to a loose and lustfull yong man given over to the fleshly and sensuall sin of whoredom 18 Agreeable to these similitudes are the things foretold of the idolatry of Antichrist whose false Church is resembled o Rev. 17.1 by a whore the doctrines superstitions rites ceremonies of the same as the wine of her fornication vers 2. making drunk the kings inhabitants of the earth And the more to allure them thereunto her cup wherin are the abominations and filthines of her fornication vers 4. is of gold her selfe is arayed with purple and skarlet and guilded with gold and precious stones and pearles counterfeiting hereby the habite ornaments of the true Church the p Rev. 21.2 Spowse of Christ whose q ver 11.18 shining is like to gold and stones most cleer and precious her lips r Song 4 3.10 like scarlet and her loue much better then wine The pleasantnesse of that false religion enamouring so many s Prov. 7.7 fooles is noted by t
Rev. 18.3 the aboundance of her pleasures wherby her merchants wexed rich u vers 9. the luxurious life and fornication of Kings with her x vers 14. the apples that her soule lusted after and all things that were fat and excellent y vers 22. the musick and melodie that there was heard and is signified further by z vers 9.15 16.19 the sorrow and lament which all her lovers make for her desolation Now when the Holy Ghost taketh the most pleasant delightfull things in the world and by them noteth out that counterfeit religion what would he but teach us and warn us hereby of the sweetnesse of this deceit which lulleth men in security having their wits bewitched with the whors inchanting song Prov. 9.16 17. Who so is simple let him come hither stollen waters are sweet and hid bread is pleasant 19. But if the intising words of others doe so far prevail with men that “ Pro. 7.22 they follow straightway as oxen that goe to to the slaughter and as fools to the stocks for correction till a dart strike through their liver what may wee think is the strength of a mans own heart when he ‘ Ps. 106.39 goeth a whoring with his own inventions how easily will it prevail against him Every man naturally pleaseth himselfe and liketh well of his own designes loving the fruit of his wit as the child of his body that when ‘,’ Isa. 59. he hath conceived mischief and brought forth an idol that is iniquity it groweth up with him and delighteth him and he Act. 7.41 rejoyceth in his own invention perswading himself that Iudg. 17.3 now the Lord will be good unto him seeing he hath found out a truth or right manner of worshipping God For this his devise specially if it be painted with some colour of holy scriptures he esteemeth as Act. 19. â—5 an image come down from Iupiter a doctrine from heaven it self And henceforward all the blessings that he injoyeth doe flow from this that d Ier. 44.17 he burneth incense to the Queen of heaven the idol that he hath made e Hos. 13.2 according to his own understanding wherefore he will loose his life rather then his religion which he defends with tooth nayl lest the f Act. 19.26 magnificence of his Diana should be destroyed he will g Ier· 28.11 preach and h Act. 17.18 dispute i Ier. 29.25 and write for the same against whomsoever and k 1 King 13 4. persecute if it bee in his power all that contradict it And whatsoever is said from the word of the Lord against it he l Ier· 44.16 will not hear being as hardly induced to think it no truth which his own wit hath discovered as were the Ephesians to think m Act. 19.26 them no Gods which were made with hands for his idoll invention hath bereft him of sound judgment a seduced hart hath deceived him that he cannot deliver his soul nor say Isa. 44.29 Is there not a lye in my right hand 20 So in his blind devotion he continueth blessing himselfe in his evill feighning that he is high in Gods favour and shall haue peace n Deut. 20.19 although he walk in the wrest and obstinacie of his own heart and that o Ier. 2 35· because he is guiltlesse surely Gods wrath shall turn from him For hee p vers 23. followeth no idols whatsoever men say but he q Ier. 5.2 swears the Lord liveth and will shew by his works the r 2 King 10.16 zeal that hee hath for the Lord against idolaters Hee bringeth s Amos 4.4.5 his sacrifices and his tithes offreth thanksgiving proclaimeth free offrings yea willing he is to please the Lord though it cost him t Mic. 6.7 thousands of rammes or ten thousand rivers of oil and to giue his first-born the fruit of his body for the sinne of his soule and though he burn incense to Baal u Ier. 7.9 10. yet will he come and stand before God in the house whereupon his name is called and say J am delivered he will x Miâ— 3.22 lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord with me No evill can come upon me neither a Ier. 5.12 shall the plague come unto me neither shall I see sword nor famine 21 Finally the Lord to teach us how fast this sin cleaveth unto us saith by his Prophet of the idolatrie of Iudah his own professant people b Ier. 17.1 that it was written with a pen of iron and with the point of a Diamond graven upon the table of their heart shewing that the inmost affections are most deeply and continually inffected with this vice and addicted unto it from which no kind perswasion no earnest dehortation nor dreadfull threatning will turn them For when Ierusalem had given themselvs to this iniquity the Lord sent unto them c Ier. 35.15 all his servants the Prophets rising up early and sending them saying return now every man from his evill way and amend your works and goe not after other gods to serv them and yee shall dwell in the land which I haue given unto you and to your fathers d Ier. 44.4 5. oh doe not this abominable thing that I hate but they would not hear nor incline their ear to turn from their wickednesse and to burn no more incense unto other Gods And now are we come to the last demonstration how hardly this sinne is left when once men haue tasted the bitter sweetnesse of the same Which may be seen by the wilfull and stiffe persisting herein notwithstanding all judgments threatned all punishments inflicted therfore And hereof let Israel be our pattern 22 After that they had forsaken the Lord to follow their idols he to reclaim them from the iniquity denounced and brought upon them many heavie judgements King Ieroboam son of Nebat the author of sin to the people was e 1 King 1 1 c. rebuked by a Prophet heard the destruction of his religion threatned felt his own arm miraculously withered and recured saw the altar rent before his eyes yet could hee not perceiv the impietie of his trespasse He had again another f 1 King 1 1 c. Prophets reproof heard the horrible ruin of his house menaced that his posterity should be swept away as dung and eaten of dogs and fowls of the aier and by the death of his son Abijah was deterred if it mought haue been from proceeding in his idolatry but all this prevailed nothing He lost in one battell that he fought with Iudah 2 Chron. 3.17 fiue hundred thousand chosen men and some of his cities and yet had no heart to return unto the Lord till he was h vers 20. plagued of God and died And the yere after Nadab his son walking in his fathers sin i 1 Kin. 15 25 28.29 was murdered
renoumed the chiefe and supereminent place in the land They boast in Ierusalem how their Temple standeth upon mount d 2 Chr. 3.1 Morijah where Abraham our father e Gen. 22.2 c. offered his son Isaak a type of the Messiah for a sacrifice to God we also can glory how Jaakob our Patriarch saw in this our place a f Gen. 28.12 ladder that reached from earth to heaven by which the Angels of God went up and down a type also doubtlesse of our Messiah to come by whom as by a ladder we shall get up to heaven whom g Psal. 97.7 all the Angels of God shall worship when he commeth and shall be seen to ascend and descend upon him Here God appeared to our father Jaakob h Gen. 28.13.14 promising him the land and heyres to possesse it He then acknowledged how i vers 16.17 c. the Lord was in this reverend place that it was no other but the house of God the very gate of heaven therupon gaue it a new name Bethel Gods house wheras at first it was k vers 19. called Luz yea Jaakob vowed that at his safe returne the stone which here he had set up for a pillar l vers 22. should be Gods house And this his devotion was approved of God who expresly commanded him m Gen. 35 1 c. to dwell in Bethel and make him an Altar here which hee performing God graciously accepted appeared again with new promises in this place whereupon the name was againe confirmed to be Gods house or n vers 13 14.15 Bethel Thus having so venerable antiquity on our side can any man doubt but it is more safe to worship here at Bethel a place sanctified of old and so long continuing then at Sion of late so fouly polluted by Solomons grosse idolatry 10 And me thinks the remembrance of that late impiety should keep men from doting so on that place for it is much to be feared Rehoboam will set up ere long his fathers religion who followed strange Gods seeing hee walketh already in his evill way of oppressing the people and o 1 King 12.3.4.13.14 could not be brought to ease them at all of any taxe or burthen wherwith his father loded them As hee followeth his father in sinning against the people so is hee like to doe in sinning against God For loe the hie places which Solomon builded for Ashteroth and Chemosh and Milcom the idols of the Heathen p 2 King 23.13 are left standing still even before Ierusalem and on the right hand of the mount of corruption and are like there to contâ—nue Which wherfore is it but for a snare to the people that they may fall again to the former sin 11 I now being King doe hold it my duty to keep al my subjects from such danger of idolatry and to look that the true God be served in my Kingdom lest men either grow prophane or turn unto vanities For to goe to Ierusalem it may proue perilous sure it is q 1 King 12.28 overmuch for the people that dwell a far off and seemeth to me altogether unreasonable For may and ought not every Prince and people to serue God in their own countrey Was there any before me that mought not doe it and am I more in bondage then all Besides who knoweth not the grudge that Rehoboam hath against us whom of late r 2 Chr. 1 1 4. he would haue warred with if God had not stayed him Why hee counteth me and my people s 2 Chroâ— 13.6 rebels and if he can get me within his dominion he will surely cut off my head and the heads of many moe And doth God who t Hos. 6 desireth mercy rather then sacrifice require of men thus for to runn upon the swords â—oint and indanger their liues without cause and onely for a circumstance of place I am not so weak of judgement as to think it neither will I be so unwise as to hearken to these Levites who kindle the fire of contention among my subjects and teach that we all must goe up to Ierusalem or else we may offer no sacrifice to God Beleev them that list I haue otherwise learned the truth of the Law and trust we shall so serue the Lord at home as will please him well enough 12 For the worship that here we perform unto God is for the substance the same that himselfe commanded by Moses Wee serue the same God a 1 King 2.28 that brought us up out of the land of Aegipt and this is b Exod. 20. â— 3 the first and the great commandment on which all other do depend the keeping wherof c Psal. 81.8 â— 10 hath the promise of reward Wee offer the sacrifices of beeues and sheep wee burn incense pay first fruits and tithes of all we possesse we observ all the ordinances that our fathers haue kept since the world began and God hath confirmed in his written law for ever Wee hold the main article of our Messiah to come and of redemptâ—on from our sinnes by him by which faith our ancestors haue pleased God and unto this he leadeth us in his Law In this faith offer we according to the Law d Lev. 4.4.3.14 20 bullocks for attonement and forgiuenesse of our sins a shadow unto us of our Messiah who shall be led as an oxe to the slaughter and purge our iniquity by his own bloud In testimony of this true catholick faith I haue made these bullocks e 2 King 12.28 of gold similitudes of the greatest sacrifices as representations of that our true sacrifice the promised Saviour whom we expect 13 If here it be said wee doe against God in making these golden figures because he forbiddeth f Exod. 2 graven images to be made the answer is easie Gods meaning is not to forbid all images simply but onely idols that haue divine worship done unto them Such as was that Calfe which our fathers g Exod. 3â— made in the wildernesse for they h Psal. 10 19. worshipped the molten image it self not God by the image but made them i Ex. 32.3 Gods of gold which was against the expresse k Ex. 20.2 words of the Law yea they were so grosse as they turned him l Ps. 106 â—â— their glory into the similitude of a bullock that eateth grasse and m vers 2 forgat God their Saviour which had done great things in Aegipt for them But God forbid and farr be it from us good people that wee should thus doe Wee worship not the images of our bullocks here any more then we worshipped the images of the Cherubims and other resemblances in Solomons Temple but we worship God and him onely doe we serue even n 1 King 12.28 the God that brought us out of Aegypt not any other 14 Yet some are so hardly prejudiced against me as they
spare not to say I o 2 Chron. â—3 8 haue made you these golden calues for Gods and think that I giue the honour to them that is due to the eternall and blessed God himselfe because forsooth I said p 1 King 12.28 Behold thy Gods ô Israel But were I so minded I should be indeed more brutish then a calfe my selfe What should I deny the Creator of the world the God of all our fathers the wonders wrought for us in Aegypt and other places and turn to these images which are made with mens hands and think them very Gods Far be such a grosse conceit from every true Israelite Nay if I should haue attempted any such thing would you not haue stoned me And as for my speech in calling them Gods who is there so simple that knows it not to be figuratiue and very familiar to every mans ears I am not the first that thus hath spoken our fathers before me used often such phrases When the Angel of God appeared unto Abraham he called the place q Gen. 22.14 Jehovah-jireh that is The Lord seeth Jaakob built an Altar and called the place r Gen. 35.7 The God of Bethel Moses himselfe made an Altar in the desert named it s Exod. 17 15. Jehovah Nissi that is The Lord my banner Yet none of us I trow doe think that they esteemed these places or altars to be properly Gods The Ark is called t 1 Sam 4.21 the glorie of Jsrael u Ps. 78.61 the strength of God the x Ps. 24.7 King of glorie and what can be said more the y 1 Sam. 6.20 holy Lord God The Lamb is called z Exod. 12.11 the Lords Passeover and many such like Sacramentall speeches haue we and our ancestors been accustomed unto What if I should call the pascall Lamb our Messiah because it is a type of him or the Manna which our fathers did eat and water which they drank out of the rock the body and bloud of our Messiah should I for this be suspected of Idolatry My enemies mought be ashamed thus to cavil and calumniate my honest actions who haue made these visible signes for to serv the true God by and to be but as testimonies of his presence here 15 And that this is lawfull the Law it selfe will shew which intendeth not the prohibition of all images but the abuse of them as idols for so it is written a Ex. 20.5 Thou shalt not bow down to them nor serv them whereby God explaneth his mind which is that we should make no graven images for to worship them but to worship God by them where is that forbidden Nay the contrary is evident for haue wee not worshipped God in Ierusalem and other places by images What are the b Ex. 25.18 c. golden winged Cherubims upon the Ark but images by which both we and our fathers haue honoured God And if any object that those were made by Moses at Gods command but none else may be made by any other let him look into Solomons Temple builded but the other day and there he shall find c 1 King 6 23 c. two new Cherubims of great and high stature whose wings reach from one end of the holy place to another and besides these all the d vers 29. walls of the Temple are full of such figures Perhaps some will say it is tolerable to haue the shape of Cherubims as being figures of e Gen. 3.24 Angels but any other forms especially of beasts is utterly unlawfull Well however the Law forbiddeth to make the likenes of f Exo. 20.4 things in heaven as of things in earth and so the Angels may no more be pourtrahed then beasts or birds yet to take away scruple I refer you to Solomons g 1 King 7.25 twelv oxen or bulls of brasse whâ—ch bear up that molten sea which standeth at the dore of the Temple for the Priests to wash in also to h 1 King 7.29 the Lions Bulls and Cherubims wrought upon the ten brazen bases of the cauldrons wherin the work of the burnt offerings i 2 Chron. 4.6 is washed and cleansed every day If Solomon in his Temple might make bulls of brasse is it a sin for me to make such of gold Tush these are but the cavils of these Puritan Priests and Levites that of a stomack and refractary minde will not be conformable to my ceremonies whom therefore I mean k 2 Chron. 13.9 to driue out of my country that they trouble my people no more 16 Yet will I doe my best to satisfie them ere they goe in whatsoever they can say against me To proceed therfore to the time another circumstance which they object for want of more weighty matter they think it much that I haue proâ—oged the feast of Tabernacles untill the k 1 King â— 32 15 day of the 8 moneth because it is appointed by Moses to be kept l â—ev 23.39 the 15 day of the 7 moneth Herein they still doe but strain out a gnat for so the thing it selfe be observed what skilleth it for the change of the moneth The feasts were made for men not men for the feasts and if we keep them in any meet and commodious time it pleaseth God well enough which I will further shew by the Law it selfe When our fathers came out of Aegypt they kept by Gods commandment the Paschal feast upon m Ex. 12.6 the 14 day of the first moneth and this was enacted to be an ordinance n vers 24. for ever After it fell out when a Passeover o Num. 9. â— 5. was kept in the wildernesse that certain men p vers 6.7 defiled by a dead man could not keep it by reason of their uncleannesse and came unto Moses to know what they should doe He could not tell q vers 8. till hee had asked the Lord. Then God spake and said r vers 10 c. If any of you or your posterity be unclean or in a journey let him keep the Pascha in the 14 day of the second moneth Behold here how God explaineth his own law shewing that hee respecteth not the moneth as though there were any holinesse in it but if the feast were kept though a moneth after upon just occasion it should be acceptable Forasmuch then as we haue so pregnant an example of occasionall changing the time without any sin me thinks these men are too too precise that condemn me who upon just occasion and advice with others haue deferred this feast a moneth longer then ordinary 17 It may be these men make question of my authority and think me not the lawfull supreme Governour under God of the Church or that my primacy beares me not out to alter ceremonies or circumstances in religion but this I can sufficiently clear For I haue my kingly office from God the King of kings s 1
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
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
Iupiter and Nebo and y 2 King 17.30 Succothbenâ—th and other the like even so hath idolatrous Rome ordained to haue in her temples z Concil Trident. Sess. 25. images of Christ of the virgin Mary and of other Saints which idols must haue their due honour and worship because the honour which is given to them is referred to the prototypes whom they doe represent And these abominations she Concil â—id ibid. kisseth as idolaters of old were wont to Hos. 13.2 kisse the calues lighteth Tapers before them as the Babylonians did Baruch â—â— candles before their images censeth them as the Heathen Romans were wont to doe Cicero â—ffic l. 3. their statues kneeleth falleth down and prayeth before them saying Catechis one Trid. â—act de O 〈◊〉 Tit. Our Father c. as idolaters of old Quis oranâ—us sit Jer. 2.27 said to a tree thou art my father and to a stone thou hast begotten mee Teaching her children further that these g Bellar. de â—mag l. 2. c. 21. images are to be worshipped not onely by accident or unproperly but also by themselvs and properly so as they doe terminate or end the worship as they are considered in themselvs and not onely as they bear the part of the examplar or person represented yea saying of an image h Synod Nicen. 11. Act. 4. This is Christ as paynims said of theirs i Isa. 44 17 Thou art my God But woe unto them k Hab. 2.19 from the Lord that say to the wood awake to the dumb stone rise up Herein this Catholike Church exceedeth the devotion of Jeroboam son of Nâ—bat who worshipped by the Calues l 1 King 12.28 â—he God which had brought them out of Aegypt and not any other Saints much lesse the images themselvs Yea in this kind she passeth sundry of the Heathens and her own Predecessors for Licurgus the Lawgiver of Lacedemonia and institutor of many ceremonies m Alexand. ab Alexandr l. 2 c. 22. ordained no images in his Religion but forbad the forms of men or other living creatures to be given to the Gods Apollonius a Philosopher n Philostr de vita Apollon l. 6 c. 9. found fault with the foolish and absurd images in many places and thought it more honourable if the Gods had no images at all The Persians had o Herod Clio. no images for they thought it a madnesse to worship God by such The Germans in their paynisme p Corn. Tacit de mor. Germ. held it unlawfull to paint their Gods on walls or expresse them in any humane shape And Numa the King of the antique Romans q Plutarch in Numa forbad them to think that the image of God had the shape of a man or form of other living creature Yet Rome that now is alloweth r Bellar. de imag Sanct. l. 2 c. 8. the image of God the Father in form of an â—ld man and of the Holy Ghost in form of a doue Though the holy Prophet inveighing against this vanity demandeth Isa. 40.18 To whom will ye liken God or what similitude will ye set up unto him And though the learned Varro in August de â—ivit Dei l. 4. c. 31. Heathen by light of nature approved the practise of ancient Rome worshipping the Gods without any images almost two hundred yeares and blamed those that first brought in images as authors of errour and causes of impiety yet such is the loue of this whorish Church to these teachers u Hâ—b 2.18 of lies the counterfeits of God as she adoreth theÌ„ or the divill in them to fulfill that which is written of her that men would x Rev. 9.20 not repent of the works of their hands and of the worship of divils and idols of gold and of silver and of brasse and of stone and of wood which neither can see neither hear nor goe 10 In another point also hath our Babylons zeal surpassed Jeroboams to weet in her Clergie and multitude of Church officers For Ieroboam had none but simple y 1 Kin. 12.31 Priests to say and doe the Divine service in his high places But our Iezebel hath founded Priests and Arch-priests Lord Bishops and Arch-bishops Deans and Arch-deacons Suffragans Cardinals Patriarchâ— and Popes Abbots Friars Monks Seminaries Iesuits and a number moe Chemarims her Ecclesiasticall senate to guard her throne to fight her battels to retail her wares and to satisfie by them her superstitious lust which hath been even insatiable as was z Ezek. 16 28.29 the whores of Israel And Priapus the Pope is a Bellar. de Pont. l. 2. c. 31. bridegroom of this spowse and hath preeminence over all to powr out his fornications upon her by his doctrines canons rites ceremonies decrees and decretals for he is b Bellar. dâ— head of this Church and Prince of the Priests Father and Doctor of all Christians and Bishop universall who c Bellar. dâ— Pont. l. 4. c. 3. when he teacheth the whole Church in things pertaining to faith cannot err by any hap or chance and d Ibid. c. 5 not onely in matters of faith but in precepts of manners also prescribed to the whole Church he cannot err and his wife the catholick church e Ibid. c. 1 hath alwaies beleeved that he is a true Ecclesiastical Prince in the whole Church who can of his own authority without consent of the people or counsel of the Priests make laws which binde the conscience can judg in causes ecclesiastical as other judges doe and punish also the disobedient And his lawyers haue born men in hand that this Pope may dispense against â— q. 1. â—icunq gloss the Law of God and against 5. q. 6. â—orit In 〈◊〉 the law of nature even with the Precepts of the old and new Testament Summ. Angel in dict Pap. that his bare will must Extra de â—sc episâ— â—anto in â—ssa bee holden for a law and whatsoever he doth no man may Extra de â—ces Preb. oposuit gloss say to him why doe you this And whosoever obeyeth not his precepts Dist. 81. qui sunt â— gloss incurreth the sin of idolatry Finally to lift up their blasphemy to the highest they honour him with this title l Cum inter 〈◊〉 gloss our Lord God the Pope And although this Romish Synagogue hath received some of her jolly Church Prelats with their exorbitant power by imitation of her Heathenish Predecessors Romulus and Numa Pompilius 〈◊〉 Ioh. 22 〈◊〉 Livius 1. who made Flamins Arch-flamins and a Pontifex Maximus to sacrifice unto the Gods and some of their ceremonies from other Infidels as the shaving of Priests crowns like n Hieron â— Ezek. 44 â—0 the Priests of Isis Scrapis in Aegypt yet neither antique Rome nor Aegipt nor Babylon nor any nation in the world ever fouÌ„ded such a pompous Hierarchie such store and varity of Divines