LIB. XX. I 1274 [ontemplations. ,--- _B_y_t_h-is-d-ev-i-ce-,t-h_e_b_o_u~-=e=-o~(-B-••-1 is wdl furniilied, well filled; not one ofhis cb--;:-p:. I m•rim either might,or woul<l oe-abfent:not one ofrhofe which were prefem might be uorobed: Fal[e Gods have ever affeCted to imitate the tru(,, Even B•;l bath Temptes._Altats,Priefis,vefiments:Al religions have allotted peculiar habits totheir I high~fi devotions. Thofe vefiments which they mif-called facred , are brought fortli,aod1'uton forth< glory ofthis fervicr. · Id.~. and Ion•tl•hre firfi carefullthatthis feparation be exaCt,they fearcb and fee I that no fervanr ofthe Lord be crtpt into that throng: What lhoulda religious I fr.,. lite do in theTempleofBa•I?Wcreany fuch there,he had defcrved their fmarc who would pmake with their worlhip; but if curiality lhould have drawne any thlrher the mercy oflehM feeks his r<fcue: How much more favourable is the God of mer~ I des in not raking advantage ofour infirmities. B \Vdlmight this fearch nave bred fufpition,were it not that in all thofe Idobtrous facrifices,rhe lirfi care was to avoid the prophane : Even BAal would admit no mix. ture,how lhould the true God abide it! , Nothing wanted now,but the facrilice: No doubt whole beards and llockswere ready for a pretence offomc royall hecatombes; wh<reof fome had now already fmoaked on their Altars. 0 !eh• whatmeansrhis dilarion! If thou abhorrefi BAAI why didfi thou give way to this lafi facrifice~ why didfi thou not cut offthefe ldola: tersbeforerhisup(hotoftheirwickedneffe! Was it thatthou mightefibe fure of rheir guiltioeffe! Wasitthattheir number, tog<rherJwith their linne, might bee compleate~ What cclamationswerehereroB••I, what joy in the frcedome of their revived worlhip:Whenall on the fudden,thofe that had facrificed, are facrifi. C ced; The fouldiersoflehubyhisappointment rulhinwith their fwords drawne andrurne the templeinto a llaugbter-houfe. How is the tune now changed! Wh3 ; (bricking was here~ what out·cries~ whar running from one fword,to the edgeofa. notber!what fcrambling up the walls and pillars!what climbing inro the windowes~ what vain< indevour. ro efcape that death which would not be lhunned -~ whether running,or kneeling,or profirate,they mufi die. · : . The lirfi partof rhe facrifice was B••ls,the latter isGo<ls:Thc bloudofbeafis was offered in the one,of mell in rhc other;the lhedding pfthiswas fo much more acceptable toGod,by how much thefe men weremore beafis, then thofe they facrificed. Oh h•ppy obedieoce,God was pleafed witha facrificefrom the boufeof Bul; The Idolarers arellain, the Idols burnt, the houfeofBAAiturned to a draught;(rhough e- D vcn thus leffe uncleane, Jetre noyfome, then in the former perfumes ) and in one wcrJ,B-.1 is defiroyed out oflfrael. ' Who thathad feen all rhis zeale for God, would not have faid; It"-is a true Ifra· elite~Yet,he that rooted out Ah.h,would not be rid oflm~'""· He that defiroyed B••l,maintained thetwo Calves ofD•w and Bttktl. That Idolatry was ofa lower ranke; as being amif-worlhipofthe rrue God, whereas the otherwas a worlhip of the falfc:Even theeafier ofboth is bainous;and (hall rob lthMo! the praife ofbis up. rightoeffe. A falfe heart may laudably quit it fclfe offome onegrotro fin , and ia the mean time hug fome ldlh evill that may condemn ir; As aman recovered of a Fever may die ofa Iaundis,or aDropfie. Welofethe thank ofall,ifwe wilfully faultin one. E It is an entire goodneffe that God cares for; Perhaps, (fuch'is the bounty ofour God)a parriall obedience may be rewarded with atemporall blcfling; (as !I huts Cc- 'verity ro Ah•b (hall carry the crown to his feed for foure generations) but \VC can never have any comfortableaffurance ofan eteJoall retribution, if our hearts and wayes be not perfic with God. Wobe to os, 0 God, ifwe be not all thine; we cannot bur everlafiingly depart fromthee, ifwe depart not from every fin; Tbou ball purged our heartsfrom theBaal ofour grotre Idolatries, oh clear us from the gol· den Calvesofour pctry corruptions alfo; that thou maifi take pleafure in our uprightndfqand wemay reap the fweet comfortsof thy glorious remu~sration. v!tiiiJiJr
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