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
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
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
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
and that all religious use and service of them is idolatrie appeareth by the words of the Law For every man is forbidden to make unto himselfe any b Temunah Exod. 20.4 form shape or resemblance of things in the heavens earth or waters of any c Semel Deut. 4.16 similitude shew or likenesse any d Tabnith Deut. 4.16 frame figure edifice or structure of man or beast fowl or fish or any creeping thing any e Tselem Ezek 7.20 16.17 Image type or shadowed representation any f Mâ—sâ—ith Lev. 26.1 imagined picture fabrick or shape g Mattâ—sebah Lev. 26.1 any statue erected-monument or pillar finally any thing h Ex. 20.4 graven or carved or i Hos. 13.2 molten k Eze. 8.10 drawn-out painted or poutrahed So that it is not possible for the wit or hand of man to devise or make any image or representation whatsoever which commeth not within the compasse of the words and things fore-warned of God 10 The latrie or service of Idols forbidden is also as large under these words a Ex. 20.5 thou shalt not worship them neither shalt thou serv them For man being charged to b Mat. 4.10 Deu. 10.20 worship the Lord his God and serv him onely is bound to giue him all manner of religious honour and none at all unto images or creatures Worship is any reverend submissiue gesture as c Deut. 5.9 bowing-down d Ps. 95.6 Rom. 11.4 kneeling prostrating with all other like lowly louely behaviour as e Hos. 13.2 kissing f Eze. 18.6 lifting up of the eies and all that appertain or lead unto this worship as g Deut. 16.1 6. 1 King 12.32 Hos. 4.15 observing the time comming to the place and other the like And hereby is meant not externall worship onely but as God is a Spirit h Ioh. 4.24 and must be worshipped in spirit so spirituall worship may be given to no idols as in heart to loue reverence or regard them for God i Isay 42. â— will not giue his glorie to another nor his praise to graven images 11 Service is the practise or observing of any religious ordinance of what sort soever inward or outward and hereunto pertaineth all Ministerie Priestood ministration k Num. 8 22.24 about Temple Altar Sacrifices c all gifts and oblations l Num. 4 2â— ad 31 18.4.7 of things living or dead as cattell silver gold vessels instruments c. all m Num. 7.3.5 purifications n 1 Chron. 23 28.2â— c. clensings preparations of things for Gods worship administring a Exod. 12 26.27 of Sacraments and partaking with them b 1 Cor. 10 18. eating of the sacrifices c 1 King 6 Nehem. 3. 2 King 12 â— ad 12. building repairing fortifying of any holy Citie Temple Altar or other like belonging to religion with all d Exod. 36 1 c and 39.32 maner work labor industry of body or mind to help forward such things e Nehem. 10.32 37 39. Ex. 30.16 35.5 c. paying of tithes offerings contributions of what creature soever for the maintenance of the Ministers ministration or worship Finally whatsoever tendeth to the furtherance and upholding of any worship or religion it is comprehended in this word service that vayn is the distinction that Idolaters f Bellar. de eccles triumph l. 1. c. 12. make between the service latria and the service dulia giving this to Saints and Images the other not when God by one word Ghnabad forbiddeth both and g 1 Sam. 7.3 douléusate autóimónoi q.d. giv him onely your dulia bindeth us to giue dulia as well as latria unto God onely 12 Many sorts of idolaters haue alwaies been in the world which haue defiled themselvs with innumerable idols whose vanity and filthines God manifesteth by titles and names giving unto them For Idols are called h Lev. 19.4 1 Chro. 16.26 Aelilim that is things of naught because they haue nothing of that which fools think they haue that is of the divine power and Godhead or of true Religion and so can neither help those that honour them nor hurt those that abhor them neither sanctifie any creature nor pollute the same to him that hath knowledge in effect they are nothing they can neither doe good nor evil Wherupon the Apostle saith a 1 Cor. 8. an Idoll is nothing in the world and therfore nothing to be esteemed 13 They are called also b Lev. 26.3 Deut. 29. â— Eze. 6.4 5 Gillulim as it were filths dung or excrements because they are loathsome and abominable to God and doe defile the consciences of men proceeding as dung and excrements out of mans corrupt heart and vain invention and in other plain termes are named c Ezek. 2 â— 8 Ier. 32.3 Shikutsim that is lothsome things or detestable and d Eze. 7. â— 11.21 Toghneboth that is abominations 14 And for the labour and misery that commeth by their means they be called e Ps. 115 1 Sam. 3â— 9. Ghnatsabim that is Sorrows because with much labour care and curiosity they are invented framed erected and yet bring nothing to man but f Psal. 16 sorrow and misery Briefly as they are in every respect false vile vain and worthlesse so cary they the titles of a â—er 14.22 16.19 2.8.11.18.15.13.25 Vanities lies unprofitable false-vanities leasings and Hos. 10.8 4.15 Aven that is vain-iniquitie 15 Though this be the nature and condition of idols with God yet men loue to vanish in their own vanities robbing him of his honour and deceiving themselvs ascribing to idols a false conceited holines more or lesse according to the folly of the institutor or worshipper For all true holines is froÌ„ Ex. 39.30 1 Sam. 2.2 â—say 6.3 God alone who as he is Lev. 20.8 â— 26 â— 8.12.15 â— 22.2 32. most holy so halloweth he or â—en 28.16 â— c. sanctifyeth his people and his worship with all the Rites and Ordinances of the same Hee by his Word and presence giveth holines to persons to places to altars to statues to sacrifices to means and instruments of all sorts wherwith his service is performed and in the right use of these holy things God is hallowed and honoured of us which right use he manifesteth in his â—co 29.29 â— 36.37 â— 40 9 â— 11 c â—o 17.17 Word But Satan who Mat 4 9 seeketh the possession of Gods throne and glorie giveth or ascribeth 1 King 2 28-33 â—ct 19 27. â— to his own ministers temples altars images instruments and ceremonies a counterfeit holines which is in deed most deadly contagious filthines as the evill spirit froÌ„ whom it proceedeth is most filthy and a Luk. 11.24 impure and in the use of these execrable things the b Deut. 3â— 17. Rev. 9 2â— 1 Cor. 10.2 Divill is hallowed and honoured as a
primitiue sincerity for the e 2 King 12 3. people offered still and burnt incense in the high places untaken away But so soon as this f 2 Chron. 24.15 aged father the Priest was dead the Princes of Iudah g vers 17. fawning on the King turned him away to the former superstition and again they h vers 18. left the house of the Lord God of their fathers and served groues and greivous idols and the high Preists son the Kings cosin who prophesied against their sins they i ver 20.21 stoned him to death by the unthankful Kings coÌ„mandment in the court of the Lords house even between k Mat. 23 35. the temple and the altar 10 When Ioash was taken away l 2 Chron. 24.25 by a bloudy death Amaziah his son succeeded m 2 King 14.3 like his father did uprightly in the eyes of the Lord n 2 Chron. 25.2 but not with a perfect heart for idolatry still continued in Iudah and o 2 King 14 4. the people burnt incense in the high places And the King himselfe to add unto all his fathers sinnes brought the Gods of the Aedomites p 2 Chron. 25.14 and set them up to be his Gods and worshipped them and burned incense unto them which turned to his ruin But Vzziah his son sought God and did uprightly yet q 2 Chron. 26.3 4 5. according to all that his father Amaziah did for the r 2 King 15 4. high places stood still for offerings and incense and Iothan his son s vers 32.34.35 trode the very same steps But Achaz son of Iotham marred all again and made it worse then before for t 2 Kin. 16 1.2 3 c. he walked in the way of the Kings of Israel yea and made his son to passe through the fire after the abominations of the Heathen and made an altar in the Lords house u ver 10 c. like to the idolatrous altar which he saw in Damascus and x ver 17. brake down the work in the temple of God and made y 2 Chron. 28.2 3. molten images for Baalim yea being afflicted for his sins he trespassed z ver 22.23 the more against the the Lord sacrificing to the Gods of Damascus which had plagued him “ vers 24. breaking the vessels and shutting up the dores of the Lords house making altars in every corner of Ierusalem and high places “ vers 25. in every citie of Iudah to burn incense unto other Gods And thus Ierusalem a Ezek. 23.11 Aholibah marred her selfe with inordinate loue and with her fornications more then her idolatrous sister Aholah or Samaria for Iudah b 2 Chron. 29.6.7 forsook the Lord turned their faces from his tabernacle shut the dores of his house quenched his lamps and neither burnt incense nor offered burnt offerings in the sanctuarie unto the God of Israel but sacrificed c Deut. 32.17 to Divils new Gods whom they knew not nor their fathers and burnt incense to d 2 King 18.4 Nehushtan the serpent of brasse 11 Then God raised them up the good King Ezekias who e 2 Chron. 29.1.2 c. did uprightly in the sight of the Lord according to all that David his father had done He opened the dores of the house of the Lord brought in the Priests and Levites 〈◊〉 16 c. clensed the Temple altar and instruments of Gods service sacrificed unto God g vers 21.25.29 for their sinnes restored the true worship sought the conversion h 2 Chron. 30.1 c. of all Israel i 2 Chron. 30.1 c. caused them to break the images cut down the groues break down the high places and altars through all his Dominions and k 2 King 18.4 brake in peeces the brazen serpent that Moses had made and Israel polluted Thus dealt hee l 2 Chron 31.20.21 well and uprightly and truely before the Lord his God even with all his heart and departed not from him But when he was laid down in peace Manasses his son repeated all the former evils and added more unto them if ought mought be For m 2 Chron 33.3 c. he went back and built the high places which his father had broke down and set up altars for Baalim and made groues and worshipped all the host of heaven and served them and built altars to them in the Lords house made strange Gods and caused his sonnes to passe through the fire and gaue himselfe to witchcraft and charming and sorcerie and used them that had familiar spirits and n 2 King 21.16 shed innocent bloud exceeding much till he filled Ierusalem from corner to corner and made Iudah and Ierusalem to erre to o 2 Chron 33.9 doe worse then the heathen whom the Lord had destroyed before them The p Ier. 7.17 18. children gathered wood and the fathers kindled the fire and the women kneaded the dough to make cakes to the Queen of heaven and to power out drink offerings unto other Gods that they mought provoke the Lord to anger they vers 30. set their abominations in the house wherupon his name was called to pollute it they Ier. 19.5 builded the hie places of Baal to burn their sonnes with fire for burnt offrings unto Baal and unto Ier. 32.35 Molech By which abominations they so provoked the Lord as hee forbad his Prophets Ier. 11.14 14.11 to pray any more to doe the people good for they Ier. 17.4 had kindled a fire in his anger which should burn for ever 12 And although Manasses rewed all before his death 2 Chro 33 â—1 12 c. and repented heartily when he lay fettered in Babel and being restored to his Kingdom vers 15.16 took away the strange Gods and altars and images that he had made and restored in Iudah Gods true religion saue onely that vers 17. the people sacrificed in the high places yet Amon his son would not be warned by his fathers evils but turned again from God made 2 Chro. 34 â— 4. 2 King 23 â—4 idols and images and altars of Baalim high places and groues and sacrificed 2 Chron. â—3 22 to all the images which his father had made and served them humbled not himselfe as his father Manasses had done wherefore he was soon rooted out of the land of the living and laid in dust 13 l 2 Chr. 3â— Iosias his son abolished all these former idolatries monuments of them did uprightly in the sight of God as David had done and m vers 19 27. trembled at his law judgments but the people n Ier. 25.3 4 c. would not hear the words of the Prophets calling them from their idolatry they sought not the Lord many of them but o Zeph. 1.5 worshiped the host of heaven on the house tops remaining
and all Ieroboams house none left aliue destroyed according to the word of the Lord. 23 Baasha whose hands had executed Gods wrath on Ieroboams house yet had no grace to forsake his sinne no not though he were threatned for it by a Prophet k 1 King 16.1 4. to haue like vengeance brought upon his own posterity but continued in that Idolatrie to his dying day and Elah his son in the second year of his reign felt the reward of his fathers sins and of his own l 1 King 16.8 13. was kild by a conspiracie and all that family rooted out none left unto Baasha either of his kinsfolks or his friends Neither yet would Zimri who rooted out Bashaes house be warned himselfe but walked still in Ieroboams sin wherfore m 1 King 16.15.18.19 reigning but seven daies God hastened wrath upon his head and he burned himselfe in his distresse 24 All this notwithstanding the people of Israel and Kings that succeeded left not Ieroboams sinns but added moe unto them and did worse then he And although wrath was encreased upon the Nation n 2 King 6 24.25 by sword and by famine that women o ver 28.29 did eat their own children for hunger and the Prophets did p 2 King 8.11.12 weep to think of the plagues before they came upon them yet could they not bee perswaded to leav their idolatrie The Lord gaue them cleannesse of teeth and scarseness of bread in all their cities q Amos 4.6 yet turned they not unto him Hee with-held rain from them and made them wander about to seek water to drink r Vers. 8. yet turned they not unto the Lord. He smote them with blasting and mel dew and kanker worms did consume their fruits s vers 9. yet turned they not unto the Lord. Pestilence he sent among them after the manner of Aegipt and killed their yong men with the sword t vers 10. yet turned they not unto the Lord. Hee overthrew them as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and they were as a firebrand pluckt out of the burning u vers 11 yet turned they not unto the Lord. And though the Lord a 2 King 17 13.14 c. testified unto them by all the Prophets and by all the Seers saying Turn from your evill waies and keep my commandements yet would they not hear but followed vanity and became vain in their idolatry till the land did spue them out as it had spued out the Heathens that dwelt before them they were b ver 23.24 spoyled by the Assirians and caried captives among the Heathens and Hethens came and dwelt in their sted 25 In like manner fared it with the Kingdom of Iudah many plagues did they feel for their idol service and many moe were threatned yet would they not turn from this iniquity Presently upon Rehoboams apostasie c 2 Chron. 12.1.2 c. they were set upon by the King of Aegypt their strong cities taken the treasures of the Lords house and of the Kings were lost and the men themselvs made d vers 8. servants to Shishak 27 The idolatrous Kings after augmented sin and wrath but could not be brought to amendment Jehoram lost e 2 Chron. 21.8 Aedom had his house and children robbed and carried away f ver 16.17 by the Philistims and Arabians and himself after two years sore sicknesse g vers 19. had his guts fall out and so died Amaziah was h 2 King 14.13.14 c. taken by the King of Israel the wall of Ierusalem was broken and the temple robbed Achaz was sold into the hands of i 2 Chron. 28.5 the Kings of Aram of Israel and six score thousand valiant men of Iudah were killed in one day k vers 6. because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers and two hundred thousand taken prisoners besides l vers 17.18.19 other miseries that came upon the Countrie But these and other plagues many which God laid upon them till m Isa. 1.5 6.7 the whole head was sick and the whole heart heavie from the sole of the foot unto the head there was nothing whole therin but wounds and swelling and putrified sores the land wasted the cities burnt with fire and the daughter Sion remained like a cottage in a vineyard yet the more they were smitten n vers 5. the more they fell away all labour was spent in vain upon them the o Jer. 6 2â— 30. bellows were burnt the lead consumed in the fire the founder melted in vain they were called reprobate silver because the Lord had rejected theÌ„ For though he threatned p Ier. 9 1â— to make Ierusalem a heap and a den of Dragons and to make the cities of Iudah wast without an inhabitant and sent unto them saying a Ier. 18.11 Behold I prepare a plague for you and purpose a thing against you turn you therefore every one from his evill way b vers 12. yet they said desperately surely we will walk after our own imaginations and do every man after the speculation of his wicked heart 27 Moreover when God had brought upon them the desolation threatned that c 2 Chr. 36 Ierusalem was broken up by the Babylonians the temple burned the people killed and the rest caried prisoners into Babel some poore men onely d 2 King â— 5.12 left to till the land yet that remnant afterward fled e Ier. 43.5 â— 7 into Aegypt both small and great and there committed idolatry again with f Jer. 44.8 the works of their hands burning incense unto other Gods in the land of Aegipt that they might bring destruction unto themselvs and be a curse and a reproach among all Nations of the earth 28 Behold in this mirrour whosoever thou art that readest the readines of all flesh to fall away from God the pleasure that men take in their own vain invenâ—â—ons and the difficultie to draw them from following after Satan Behold the madnesse and blindnes and astonishment of heart wherewith they are stricken that be given to idolatry and how this gangrene did spread the whole body over in the Church of Israel whose historie is left written for example and warning to us who all are subject to fall into like sin are lyable to like plagues and of like obstinacy in evill For though God haue scourged Christendom with fire smoke and brimstone g Rev. â— 17 c. out of the horses mouthes and horsmen conducted by the Angels of destruction yet the remnant of men not killed by these plagues h vers 20. haue not repented of the works of their hands that they should not worship divils and idols of gold and silver and of brasse and of stone and of wood which neither can see neither hear nor goe men i Rev. 16.11 haue blasphemed the God of heaven for their paines and for their
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
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.
â—ualia deâ—ens â—giptus â—ortenta â—olat c. â—uvenal Sat. 15. a heathen Poet did deride 14 Moreover to fill up her cup with abominations this Witch hath learned of the old idolaters to worship Ier. 44.17 the Queen of heaven For by her power fetched out of the bottomlesse pit she deifieth or rather defileth the blessed Virgin Mary with unsufferable blasphemies intitling her Ladie Queen and Epist. â— â—emb Leo. â—0 nom â—riâ— l. 8. â—ist 1â— Goddesse hayling her for Offic. B. Mariae reâ—ormat Queen of heaven Ladie of Angels mother of grace and mercy life sweetness hope and what not and together with her she invocateth the Angels Apostles Martyrs Confessors Popes Bishops Virgins c. and prayeth God that Ibid. Oâ—â—t propr de â—â—nctis by the merits and prayers of her Popes she may be delivered from the fire of hell 15 And as the Heathens had their Gods and Goddesses of divers ranks Apuâ—eâ—us 〈◊〉 de Deo â—ocratis supreme inferiour and middle ones called Daemones by whom as by mediators and intercessors they thought mens desires and merits did come unto God so hath this synagogue of Satan Divâ—s and Divas Saints of all sorts whom she hath d Bellar. dâ— sanct l. 1. c. 7. canonized to be called upon in her publick prayers to haue temples altars feast daies dedicated and kept unto their memorie and many other honours acknowledging them to be mediators between God and men and hath dealt with these Divi as the ethnicks did with their Dij and Daemones For as each country and citie among them had their speciall Gods or Goddesses to protect them as for Ephesus Diana for Athens Minerva for Paphos Venus for Delphos Apollo for Rome Remus and Romulus for Babel Bel for Aegipt Isis and Osyris and the rest in like manner so the mother of Rome in stead of tutelar gods hath got her selfe Peter Paul hath procured appointed S. George for England S. Andrew for Scotland S. Patrik for Ireland S. Denys for France S. Iames for Spain S. Martin for Germany insted of Mars their antiqu patron the three Kings for Colen so for others Moreover she hath Iodicus Vrbanus for corn wine as the Heathens had Ceres Bacchus Her Mariners now haue S. Nicol. S. Christop to be their Pilots as the ancient Pagans had Castor and Pullux Her Scholars now haue S. Gregorie and S. Katherine to sharpen their wits as Poets of old had Apollo and Minerva Physicians and Chirurgians now are aided by Cosmas Damian as of old by Aesculapius S. Wendlin wardeth the sheep as Pan the shepheards God was wont and other artizens haue their special Patrons to pray and trust unto and beasts their severall guardians not so much but the very whores haue Mary Magdalen and Afra to sacrifice unto if they will as alder daies had Venus and Flora and almost every disease hath a speciall Saint appointed for Surgeon And thus is fulfilled that which is written e 2 King 17.15 They followed the Heathens that were round about them concerning whom the Lord had charged them that they should not doe like them Yea the Heathens doe come short in their count of tutelar Gods with this catholick whore and she excedeth those of whom it is written f Ier. 11.31 according to the number of thy Cities are thy Gods ô Iudah and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem haue yee set up altars of confusion 16 As for Ieroboam he dares not shew his face before this beast his successor for his inventions compared with hers are not one to a thousand What were his two Calues to the infinite images of this strumpet Nay her Lambs of wax are more worth then his g Hos. 10. â— kowes of gold for every immaculate Agnus Dei or Lamb of God that this Witch maketh of Virgin wax and holy water hath h Sacra câ—â—rem eccleâ— Rom. l. 1 â— Tit. 7. the same vertue against all divilish wiles and guiles of the malignant spirit that the innocent Lamb Iesus Christ delivered our first father Adam with from the power of the Divill But Ieroboam doubtlesse had no skill at all to make such idols of proof Again he forged but one i 1 King 1â— 32.33 feast out of his own heart to make merry with his images once in a year whereas this our purple Queen hath made many moe holy daies then there be moneths that I say not weeks of the year in honor of her Ladie all her Saints and these some of them correspondent to the Paynim festivities as Christmas Candlemas Fasgon or Shrouetide according to the times and customes of the Gentiles Saturnall Februal and Bacchus feasts For unlesse it be she would imitate Heathens she can hardly shew any cause at all why she celebrateth her Christmas in the end of December and her feasts at answerable times seeing in all likelihood Christ was born k Beroald Chron. l. 4. â— 2. in September rather then in December but herein the Churches authority which cannot err must bear out all lies and forgeries Vnto these she hath added fair temples high altars and other devotions moe then can be told much more effectuall then were Ieroboams For his chappels and high places were simply to worship God in but whersoever any of our Iezebels Churches be l Pontific Ord de dedec consec Eccl. it is surely no other then the house of God and gate of heaven And needs must it so be seeing it is hallowed with exorcised or conjured salt water ashes and wine which haue vertue so to consecrate that Church as that it may m Ibidem driue away all the Divils tentations every fansie wile and wickednesse of divilish fraud every unclean spirit and power of the enemy and to root out the Feind himself with his apostaticall Angels and also by the merit of the Virgin Mary and N. the Saint unto whose honour and name the Church is founded and of all other Saints God is intreated to visit that place and by infusion of his grace to purifie it from all pollution and to conserv it being purified and that spirituall wickednesses may flee from thence Which being granted as cannot I think but be by so many Saints intercessions it is impossible now that any idolatry should be committed in such a Sanctuary whose n Ibidem first stone is layd by a Bishop in the faith of Jesus Christ that the true faith and fear of God and brotherly loue may there flourish Such powerfull works as these none of Ieroboams Bishops could turn their hands unto for they were but novices in Satans school and had never well learned the art of exorcism or conjuration which the sorceresse of Rome by long practise experience hath attained being grown as cunning in these feats as she that was mistresse of her art o Nahum 3. â— and sold the nations through her