THE old Serpent, called the Divell and Satan, Rev. 12.9. hath frō the beginning sought to draw men Gen. 3. from the service of God, to the service of himselfe: and this hee hath done, as by other sinnes, so chiefly by idolatry, which therefore aboue all other, is 1 Cor. 10 19.20. Rev. 9.20. called, and counted, the worship and service of Divils.

2 To bring men hereunto, he hath first laboured to separate them from the true [Page 2] Church. For that being the house of the living God; 1 Tim. 3.15. Psal. 26.8. the place where his honour dwelleth; the pillar and ground of truth: it is a mean 1 Sam. 26 19. to conserv men in the true service of God, and preserv them from Idolatry. And from the Church, Satan hath separated men, either by causing thē to be cast out for sin, as Cain was and his seed: Gen. 4. or to with-draw and schism them­selvs for some pretended cause or quar­rell; as did the 1 King. 12.27.28.29. Israelites, and Iude 19. Heb. 10.25 others after them: or to forsake the fellowship of the Saints for loue of the world, fear of affliction, or the like; as Gen. 11.3 [...] & 12.1 2.3.4, & 24 10, & 28.2, & 31.30 [...]3. Na­hor and his house accompanied Abram, from Vr, of the Chaldees unto Charran, and no further; but dwelling there, gaue himselfe to idolatry, from which Abram, and all that would goe with him, were Jos. 24.2. called.

3 Again, the divill takes a contrary course to draw men to this sin; by com­mingling and uniting his children and sy­nagogue, with the Church and People of God; whereby even they also Gen. 6.2.3 may be made flesh, drawn by examples and allure­ments, to partake with idolatrous wor­ship: as Ps. 106.28 35.36. Israel and others, were mixt [Page 3] with the Heathens, 1 Cor. 8.10. & 10.14. ad 21. and learned their works, and served their idols; which were their ruin.

4 Idolatry is performed, either by mixing mens Mat. 15.8 Ier. 7.31. Ezek. 43.8. own inventions with the ordinances of God in the service of him: or by using and applying the rites and ser­vices of the Lord, or other humane de­vices; unto the honour and service of some Rom. 1.23.25. creature, in heaven, earth, or under the earth: which is is with neglect and dishonour of the Creator, who is blessed for ever, Amen.

5 Again, as the service of God is out­ward and inward; outward, by observing and doing the externall things comman­ded, of assembling together, Lev. 22.2 &c. Psal. 95.6 bow­ing down, vocall Act. 4.24. & 20.7. 1 Cor. 10.16.18. praying, and preaching, administring and partaking of the sacrifices, sacraments, and other holy things; inward, Ps. 2.11. & 5.7. Heb. 11.5.6.39. 1 Cor. 13. by fear, faith, hope and loue: so is the service of idols or Divils, outward and inward, performed with body or with spirit, or with both; for whatsoever is due unto God, Satan seeketh to defrawd him of, and apply un­to Mat. 4. [...]. himself, by idolatry.

6 Idolatrie is a Greek word, com­pounded [Page 4] of Idol, which signifieth any similitude, image, likenesse, form, shape or representation, exhibited either to the body or minde; and latrie which signifi­eth service. Wherupon Idol-latrie, or Ser­vice-of-similitudes, is the performance of any religious dutie to that which hath a supposed similitude of God, but is not God indeed: or the performance of that unto the true God, which hath a simili­tude, shew and resemblance of his service, but is not so in deed; because Deut. 12.32. he requi­reth it not at our hands, and therefore is but a Col. 2.23. will-worship, or voluntary Religi­on; a thing devised and done, according to Hos. 13.2 our own understanding. And these two sorts of Idolatrie, God hath forbidden Exod. 20. in the first and second commandments.

7 The first commandement bindeth us Deut. 6.4.5. to haue Iehovah the living and true God, for our God, and none other: and forbiddeth generally these foure things. 1 The having of strange gods, and not the true; as Act. 14.11 12.15. had the heathens. 2 The having of strange Gods with the true, as 2 King. 17.33.had the Samaritans. 3 The having of no God at all, as Psal. 14▪ 1 foolish Atheists. 4 The not Isa. 29.1; Tit. 1.16. having of the true God aright, [Page 5] but in hypocrisie onely; not in truth and sincerity. These, with Deut. 13.1.2▪3.6.7.13, &c. and 7.25.26. al causes, occasions, provocations, &c. that any way moue draw or perswade unto these or any of them; yea, every 1 Thes. [...] ▪ 22. appearance of them, are to be shunned and abhorred.

8 The second commandement bind­eth Ioh. 4.20▪ ad 24. to the true worship of the true God, which is, onely, Deut. 12.32, & 4.1, 2, 5, 6, &c. as himselfe command­eth, and by the means, rites and services that hee ordaineth: and it forbiddeth. 1 Al Psal. 119.113. Is [...]. 29.13. Col. 2.23.22 inventions of our own to worship God by; voluntary religion, opinions and doctrins of men. 2 All imitations Lev. 18.2, 3. Deut. 12 30 31. Rev. 17.2. of Heathens or Antichristians in their God-services, to doe the like unto the Lord our God. 3 All imitation or counterfeit­ing 1 Kin. 12, 28 — 32. Amos 4.4, 5, & 5.21, 22.23. Hos 8.14▪ of Gods own ordinances and insti­tutions; as to make Temples, like his Temple, Feasts like his Feasts, Altars like his, Ministers like his: which was the sin of Israel. 4 All Gen 17.14 Num 9.13, Ier. 3.10, & 4.14, & 12.2. neglect of Gods ser­vices, or of the means and instruments by him ordained; all irreligious profanenes or hypocrisie. Together with all Hos. 4.1 [...] 17. Amos 5.5▪ com­munion with such kind of idolatry, all causes, occasions, and provocations ther­unto.

[Page 6]9 And that Idols, are not onely false resemblances of things which are not; and Idol-latrie, not onely the giving of di­vine honour to a creature, as unto God; (as Antichrists Bellarm. de Imag. sanct. c. 5, Greg. de Va­lent. l. 2. de Idol. c. 1. champions do pretend:) but that all religious images, or simili­tudes, made by man himself, are Idols; 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 Temunah Exod. 20.4 form, shape, or resemblance, of things in the heavens, earth or waters, of any Semel. Deut. 4.16, similitude, shew, or like­nesse; any Tabnith. Deut. 4.16. frame, figure, edifice or structure, of man or beast, fowl or fish, or any cree­ping thing; any Tselem. Ezek 7.20, & 16.17. Image, type, or shadowed representation ▪ any M [...]s [...]ith. Lev. 26.1. imagined picture, fa­brick, or shape; Matt [...]se­bah. Lev. 26.1. any statue, erected-monu­ment or pillar; finally, any thing Ex. 20.4 graven or carved, or Hos. 13.2 molten; 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 [Page 7] words, Ex. 20.5. thou shalt not worship them, neither shalt thou serv them. For man being char­ged to 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 Deut. 5.9▪ bowing-down, Ps. 95.6, Rom. 11.4. kneeling, prostrating, with all other like lowly & louely behaviour, as Hos. 13.2 kissing, Eze. 18.6 lifting up of the eies, and all that appertain or lead unto this worship, as 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, 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 Isay 42. [...] 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, Num. 8 22.24. about Temple, Altar, Sacrifi­ces, &c: all gifts and oblations Num. 4.2 [...] ad 31, & 18.4.7. of things living or dead, as cattell, silver, gold, ves­sels, instruments, &c. all Num. 7.3.5. purifications, 1 Chron. 23.28.2 [...] ▪ &c. clensings, preparations of things for [Page 8] Gods worship; administring Exod. 12 26.27. of Sacra­ments, and partaking with them; 1 Cor. 10 18. eat­ing of the sacrifices; 1 King. 6 Nehem. 3. 2 King. 12, [...] ad 12. building, repair­ing, fortifying of any holy Citie, Temple, Altar, or other like, belonging to religi­on; with all Exod. 36 1, &c, and 39.32. maner work, labor, industry of body or mind, to help forward such things; 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 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 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 Lev. 19.4 1 Chro. 16.26. Aelilim, that is, things of naught; because they haue nothing of [Page 9] 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, 1 Cor. 8. an Idoll is nothing in the world: and therfore nothing to be esteemed.

13 They are called also Lev. 26.3 Deut. 29. [...] 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 Ezek. 2 [...].8. Ier. 32.3 Shikutsim, that is, lothsome things, or detestable, and Eze. 7. [...] & 11.21 Toghneboth, that is, abo­minations.

14 And for the labour and misery that commeth by their means, they be called Ps. 115 1 Sam. 3 [...] 9. Ghnatsabim, that is, Sorrows; because with much labour, care and curiosity, they are invented, framed, erected; and yet bring nothing to man, but Psal. 16 sorrow and misery. Briefly, as they are in every re­spect [Page 10] false, vile, vain, and worthlesse: so cary they the titles of [...]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 frō Ex. 39.30 1 Sam. 2.2 [...]say 6.3. God alone, who as he is Lev. 20.8 [...].26, & [...].8.12.15 [...] & 22.2 32. most holy, so halloweth he, or [...]en. 28.16 [...], &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 [...]co. 29.29. [...].36.37. [...], & 40 9 [...].11, &c, [...]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 [...]ct. 19 27. [...]. to his own ministers temples, altars, images, instruments and ceremonies, a counterfeit holines, which is in deed most deadly [Page 11] contagious filthines, as the evill spirit frō whom it proceedeth, is most filthy and Luk. 11.24. impure: and in the use of these execra­ble things, the Deut. 3 [...] 17. Rev. 9.2 [...] 1 Cor. 10.2. Divill is hallowed and honoured as a God.

16 And the more to deceiv, this ser­pent maketh man himself his instrument, to frame and set up his religion and ser­vice, which bringeth to perdition. For the wisedom and prudence of the natural man, which is very 1 Cor. 1.2 Rom 8 7▪ foolishnesse and en­mity unto God, the Divil doth abuse to 1 King. 12.18. Dan. 3. devise and establish a carnal worship and politick religion; which exceedingly Act. 19, 28.35. pleaseth the naturals: for highly doe they esteem of themselvs, and of all their own inventions. And Satan to confirm them, addeth lying Rev. 1 [...] 13.14. signes and wonders, as fire from heaven to consume the sacri­fices on the altar erected to his honour, who is Ioh. 12.3 Prince of this world, whom worldly men adore. Thus steppeth up Idolatry with her blind devotion; a Gal. 5.2 work of the flesh, and of the Divill.

17 And this sin, so bewitcheth men given over therunto: as (through Gods just judgment,) it Isa. 44. [...] shutteth their eyes that they cannot see, their hearts that they cannot [Page 12] understand. They haue no knowledge or discretion to argue, that if they can not giue life or sense or motion to a dead image; nor any naturall power therunto, to doe Ier. 10.5. good or evill: how much lesse can they giue it spirituall life, or any reli­gious power, vertue or operation? For example: a man maketh images of silver and gold, and buildeth for them a court or pallace. One image hee setteth on a throne, and calleth it his King: others he nameth Lords of the Councill, Iudges and Iustices of the Common-wealth. Vnto a Iudge he cometh and saith; Good my Lord hear the cause of your suppli­ant, and doe me right from the violence of my adversary: an other while he sup­plicateth to the golden King, falling down and saying, deliver me, for thou art my Le [...]ge. Would not this man be deri­ded of all for his folly, and counted as witlesse as the image it selfe that he sueth unto? No lesse is their madnesse, that make images of Saints for religious use, building for them Churches and Chap­pels. One idol they name Christ, an other S. Peter; and the rest, as they please to call them. And though they bee altogether [Page 13] false representations, (as it the lot of images to be Hab. 2.1 [...] teachers of lies;) so that the picture of Christ, be in deed like Cai­phas, and S. Peters, like Iscariot; resem­bling no more the true visage of Christ, and of Peter, then K. Henry the S, his picture, is like the image of Iulius Caesar; neither is there any more holines in these statues, by any relation or reference, then the Divill can giue them, (for word of God to sanctifie them, there is none:) yet fall the fools down before these their fictions, and say, O Christ help me: S. Pe­ter pray for me. But these stony Saints Psa. 115 [...] 5—6.8. haue eyes and see not, haue ears and hear not: like them be they that make them, and whosoever trusteth in them.

18 Nor is there lesse impiety, in idols of other nature and esteem. For when among men, one is set up as Head of the Church, an other as Patriarch, an other as Primate, Arch-bishop, Metropolitan, &c. all of them as very good Lords spirituall; and these without calling and appoint­ment from God: these be Zach. 11 [...]17. idoll Shep­heards, not true Pastors of the flock; and the indignity and dishonour which they doe unto Christ, is more then if disloyall [Page 14] subjects should choose, and set up from among themselvs, without publick Au­thority, one to be Lord President, an other Lord Chief Iustice, and others in their severall rooms and offices, for to rule the realm, and to judge all the causes and occurrents of the same.

19 So is it in all other religious ordi­nances of humane invention: as when Antichristians set forth new Sacraments to seal up Gods grace and remission of sins; what is it, but as if some falser should make conveyances of crown land, seal them with a signet of his own counterfeit making, and call it by the name of the Kings privie seal. When they make a new form or frame of Churches, as to be Pro­vinciall, Nationall, Oecumenicall, with Arch-preists and Prelates to over-awe them: mought they not with as good right alter the form of the Common-wealth, making new Ditions and Iuris­dictions, with Curions, Decurions, and other new Magistrates to controul them? When they make solemn daies of assem­bly, and call them holy; when they make new books, canons, constitutions, cere­monies, and call them Ecclesiasticall, sacred, [Page 15] laudable; constraining men to keep and doe them: they deal with Christ and his Kingdom, as they that in a civill State should take upon them, without commis­sion, to appoint new Terms, Sessions & As­sises; to forge new Laws, Statutes, Court-rolls, evidences &c, and compell men to credit and obey them. Now therefore ô Kings be wise; Ps. 2.10.11 be learned yee Iudges of the earth, serue the Lord with fear, and rejoyce with trembling; and purge your Realms of all idolatries, the humane ordinances of religion, which are after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For you would none of you suffer such inno­vation or alteration in your Civill Poli­ties, lest your Honours should be im­peached: much lesse should ye suffer it, in the Politie Ecclesiastick, to provoke God to wrath. For he is a gealous God, Exod. 20.5. and will visit this iniquity on Princes and on Subjects; on fathers and on children: blessed are they that watch, and keep their garments from pollu­tion of the world herein.

THE service of idols, or of God by them, although it be a sin more reprehended in Gods word, more punish­ed in his works, then other vices: yet is it most common and familiar with the sons of Adam, easily compassing them about, and hanging fast upon them. As may ap­pear by three demonstrations; first, how the best men in the world doe easily fall into it; secondly, after, what pleasure they take in it; thirdly, and then, how hardly they are drawn from it. Of all these, the Scriptures giue testimonies many.

2 When God had renewed the face of the world, after the sin-floud, and Noahs three sonnes Sem, Gen. 10. Ham, and Iapheth had multiplyed on the earth: our father A­bram, with his father Terah, were foul of this sin, Ios. 24.2. and served strange Gods, till the true God called him from that impiety. In his daies, idolatrie was spread over all, but men would not be reclaimed from it, either by Abrahams word or sword; though Gen. 14.14— 17. Kings were given as dust unto [Page 17] it, and as scattred stubble unto his bow. The Nations in deed saw this great work of God, and were afraid; Isa. 41.2 — 5.6.7. yet turned they not unto him from Idols, but strengthned one another in their false re­ligion; and made them moe images, to saue them from destruction.

3 When Abram would provide a wife for his son, of the best that he could find, (for the Canaanites he Gen. 24.3 &c. abhorred:) hee sent to his kindred of Nahors house, who yet was not free from this leven of idolatrie, neither Gen. 31.53.19. he nor his posteritie. Into Iaakobs house did this canker creep, and his retinue also were polluted with Gen. 35.2 strange Gods, which Iaakob did his best for to doe away.

4. But when he came with his family into Aegipt, (a land full of Idols;) having prepared his house as a pure virgin for the Lord: after his decease, the Aegypti­ans infected his children with idolatrie, even in her youth Eze. 23.8 laid they with this vir­gin Israel, bruised the breasts of her vir­ginity, and powred their whordoms up­on her: Then was God wroth with ido­latrous Aegypt, and lifted up his hand to bring his people from among them, and [Page 18] to execute judgment, Num. 33.4. both upon their Gods, and upon their first born, that mi­nistred unto them: and unto Israel hee sayd, Eze. 20.6.7 Defile not your selvs with the idols of Aegipt, I am the Lord your God: but Vers. 8. Israel would not hear, nor leav her abo­minations; or idols which she had loved. Yet God Vers. 9. respecting his own name, brought them out of Aegypt into the wil­dernesse, where Ver. 10.11 hee gaue them his sta­tutes, and declared his judgements unto them; Exod. 20 3.4.5.23, & 23.24.32.33. severely and often charging them to keep themselvs from idolatrie.

5 In those daies notwithstanding, they made them Ex. 32.31 Gods of gold, and Vers. 8. worship­ped the work of their own hands, even a molten calf: and stayed not there, but were given over, unto further evil, even to serue the Act. 7.42.43. Amos 5. host of heaven, as it is writ­ten in the book of the Prophets, O house of Israel, haue yee offred to me slain beasts and sacrifices, fortie yeares in the wildernes? nay, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, the figures which ye made to worship them. Also they joyned themselvs to Num. 25 2.3. Psa. 106.28 Baal-peor, and did eat the sacrifices of the dead, such was the great fall of the people whom God [Page 19] had chosen from among all peoples of the earth, for to be his; they Lev. 17.7. sacrificed to divils after whom they went a whoring, as Moses told them.

6 When notwithstanding all this, God brought them in mercy to Canaan, Ezek. 20.15. a land flowing with milk and honey, and most pleasant of all Countries; and cast out the Heathens before their faces, and Deut. 24.25.26. warned them to beware of their idols: yet there also they did Iudg. 2.11 12, 13, 19▪ & 3.7, &c. wickedly, served Baalim, and forsook the Lord God of their fathers, and followed the gods of the peoples round about them; serving their idols, and Psal. 106.37, 38. sacrificing their sonnes and their daughters unto divils, and shed­ding the innocent bloud of their chil­dren whom they offred unto the idols of Canaan. And thus they did from age to age, whiles the Iudges ruled them; till God Psal. 78.59.60. was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel, and forsook the habitation of Shilo, the tabernacle where hee dwelt among men, and delivered his power (the Ark of the covenant) into captivity, and his beautie into the enemies hand.

7 Yet after this again in Samuels daies, 1 Sam. 7 3, 4. they were defiled with their idols; and [Page 20] in the daies of the Kings, they increased wrath. Solomon himselfe, the wisestman on earth 1 King. 11.5. fell into this folly of serving idols, even the abomination of the Hea­thens; although God had vers. 9.10 appeared unto him twice, and given him a charge con­cerning this thing. And Rehoboam his son, though for his fathers sinne ver. 11.12 he lost the most part of his Kingdom, yet gaue him­self to idolatry, he forsook 2 Chron. 12.1. the Law of the Lord, and all Israel with him. Then Iudah 1 King. 14.22. wrought wickednes in the sight of the Lord; and provoked him more with their sinns which they cōmit­ted, then all that which their fathers had done; for they vers. 23. built them high Places, and statues (or pillars) and 1 Chron. 14.3. strange al­tars, and groues on every high hill, and under every green tree. And Rehoboam made 1 King. 15.12. Gillullim, filthy idols, and 2 Chron. 14 5. Chammanim idols, or images of the Sun, and Maacah his wife made 1 King. 15.13. Miphletseth an idol of terrour, in a groue. And Abi­jam his sonne, 1 King. 15.2.3. walked in all his fathers sinnes, neither was his heart perfect with the Lord his God; although 2 Chron. 13.8.9. he despi­sed Ierobams calues, and boasted that Vers. 10.12. God was with him.

[Page 21]8 Idolatry being thus fastned upon Iudah, could hardly ever be weeded out again: for though Asa the next King, did his best, 1 King. 15.11, &c. 2 Chron. 14 3, &c. & 15.8. with an upright heart, to abo­lish all the idols that his fathers had brought in, yet 1 King. 15.14. were the high places not taken away, but remained till Iehoshaphat his son was King, who took away many both 2 Chron. 17.6. groues & high places, howbeit not all; for 2 Chron. 20.33. the people had not yet prepared their harts unto the God of their fathers, but 1 King. 22.43. offered still, and burnt incense in the high places. And when Iehoshaphat was dead, his wicked son Ioram 2 King. 8 16.18. walked in the waies of the most idolatrous Kings of Israel, even of Ahabs house, whose daughter he maried; and he 2 Chron. 21.11. made high places in the mountains of Iudah, and caused and compelled Ierusalem and Iu­dah to commit fornication, that is, ido­latry. And Ahaziah his son, continued 2 Chron. 22.2, 3, 4. his wicked way, counselled also there­to by his ungracious mother Athaliah; who after her sonnes death, broke up the house of God, and 2 Chron. 24.7. all the things that were dedicated for the house of the Lord, were bestowed upon Baalim. Thus Baal was honoured of the people [Page 22] of God, 2 King. 11.18. had a house, and altars, and images, and a Priest to minister unto him.

9 The Lord abhorring this great im­piety, sent this wicked King and his mo­ther both soon unto hell; and set Ioash 2 Chron. 24.1.his yong sonne upon his throne; who had for his Tutor and Patron, the good high Priest Iehojadah: by whose advice, the people 2 Chron. 23.17. destroyed Baal and his house, and Gods Vers. 18. true worship was restored; al­beit not brought as yet to the primitiue sincerity, for the 2 King. 12 3. people offered still, and burnt incense in the high places un­taken away. But so soon as this 2 Chron. 24.15. aged father the Priest was dead; the Princes of Iudah vers. 17. fawning on the King, turned him away to the former superstition; and again they 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 ver. 20.21 stoned him to death (by the unthankful Kings cōmandment,) in the court of the Lords house, even be­tween Mat. 23, 35. the temple and the altar.

10 When Ioash was taken away 2 Chron. 24.25. by a bloudy death, Amaziah his son succeeded 2 King. 14.3. like his father; did uprightly in the [Page 23] eyes of the Lord, 2 Chron. 25.2. but not with a perfect heart; for idolatry still continued in Iu­dah, and 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, 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 2 Chron. 26.3, 4, 5. according to all that his father Amaziah did; for the 2 King. 15▪4. high places stood still for offerings and in­cense, and Iothan his son vers. 32.34.35. trode the ve­ry same steps. But Achaz son of Io­tham marred all again, and made it worse then before; for 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 ver. 10, &c. like to the idolatrous altar which he saw in Damas­cus; and ver. 17. brake down the work in the temple of God; and made 2 Chron. 28.2, 3. molten ima­ges for Baalim; yea being afflicted for his sins, he trespassed ver. 22.23 the more against the the Lord, sacrificing to the Gods of Da­mascus which had plagued him; vers. 24. break­ing [Page 24] 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 Ezek. 23.11. Aholibah, marred her selfe with inordi­nate loue, and with her fornications, more then her idolatrous sister Aholah, or Sa­maria: for Iudah 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 Deut. 32.17. to Divils, new Gods whom they knew not, nor their fathers, and burnt incense to 2 King. 18.4. Nehushtan, the serpent of brasse.

11 Then God raised them up the good King Ezekias, who 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 vers. 21.25.29. for their sinnes; restored the true worship; sought the conversion 2 Chron. 30.1, &c. of all Israel; 2 Chron. 30.1, &c. caused them to break the images, cut [Page 25] down the groues, break down the high places and altars through all his Domini­ons; and, 2 King. 18.4. brake in peeces the brazen serpent that Moses had made, and Israel polluted. Thus dealt hee 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 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 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 2 Chron 33.9. doe worse then the heathen whom the Lord had destroyed before them. The Ier. 7.17 18. children gathered wood, and the fathers kindled the fire, [Page 26] 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 [...]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 [...], 4. 2 King. 23, [...]4. idols, and images, and altars of Baalim, high places, and groues; and sacrificed 2 Chron. [...]3.22. to all the images which his fa­ther [Page 27] 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 2 Chr. 3 [...] Iosias his son abolished all these for­mer idolatries & monuments of them; & did uprightly in the sight of God, as Da­vid had done, and vers. 19▪ 27. trembled at his law & judgments: but the people 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 Zeph. 1.5 worshiped the host of heaven, on the house tops; re­maining vers. 12. frozen in their dregs; and shew­ed themselvs to be Zeph. 2. a Nation not worthy to be loved. So when Iosiah was dead, Ie­hoahaz his son, 2 King. 2 [...] 31.32. did as evill as all his fa­thers, for the time which he raigned, which was but 3 moneths: and Iehojakim his successor ver. 36.3▪ dealt as badly; and Ier. 26.2 [...] 23. killed the Prophets which called them to repen­tance, and Jer. 36.2 25. burned their writings. And after him 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 2 King▪ 24.18.19 still evill in the [Page 28] Lords eyes; Jer. 37.1. [...]. neither he nor his servants, nor the people of the land, would obey the words of the Lord; 2 King. [...]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 Ier. 44.9. their wiues, 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 2 Chron. [...]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 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 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 Eze. 6.9. whorish hearts, and their eyes went a whoring after their idols: and with them Ezek. 23. [...]7. they committed adultery, till being wexen old in adulteries God said, vers. 43. Now shall she [Page 29] 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 1 King 12.28 30. Ieroboam sonne of Nebat, whereunto they were addicted 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, 2 Kin. 17 and Heathens came to dwell in their sted. As these are 1 Cor. 1 [...] 6.7. ensamples to us, to the intent that wee should not be idolaters like them; & are written 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 [Page 30] haue seen) to fall thereinto; and by the cause of the same, which is the flesh, (one of the Gal. 5.19 [...]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. [...]. Cor. 1.20 [...]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 Esa. 44.9. delectable things; because of their desire that is towards them, & their pleasure in them. Ezekiel compareth the idolaters of Israel, to 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 vers. 16. sendeth messengers for him, and bringeth him to her vers, 17. into the bed of loue, so 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.

[Page 31]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 Eze. 23.6 Captains and Princes▪ and pleasant choise-youths, clothed in silks, and ver. 12.15 all kind of Gentleman-like apparell, whereby the womans heart, 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 Ezek. 13.16, 7. visions, sweet prophesies, and lying divinations; in diligent 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 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, & vers. 13.15.18. cour­teous intertainment of a paramour, with fill of loue, and pleasure of dalliance all [Page 32] 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 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 Rev. 21.2 Spowse of Christ, whose ver. 11.18 shining is like to gold and stones most cleer and precious; her lips Song. 4 3.10. like scarlet, and her loue much better then wine. The pleasantnesse of that false re­ligion, enamouring so many Prov. 7.7 fooles, is noted by Rev. 18.3 the aboundance of her plea­sures, wherby her merchants wexed rich; vers. 9. the luxurious life and fornication of Kings with her, vers. 14. the apples that her soule lusted after, and all things that were fat and excellent; vers. 22. the musick and melodie [Page 33] that there was heard; and is signified fur­ther by 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 [Page 34] 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. [...]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 Ier. 44.17 he burneth incense to the Queen of heaven, the idol that he hath made 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 Act. 19.26 magnificence of his Diana should be destroyed; he will Ier· 28.11 preach, and Act. 17.18. dis­pute, Ier. 29.25 and write for the same, against whomsoever; and 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 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 Act. 19.26. them no Gods, which were made with hands; for his idoll invention hath bereft him of [Page 35] 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, Deut. 20.19. although he walk in the wrest and obstinacie of his own heart; and that Ier. 2.35· because he is guiltlesse, surely Gods wrath shall turn from him: For hee vers. 23. followeth no idols, (whatsoever men say,) but he Ier. 5.2. swears, the Lord liveth; and will shew by his works, the 2 King. 10.16. zeal that hee hath for the Lord against idolaters. Hee bringeth 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 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, 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 Mi [...]. 3.22 lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the [Page 36] Lord with me? No evill can come upon me; neither 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,) 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 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; 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 [Page 37] 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 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 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, [Page 38] 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 vers. 20. plagued of God and died. And the yere after, Nadab his son walking in his fathers sin, 1 Kin. 15 25 — 28.29 was murdered, 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, 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, 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 1 King. 16.15.18.19. reigning but seven daies, God hastened wrath up­on his head, and he burned himselfe in his distresse.

[Page 39]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, 2 King. 6 24.25. by sword and by famine, that women ver. 28.29 did eat their own children for hunger, and the Prophets did 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, 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; Vers. 8. yet turned they not unto the Lord. He smote them with blasting and mel dew, and kanker worms did con­sume their fruits; 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; 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; vers. 11▪ yet turned they not unto the Lord. [Page 40] And though the Lord 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 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 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 vers. 8. servants to Shishak.

27 The idolatrous Kings after, aug­mented sin and wrath, but could not be brought to amendment. Jehoram lost 2 Chron. 21.8. Aedom; had his house and children rob­bed and carried away ver. 16.17 by the Philistims and Arabians, and himself after two years sore sicknesse, vers. 19. had his guts fall out, and [Page 41] so died. Amaziah was 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 2 Chron. 28.5. the Kings of Aram & of Israel; and six score thousand valiant men of Iudah were killed in one day; ( vers. 6. because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers,) and two hundred thousand taken prisoners; be­sides vers. 17.18.19. other miseries that came upon the Countrie. But these and other plagues many which God laid upon them, till 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, vers. 5. the more they fell away; all labour was spent in vain upon them, the Jer. 6.2 [...] 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 thē. For though he threatned Ier. 9.1 [...] to make Ieru­salem a heap, and a den of Dragons, and to make the cities of Iudah wast without [Page 42] an inhabitant, and sent unto them saying, 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; 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 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 2 King. [...].5.12. left to till the land; yet that remnant afterward fled Ier. 43.5 [...].7. into Aegypt, both small and great; and there committed idolatry again with 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 inven­ [...]ons; and the difficultie to draw them [Page 43] 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, Rev. [...].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, 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 Rev. 16.11. haue blasphemed the God of heaven, for their paines and for their sores, and repented not of their works. All Rev. 13.3 the world wondreth and followeth the beast, admi­reth the glory and magnificence of the Rev. 17. whore, and without Gods speciall grace, none can keep himselfe from her, for she sitteth Prov. 9.14.15. in the high places of the [Page 44] citie, calling them that passe by the way; and her lips Prov. 5.3. drop the honey comb li­quor, and her mouth is softer then oile; though her end be bitter as wormwood, & sharp as a two-edged sword. She taketh her Ezek. 16.17.18. fair jewels of Gods gold and silver, the holy Scripture and treasures therein; and with them she maketh her images and heresies; and covereth them with broy­dered garments, as wrought by Gods own spirit; and setteth his oil and perfume be­fore them. She Ezek. 23.40.41. washeth her self, as if she were clean from all iniquity; and painteth her eyes, as if she had the very visage of true faith; and decketh her with orna­ments, as wanting no gifts of knowledg, or utterance, or other furniture of the spirit; and she sitteth upon a costly bed, as being seated and constituted in the best perfection. Her table is furnisht with Gods incense and oil; for the word, pray­ers, sacraments, are the diet of devotion wherewith she feedeth her lovers; and vers. 42. a voyce of a multitude being at ease, is with her; for many fools follow her, because of her worldly prosperity, she allureth and intertaineth all comers. Thus with Pro. 7.21. her great craft she causeth men to yeeld, [Page 45] and felleth down many wounded; vers. 26. great is the number of all that are k [...]ll [...]d by her; for her heart is Eccles. 7.28. nets and sna [...]es, and her hands bands; he that is good before God shall be delivered from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.

THat the allurements of this whore Idolatry, with her deceits and snares, may be further manifested, and people be warned to avoyd her destruction: I will yet prosecute this argument against her, to uncover her skirts and disclose her ini­quity; hunting her steps, as they are traced in the Scriptures, and left to be seen as a perpetuall type in Israel.

2 The common-wealth of Israel did never enjoy such peace and happinesse, as in the daies of Salomon son of David, who reigned fortie yeares. Him 2 Sam. 1▪ 24.25. the Lord loved (whereupon he was named Jedid­jah;) and chose 1 Chron▪ 28.5. him from among many sonns, to sit upon the throne of the king­dom [Page 46] of the Lord over Israel, and vers. 6. to build his house and courts, and to be his son, and he would be his father. He gaue 2 Chron. 1.12. unto him wisedom and knowledg, and riches and treasures and honour, so as there was no King like him before or af­ter. But Solomon 1 King. 11.1,— 4. loved many strange women, who withdrew him from the loue of God, that he vers. 5. followed the abo­minations and idolatries of the Hea [...]hen. Then God vers. 9.10 was angry, because he had turned his heart from him, who had ap­peared unto him twise, and given him a charge concerning this thing, that hee should not follow other Gods, but hee kept not that which the Lord had com­manded him. Therefore God vers. 11. rent the Kingdom from him, and gaue it to his servant ver. 26.29 Ieroboam son of Nebat, a man of the tribe of Ephraim; with this certifi­cation, that if vers. 38. he would hearken to all that God commanded him, and walk in his waies, and doe the right in his eyes; he would be with him, and build him a sure house, and giue Israel unto him. Now when Solomon was dead, all this came to passe; for Rehoboam his son, 1 Kin. 12. lost the most part of his realm, and ten Tribes [Page 47] declined after Ieroboam, and chose him their King.

3 But he (though otherwise a man wise and politick,) wanting heavenly wisedom, relyed not in faith on the pro­mise of God, but went and consulted with flesh and bloud, how he mought confirm the Kingdom to himselfe. And thinking 1 King. 12.26, &c. in his heart, that if the people should (as they were wont) goe up to Ierusalem to worship God there; their hearts would turn from him to Solomons son, who reigned in that place, and so they would kill him. Being fraught with this fear, and void of faith; he thought to prevent these evils, by setting up a place of Gods publick worship, in his own dominions. And knowing that the people would not easily be drawn to a new religion, he retained a shew still of the old, not altering any article of the faith, nor yet many of the externall rites; but as in Ierusalem there was a Temple, and Altar, and other outward signes of Gods habitation with his Church; so would Ieroboam in Israel, make Temples, and Altars, and signes of Gods presence, that his people mought serv him there. [Page 48] Then 1 King. [...].28, &c. made he two calues or oxen of gold, and set one at Bethel, another at Dan, with houses and altars, and other like furniture, and said to the people, vers. 28. It is too much for you to goe up to Ierusa­lem, behold thy Gods (ô Israel,) which brought thee up out of the land of Aegypt.

4 The changes and corruptions which he brought into Gods worship, were cheifly these. First of the place, which God had 2 Chro. 7.6. chosen to be at Ierusa­lem: but Ieroboam would haue 1 King. 12.29. at Dan and Bethel. Secondly, of the signes or testimonies of the divine presence; which at Ierusalem was by Gods own ordi­nance, Exod. 25, 10,—22. Num. 7.89 Psal. 80.1. the ark of the covenant, with the glorious golden Cherubims whereon hee [...]ate, and from which his voyce had been heard: but at Bethel and Dan, by Ierobo­ams device, 1 King. 12.28. were bullocks or calues of gold. Thirdly, of the time; for the feast of Tabernacles appointed of God Lev. 23.34 to be kept the 15 day of the seventh month; Ieroboam put off untill 1 King. 12.32. the 15 day of the eighth moneth. Fourthly, of the persons administring the holy things; which by Gods authority Num. 18 1.7. Deut. 10.8. were Aarons sonns, and [Page 49] their brethren the Levits: but by Ierobo­ams dispensation, 1 King. 12.31. were of other parts and lowest of the people. These things being vers. 31. consulted of, and agreed upon by the King and State, the people of Israel yeelded unto; and practised accord­ingly; shewing their prompt obedience and devotion in going, vers. 30. because of the one, even to Dan, a citie in the utmost part of all the land. Thus sinned Ieroboam, & made Israel to sin; and it 1 King. 13.34. turned to sin unto his house, even to root it out and de­stroy it from the face of the earth.

5 Against this innovation, there were some that presently rose up, refusing to follow the religion of the King; especi­ally the Priests and Levites, (according to the charge they had Deut. 33 10. to teach Jankob Gods judgements, and Israel his law,) 2 Chron. 11.13. resisted the superstition, and put the people in mind of their duty; which Je­roboam perceiving, vers. 14. put them from their office, and 2 Chron. 13. [...]. droue them out of his realm. Some also there were of 2 Chron. 11.16. all the Tribes of Israel, that hearkning to the wholesome doctrine of their Ministers, and following their good example, left their own Country; and resorted to Ie­rusalem, [Page 50] so strengthning the kingdom of Iudah. Thus was there a controversie among the people, about these (the Kings) ceremonies; some counting them novel­ties, and profane superstition; others (and they the many,) esteeming them laudable, and well-fitting their State. But the men of Iudah reproched them for this, as having 2 Chron. 13.11▪ forsaken God, and made vers. 8. them golden calues for Gods, and done many like abominations. The Lord also used other means to draw the King and people to repentance, by the admonition 1 Kin. 13 1.2, &c. of a Prophet, confirmed by miracle; by stri­king dead Ieroboams arm, and healing it again; and by 1 King. 14. taking away his beloved son Abijah. These things, though they could not but trouble both King and people, yet could they not prevail to bring them to repentance; for Ieroboam had many things to say for himselfe, and much could he colour his new coynd religion, answering the objections that were made against them, by th [...]s, or the like apologie.

6 I See my course, (ô men of Israel,) to be much suspected, if not whol­ly misliked of many▪ some thinking my [Page 51] ceremonies to savour too rankly of Hea­then superstition; some charging me plain­ly with flat apostasie and forsaking of God. But how far off I am from all such impiety (how ever it please men to mi­stake my meaning, and pervert my acti­ons) I hope to manifest unto all indiffe­rent persons. Chiefly sith that I haue nei­ther spoken nor done against any article of the ancient faith, nor changed any fun­damentall ordinance of religion, given us by Moses; but worship with reverence the God of my fathers, and loue him (as I am taught) Deut. 6 4.5, & 30.20▪ with all my heart, and with all my soul, cleaving unto him alone who is my life, and the length of my daies. Other Gods of the nations I utterly ab­hor, with all their impure rites and servi­ces; and if any shall now or hereafter de­cline to such abomination, I trust we shall shew 2▪ Kin. 10▪ 16.28.29. the zeal that we haue for the Lord our God, against all their impiety. The al­teration that I haue made, is in matters of circumstance, things meerly ceremo­niall; whereof there is no expresse, cer­tain or permanent law given us of God; and which are variable, as time, place, and person giue occasion; and such as good [Page 52] Kings haue changed before me; and haue been blamelesse.

7 And first for the place where God is to be worshipped, which many now would haue at Ierusalem onely; I finde the practise of our Patriarch Abraham, and the fathers following, to be far other­wise. They sacrificed to God, as occasion was offered, in every place they came; in Gen. 12.7.8. Shechem, and in this Gen. 35.7 Bethel; in the plain Gen. 13.18 of Mamre; and in Gen. 26.25. Beersheba: so this superstition of tying God to one place was not hatched in their daies. Af­ter this, when our fathers came out of Aegypt, they Exo. 24.5 offered sacrifices in the wil­dernesse, and being come into this land, in how sundry places of it haue they ser­ved God? At 1 Sam. 1 3, &c. Shilo the Tabernacle & Ark was many daies, and all Israel sacrifi­ced there. Again at 1 Sam. 7.1.2. Kirjath-jearim the Ark had abiding twenty years, and there men sought the Lord: and after that, in 1 Sam. 21 1.6, &c. other places many. But when David was King, he removed the Ark 2 Sam. 6, 13, &c. to Ie­rusalem; and the Tabernacle which Mo­ses had made, he left in a high place 1 Chron. 21.29. at Gibeon: and thus were there two places of publick worship at one time; and Sa­lomon [Page 53] sacrificed 1 King. 3.4.15. in them both. And shall we now grow so superstitious, as to binde God to any one place. Nay, this all is the Lords land, and his eyes are in every part of the same: and it is not so materiall where we doe worship, as whom we wor­ship, and with what affection; for our God is neer in all times and places, to all that call upon him in truth.

8 But it will be said, that Ierusalem is the place which God hath chosen; promi­sing unto Solomon 1 King. 9.3. to put his name in the Temple there for ever, and that his eyes and heart should be there perpetually. I answer, the promise and covenant was conditionall, if Gods vers. 4. statutes and judg­ments were observed: for if they should turn away, and vers. 6. serue other Gods, God said vers. 7.8▪ he would cast out of his sight, that house which hee had hallowed for his name; and it should be an astonishment & a hissing to all that passe thereby. And see we not how Solomon forfeited his bond? His wiues 1 King. 11.4. turned his heart after other Gods: hee followed vers. 5. Ashteroth, and Mil­com, Chemosh, and Molech; and other abo­minations of the Gentiles, and vers. 7. built them high places: for which his wicked­nesse [Page 54] God was angry, and hath rent his Kingdom from his son, and given it to me. Look to Gods place which was in Shilo, 1 Sam. 4. Psal. 78.60 &c. where he set his name at the begin­ning; and see what he did to it for the ini­quity of Israel: even Ier. 7.12 14. so will the Lord doe to that house in Ierusalem wherupon his name is called, wherin also they trust. Example see in the rent of the Kingdom▪ for at the same time when promise was made to dwell in that house for ever, God promised 1 King. 9.3.1. also to stablish that throne of Solomons for ever: howbeit already the throne is thrown down, and most of the Realm committed to me. As is the one, doubtlesse so is the other; no sanctity re­maineth in the place so polluted with ido­latry: the holinesse is gone.

9 And now that this Bethel where I build a house to our God, is the place which he hath chosen to dwell therin; we may boldly say; for it is most renoumed, the chiefe and supereminent place in the land. They boast in Ierusalem, how their Temple standeth upon mount 2 Chr. 3.1 Morijah, where Abraham our father Gen. 22.2, &c. offered his son Isaak (a type of the Messiah) for a sacrifice to God: we also can glory, how [Page 55] Jaakob our Patriarch saw in this our place, a Gen. 28.12. ladder that reached from earth to hea­ven, by which the Angels of God went up and down; a type also doubtlesse of our Messiah to come; by whom, as by a ladder we shall get up to heaven, whom Psal. 97.7 all the Angels of God shall worship when he commeth, and shall be seen to ascend and descend upon him. Here God appeared to our father Jaakob, Gen. 28.13.14. promi­sing him the land, and heyres to possesse it. He then acknowledged how vers. 16.17, &c. the Lord was in this reverend place, that it was no other but the house of God, & the very gate of heaven; & therupon gaue it a new name Bethel, Gods house; wheras at first it was vers. 19. called Luz: yea Jaakob vowed that at his safe returne, the stone which here he had set up for a pillar, vers. 22. should be Gods house. And this his devotion was approved of God, who expresly com­manded him Gen. 35 1, &c. to dwell in Bethel, and make him an Altar here; which hee per­forming, God graciously accepted, & ap­peared again with new promises in this place, whereupon the name was againe confirmed to be Gods house or vers. 13▪ 14.15. Bethel. Thus having so venerable antiquity on [Page 56] our side; can any man doubt but it is more safe to worship here at Bethel, a place san­ctified of old, and so long continuing; then at Sion, of late so fouly polluted by Solomons grosse idolatry.

10 And me thinks the remembrance of that late impiety, should keep men from doting so on that place; for it is much to be feared Rehoboam will set up ere long his fathers religion, who fol­lowed strange Gods; seeing hee walketh already in his evill way of oppressing the people, and 1 King. 12.3.4.13.14. could not be brought to ease them at all of any taxe or burthen, wherwith his father loded them. As hee followeth his father in sinning against the people, so is hee like to doe in sinning against God. For loe the hie places which Solomon builded for Ashteroth and Che­mosh and Milcom, the idols of the Hea­then, 2 King. 23.13. are left standing still, even before Ierusalem, and on the right hand of the mount of corruption, and are like there to cont [...]nue. Which wherfore is it, but for a snare to the people, that they may fall again to the former sin?

11 I now being King, doe hold it my duty to keep al my subjects from such [Page 57] danger of idolatry; and to look that the true God be served in my Kingdom, lest men either grow prophane, or turn unto vanities. For to goe to Ierusalem it may proue perilous; sure it is 1 King. 12.28. overmuch for the people that dwell a far off, and seem­eth to me altogether unreasonable. For may and ought not every Prince and peo­ple to serue God in their own countrey? Was there any before me, that mought not doe it; and am I more in bondage then all? Besides, who knoweth not the grudge that Rehoboam hath against us, whom of late 2 Chr. 1 1—4. he would haue warred with, if God had not stayed him? Why, hee counteth me and my people 2 Chro [...] 13.6. rebels; and if he can get me within his dominion, he will sure­ly cut off my head, and the heads of many moe. And doth God, (who Hos. 6 desireth mercy rather then sacrifice) require of men thus for to runn upon the swords [...]oint, and indanger their liues without cause, and onely for a circumstance of place? I am not so weak of judgement, as to think it; neither will I be so unwise as to hearken to these Levites, who kin­dle the fire of contention among my sub­jects, and teach that we all must goe up [Page 58] to Ierusalem, or else we may offer no sa­crifice to God. Beleev them that list; I haue otherwise learned the truth of the Law; and trust we shall so serue the Lord at home, as will please him well enough.

12 For the worship that here we per­form unto God, is (for the substance) the same that himselfe commanded by Moses. Wee serue the same God 1 King. 2.28. that brought us up out of the land of Aegipt: and this is Exod. 20. [...].3. the first and the great com­mandment on which all other do depend; the keeping wherof, Psal. 81.8 [...].10. hath the promise of reward. Wee offer the sacrifices of beeues and sheep, wee burn incense, pay first fruits and tithes of all we possesse; we observ all the ordinances that our fa­thers haue kept since the world began, and God hath confirmed in his written law for ever. Wee hold the main article of our Messiah to come, and of re­dempt [...]on from our sinnes by him; by which faith our ancestors haue pleased God: and unto this he leadeth us in his Law. In this faith offer we according to the Law, Lev. 4.4.3.14—20 bullocks for attonement and forgiuenesse of our sins; a shadow unto us of our Messiah, who shall be led as an oxe [Page 59] to the slaughter, and purge our iniquity by his own bloud. In testimony of this true & catholick faith, I haue made these bul­locks 2 King. 12.28. of gold (similitudes of the greatest sacrifices,) as representations of that our true sacrifice, the promised Saviour whom we expect.

13 If here it be said, wee doe against God, in making these golden figures; be­cause he forbiddeth Exod. 2 graven images to be made: the answer is easie, Gods mean­ing is not to forbid all images simply, but onely idols that haue divine worship done unto them. Such as was that Calfe which our fathers Exod. 3 [...] made in the wildernesse: for they Psal. 10 19. worshipped the molten image it self (not God by the image,) but made them Ex. 32.3 Gods of gold, which was against the ex­presse Ex. 20.2 words of the Law; yea, they were so grosse, as they turned him Ps. 106. [...] their glory, into the similitude of a bullock that eat­eth grasse; and vers. 2 forgat God their Saviour, which had done great things in Aegipt for them. But God forbid, and farr be it from us (good people) that wee should thus doe. Wee worship not the images of our bullocks here, any more then we worshipped the images of the Che­rubims, [Page 60] and other resemblances, in Solo­mons Temple: but we worship God, and him onely doe we serue, even 1 King. 12.28. the God that brought us out of Aegypt, not any other.

14 Yet some are so hardly prejudiced against me, as they spare not to say, I 2 Chron. [...]3.8. haue made you these golden calues for Gods, and think that I giue the honour to them, that is due to the eternall and blessed God himselfe; because (forsooth) I said, 1 King. 12.28. Behold thy Gods ô Israel. But were I so minded; I should be indeed more brutish then a calfe my selfe. What, should I deny the Creator of the world; the God of all our fathers; the wonders wrought for us in Aegypt, and other places; and turn to these images which are made with mens hands, and think them very Gods? Far be such a grosse conceit, from every true Israelite. Nay, if I should haue at­tempted any such thing, would you not haue stoned me? And as for my speech in calling them Gods, who is there so simple that knows it not to be figuratiue, and ve­ry familiar to every mans ears? I am not the first, that thus hath spoken, our fa­thers before me used often such phrases. [Page 61] When the Angel of God appeared unto Abraham, he called the place Gen. 22.14. Jehovah­jireh, that is, The Lord seeth. Jaakob built an Altar, and called the place, Gen. 35.7 The God of Bethel: Moses himselfe made an Altar in the desert, & named it Exod. 17 15. Jehovah Nissi, that is, The Lord my banner. Yet none of us, I trow, doe think that they esteemed these places or altars, to be properly Gods. The Ark is called 1 Sam 4.21. the glorie of Jsrael; Ps. 78.61 the strength of God; the Ps. 24.7. King of glorie; and (what can be said more) the 1 Sam. 6.20. holy Lord God. The Lamb is called, Exod. 12.11. the Lords Passeover; and many such like Sa­cramentall speeches, haue we and our an­cestors been accustomed unto. What if I should call the pascall Lamb, our Messiah; because it is a type of him: or the Manna which our fathers did eat, and water which they drank out of the rock; the bo­dy and bloud of our Messiah: should I for this be suspected of Idolatry? My enemies mought be ashamed thus to cavil, and calumniate my honest actions, who haue made these visible signes, for to serv the true God by; and to be but as testimo­nies of his presence here.

15 And that this is lawfull, the Law it [Page 62] selfe will shew: which intendeth not the prohibition of all images, but the abuse of them as idols; for so it is written, Ex. 20.5. Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor serv them; whereby God explaneth his mind, which is, that we should make no graven images for to worship them; but to wor­ship God by them, where is that forbid­den? Nay the contrary is evident; for haue wee not worshipped God in Ierusa­lem, and other places, by images; What are the Ex. 25.18, &c. golden winged Cherubims upon the Ark, but images, by which both we and our fathers haue honoured God. And if any object, that those were made by Moses at Gods command; but none else may be made by any other: let him look into Solomons Temple builded but the other day, and there he shall find 1 King. 6 23, &c. two new Cherubims of great and high stature, whose wings reach from one end of the holy place to another; and besides these, all the vers. 29. walls of the Temple are full of such figures. Perhaps some will say, it is tolerable to haue the shape of Cherubims, as being figures of Gen. 3.24 Angels; but any other forms, especially of beasts is utter­ly unlawfull. Well, however the Law [Page 63] forbiddeth to make the likenes of Exo. 20.4 things in heaven, as of things in earth, and so the Angels may no more be pourtrahed then beasts or birds: yet to take away scru­ple, I refer you to Solomons 1 King. 7.25. twelv oxen, or bulls of brasse, wh [...]ch bear up that molten sea, which standeth at the dore of the Temple for the Priests to wash in: also to 1 King. 7.29. the Lions, Bulls and Cherubims wrought upon the ten brazen bases of the cauldrons, wherin the work of the burnt offerings 2 Chron. 4.6. is washed and cleansed every day. If Solomon in his Temple might make bulls of brasse, is it a sin for me to make such of gold? Tush, these are but the cavils of these Puritan Priests and Le­vites, that of a stomack and refractary minde will not be conformable to my ce­remonies; whom therefore I mean 2 Chron. 13.9. to driue out of my country, that they trou­ble my people no more.

16 Yet will I doe my best, to satisfie them ere they goe, in whatsoever they can say against me. To proceed therfore to the time, (another circumstance which they object, for want of more weighty mat­ter;) they think it much that I haue pro­ [...]oged the feast of Tabernacles, untill [Page 64] the 1 King. [...].32. 15 day of the 8 moneth; because it is appointed by Moses to be kept [...]ev. 23.39 the 15 day of the 7 moneth. Herein they still doe but strain out a gnat: for so the thing it selfe be observed, what skilleth it for the change of the moneth? The feasts were made for men, not men for the feasts; and if we keep them in any meet and commodious time, it pleaseth God well enough: which I will further shew by the Law it selfe. When our fathers came out of Aegypt, they kept by Gods command­ment the Paschal feast upon Ex. 12.6 the 14 day of the first moneth; and this was enacted to be an ordinance vers. 24. for ever. After, it fell out, when a Passeover Num. 9. [...] — 5. was kept in the wildernesse, that certain men vers. 6.7. defiled by a dead man, could not keep it by rea­son of their uncleannesse, and came unto Moses to know what they should doe. He could not tell, vers. 8. till hee had asked the Lord. Then God spake and said, vers. 10, &c. If any of you, or your posterity, be unclean, or in a journey, let him keep the Pascha in the 14 day of the second moneth. Be­hold here how God explaineth his own law, shewing that hee respecteth not the moneth, as though there were any holi­nesse [Page 65] in it; but if the feast were kept, though a moneth after, (upon just occasi­on,) it should be acceptable: Forasmuch then as we haue so pregnant an example of occasionall changing the time, without any sin: me thinks these men are too too precise; that condemn me, who upon just occasion, and advice with others, haue de­ferred this feast, a moneth longer then ordinary.

17 It may be these men, make questi­on of my authority, and think me not the lawfull supreme Governour, under God, of the Church; or that my pri­macy beares me not out to alter ceremo­nies or circumstances in religion: but this I can sufficiently clear. For I haue my kingly office from God the King of kings; 1 King▪ 11.29, & hee appointed me hereunto by his Prophet, and chose me 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, 1 Sa [...] 12.28. gaue the [Page 66] kingdom to David his servant, and no man doubteth of his lawfull title: so God for Solomons sin, 1 King. [...]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 (no [...] 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, 1 King. [...]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, 1 Chron. 13. & 15. from Kirjath­jearim to Ierusalem. He appointed 1 Chr. 16 [...].5, &c. in­struments of musick, cimbals, and vials, [Page 67] and harps, &c. wherof there is no menti­on in Moses Law. He 1 Chron. 23. & 25. distributed the Levites into their orders and offices, ma­king some singers, some porters, some assistants to the Priests: yea, and 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 2 Chron. 4.7.8. ten golden candlesticks, and ten tables; whereas God by Moses, ordained of each Ex. 26.35 but one. In sted of one laver that Moses made to wash in, Solomon made 2 Chr. 4.6 ten cauldrons; besides that other vessel, which for the hugeness of it, is cal­led 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 [Page 68] say it is written, 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 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 Gen. 12.8 & 13.4.18 &c. Abraham, [Page 69] Isaak and Jaakob, offered sacrifices them­selues, even then when Melchisedek the Gen. 14▪18.19. Priest of the most high God lived in the land. I finde again how Moses did send 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 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 1 King 12.31. but such as are consecrate; but I will not debar 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 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 [Page 70] 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. [...]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 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 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 [Page 71] time was set down; that men may be held with continuall expectation. I find in the Law, that a Deut. 13 1.2, &c. Prophet may arise, giving a sign or wonder, which shal come to passe: and yet his doctrine may be abominable, and God thereby vers. 4. proveth the hearts of his people. The inchanters of Aegypt Exod. 7.11.12. could also doe miracles even like unto Moses: yet were they no Ministers of the Lord. What then though this falser had power to doe great things, and thereupon was hired by the King of Iudah to come preach against me, and seduce my people; no wise man will rest on coun­terfeit miracles, but will settle his heart on the Law of God; which that Prophet could not convince me with all (for then I had yeelded,) but sought to get credit by abusing that power, which God did permit him to haue for my tryall. The abuse of Gods name cannot goe long un­punished, for it is a great sin: neither sca­ped this Prophet due vengeance for his crime; but as he went homeward, he was slain 1 King. 13.24. by a Lyon. Well worthy end, for such as dissemble the message of the most High. How ever therefore some think of this matter, I am not perswaded [Page 72] hee was a man of God, that came to so fearfull a death.

21 But the death 1 Kin. 14 of mine own son Abijah, sate neerer me, and made me look narrowly into mine actions, till I found indeed whereof to resolue. I sent mine own wife vers. 2. to Ahijah the Prophet for counsell about him: but the cholerik old man vers. 6. would not suffer her to speak, but breaking out into heat and menaces, gaue her an answer before she asked. It is easie to see his partiall affection; hee leaneth towards Iudah, and speaketh with bitternesse against me, that never did him hurt. And were it indeed that I had offended; my fault mought bee shewed me in loue and meeknesse: which would better beseem the Prophets of God, then this their distempered carriage. And what was the cause, why he did so threaten me? even the common calumnie that the Iews doe giue out, for he said, vers. 9· J had made me other Gods: but how false this is I haue shewed before; and it became not his gray head to beleev such reports, and condemn me unheard: I haue not forsaken the Lord my God, but the thing is mistaken by the vers. 4. blinde Prophet, who discerneth [Page 73] no better my actions, then hee can doe colours. My son is dead and gone, for his day was come: if he were cut off before the time, it was rather for his vice then for his vertue. The Prophet sayd there was vers. 13. some goodnesse found in my son, towards the Lord God of Israel; and therefore he must die. But doth the Lord use so to reward them that are good before him? It is said in the Scripture of wicked men, that they Psa. 55.23 shall not liue out halfe their daies: yet now this yong mans death is brought as an argument to proue hee was godly. Ahijah, I perceiv, is too old to bee 1 Sam. 9.9. a Seer any longer; else could he not haue been so much overseen in this his new doctrine. Gods law Exod. 20 biddeth children to honour their parents, that their daies may be long in the land: but this my child had his daies shortned; doubtlesse for disobe­dience. My other sonns 1 Chron 11.14. consented to that which I did about religion; and they liue and prosper: he onely would be more precise then his brethren, and his honour is laid in the dust. Thus see I in my house the proverb fulfilled, Pro. 10. [...] The fear of the Lord increaseth the daies: but the yeares of the wicked shall be diminished. For which [Page 74] I lament, through fatherly affection, but am nothing moved to leav my religion; nay rather these judgements confirm me therein, for I see how they that speak against it are cut off. Yea, God himselfe hath been my Protectour, and with-held 2 Chron. [...]1.2.3.4. by his Prophet, my enemies of Iudah from fighting against me. On him will I lean, and trust in his name; being fully resolved not to alter my course, but I and my people to continue as we are, until we lye down in peace.

THese, and the like pretences many, Ieroboam could alledge for to justi­fie his cause; wherein was onely shew, but no weight of truth. Yet such is mans corruption, as he will admit of a­ny colour, rather then leav the sinne that he affecteth: and being in high trans­gression of the Law, will bear himselfe upon the Law, as if it made for him in his iniquity. But as David prayed God, that hee would Psal. 14.4 not incline his heart to word of evill, to set himselfe to [Page 75] pretend pretences (or forge excuses) in wickednesse, with men that work ini­quity: so need we all continually to aske of God this grace; for as of Adam wee haue learned to sinne, so also for to hide and cloke our sinne, and cover our nakednesse, though it bee but with fig-leaues. That may be seen in Ieroboam here.

2 For he not having faith in God, nor resting on his promise, (who would bee 1 King. 11.38. with him, and build him a sure house as had builded for David, if he did that which was right in his eyes:) gaue him­selfe to policie, and followed the wise­dom of this world, (which is 1 Cor. 3.19. foolish­nesse with God;) whereby he fell into vanity, altered and innovated the ordi­nances of religion, to the ruin of his house and of his people.

3 The plea how he retained the grounds of true religion, and varied but in ceremonies; came out of Satans school, where Gods commands are wont to bee extenuate. The Lord required of his people, intire obedience Deut. 27 26. to all and every of his ordinances, among which nothing was to be neglected, nothing [Page 76] to be counted light or little: for who so breaketh Mat. 5.19 one of the least of his precepts and teacheth men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of heaven. The lightest matters in mans account, and cir­cumstances that he presumes to violate; haue in Gods administration procured heavy doom. As, for the place of publick worship, it was enacted, that whosoever brought not his sacrifice to the dore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, but offred it other where, Lev. 17.3.4. bloud should be imputed to that man, & he should be cut off from among his people▪ yea such ob­lations were esteemed of God, as offered vers. 7. unto Divils. Likewise for the time; though the Lord Num. 9.10. dispensed with the un­clean and travellers, for keeping the Passeover: yet if any were clean and not in journy, and neglected to keep the feast in the 14 of the first moneth; that person was vers. 13. to be cut off from among his peo­ple, because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his due season. And for the persons that should administer before God; if any that was not a Levite, and of Aarons line, did minister at the altar▪ Num. 18 3.7. he was to be slain. Therefore Korah [Page 77] (though a principall Levite) was killed of God, and all that took his part: Num. 16.9.10—32.3 [...]. 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 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; 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, Num. 4.5— 15. not to touch the holy things, lest they died. The men of Bethshes [...]esh, (a citie [Page 78] of 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 Num. 4.20. they mought not doe;) the Lord 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 Ezek. 18.20. sinneth shall die: and sin is every 1 Ioh. 3.4 trans­gression of the Law; the person that doth any sin with a high hand, Num. 15 30. blasphemeth the Lord, & must be cut off from among his people; for 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 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 [Page 79] 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 Psal. 132 13.14. where hee loved to dwell, and which should be his rest for ever. There was his Ps. 27.8. face and presence, there was his Deu. 12.5 name; there was his 1 Kin. 9 3 heart and eyes perpetually. There 1 King. 8 was the holy and most holy sanctuary, with the Ark 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 Heb. 9.1 [...] like resemblan­ces of heavenly things, not made by wit of man, 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 2 Chron. 15.3. with­out the true God. Ieroboams calues, made to worship God by, were teachers of lies: being called 1 King. 12.28. Gods, as resembling his presence, who was not there; and signi­fying his favour, which Hos. 8.13. was farr away: as hallowing the place, where Satan had his throne; and sanctifying the worship­pers, [Page 80] 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 Ezek. 37.17. one tree, and members of Eph. 4.4. one body; whose abiding together, was Psal. 133 both good and pleasant; but the renting asunder, was a with-draw­ing Heb. 10.39. to perdition, because Gods vers. 38. soule had no plealure in them, that forsook the vers. 25▪ mutuall gathering together of them­selvs. As in the former, Jeroboam shewed 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 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, [Page 81] yet mought it haue been purged, as 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 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 Deu. 12. [...] himselfe? It was not Solomons sin, that gaue Ieroboam right to the Kingdom; but the 1 King 11.29.31 word of the Lord, in the mouth of the Prophet: neither was it the pollution of the Tēple, (if defiled,) that could warrant the King to build him another; for God was to ap­point both 1 Chron▪ 21.18, & 22.1. place, and 1 Chron 28.2.3.6. person: and with­out his Ier. 7.3 [...] word, nothing is lawfull in his service. So sanctity in Bethel there was none at all; but it was Hos 4.15 Bethaven the house of iniquity. The holinesse which had been there of old, was onely by re­lation unto God that appeared, Gen. 35 [...] 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 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.

[Page 82]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 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 2 Sam. 3.3. the Scripture,) and rule in the fear of God: his heart may Deut. 17 [...]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 dec [...]itfull aboue all things; and it is a double evill, 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, Ex. 20.22, &c. the lawes and judge­ments [Page 83] which Israel should observ; hee shewed him a pattern of the Tabernacle and things therin, giving him this streight charge, Ex. 25.40 look that you make these things, (even 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, Exod. 39 42.43. so provided he the work to be made, disposed of, and ordered, 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 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 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; vers. 19. all by writing sent unto him, by the hand of the Lord. Thus was there nothing left to their own will [Page 84] 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 1 Chron. 28.2. &c. hart to build him a house; he durst not attempt it, without 1 Chron. 17.1, &c. consent of the Prophet: and being for­bidden of God, he desisted.

10 But Jeroboam would do things out of 1 King. 12.33. his own heart; & that was his sin. He took vers. 28. counsell, but it was of men, not of God, nor of his testimonies, which had been Davids Ps. 119.24 counsellors: therfore Hos. 10.6 shame did take Ephraim, and ashamed was Israel of his own counsell. He made 1 King. 12.31. house of high places; but 1 Chron. 17.6. spake the Lord any one word unto about this mat­ter? Nay Israel, (as the Prophet Hos 8.14 saith) forgat their Maker when they builded temples: therefore Amos 7.9. their temples were destroyed. He appointed places for pub­lick worship at Bethel and Dan; but did the Lord Deu. 12.5 chose them (as Moses saith) to put his name there, and there to dwell? Nay, they Hos. 12.14. provoked God with their high places, therefore their bloud was poured upon them: they Hos. 5.6. went with their sheep and with their bullocks to seek the Lord, but they found him not, he with­drew [Page 85] himselfe from them. He made al­tars, Hos. 8.1 [...] but they were unto sin. He made pourtratures of bullocks; but gaue God him any pattern or precept, as hee gaue 1 Chron. 28.18. unto Solomon? Wherfore their bullocks did Hos. 8.5. cast them off; Gods anger was kin­dled against them. He made a feast; but in the moneth 1 King. 12.33. which he had forged of his own heart: therfore God Amos 5.21, & [...].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 Num. 17.8. rods had never budded, neither had they Deu. 33.8 Vrim and Thummim in their breasts. Himself 1 King. 13.1. went up to the Altar to burn incense; but it was with Lev. 10.1 Nadabs fire. He offered sacri­fices to the God 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 [Page 86] evill came upon his house. He pre­tended ease to the people, that they should not goe so 1 King. 12.28. far as to Ierusalem; but they went vers 30. even to Dan, a citie Iudg. 18.28.29. remote, in the furthest part of the land. So turned they their backs upon the Nehem. 11.1. holy Citie, where the Tabernacle Psa. 76.2 of God, and his dwelling was; and sought to the possessi­on of the Gen. 36. [...].6. handmaids child, polluted of old by Iudg. 18.30.31. publick idolatry therein erected, and long continued: whose Idol, Ieroboam now reneweth, doing 1 King. 14.9. evill aboue all that were before him. Thus Ephraim Hos. 5.3. is become a harlot, Israel is defiled.

11 And although God sent his Pro­phets 1 King. 13, & 14. with the word of power, to re­proue Ieroboams iniquity; yet hardned he his ha [...]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 Esay 57.1 are taken away from the evill to come, when wicked men are Iob. 21.30. kept unto the day of destruction, and shall be [Page 87] brought forth to the day of wrath. Yet could not this King be Pro. 12.3 established by wickednesse; his idolatry was his over­throw; for as a harlot it Pro. 2.16 flattered him with words, and drew him to forget the vers. 17. covenant of his God; so went he un­to her vers 19. and returned not again, neither took hold of the waies of life; but Pro. 5.23 dy­ing without instruction, and going astray through his great folly, when 2 Chron. 13.20. the Lord plagued him and he was dead, Nadab his son was soon 1 King. 15 25.27. kild in conspiracy, and after him, vers. 29. all Ieroboams house, the remnant whereof, 1 King. 14.10. was swept away as doung, till all was gone; the 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.

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 [Page 88] our daies, we haue not either skill to dis­cern, or courage to condemn them. We can easily say, as did the Pharisees; Math. 23 [...]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 vers. 32. [...]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 frō 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 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 [Page 89] 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 See Epi­stles to th [...] Churches i [...] Rome, Co­rinth, Ephe­sus, and th [...] rest. shewed in every Citie to be compleat in it selfe, a Church and 1 Cor. 1 [...] ▪27. body of Christ, furnished with his 1 Cor. 5. [...] power and Math. 1 [...] ▪ 20. pre­sence; every one under the guidance of Act. 2 [...] ▪17.28. Phil. [...].1. Act. 14.2 many Bishops; and not all under the go­vernment of one: joyned altogether 1 Pet. 5. in brotherhood, through Eph. 4. [...] 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 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, Rev. 1▪ [...] that old Serpent, who used his most utmost skil, cuning & craft, to beget [Page 90] 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 1 King. [...].13. Miphletseth, or idol of horrour, should haue her seat; for there grew many fair trees, whose shadow Hos. 4.13 was good to burn incense un­der: and there before time had other beasts been hatched and honoured, whose Rev. 13. [...]. 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 [Page 91] false Church resemble Bellar. d [...] 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 Psal. 76. within one little land, whose assembly was annuall Psal. 122, & 132. in the earthly Ierusalem, where the high Priest remained to reconcile them to God: but now the Church Catholick is dispread Math. 2 [...] 19. over all, Ierusalem our mother Gal. 4.26 is aboue, and Christ our high Priest is 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 Ezek. 27, 4. perfect beauty, her friends haue devi­sed to paint her face with this vermilion, that the goddesse, the B [...]llar▪ de Eccl. mi [...]i [...] ▪ l. 3, c. 14. CHRCH ab­solutely [Page 92] 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 Ezek 16 15. in her own beau­ty, takes a pride and power, to Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 16. make Lawes Ecclesiasticall, to binde and con­strain mens consciences; charging and obliging us, to Rhe. Test. 1 Tim. 3, sect. 9. beleev and trust her in all things. So this Idol of indignation, (be­ing crept into 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 Rev. 13.15. hath a spirit; and exacteth wor­ship of the inhabitants of the earth, that all should Conc. Tri­dent. Sess. 22. c. 8. adore her, as mother, and mistresse of all the Churches; receiv, beleev and obey her word, constitutions, canons, commandements, doctrines and decrees, without contradiction; because the truth of the faith as touching us, relyeth upon the Bellar. de Eccles mi­lit. l. 3. c. 14 Churches authority, and whatsoever the Church alloweth is true, whatsoever she dis­allowe [...], is false: and her word, Bellar. de [...]erb. Dei, l. [...]. c. 10. is not altogether mans word, that is to say sub­ject to errour, but after a sort the word of God. Out of this smoky furnace, haue come the [Page 93] many heresies and whoorish doctrines of Free will, merit of works, limbus, pur­gatorie, pardons, indulgences, vowes, prayer to and for the dead, penance, pil­grimages, auricular confession, and ex­treme unction, with sundry other like; which by this Churches supreme authori­ty, haue been concluded Catholike, Or­thodox and Authenticall. Who seeth not now that Ieroboams Church, was but a Babe to this Beldam; for she had no such soveraignty over mens soules, taught no such doctrines, neither made she any de­crees till Omri was King (whose praise in the Scripture is this, that he did 1 King. [...] 16.25. worse then all that were before him;) and he indeed made Mic. 6.1 [...] statutes which were obser­ved in Israel; though nothing so many or so imperious as the mistresse of Rome hath made.

6 This Rev. 18.7. Qeen being thus set aloft on the high places of the earth, is far taller then the golden image Dan. 3. [...] that Nebuchad­nezar set up in the plain of Dura; for her hand and scepter reacheth up unto hea­ven, where she ruleth among the canoni­zed Saints; and the very tail of her Rev. 17. & 12.4. beast whereon she rideth, can draw down the [Page 94] starrs unto the earth. This is the woman whom Rev. 17.3 Iohn saw in the wildernesse, aray­ed in purple and scarlet, and guilded with gold and precious stones and pearls, with a golden cup in her hand, full of the fil­thinesse of her fornication; even the vers. 18. great citie ( Rome) then reigning over the Kings of the earth. From this common mother, (as her Concil. [...]ident. [...]ss. 18. children doe entitle her,) came all the bastard idols into the Christian world: for she being Rev. 17.1 a whore, sitting up­on many waters, that is, vers. 15. peoples, multi­tuds, nations and tongues; she was Eze. 23.5 set on fire with her lovers the neighbour na­tions; that vers. 17. came to her into the bed of loue, and defiled her with their fornica­tion; (for they went in unto her vers. 44. as they goe to a common harlot;) and she Psal. 106. [...].36. lear­ned their works, and served their idols, which will be her ruin.

7 Of the Iews she hath received Bellar. de [...]om. Pont. [...]1. c▪ 9. one high Priest, (not Iesus Christ the true High Priest entred into the heavens, but a supposed vicar of his, having Rev. 13. [...]. two horns like the Lamb;) to be the chiefe Governour and Monarch Ecclesiasticall: and he entreth Durand. [...]tio [...]al. l. 6 75. once a year into the most holy of the Popish Church, as the [Page 95] other did into the most holy of the Iew­ish Tabernacle. From the glorious attire Ex. 2 [...].2.4.40. of Aaron and his sons, as Ephod, Robes, Girdles, &c. she hath learned to deck her Durand ra [...] l. 3. c. [...] Priests with cops, surplices, stoles, gir­dles, amices, al [...]s, and other like orna­ments. She imitateth their Ark, which had the Tables of the covenant; with Durand l. 1. c. 2. her ark or tabernacle the Pix, which hath the Sacrament of the Eucharist: their can­dlestick and seven burning lamps; with Durand l. 1. c. 1. her candles, torches, tapers: their Num. 1 [...] 9, &c. sprinkling water of purification; with her Durand. l. 1, c. 7. holy water: and in many other par­ticulars, of Temple, Altar, Oil, Laver, Fire, &c. As th [...] same Du­rand shew­eth in that book. she followeth her footsteps, and Iudaizeth more then did the false Teachers in the Galat. 4▪ 9.10. Col. 2.16. Apostles daies. Which things in Israel had their holy use and end, untill Christ came in the flesh: but since are dead and abolished, as Gal. 4.9. Col. 2.20. beggarly worldly rudiments; though this whore-mother of Rome reviveth them by her Art, and for her fleshly pleasure; whiles her self and her friends goe a whoring af­ter these Iewish ceremonies.

8 But she had not her fill, by defiling her selfe with Iews: therefore she sought [Page 96] to take her pleasure of the Gentiles round about her, far and neer; and decked her bed with all their abominations. And first she fell in loue with Aegipt; where Israel of old committed fornication▪ and had the Eze. 23.8 brests of her virginity bruised. For whereas the Aegiptians commingled the Kingdom and Priesthood; the Civill Ma­gistracie, and the Ecclesiasticall Ministery in one person; and would haue all their Kings to be also Priests, as Plato in Politic. Writers doe record: with this goodly invention, the whore of Rome is enamoured, and joyn­eth, or confoundeth the Magistracy and Ministery, Princedom and Priesthood, in the persons of her Popes, Cardinals, Bi­shops and other Church Princes. And although God in the Law distinguished the office of the King and Priest, consti­tuting one in Gen. 49.10. 1 Chr. 5.2. the Tribe of Iudah, the other Num. 18 1, —7. in Levi; so as one mought 2 Chr. 27 16.17.18.19. not intermeddle with that which belonged to another: and Christ in the Gospel hath plainly Mat. 20.25▪ 26. Luk. 22.25.26. forbidden his Ministers to haue the authority or titles of pol [...]tick Princes▪ yet pleadeth this Babylonish Queen, that it is not against Gods word Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 5. c. 9. for one man to be a Prince Ecclesiasticall and Politi­call [Page 97] together; and so she and her daugh­ters practise to this day. In which point, she is more abominable and polluted now professing Christianity, then shee was of old when she professed Paganism; for the hethen Priests or Flamins in Rome, were not permitted to haue any Migistra­cie; because (as the Plutarch. Quest. Rō. Philosopher by light of reason reasoneth,) it could not be, (the actions of these offices being so divers and different,) that one man should perform both at one time; but needs it must fall out, when both duties were to be done together, that one should be omitted; and so sometimes God not to be duly served, sometimes the Civill state should suffer damage.

9 Again this Romish Babylon doreth on the ordinances of Babel in Chaldea▪ for as there they Ier. 10▪ 3—9. had images of silver and gold, wood and stone, to which Isa. 44.15 they bowed and worshipped; and which were representations of the Gods and Saints whom they adored, to weet of Isa. 4 [...].1 Bel (which was Herod [...]t. Clio. Iupiter,) and Nebo, and 2 King. 17.30. Succothben [...]th, and other the like: even so hath idolatrous Rome ordained to haue in her temples, Concil. Trident. Sess. 25. images of Christ, of [Page 98] the virgin Mary, and of other Saints, which idols must haue their due honour and worship, because the honour which is gi­ven to them, is referred to the proto­types whom they doe represent. And these abominations she Concil. [...]id. ibid. kisseth, as idolaters of old, were wont to Hos. 13.2 kisse the calues; lighteth Tapers before them, as the Baby­lonians did Baruch. [...]. candles before their images; censeth them, as the Heathen Romans were wont to doe Cicero. [...]ffic. l. 3. their statues; kneel­eth, falleth down, and prayeth before them, saying Catechis. one. Trid. [...]act. de O [...]. Tit. Our Father, &c. as idola­ters of old, Quis oran­ [...]us sit. Jer. 2.27. said to a tree thou art my fa­ther, and to a stone, thou hast begotten mee. Teaching her children further, that these Bellar. de [...]mag. l. 2. c. 21. images are to be worshipped, not onely by accident or unproperly, but also by themselvs and properly; so as they doe terminate or end the worship, as they are considered in them­selvs, and not onely as they bear the part of the examplar or person represented: yea say­ing of an image, Synod. Nicen. 11. Act. 4. This is Christ; as pay­nims said of theirs, Isa. 44 17 Thou art my God. But woe unto them ( Hab. 2.19▪ from the Lord) that say to the wood awake; to the dumb stone, rise up. Herein this Catholike Church exceedeth the devotion of Jero­boam [Page 99] son of N [...]bat, who worshipped by the Calues, 1 King. 12.28. [...]he God which had brought them out of Aegypt, and not any other Saints, much lesse the images themselvs. Yea in this kind, she passeth sundry of the Heathens, and her own Predecessors; for Licurgus the Lawgiver of Lacedemo­nia, and institutor of many ceremonies; Alexand. ab Alex­andr. l. 2, c. 22. ordained no images in his Religion; but forbad the forms of men, or other living creatures to be given to the Gods. Apol­lonius a Philosopher, Philostr. de vita A­pollon. l. 6, c. 9. found fault with the foolish and absurd images in many places, and thought it more honourable if the Gods had no images at all. The Persians had Herod. Clio. no images, for they thought it a madnesse to worship God by such. The Germans in their paynisme Corn. Ta­cit. de mor. Germ. held it unlawfull to paint their Gods on walls: or expresse them in any humane shape. And Numa, the King of the an­tique Romans Plutarch. in Numa. forbad them to think that the image of God, had the shape of a man, or form of other living creature. Yet Rome that now is, alloweth Bellar. de imag. Sanct. l. 2, c. 8. the image of God the Father, in form of an [...]ld man; and of the Holy Ghost in form of a doue. Though the holy Prophet inveigh­ing [Page 100] against this vanity, demandeth, Isa. 40.18 To whom will ye liken God, or what similitude will ye set up unto him? And though the learned Varro in August. de [...]ivit. Dei, l. 4. c. 31. Heathen by light of nature, ap­proved the practise of ancient Rome worshipping the Gods without any ima­ges almost two hundred yeares; and bla­med those that first brought in images, as authors of errour, and causes of impie­ty: yet such is the loue of this whorish Church to these teachers H [...]b. 2.18 of lies, the coun­terfeits of God; as she adoreth thē, or the divill in them, to fulfill that which is writ­ten of her, that men would Rev. 9.20 not repent of the works of their hands, and of the worship of divils, and idols of gold and of silver, and of brasse and of stone, and of wood, which neither can see, nei­ther hear nor goe.

10 In another point also, hath our Ba­bylons zeal, surpassed Jeroboams, to weet, in her Clergie, and multitude of Church officers. For Ieroboam had none but sim­ple 1 Kin. 12.31. Priests, to say and doe the Divine service in his high places: But our Ieze­bel hath founded Priests and Arch-priests, Lord Bishops and Arch-bishops, Deans and Arch-deacons, Suffragans, Cardinals▪ [Page 101] Patriarch [...], and Popes; Abbots, Friars, Monks, Seminaries, Iesuits, and a num­ber moe Chemarims, her Ecclesiasticall senate, to guard her throne, to fight her battels, to retail her wares, and to sa­tisfie by them her superstitious lust, which hath been even insatiable, as was Ezek. 16 28.29. the whores of Israel. And Priapus the Pope is Bellar. de Pont. l. 2. c. 31. bridegroom of this spowse, and hath preeminence over all, to powr out his for­nications upon her, by his doctrines, ca­nons, rites, ceremonies, decrees and decre­tals: for he is Bellar. d [...] ▪ head of this Church, and Prince of the Priests, Father and Doctor of all Christians, and Bishop universall: who Bellar. d [...] Pont. l. 4. c. 3. when he teacheth the whole Church in things pertaining to faith, cannot err by any hap or chance; and Ibid. c. 5▪ not onely in matters of faith, but in precepts of manners also, prescribed to the whole Church, he cannot err: and his wife the catholick church Ibid. c. 1▪ hath alwaies beleeved, that he is a true Ecclesiastical Prince in the whole Church, who can of his own au­thority, without consent of the people or counsel of the Priests, make laws which binde the con­science, can judg in causes ecclesiastical, as other judges doe, and punish also the disobedient. And his lawyers haue born men in hand, [Page 102] that this Pope may dispense against [...]. q. 1. [...]icunq. gloss. the Law of God, and against 5. q. 6. [...]orit. In [...]. the law of na­ture; even with the Precepts of the old and new Testament; ( Summ. Angel. in dict. Pap.) that his bare will must Extra de [...]sc. epis [...]. [...]anto, in [...]ssa. bee holden for a law; and whatsoever he doth, no man may Extra de [...]ces▪ Preb. oposuit. gloss. say to him, why doe you this? And whosoever obeyeth not his precepts, Dist. 81. qui sunt [...] gloss. incurreth the sin of idolatry. Finally, to lift up their blasphemy to the highest, they honour him with this title, Cum inter [...] gloss. our Lord God the Pope. And although this Romish Synagogue hath received some of her jolly Church Prelats, with their ex­orbitant power, by imitation of her Hea­thenish Predecessors Romulus and Numa Pompilius, [...]. Ioh. 22 [...] Livius. 1. who made Flamins, Arch-flamins, and a Pontifex Maximus to sacri­fice unto the Gods; and some of their ceremonies from other Infidels, as the shaving of Priests crowns, like Hieron. [...] Ezek. 44 [...]0. the Priests of Isis & Scrapis in Aegypt: yet neither, an­tique Rome, nor Aegipt, nor Babylon, nor any nation in the world, ever foūded such a pompous Hierarchie, such store and va­rity of Divines, Friers, Priests, Prelats, and religious persons, as this latter Babylon; whose clergie flyeth about like a cloud of [Page 103] Locusts, to molest the world; and came Rev. 9. out from the deep of the bottomlesse pit.

11 As be her deep Divines, so is her divine service, aboue all that ever super­stition hatched in any age. For as it is in Gen. 11 Babels language, an unknown tongue, so is it an idol wholly made (as the Scrip­ture speaketh) Hos. 13. [...] according to her own un­derstanding, and is all the work of the craftsmen, the Prelats and Popes, the lo­vers of this whore, who haue patched to­gether in their severall ages, the limms of this deformed monster, the Masse and Canon thereof, (a Concil. Trident. Sess. 22. c. [...] sacrifice for the sinns of the quick and the dead,) with the Le­tanie and Collects, Anthemes and Re­sponds, hymnes and songs; some of the canonicall Scriptures, and some of apo­cryphall writings of men; and in this Leitourgie God and his Angels, and Apo­stles, and Martyrs, and Confessors, and he Saints, and she Saints, (and some that had Satans sanctitie,) are wrapt up toge­ther in a longsome stage-like worship, with organs and musick to make them all merry; as Dan. 3. [...] Nebuchadnezar with me­lodie celebrated the dedication of his [Page 104] golden image. Which portesse and Missal, these artizens haue framed, not by exam­ple of God in the Law, who prescribed no such leitourgie by Moses or the Pro­phets; nor of Christ in the Gospell; nor of Ieroboam and Israel of old, for they forged no such idol; nor of the Turks at this day, who haue no such written wor­ship; nor of the Heathens of old, that I ever heard of: but it is their own device and forgerie, provoking God most high to jealousie and wrath.

12 But aboue all these sinns, and be­yond all wickedness that ever was inven­ted in any age; this catholick mother ( Ezek. 16.23. woe woe unto her saith the Lord God) hath made her a God, not of gold and sil­ver, but of a wafer cake, by a charm of Hoc est [...]nim corpus [...]neum. fiue Latin words: and this transubstan­tiated idoll, she falleth down before, and adoreth as her Maker▪ anathematizing and cursing all that shall deny this idol of in­dignation to be adored with Cultu la­triae Concil. Trid. Sess. 13, can. 6. the highest degree of worship, which is proper to God himself; for it is her God, as she sing­eth in her Roman missall,

And this breaden God, her children eat, even flesh, bloud and bones, (more vile then Canibals,) and devour their maker, (even Brist. Motiv. 2 [...] their Lord and their God,) in their own carnall conceit; vanishing in their va­nity more then the Hethens, who thought Cicer. [...] nat. Deor▪ l. 3. none was so witlesse as to beleev, that that which he eateth is a God.

13 And further to manifest her mad­nesse unto all men, this insatiable whore doteth on and adoreth the Divils own engin, the Crosse or Gibbet whereby he killed Christ the Saviour of the world. For the curse of the Law, Gal. 3. [...] was to be done away by a cursed death upon a tree, on which, who so was hanged, Deut. 2 [...] 23. the curse of God was upon him. This death the in­nocent Lamb CHRIST IESVS suf­fred for our sakes at the hands of wicked sinners, Pilate and the Iewes, the children Iob. 8.4 of the divill; who used all exquisite tor­mēts to make his death miserable, crown­ing him with thorns, peircing his hands, feet and side▪ with nails and spear, and hanging him on a tree, to do him die. And this tree, these thorns, nayls, yea other [Page 106] counterfeits of them, are for killing of Christ, honoured of these Babylonians, with as good a ground and devotion, as the Ophites, or Serpentaries, are Orig. cont. [...]elsun. l. 6. said to honour the Serpent, the divils instrument for to bring man Gen. 3. to the knowledge of good and evill. And that all the world mought take notice that Rome is Rev. 11.8 the citie where our Lord was crucified, the Ro­manists doe proclaime, Bellar. de [...]ag. sanct. 2, c. 27. that the crosse was the Altar, wheron the great sacrifice Christ was offered: wheras the Scripture teacheth that the bodies Lev. 16.27 of those beasts whose bloud was brought to make re­conciliation in the holy place, were burnt without the host of Israel; (and not on the Altar, Ex. 40.6 which stood "before the dore of the Tabernacle;) according to which fi­gure, Heb. 13.1.12. Iesus also (that he mought sancti­fie the people with his own bloud,) suf­fred without the gate of Ierusalem, which was a vers. 13. reproch. Yet will these God-eaters, and crucifiers of our Lord, make the cursed crosse to be the Exo. 40. [...]. altar most ho­ly, and so greater then Christ the sacrifice, as being that which sanctified him, for the Math. 23 [...]. Altar sanctified the offering. And here­upon they Officium call the crosse blessed, and [Page 107] ascribe unto it worthinesse to bear the talent of the world; S. crucis. [...] crux. ben [...]dicta, qu [...] sola fuisti digna por­tare talent [...] mundi, & [...] they Bellar. a [...] imag. l. 2. c. 26. [...] account it among the most precious reliques, and not onely the whole, but every peece therof; they adore it, salute it, pray unto it, and trust ther­in for salvation, crying; Brev. Rom. Sabb [...] in hebdom 4. quadra­ges. Haylô crosse our onely hope, increase thou to the godly righteous­nesse, and unto sinners giue pardon; Jb. infes [...] invent. & exalt. S. c [...]ucis. Saue thou the company, gathered together in thy praises. Yea, the very sign of this idol made in the aier, upon the forehead, or over any other thing, is Bellar. [...] imag. l. 2, c. 29. sacred and vene­rable, hath force to driue away Divils, and doe many like feats. Wherefore this abo­mination hath prevailed aboue other, and is like Beelzebub Prince of the Divils, the badg of the beast and character of Antichrist, imprinted in Churches, Chap­pels, Altars, houses and high-waies; in books and writings, in word, prayers, sa­craments, in garments, bodies and soules of men, both quick and dead, and other creatures: nothing is well hallowed with­out it, no As sait [...] Pope Steve [...] 5, D. Con [...] d. 5. Nun­quid. Sacrament perfect without it. This great honour hath the crosse, because the Divill killed our Savi­our by it: so that marvel it is, how Iudas lips scaped honour, seeing he also was [Page 108] Satans instrument to betray Christ with a kisse. Wherefore this spirituall Rev. 11.8 Aegypt, the pseudocatholick church, deserveth more to be branded by some Satyrist, for worshipping monsters, then the first Ae­gypt, whose lesse impiety Quis nes▪ [...]it Volusi [...]ithinice [...]ualia de­ [...]ens [...]giptus [...]ortenta [...]olat? &c. [...]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. [...] [...]emb. Leo. [...]0, nom. [...]ri [...]. l. 8. [...]ist. 1 [...]. Goddesse; hayling her for Offic. B. Mariae re­ [...]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. O­ [...]t. propr. de [...]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, Apu [...]e [...]us [...] de Deo [...]ocratis. supreme, inferiour, and middle ones called Daemones, by whom as by mediators and intercessors, they thought mens de­sires [Page 109] and merits did come unto God: so hath this synagogue of Satan Div [...]s and Divas, Saints of all sorts, whom she hath Bellar. d [...] 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. [Page 110] 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, 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, 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.

[Page 111]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 Hos. 10. [...] kowes of gold: for every immaculate Agnus Dei, or Lamb of God, that this Witch maketh of Virgin wax and holy water, hath Sacra. c [...]rem. eccle [...] Rom. l. 1, [...] 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 1 King. 1 [...] 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 [Page 112] 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 Beroald. Chron. l. 4. [...]. 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, 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 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 [Page 113] 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 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, Nahum. 3. [...]. and sold the nations through her Witchcrafts.

17 For by these and innumerable moe inchantments of Idolatrie, (which the day would not be enough to recken up,) this Circe, the Ladie of the pseudoca­tholicks hath intoxicate the earth, that the inhabitants Rev. 17.2 are drunken with the wine of her fornication; doting upon her reverend [Page 114] clergie, her devout service, her sacred ce­remonies, her hallowed Churches, her Saints reliques, and other like amatory potions; wherin Christianism, Iudaism and Paganism are tempered and mixt to­gether, in the golden Babylonish cup of her abominations.

18 Hence is it, that the reliques of this Romish idolatry, are so fast retained among some which yet Rev. 17. [...]6. hate the whore, and eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. Of her haue they received their Diocesan, Provinciall and Nationall Churches. Of her haue they learned to make portesses or Leitourgies, reading and singing their prayers upon a book with organs and melodie. Of her institution haue they their solemn festivities of Christs, Angels and Saints daies, with their fasting Eves. Of her hand haue they taken their Arch­bishops, Lordbishops, Suffragans, Arch-deacons, Parsons, Vicars, and a great ma­ny moe of her royall retinue. From her haue they had their Churches, Chappels, Minsters, baptized bells, hallowed fonts, and holy Churchyards; though some of those high places are of more antiquity, as having been built and dedicated to the [Page 115] Heathen Divils. Finally, from her haue been received lands, livings, tithes, offrings, garments, signes, gestures, cere­monies, courts, canons, customs, and ma­ny moe abominations, wherewith haue been inriched the Rev. 18.15. merchants of the whore, and all that sail vers. 19▪ with ships in her sea. Thus with all the evils before men­tioned, and others moe then can be told, which are very Gillulim the loathsome idols and execrements of the Queen of Sodom, and the filthinesse of her fornica­tion; hath shee dishonoured and blasphe­med the God of heaven, and all that ther­in dwell; with them she defileth the con­sciences of men; with them she delight­eth and solaces her selfe in fleshly ease and pleasure: till in Rev. 18.8 19. one houre, she and all her riches, pleasures, wares, merchandise shall perish; and that be again fulfilled, which was said by the Prophet▪ Ezek. 23.43. Now shal she and her fornications come to an end.

THE wares of idolatry being so com­mon and universally spread by the [Page 116] merchants of the whore, and conveigh­ed into all nations: it commeth to passe that many are interessed in this Mart, buy and sell, partake and communicate with these evils, not being aware of the danger they come into hereby. To warn them therefore of the mischiefe ere they fall in­to it, or to help them out if they be fallen, haue I penned this Treatise: and add, to the things fore written, these few adver­tisements.

2 This sin is direct against the Majesty of God, whose honour is to be regarded aboue our own liues; aboue the peace or tranquility of nations. The sin provoketh the anger of God, as adultery provoketh the rage of a man injured in his private bed. As he Pro. 6.34. will not spare in the day of vengeance, and can not bear the sight of any ransom: so the Lord is a Ex. 20, 5 gealous God, and visiteth the sin of the fathers up­on the children, even to the third and fourth generation of those that hate him.

3 Idolaters, as they are shut Rev. 22.14.15. out of the citie of the Lord, the Church of Christ, the heavenly Ierusalem; so haue they fur­ther this doom against them, they 1 Cor. 6. [...].10. shall not inherit the kingdom of God. The cōmu­nicating [Page 117] with idols, depriveth men of cō ­munion with God; for there is 2 Cor. [...] 14.16. no fel­lowship of righteousnes with unrightous­nes, no agreement betwixt the Temple of God and idols. The partakers therfore in this evill, (though perhaps not authors, in­ventors; nor open maintainers of the same,) shall come unto shame and confu­sion before God; for Isa. 44.1 all that are of the fellowship thereof, shall be confounded.

4 Folly is a blot and shame unto men, which they fayn would shun: but wise­dom is mans honour, and Eccl. 8. [...] maketh his face to shine. Of all foolishnesse, idolatry is the greatest; depriving men of sound judgement in the best & heavenly things, and possessing their minds with habituall vanity. Therefore is this vice resembled by a Pro. 9.1 foolish woman, ignorant, & know­ing nothing; yet troublesome and talka­tiue, Pro. 7.1 & lowd in her babling: of a smooth and Pro. 2.1 & 5.3.8.9 flattering tongue, and her mouth more soft then oil; yet cruel also and ma­licious, Pro. 6.2 [...] & 9.18. hunting for the precious life of a man; bringing him to beggery, death and hell. But true religion, or the fear of the Lord, is resembled by Prov. 8 1.4.6. wisedom, which uttereth her voice to the children of men, [Page 118] & speaketh of excellent things; the words [...]. 8.9. [...]1. of her mouth are all righteous & plain, her instructions better then fine gold, and all her pleasures are not to be compared unto her. Blessed [...]ers. 33.35. is the man that hear­eth her, watching daily at her gates, and giving attendance at the posts of her dores: for he that findeth her, findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord, but he that sinneth against her, hateth his own soule; all that hate her, loue death.

5 To worship and serv the Divill▪ is a thing horrible in religion, and even in na­ture; worthy of vengeance from the hand of God. Though all manner sin pertain­eth to the Divils service: yet idolatry aboue all is counted and called the wor­ship of Divils, and so shall be punished. The Heathens albeit they Rom. 1. [...]0.21. had some knowledge of the true God, and worship­ped Act. 17. [...]3. him ignorantly; yet their worship is reckoned to Satan, for 1 Cor. 10 [...]0. the things which they sacrificed they sacrificed to Divils, and not unto God. Ieroboam made account he served the true God, 1 King. 2.28. even the God that had brought Israel out of Ae­gipt land: notwithstanding the Lord hath thus testified of him, that they were 2 Chron. [...]1.15. Di­vils [Page 119] which he made, when he made his calues, for to worship God by. And I­srael before him made Exod. 3 [...] 1, &c. a calfe for like use; but Moses doth blame them as having offered unto Lev. 17. [...] Divils, and gone a who­ring after them: and prophesyeth that their children Deut. 32 17. would also run into like blot. Antichristians would seem to bee worshippers of God; yet the Holy Ghost chargeth them to Rev. 9.2 [...] worship the Divils, when they think to serv God by idols. Forasmuch then as all idols are Divils, though fools count them Saints: to par­take with them, is to forsake God, and to bring our selues into satans damnation: for the Spirit hath protested, that wee 1 Cor. 1 [...] 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 Lev. 26.16. Deut. 28.3 [...] 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 2 Chr. 2 [...] 18.19. Kings for their [Page 120] idolatry. Hee threatned famine and drought, Lev. 26. [...]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 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 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, 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 2 Chr. 12 [...], & 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. [...]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 [Page 121] lack in the seige and streightnes wherein their enemies should inclose them: which extremities God 2 Kin [...] 6.29. brought upon Israel in K. I [...]r [...]ms daies, and after, when Lam. [...] 11.12. chil­dren & sucklings swooned in the streets, & gaue up the ghost in their mothers bo­some, for want of bread and drink; and Lam. 4. the hands of the pittifull women sod their own children for their meat; and did eat their fruit, even Lam. 2. children of a span long. The Lord threatned Lev. 2 [...] 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 2 King 23.16.2 [...] dead bones were taken out of their graues & burned upon their polluted altars; and the idolatrous Priests sacrificed upon them. Ierusalem the holy citie, 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 [Page 122] trode [...]am. 1.15 under foot, all the valiant men; Sion mourned, and there was none to comfort her; the [...]am. 2.1, [...]. 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 [Page 123] sin like them, lest we be partakers of like punishments. It is Heb. 1 [...] 31. a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God. For 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; 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: 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, 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: 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 [Page 124] others, and your years to the cruel; and mourn at your end, when you haue con­sumed your flesh and your body. For 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, 1 Io [...]. 5.21. your selvs from Idols. Amen.