The Bibles Abstract and Epitome, Part 64
A Catalogue of gifts given by Godly persons to holy Uses.
THe Israelites brought of free gifts for the work of the Tabernacle ear-rings, rings, bracelets, Jewels of gold, blew silk, and purple, &c. And the rulers offered Omx stones, and stones for the Ephod, &c. All which they brought willingly,Exod. 35. 12. offering it unto the Lord, and that in such abundance, as that they brought too much, yea, more then enough, so that Moses was forced to proclaime throughout all the host▪ that neither man or woman should prepare anyExod. 36. 5. more for the oblation of the Sanctuary.
Women did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun both of blue and purple▪ &c. willingly offering it.Exod. 38.
The Israelites Offered towards the making of the Tabernacle 29. talents ofExod. 38. gold, and 730▪ shekles in gold, after the shekle of the Sanctuary, and 100 talents and 760. shekles of silver.
The Princes offered at the setting up of the Tabernacle many gifts.Numb. 7. Numb. 32.
Captains brought of all their spoiles that they had taken.
David dedicated to the Lord of all that he tooke from his enemies, gave towards2 C…ron. 29. the building of the Temple 3000 talents of gold of Ophir, and 7000 talents of refined silver, besides brasse, iron and precious stones.
Princes and Captaines gave towards the building of the Temple 5000 talents and1 Chron. 29. 6. 10000 drams of gold, 10000 talents of silver, 18000 talents of brasse; and an 100000 talents of iron, besides precious stones.
Hiram an Heathen King, gave Salomon towards the building of the Temple,1 King. 5. Cedar-trees and Fir-trees, and that in abundance to the hearts desire of Salomon
Hezekiah commanded all the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give part to the2 King. 31. 4. Priests and Levites of all that they had, that thereby they might be incouraged in the Law of the Lord, to which they willingly consented.
Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes
Heathen Kings restored to the Jewes the holy vessels that were takenEzra 1. Chap 5. 14. Chap. 6 Chap. 7. Chap. 12. Nehem. &c 2 Ki 12. Ch. 22. Ezr. 1. 6. 8. by Nebuchadnezzar, commanding other people to helpe them to build againe the Temple: As also to set them at libertie, and gave them of wheate, oyle and other things in abundance.
Iehoaz and godly Iosiah made provision for the Temple.
The Jewes returning from Captivity, gave towards the new erecting of the Temple, threescore and one thousand drams of gold: five thousand peeces of silver, and an hundred Priests garments: their gold and silver in our account was foure thousand foure hundred ninety three pounds six shillings and eight pence.
The Elders of Israel
Gave towards the erecting of the said Temple a thousand drams of gold, 56 basons, 536 Priests garments, 20000 drams of gold, withN…h 7. 70. 2200 peeces of silver
Salomon offered a thousand burnt-Offering at Gibeon, and two and twenty thousand1 King. 3 4. 2 Chron. 7. 2 Chron. 30. bullocks, and one hundred and twenty thousand bullocks, and one hundred and twenty thousand Sheepe for a Sacrifice to God.
Hezekiah offered an oblation of a thousand bullockes and seven thousand Sheepe.Mal. 1. 14.
Use.
This should teach us to follow the counsell of the Wise-man, (saying) In all Syr. 34. 8, 9.thy gifts shew a joyfull countenance, and dedicate thy Tithes with gladnesse, according as the Lord hath enriched thee, and looke what thy hand is able to give, give with a chearefull eye, for the Lord recompenceth, and will give thee seven times as much: Diminish nothing of thy Offering, for if thou doe, he will not receive it: Abstaine from wrongfull sacrifices, for the Lord is the judge and regardeth no mans person.
The willingnesse of these people in building and repairing the Lords house, as also in rendering to the Lord his tithes, doe condemne many in these our dayes, that seyle their owne houses, and let the Lords house be waste, yea that doe ruinate the same, and with the spoyles thereof doe build themselves goodly houses, not at all regarding to pay any tithes due to the Lord: Fight the Lords battell they may that will, that which other left to the Church a number take away: Such Sauls are many, few Pauls, many Hornets, few Bees, much gall and alloes, few honey Combes, nay scarce a poore Hive left for many to put their heads in.
A fearfull example was the judgement of God on those that ruinated the house of God, not rendering their dues to the Lord. How then shall even the proud Pharisees condemne many in these our dayes, vvho paid tithes of all that they had, not a pot-herbe, but they tithed it: Sacrilegious Patrons, the merchants of soules, the pirates of the Church, and enemies of Religion, they tithed all, you nothing; they paid the Levites, the Levites must pay you. Your cures must be purchased, your tithes abated, or compounded for. Your Fathers cloathed the Church, you dispoyle it, their ignorant devotion shall rise in judgement against your ravenous covetousnesse: Yea king Pharaoh, who provided for his Priests shall condemne many of you: The Lord open your eyes to see your miseries.
Gods Justice Idolaters punished.
Idolarry Spirituall
Idolatry is both Spirituall and Corporall.
1. Is inwardly to conceive of God in the likenesse of any thing created, directing his worship to the likenesse.Act. 17. 29.
2. Is committed of those, who directly or indirectly have societyLev. 19. 31. Deut. 18. 10, 11 with the devill, trusting in him as Sorcerers.
3. Is committed of those who maintaine any erroneous opinion concerning the worship of God, or against the word of God, that doe cherish and defend any vice, by a displayed banner against1 Sam. 15. 23. God, as King Saul did.
And
Idolatry Corporall
1. Is to make an image to resemble God by it, as also toDeut. 4. 12. Isai 40. 18. Hos. 3. 12. Exod. 23. 13. 1 Cor. 10. …1. Exod. 34. 15. Ps…l. 116. 18. G…l. 4. 6. Exod. …2. H…s. 2. 16. use any gesture or reverence to the images, or to mention the name of Idols by the vvay of swearing.
2. Is to be present at the feasts, and at the services of the Idols, at Masses, &c. being forbidden.
3. Is to worship the image of God or God in the Image. In a vvord: Idolatry is the worshipping of any false god, as also the worshipping of the true God falsely.
Ahaziah seeking to other gods, being sicke, dyed in his sicknesse.Abraham 1 Cor. 12. ….2 King. 1. 2 Chron. 25. Iudg. 18. 1 King. 16. … King. 1…. Iudg. 8. 2 Chron 21. 1 King. 12. 33. 1 Kin. 13. Chap. 14.
Amaziah setting up the gods of the children of Seir, dyed by enemies.
The Danites erecting Michaes image, were after carried in captivity.
Baashaes house was made like Ierob…ams, with all his posterity.
Baals Prophets were slaine, being 450.
Gideon making an Ephod, it became his and his housholds ruine.
Iehoram dyed with a disease, his guts falling out within him.
Ieroboam setting up two Calves, the Lord cut off all his posteritie, not leaving one to pisse against the wall: Doggs did eate those that dyed in the Citie: and Foules such as dyed in the fields of all that were of his seed.
Through Idolatry
The Israelites
Erecting the golden Calfe, three thousand were slaine, andExod. 32. Iudg. 2. … K. 17. 7. 2 Chr. 28. 6 Ro. 1. 2… Numb. 25. 1 Cor. 10 7. Ier. 16. 1. &c. Chap. 15. 1 King. 15. Dan. 4. … 1 King. 12. worshipping of other gods, they were delivered into the hands of spoylers, given up by God unto vile affections, so that their women did change the naturall use into that which is against nature, and the men the naturall use of women, &c. were slain at one time in one plague 24000. And at last carried away captives by their enemies.
Maachab making an Idoll, was put downe from being Queen.
Nebuchadnezzar erecting an Image, was turned out from being King.
Solomon had ten tribes rent from his son of his kingdome.
Note: The proud The covetous The voluptuous man makes Honour his gold his bellie his god: His idoll is as it were in the Aire. Earth. Water.
The Philistines
Attributing Samsons delivery into their hands to their gods, three thousand by the fall of an house were slainIudg 16. of them.
Senecherib worshipping his god Nishroch, was by his own sons slain.2 Ki…g. 19.
These Kings Ahab, Ahaz, Elah, Hoshea, Nadab, Iehojakim, Zedekiah, and1 King. &c. Manassth were some made captives, other slaine.2 King &c.
The Lord
Would not heare the prayer of Moses for the Israelites, and commandedExod. 32. manded Ieremy not to pray or give thanks for them, but saidIer. 7. 16. that in the day of his visitation he would visit their sinnes onPsal. 16. 4. them.
The person
That enticeth any to serve other gods, shall be slain by the person soDeut. 13. 6. enticed: and that offereth unto any strange gods, shall be stoned toExod. 22. 20. death; and that serves graven images, and that glories in imagesPsal. 97 7, 12. shall be confounded, and that worshippeth unknowne gods, shallDan. 4. 26. perish from the land, saith the Lord.
The man
That offers to another god, his sorrowes shall bee multiplyed.Psal. 16. 4.
That is an Idolater, shall not enter into the Kingdome of God.1 Cor. 6. 9.
The persons that make Idols are vanity, and their delectableIsai. 44. 9. things shall nothing profit: They are their owne witnessesIer. 10 15. that they see not, nor know, that they are profitable for nothing, being but vanities, and the worke of errours, thereforeIer. 45. 16. Deut. 27. they shall be confounded together with all that are of the followship thereof and cursed.
The Lord saith
Before me there was no god formed, neither shall there be after me: I Isai. 13. 10.even I am the Lord, Thou shalt have no other gods but me.Exod 20. 27.
My glory will I not give to another, nor my praise to graven Images.Isai. 4…. 8.
I have sworne by my selfe, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse, and shall not return, that every knee shall bowe to me, and all tounges shall sweare by my name, saying, the Lord is my Isai. 45. 23.righteousnesse.
Moses said
The Lord spake to you (meaning the Israelites) out of the fire and Deut 4. 12. 15, 16.ye heard his voyce, but saw no similitude, graven Images, therefore shalt thou burne, and not covet the gold and silver thatDeut 7. 24. is upon them.
Prophets say, Abraham is ignorant of us, and Israel knoweth us not; the Lord isIsai. 63. 16. Ier. 10. 8. only our Father and Redeemer, God is a living God, all other shall perish.
Saint Paul saith For as much as we are the generation of God, we ought not toAct. 17. 29. think that the God-head is like unto gold, or silver, or stone,Isai. 41. 29 graven by Art, and by the invention of man.
Use.
1. Learne by the example of Hezekiah, who tooke away the high places, brake2 Ki. 18. 4. &c. the images, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent erected by Moses, abused by the Israelites.
2. Do as Iaco… did, commanding all his houshold to put away their strange gods.Gen. 35. 2. Iosh. 24. 15.
3. Doe with Ioshua, who not only commanded the Israelites to put away all the idols that their fathers worshipped, but vowed that he and his would serve the Lord.
Reade Isai. 40 …8. Cha. 41. 24 Chap. 46. 6. Chap. 42. 17. Deut. 13. 12. Chap. 27. 15. Wisd. 14. 11. Iosh. 23. 7. 1 Ioh. 5. 21. Deut. 12. 30. Chap. 7. 5. Levit. 20. 30. Psal. 115. 4. Wisd. 13. 11, &c. Chap. 14. 10, &c. Deut. 17. 5. Exod. 23. 32. Cha. 34. 17. Ier. 14. 11. Micah 1. 7. Numb. 33. 52. Deut. 7. 25. Ier. 10. 5, 15. Isai. 40. 25. Wisd. 13. 1, &c.