An Arrow Against Idolatry, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
How fast the sin of Idolatrie cleaveth to all flesh.
THE service of idols, or of God by them, although it be a sin more reprehended in Gods word, more punished in his works, then other vices: yet is it most common and familiar with the sons of Adam, easily compassing them about, and hanging fast upon them. As may appear by three demonstrations; first, how the best men in the world doe easily fall into it; secondly, after, what pleasure they take in it; thirdly, and then, how hardly they are drawn from it. Of all these, the Scriptures giuegive testimonies many.
2 When God had renewed the face of the world, after the sin-floud, and Noahs three sonnes Sem, Gen. 10.Ham, and Iapheth had multiplyed on the earth: our father Abram, with his father Terah, were foul of this sin,Ios. 24.2. and served strange Gods, till the true God called him from that impiety. In his daies, idolatrie was spread over all, but men would not be reclaimed from it, either by Abrahams word or sword; though “Gen. 14.14— 17.Kings were given as dust unto it, and as scattred stubble unto his bow. The Nations in deed saw this great work of God, and were afraid; aIsa. 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 bGen. 24.3 &c.abhorred:) hee sent to his kindred of Nahors house, who yet was not free from this leven of idolatrie, neither cGen. 31.53.19.he nor his posteritie. Into Iaakobs house did this canker creep, and his retinue also were polluted with dGen. 35.2strange 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 eEze. 23.8laid they with this virgin Israel, bruised the breasts of her virginity, and powred their whordoms upon her: Then was God wroth with idolatrous Aegypt, and lifted up his hand to bring his people from among them, and to execute judgment, fNum. 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 gVers. 8.Israel would not hear, nor leav her abominations; or idols which she had loved. Yet God hVers. 9.respecting his own name, brought them out of Aegypt into the wildernesse, where iVer. 10.11hee gaue them his statutes, and declared his judgements unto them; kExod. 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 lEx. 32.31Gods of gold, and mVers. 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 nAct. 7.42.43. Amos 5.host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the Prophets, O house of Israel, hauehave 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 oNum. 25 2.3. Psa. 106.28Baal-peor, and did eat the sacrifices of the dead, such was the great fall of the people whom God had chosen from among all peoples of the earth, for to be his; they pLev. 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, qEzek. 20.15.a land flowing with milk and honey, and most pleasant of all Countries; and cast out the Heathens before their faces, and rDeut. 24.25.26.warned them to beware of their idols: yet there also they did sIudg. 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 tPsal. 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 uPsal. 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, x1 Sam. 7 3, 4.they were defiled with their idols; and in the daies of the Kings, they increased wrath. Solomon himselfe, the wisestman on earth a1 King. 11.5.fell into this folly of serving idols, even the abomination of the Heathens; although God had bvers. 9.10appeared unto him twice, and given him a charge concerning this thing. And Rehoboam his son, though for his fathers sinne cver. 11.12he lost the most part of his Kingdom, yet gaue himself to idolatry, he forsook d2 Chron. 12.1.the Law of the Lord, and all Israel with him. Then Iudah e1 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 fvers. 23.built them high Places, and statues (or pillars) and g1 Chron. 14.3.strange altars, and groues on every high hill, and under every green tree. And Rehoboam made h1 King. 15.12.Gillullim, filthy idols, and i2 Chron. 14 5.Chammanim idols, or images of the Sun, and Maacah his wife made k1 King. 15.13.Miphletseth an idol of terrour, in a groue. And Abijam his sonne, l1 King. 15.2.3.walked in all his fathers sinnes, neither was his heart perfect with the Lord his God; although m2 Chron. 13.8.9.he despised Ierobams calues, and boasted that nVers. 10.12.God was with him.
8 Idolatry being thus fastned upon Iudah, could hardly ever be weeded out again: for though Asa the next King, did his best, o1 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 p1 King. 15.14.were the high places not taken away, but remained till Iehoshaphat his son was King, who took away many both q2 Chron. 17.6.groues & high places, howbeit not all; for r2 Chron. 20.33.the people had not yet prepared their harts unto the God of their fathers, but s1 King. 22.43.offered still, and burnt incense in the high places. And when Iehoshaphat was dead, his wicked son Ioram t2 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 u2 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 x2 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 y2 Chron. 24.7.all the things that were dedicated for the house of the Lord, were bestowed upon Baalim. Thus Baal was honoured of the people of God, a2 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 b2 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 c2 Chron. 23.17.destroyed Baal and his house, and Gods dVers. 18.true worship was restored; albeit not brought as yet to the primitiue sincerity, for the e2 King. 12 3.people offered still, and burnt incense in the high places untaken away. But so soon as this f2 Chron. 24.15.aged father the Priest was dead; the Princes of Iudah gvers. 17.fawning on the King, turned him away to the former superstition; and again they hvers. 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 iver. 20.21stoned him to death (by the unthankful Kings cōmandment,) in the court of the Lords house, even between kMat. 23, 35.the temple and the altar.
10 When Ioash was taken away l2 Chron. 24.25.by a bloudy death, Amaziah his son succeeded m2 King. 14.3.like his father; did uprightly in the eyes of the Lord, n2 Chron. 25.2.but not with a perfect heart; for idolatry still continued in Iudah, and o2 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, p2 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 q2 Chron. 26.3, 4, 5.according to all that his father Amaziah did; for the r2 King. 15▪4.high places stood still for offerings and incense, and Iothan his son svers. 32.34.35.trode the very same steps. But Achaz son of Iotham marred all again, and made it worse then before; for t2 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 uver. 10, &c.like to the idolatrous altar which he saw in Damascus; and xver. 17.brake down the work in the temple of God; and made y2 Chron. 28.2, 3.molten images for Baalim; yea being afflicted for his sins, he trespassed zver. 22.23the more against the the Lord, sacrificing to the Gods of Damascus which had plagued him; “vers. 24.breaking the vessels, and shutting up the dores of the Lords house, making altars in every corner of Ierusalem, and high places “vers. 25.in every citie of Iudah, to burn incense unto other Gods. And thus Ierusalem aEzek. 23.11.Aholibah, marred her selfe with inordinate louelove, and with her fornications, more then her idolatrous sister Aholah, or Samaria: for Iudah b2 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 cDeut. 32.17.to Divils, new Gods whom they knew not, nor their fathers, and burnt incense to d2 King. 18.4.Nehushtan, the serpent of brasse.
11 Then God raised them up the good King Ezekias, who e2 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 gvers. 21.25.29.for their sinnes; restored the true worship; sought the conversion h2 Chron. 30.1, &c.of all Israel; i2 Chron. 30.1, &c.caused them to break the images, cut down the groues, break down the high places and altars through all his Dominions; and, k2 King. 18.4.brake in peeces the brazen serpent that Moses had made, and Israel polluted. Thus dealt hee l2 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 m2 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 n2 King. 21.16.shed innocent bloud exceeding much, till he filled Ierusalem from corner to corner; and made Iudah and Ierusalem to erre, to o2 Chron 33.9.doe worse then the heathen whom the Lord had destroyed before them. The pIer. 7.17 18.children gathered wood, and the fathers kindled the fire, and the women kneaded the dough, to make cakes to the Queen of heaven, and to power out drink offerings unto other Gods, that they mought provoke the Lord to anger: they vers. 30.set their abominations in the house wherupon his name was called, to pollute it: they Ier. 19.5.builded the hie places of Baal, to burn their sonnes with fire for burnt offrings unto Baal and unto Ier. 32.35Molech. 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. 15.16took away the strange Gods, and altars and images that he had made, and restored in Iudah Gods true religion, saue onelyonly 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 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 l2 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 mvers. 19▪ 27.trembled at his law & judgments: but the people nIer. 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 oZeph. 1.5worshiped the host of heaven, on the house tops; remaining pvers. 12.frozen in their dregs; and shewed themselvs to be qZeph. 2.a Nation not worthy to be loved. So when Iosiah was dead, Iehoahaz his son, r2 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 sver. 36.3▪dealt as badly; and tIer. 26.2… 23.killed the Prophets which called them to repentance, and uJer. 36.2 25.burned their writings. And after him x2 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 y2 King▪ 24.18.19still evill in the Lords eyes; aJer. 37.1.….neither he nor his servants, nor the people of the land, would obey the words of the Lord; b2 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 onelyonly, that did all these evils, but also cIer. 44.9.their wiues, dIer. 32.32and the Princes of the land, the Priests and the Prophets, and the men of Iudah, and the inhabitants of Ierusalem, even the e2 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 fvers. 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 gIer. 32.31been 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 hEze. 6.9.whorish hearts, and their eyes went a whoring after their idols: and with them iEzek. 23.…7.they committed adultery, till being wexen old in adulteries God said, kvers. 43.Now shall she and her fornications come to an end.
14 And as it was with Iudah, so was it also with the ten tribes of Israel; who sucked the milk of Idol superstition in the daies of l1 King 12.28 30.Ieroboam sonne of Nebat, whereunto they were addicted m2 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, n2 Kin. 17and Heathens came to dwell in their sted. As these are o1 Cor. 1… 6.7.ensamples to us, to the intent that wee should not be idolaters like them; & are written pvers. 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 onelyonly 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 hauehave 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 bEsa. 44.9.delectable things; because of their desire that is towards them, & their pleasure in them. Ezekiel compareth the idolaters of Israel, to cEzek. 23.2, 3.5, &c.a woman inflamed with louelove towards some goodly yong man, on whom she hath cast her eies, and fixt her affections: and forgetting all modesty, she dvers. 16.sendeth messengers for him, and bringeth him to her evers, 17.into the bed of louelove, so fvers. 18.discovering her fornication and disclosing her shame. Teaching us by this similitude, that idolatry is as sweet to the corrupted conscience and mind of man, as lust and fornication, is to any wanton body.
17 The objects also of this vice, are very pleasurefull and alluring: for the doctrines, rites, ceremonies and observances of false religion, with the gifts and learning of the Teachers therof; are like unto the goodly proportion, comely stature and glorious apparel, which set forth and adorn the persons of men, making them seem like gEze. 23.6Captains and Princes▪ and pleasant choise-youths, clothed in silks, and hver. 12.15all kind of Gentleman-like apparell, whereby the womans heart, ivers. 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 kEzek. 13.16, 7.visions, sweet prophesies, and lying divinations; in diligent lAmos 4.4, 5.sacrificing, tithing, thanksgiving, and proclaiming free offrings, with other like devotions: these giuegive content to the worshippers conscience, and please the minde no lesse then mPro. 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, & nvers. 13.15.18.courteous intertainment of a paramour, with fill of louelove, and pleasure of dalliance all the night, is to a loose and lustfull yong man, given over to the fleshly and sensuall sin of whoredom.
18 Agreeable to these similitudes, are the things foretold of the idolatry of Antichrist, whose false Church is resembled oRev. 17.1by 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 pRev. 21.2Spowse of Christ, whose qver. 11.18shining is like to gold and stones most cleer and precious; her lips rSong. 4 3.10.like scarlet, and her louelove much better then wine. The pleasantnesse of that false religion, enamouring so many sProv. 7.7fooles, is noted by tRev. 18.3the aboundance of her pleasures, wherby her merchants wexed rich; uvers. 9.the luxurious life and fornication of Kings with her, xvers. 14.the apples that her soule lusted after, and all things that were fat and excellent; yvers. 22.the musick and melodie that there was heard; and is signified further by zvers. 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. 7.22they 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. 106.39goeth a whoring with his own inventions; how easily will it prevail against him? Every man naturally pleaseth himselfe, and liketh well of his own designes; loving the fruit of his wit, as the child of his body: that when ‘,’Isa. 59.he hath conceived mischief, and brought forth (an idol, that is) iniquity; it groweth up with him, and delighteth him, and he Act. 7.41rejoyceth 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 dIer. 44.17he burneth incense to the Queen of heaven, the idol that he hath made eHos. 13.2according to his own understanding. wherefore he will loose his life, rather then his religion, which he defends with tooth & nayl, lest the fAct. 19.26magnificence of his Diana should be destroyed; he will gIer· 28.11preach, and hAct. 17.18.dispute, iIer. 29.25and write for the same, against whomsoever; and k1 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 lIer· 44.16will not hear; being as hardly induced to think it no truth, which his own wit hath discovered, as were the Ephesians to think mAct. 19.26.them no Gods, which were made with hands; for his idoll invention hath bereft him of sound judgment, a seduced hart hath deceived him, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say.Isa. 44.29. Is there not a lye in my right hand?
20 So in his blind devotion he continueth, blessing himselfe in his evill, feighning that he is high in Gods favour, and shall hauehave peace, nDeut. 20.19.although he walk in the wrest and obstinacie of his own heart; and that oIer. 2.35·because he is guiltlesse, surely Gods wrath shall turn from him: For hee pvers. 23.followeth no idols, (whatsoever men say,) but he qIer. 5.2.swears, the Lord liveth; and will shew by his works, the r2 King. 10.16.zeal that hee hath for the Lord against idolaters. Hee bringeth sAmos 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 tMic. 6.7.thousands of rammes, or ten thousand rivers of oil; and to giuegive his first-born, the fruit of his body, for the sinne of his soule: and though he burn incense to Baal, uIer. 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 xMi…. 3.22lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord with me? No evill can come upon me; neither aIer. 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,) bIer. 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 cIer. 35.15all 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 hauehave given unto you and to your fathers; dIer. 44.4, 5.oh doe not this abominable thing that I hate: but they would not hear, nor incline their ear, to turn from their wickednesse, and to burn no more incense unto other Gods. And now are we come to the last demonstration, how hardly this sinne is left, when once men hauehave 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 e1 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 f1 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 hauehave been, from proceeding in his idolatry: but all this prevailed nothing. He lost in one battell that he fought with Iudah, 2 Chron. 3.17.fiue hundred thousand chosen men; and some of his cities: and yet had no heart to return unto the Lord; till he was hvers. 20.plagued of God and died. And the yere after, Nadab his son walking in his fathers sin, i1 Kin. 15 25 — 28.29was 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, k1 King. 16.1,—4.to hauehave 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, l1 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 m1 King. 16.15.18.19.reigning but seven daies, God hastened wrath upon his head, and he burned himselfe in his distresse.
24 All this notwithstanding the people of Israel, and Kings that succeeded, left not Ieroboams sinns, but added moe unto them, and did worse then he. And although wrath was encreased upon the Nation, n2 King. 6 24.25.by sword and by famine, that women over. 28.29did eat their own children for hunger, and the Prophets did p2 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, qAmos 4.6.yet turned they not unto him. Hee with-held rain from them, and made them wander about to seek water to drink; rVers. 8.yet turned they not unto the Lord. He smote them with blasting and mel dew, and kanker worms did consume their fruits; svers. 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; tvers. 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; uvers. 11▪yet turned they not unto the Lord. And though the Lord a2 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 bver. 23.24spoyled 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 c2 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 dvers. 8.servants to Shishak.
27 The idolatrous Kings after, augmented sin and wrath, but could not be brought to amendment. Jehoram lost e2 Chron. 21.8.Aedom; had his house and children robbed and carried away fver. 16.17by the Philistims and Arabians, and himself after two years sore sicknesse, gvers. 19.had his guts fall out, and so died. Amaziah was h2 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 i2 Chron. 28.5.the Kings of Aram & of Israel; and six score thousand valiant men of Iudah were killed in one day; (kvers. 6. because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers,) and two hundred thousand taken prisoners; besides lvers. 17.18.19.other miseries that came upon the Countrie. But these and other plagues many which God laid upon them, till mIsa. 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, nvers. 5.the more they fell away; all labour was spent in vain upon them, the oJer. 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 pIer. 9.1…to make Ierusalem a heap, and a den of Dragons, and to make the cities of Iudah wast without an inhabitant, and sent unto them saying, aIer. 18.11Behold I prepare a plague for you, and purpose a thing against you, turn you therefore every one from his evill way; bvers. 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 c2 Chr. 36Ierusalem was broken up by the Babylonians, the temple burned, the people killed, and the rest caried prisoners into Babel; some poore men onelyonly d2 King. ….5.12.left to till the land; yet that remnant afterward fled eIer. 43.5 ….7.into Aegypt, both small and great; and there committed idolatry again with fJer. 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 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 hauehave scourged Christendom with fire, & smoke, and brimstone, gRev. ….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, hvers. 20.hauehave 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 iRev. 16.11.hauehave blasphemed the God of heaven, for their paines and for their sores, and repented not of their works. All kRev. 13.3the world wondreth and followeth the beast, admireth the glory and magnificence of the lRev. 17.whore, and without Gods speciall grace, none can keep himselfe from her, for she sitteth mProv. 9.14.15.in the high places of the citie, calling them that passe by the way; and her lips aProv. 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 bEzek. 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 cEzek. 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 dvers. 42.a voyce of a multitude being at ease, is with her; for many fools follow her, because of her worldly prosperity, she allureth and intertaineth all comers. Thus with Pro. 7.21.her great craft she causeth men to yeeld, and felleth down many wounded; fvers. 26.great is the number of all that are k…ll…d by her; for her heart is gEccles. 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.