Treatise of the Four Degenerate Sons, Treatise · Part 3 · Section 6 (1 of 3)

Treatise of the Four Degenerate Sons · Treatise · Part 3 · Section 6 (1 of 3)

p. 183SECT. 6. Of the increaſe and decreaſe of Idolatrie in the family of Jacob.

THis Idolatry tooke increaſe in the family of Iacob, The increaſe.when Rachel ſtole her fathers Idolls, Gen. 31.19. and in his retinue was polluted with theſe ſtrange gods, the Idolls that ſhee brought from her father Labans houſe; ſhee was not free of Idolatry, yet neither was her ſiſter Leah, and her handmaid Zilpah free of that Idolatrie, Gen. 30.11. Bagad is read two wayes; firſt, bagad, venit turma, vel exercitus. Secondly, it is reade, conjunctim, bagad, i.e. fortuna vel fortunate: and Rabbi; Salomon reades it, Venit ſidus bonum, ſeu planeta bonus; and ſhe acknowledged this her child, fortunae influentis donum, a good gift from fortune, Eſa. …5.11. gad, they interpret fortunam; and the Arabians (as Abenezra witneſſeth) cald God, Gad, or Mars, & hence come this word God, and Leah called this her ſonne Gad, or good fortune, becauſe in Labans family they worſhipped Gad or Fortune as a God.

Rachel brought theſe Idols from her father Labans houſe,Idols are a dangerous treaſure to carrie about. which was a dangerous treaſure for her to carrie about with her. Saint Iohn ſaith in his firſt Epiſtle, Chap. 5. verſ. 21. Little children keepe your ſelves from Idolls, they are ſoone inſnared with them; and as children delights p. 184much to play with puppets, ſo Idolaters are much delighted with their Idols.

Q. But did ſhe not wel in taking away her fathers Idols?

Anſw. She was but a private woman and had no authority to doe this;Rachel being a private woman ſhould not have taken away her fathers god. for a good action when it is done by theſe who have not a calling to doe it, becomes ſinne. Theodoret tels us how one Abdas, in a prepoſterous zeale threw downe foreign,Hiſt. tripart. lib. 10. cap. 30. or the chappell, which the Perſians kept their fire in, and which they worſhipped as a God; and he being commanded to build it up againe, he altogether refuſed: whereupon Iazdigard the Emperour being highly incenſed, cauſed firſt to caſt downe the Churches of the Chriſtians, and ſearch to be made for the Chriſtians, whom he cauſed to be put to exquiſite torments, which Theodoret deſcribes moſt pathetically there, and ſhewes that it was a moſt fooliſh enterpriſe of Abdas to have caſt downe this foreign, and to give occaſion this way to torment the poore Chriſtians. Saint Paul when he ſaw the Idolatrous altar in Athens, Act. 17. he brake not downe the Altar, but reaſoned againſt it out of the inſcription that he reade into it.

Againe ye may marke here the vanity of theſe Idolaters, Laban cryed out that ſhe had ſtollen his gods; if they were gods had they not power to ſave themſelves; If Baal be God let him plead for himſelfe, Iudge 6.21. Zephan. 1.13. Their Gods ſhall become a booty. But Idolaters are wondrous fooliſh in this caſe, as Amaziah when he had killed the Edomites, and taken their gods, yet he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and ſet them up to be his gods, and bowed downe himſelfe before them, and burnt incenſe unto them: Theſe gods who could not defend themſelves how could hee worſhip them? Although Dagon brake his necke upon the threſhold of the doore, yet the Philiſtines would never p. 185treade upon the threſhold of the doore thereafter. Zeph. 1.9. I will puniſh all thoſe that leape on the threſhold But what reſpect ſhould they have carried to that Idoll who brake his necke there? the Romans when they overcame any people, they tooke their gods and put them in foreign. But for them to have worſhipped theſe gods whom they had taken captive, this was great madneſſe.The decreaſe.

The decreaſe of this Idolatry was, when Iacob tooke their ſtrange gods, and their earings, and hid them under an Oake which was by Sechem Gen. 35.4.

Iacob was a good father of a familie, he purged his houſe from all Idolatry: ſo ſhould Chriſtian magiſtrates purge the Church from Idolatrie.

When Ezekiah had removed the high places, Rabſakeh cryed out againſt him, and ſaid that hee removed the Lords high places, and the Lords altars Eſay 36.7. and becauſe he ſaid to Iudah and Ieruſalem, ye ſhall worſhip before this Altar, Rabſakeh ſeemes here to plead for the Lord, as though the high places and the Idolatrous altars were inſtituted by the Lord, and not the altar of Ieruſalem, and he blames Ezekiah for removing theſe, and he ſhewes v. 10. that he had a commandement from the Lord to come up and deſtroy this Land, becauſe the high places were removed: So Papiſts plead againſt Chriſtian magiſtrates, who have removed Idols out of the Church, crying that they have taken away the Lords holy images, and defaced his worſhip, and threaten judgements to come upon them, for defacing thoſe high places of theirs.The ſecond increaſe of Idolatrie.

The next increaſe of Idolatry was, when the Church was in Egypt, for then the Iſraelites did ſecretly commit Idolatry, Ezek. 23.3. and they committed whoredome in the land of Egypt; they committed whoredome, and had the teates of their virginity bruiſed.

p. 186Becauſe they polluted themſelves in Egypt, and loſt their virginitie there: therefore the Lord was wroth with Idolatrous Egypt, and lifted up his hand to bring his people from amongſt them, and to execute Iudgement both upon their gods, and upon their firſt borne, Num. 33.4.

The Lord reckons this as one of his greateſt favours to his people, that he brought them out of Egypt.The Lord reckoned it as one of his greateſt favours ſhowne to his Church that he delivered them out of Egypt, tenne times he reckoned up this great benefit, firſt in giving of the Law, Exod. 20.2. ſecondly when he inſtituted the ſacrifices, Levit. 22.33. thirdly, when he makes the promiſe of bleſſings to them, Levit. 26.13. fourthly in reckoning up of his great workes, which he had done for them: fiftly he rockons this for the great ſigne of his love, Deut. 7.8. ſixtly, when he diſſwades them from ingratitude, Deut. 8.14. ſeventhly, when he inſtituted the Paſchall lambe, Deut. 16.6. eightly, when the Angell reproved the people, Iudg. 2.1. ninthly, in hope of the victory againſt the Madianites, Iudg. 6.10. tenthly, when they were about to ſet up a King, 1 Sam. 10.18.

But ſee how forgetfull they were of this great benefit, and how they longed to goe backe againe to Egypt, Exod. 14.11. Exod. 16.3. Exod. 17.3. Num. 11.3. and 14.4. and 20.3.

The Lord commanded them expreſſely that they ſhould never goe backe againe to Egypt, Exod. 14.13. Deut. 28.68. Deut. 17.16.

Queſt. Was it not lawfull for the people to goe into Egypt againe?

In what ſenſe it was forbidden to the people to goe backe againe to Egypt.Anſw. Some of the Iewes (as Rabbi Bechai) affirme that it was not lawfull for them to goe into Eypt againe: Ye ſhall not henceforth returne any more that way to Egypt againe, Deut. 17.16. that is (ſaith he) ye ſhall not goe the ſame way againe which ye came out p. 187of Egypt, but ye may goe out of other Countries to Egypt; but this interpretation is fooliſh, ſecondly Maymonides ſaith, that it was lawfull for them to dwell in Egypt, and to trade there, when they ſubdued the Egyptians, thirdly, others ſay that it was praeceptum horarium, which indured but for a while, but the prohibition ſeemes to forbid the whole body of the people to goe backe againe to Egypt, Num. 14.4. And they ſaid one to another, let us make a Captaine, and let us returne to Egypt, this way they might not returne to Egypt. Deut. 17.16. The King ſhall not multiply horſes unto himſelf, nor cauſe the people returne to Egypt, the King might not by his Princely authority ſend many of the people to Egypt, nor give occaſion to the people of much trading there with the Egyptians; for this continuall intercourſe with the Egyptians had beene all one as if they ſhould have gone backe to Egypt againe to dwell.

But for private men to dwell there it was not ſimply unlawfull; Vriah the Prophet fled to Egypt Ier. 26.21. and Ieremiah himſelfe was carried to Egypt, Ier. 43.6. and there were many famous ſchooles and Synagogues of the Iewes in Egypt, which the wiſe men of God would not have ſuffered, if it had beene ſimply unlawfull to dwell there: they might dwell there if they were not partakers of the unfruitfull workes of the darkeneſſe of the Egyptians Levit. 18.3. after the doings of the Land of Egypt ye ſhall not doe.The next increaſe of Idolatry in the Wilderneſſe.

The next increaſe of Idolatry in the wilderneſſe was when they ſet up a golden calf to worſhip there, becauſe they ſaw the oxe worſhipped in Egypt, Ezec. 23.19. Yet ſhe multiplyed her whoredomes in calling to remembrance the dayes of her youth, wherein ſhe played the harlot in the Land of Egypt.The Idolatry of Egypt was a baſer ſort of Idolatry, then the Idolatry of the Aſſirians.

Many were the plagues which they got out of Egypt, firſt they brought out of Egypt the filthy leproſie or p. 188ſcab, which laſted ſo long amongſt them in the land of Canaan. Secondly, they forgat their circumciſion for fourty yeares in the wilderneſſe; and this they learned from the Egyptians who circumciſed not: Therefore when they came to Gilgall, and were circumciſed; the Lord ſaid, Ioſ. 3.9. this day have Irolled away the reproach of the Egyptians from you. Thirdly the blaſphemer who curſed the Lord, Levit. 24. his mother was an Egyptian; Fourthly, the greateſt part of that Miſcellanea turba (of whom they learned to ſpeake with open mouth againſt the Lord) came out of Egypt, Exod, 12.38. Fiftly, they gate the patterne of this golden calfe out of Egypt, and the ſecond time Ieroboam brought the patterne of the golden calfes, which he fet up out of Egypt, and Sheſhak King of Egypt was the firſt who robbed the temple of God, 1 King. 14.26.

The Lord objects to his people, Ier. 2.18. what haſt thou to doe in the way of Egypt to drinke the waters of Sihor? Sihor was a river in Egypt, and to drinke the water of Sihor, was to commit whoredome, and ſpirituall Adulterie: So Salomon calles bodily Adultery water, ſtolen waters are ſweete, Prov. 9.7. and they ſay Abſtine ab aqua aliena: This water was called Sihor, which ſignifieth blackeneſſe; when they dranke this water they committed a baſer ſort of Idolatrie,The Idolatrie of Egypt was a baſer ſort of Idolatry then the Idolatry of the Aſsirians. then when they dranke the water of the river Euphrates: for when they followed the Idolatrie of the Egyptians, they worſhipped oxen, but when they dranke of the river Euphrates and followed their Idolatrie, they worſhiped the Sunne, the Moone, and the ſtarres: The Egyptians were the baſeſt Idolaters, and Sihor was the blackeſt water; Therefore the Lord abhors Egypt and calles it the land of Cham, Pſal. 105. Cham was accurſed, ſo was the land of Egypt.

Now let us conſider who made this Idoll; ſecondly p. 189whereof they made it. And thirdly, how great a ſinne this was in ſetting up this Idoll to worſhip it.

Firſt, it was Aaron who made the calfe:Aaron made the golden calfe. It was neither ignorance nor complſiō that moved him to make this calfe, but feare onelyonly, Metus gravis (ſay they) poteſt cadere in virum conſtantem, a great feare may overtake a couragious man; But Aaron heere was overtaken with a ſmall feare; Aaron ſaw not the people ſtonning him, therefore his feare aroſe onelyonly upon his owne apprehenſion.

Aaron was the man who committed this ſinne;Aaron ſinned not of ignorance. the high Prieſts lippes ſhould preſerve knowledge, Mal. 2.7. he had knowledge enough to reſiſt the ſinne; the ſervant that knowes his maſters will and doth it not, is worthie of many ſtripes, Mat. 12. When a Prince doth againſt Iuſtice who ſhould maintaine Iuſtice, there is a ſpeciall repugnancie betwixt his act and his calling: So when Aaron to whom was concredit the puritie of Gods worſhip, committed Idolatrie, then there was a ſpeciall repugnancie betwixt him and his profeſſion: how ſcandalous then was Aarons fall to the whole people, In exemplum culpa vehementer extenditur, quando pro reverentia peccator honoratur, The fault is much agravated by the example, when the ſinner is much reſpected and honored.The greatneſſe of Aarons ſinne may be taken up by the greatneſſe of the ſacrifice of the high Prieſt which was to expiate the ſin.

Againe, conſider the greatneſſe of Aarons ſinne by the greatneſſe of the ſacrifice of the High Prieſt. Moſes, Lev. 4. diſtinguiſhes ſinnes according to the difference of perſons, if a common man ſinned, hee was to bring for one oblation a Kid of the goates, a female without blemiſh, ver. 28. but if a Prince of the people ſinned he ſhall bring a Kid of the goates; a male without blemiſh, ver. 23. and if the whole congregation ſinned, then they ſhall bring a young bullocke for their ſinne, ver. 14. and if the Prieſt who was annoynted ſinne, (that p. 190is the high Prieſt, for none was annoynted after the firſt inſtitution as the high Prieſt was but he alone) hee was to bring a young bullocke; here the ſacrifice of the Prieſt, was as great as the ſacrifice of the whole people. If the eye be evill, the whole body is full of darkeneſſe, Matth. 6.23. and ſuch Prieſts ſuch people.

By Aarons committing this ſinne wee are taught the infirmities of the Leviticall Prieſthood.Aaron made the calfe, hence wee may learne, what infirmitie was in the legall ceremonies, that they could bring nothing to perfection, Heb. 9.9. And this we may ſee in the ingreſſe, progreſſe, and ending of the Prieſthood: Aaron when the Prieſthood was firſt inſtituted hee committed Idolatrie, and Vrias in the progreſſe of the Prieſthood hee committs Idolatrie; And Cajaphas about the ending of the prieſthood, hee condemnes the Lord Ieſus: therefore Ieſus Chriſt is our onelyonly High Prieſt that muſt expiate our ſinnes.

Secondly, conſider whereof this Idoll was made; the people brought their Iewells and earings to Aaron, Exod. 32.3. and of theſe the Idoll was made. Idolaters are very profuſe in the beſtowing upon their Idoles all ſort of coſt,Idolaters are very prodigall in beſtowing things of great coſt upon the Idoles. Ier. 10.9. they brought the moſt pretious gold from Vphaz or Ophir to make their images of; ſo from Tarſhis they brought their moſt excellent ſilver, they ſpared noe coſt. Nabuchadnezzer ſet up an Imag of gold, Da. 3.1. whoſe hight was threeſcore cubits, and the breadth therof ſixe cubits; And that is it which the Lord layes to the charge of the whoriſh Church Iſrael, Ezech. 16.34. other whoores take gifts; but thou giveſt gifts.

The three ages of the Church of the Iewes, the golden are, the ſilver age, and the yron age.In the Church of Iſrael there were three ages, the golden age, the ſilver age, and the iron age.

The golden age they make to be that time when David gathered all materialles for the building of the temple, and when Salomon built it. The ſilver age they hold begunne in Iohaſh his tyme, 2 King. 12. when he p. 191repaired the temple, howbeit there was not made for the houſe of the Lord boules of ſilver, Snuffers, Baſſens, Trumpets, or veſſelles of gold, or veſſelles of ſilver, that was brought into the houſe of the Lord; this was but a ſilver age in reſpect of the former golden age, and now they had but ſhieldes of braſſe in the temple, whereas in the firſt age they had ſhields of gold, 1 King. 14.27. The third age was the yron age, when they ſtole out of the houſe of God the ſieling & ſieled their own houſes with it, Ier. 22.14. ſo when they dwelt in houſes of Cedar, but the Lords houſe lay waſt, Hagg. 1.4. and when they robbed him of his tithes, Mal. 3.8. wee live now under this yron age; If any man beſtow any coſt now for the maintenance of the worſhip of God miſers cry out with Iudas Marke 14.4. what needes this waſt, and they thinke it like bread caſt upon the waters, Eccleſ. 11.1. But the Lord meetes with thoſe who robs his Church, for when they have ſowne much they find but little encreaſe, becauſe they defraud him. Rabbi Alſack writing upon Malachi, telles us of a certaine man who had a peece of ground which brought forth yearely a thouſand meaſures of graine, and when the time of paying his tythe to the Prieſts came, he payed but nintie buſhels where he ought to have payed a hundred. The next yeare his increaſe was not ſo great, wherefore hee withdrew ſo much from the Prieſts: at laſt his increaſe came but to an hundreth, which was the firſt tenth that he was bound to pay the Prieſts: an old man by chance meeting with him, ſaid unto him, that he was glad of the late dignity that was befallen to his houſe, how that God had gotten the increaſe, and he became the Prieſt of his familie to get the tenths;Idolatrie is a great ſin, becauſe it is committed immediately againſt God. at which words he was aſhamed and repented him of his former ſacriledge.

The greatneſſe of this ſinne of Idolatry which they committed heere may be conſidered by the worthines p. 192of the perſon againſt whom it is committed, for as in bodily diſeaſes, thoſe are moſt hurtfull that doe annoy the originall of our life moſt, as the heart; ſo in ſinnes, thoſe are the greateſt which are committed againſt God the fountaine of life.

There are ſome carnall ſins, and ſome ſpirituall ſinnes.Againe we may know the greatneſſe of this ſinne by the nature of the ſinne it ſelfe: There are ſome ſinnes that are carnall ſinnes; and ſome ſpirituall, Epheſ. 6.12. and theſe are greater then carnall ſinnes; Idolatrie is a ſpirituall ſinne, and adulterie is a carnall ſinne; The ſpirit being delighted with Idolatrie is a greater ſinne, then when the fleſh is delighted with Adultery, and there is a greater averſion from God in Idolatry,Where there is a greater motive to ſinne, the ſinne is the leſſe. then the converſion and adhaering to ſinne in Adulterie. Againe, where there is a greater motive to ſinne, the ſin is the leſſe. But theſe carnall ſinnes hath Concupiſcence which drawes them away, and moves them to ſinne; but in ſpirituall wickedneſſe there is no ſuch concupiſcence to draw men to ſinne, their ſinne reſembles the ſin of the devill more, who is not led with luſt or concupiſcence to ſin: He that killes a man in paſſion, he ſinnes not ſo fearefull, as hee who killes him in cold blood: therefore thoſe ſinnes muſt bee the greateſt which men are not led to by Concupiſcence.

Notwithſtanding Aaron committed Idolatrie in ſetting up this calfe, yet the Lord ſpared him, & alwaies ſhewed great tokens of his mercy to the tribe of Levi; as to Aaron, Deut. 9.29. to the poſterity of Corah. Numb. 26.11. and to Abiathar, 1. King. 2.26. and ſo Ioſias, when the Prieſts had committed Idolatrie in ſacrificing in the high places, hee did not kill them, as hee did the Idolatrous Prieſts, who were not called by the Lord, 1 King. 23.20. but onelyonly commanded that they ſhould eate of the unleavened bread amongſt their brethren, 2 King. 23.9. which was injoyned to thoſe that had any blemiſh p. 197in their bodie, and they were forbidden to eate the bread of their God, Levit. 21.17.

They worſhipped the calfe. The oxe was a ſigne of plenty, where the oxe is wanting the cribbe is emptie, but much increaſe is by the ſtrength of the oxe, Prov. 4.4. Ioſeph who provided corne in the time of famine is called Gods oxe, Deut. 33.17.Lib. 1. Sacrae ſcripturae chap. 15. which booke is holden, to be Auguſtines. His glorie is like the firstling of a bullocke, becauſe he provided for the Egyptians, and for his fathers family in the time of famine; therefore it is ſaid, that the Egyptians placed the ſimilitude of an oxe hard by Ioſephes buriall place.Whether the Idoll which they worſhipped was a calfe or an oxe.

It may be asked whether this Idol which was ſet up, was made in the forme of a calfe or an oxe? And the reaſon of the doubt is, becauſe ſomtimes this Idol is called an oxe, Pſ. 106.20. And they changed their glorie into the ſimilitude of an oxe that eateth graſſe; And ſometimes it is called a calfe, verſ. 14. they made a calfe in Horeb.

Anſw. foreignThis word gnegel vitulus with the Hebrewes ſignifies, either vitulum ſubrumum, that is, a ſucking calfe, or it ſignifies vitulam tertiam, Ier. 48.34. when it is three yeares old, and then it is called indifferently, Shor, or gnegel bos, or vitulus; but when it is ſeven yeare old, then it is onelyonly called Shor, foreignand not gnegel, that is an oxe, and not a calfe, Iudg. 6.4.6.

Againe, it may be asked whether it was a cow, calfe or an oxe calfe, which they worſhipped: The reaſon of the doubt, is becauſe, Hoſ. 10.5. he calls them gnegloth in the feminine gender, which they worſhipped in Dan and Bethel, and they were made after the forme of this calfe which they worſhipped in the wilderneſſe?

Anſw. David, Eſal. 106.20. calls this calfe Shor, an oxe calfe which they worſhipped, and the 70. convertes it, foreign, which ſignifies an oxe calfe, and they plowed with oxen and not with kine: And whereas p. 198Hoſ. 10.5. puts them in the feminine gender, calling them gnegloth, this was ſpoken per Ligragnon, per contemptum (as the Iewes ſpeak) that is in contempt.foreign So Tob. 1.5. this calfe is put in the feminine gender, ſacrificantes, foreign, ſacrificing to the Cow; it ſhould not be reade foreign, ſeu poteſtati, for what power is in an Idoll. In contempt this calfe is called a cow calfe, and not an oxe; So Rom. 9.5. I have reſerved to me, 7000. men who have not bowed their knee to Baal, foreign, in the feminine gender; and he underſtands, foreign noting the infirmitie of the ſexe. So Virgil in his 9. booke, when hee exprobrates to the Trojans their cowardlineſſe, he calls them not Phryges, but Phrygias. So Homer calls them not foreign, to ſignifie how farre degenerate and effeminate they were.

Whether it was the head of a calfe which they worſhipped or not?Thirdly, it may be asked whether they worſhipped the head of the calfe here, or the whole calfe, and the reaſon of the doubt is, becauſe S. Cyprian in his book, De bona conſcientia ſub finem: S. Ambroſe Epist. 6. Lactantius, lib. 4.10. S. Auguſtine in Pſal. 73. hold that it was not an oxe, but caput bubuli which they worſhipped: But this ſeemes not to be probable, ſeeing the Scripture every where calles it a calfe; and hee reſembleth him to an oxe eating graſſe, Pſal. 106.20. The head of an oxe alone cannot eate graſſe; and they reſembled an oxe as neare as they could.

This oxe which they worſhipped in Egypt, was marked with ſtrange ſpots; Bos (inquit) in Egypto numinis vice colitur, Apin vocant, inſigne ei in dextro latere candicans macula, ſimilis cornibus Lunae creſcere incipientis, nodus ſub lingua quem cantbarum appellant; There is an oxe in Egypt which is worſhipped as a God, and they call him Apis, he hath upon his right ſide a white ſpot, which is like the hornes of the Moone when ſhee beginneth to grow, and he hath under his tongue a knot which they p. 195call Cantharus; By what ſlight the devill continued this Idolatry in Egypt to worſhip the calfe.And S. Augustine holdes that the devill (whereby this Idolatrie might be continued in Egypt) uſed this ſlight, Phantaſiam talis tauri vaccae concipienti oſtendere, ut libido ejus attraheret quod in ejus faetujam corporaliter appareret, that is, he preſented before the Cow, when ſhe was ingendering, and in her heat,Auguſt. de civit. dei. lib. 18. cap. 5. a Bull marked after the ſame manner that the oxe of Egypt was; which markes the Cow apprehending in her phantaſie, tranſmitted to the calfe, and by that meanes the calfe was marked after the ſame manner that the oxe was; and ſo the divill by his ſlight and cunning, continued this Idolatry in Egypt. But marke the fooliſhneſſe of theſe Idolaters; this oxe which they worſhipped, when hee grew old, they uſed to drowne him in ſome lake or poole, and then they lamented for his death in mourning apparel, knocking upon their breaſts, and renting their cloathes; but when they had found annother marked after the ſame manner, then they rejoyced exceedingly; this was great madneſſe.Peucerus de divinatione. pag. 223. One jeſted at the gods of Egypt, when he ſaw them lament for their gods, Si dii ſunt cur plangitis, ſi mortui cur adoratis, if they be gods, what neede you to lament, if they be dead, why doe you worſhip them.The decreaſe of this Idolatrie.

This Idolatrous worſhip decreaſed, when Moſes cauſed the calfe to be beaten to powder, and given to the people to drinke, Exod. 32.20. thus hee would let them ſee when this Idoll was turned to excrements; It was but a god of dung, Lev. 26.30. Deut. 29.17. and becauſe theſe Idolls were but gods of dung, therefore the Lord commanded that Baals houſe ſhould be turned into a privie, 2 King. 10.27. and ſo when the Levites conſecrated their hands to kill their neighbours and brethren, Exod. 32.29. that were Idolaters, their hands were conſecrated with the bloud of their brethren; as that day when they were ordained prieſtes, and the p. 196bloud of the ſacrifice was ſprinkled upon the thumbe of their right hand, Exod. 29.20. and this was as acceptable a conſecration to the Lord, as that day when they were conſecrated prieſts unto him.

The ſecond increaſe of Idolatrie in the wilderneſſe.The ſecond increaſe of Idolatrie in the wildernes was, when God turned and gave them up to worſhip the hoſt of heaven, as it is written in the booke of the Prophets; O ye houſe of Iſrael, have ye offered unto me ſlaine beaſts, and ſacrifices, by the ſpace of fortie yeares in the wilderneſſe; yea yee tooke up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the ſtarre of your god Rempham, figures which yee made to worſhip them.

How are the Iſraelites charged by Amos, and by Stephen to have worſhipped the hoſt of heaven in the wilderneſſe, when there is no mention made of this by Moſes.Here firſt wee are to enquire how the Iſraelites are charged by the Prophet Amos, Chap. 5. verſ. 25. and by Stephen, Acts 7. that they worſhipped the hoſt of heaven in the wilderneſſe; when as the Lord never charged them with this ſort of Idolatry in the bookes of Moſes. Secondly, how they are ſaid never to have ſacrificed all the time that they were in the wilderneſſe, when as they ſacrificed to the Lord in the wilderneſſe? Exo. 24.5. and Levit. 8.21. and 9.2. Thirdly, what theſe Idolls were which they worſhipped and ſacrificed to in the wilderneſſe?

As to the firſt, How can they be ſaid by the Prophet, and by Stephen, to offer to the hoſt of heaven, ſeeing the Lord blames them not for that; and we read nothing in the hiſtorie of Moſes of it?

An. Rabbi Salomon reades it in the future tenſe, portabitis, ye ſhall beare, as though the Lord were threatning a judgement againſt them for the time to come, but this is neither the meaning of the Prophet, nor of S. Stephen for they charged the Iſraelites with that Idolatry which they cōmitted whiles they were in the wildernes. Beza upon the 7. Act. holds that the Iſraelites committed not this Idolatrie while they were in the wilderneſſe; but p. 197the Prophet blames them that they worſhipped God, but hypocritically, and not ſincerely in the wilderneſſe; and ſo David blames them, Pſal. 95. and Pſal. 106. and therefore the Lord gave them up afterward to this open Idolatrie, to worſhip the hoſt of heaven: But the Prophet Amos expreſly ſaith, Amos 5.25. that they worſhipped the hoſt of heaven foreign, which ſignifies a particular wilderneſſe; the wilderneſſe of Arabian, where they wandered fortie yeares.

Object. But if it be ſaid that there is no mention of this Idolatrie in the hiſtory of Exodus, neither are they charged with it as with other Idolatrie?

I anſwer, that the Scripture,The Scripture ſets downe in ſome places that which is omitted in others, and that makes up the full ſenſe of the Scriptures. ſometimes ſets downe in one place, that which is omitted in another: Example, it is ſet downe in Exodus how the Magitians were called who reſiſted Moſes, and yet the Apoſtle calls them Iannes and Iambres, 2 Tim. 3.8. So the ſtrife which was betwixt the devill and Michael about the body of Moſes, the Apoſtle Iude ſets it downe, ver. 9. So it is ſet not downe in the hiſtory of Geneſis, that Ioſeph when he was in priſon, his feete were put into the ſtockes, and Iron entred into his ſoule, and yet David ſets it downe, Pſal. 105.18. So the Iſraelites worſhipping of the Hoſte of heaven in the wilderneſſe, although it be not mentioned by Moſes; yet it is ſet downe by Amos, and by Saint Stephen Act. 7. and many things are omitted in ſome places of Scriptures, which are clearely ſet downe in other places, which being conferred together makes up the full ſenſe of the Scripture.

The ſecond thing to be required here is,In what ſenſe the Iſraelites are ſaid not to have ſacrificed to the Lord all the time they were in the wilderneſſe. how it can be ſaid that they ſacrificed not 40 yeares in the wilderneſſe, ſeeing they ſacrificed at mount Sinai, Exod. 24.4.5. and Levit. 8.21 and 9.2.

Anſw. The ſcripture when it ſpeakes of numbers, ſometimes expreſſeth the full number (after the manner p. 198of men) although there be moe or leſſe then is ſet down, as Iudg. 16.27. they were about 3000 on the roofe of the Temple. So Iohn 6.10. there ſate downe about 5000 upon the graſſe, and Act. 1.15. there was about 120 that is few, more or leſſe. Secondly, although there be ſome wanting in the number, yet the Scripture expreſſeth the full number; and this is called rotundatio numeri, as Gen. Eederech ketzera.35.26. theſe are the 12 children that were borne to Iacob in Padan Aram, that is almoſt 12 children, for Benjamin was not borne there, but in the way as they returned from Syria. So Gen. 42.13. we are the 12 ſonnes of Iacob, that is almoſt 12 ſonnes, for they thought Ioſeph had bin dead then. So Iudg. 9.5. Abimeleth killed, the 70 brethren; they were not all killed, for Iothan eſcaped. So Numb. 14.34. ye ſhall carrie your iniquities 40 yeares in the wilderneſſe, that is, almoſt 40 yeares; for this judgement was pronounced againſt them the ſecond yeare that they came out of Egypt: and 1 Cor. 15.5. Chriſt appeared to the 12, that is, almoſt to 12 for Iudas was hanged then. So 2 Sam. 5.5. David raigned over Iudah 7 yeares and ſixe monethes, and in Ieruſalem 33 yeares, he raigned but 32 yeares and 6 months yet to make the number round, it is ſaid that hee did raigne 33 yeares. Thirdly the Scripture ſometimes ſets downe the greater number and leaves out the leſſer ob rotundationē numeri as Iudg. 20.46. all thoſe that fel that day of Benjamin were 25 thouſand, the whole number that fell were 25 thouſand, and one hundred, but when the Scripture ſums them up, it ſets downe the greater number and leaves out the hundreth: ſo 2 Sam. 5.4. David raigned 40 yeares; he raigned 40 yeares and ſixe moneths, but to make the number round, the 6 moneths are left out. Fourthly when the thing numbred comes farre ſhort of the number, then the Scripture draweth it not that aed rotundationem numeri, but acknowledgeth p. 199it in effect to be nothing, becauſe it hath bin ſo ſeldome done: as ye ſacrificed not unto me 40 yeares in the wildernes, becauſe they ſacrificed ſo ſeldome unto him in the wildernes, therfore the Scripture ſaith, ye ſacrificed not to me in the wildernes. Some reckons this time that they ſacrificed not in the wilderneſſe, to be from the time that the ſpyes returned from the ſearching of the Land of Canaan; and all that time they ſacrificed not: as Theodoret and Ribera upon Amos affirme.

The third thing to bee inquired here is this: what theſe Idols were which they worſhipped in the wilderneſſe Amos 5.26. But ye have borne the Tabernacle of your Moloch and Chium your images, the ſtarre of your god which you made to your ſelves, ver. 27. Therefore I will cauſe you to goe into captivity beyond Damaſcus ſaith the Lord. But Acts 7.42. Yea ye tooke up the Tabernacle of Moloch, and the ſtar of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worſhip them, and I will carry you beyond Babylon.

Firſt it is to be conſidered, that the Lord gave them up to worſhip the Hoſte of heaven. Secondly, what they worſhipped. Thirdly, the puniſhment, they ſhall be carried beyond Babylon for their Idolatry.

Firſt the Lord gave them up to worſhip the Hoſte of heaven, that is, as they turned to the Idolatry of Egypt ſo the Lord turned to give them up to ſerve the Hoſte of heaven.Their Idolatry.

Ye have borne the Tabernacle of your Moloch, or Regis veſtri, of your King. The Iſraelites at this time had no earthly King, but by King here is meant the ſunne which thoſe in the Eaſt called Bagnal and in the Syriack Begnel and Beel Bel their Lord,Seldon de dijs Syriis. and their Melech King or Molech, and Amos ſaith Regis veſtri. Luke reades it Moloch and Succoth he turnes it foreign Tabernaculum, becauſe they carried their Gods about with them in a tent or Tabernacle. Succoth is Tabernaculum, p. 200and Succoth was the proper name of the Idoll, theſe he calls imagines vestras, figures which ye made to worſhip them, becauſe they carried about with them in a Tabernacle their Succoth or Moloch the image of the heaven in the which the Sunne or Moloch (that great King over all the ſtarres, and having dominion over all ſublunary things) was placed in his Tabernacle. The Lord hath ſet a Tabernacle for the ſunne in the heavens Pſal. 19.4. So they carried Moloch the ſunne in a Tabernacle.

For Chiun Saint Luke reades it the ſtarre of your god Remphan, all grant Remphan to be put for Chiun or Chevan, but what this Remphan was here is the doubt; Lodovicus de deiu ſhewes us learnedly out of Acts the 7 that this Cheven was Saturnus, where hee reckons up the names of the planets ex lexico Arabico, this Saturnus was Moloch alſo, therefore they ſacrificed men both to Saturne and to Moloch, and therefore Moloch and Chiun Saturnus are fitly joyned together by Amos. And next he ſhewes why Saturnus is called Chiun, from Cunſtabilire, diſponere, and Keina quae a Syris, natura dicitur quae vivificat omnia which is called by the Syrians, nature it ſelfe that quickneth all things. Then he addes Remphan or Rephan, which in the Egyptian tongue ſignifieth that which we cal Saturne, and this (he ſaith) Claudius Salmatius did firſt cleare unto him that in the Egyptian tongue foreign ſignifieth Saturne, and for proofe of this he brought forth the Egyptiacke Alphabet ſent from Rome to him, where the Planets are ſet downe after this manner, the firſt is foreign Sol, foreign Luna, foreign Saturnus, foreign Iupiter, & ſic de caeteris. The ſeventy when they Tranſlated the Bible into Greeke, they made choiſe of a knowne word to the Egyptians, Rephan in place of Chiun, a word which was not knowne to them, he addes the ſtarre of your god, ſtella Saturni, ideſt, Saturnus as Fluvius Euphratis, id eſt, Euphrates.

p. 201Stephen. addes figures which they made to themſelves; the Lord made them not, but they made them to themſelves.

God was onelyonly the God of Iacob, and he chooſeth Iſrael onelyonly for his inheritance, but ſo ſoone as they chooſed gods to themſelves, and ſet up the golden Calfe to worſhip it, Exod. 32.9. He will be their God no more. Then he ſaid to Moſes, thy people have corrupted themſelves, they are no more my people, neither will I be their God any more.

Their puniſhment followeth, Amos 5.27. Therefore I will cauſe you to goe into captivity beyond Damaſcus, and Stephan. addes beyond Babylon, for here he is ſpeaking of the tenne Tribes, which were carried captive by Salmanazar beyond Babylon into Media, and the reaſon which mooved Amos to ſay beyond Damaſcus, was becauſe Haſael the King of Damaſcus had plagued Iſrael, or the tenne tribes fearefully, many of them hee killed, many of them he carried captives away to Syria, and yet the ſtiffe necked people were never a whit the better, and therefore he threatens that ſhortly after they ſhall be carried a great way beyond Damaſcus, even to Babylon when they were tranſported to Media and Armenia: and ſo Saint Stephen expreſſed that clearely which the Prophet aimed at.

The third increaſe of Idolatry in the wilderneſſe was,The third increaſe of Idolatry in the wilderneſſe. when Balaam perſwaded Balack to take the daughters of the Madianites, and ſet them before the Iſraelites: firſt they committed whoredome with them; And then they committed a treſpaſſe againſt the Lord in the matter of Peor, Num. 31.16. 2 Pet. 5.15. He caſt a ſtumbling blocke before the children of Iſrael to eate and to ſacrifice, Rev. 2.14. Pſal. 106.28.

The Iſraelites beholding the Madianitiſh women with their adulterous eyes, they committed fornication with p. 202them: The eyes have beene well reſembled to the moone; and the heart to the ſunne: and as in an ecclipſe when the moone is interpoſed betwixt our ſight and the ſunne; then there is an ecclipſe in the ſunne: So when the Adulterous eye is interpoſed betwixt the heart and us, that makes the ecclipſe of the heart.

Secondly, they ſtumbled in eating theſe things which were ſacrificed to Baal Peor.

Heere we may learne how eaſie a thing it is for men to fall from bodily whoredome to ſpirituall, and what great affinity is betwixt theſe two,It is an eaſie thing for men to fall from ſpirituall adultery to corporall. & contra. the breaking of the ſeventh Commandement by bodily adultery, and the ſecond, by ſpirituall adultery. When a man commits ſin (ſaith Saint Gregory) he breakes all the commands, Iam. 2.10. But there is ſome more affinitie betwixt the breach of ſome commands then of others: And he illuſtrates the matter by this compariſon; As he who playes upon a Lute; when he touches one of the ſtrings, all the reſt tremble, but that ſtring onelyonly which is upon the ſame note gives the ſound with the ſtring which is touched: So every ſinne touches as it were all the commandements, and makes them to tremble, but theſe who ſtand upon the ſame concord, ſinne toucheth them moſt, and men fall eaſily from Idolatry to whoredome, and from whoredome to Idolatry, Romans 1.24. becauſe Idolaters changed the glory of God into corruptible things; Therefore the Lord gave them up to uncleanneſſe, and to the luſts of their owne heart, and to defile their bodies: here bodily whoredome is the puniſhment of Idolatry, which is ſpiritual whoredome. Great is the affinity betwixt theſe two ſorts of whoredomes; and therefore it is, that Antichriſts ſeate, Rev. 11.8. is called ſpirituall Sodome: and becauſe of the reſemblance betwixt theſe two ſins Ezechiel compared Idolaters of Iſrael, Ezeh. 23.2.3.5. p. 203to a woman inflamed with love to a godly young man, on whom ſhe had caſt her eyes, and fixed her affections upon, and forgetting all modeſty ſendeth meſſengers for him. ver. 16. and bringeth him unto her, ver. 17. into the bed of Love, ver. 18. And abſtinence from Idolatry is called virginity, Rev. 14.4. and not defiling themſelves with women.

The Lord by the Prophet Micah willes the people to remember, Mic. 6.5. what Balack the king of Moab conſulted againſt them, and what Balaam the ſonne of Beor anſwered him from Shitim to Gilgall, that they might know the righteouſnes of the Lord: The meaning of the place is, that Baalam endeavoured by all meanes (when the people of God were travelling through the wilderneſſe) to corrupt them; therefore he ſtrove firſt to corrupt them, and he prevailed with them at Shittim, when they committed whoredome with the daughters of Moab, Num. 25.1. and there the Lord plagued them for their offence, & then they repented & wept bitterly for their offence at Abel Shittim (Abell is called mourning) & then they came to Gilgal where the Lord renewed the covenant with them, & laſt to Canaan

This pilgrimage of theirs through the wilderneſſe is a lively type of a poore Chriſtians pilgrimage through the world, firſt hee is baptized;The Iſraelites pilgrimage through the wilderneſſe, fitly reſembles the eſtate of a Chriſtian mans life here. then hee is at the red ſea with the Iſraelites, 1 Cor. 10. They were baptized in the red ſea; then through the tentations of the devill he falles, and is whipt, and chaſtiſed for his offences; then hee is in Shittim with the Iſraelites. Thirdly hee laments and weepes for his offences, and then hee is in Abell Shittim a place of mourning with the Iſraelites. Fourthly, hee renues the covenant with God, and then he is in Gilgall with the Iſraelites: and at the laſt he is brought to heaven, and then hee is in Canaan with the Iſraelites.

p. 204The decreaſe.When the Lord commanded the Iſraelites to revenge themſelves on the Madianites, Num. 30.2.3. and they ſlew all the males and the Kings of Midian, and Baalam, alſo the ſonne of Peor ſlew they with the ſword verſ. 8. and they killed all the males amongſt the litle ones, and all the women that had knowne a man; and thus the Idolatrie of worſhiping of Baal Peor decreaſed amongſt the people.The fourth increaſe of Idolatry in the wilderneſſe.

The fourth increaſe of Idolatrie in the wilderneſſe was when the devill would have ſet up the bodie of Moſes to have beene worſhipped, Iude 9. Some hold that this ſtrife which was betwixt Michael and the devill about the bodie of Moſes was about the ceremoniall law,Iunius upon Iude. which they call Moſes his bodie; But that place, Deut. 34.4.6. ſhewes that the ſtrife was about Moſes naturall bodie, for Moſes the ſervant of the Lord died in the land of the Moabites, according to the appointment of the Lord, & he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, in a place where no man knowes unto this day.

After that Moſes died, before he was buried, the devill would have taken his body and made an Idoll of it, But Michael reſiſted him, and would not ſuffer his body to be made an Idoll. Doctrine.Great hath beene the ſtrife alwaies about religion.

Great hath beene the ſtrife alwaies about religion: the firſt ſtrife that ever was in the world was about religion, as betwixt Cain and Abel, Gen. 4. ſo betwixt Ierubbaal and the men of Sechem for caſting downe Baals altar, Iud. 6.28. and betwixt Michael and the devill, for the worſhiping of Moſes his body: ſo betwixt Chriſt and the devill about Gods worſhip, Mat. 4. So betwixt the image of the beaſt which was wounded by the ſword, by revived againe, and the ſaints who would not take the marke of the beaſt neither in their hand, nor in their forehead, Rev. 13. This ſtrife about religion will ſet the fathers againſt the children, and the p. 205children againſt the parents.

Satan would have ſet up Moſes his body to have made an Idoll of it.The bodies of the ſaints may bee made Idols both living and dead. The bodies of the ſaints may bee made Idoles both when they are dead as heere of the body of Moſes, & when they are alive, as when Cornelius fell downe at Peters feete and worſhipped him, Peter refuſed that worſhip, Act. 10.26, 27. and ſaid, stand up, for I my ſelfe am a man, Peter refuſed this worſhip, becauſe it was divine worſhip or inclining too farre to it: So when the Prieſts would have ſacrificed to the Apoſtles, Act. 14. they rent their cloathes, and ran in amongſt the people, crying, and ſaying, why doe ye theſe things? we are men of like paſsions with you, preaching to you, that yee ſhould turne from theſe vanities. They would have made the Apoſtles to bee in the number of theſe Idoll vanities, when they would have given him divine worſhip.Satan goes from an exte…mitie to another.

Againe yee may obſerve heere how Satan goes from one extremitie to another; when Moſes was alive, how often moved he the people to have ſtoned him: but now when he is dead, hee would have him to make an Idoll of his body, ſo the Iewes in die Palmarum, did ſing, Hoſanna to Chriſt; and the next day they cried Crucifige. So when the viper lept on Pauls hand, they ſaid he was a murtherer; but when he ſhooke it off, and it hurt him not, they ſaid he was a God, and thoſe are unſtable in all their waies, Iam. 1.8.

He would have ſet up Moſes his body to have beene worſhipped, if the Lord had ſuffered this body to have remained in the Church, how would the devill afterward have made up a ground for the continuance of Idolatrie in the Church? then hee would have ſaid, If all ſort of worſhip be denied to the bodies of the ſaints, why would the Lord have ſuffered the body of Moſes the man of God, to ſtand this way in the Church as a p. 206ſtocke without all honour to be given to it? would hee not rather have throwne it downe, as hee did the Idoll Dagon? The Lord forbad onelyonly this divine worſhip to be given to the heathen gods, as to Iupiter, Mars, Venus: But it was never his minde that the divine worſhip ſhould not bee given to the bodies of the ſaints departed; and if Moſes himſelfe were redivivus, hee would explaine himſelfe in this point, that it was forbidden onelyonly to give this worſhip to heathen Idoles, but not to ſaints, which is forbidden in the Law; for hee communicating ſo many dignities with the ſaints, would not refuſe to communicate with them a part of his honour.

Michael reſiſted the devill, and would not ſuffer him to take the bodie of Moſes and make an Idoll thereof: The Apoſtle Iude 5. borrows from the Apocripha book called,foreign Origenes foreign Libro 3. cap. 2. Pethirath moſhe dimiſsio moſis foreign; This ſtrife which was betwixt Michael and the devill about the body of Moſes.

What duties wee are bound to perfore to the dead.Quest. What duties are wee bound to performe to the bodies of the Saints when they are dead?

Anſw. We are to uſe them with comlineſſe, Acts 9.37. they waſhed the bodie of Dorcas, and layed her in an upper chamber; and to wrap them in linnen, as Chriſts bodie was; and to bury them in an honeſt buriall place: we ought to eſteeme reverendly of their bodies, becauſe they are the members of Chriſts myſticall bodie, and they waite for the bleſſed reſurection: and to ſuffer them to reſt in peace in their graves, 2 Kin. 22.20. But we are never to worſhip them or their reliques; if we follow the example of Michael, who would not ſuffer Moſes his body to bee worſhipped.The decreaſe of this Idolatrie.

The decreaſe of this Idolatry was, when Michaell buried the body of Moſes where no man knew.

Great is the care which the Lord hath over his children p. 207in their infancie, in their old age, in their death, and after they are dead; and as the eyes of the Lord was upon Canaan from the beginning of the yeare to the end, Deut. 11.12. ſo are the eyes of the Lord upon his children from their infancie, to their old age, from their old age to their death, and after they are dead; and firſt from their infancie to their old age, Eſay 46.3. Heare O houſe of Iacob, and the remnant of the houſe of Iſrael, which are borne by me from the wombe; and brought up with me from the birth, therefore untill thy old age, I the ſame, even I, will carrie you to your hoarie heades; the Prophet points at theſe two times of our life eſpecially; becauſe theſe two periods are moſt weake in all our life; our infancie, and decrepit age; then the death of his Saints is precious in the fight of the Lord, Pſal. 116.18. and then after they are dead, the Lord hath a ſingular care of them: What a care had the Lord of Moſes in his birth when hee was caſt out to be drowned? The Lord preſerved him and drew him out of many waters: therefore he was called Moſhe from Maſha, extrahere; and David alludes to this, Pſal. 18.16. Thou haſt drawne me out of many waters: Hence the Poets from this faine, that ſome were foreign, borne in the waters becauſe Moſes was drawne out of the waters; and in his death the Lord ſhewes his ſingular love to**It is ſaid of Moſes, D…ut. 34.7. that he dyed ad oſculum oris dei, which Salomon Iarchi paraphraſeth, at a kiſſe: of the mouth of God: Death was a kiſſe of the mouth of God to him. him; and here after he is dead, the Lord ſuffers not his body to be made an Idoll of: Good King Ioſias when hee was killed in the battell, a man might have thought that the Lord had little reſpect unto him, who made him fall before his enemies: but ſee what reſpect the Lord carried unto him, when he ſaith, Thou ſhalt be gathered in peace to thy fathers, 2 King. 22.20. Who would have thought that the Lord had ſuch a care of him; and yet his ſoule was bound up in the bundell of life, and he was gathered in peace to his fathers; So he p. 208had a great care of the body of Iacob; he promiſed to goe downe to Egypt with him, and to bring him backe again, Gen. 46.4. But how is it ſaid that he brought him backe againe then, ſeeing he died in Egypt? The Lord attended his very corpes, when he brought it backe, and ſaw it buried in Machpelah, in the place which Abraham, bought for a buriall place, Gen. 50.13.

The Lord buried Moſes his body. It is moſt probable which Ioſephus holds, that Ioſhua, Eleazar, and ſome of the elders of Iſrael, went up with Moſes to the mount Nebo; but after his death; that the Angells carried his body to the valley of Moab, and then it was buried where no man knoweth.

The Angels buried Moſes his bodie: The Angels are miniſtring ſpirits to the godly in this life, and at their death they carrie their ſoules to heaven, but they carry not their bodies to the grave. This was a ſingular favour ſhowne to Moſes, that the Lord buried him by the miniſtrie of Angels: They attended Chriſts grave; but yet they buried him not as they did the body of Moſes.

Not to be buried is a great judgement, Eccleſ. 6.3. An untimely birth is better, than he that gets no buriall. It was a great judgement upon Iehojakim, Ier. 22.18. who got inſepultam ſepulturam, and no man lamented his death, ſaying, Ah my brother, ah my ſiſter, or ah my Lord, ah my glorie. verſ. 18. The Iewes pray to deliver them from foure things, firſt, from the circumciſion of the Sechemites, Gen. 34.26. Secondly from the Religion of the Samaritans. Thirdly from the death of the uncircumciſed, Ezech. 28.10. And fourthly, from the buriall of Iehojakim; that they get not the buriall of an aſſe, Ierem. 22.19.

Moſes his buriall was the moſt honourable buriall that ever was; it was more honourable than their buriall, p. 209who got the burning of their fathers, 2 Chro. 21.19. 1 Chro. 16.14. And more honourable than the burial of Gamaliel, for whom Onkelos burnt an hundreth pound of frankincenſe, for the honour of the dead.: It was a more honourable buriall, than the buriall of thoſe who were buried in the garden of their fathers buriall, 2 Kin. 21.18. It was more honourable, then theſe who were buried in the citie of David. But conſider the attendants who attended his buriall: Abner his buriall was an honourable buriall, when all the people mourned for him, and the King himſelfe followed the hearſe, and wept, 2 Sam. 3.31. But here the Angels waited upon his buriall, and God himſelfe attended the hearſe to the buriall, and was the chiefe mourner there: When a private man died, lamentation was made but ſeven dayes for him, Syrac. 22.13. but they lamented for Moſes thirtie dayes; and they cryed out, ah our brother, ah our Lord; ah our glorie, Ier. 22.18. thus God honoureth them who honour him.

He buried him in a place where no man knew,He buried his body Where no man knew, ad foreign for the aboliſhing of Idolatry. yet Moſes was preſent with Chriſt at the transfiguration, Mat. 17.3. So theſe who are buried in the ſea, blowne in the aire, and burnt to aſhes, and no man knoweth what is become of their bodies; yet they ſhall appeare before the Lord in the day of the reſurrection.

Michael buried the body of Moſes: What if the Church of Rome had the body of Moſes now, and knew it to be his body, would they burie it or not? Whether would they ſtand for Michael or the devill? They might ſay that it was a fit thing to burie it at that time, becauſe the people was an ignorant people then, and Satan was ready to move them to Idolatrie: But now ſeeing they would give no worſhip to it but foreign, they might ſafely ſet it up to be worſhipped.

In the time of Ioſhua Idolatrie did not ſo increaſe; the p. 210elders who out lived Ioſhua, and who were in age, when they came out of Egypt, and remembred what the Lord had done for Iſrael; the iniquitie of Baalpeor did not cleave unto them, but the reſt were not cleanſed from the iniquitie of Baalpeor, Ioſh. 22.17. Is the iniquitie of Baalpeor to little for us from which we are not cleanſed unto this day: they committed no new Idolatrie, but the filthineſſe of Baalpeor clave unto them, becauſe they repented not of that iniquitie. In every ſinne there are foure things to be conſidered; firſt, foreign, that is, the tranſgreſſion of the Law: ſecondly, reatus, the guilt which obligeth the partie who ſinneth to undergoe the puniſhment. Thirdly, macula, the blot which defileth the ſoule; and laſtly, the puniſhment it ſelfe.

The firſt is, foreign, the tranſgreſſion of the Law; and the conſequents of the tranſgreſſion are the guilt, the blot, and the puniſhment.

The guilt of ſinne bindes a man to anſwer for the tranſgreſſion of the Law, and it ſtands in the middeſt betwixt the ſinne and the puniſhment, and goeth immediately before the puniſhment, and it is more terrible than the puniſhment:Cap. 4. de divinis nomi nibus part. 4. Therefore Dionyſius ſaid well, non eſt malum puniri, ſed fieri poena dignum, that is, it is not evill to be puniſhed, but to deſerve puniſhment; yet wretched ſinners are affraid of the puniſhment, but not of the guilt; but the martyres of God choſe rather to indure the greateſt torments, then to incurre the guilt of ſinne. If we would eſcape the puniſhment, we muſt firſt looke that the guilt be removed. Manie thinke when the ſinne is paſt and forgotten in their mindes, then there is no more puniſhment to follow, but if the guilt lie ſtill unpardoned, the ſinne remaineth ſtill: Ioſephs brethrens ſinne lay over twenty yeares, and this ſinne which they committed at Baalpeor lay over a long time unrepented of, but as long as the guilt remained, ſo p. 213long were they ſubject to puniſhment; the puniſhment alwaies followeth the guilt, as the ſhadow doth the body. The Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 11. faith ye ſhal be guiltie of the body and bloud of Chriſt; that is, of the puniſhment which he deſerveth, who abuſeth the body & bloud of our Lord.

The third thing conſiderable in ſinne is the blot or ſtaine of ſinne in the ſoule. This ſtaine blots the ſoule, as Inke caſt upon a Laune cloath defileth it; and even as in bodily things, ſpots taketh away that nitor and brightneſſe which is in the body, ſo doth ſinne deprive the ſoule of grace, and makes it deformed; Saul was as comely and proper a man as was in all Iſrael and he was Tobh bonus id eſt pulcher, Tobh2 Sam. 9.2. Yet this blot of ſinne ſo defiled him, that he was no more the ſonne of Kiſh the Benjamite, Kiſh. Kuſh.but the ſonne of Kuſh the Blacke-more or Ethiopian, Pſal. 7. in the inſcription.

The Lord that he may take away this guilt, and this blot, he opened a fountaine in the houſe of David, for ſinne and uncleanneſſe, Zach. 13.1. for ſinne, to take away the guilt, and for uncleanneſſe to take away the blot, Chriſt was not onelyonly foreign the price of our redemption, Math. 20.28. but alſo foreign a Laver of regeneration to waſh away theſe ſpots Epheſ. 5.26. Tit. 3.5. He came not by blood onelyonly nor by water onelyonly, but both by blood and water; by blood, for our juſtification, and by water for our ſanctification; He that is waſhed (ſaith Chriſt) hath no neede but that his feete be waſhed, that is, he who is waſhed in the blood of Chriſt, hath no neede to bee waſhed over againe, but yet he hath neede that his feete be waſhen, …hat is, the remnants of ſinne which cleaves dayly unto us, hath neede to be waſhed away by the water of ſanctification; and here he alludes to the cuſtome of thoſe who went into a bath to bee waſhed, when their bodies were waſhed the filth ranne downe to their feete, and they were laſt waſhed.

p. 114The fourth is the puniſhment which is dew for the tranſgreſſion of the Law:The fourth is the puniſhment. every ſinner violates an order ſet downe; and therefore is juſtly puniſhed by him whoſe ordinance he breakes. The will of man is ſubject to three ſuperiors.Gerſhon par. 3. Firſt it is ſubject to reaſon. Secondly, it is ſubject to the magiſtrate, and laſtly and above all to God: Therfore man is juſtly puniſhed by al thoſe three: and firſt he is puniſhed by the ſting of conſcience, becauſe he tranſgreſſed againſt reaſon: Secondly, he is puniſhed by the magiſtrate, becauſe he diſobeyed him; and thirdly by God himſelfe, in tormenting him in the hels; Nam quaecun que res aberratab uno ordine impellitur in alterum, ut quod aberrat ab ordine miſericordiae reponitur in ordine juſtitiae: unde non minus ordinate collocatur damnatus in inferno quam beatus in paradiſo: i. e. that which declines from one order is brought into another, as that which declines from mercy is reduced to juſtice, and therefore the damned are as juſtly placed in the hels, as the bleſſed in the heavens.

The Iſraelites in Ioſhua his time were guilty of the ſin which their fathers committed with Baal Peor; becauſe they did not begge pardon for it: therefore the Saints pray Pſ. 97.8. Remēber not againſt us the faults of our predeceſſors, that is, which we have allowed and not repented of, being taught by the example of our predeceſſors

Of the increaſe of Idolatry in the time of the Iudges.When they forgat the great workes of the Lord, they ſerved Baalim and the groves, Iudg. 3.7.

All their Idols were called Baalim and it was nomen tranſcendens amongſt them; and ſometimes it was contracted into Bel, All their Idols were Baalim and ſome had a proper name for diſtinction ſake.Eſay 46.1. and for diſtinction ſake ſome of the particular idols were called Baal Peor; ſome Baal berith; and ſome Baal zebub.

Baal ſignifieth him who hath power and dominion over one. Man was made a free creature, onelyonly to ſerve the Lord; and for him to become a ſlave to an Idoll p. 115what a baſe ſubjection was this?

This word Baal ſo diſpleaſed the Lord, that hee refuſed to be called any more Baal, but Iſhi. The Lord refuſed to be called Baal.Hoſ. 2.16. 17. The firſt was nomen dominii; the ſecond familiaritatis: Names that are degenerate,Verbum ſublatum. men will not be content to be called by them: Magus was a good name at the firſt, but now it is degenerate, and no man will be content to be called a magitian. So Idiota at the firſt ſignified a private man, 1 Cor. 14.23. If there come in the unlearned. In the greeke it is foreign Idiots, but now this word foreign is degenerate, and taken for a foole; and no man will be content to be called an Idiot: The Chriſtians at the firſt were called Nazarets Acts 24.5. but becauſe this name did degenerate into a ſect therefore it was changed, and they were called Chriſtians Act. 11.26.

So words that were exoleta and out of uſe,Verbum exoletum. may now be uſed, being come in uſe againe: there was no name more hated of old, then to be called wiſe, Rom. 1.22. Profeſsing themſelves to be wiſe: The moſt excellent men of old, would not be called wiſe men, but Philoſophers Lovers of wiſedome, they ſhunned that name of wiſdome, they took not that title to themſelves nor would be content that others ſhould give them it: but now it is come in uſe; So this word myſterium, was at the firſt a heatheniſh word, uſed in their heatheniſh worſhip; But now the Lord hath ſanctified it, and it is come in uſe.

This word Baal was ſo degenerate, that God would not be called after it any more,God charges his Church not to take this name Baal in their mouth. and as God would not be called by this name Baal; So he charges his Church not to take the name of their heatheniſh gods in her mouth, Exod. 23.13. Pſa. 16.4. I will not take their names in my mouth; To take their names in her mouth ſignifieth the naming and retaining of their names, as they conduced p. 216any way to the upholding of their ſuperſtition: even as on the contrary by Putting of the true Gods name unto a place, Deut. 12.5. ſignifieth, the placing of his religion and ordinances there; and his name is ſaid to be forgotten, when falſe worſhip is ſet up, Pſal. 44.20.

To name the names of Idols for diſtinction ſake and for a civill uſe is no ſinne.To name the names of Idols for civill uſe, and diſtinction; but not for religion; that was a thing lawfull, and not forbidden; as Daniel named often the name of Baalthaſar, although he had his name from Baal: So Nabuchadnezzer although he had his name from Nebo that Idoll, Eſay 46.1. and Paul himſelfe named Areopagus, Mars ſtreete, Acts 17.19. for diſtinction ſake in a civill uſe; as he ſailed in a ſhip, which had the badge of Caſtor & Pollux, Act. 28.11. when Rabſekah called God Iehovah. Eſay 36.7. he honoured not God: So they diſhonored not God when they uſed theſe names for a civill diſtinction.

Why the tribe of Reuben changed the names of Neb and Baalmeon.Ob. But the tribe of Reuben changed thoſe Idolatrous names of Nebo and Baal meon, Num. 32.38. why did they not retaine thoſe names, and keepe them for a civill uſe and diſtinction.

Anſw. This they did, becauſe now they had made a new conqueſt of the Land, and the ancient inhabitants were to be caſt out of it: they gave theſe names now as if it had never beene poſſeſſed before. It is not unlawfull to call a man Balthaſar for diſtinction ſake; but if a man were to baptize his child, and ſhould call him Balthaſar, that were to Initiate him to Baal, and to uſe this name not in a civill uſe, but in a religious: And thus he ſhould honour Baal.

The Lord would not communicate in any thing with Idols.The Lord would not be named by the Idoll Baal: He would not communicate with Idolls in any thing. Firſt in the name, as he refuſed to be called Baal. Secondly, he would not be worſhipped in the ſame p. 217place with the Idoll: therefore when Dagon was ſet up beſide the Arke, he threw it downe and brake the necke of it. Thirdly, he will not be worſhipped with the ſame ſacrifice 1 Cor. 10.21. Ye cannot drinke the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils. When the whore would intice the young ma… to commit folly with her, Prov. 7.14. ſhe ſaies I have peace offerings with me, and this day have I payed my vowes: In the peace offerings; God got a part, the Prieſt got a part, and the offerer got a part, and to this part of the offering which belonged to her ſhe invites this foo…e; the whore and the whoremonger, ſhall they have a part of Gods peace offerings? the Lord will not have a ſhare in ſuch a ſacrifice: So the Lord will not have a ſhare in a ſacrifice where this ſpirituall adultery is committed. Fourthly he will not be ſerved with the ſame Prieſts: The Lord would never accept of the Levites (that went backe from the Lord, when Iſrael went aſtray after their Idols) to ſlay the burnt offerings, and ſacrifice for the people: but onelyonly to keepe the gates of his houſe, and miniſter in theſe baſe offices, Ezech. 44.10. And as Ioſhua, when he fought againſt the Cananites, Ioſh. 11.6. tooke their horſes, and did hough them, that they might not ſerve the enemie for warre any more, yet they might ſerve for baſer uſes, as to carry loades. So the Lord would not have thoſe Prieſts who had diſhonoured him in ſerving Idolls, to ſerve at his altar any more but to ſerve in baſe offices, as to keep the gates in the houſe of God.

So they ſerved the Groves, Iudges 3.7. they are called there Aſhera; becauſe they thought themſelves happie,Why the groves are: called Aſhera. foreign when they worſhipped their Idols there: but the groves may bee called happie per foreign, becauſe they were unhappie who worſhipped there: So it is called Lucus, quod minime Luceat: So Iob 39. p. 218Struthio camelus is called Chaſida, per antiphraſin, becauſe ſhe hatches not her egges as other foules doe, but leave them in the ſand.

It is ſaid they ſerved the groves; that is, their Idoles in the groves: There was a tree alſo amongſt the mideſt of the trees of the grove which they worſhipped, Iſa. 66.17. they that ſanctifie and purifie themſelves in the garden behind one tree in the midst. This tree in the midſt they worſhipped, as they did the other Idoles; and they eſteemed it as the tree of knowledg of good and evill that was in the midſt of the garden.

They planted groves for their Idoles. Theſe Idolaters alleadged Abrahams example; Abraham planted a grove in Beerſheba, and worſhiped there, Gen. 21.33. So when they would ſacrifice their children to Molech, they alledged the example of Abraham, The Idolaters pretended the example of the ſaints for their Idolatrie.who would have offered his ſonne Iſaake to the Lord: So when Ieroboam ſet up his Idoll at Bethel, he alledged the example of Iacob, who worſhiped in Bethel: So when the Prophet rebuked the prophane muſicke of the Iewes, Amos 6.5. they alledged the example of David, why might not they play on inſtruments as well as David. Theſe vile Idolaters did ſtill pretend the example of the ſaints of God, and laboured to ſhelter themſelves under them.

They planted groves that they might worſhip their Idoles there, Deut. 16.21. Iudg. 6.25. The Rabbines tell us in Zonorenna, that Salomones throne of Ivorie, was gilded,P. Shophet. and had ſixe ſteppes, by the which hee aſcended into it, as we ſee 1 King. 10.9. And when the King ſtood in the loweſt ſteppe, the Herauld cried unto him; Iudicium ne inclinato, wreſt not iudgement: when hee ſtood upon the ſecond ſteppe, hee cryed unto him, accept not perſons in Iudgement: when hee ſtood upon the third ſtep, he cryed unto him, take no gifts: when hee aſcended to the fourth ſteppe, hee ſaid unto him, p. 219Noli plantare Lucum, plant no groves for Idols: and when he ſtood upon the fift ſteppe he cryed unto him, Noli erigere ſtatuam, erect not any piller to an Idoll: and when hee ſtood upon the higheſt ſteppe, hee ſaid unto him, noli mactare bovem, that is, take not the prieſts part upon thee, to offer ſacrifice. And ſo the King was admoniſhed heere both to have a care of Iuſtice and Religion, and theſe may be fitly called admonitiones graduum; as they were called Pſalmes of degrees, which the Prieſts ſang when they aſcended by ſtaires into the Temple.

The decreaſe of this Idolatry; the children of Iſrael cryed to the Lord;The decreaſe of this Idolatry. then the ſpirit of the Lord came upon Othniel, and he delivered them, Judg. 3.10. So the ſpirit of the Lord came upon Gedeon, Iudg. 6.34. ſo 2 Chro. 24. the ſpirit of the Lord came upon Zachariah, and we ſay indifferently either he put on the ſpirit, Act. 1.8. or the ſpirit came upon him. So hee put on Iuſtice, or the ſpirit of Iuſtice came upon him. This ſpirit which came upon him was the ſpirit of Iudgement, and the ſpirit of ſtrength; the ſpirit of Iudgement, Iudge the people aright, and the ſpirit of ſtrength, to defend them; Becauſe thoſe Iudges were but extraordinarie, and for a time, therefore the Lord ſent his ſpirit upon them in a ſingular manner, for the deliverance of his people.

The ſpirit of the Lord came upon Othniel. Five illapſes of the ſpirit.There are foure illapſes of the ſpirit noted in the ſcripture which hath fallen upon men. The firſt is illapſus ſpiritus roboris, the illaps of the ſpirit of ſtrength; So the ſpirit came upon the Iudges, and upon Amaſa, Davids chiefe captaine, 1 Chro. 12.18. The ſecond is illapſus ſpiritus regiminis, illaps of the ſpirit of governement which came upon Saul and David when they became to be Kings, 1 Sam. 16.13. The third illapſe is ſpiritus illuminationis, of the ſpirit of illumination, as the ſpirit of p. 220the Lord came upon Baalam, when his eyes were ſhut, were opened, Num. 24.3. And the fourth is illapſus ſpiritus ſanctificationis & illuminationis, the illapſe of ſanctification and illumination, as when the ſpirit of the Lord came upon Zechariah the ſonne of Iehoiada the prieſt, when he ſaid unto the people, Why tranſgreſſe ye the commandement of the Lord, 2 Chro. 24.20.

When the ſpirit came upon them then they were ſaid to be cloathed with the ſpirit, 1 Chron. 12.18. The ſpirit of the Lord cloathed Amaſai; ſo Chriſt bids his Diſciples ſtay at Ieruſalem, donec induamini virtute ex alto, Luke 24.49. Tarry yee at Ieruſalem till ye bee indued with power from on high, or untill ye bee cloathed from on high.

The ſecond increaſe of Idolatrie.The ſecond increaſe of Idolatry under the Iudges was, Iudg. 3.12. And the children Iſrael committed evill againe in the ſight of the Lord. It is not ſpecified in particular, what Idolatrie they committed at this time; but onelyonly it is ſayd, that they committed evill, which is meant of Idolatrie; for in a ſpeciall manner it is called evill: So Ieroboam cauſed Iſrael to ſinne; that is, to commit Idolatry.

The decreaſe of this Idolatrie, Iud. 3.15. then they cryed to the Lord, The decreaſe.and the Lord ſent Ehud a man left handed to deliver them: In the originall it is Ittar Iad, foreignſhut of the right hand, It is not well tranſlated Ambidexter, a man who could uſe both the hands; he was not like thoſe who could hurle ſtones both with the right hand and with the left, 1 Chron. 12.2. he had the uſe of the left hand onelyonly, but he was lame in his right hand, or his right hand was ſhut together, and hee only uſed his left hand, the ſtrok whereof is moſt dangerous.

God in delivering of his owne chooſeth often times weake meanes, that his glory may appeare the more, as heere: when Gideon was to fight againſt the p. 221Madianites he caſhired two and twenty thouſand, and then there remained ten thouſand, and they were too many, therefore hee made onelyonly choiſe of three hundreth, and the Lord ſaid I will trie them, foreignIud. 7.4. Hebraice, conſtabo eos, that is I will ſeparate the droſſe from the gold, that is the weake from the ſtrong, and I will chooſe the droſſe that al the glory may returne to me in the victorie; for the fewer there was in number, the greater was the Lords glory. So when hee delivered his Church by Gideon that barley cake: and when hee overthrew the enemie by Samgars oxe goad, Iudg. 3.31. & by Deborah a woman, when there was neither ſpeare, nor ſhield ſeene in Iſrael, Iudg. 5.8. and when there was no ſmith in Iſrael to make ſword or ſpeare, yet they overthrew the Philiſtines, who were in number like the ſand of the ſea, 1. Sam. 13.5.