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That the Command is not only against the WorShiping of fuch Images of God, but against the very Making of them; as it is likewife worded in the fecond Command, to cut off all Room for Diftinitions.

And we cannot fay, that they were the Images of any Falfe Gods that were here Forbidden, unlefs we will fay, that it was a Falfe God who spoke to them in Horeb; whofe Voice they Heard, but Saw no Manner of Similitude of Him: Or that it was a Falfe God who faid, speaking of these Images, To whom then will ye Ifai. xl. 25. liken me? Saith the Holy One.

It is certain, that the Golden Calf was made as a Symbol or Reprefentation of the true God, to Secure His Prefence among them, (after the Manner they had feen in Egypt, in the little Image of Ofiris) upon the fuppofed Lofs of Mofes, by whom God had formerly Spoken to them. Make us Gods to go before us, faid they, for as for this Mofes, who formerly went Exod. xxxii.1. before us, the Man that brought us up out of the Land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And when they Dedicated this Image, they Proclaimed it a Feaft unto the Lord. And v. s. David faid of this Image, that by doing of this, They changed their Glory into the Similitude of an Pfal. cvi. 20. Ox that eateth Grafs. He wou'd not call a False God, the Glory of Ifrael! And the Apostle speaks in the fame Phrafe, concerning the Heathen IdoLaters, That tho' they Knew GOD, even his Rom. i. 20,21, Eternal Power and Godbead, yet they were Ido laters in their Manner of Worshiping Him by Images; whereby, fays he, They changed the Glory of the Incorruptible God, into an Image made like to Corruptible Man, and to Birds, and four-footed Beafts, and Creeping things: He wou'd not call a Falfe God,the IncorruptibleGod!

You

v. 23.

A&t. vii. 41.

You fee how every where the Heathen and the Jewish Idolatry do Square together, for indeed they were the very fame.

And as the Images of the Heathen were called 1 Cor. x. 7. Idols, fo is this of the Golden Calf: And the Dedication of it, tho' a Feaft unto the Lord, is call'd Idolatry.

It is Brutal to think, that they imagin'd, that the Calf which they made that Day, was the Supreme Being it felf, which had made them. No Heathen ever thought fo of any of their Images. Will you take the Notion of the Jews from themselves: Their Learned Maimonides fays, That the Whole is more than a Part, or that Part. 1. c. 36. the Sun is Round, is not more Evident than that

Mor. Nev.

Cofri,par. 4. §. 11. p. 284.

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ther is but one God: And that no Idolater does Worship his Idol in that Senfe as if ther were no other God. And he fays, That he cannot Suppofe that ever ther was a Man born, or ever will be born, who thinks, That that Figure which he makes of Stone or Wood, &c. did create the Heaven and the Earth, or Governs them. But he fays, They Worship thofe Images, as things Intermediate betwixt them and the Supreme God.

It is certain, (fays another famous Few) That their Intention was Directed to God, as Appears by the Example of Abimelech, and the Ninevites.

We must suppose the Jews to know beft the Idolatry of their own Nation, for which they were fo Often and Grievously Punished; and likewife that of the Heathen which they had Imitated.

Let me Fortifie this by the Authority of Kin. xvii.41. Holy Scripture. It is faid, That they Feared the Lord, and ferved their Graven Images: Which fhews, that their Images were not set up

in Oppofition to God, but as fubfervient to His Worship; and that they did not think them to be Inconfiftent.

Thus God himself declares Every one of the Ezek. xiv. 7. Houfe of Ifrael, or of the Stranger that Sojourn eth in Ifrael, which feparateth himself from Me, and fetteth up his Idols in his Heart, and putteth the Stumbling Block of his Iniquity before his Face, and cometh to a Prophet to enquire of him concerning Me, &c. Here tho' God calls the following of Idols, a Separating of themfelves from Him, and being Eftranged from v. s. Him, as being a Breach of God's exprefs Command, who will not be Worshiped otherwife than as he has Appointed; yet, it was not such a total Separation, as to Reject Him quite from being their God, for they came to His Prophets to Enquire concerning Him.

It is ftrange, after this, to hear fome deny, of Chriftiani that ther can be any Idolatry among Chriftians; Idolatry. that is, That Idolatry is not only Inconfiftent with the Rules of Chriftianity, as all other Sins are; but that Idolatry does ipfo fatto make a Men cease to be a Chriftian, and Un-Churches any Church that is Guilty of it: Proceeding, I fuppofe, upon the forefaid Suppofition, That it is a Total and Abfolute Forfaking of God, fo that He is no longer our God: That God cannot be the God of an Idolater.

But befides what is faid before of the Arians, who were Chriftians, tho' Hereticks; and yet were Charg'd with Idolatry by the other Chriflians who were Orthodox, St. Paul himself 1 Cor. v. 11. makes the Suppofition of a Brother, that is, a Chriftian that is an Idolater.

And the Church of the Jews was a Chriftian Church, they believ'd in Chrift to come, from the firft Promife of Chrift, Gen. iii, 15. Imme

b

diately

Gal. iii. 8.
Heb. iv. 2.

Neh. ix. 18,

19, 20.

2 Kin. ix. 6.

diately after the Fall, to the End of the World, it is the fame Chriftian Church, tho' under feveral Difpenfations. Therefor it is called the Gofpel that was Preached to Abraham, to the Fews in the Wilderness, and to the Fathers.

And the Church of the Jews was in their time the only vifible Church of Chrift upon the Earth; none other had the Faith in Christ or the Mehab to come but only They.

Yet, how often did They fall into Idolatry? But as that was not a Total Forfaking of God, neither did He Totally Forfake them; tho' He Punish'd them feverely for it.

Yea, when they had made them a Molten Calf, and faid, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great Provoca tions: Yet Thou (O God) in thy manifold Mercies For fookeft them not in the Wilderness: The Pillar of the Cloud departed not from them by Day, to lead them in the Way; neither the Pillar of Fire by Night-Thou gavest alfo Thy good Spirit to Inftruct them, &c. Here they were Univerfally involv'd in this Idolatry, Aaron himfelf not excepted, High-Prieft and All: Yet were they not Un-Churched. And God gave them His Good Spirit to Inftruct them, and watch over them in many Providences; God does not utterly forfake us for every even Great Sin that we commit. Ther is no Perfection in this Earth, our Gold is mix'd with Drofs; Darkness is incorporated with our Light, and Idolatry it felf fometimes paffes undiscovered through our weak Sense of Religion, and that feeble Notion which we have of God.

Ther are many Examples of this in the Hiftory of the Old Teftament. Fehu the great Reformer Anointed by God for the Purpose, and

had

had His Atteftation that he had done well in 2 Kin. ix. 6. fulfilling the Will of the Lord, and deftroying x. 30. the Worship of Baal, and that he had great v. 16. Zeal for the Lord; and for this God did con- v. 30. tinue the Crown in his Family longer than in any of the Kings of Ifrael; and yet Fehu departed not from the Idolatry of the Calves of v. 29. Dan and Bethel.

Cyrus was an Heathen Idolater, and God ftiles Ifai. xlv. 1: him His Chrift, or Anointed, his Shepherd xliv. 28. to Build his Church, and fays, that He Rai- xlv. 13. fed him up in Righteoufnefs, and wou'd Direc

all his Ways.

Therefor we cannot Doubt, but many Chriftian Idolaters may have the Inftruction of God's Good Spirit; and may be Men of Devotion and great Zeal, as Jebu was; and their Labours may be profitable to the Church, and yet this does not Excufe their Idolatry, nor make Idolatry lefs a Sin, or alter its Nature, or take off from its Punishment, or the Precaution of God's Law. But on the other Hand, it rather Aggravates it fo much the more; and makes Chriftian Idolatry more Inexcufable than the Heathen or Jewish Idolatry, and to be lookt after more carefully.

But you may fay to me, If Idolatry be not Object. Inconfiftent with the Protection of God, and even the Inftruction of His Good Spirit, Why fhou'd it be fo unlawful to Marry with Idolaters?

I Answer, The Sin is not the Lefs for the Anf. Goodness of God: It is rather a Greater Aggravation of the Sin.

But why then fhou'd it be a Greater Sin to Obje&. Marry with an Idolater, than with a Fornicator, Drunkard, &c. who are named together with Idolaters, 1 Cor. v. II?

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Nay

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