Eleven Choice Sermons, Sermon 1
PSAL. 106. 19, 20. &c.
They made a calfe in Horeb, and worſhipped the molten Image.
Thus they changed their glorie into the ſimilitude of an Oxe, &c.
YOu have in this Pſalme many ſinnes of this people ſet down. In the three former verſes there is the mutiny of Corah and Abiram againſt Moſes, and of two hundred and fiftie men with Corah; they envied Aaron the ſaint of God.
In theſe verſes you have another ſinne of this people, a fearfull one, the ſinne of Idolatry.
There be ſome ſins of an high nature, ſuch wee reckon the ſinnes that be directly againſt God; as, Atheiſme, Profaneneſſe, Idolatry, &c.
There be ſome ſinnes directly againſt nature; as, Sodomy, beſtiality, inceſtuous pollution, &c.
Some are directly againſt humane ſociety; as, rapes, murder, oppreſsion, effuſion of innocent bloud, &c. Now, Idolatry is of the firſt kinde, and of the worſt. Tertullian, excellently, me thinkes, ſaith, that Idolatry containes under it omnes ſpecies peccati, all kinds of ſinne. There is treaſon in Idolatry; the Idolater ſets up a new God, as the Traytor ſets up a new King. There is falſhood, and lying in Idolatry: for an Idoll is the doctor and teacher of lyes, Habak. 2. 18. There is theft in it: for what greater robberie then to rob God of his glory? There is whoredom in it, it is oft in Scripture called by that name; it is ſpirituall whoredome. How oft have I read that phraſe of men going a whoring after another God? Well, mark the Text; obſerve three things here:
Firſt, the Idoll after which they went a whoring: It is called in the firſt verſe of my Text, a Calfe. In the ſecond verſe, an Oxe. A young Oxe, a young bullocke, a young heifer of three yeares old, I have obſerved in the Scripture to be called by the name of a calfe. And, it was not a living young calfe, or, a living young bullocke: but, in the former verſe, it is called, the molten Image of a calfe. In the ſecond verſe, the ſimilitude of an oxe. That was their Idoll.
Secondly, conſider the work of this people about that Idoll; their ſin, in three things:
Firſt, they made it, They made a calfe in Horeb.
Secondly, they worſhipped it, They worſhipped the molten Image.
Thirdly, They changed their glory into the ſimilitude of it.
Then marke further, the cauſe of this ſinne, the root from whence it did ſpring. It ſprung from a forgetfulnes of God, that God that was their Saviour. They forgat God their Saviour. And then from a forgetfulneſſe of thoſe works of God; and thoſe were,
Firſt magna, great workes.
Then mirabilia, wondrous workes.
And then terribilia, terrible workes.
They forgat God their Saviour, that had done great workes for them in the land of Egypt, wondrous workes in the land of Ham, terrible workes by the red ſea. This is the ſumme of the whole Text; I may not thinke to goe over all theſe at one time, it is a point that would not eaſily be paſſed over. There are a generation of men that will compaſſe ſea and land to winne us to Idolatry, it were good our hearts were ſtabliſhed againſt it. I will goe as farre as the time will give leave.
I begin firſt with the Idoll, it was a calfe, or, a young bullocke.
God forbids any Image to be made to the uſe of Religion, of any thing in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth. God ſpecifieth all thoſe places, becauſe there is none of thoſe places, neither heaven above, nor the earth beneath, nor the waters under the earth, but this fooliſh vaine heart of man hath found out ſomething to deifie, to make a god of.
Some have worſhipped the Sun, Moon, and Stars, the Hoſt of heaven; glorious creatures, but yet ſuch creatures as God made to ſerve man, and not man to ſerve them. Some of the Gentiles did worſhip men like themſelves. Some four-footed beaſts. Some creeping things of the earth. That ſame Dagon, that you read of in the Scripture, had the head of a man, but the lower parts of it were like a fiſh: Not to tire you with reckoning up particular vanities in this kind, heare what the Apoſtle ſaith of the Gentiles, Becauſe when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, but were unthankfull, their fooliſh heart being filled with darkneſſe; when they profeſſed themſelves wiſe men, they became fooles. Fooles! how? They turned (and marke that phraſe, it is the ſame that is here) the glory of the incorruptible God, to the Image, and ſimilitude of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beaſts, and creeping things, and changed the truth of God into a lye, and worſhipped and ſerved the creature more than the Creator (ſaith the Apoſtle) who is bleſſed for ever, Rom. 1. 21.
A Queſtion may be made here, why this people, ſince they will needs worſhip God under a forme, would chooſe this forme? why a calfe? why a young bullock?
It is agreed upon by all hands, old, and new Writers, that they all learned this kinde of ſervice in Egypt: Egypt was the mother of Idolatry, ſo Jeremie calls it; Though all people under heaven had corrupted their waies, yet no people had more corrupted their waies in this kinde then Egypt: quis neſcit qualia demens Aegyptus? who knowes not what baſe abominations, what dung-hill gods the Egyptians worſhip? They worſhipped a deitie under the forme of a Crocodile. Another deitie under the forme of Ichneumon, a rat of Nilus. Another under the forme of Ibis: and they had more dung-hill gods then theſe, their onions, and leeks in their gardens. O ſanctus, &c. The heathen could ſcoffe at this foolery, that they ſhould have deities growing in their gardens. But, of all the gods they worſhipped, the greateſt, their great god, was Apis, or Serapis; they worſhipped him under the ſimilitude or form of a young Bullocke, pyed Bull, a pyed Oxe; black, with ſuch and ſuch white ſpots upon him.
Would you know from whence? Let mee trouble you a while. Apis, a King of another country, in a famine relieved Egypt, Alexandria eſpecially: when hee was dead, they made him a god, and decreed divine honour to be given him: then they muſt worſhip him under a forme. They think of the benefit they had by Apis; they had their corne by the tillage of the ground, by the labour of the Oxe, and they will worſhip this great god of theirs under the form of a pyed Oxe, a young pyed Bullock.
This people had ſeen this Idolatrous ſervice in Egypt; and now they did not more long after Egyptian food, then after this Egyptian god.
I pray marke what Saint Stephen ſaith of this people, Acts 7. 39. In their hearts (quoth hee) they turned againe into Egypt: Saying, Make us a calfe, make us gods to goe before us. In their hearts they turned into Egypt, when they required of Aaron ſuch a worſhip as this. The thing I obſerve from it, is this;
Obſerv. It is an eaſie matter for men to be drawn to the practice of that Idolatry, that they have been accuſtomed to ſee practiſed in thoſe places that they have a long time lived in.
Hee that would take heed of Idolatry, let him take heed of Egypt: the very aire of Egypt (as I may ſo ſay) is infectious in this kind. See here, they had ſeen the worſhip of a young bullocke in Egypt, and they muſt have a bullock. I pray remember Jeroboam the ſonne of Nebat, that made Iſrael to ſinne: How did hee make them ſinne? Hee ſet up two calves, they ſet up one; hee ſet up two, one at Dan, another at Bethel. Where did hee learne that? had hee been in Egypt too? yes, he lived in Egypt ſome ſpace, hee fled thither for feare of Solomon: For when hee perceived that Solomon ſought his life, hee went and dwelt with Shiſhak King of Egypt, and was with him (ſaith the Text) till the death of Solomon, 1 Kings 11. 40. I ſay, hee that would take heed of Idolatry, let him take heed how hee lives in Egypt.
The locall ſeat of Antichriſt (and what ſeat can that be but Rome?) is called in the Revelations by three names: It is called Egypt, Rev. 11. 8. It is called Sodome in the ſame verſe. It is called Babylon, in many places of the Revelations. It is called Babylon in regard of her crueltie. It is called Sodome, in regard of her filthineſſe: and Egypt in regard of her Idolatry.
It is a hard matter for a man to live in Egypt, and not to taſte, and ſavour ſomewhat of the Idolatry of Egypt. Wee had ſometime, in England, a proverb about going to Rome: They ſaid, A man that went the firſt time to Rome, he went to ſee a wicked man there; Hee that went the ſecond time to Rome, went to be acquainted with that wicked man there; Hee that went the third time, brought him home with him. How many have wee ſeen (and it is pitie to ſee ſo many) of our Nobilitie and Gentry to goe to thoſe Egyptian parts, and returne home againe: but few of them bring home the ſame manners, the ſame Religion, nor the ſame ſoules they carried out with them.
Iſaac had beſtowed the bleſsing upon Jacob, his younger ſon; you know the ſtory, Gen. 27. But, when Iſaac ſent his ſonne Jacob to Padan-Aram, though hee had bleſſed him before, the Scripture ſaith, hee bleſſed him againe, Gen. 28. If ever Parents had need to bleſſe their children, they had need to bleſſe them, and bleſſe them againe, when they ſend them to travell to thoſe forraine parts. Can a man be in a mill where much corne is ground, and have no badge of it upon his clothes? Can liquor be tunned up in a muſtie veſſell, and not taſte of the cask? Can a man live in Ethiopia, and his face not be diſcoloured? Marke, in verſe 35. of this Pſalme I have now in hand; It is ſaid there, The people were mingled among the heathen; and what came of it? They learned their workes. It is a hard matter for a man to be much converſant with Idolaters, and not learn Idolatry. It is a hard matter for a man to be much converſant with common drunkards, and not learn to drink. It is a hard matter for a man to be a common companion with them that fit in the ſeat of the ſcornfull, and not to learn to ſcoffe. It is a hard matter for a man to live among blaſphemers and ſwearers, and not learn to ſweare. O, Wo is me (ſaith David) that I am conſtrained to dwell at Meſhek. Brethren, if by any meanes, by prayer, or all holy endeavours, you can keep your ſelves from the wo of living at Meſhek among Idolaters, labour to doe it: it is a miſerable condition to live among idolatrous or wicked perſons.
But if divine providence ſhall neceſſarily caſt you upon Meſhek, and Egypt; if it ſtand with the good will and pleaſure of God, and there be no remedie, but the cords of your tabernacles muſt be faſtned among the tents of Kedar, among Idolaters; then learne, and remember how Noah lived in the old world: hee walked with God, when all the world walked from him. Remember how Lot lived in Sodome; how Joſeph lived in the Court of Pharaoh, and Obadiah in the Court of Ahab, and Daniel in the Court of Babylon. Remember how the Saints lived in Nero's houſhold, Phil. 4. 22. Remember a Church that held the Name of God, and denied not the Faith, that lived in ſuch a place where Satan's throne was. The fiſh keepes the freſh taſte, though it live in ſalt-water. A Myrtle loſeth not the nature; it is a Myrtle ſtill, though it grow in the midſt of netles.
It is a foule ſhame to live among good men, in good places, & not be good: but it is an high commendation to live among evill men, in evill places, and not be ill. Thus much ſhall ſuffice concerning the Idoll: It was a calfe, and they learned to make it in Egypt.
I come now to their worke, the making of it. They made a calfe in Horeb. There are three circumſtances in that making of it.
Firſt, who were they that made it? They made it.
Secondly, where did they make it? In Horeb.
Thirdly, of what did they make it? That my Text ſpeakes not of here, but wee muſt take it out of the ſtory. It was of the golden eare-rings that Aaron tooke out of the eares of the men and women, of their ſonnes, and daughters; and of that they made a calfe. They made a calfe in Horeb.
For the firſt, the perſons that made it: They made it. The Hebrewes, the Jewes, would very faine put this from themſelves; they ſay that there were ſome Egyptians that were mingled among them; and indeed, wee reade that there came out a great multitude, a mixed confuſed company came out of Egypt: but they were not theſe only that made the calf, the Iſraelites themſelves made it too; They made it. Yet, I doe not thinke that all of them had a hand in making of it: I make no queſtion, but ſome of them hated this calfe with a perfect hatred, and them that made it, & them that worſhipped it: they were but ſome of the people that made it. Harke what the Apoſtle ſaith, Let us not be Idolaters, as ſome of them were Idolaters, 1 Corinth. 10. 7. But ſome of them were Idolaters; yea, a great company of them were Idolaters. They made the calfe.
But how can it be ſaid they made it? for, if you look in the ſtory, wee ſhall finde that Aaron made it? Aaron threw their gold into the fornace. Aaron poliſhed the calfe. Aaron ſet up an Altar. Aaron proclaimed an holy day: To morrow ſhall be an holy day unto the Lord. It was Aaron that made it; why is it not ſaid, that Aaron made the calfe in Horeb, but, They made the calfe?
Marke thoſe words, where this ſtorie is ſet downe, Exod. 3…. verſe ult. It is ſaid there, that God plagued the people for their ſinne, in making the calfe that Aaron made. Marke, God plagued the people for their ſinne in making the calfe that Aaron made. So the people, and Aaron both made it: the people firſt; They made it. Take theſe rules:
A man may have a hand, hee may have fellowſhip in the unfruitfull workes of darkneſſe, many waies: foure eſpecially.
It is the uſuall phraſe of Scripture: 1. A man is ſaid to doe that that he doth not himſelf, but another man, if he command it; that is one. So David ſlew Uriah the Hittite with the ſword, becauſe hee commanded him to be ſet in the Army where he might be ſlaine with the ſword of the Children of Ammon.
Secondly, a man may be ſaid to doe that that another man doth, if hee doe counſell, and perſwade to it, and entice, and ſolicite to it. Thus the High-Prieſts, and the Scribes, and Phariſees, are ſaid with their wicked hands to take Christ, and to crucifie him, and to hang him on a tree. They with their wicked hands did not doe it, but they perſwaded Pilate to doe it with much importunity: therefore they did it.
Thirdly, a man may be ſaid to doe that that another man doth, if hee occaſion the doing of it. It is ſaid of Judas, that hee purchaſed a field, Acts 1. ver. 18. This man purchaſed a field. Judas did not purchaſe it; but Judas, by returning the money to the treaſury again for which he ſold Chriſt, gave them occaſion to purchaſe it: therefore this man purchaſed the field.
Fourthly, a man may be ſaid to doe that that another man doth, if he doe not hinder the doing of it, if he ought, and might hinder it. The men of Tyrus came upon the Sabbath day, and ſold wares in Jeruſalem: Nehemiah, that good governour, hee goes to the Rulers of the people, and ſaith; What is this that you doe, and breake the Sabbath? Nehem 13. They brake it, becauſe they ſhould have hindred the breaking of it, and did it not.
Wee have ſinnes enough, and too many of our own to anſwer for; wee need not anſwer for the ſins of others: yet, wee ſhall anſwer for the ſins of others too, for all thoſe ſinnes that other men have committed, if either wee
Command them.
Counſell them.
Occaſion them.
Or not hinder them.
Aaron made the calfe: but yet they made it, becauſe they would have him make it.
Aaron made it. It is a thing to be conſidered a little. Whether did Aaron ſinne in making this calfe, or no? Did Aaron well in yielding to the people in making this calfe? Tantum Sacerdotem condemnare non audemus, &c. ſaith S. Ambroſe, We dare not condemne ſo great an High-Prieſt; and we cannot tell how to juſtifie, and excuſe him: yet ſome, in former time, and one of late dayes, in our time (but a Papiſt) hath written a book, Munſius, de AARONE purgato, of Aaron purged: Hee will free Aaron from all manner of ſinne in making of this calfe; but it will not be: Should he purge him with Nitre, and with Fullers ſope ſeven times over, hee could not doe it. I ſee the Fathers are wondrous carefull in extenuating this ſin; and we may doe that, excuſe it we cannot: we muſt needs acknowledge it a very great ſin in this High-Prieſt.
Firſt of all, ſay they, the people would have him doe it, hee would not have done it elſe.
Well, be it ſo: hee was now a Governour left under Moſes; hee ſhould have been more vigilant and have looked better to his government. The permiſsion of an evill, is as great an evill as the commiſsion of it. Woe to that people that are humoured in their ſins, either by the Miniſters, or by the Magiſtrates; the one ſhould check them, the other ſhould puniſh them: but, woe to the people that are humoured in them.
But then you will ſay, This people was ſet upon a miſchief, they would have it, there would be no remedie: Indeed Aaron told Moſes ſo.
It is true, they were ſo: Be they ſo; Aaron ſhould have been more vigilant, more couragious, more reſolute in his government to withſtand them.
But they were importunate, and clamorous; they would never give Aaron over till hee had done it.
Be it ſo: yet, this importunity of theirs, though it may extenuate the fault, cannot excuſe it. Or, if you will ſay, it may excuſe it: it may excuſe it à tanto, but not à toto; it may qualifie it ſomewhat, but it cannot juſtifie it.
But, ſay they, it is likely the people would have ſtoned him if hee had not done it.
It is like enough ſo; they were ready enough to take up ſtones; they did it to Moſes: but grant it, Aaron ſhould have choſen rather to have died a thouſand deaths, then to ſuffer God almightie to be ſo diſhonoured. Wee know what ſome ſaid afterwards in the like caſe; Know, O King, that our God is able to deliver us from the fiery fornace; if not, wee will not worſhip thine Image.
There is no queſtion, Aaron cannot be excuſed in this ſinne. You may truly ſay thus farre for Aaron, that that hee did, hee did it out of feare, and out of weakneſſe, and out of Puſillanimity; hee durſt not diſpleaſe the people; he did it out of feare, and frailtie. But take the ſinne in it ſelfe, O it is a fearefull ſinne in it's owne nature. Look in Deut. 9. 20. and you ſhall finde what Moſes ſaith concerning it, that GOD was angry with Aaron for this ſinne: nay, hee was very angry with him for this ſinne; yea, ſo angry, and very angry, that hee would have deſtroyed him: had not Moſes made interceſsion for him, he had deſtroyed him. Now the anger of God is not wont to come like fire, to flame out againſt his ſervants, but upon mightie provocations. Surely God was provoked mightily againſt Aaron, that hee would have deſtroyed him, had not Moſes made interceſsion. There is no excuſe of it.
But then (This is a point of ſome uſe, let me not paſſe from it thus) Why did not God ſo ſtabliſh this ſervant of his, that hee might not fall into ſuch a ſinne as this? The Apoſtle ſaith, God is faithfull, and hee is able to ſtabliſh you, and to deliver you from all evill, 2 Theſſ. 3. 3. The Apoſtle aſſures himſelfe, God will deliver mee from every evill worke, and will preſerve mee to his heavenly kingdome: and many ſuch like places. God was able to eſtabliſh Aaron, ſo that hee ſhould not have condeſcended out of weakneſſe to this requeſt of theirs.
It is true: but it pleaſed God to leave Aaron to himſelfe, hee would ſuffer him to fall; and you may thinke that God hath ſome good ends in it. God, being a good God, would not ſuffer evill to be in the world, but that hee knowes how to order that evill to ſome ſuperiour event that is good. Surely, there was ſome ſpeciall end why God ſuffered Aaron to fall into ſuch a fearefull ſinne as this. I will tell you what I conceive.
The firſt was this, to ſhew that the Leviticall Prieſt-hood of the old Law was imperfect. How could the Prieſt of the old Law perfectly reconcile a poore ſinner to God, ſince hee was a ſinner himſelfe? Looke in Heb. 7. and you ſhall ſee there, the Apoſtle ſhewes the difference between our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the High-Prieſt of the New Teſtament, and the Prieſts of the Old Teſtament. Verſe 27. The Prieſt of the Old Teſtament ſtood in need to offer for his owne ſinnes firſt, and then for the ſinnes of the people. The Prieſt of the old Law was not only to offer for the ſinnes of the people, but for his owne ſinnes; yea, firſt for his owne ſinnes, and then for the ſinnes of the people. Now, how ſhall one ſinner reconcile another ſinner to God? It cannot be: therefore, ſaith our Apoſtle there, verſe 26. It became our High-Prieſt to be another manner of High-Prieſt, to be holy, and harmleſſe, ſeparated from ſinners, and made higher then the heavens. That is one reaſon, to ſhew that the Prieſt-hood of the old Law could not perfectly reconcile men to God.
A ſecond reaſon why God permitted him to fall, was, that in ſo great dignity as Aaron was now aſsigned to, in ſo great a place as the high-Prieſt-hood, Aaron might learne to walk humbly with his God. There is nothing that will beat downe a child of God more in the ſight of his owne eyes, then the ſight of his owne corruptions, and the conſcience of his owne unworthineſſe. Solomon tells us, that All the afflictions that God ſends a man under the ſun, are to humble him: And all that is too little. God is faine ſometimes to let corruptions looſe in his children, to ſuffer his owne children many times to have many a fearefull conflict, and combate, and Meſſenger of Satan to buffet them, a pricke in the fleſh to moleſt them; hee ſuffers them to have many fearefull tryalls in the fleſh, to the intent that, there being ſuch a Jebuſite in the land, ſuch an enemy in our own bowels, ſuch a thorne in our eyes, ſuch prickes in our ſides, the proud heart may never finde time to ſit, and bleſſe it ſelfe in any gift or grace, wherewith God hath honoured it.
Nay, here is not all, God doth not only ſuffer corruptions to grow and to rule in his children, that he may humble them: But, God ſometime permitts his children to fall into ſome great ſinne, that they may not fall into Pride, ſaith Saint Austine. I am bold to ſpeake it: I thinke it profitable for the children of God ſometimes to ſin, to keep them from falling into Pride. As a Phyſician, when hee would cure a Convulſion, hee doth what hee can to procure an Ague: ſo God, to cure Pride (that dangerous ſin in his children) many times ſuffers them to fall into other ſins, though they be fearfull in themſelves, that they may not fall into Pride.
When men grow proud of any gift or grace that God hath honoured them with, A man (as Gregorie ſpeakes) makes a ſore of a ſalve: Therefore God ſuffers them to fall into other ſinnes, that ſo he may make a ſalve of a ſore; that, when a man hath been wounded by his owne vertues, hee may be healed by his owne vices: That is the ſecond reaſon.
Thirdly, God ſuffered him to fall, I conceive for this; to teach Aaron to looke compaſsionately, being a Prieſt, upon poore ſinners, conſidering himſelfe. Remember the Apoſtles precept, Galat. 6. Brethren, if any of you be overtaken with a fault, you that are ſpirituall (yea, they eſpecially, whoſe Function and Miniſtery is ſpirituall) you that are ſpirituall, restore ſuch a man with the ſpirit of meekneſſe, reſtore him againe; the Greek word is, ſet him in joynt againe: Doe you ſee him out of joynt? handle him gently, as you doe a bone that is out, ſet him in joynt againe with the ſpirit of meekneſſe: Why? Conſidering thy ſelfe, lest thou alſo be tempted. That good Father, that heard tell of the fall of his brother, hee cried out, Alas! hee fell to day, and I may fall to morrow. O Conſider thy ſelfe, either thou art tempted, or haſt been tempted, or mayeſt be tempted, as that man was. The Lord would have Aaron to fall, that hee might look with an eye of compaſsion upon ſinners.
Then, laſtly, It pleaſed God to ſuffer him to fall thus, that hee might be a warning to us: Quomodò tener Agnus, &c. Alas! how ſhall the tender Lamb doe, when the Bell-wether of the flock is thus endangered? If Aaron the ſaint of the Lord (as hee is called in this Pſalme) a man ſo familiarly acquainted with God, and divine viſions, and a man that had been ſo powerfull with Moſes in working miracles; a man that approached ſo near to God, a man ſo long converſant with God, a man that had gone of ſo many errands of God, as hee did with Moſes to Pharaoh: If ſo holy, and ſo great a man as hee, fell into ſo great a ſinne as this; then let us learn to worke out our ſalvation with feare and trembling. Howle Firr-tree (ſaith the Prophet) when the Cedar fals. Be not high-minded, but feare. It is the uſe wee are to mak of it. So much for the firſt circumſtance.
The ſecond circumſtance is, Where they made this calfe. In Horeb. There ran all along in Arabia, a ridge of mountaines; it was but one mountain, but there were two great tops of it; Sinai was one, and Horeb was the other; and you ſhall finde them ſometime called by the one name, and ſometimes by the other: ſometimes the whole mountaine is called by the name of Sinai, ſometimes all the mountaine is called by the name of Horeb; ſometime by the one top, ſometime by the other. Now, this is a thing to be obſerved; they were not gone yet from Horeb, the law was given in Sinai but a little before, where the Lord charged them out of the fire, Thou ſhalt not make an Image to me; they were but at the foot of the hill, and had not tarried there much above a month after the law was given: they ſaw mount Sinai before them, that was the higher top, and they could not but remember how mount Sinai was all on a ſmoaking fire and flame, and with what earneſtneſſe God had charged them, Thou ſhalt not make any ſimilitude of mee: they were not yet gone altogether from the mountaine, they were yet in Horeb; and yet, you ſee, as it is ver. 13. They made haste, and forgat God, and fell to this ſinne: ſo ſaith God to Moſes, Goe, get the downe; this people are quickly gone out of the way, Exod. 32. 7. You may ſee it in this. I ſtand not upon that point.
The third circumſtance is, Whereof did they make this calfe? They made it of their golden eare-rings, Pull off the golden ear-rings (ſaith he) from your wives, and your ſonnes, and your Daughters, and give them to mee. No doubt of it, but the ſervant of God, Aaron, would faine by this have diverted them from making them a calfe: Hee would faine have turned them from it, if hee could: Hee knew that all thoſe people in thoſe Eaſterne parts were much delighted in ornaments, in eare-rings: they ſay, they weare them uſually there to this day. And ſuppoſe hee could perſwade the men to be content to part with their ornaments out of their eares; yet he thought it impoſsible to get the women to part with theirs. What? for a woman to part with her jewels, and ornaments! This ſeems a thing impoſsible: You ſee they are ſo deſirous of them, they will, many of them, pinch their bellies, that they may lay ſomewhat more upon their backes: We know there are many that had rather their bellies ſhould want ſufficient ſuſtenance, then their backes a ſuperfluous ornament. You ſee what a hard matter it is to get women to leave an idle inſtrument, or a bagge of vanity that they carrie about with them; but, to leave their jewels, to part with their ornaments, hee never thought they would doe it, though the men might part from theirs: yet they all do, both men and women. Wee may obſerve how eaſily men and women will part with any thing to maintaine Idolatry.
I cannot tell, whether it be (as that Father imagined) the pride of our hearts, that wee are in love with the workes of our owne hands, with the devices of our owne braine, with the invention of our own ſpirits; that becauſe they are our own, we like them: Or, whether it be the vigilancy of the divell, that roaring lyon, that goes about ſeeking whom he may devoure; or what elſe is the cauſe, I know not: but this I know, men are more willing to part with any thing to an Idoll, to a ſuperſtitious worſhip, then to the true worſhip and ſervice of God.
And for this cauſe, Idolatry may fitly be compared to whoredome: You ſee, a whore-monger will be pinching and ſparing enough to his wife and children at home, but he cares not how expenſive, and exceſsive, and laviſh he be upon his whores abroad: Thus it is in ſpirituall whoredome; men are never ſo niggardly as in the worſhip of God, but they are content to part with any thing for the maintaining of Idolatry. This forwardneſſe of this people, even to pull their very eare-rings out of their eares, to beſtow upon an Idoll, it will riſe up and condemne us, that are not willing to pull any thing out of our purſes, to the worſhip and ſervice of God.
Many men, in this liberall age we live in, are content, with the Wiſe men, to take a great journey to ſee Chriſt: peradventure they are content to fall downe and worſhip him; but they are not willing, with thoſe Wiſe-men, to open their treaſures. Speake to them of opening their treaſures, whether for works of piety to God, or of charity to men, then they ſtand at it, as Naaman the Aſſyrian, Nay the Lord be mercifull to me for that. Brethren, I could ſpeak a great deale more to this purpoſe, but I am loath to trouble you.
Then, beſides, I know how unneceſſary this is in this place. I have had many a time here, twice eſpecially, a plentifull experience of your forwardneſſe. I have ſeene how your hearts have beene enlarged in bounty towards the enlarging of this place; towards the maintenance of the Miniſtery, and ſervice of God in this place. I need not ſpeake of that now.
But yet I will exhort you now to a worke of charity. Do you remember the Briefe that was read even now, for that poore towne of Cambridge? Me thought your hearts did even yearne within you with pity and compaſsion, to heare of almoſt 3000. poore diſtreſſed ſoules, brought into this extreame miſery, through the The great plague in Cambridge. Aug. 1630.hand of * God. Brethren, I need ſay no more; I beſeech you give us, that are your ſervants in ordinary, (here in the worke of the Miniſtery, both of the one ſide, and of the other; we are all brought up in the Univerſities) I pray give us leave to repaire to your houſes, and, If there be any conſolation of Chriſt, any comfort of love, any fellowſhip of the Spirit; any communion of Saints, any bowels, any mercy, fulfill our joy in this. I beſeech you beſtow ſuch a bleſsing upon that poore Towne, and the poore Inhabitants, that they may be occaſioned, and we for them, to bleſſe you again, and pray to God, to reſtore that which you ſhall give, in the riches of grace here, and of glory hereafter.
FINIS.