Lastly A comparison betwixt the dâ—vill alone and the Atheist let us compare the Atheist and the devill alone the devill acknowledged Christ to be the Sonne of the most high God Mark 5.7 Secondly he worshipped vers 6. Thirdly adjures Christ v. 7. and acknowledged that an oath is the bond of the soule Num. 30.2 Lastly he knowes that there is a day appointed when God shall come to judge the world Matth. 8.29 but the Atheist neither acknowledge Christ to be the Sonne of the most high God neither worships he Christ He cares not for an oath which is the bond of the soule neither expects hee the last day of Iudgement therefore in these he is worse then the devill The Atheist should die the death These Atheists should die the death Whosoever worshipped strange Gods should die the death Deut. 13.9 And Asa 2 Chro. 15.15 enlarges this threatning Whosoever would not seeke to the Lord God of Israel should die the death Much more then should these die the death who denies the true God And the Heathens judged that Atheists should die the death as Laertius witnesseth of that wicked Theodorus who was condemned in Areopago propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was condemned for Atheisme and Socrates as this same Laertius witnesseth quod non eosdem atque civitas deos pictaret quod nova numina inveheret hee because hee beleeves not in these gods which the rest of the citie beleeved in and studied to bring in new gods amongst them When there was no king in Israel every man did that which seemed good in his owne eyes Iudg. 17.6 So when men beleeve that there is no good what marvell is it that they runne not into all sinnes and abominations Atheisme is the center of all sinnes This Atheism is the center of all sinnes and the Atheist is the vilest of all creatures wherefore let us abhorre Atheisme above all other sinnes and shunne the company of these damnable Atheistes who are appointed for hell and damnation SECT 3. Of Superstition THe ignorance of God hath two rivers proceeding from it the one is Atheisme The ignorance of God breeds Atheisme and superstition and the other is Superstition and as seed sowne in some hard ground brings forth no fruit at all but in other ground it grows so ranke and luxurian that the labourer reapes no profit of it The Atheist is like unto hard ground where no corne growes the Superstitious againe exceedes in his worship and runnes as farre unto the other extremitie This superstition is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 timeo metuo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 numen It is a good observation of Tertullian Verity in the midst suffereth betweene two extreames that as Christ suffered betwixt two theeves so veritie suffereth betwixt the two extremes The Heathen held a multitude of gods to be worshipped and they denied unitie The Iews again holds unitie worshipping one God but denies the Trinity of persons Here trinitie and unitie suffereth in the middest betwixt the two extremes as Christ did in the middest betwixt two theeves So Eutiches confounded the persons and Nestorius divided Christ into two persons veritie suffered in the midst here so in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1.12 Some held that they were onely Christs others called themselves after Apollo and others Cephas veritie suffered in the midst here for we must foâ—â—â—nour Christ that we despise not his Ministers and wee must so respect his Ministers Atheisme and superstition are the two extreames and true religion suffereth in the midst that we depend not upon them in matters of salvation and so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atheisme and Superstition are the two extremes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the true worship of God suffers in the midst This Superstition exceedes in worship and offers more to God than he requires at their hand Esa 1.12 and as the Lord forbids to be too just Eccles 7.16 so he forbids men to exceede this way and to runne into superstition Quest How can a man exceede in the worship of God Answ in theogicall vertues as they are theologicall a man cannot exceede but onely in the circumstances as when a man hopes hee must take heede what hee hopes for how he hopes and when so a man cannot exceede in justice in respect of justice it selfe but in respect of the circumstances This justice may degenerate and may exceed as when the Iudge considers not where or whom he should judge or how hee should judge No theologicall nor morall vertue can exceede in it selfe but onely in respect of circumstances men does exceede This superstition the mother of it is ignorance Ioh. 4. Yee worship yee know not what the companion of it is hypocrisies the daughters of it are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will worworship and idolatrey and it is found more in women then in men Act. 13.50 and in the ignorant more than the learned and it is like wine which runnes into a mans head and makes him giddy whereas true worship is like wine which goes to the heart and cheares it What are the mother and daughters of superstition This superstition is hardly rooted out jelousie frensie and heresie and superstition are hardly rooted out take but the example of the Iewes who will not eate of the hollow of the thigh never since Iacob halted upon his thigh saith Moses untill this day Gen. 32.32 and it continues amongst the Iewes untill this day now for they will not eate of that at all but sels it to the Christians Superstition is hardly rooted out of the heart The superstitious are sinistrous in their conclusions and if the Christians will not buy it they throw it to the dogges The superstitious are most sinistrous in their conclusions because the nailes pierced the Lords hands and feete and the whip whipped him therefore they will worship them The Philistims will not set their foote upon the thresholds of the doore 1 Sam. 5.5 because Dagon fell and brake his necke upon the threshold of the doore but they should rather have set their foote upon the necke of Dagon and treade upon him because that Dagon could not preserve himselfe that he breake not his necke Let us compare the religious A comparison betwixt the religious and superstitious Plutarch de superstitione and the superstitious together the superstitious finds no comfort in his Religion as the religious doth The Church to the religious is a place of pleasure but to the superstitious it is a place of torment and therefore their Idols are called terriculamenta Ier. 50.38 tormina in the temple hee is punished and vexed there he holds up his trembling hands and he goes no otherwayes to the temple than if hee were going to the den of Beares or Lyons The labourer after his labour findes his sleepe comfortable unto him Eccles 5.12
saith Christ hath no neede but that his feete be washed that is he who is washed in the blood of Christ hath no neede to bee washed over againe but yet he hath neede that his feete be washen â—hat is the remnants of sinne which cleaves dayly unto us hath neede to be washed away by the water of sanctification and here he alludes to the custome of those who went into a bath to bee washed when their bodies were washed the filth ranne downe to their feete and they were last washed The fourth is the punishment which is dew for the transgression of the Law The fourth is the punishment every sinner violates an order set downe and therefore is justly punished by him whose ordinance he breakes The will of man is subject to three superiors Gershon par 3. First it is subject to reason Secondly it is subject to the magistrate and lastly and above all to God Therfore man is justly punished by al those three and first he is punished by the sting of conscience because he transgressed against reason Secondly he is punished by the magistrate because he disobeyed him and thirdly by God himselfe in tormenting him in the hels Nam quaecun que res aberratab uno ordine impellitur in alterum ut quod aberrat ab ordine misericordiae reponitur in ordine justitiae unde non minus ordinate collocatur damnatus in inferno quam beatus in paradiso i. e. that which declines from one order is brought into another as that which declines from mercy is reduced to justice and therefore the damned are as justly placed in the hels as the blessed in the heavens The Israelites in Ioshua his time were guilty of the sin which their fathers committed with Baal Peor because they did not begge pardon for it therefore the Saints pray Ps 97.8 RemeÌ„ber not against us the faults of our predecessors that is which we have allowed and not repented of being taught by the example of our predecessors Of the increase of Idolatry in the time of the Iudges When they forgat the great workes of the Lord they served Baalim and the groves Iudg. 3.7 All their Idols were called Baalim and it was nomen transcendens amongst them and sometimes it was contracted into Bel All their Idols were Baalim and some had a proper name for distinction sake Esay 46.1 and for distinction sake some of the particular idols were called Baal Peor some Baal berith and some Baal zebub Baal signifieth him who hath power and dominion over one Man was made a free creature onely to serve the Lord and for him to become a slave to an Idoll what a base subjection was this This word Baal so displeased the Lord that hee refused to be called any more Baal but Ishi The Lord refused to be called Baal Hos 2.16 17. The first was nomen dominii the second familiaritatis Names that are degenerate Verbum sublatum men will not be content to be called by them Magus was a good name at the first but now it is degenerate and no man will be content to be called a magitian So Idiota at the first signified a private man 1 Cor. 14.23 If there come in the unlearned In the greeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idiots but now this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is degenerate and taken for a foole and no man will be content to be called an Idiot The Christians at the first were called Nazarets Acts 24.5 but because this name did degenerate into a sect therefore it was changed and they were called Christians Act. 11.26 So words that were exoleta and out of use Verbum exoletum may now be used being come in use againe there was no name more hated of old then to be called wise Rom. 1.22 Professing themselves to be wise The most excellent men of old would not be called wise men but Philosophers Lovers of wisedome they shunned that name of wisdome they took not that title to themselves nor would be content that others should give them it but now it is come in use So this word mysterium was at the first a heathenish word used in their heathenish worship But now the Lord hath sanctified it and it is come in use This word Baal was so degenerate that God would not be called after it any more God charges his Church not to take this name Baal in their mouth and as God would not be called by this name Baal So he charges his Church not to take the name of their heathenish gods in her mouth Exod. 23.13 Psa 16.4 I will not take their names in my mouth To take their names in her mouth signifieth the naming and retaining of their names as they conduced any way to the upholding of their superstition even as on the contrary by Putting of the true Gods name unto a place Deut. 12.5 signifieth the placing of his religion and ordinances there and his name is said to be forgotten when false worship is set up Psal 44.20 To name the names of Idols for distinction sake and for a civill use is no sinne To name the names of Idols for civill use and distinction but not for religion that was a thing lawfull and not forbidden as Daniel named often the name of Baalthasar although he had his name from Baal So Nabuchadnezzer although he had his name from Nebo that Idoll Esay 46.1 and Paul himselfe named Areopagus Mars streete Acts 17.19 for distinction sake in a civill use as he sailed in a ship which had the badge of Castor Pollux Act. 28.11 when Rabsekah called God Iehovah Esay 36.7 he honoured not God So they dishonored not God when they used these names for a civill distinction Why the tribe of Reuben changed the names of Neb and Baalmeon Ob. But the tribe of Reuben changed those Idolatrous names of Nebo and Baal meon Num. 32.38 why did they not retaine those names and keepe them for a civill use and distinction Answ This they did because now they had made a new conquest of the Land and the ancient inhabitants were to be cast out of it they gave these names now as if it had never beene possessed before It is not unlawfull to call a man Balthasar for distinction sake but if a man were to baptize his child and should call him Balthasar that were to Initiate him to Baal and to use this name not in a civill use but in a religious And thus he should honour Baal The Lord would not communicate in any thing with Idols The Lord would not be named by the Idoll Baal He would not communicate with Idolls in any thing First in the name as he refused to be called Baal Secondly he would not be worshipped in the same place with the Idoll therefore when Dagon was set up beside the Arke he threw it downe and brake the necke of it Thirdly he will not be worshipped with
covenant with Baal berith yet they covenant with Abimelech to kill his to brethren A false religion hath no more power to bind men long to them then ropes of sand The Kings of Syria and Egypt made many covenants together and mingled themselves with the seede of men Dan. 2.43 that is they married together yet these covenants could no more hold then iron and clay when they are mixed together Religion is called a religande But a false Religion hath no power to bind but true Religion hath power indeede to bind people one to another Where there is one Lord one faith one Baptisme Ephe. 4.5 that makes the multitude of beleevers to be of one heart and of one soule A good conscience when it stipulates with god Foure singular priviledges of a good conscience when it stipulates with God which an evill conscience hath not when it stipulates with Idols 1 Pet. 3.21 hath foure singular priviledges which a bad conscience hath not when it stipulates with an Idoll First it hath a priviledge suptase when it tookes up to God 1 Pet. 2.19 Secondly it hath this priviledge in se It hath the peace of God within it and is a pure conscience and undefiled 2 Tim. 1.3 Thirdly Iuxta se a good conscience shewes it selfe towards men Act. 24.16 and fourthly infra se I am perswaded that neither height nor depth shall separate me Rom. 8.38 depth that is the divells who dwell in the depth But an Idolatrous conscience when it lookes above it findes no comfort for it worships dead Gods Ps 106.28 within it selfe it is defiled Tit. 1.15 and Iâ—ntase those Idolaters cared not to murther the 70. brethren of Abimelech and infra se it is alwayes in feare of the internall spirits Abimelech killed his 70. brethren and poore Ionathan escaped onely The Iewes have a proverbe esto canda leonum nesiscaput vulpium that is it is better to have a meane place amongst the righteous than to be a ringleades amongst the wicked it was better to be in Ioas place then Abimelechs They robd their God Baal berith and tooke out 70. peeces of silver to hire vaine and light braind men Rekim light braind men Hence comes Raka which is a word of disgrace in the Gospel Matth. 5. and hence comes this word Saracenis because they lived upon excurtions and robberies and men of light fashions The treasures of the Church have beene opened to helpe captives Perkiavoth cap. 4. and those that were in prison but these opened their treasure here to hire light and vaine persons What a judgement befell Abimelech for robbing of his Idoll They robbed their god Baal berith and gave Abimelech 70. pieces of silver See what a Iudgement befell Abimelech for robbing of his Idoll he perished miserablie not onlie for murthering of his brethren but also for robbing Baal whom hee tooke to bee his God Iudg. 9.53 We have anotable example of this that men should not robbe their Idoles Caelius Rodoginum pag. 298. Amiande Marcellinus testifieth that in the dayes of Marcus Antonius and Verus the emperours that the souldiers spoyled the temple of Apollo and brought his image to Rome There was a little chest of gold which stood in the temple of Apollo that had a little hole in it which the Caldee sooth-sayers had shut up before the souldiers through covetousnesse opened this hole thinking to have found a treasure in this chest but there came out such a vile and deadly smell out of it that it raised a plague from the bounds of Persia even unto France and went into Parthia and Media also and killed thousand of thousands there See what it is for the Idolater to robbe his â—doll Quest Whether he commits Sacriledge who robes an Idolls Whether doth hee commit Sacriledge who robbes a false god or not Answ An erronious conscience as the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 14.35 and by the consent of all divines bindes a man for hee that doth contrarie to the Law given by the superiour holding in his conscience that it is the Law of the superiour despiseth his superiour in his conscience and is guiltly of that same sinne whereof he is who transgresseth the Law of him who is the magistrate indeede If the Kings Herauld should give out the Law otherwaies then it was first ordained by the King the people are bound to obey this Law and they who contemne it are justly to be punished which obligation is taken away when the Kings mind is rightly understood not that this obligation was any thing before in it selfe but onely in the minde of the people who beleeved that that law was truely promulgated as it was given out by the King which apprehension of the people bindes them to obey the Law So he who maketh a promise and sweares by a false god is more strictly bound to performe it then hee who simply promiseth onely without an oath for although this oath considered in it selfe bindes no wayes a man more than he had simply promised for this is not an oath when one sweares simply by a god who cannot testifie the truth yet notwithstanding because in his erronious conscience he takes the Idoll to be a god if he performe not that which he promised by an oath then he is perjur'd for although this â—â—th be nothing 〈◊〉 parte râ—â— yet as he esteemes of it it is a sinne not to performe it A good conscience and an erronious conscience bind but after a diverse manner A good conscience simply bindes but an erronious conscience onely upon supposition because it takes that to be the Law of God which indeede is not Hence we see that the Sechemites were guilty of Sacriledge robbing their Idoll Baal berith whom they tooke to be a god and the tribe of Dan was in the same case Iudg. 18. when they tooke away the Idoll of Micah If Abimelech perished miserably for robbing of his Idoll what marvell is it then that these perish miserably who rob the true God as Iehoiakim who cut out the Lords windowes and sealed his owne house with Cedar and painted it with Vermilion Ier. 22.14 He got the buriall of an asse for it v. 19. Athaliah was worse she brake up the house of the Lord and bestowed all things dedicated to the Lord upon â—aalim She was slaine by the guard 2 Chron. 23.15 But Balthasar was most Sacrilegious of all who tooke the vessel of the house of the Lord and dedicated them to his Idols and when he was in all his jollitie the Medes and the Persians came and killed him that same night Dan. 5.30 The sixt increase The sixt increase of Idolatry Iudg. 10.6 Then the children of Israel did evill againe in the sight of the Lord and they served Baalim and Ashtaroth the gods of Syria and the gods of Zidan the gods of Moab and the gods of the children of Ammon and the gods of the Philistines and they forsooke the Lord and served 〈◊〉
him Now their Idolatry was mightily increased when they served the gods of all the nations round about them It is a question in the Ethickes whether a man may keepe intire and true friendship with many or not So we may aske what 〈◊〉 of worship could the Iewes performe to all these gods They served Baalim and Ashtaroth When the Hebrewes joynes the masculine and the faeminine together then they signifie many it is usuall wâ—â—â— the Hebrewes when they joyne the masculine and the faeminine together to comprehend the whole oâ— very many of the kind which they speake of as Gen. 5.7 He begat sonnes and daughters that is many children So Eccles 2.8 I got me men fingers and women fingers than is diverse sorts of Musitians So they worshipped Baal and Ashtaroth that is sundry sorts of Idols They served gnashteroth the gods of Syria 1 King 9.5 and they are put in the faeminine gender 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they fained to themselves as well women gods as men gods diverse feâ—â—s are onely for preservation of mortall kindes but they held their gods to be immortall why then should they imagine male and female amongst them Yet the Platonickes held that there were male and female amongst them and Trismogish 〈…〉 faeminiâ—â—â— They worshipped the gods of Syria There were many gods in Syria according to the severall divisions of it There were many of the gods of Syria according as it was diversly divided Syria interamâ—â—â— or Mesopotamia So Syria Seba and Syria Macha and Syria Damascena These had all sundry gods 2 Chro. 23. They worshipped the gods of the Philistines and of the Ammonites and yet the Ammonites and Philistines oppressed them eighteene yeares Iudges 10.8 Marke a difference betwixt the true religion and the false A difference betweene the true religion and the false when they came to serve the gods of the Philistines and the Ammonites they were their deadly enemies but when they turned from the false religion to the true then they cherished and loved them When men came from Gentilisme to Judaisme they were called proselytes and the Iewes shewed them all the favours that they did to any Iew So when they were converted from Iudaisme to Christianitie they called them fratres Iudai Act. 15. accounted of them as their brethren So when men were converted from Gentilisme to Christianitie then they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.6 and they cherished them as young plants therefore the Lord saith to Ieremie 15.19 Goe not thou to them but let them come to thee When they cryed unto the Lord in this trespasse the Lord answered them with a bitter tant Iudges 10.14 Goe and cry unto your Gods whom ye have chosen let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation Bernard saith well Quod deus dicit cum risu tu debes audire cum luctu The decrease The decrease Iudges 10.15 when the children of Israel said unto the Lord We have sinned doe thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee onely deliver us we pray thee this day and ver 16. And they put away the strange gods from amongst them and served the Lord and his soule was grived for the misery of Israel In the originall it is Anima ejus fuit contracta and opposit to this is 2 Cor. 6.11 Our heart is inlarged Verbum kum contiâ—â—â— alteri verbo absque copula praemissum agilitatem expeditionem notat atta takum Heere is the nature of our gratious God showne to us who is slow to anger and soone pacified and at whatsoever time a sinner repents him hee will put away all his sinnes out of his minde then the Lord arose and had mercie upon Sion Psal 102.13 The seventh increase The seventh increase of Idolatry Iudg. 17.4 when Micah sets up molten gods and graven gods to be worshipped Rabbi David observes that this word God in all this part of Scripture which entreates of Micah his Idolatry is alwayes prophanum nomen a prophane name taken for Idols except onely in two places The first in these words all the time that the house of the Lord was in Shilo The second is Iudges 18.10 The Lord hath given the Land into your hands Micah consecrated one of his sonnes to be a Priest to him Many irregularities in this when Micah consecrated his sonne to be a Priest verse 5. Here concurres many irregularities contrary to the Law in the consecration of this his sonne The first irregularity is in him who consecrates The second in him who was consecrated The third in making an Ephod to him to serve who was consecrate The fourth in the place where he served after he was consecrated and that was in a private house The first irregularitie was this The first irregularitie that hee tooke upon him to consecrate his sonne No man takes this honour upon him but he that is called of God as Aaron Que. How could Moses consecrate Aaron and his sons Levit. 8.12 13. seeing he was not of the sonnes of Aaron Moses was first a Priest and consecrated the Priestes to the Lord. The common Answere here is this that he did it at the commandment of God extraordinarily at the first establishing of the Priesthood But there is more in it then this for Moses was a Priest of God Psal 99.6 Moses and Aaron amongst the Priests Heere David tearmes Moses a Priest as well as Aaron and Moses Gerundensis saith that he was a Priest and therfore offered incense first and the Hebrewes call him Sacerdotem Sacerdotum the greatest Priest and that Moses offered a burnt offering on the Altar it is cleare Lev. 8.28 and Hiscuini saith that all the seven dayes Moses offered and in the eight day he said to Aaron from henceforth come thou and serve in this ministrie after that Moses had consecrated Aaron and his sonnes Moses children are not reckoned amongst the Priests but amongst the Levites 1 Chron. 23.14 Quâ—st 1. Aaron and his sonnes were those who consecrate who was it then that consecrate when the Priesthood was out of the right line from the time of Eli who descended from Ithamar and not from Eleazar â— Chron. 24.3 to the time of Sadock who was restored by Salomon to the Priesthood The Priesthood in the wrong line in Eli his time in Ahitob his time in Ahiâ—â— his time and his brother Abimelech his time in Abiather his time and the restored to the right line in Sadock The Priests who came of Ithamar and did consecrate being in the wrong line peccarunt usurpatione tituli yet there consecration was valid Answ These Priests although they were not in the right line when they entered into the preisthood and although there entrie was by usurpation yet being entred their consecration was lawfull for even as a tyrant Peccat usurpatione tituli yet he sinnes not in Iudging and giving out sentence and the subjects are bound to obey
Amos 5.27 Therefore I will cause you to goe into captivity beyond Damascus and Stephan addes beyond Babylon for here he is speaking of the tenne Tribes which were carried captive by Salmanazar beyond Babylon into Media and the reason which mooved Amos to say beyond Damascus was because Hasael the King of Damascus had plagued Israel or the tenne tribes fearefully many of them hee killed many of them he carried captives away to Syria and yet the stiffe necked people were never a whit the better and therefore he threatens that shortly after they shall be carried a great way beyond Damascus even to Babylon when they were transported to Media and Armenia and so Saint Stephen expressed that clearely which the Prophet aimed at The third increase of Idolatry in the wildernesse was The third increase of Idolatry in the wildernesse when Balaam perswaded Balack to take the daughters of the Madianites and set them before the Israelites first they committed whoredome with them And then they committed a trespasse against the Lord in the matter of Peor Num. 31.16 2 Pet. 5.15 He cast a stumbling blocke before the children of Israel to eate and to sacrifice Rev. 2.14 Psal 106.28 The Israelites beholding the Madianitish women with their adulterous eyes they committed fornication with them The eyes have beene well resembled to the moone and the heart to the sunne and as in an ecclipse when the moone is interposed betwixt our sight and the sunne then there is an ecclipse in the sunne So when the Adulterous eye is interposed betwixt the heart and us that makes the ecclipse of the heart Secondly they stumbled in eating these things which were sacrificed to Baal Peor Heere we may learne how easie a thing it is for men to fall from bodily whoredome to spirituall and what great affinity is betwixt these two It is an easie thing for men to fall from spirituall adultery to corporall contra the breaking of the seventh Commandement by bodily adultery and the second by spirituall adultery When a man commits sin saith Saint Gregory he breakes all the commands Iam. 2.10 But there is some more affinitie betwixt the breach of some commands then of others And he illustrates the matter by this comparison As he who playes upon a Lute when he touches one of the strings all the rest tremble but that string onely which is upon the same note gives the sound with the string which is touched So every sinne touches as it were all the commandements and makes them to tremble but these who stand upon the same concord sinne toucheth them most and men fall easily from Idolatry to whoredome and from whoredome to Idolatry Romans 1.24 because Idolaters changed the glory of God into corruptible things Therefore the Lord gave them up to uncleannesse and to the lusts of their owne heart and to defile their bodies here bodily whoredome is the punishment of Idolatry which is spiritual whoredome Great is the affinity betwixt these two sorts of whoredomes and therefore it is that Antichrists seate Rev. 11.8 is called spirituall Sodome and because of the resemblance betwixt these two sins Ezechiel compared Idolaters of Israel Ezeh 23.2.3.5 to a woman inflamed with love to a godly young man on whom she had cast her eyes and fixed her affections upon and forgetting all modesty sendeth messengers for him ver 16. and bringeth him unto her ver 17. into the bed of Love ver 18. And abstinence from Idolatry is called virginity Rev. 14.4 and not defiling themselves with women The Lord by the Prophet Micah willes the people to remember Mic. 6.5 what Balack the king of Moab consulted against them and what Balaam the sonne of Beor answered him from Shitim to Gilgall that they might know the righteousnes of the Lord The meaning of the place is that Baalam endeavoured by all meanes when the people of God were travelling through the wildernesse to corrupt them therefore he strove first to corrupt them and he prevailed with them at Shittim when they committed whoredome with the daughters of Moab Num. 25.1 and there the Lord plagued them for their offence then they repented wept bitterly for their offence at Abel Shittim Abell is called mourning then they came to Gilgal where the Lord renewed the covenant with them last to Canaan This pilgrimage of theirs through the wildernesse is a lively type of a poore Christians pilgrimage through the world first hee is baptized The Israelites pilgrimage through the wildernesse fitly resembles the estate of a Christian mans life here then hee is at the red sea with the Israelites 1 Cor. 10. They were baptized in the red sea then through the tentations of the devill he falles and is whipt and chastised for his offences then hee is in Shittim with the Israelites Thirdly hee laments and weepes for his offences and then hee is in Abell Shittim a place of mourning with the Israelites Fourthly hee renues the covenant with God and then he is in Gilgall with the Israelites and at the last he is brought to heaven and then hee is in Canaan with the Israelites The decrease When the Lord commanded the Israelites to revenge themselves on the Madianites Num. 30.2.3 and they slew all the males and the Kings of Midian and Baalam also the sonne of Peor slew they with the sword vers 8. and they killed all the males amongst the litle ones and all the women that had knowne a man and thus the Idolatrie of worshiping of Baal Peor decreased amongst the people The fourth increase of Idolatry in the wildernesse The fourth increase of Idolatrie in the wildernesse was when the devill would have set up the bodie of Moses to have beene worshipped Iude 9. Some hold that this strife which was betwixt Michael and the devill about the bodie of Moses was about the ceremoniall law Iunius upon Iude. which they call Moses his bodie But that place Deut. 34.4.6 shewes that the strife was about Moses naturall bodie for Moses the servant of the Lord died in the land of the Moabites according to the appointment of the Lord he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab in a place where no man knowes unto this day After that Moses died before he was buried the devill would have taken his body and made an Idoll of it But Michael resisted him and would not suffer his body to be made an Idoll Doctrine Great hath beene the strife alwaies about religion Great hath beene the strife alwaies about religion the first strife that ever was in the world was about religion as betwixt Cain and Abel Gen. 4. so betwixt Ierubbaal and the men of Sechem for casting downe Baals altar Iud. 6.28 and betwixt Michael and the devill for the worshiping of Moses his body so betwixt Christ and the devill about Gods worship Mat. 4. So betwixt the image of the beast which was wounded by the sword by
him and untill he bee devested of those usurped titles his edicts have strength to bind the subjects so long as the tyrant stands they are to obey him and implicitâ— he hath the approbation of the subjects that is they wish that hee may doe Iustice so long as he rules The Romans subdued the Iewes and made them their captives and the Iewes by their tacite consent acknowledged them as their Lords and masters therefore Christ bidds them gave tribute to Caesar Mat. 22. So when they were carried captives to Babylon the Lord bidds them pray for the peace of Babylon Ier. 29.7 the people gave there tacite consent to the Babylonians and although they led them captive yet they were to pray for them as there superiors so the Priests although they sinned in usurpation of the priesthood as not being descended of Aaron yet durante tali statu so long as they continued their consecration was valide and they had gotten the tacite consent of the people by prescription of tyme. Quest 3. Who consecrated the high Priest after his fathers death Answ An inferiour Priest did consecrate him see Exod. 29.29 Num. 20.26.28 Quest 4. When the Idolatrous Priests hand was filled and a peece of flesh put therein whether had bee right to sacrifice and consecrate or not Answ None at â—ll for out of the Church there is no consecration therfore Ionathan in his 〈◊〉 Paraphrase calles him not Cohen but Cumer that is No consecration 〈◊〉 of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a heathen then Priest Iud. 18.30 the same phrase of sitting of the hand is used in consecrating of Ieroboams Priests a Chro. 13.9 and yet Ieroboam had no power to consecrate them the water which came out of the rocke 3 Cor. 10. was a sacrament to the Israelites when they dranke of it but when the beasts dranke of it it was no Sacrament to them so this consecration was no consecration to them who were out of the true Church And as Ishmael although hee was truly circumcised by Abraham yet to his posteritie who left the true Church and used circumcision still it was no Sacrament So this consecration out of the Church was no consecration to them and they had no more right to it then the theefe hath to the true mans purse when he takes it The third irregularitie in this consecration was this that he made an Ephod for his sonne to serve this Idoll with There were three sorts of Ephods the first was a religious Ephod such was the Ephod of the Priests Three sorts of Ephod The second sort of Ephod was a politicke or civill Ephod which David wore when he danced before the arke and that which Gidâ—on made and left at Ophrah The third was an Idolatrous Ephod which is joyned here with Teraphim and not with Vriâ—â— and Thaâ—â—â—â—â—â— as the Lords Ephod was The fourth irregularitie was this when hee were consecrate he sacrificed in a private place his fathers house and not in Shilo in the place where the worship of God was performed at that time and this was as badde as if hee had sacrificed in the high places or in the groves Then it was added they did this because there was no king in Israel Kingly governement of the best governement Observe here first that Kingly governement is the best governement and a King here is put for a best magistrate because the Lord was to bring in this kingly governement amongst them Therefore they were called Kings before the institution of Kings as Moses is called a King Gen. 36.31 Deut. 33.5 And because Kingly governement was the most excellent governement therfore it is that sundry things take their denomination from a King at the King lawes Iam. 2.8 so the Kings highway Num. 20.17 so the shout of a King Num. 23.22 that is a joyfull shout as when they were choosing a King A magistrate must have a care both for maintenance of religion and Iustice They committed this Idolatrie because there was no King in Israel so they abused the Levites wife because there was no King in Israel Iudg. 19.1 Here wee see thâ—â— the magistrate is custos utrinsque tabulae and it belongs to him to vindicate the worship of God Idolatrie is iniquitâ—s Iudicum Iob 31.28 That is it is to bee punished by the Iudge and to punish wrongs done by men to men there are two pillars strong like Iakin and Bagâ—as 1 King 7.21 Iustice and religion when these two faile then the landâ—elts Psal 75.3 the Hebrewes say the world is upholden by three things Super lege super cultusacro super retributione benificiorum when these three faile then the world goes to decoy Now Micah will have another Priest then his sonne a Levite of Iudah to be his Priest Quest How could he be a Levite and of Iudah for the Levites were not of the tribe of Iudah Answ Hee hath beene of the tribe of Levi by his mother for women of one tribe might marie with men of another tribe providing that they were not heretickes then they were alwaies bound to marrie within their owne tribe to keepe the inheritance distinct Micah chused this Levit to sacrifice but the Levites might not sacrifice nor inquire any thing of the Lord The Levites might not sacrifice but by the priests When the Tabernacle was to be taken up or set downe no stranger might come neare it here all are called strangers who are not priests or Levites Num. 1.51 But when they were to sacrifice no stranger might sacrifice that is neither Israelite nor Levite Num. 3.10 Therfore when he chose a Levite to sacrifice here there was a great irregularitie their callings were two distinct callings The calling of the Levites and the priests were two distinct callings the Levites did some things which the priests might not doe as to carry the Arke therefore Vzza was killed who touched the Arke being a priest and the Levites might not sacrifice under the paine of death Num. 3.10 This wandering Levite was redacted to great miserie and he was content with a poore portion It was a great curse upon the posterity of Eli when they should come and crouch for a peece of silver and a morsell of bread and should say Put me I pray thee into one of the priests offices that I may eate a peece of bread 1 Sam. 2.36 So when this base Levite sought to be a priest and was content with ten shekells of silver a yeare and a suite of apparell and his victuals Iudg. 17.10 then he came and crouched downe for a peece of silver and a morsell of bread None that served in the temple or tabernacle in the basest office did it for nought as they that shut the doores and kindled the fire Mal. 1.10 or the Nethinims Iosh 9.27 who hewed the wood for the sacrifices and drew water for the temple or the Levites that flead the beasts or the Priests that offered the
Quest How did the Iewes tollerate Herod to be their King being an Edomite Answ The Edomites were their brethren Deut. 23.7 thou shalt not abhorre an Edomite for he is thy brother the Edomits might enter into the congregation unto the 3. generation Deu. 23.8 that is they might marry with them and they might have a charge among them but the Moabites might not enter into the congregation unto the tenth generation Deut. 23.3 that is they might neither marrie with them neither might they have any charge in Israel Now let us consider what benefits the Iewes may enjoy among us christians and what not What benefits the Iewes may enjoy amongst us Christians Tertullian ad Scapulam First the Iewes are not to be compelled to christian religion Tertullian Non est inquit religionis cogere religionem quae sponte suscipi debet non vi It is not the part of religion to compell a man to religion which should be willingly professed and not by compulsion So Bernard fides inquit suadenda est non cogenda so they should not be compelled to be baptized Cransius lib. 5. cap. 14. for many of them who have beene compelled to bee baptized have fallen backe againe to their vomit of Iudaisme Quest Whether may they be tollerated to circumcise their children now or not How the Iewes may be tollerated to circumcise their children now for Paul saies Gal. 5.4 If yee bee circumcised Christ is become of no effect to you and yee are fallen from grace Answ Those who have received the Gospel and have beene baptized if they bee circumcised they are fallen from grace but these Iewes who stand still in Iudaisme their circumcision to them is not a falling from grace but a confirming of them in their former Iudaisme One who useth alwaies to eate poyson from his infancie If hee eate a poysonable thing it will doe him no harme But if one who is bred with wholesome meates should eate poyson it would presently poyson him So circumcision to those Iewes who are bred in judaisme is not deadly but to these who are baptized and professe christianity it is deadly When christians do tollerate the Iewes who dwell amongst them to circumcise their children this makes not their circumcision lawfull but only tollerable there are two sorts of relaxation of a law the first is when that is permitted lawfully to be done Two sorts of relaxation of a law which was unlawfull before Example 1 King 5.6 Hiram commands wood to be cut for the building of the temple of Ierusasalem that is he permitts it to bee done here his permission makes it lawfull which was not lawfull before There is another sort of relaxation of a law when that is permitted or tollerated to be done which is not lawfull to bee done although it bee permitted no more then it was before thē permission as when a magistrate tollerates a thing which he cannot hinder this thing becomes not lawfull by his tolleration but he tollerates it because he cannot hinder it As Moses did tollerate the bill of divorce for the hardnes of the Iewes hearts So when the christians tollerate the Iewes to circumcise their children this is for the hardnesse of the Iewes hearts for the Iewes would not live amongst christians unlesse they were tollerated to circumcise their children things commanded are bona things forbidden are mala and things permitted are non bona as circumcision is to them when they use it Their Synagogues may be permitted to them Their Synagogues should also be permitted to them and their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or oratories for when there is a permissiō to them granted to worship there must be a place granted also to worship in this is not the tolleration of a false religion to permitt them to reade the law as if they should tollerate the Alkaron to bee read in their synagogues for the word of God is still the word of God although they abuse it to a wrong end Iustinian in constitutione clxvi The Iewes had a priviledge granted by the Emperor Iustinian to reade in their synagogues either the Hebrew or the 70. translation and howsoever the Iewes abuse this word to a wrong end in reading of it yet it is the word of God stil and they should be tollerate to reade it providing that they bring not in their blasphemous interpretations upon it Christians may not tollerate forcerie amongst them because it is evill in it selfe yet they may tollerate an Idolater to sweare by his Idoll in making a covenant with them because that is but vitium personae for to make a covenant is not unlawfull and to sweare is not unlawfull It is but a thing unlawfull to them and if they pleased they might sweare by the true God so the reading of the word of God is unlawfull to the Iew but per accidens It was forbidden to the christians to marry with them Canon cave Christiane 15. cap. 17. siquis Iudaice Eze. 28. quest 1. ex concilio Tolitano cap. 4.62 but if it fell out that they were both Iewes who married and one of them were converted to the christian faith then the Church ordaines Transibunt filij minores in infidelitate nati in favorem fidei a parente infideli separabuntur ne ejus involvantur erroribus that is if one of the parents become a christian then he or shee who are christians shall have the charge in bringing up the young ones that they be not nuzled up in the infidelitie of the parent who remaines an infidell As for their servants Concilio Tolitano Tom. 4. cap. 59. cap. 11. it was forbidden that a christian should serve a Iew Prohibitum christianis cujus cunque sexus famulitio domestico inservire Iudeis Amongst the Iewes an Hebrew might serve an Hebrew secondly an heathen might serve an Hebrew thirdly an Hebrew might serve a converted gentile but hee might not serve a Gentile not converted A Christian might not serve a Iew yet they tollerate that a Iew may serve a christian Quest What if a Christian had three serving him a Iew a Turke and a Christian the Turke observes the fryday the Iew the Saturday and the Christian the Sunday might the master compell his Christian servant to worke upon the Sunday as hee might compell the Turke to worke upon the Fryday and the Iew upon the Saturday Answ There is not the like reason in these for the observing of the Sunday is Gods ordinance and the Church determinate so The observing the Saturday was one of Gods ordinances but not now and the observing of the Fryday was never Gods ordinance On that day the servant is the Lords freeman The Hebrews call slaves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sen. lib. 3. de beneficiis Rev. 18.13 because their bodies are only subject to their masters but not their soules Seneca servitus in totum hominem non descendit pars melior ejus est