The Theater of Gods Judgments, Book 1 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Of those that have willingly fallen away.
THese kinde of Apostata's which we are now to speake of, are such as without any outward compulsion, threats, or likelyhood of danger, forsake freely Gods true Religion, and give themselves over to all Idolatry: Against whom there is a Decree ordained in the thirteenth of Deutronomy, by the Law-giver of Heaven: which is this; If the inhabitants of any city have turned from the Lord, to follow after strange gods, let them be destroyed with the edge of their sword, and their city consumed with fire, that they may be utterly rased out and brought to nothing. This was the sinne of Solomon King of Israel (a brave and mighty 1 King. 110kingdome in his time) a man subject to none for power, nor fearing any for authority: yet for all this, so filthily recoyling from the Truth which hee knew and had professed, that in stead of serving the true God, he became a setter up of false Idols, and that of his owne freo will and pleasure: he that had been so well brought up and instructed from his childehood in true Religion by his School master the Prophet Nathan, into whose charge hee was committed; and so often and earnestly admonished by his father David, to observe diligently the law of God, to direct his wayes thereby: and whom God vouchsafed this honour, to appeare twice unto, and to enrich and adorne with such excellent wisedome, that the Queene of Saba hearing his report, came to Ierusalem to be his auditor: even this Solomon in his old age, when he should have been most stedfast and constant, suffered himselfe to be seduced by the enticements of his strange wives and concubines, to offer service unto strange gods, and to forsake the God of Heaven, to worship the Idols of the Gentiles. And as his renowne was great and famous before for building that sumptuous and beautifull Temple at Ierusalem; so was his obloquy and reproach the greater, for erecting Altars and Chappels for the Idols of his wives and concubines, even for every one of their Idols, to the intent to flatter and please their humors: it was therfore just and equall, that the Lord (his wrath being provoked against him) raised up two strong enemies that wrought him and his people much scath. Yea moreover Ieroboam, one of his owne servants (whilest hee yet lived) was by the ordinance of God designed King over ten Tribes: and so God punished him for his Idolatry and Backsliding, leaving him but a small portion of the kingdome to continue to his successors: which, had it not been for his father Davids sake, had been also taken away. It is true, That we read not that he ever hindred the service of the Temple, or compelled or perswaded any man to worship an Idoll; yet he did enough to make him culpable before God of a grievous sinne, in that he being the head and Soveraigne Magistrate of the people, committed such wickednes and such Apostasie in Israel: beside, it is a marvellous strengthning, that in all his History there is not so much as any token mentioned, or to be gathered of his true repentance alter this notable fall. And hee that well weigheth the nature and quality of this sinne, shall perceive that it somewhat resembleth that which is spoken of, Heb. 6. ver, 4, 5, 6: for Solomon was not so ignorant and destitute of the knowledge of God, but rather had the treasure of wisedome in fulnesse and abundance, and was endowed with the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit, that he was able to instruct others, and to discharge a Doctors place in the Church, as he also did both by word and writing. And although that the Sonne of God was nos as then yet manifested in the flesh; yet the power and efficacy of his death being everlasting, and from the beginning, whereof the Law with the ceremonies and sacrifices thereof, was as it were a Schoolemaster, could not be hidden from him: Therefore so soone as he addicted himselfe to his Idolatry, he It is manifest that Solomon did repent: first because it is said, that God loved him. Secōdlv, because he was a pen man of some part of the Scr…ptu…e and th…dly, becaus… he was a …ype of Christ. 2 Chron. 12.forthwith abandoned the holy ordinances and sacrifices of Gods Law, and quitted himselfe of the promise of salvation therein contained; disanulling and making of none effect, as concerning himselfe, the grace of the Mediator, ordained from the beginning: so that his downfall was terrible and perillous. Yet there be that thinke that after all this he wrote the booke of Ecclesiastes, as a declaration of his repentance; whose opinion I purpose not to contradict.
Roboam his sonne succeeded him, as well in the likenesse of his sinne, as of his kingdome: for after that the Priests and Levites forsaking the part of Ieroboam because of his Idols, and leaving their houses and possessions to strangers, had made repaire to him, for feare of God, and love of his holy service, and that he had disposed and put in order his publique affaires, for the ratifying and confirming of his kingdome; presently he and all his people forsooke the law of God, and gave themselves over to Idolatry and other grievous sinnes: wherefore the Lord also forsooke and gave them over to the hands of Caesac King of Aegypt, that raised up a mighty power of men, even a thousand and two hundred chariots, threescore thousand horsemen, with an infinite multitude of footmen to make warre against him: so that all the strong cities and fortresses of Iudah, no nor Ierusalem it selfe, was strong enough to repulse him from sacking and taking them, and robbing the Temple of their treasures and despoyling the Kings palaces of his riches, and carrying backe into Aegypt a rich prey of the best and beautifullest things that were therein. And this was the first shake that ever this kingdome received since it was a kingdome, whereby it began to waine and decline. Notwithstanding all this, yet the Lord had compassion and pitty of him and all his people, and would not suffer his dignity to be troden under foot and quite suppressed, but restored him once againe into an honourable estate, because when he was reproved by Semeia the Prophet, he humbled himselfe before the Lord, and his Princes also: which is a mafest signe, that his sinne was not an universall Apostasie, whereby hee was wholly turned aside from God and all hope of grace, but it was a particular revolt, such as was that of his forefathers, the children of Israel, when they imagined that God would be present with them in the idolatrous golden Calfe, and in that figure to worship him, so grosse and sencelesse were they: although yet Roboams sin seemeth to exceed theirs in greatnesse and guiltinesse.
The Iewes that in the time of Ptolomey Philopater abode in Aegypt, and willingly renounced the law and service of God, in hope thereby better to provide for their worldly commodities, enjoyed not long their ease and prosperity: for the other Iewes which had couragiously stucke to their profession, and had been miraculously delivered from their enemies, being grieved and chased at their recoyle, made their supplications to the King (whose heart God inclined to favour their suit) that he would permit them to revenge Gods quarrell upon those Apostates as they had deserved: alledging, that it was hard for them to be true subjects to the King, who for Machab. 7.their bellies sake had rebelled against the commandement of God. The King seeing their request reasonable, and their reasons which they alledged likely, not onelyonly commended them, but gave authority to destroy all those that could be found in any place of his dominion, without any further enquiry of the cause, or intelligence of the Kings authority; insomuch that they put to death all those that they knew to have defiled themselves with filthy Idols, doing them before, all the shame they could devise. So that at that time there were dispatched above three hundred persons: which when they had accomplished they rejoyced greatly.