An Exposition of Hosea 11-13, Exposition · Chapter 13 · Verse 2
VER. 2.
And now they ſin more and more, and have made them molten Images of their ſilver, and Idols according to their own underſtanding, all of it the work of the Craftſmen; they ſay of them, Let the men that ſacrifice, kiſs the Calves.
THE Family of Ephraim and the ten Tribes, for ſo Ephraim is taken for Jeroboam ſometimes, and ſometimes for the whol Tribe, and ſometimes for the Governors, and ſometimes for all the ten Tribes as diſtinct from Judah. Now they ſin more and more.
From whence I beſeech you obſerve the taking in the people now together with Ephraim, now the number is changed; at firſt it was, When HE ſinned in Baal, then he died. But now 'tis ſaid, THEY ſin more and more, all the people joyn with him in way of ſin.
At firſt, when he hegan to ſpeak about the alteration of Religion, the people trembled to think of it, but it Expoſ.ſeems afterwards they could ſwallow it down well enough, they could joyn with Jeroboam, yea, and Ahab too, more and more, let them impoſe what they would upon them, they could yeeld to it.
From whence the Note is, That men at the firſt apprehenſion Obſ. 1.of things they are much affected, and it may be think that they will never yeeld to them, yet within a while when they have been a little uſed to them, then there's a mighty alteration in mens ſpirits both to yeeld to this, and indeed to yeeld to any thing. How many mens hearts and waies are ſo different from what they ſeem'd to be? If one had mentioned hereto…uch things as now they do, they would have trembled at them, If about ſix yeers ſince one could but have preſented in a Map all our ſpeeches and waies one againſt another, and told us how things ſhould be, our hearts would have ſhaken, and we would have trembled at the thought of it: but now more and more we go on, and God knows whither we ſhall go; Oh! the alteration that a little time makes in mens ſpirits! now (ſaith he) they are a dead, heartleſs people, now you may do what you will with them, now they will do things ſo diſagreeing to their former principles, as nothing can be more; a man would wonder, What, that this people that were ſo aſtoniſhed at the very thought of the change of Religion, now that they ſhould be ſwallowed up in Idolatry.
My Brethren, Let us never regard much the ſudden affections and ſudden expreſſions of people, though people may Note.ſeem to be up and very forward in their affections and expreſſions, yet (I ſay) never reſt too much upon them; There is nothing more uncertain than the ſpirits of the multitude, and therefore it is the moſt irrational thing Mobile vulg….for any of wiſdom to think to carry things that way, if he thinks to carry it conſtant; you may get them in a hurry in one way at one time, but they will be quickly off again, and that which one time they will cry up, at another time they will cry down; and ſuch a kind of alteration of ſpirits theſe times will be a witneſs to, I beleeve as great as ever times were, from the beginning of the world, Now they ſin more and more. And now.
There's a great emphaſis in this Particle, [Now] They ſin more and more, that is, even now, when the very ſentence Expol.of death was out againſt them, even now, they do it. Thus did Ahab in 1 Kings, 16. 30. And Ahab did evil in the ſight of the Lord, above all that we…fore him, he added evil. From whence obſerve this,
That when deſtruction is neereſt, then evil men are wickedeſt. Now their ſin ripens apac…; when the ſcum grows higheſt, Obſ. 1then it's neereſt the fire, and ſo the neerer it is to the fire the higher it will grow: It's a great ſign of the neerneſs An apt ſimileof mens times, that they are not long, when they grow notoriouſly wicked; See a man that hath been forward in that which is good heretofore, he may have failings and yet the Lord may pity him; but now let this man grow to be very wicked, not only to abate of his profeſſion, but grow to be very wicked, expect the ruin of that man ſuddenly, it will not be long.
And then Secondly, It is a great aggravation of mens wickedneſs to ſin after Gods threats, and in the times of Judgment, Obſ. 2when they are under Gods hand; Oh! when God appears againſt us we ſhould preſently ſubmit, at the leaſt holding up of his finger: but this is the pride of men, not to ſtoop even when the hand of God is againſt them, and the rather becauſe they would juſtifie their ſin; if they ſhould ſtoop and yeeld upon the hand of God coming out againſt them, this would debaſe them, but they rather will ſtand out the more that they might juſtifie their ſin, that they are not thus and thus as men would take them to be.
And then a Third Note is this, That when men have loſt their credits, honor, and eſteem through the juſt Judgment Obſ. 3.of God, then they grow more baſe and vile in their ſinful waies than ever. Ephraim had a great deal of eſteem and honor, but he loſt it through Gods juſt Judgment, and now he, and the people together ſin more and more. We find this uſual, that mens eſteem and credit though they have very baſe hearts within all the while, yet it will keep them in a very fair way; but now you ſhall have many men that though they liv'd very fair ſo long as they had eſteem and credit, yet if their credit be but crack'd, and their eſte…e but gone, they will prove very ſordid in their waies; As 'tis in a Garden, you know if a man have but a few weeds grows up in it, he will have them pull'd up, but if it be over-grown with weed, then he Simile.doth not much care for it, but lets it run more and more; ſo it is in mens hearts, indeed though there be ſomething amiſs in them and their names kept up they will reform, but if once they have fallen ſo as their honor, credit, and eſteem is gone, then they go on more and more, and fall ſtill more and more to further and further wickedneſs; or as 'tis with a man when he hath a new Garment, Oh Simile.he is afraid at firſt of every little ſpot, and much more afraid of a rent, but if afterwards the garment be come to be ſullied much, or be dirtied a little, he is careleſs of it then, then he never ſtands bruſhing of it ſo as before: It is thus for all the world with men in reſpect of their hearts, and in reſpect of their lives, and therefore it is good for men to look to it betimes, when their names begin but a little to be loſt, when they may ſee the juſt hand of God beginning to come, then to reform; for if they let themſelves go upon liberty, they will grow vile and abominable. They ſin more and more.
And then a Fourth Note is this, That there is no ſtop in Apoſtaſie; let men Apoſtatize once from God, and there Obſ. 1.is no ſtop then, they cannot tell whither to go then, if once they be rowling down, a man may not think thus, I will but roul thus far, and there I'le ſtop; no, if you be once rouling, you will roul, and roul down to the bottom, and you know not whither you may roul or fall: If a man ſhould leap into the water and ſay, I will but ſink thus far, to the middle and no further, this were but folly, you will ſink more and more: ſo it is with Simile.Apoſtates, I verily beleeve thoſe that did make ſlight at firſt, they did not think that they ſhould go ſo far, Oh! God forbid that they ſhould do ſuch things as were ſo vile and abominable, yea, but when once they are rouling, when once they are ſinking, they … and ſink more and more, till they roul into the bottom… pit of Hell, they ſink more and more till they ſink into the very bottomleſs gulf, into ſuch things as they would abhor before. There's a Curſe upon the wicked in Pſal. 35. That God would ſet them in ſlippery places, and that the Angel of God ſhould perſecute them; when men will go out of the waies of God into the ſlippery paths of their own, it's juſt with God that an evil ſpirit ſhould drive them on in thoſe waies. It is in going from the waies of God, juſt as you ſhall find it in your traveling in Champion Countries, there's a High-way goes to ſuch Similea Town, and there's another way that lies cloſe by it, and you (it may be) are got out of the right way, and ſo go on and think it will bring you to the place where you are traveling, but it winds you out of your right way, and ſo you go further and further, out of the right Road, perhaps ſome miles before you are aware of it. And ſo it is in Apoſtacie, it may be at firſt when they are got out of the way of God they think it not ſo much, but then theſe evil waies wind them out by degrees ſo that they grow further and further; They ſin more and more.
I wil give you the ſteps of an Apoſt…t, going more and The ſteps of Apoſtacy.more from God.
Firſt, When one doth apoſtatiſe and ſin againſt God, 1.if it be any ſin againſt knowledge, though never ſo little, For ſin of meer infirmity I cannot call Apoſtaſie, but if it be ever ſo little againſt knowledge, this breaks the bond of obedience; when I wil venture to do that which I know is againſt God, this bond of obedience being broken, no marvel though you fall and ſin more and more.
Secondly, Every act of ſin hath ſuch a nature in it, as to encreaſe the habits: Corruption doth grow by acting. As 2.it is with Grace, every act of Grace doth extend Grace in the heart of a man; the way to grow in Grace is, to act Grace much, ſo that when you are acting of your Grace, you do not only that that is your duty, but you are growing in Grace, for when you are acting of Corruption, you are not only doing that that is evil, but you are encreaſing it, and therefore every ſin that cauſes us to decline from God, makes us to go more and more from God.
Thirdly, Every ſin that is againſt Conſcience, it weakens 3.the work of Conſcience; the Authority of Conſcience will quickly be weakened when it is once broken; break but off the yoke of Conſcience, and Conſcience will be weaker than it was before: At the firſt time when a man ſins againſt Conſcience, his Conſcience hath a great deal of ſtrength in it, and mightily troubles him at the very firſt, but having had a flaw (as it were) it grows weaker. I remember a notable ſtory which that reverend and famous Divine, Doctor Preſton hath, of one in Cambridg that had committed a great ſin, and he had this temptation A ſtory related by Dr. Preſton.upon him; Do the act again, and your Conſcience will trouble you no more: and this temptation did prevail upon him, he did it again, and then he grew a very ſot indeed, and went on in his wickedneſs: Every ſin doth ſomewhat to weaken Conſcience, and therfore one that fals off from God, will ſin more and more.
Fourthly, When a man hath once fallen off from God in any 4.degree, according to the degree he doth loſe his comfort that he had in God; for ſome kind of comforts Hypocrites may have; as there may be Common gifts of the Spirit to enable them to do ſervice, ſo there may be Common Gifts of the Spirit to comfort them; they may taſt of the Powers Common Comforts.of the world to come, many have ſome flaſhes of joy; but when they are departed from God then they cannot have ſo much comfort as they were wont to have, and when they have not the comfort they were went to have, they muſt have it ſome way, and they are fain to go ſharking up and down to get it ſome where elſe; I cannot have that comfort in God as I was wont to have, I was wont when I was troubled, to go & read the Word, I could find comfort there, let me go into good Company I could find comfort there, let me go into the preſence of God I could find comfort there, but now I cannot, and ſo the heart muſt have comfort ſome way or other, and therefore goes more and more from God.
Fifthly, When one hath ſin'd againſt God, then his ſpirit and holy duties comes to be very unſutable, they are harder 5.than they were before, it's a more difficult thing to get his heart to any holy duty than before, and ſo comes to neglect Duties, and by neglecting them his Corruption grows, they were a means to reſtrain Corruption verie much; for when a man is abroad and takes liberty, yet when he thinks thus, yea, but I muſt pray before I go to bed, I muſt go to prayer, and how ſhall I beg Grace from God another time, when as I wilfully ſin againſt him? this curbs a man: ſo long as he can keep any kind of ſutableneſs between his heart and holy duties, though he ſhould fail in ſome kind of things, he would quickly recover; but when he begins to have holy duties ſo vail'd as he leaves off holy duties, then he will ſin more and more, for the curb is taken off.
Yea Sixthly, The preſence of God is terrible to an Apoſtate, he cannot think of God without ſome terror; before he 6.would often think of God, and ſpeak of God, but now he puts off the thoughts of God becauſe they are terrible to him, and having put off the thoughts of God, and Gods preſence being terrible, it muſt needs be that he muſt wander up and down even more and more, be as a Cain wandering away from the preſence of God.
Yea further, The thoughts of whatſoever might turn an Apoſtates heart to God, are grievous to him. If he hath gone away, 7.if he thinks of turning to God, Oh preſently will be preſented to him ſome difficulty that will make him even put off al thoſe thoughts, and rather give himſelf liberty to his own waies.
Yea further, there's this in it, That when a man hath 8.ſin'd againſt God, one ſin cannot be maintain'd without another, one ſin calls to another to help it, and maintain it. As now, you find it ordinarily when a man hath done wrong to another man, he knows not how to carry it out, but by doing him more wrong, to cruſh him if he can: And ſo there's divers other ſins that have many ſins depending upon them, if a man be engaged in a buſineſs that is ſinful, that he might carry out his buſineſs, a great many other ſins he muſt commit, and ſo comes to fall off more and more.
Yea further, The pride of mens hearts is ſuch, as when they 9are once got into an evil way, it's a mighty difficult thing to keep them from not juſtifying their evil: men love to juſtifie what they have done; when they have ſin'd, they will grow more reſolute and violent, that all people might think that they have not the leaſt kind of recoil in their hearts, you think many times when you ſee men mighty ſtrong and violent in an evil way, you think ſurely they are Note.fully ſatisfied in it; Oh! you are mightily miſtaken in that, they may be very violent, and very ſtrong in their way, only that they might perſwade other folk, though their own conſciences tels them, that they are not ſatisfied; and thus the pride of mens hearts makes them ſin more and more.
And beſides, If they have grown far in their ſinful way, 10.then they grow deſperate, they grow into deſperation, they little hope ever to recover themſelves ſo as before, and therefore go on more and more.
Yea, And God in his juſt Judgment withdraws himſelf 11.from them. God withdraws thoſe gifts and common graces that they had, and ſaith God, Let them go on, He that is filthy, let him be filthy ſtill.
Yea, and beſides Gods withdrawing, there's … judicial 12Act of God upon them, To give them up to their Corruptions, and give them up to the Devil; It's a dreadful thing when the Church doth it, but that's for the ſalvation of Difference between the Churches excomumnion and Gods.the ſoul, and for the deſtruction of the fleſh; but when God delivers up one to his corruptions, that's for the deſtruction of the ſoul: Do you rule him (ſaith God) becauſe he would not be rul'd. No marvel then though an Apoſtate ſin more and more.
Oh! ſtand againſt the beginning of ſin what you can, Note.keep a trembling frame at the beginning. Oh! had this people done ſo! at the firſt they trembled; Oh! had they but kept that trembling heart continually, it would have kept them from abundance of evil: And ſo, do not ſome of you remember that there hath been a hearttrembling at the very thought, of thoſe things that it may be ſome of you now practice? Oh! happy had it been for you that you had kept your trembling frame. And you that are yong beginners, in whoſe heart there Yong beginners.is a trembling frame, you tremble at temptations, you tremble at the thoughts of ſin, at the firſt riſing of corruption in your hearts, Oh keep this trembling frame, and do not regard that boldneſs of ſpirit that there is in ſome, ſome are alwaies ſo frolick, and ſo bold in their way, Oh but that's a dangerous condition for you to be in; but rather keep a trembling heart, fearing ſin, for if you loſe that and begin but to tamper with ſome ſin, if the Devil tamper thus with you, 100. to one but when you are once gone, you will go more and more, and never leave tumbling till you come into the pit.
And let us learn, my Brethren, to be more and more Uſe for the Saints.in the waies of God, as Apoſtates are more and more in the waies of ſin, Oh that it were ſo with us in the waies of God, let's not content ourſelves to do a little for God, but ſtill more and more, as David in Pſal 71. 14. I will yet praiſe thee more and more, I will add to thy praiſe, ſo the words are in the Hebrew: Lord, ſome praiſe thou haſt had in the world, Oh that I could live to ad any thing to it, I will praiſe thee more and more.
And t… further Note is this, That Idolatry (for ſo Obſ. 5.it is ſpoken of their Apoſtacy more generally, but particularly it aims at their Apoſtacy in the matters of worſhip) is a very growing ſin. They have ſinned in Baal, and died, and now they ſin more and more. Groſs Idolatry hath grown upon men by fair pretences, upon plauſible Principles.
My Brethren, do but break this one bond in the matters The General rule of Worſhip. 1. 2. The beginning of ſuperſtition. 1. 2.of Worſhip, and that's this, That all worſhip muſt be by inſtitution, I ſay, all the Worſhip of God muſt be either that which is written in mans heart; or otherwiſe what is in the Word by inſtitution. If ſo be that men will venture to raiſe any creature, beyond what God either in a work of NATURE hath raiſed it, or by an INSTITUTION hath raiſed it, then begins Superſtition, then begins falſe Worſhip, I ſay, here's the beginning of all falſe Worſhip, to raiſe any creature higher than ever Nature hath raiſed it, or then it is raiſed by Inſtitution, do but venture upon one Ceremony to Ceremonies.put any thing in it more than Nature, or Divine Inſtitution hath put into it, then you know not where you ſhall ſtop. You know what a height of Idolatry Popery is grown to, but it began fair at firſt. And ſo we were Popery.going to moſt vile and abominable Idolatry, but by what ſteps? We had broken the bond of binding up the Worſhip of God unto the Word, and bringing in mens own reaſon and inventions, and for to put a Religious reſpect upon that which God had never done, now do but grant that thing in the leaſt matters, and then you do not know whither you will run in way of Idolatry, you will run more and more.
Oh let Reformation be to us as Idolatry is to wicked Uſe to Reformers.men, let not us reſt in any degrees, but ſtill reform more and more: Idolaters they will not ſtand at a ſtay, Oh why ſhould they then that ſeek to reform ſtand at a ſtay! It follows; And have made them molten Images of their ſ…r.
They were at great charge in making of them, and ſo Expoſ.went on ſtrongly in their way; though it would coſt them much, yet ſtill they would go on ſtrongly in their way. They made themſelves Images
Tertullian in his Book of Idolatry, in the 4, 6, and 7. Tertull. de Idolataria, cap. 4. 6, 7.Chapters, enveighs much againſt the maker of any Images in way of Religion, and ſaith he, 'Tis not enough for you to ſay, we will not worſhip them, but you muſt not make them. —Of their ſilver.
Silver is put for their money. Silver is uſed in divers Silver.Languages for their money in general: the Calves were of Gold, but it's ſaid they were of Silver, becauſe the people did contribute their money; and other images they added to them that they made by their money; their Idolatry was chargable to them, to avoid trouble in going to Jeruſalem, and charge there in their journy, Oh they would not go to Jeruſalem to worſhip; but they were willing to be at charge in their way of Idolatry.
Though Men will not have Gods ſervice to be chargable Note.to them, yet their own waies are chargable to them. They made them molten Images, and Idols. The word that foreign Dolorei terriculamenta.is tranſlated [Idols] it ſignifies griefs, and thoſe things that do terrifie; and indeed Idolatry will bring grief, and men that are of Superſtitious, Idolatrous ſpirits they are fill'd with fears many times. But this is all according to their own underſtanding, that is as they thought fit themſelves, ſuch as ſhould be ſutable to their own ends, they took the liberty to tender up their reſpects to God according to their own inventions; and herein indeed comes ſuperſtition, as I told you. Hence comes the Worſhip of God to be ſo much corrupted: When men will interpoſe their own underſtandings, when men will leave The Cauſe of corruption in Gods Worſhipthe ſimplicity of the Rule, and go their own way, when men think that the Worſhip of God is not pompous enough of its ſelf, They which do not worſhip God in a Spiritual way, they will labor to make up the want of the Spiritual The root of that evil.part by addition of many outward things, by their own underſtanding; and becauſe they think thoſe things in the ſervice of God are rational to them, they think they muſt be acceptable to God, and therefore wonder that any body ſhould be againſt them.
Calvin upon this very text hath moſt notable expreſſions Hoc agitur de cultu Dei, in quoceſſore debet quicquid eſt prudentiae, quicquid eſt rationis in hominibus, quicquid conſilij & omnes co…um ſenſus; nā ſi hic tantillum fib… er…tunt, nibil aliud … àm Dei cultum vitiant. Hic principiū eſt vitè colen… Dei, ut …omines …ul… …ant neque permittunt ſibi ſapere, ſ… tantum prele…nt aurem Deo, Hic damnat quicquid arridet judicio hominum, vel rationi. Calv. in l c.againſt men bringing in their own underſtandings in the Worſhip of God, ſaith he, Here is …oken of the Worſhip of God, in which whatſoever is of mans Prudence, whatſoever is of Reaſon muſt give way, Prudence and Reaſon muſt give way to it; yea, whatſoever counſels of men, that they in a Prudential way ſhall think this and the other fit, they muſt not judg by Sence, by Reaſon, by Prudence in the matters of Worſhip; If they do give way to themſelves in the leaſt degree, they do nothing but defile the Worſhip of God And another notable expreſſion he hath about it, This is the very Principle whereby men muſt be taught to worſhip God …ight▪ that they muſt be made Fools firſt themſelves. It men will come to worſhip God, they muſt deny their underſtandings, they muſt lay down their underſtandings, they muſt not ſo much as permit to themſelves to be wiſe, and thus he heaps one upon another, theſe expreſſions, Only (ſaith he) let them liſten to the Word of God, for this (ſaith he) doth condemn whatſoever is pleaſing to the judgment and reaſon of men.
Oh! God is little beholding to mens underſtandings in the matters of Worſhip, and in the matters of Faith, thoſe two things; the reſpect it may be to the man may be ſomewhat the more to make ſuch an expreſſion to go down, that it's the very Principle of right worſhiping of God for men to be fools; and here's the rea… that you have many of the Learned men of the world accounted them fools and ſimple men; as heretofore the Non-conformiſts, were not they accounted ſimple men and fools, Non-conformiſts.becauſe they would not yeeld to thoſe things that were impoſed upon them? yea, we muſt be fools; It's true, there is uſe of mens prudence and reaſon when once I The uſe of Reaſon in Religion.have an Inſtitution to help me further to mannage an inſtitution; but for to raiſe up any thing in the Worſhip of God beyond what I have warrant for in the Word, there it's not enough for men to ſay, This is good, and what hurt is there in it? and without this there will come a great deal of ſtir, and can any man in Reaſon but think that this is good? I ſay, when we come to matters of Worſhip that we muſt expect a preſence of God in them for a Spiritual Work upon the ſoul of a man, all theſe arguments, we muſt lay them aſide, and there is no uſe of them. Here I cannot argue for a thing that it is good, and I have need of it, and therefore I muſt have it; but I may argue it's good, and I have need of it, becauſe there is an Inſtitution. And there's another ſpeech of Luther, ſaith he, In matters of Worſhip we muſt not regard ſo much what the thing is, but who it is that commands it; do not lean to our own underſtandings. This for their ſin of Idolatry.
But further, They thought to carry themſelves in a prudential way, but the Lord condemns it as ſottiſh, they thought they were very underſtanding in it, yea, but it was but ſottiſh. For it follows; All of it is the work of the Craftſmen, they ſay of them, Let the men that ſacrifice, kiſs the Calves.Text.
As if he ſhould ſay, What a ſottiſh thing is this, That when themſelves put all the excellency that the Creature Expoſ.hath put upon it, and yet they will worſhip it, and ſay to the men that ſacrifice, Kiſs the Calves? But God challenges Worſhip upon this ground, Becauſe He is the Cauſe, the Supream, the only Cauſe of all Excellency Himſelf. From hence note,
That thoſe that venture moſt upon their own underſtandings Obſ.in the matters of Worſhip, God gives moſt up to ſottiſhneſs; I ſay If men will venture to go according to their own underſtandings in Worſhip, God may juſtly give them up to ſottiſhneſs, and none are given up more than thoſe that think to be moſt prudential and wiſe, in the matters of Worſhip: Iſa. 29. 13. ſaith he, Their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men: What then? Therefore I will Iſa. 29. 13. Obſerved.do a mervailous work among the People, even a mervailous work and a wonder; (What's the mervailous work, what's the wonder?) The wiſdom of their wiſe men ſhall periſh, and the underſtanding of the prudent ſhall be hid. What, they will venture upon their own underſtandings in the matters of my Worſhip, and they wil preſcribe what I ſhould have, and they think they are very wiſe in what they do; I wil do a mervailous work and a wonder: (what's this?) I will cauſe the wiſdom of their wiſe men to periſh, and the underſtanding of the prudent ſhall be hid, they ſhal be left to ſottiſh waies, to abſurd waies, that all that are about them ſhal ſee that they are blinded in their courſes and waies.
Oh my brethren, we do ſee this fulfil'd at this day, thoſe Fulfilled in England of la. e.that will venture upon their own underſtandings in Worſhip, how hath the Lord left them in blindneſs? though they were men of excellent parts in former time, yet their parts begin to be blaſted.
And obſerve it, you will find that more and more Note.ſuch men as bring in their own underſtandings into Gods Worſhip, I ſay, the Lord will blaſt them at one time or other, ſo as others ſhall ſee, and take notice of it, and ſtand and wonder at it. All of it the work of the Craftſmen, &c.
All of it.] As if he ſhould ſay, If there were any thing of God in it, poſſibly it might be accepted, but when 'tis Expoſ.all of man—
This may be ſaid of many of our ſervices; they are all Applic.of man, there is nothing of God, nothing of the Spirit of Chriſt in them; no mervel though they vaniſh, and we vaniſh in them. —They ſay of them, Let the men that ſacrifice, kiſs Text.the Claves.
The old Latin hath it: Sacrifice men, in the Imparative: Expoſ. foreign. G…ſo the Greek. In zeal to their Idols they ſacrificed men. [According to which reading the ſenſe would be] Thoſe are worthy to kiſs the Calves that ſacrifice men. This was forbidden, Levit. 18. 21. and Chap. 20. 2. But it was done in a perverſe imitation of Abraham, who would have offered up Iſaac. It prevailed much among the Heathen. The King of MOAB as we reade in 2 King. 3. 27. ſacrificed his eldeſt Son, that ſhould have reigned in his ſtead. Tertullian ſaies Tertull.(Apolog. Cap. 9.) That it continued till the time of Tiberius. Lactantius hath a ſtory of the Carthaginians, who Lactant. Juſt. lib. 1. cap. 21.being vanquiſhed by Agathocles King of Sicily, they thought the gods to be diſpleaſed with them, and that they might appeaſe them, they ſacrificed two hundred of the Noblemens ſons.
The place where the Jews ſacrificed men, was in Tophet, in the valley of the Son of Hinnom. Hinnom is Ge-Hinnom. In valle filiorū Hinnom. Hinnō … Nahem, Genuat Rugijt from whence Gehenna.drawn from a word ſignifying to lament, and roar. [Becauſe of the noiſe of thoſe that were ſacrificed] whence Gehenna.
Tophet, of a word ſignifying to beat on a Drum. Which they uſed not only to drown the noiſe; but all the kindred of the ſacrificed perſon did rejoyce with Tymbrels and Dances in great mirth, till the ſacrifice was fully conſumed. The Hebrews are quoted by Selden de diis ſpris. Cognati omnes Tympanis & Chordis ſumma cum laetitia exultant quoad omniuo combuſt us fuerit.
But (to paſs by that Interpretation and to) take it as it is read in our Books: by theſe words they call upon the ſacrificers and encourages them in their Idolatrous waies.
Kiſs.] The kiſs is a Ceremony of Worſhip. Pſal. 2. 12. Kiſs the Son; but withal it expreſſed their Love and Delight as well as their Homage. Herculus his Chin, in Sicily, was worn bare with kiſſing, ſaith Cicero. And if they could not reach the Chin, then they kiſſed the hand in token of their Worſhip of the thing: Hence Job, 31. 26, 27. If my hand hath *Adorare ad oskiſſed my mouth. See Pliny, Lib. 28. Chap. 2. of the Ceremony of Worſhip. How fooliſh were they, to forſake the bleſſed God, to worſhip Calves?
How ſhould we be forward and cheerful in the Worſhip Applic.of the bleſſed God, in coming to kiſs the Son.
It is falſe Worſhip, to give Religious reſpect to any creature, Obſ.what ever the Creature be, by kiſſing, as well as by bowing to it.
I know no reaſon why a Book may not be ſet up to be Uſe. Againſt kiſſing the Book in ſwearing.bowed to as well as to be kiſſed in taking an Oath. The lifting up the hand to the High God in an Oath, we find in Scripture, therefore that is ſafe.