LIB. X. M I c H A ~ s Idolatry, A cion : Sodidddl thou, 0 blclfed Saviour, ourbetter Samfon~conquer in dying, and triumphing upon thechanotofthe Crolfe, d1dft lead CaptlVlty capt1v~: The law, fin, death, hell, had never been vanqtulht, but by thy death: All our life, liberty, and glory, fprings out ofthy moll precious blood. M I c H A E s Idolatry. morller of Micba bath loft her lilvcr, and now !he fa!~ to curling: fl1e <lid 4ftenvards but change the forme of her god ; her filver was her god, ere it did put on the falhion ofan image: elfe lhe had not fo much curfed to lofe it, if it had not too much polfelfed her in the k<eping. A carnall heart cannot forgoe that wherein it delights, without impJ.tience; cannotbe impatient, without curfe! : whereas the man that hath learned eo injoy God, andufe the world, fmiles at a lhipwrack, and pitties a th iefe, and cannot curfe,but pray. <MiciJa had fo little grace, as to ftealc from his mother: _and chat out of wantonnelfe, not our of neceffity; for 1f lhee had not beene nch, fo much could not have been llo!ne from her; and nmv, he hath lo much grace as to re!lore it; her curfes have fctcht againe her treafures : HeJ:annot fo much love themoney, as .he fearcs her imprecations : Wealth fecmes too deare, bought with a cur(e: C Though his fingers were falfe, yet his heart was tender. Many tliar make not confcicnce of committing linne, yet make confcience of facing it: It is well for them, that they arc but novices in evill. Thofewhom cuftome harh fle(hed in linne, can either deny and forfweare,or excufe anddefend it :their feared hearts cannot feele the gnawingofany remorfe; and their forehead bath leamed te be as impudent, as their heart IS fenl!clfe,: I fee no argumentof any holinelfe in the mother of Mich11: hercurf~swere fin .tohor felfe; yet MiciJadares not but feare them. I know not .vhether the caullelfe curfe be more worthy ofpitty,or derilion; it hurts the Author, not his adverfary: but the dcfcrved curfes that fall even from unholy mourhes, are worthy to be feared: Ho·.v much more lhould a man hold himfelfe blaftedwith the jull imprecatiD O]!S of the godly? What metall arethofcmade of,that can appbudthemfelves in the bitter curfeswhich their oppreffions havewrung from the poore,andrejoycein thefe fignes of their profperity? Neid1er yet was Micha more llricken with his mothers curfes, than with the confcience of facrilcdge : fo foone as he findes therewas a purpofe ofdevotion in tlHS trcafure, he dares notconceale it, to the prejudice (as he thought) of God, mo re than of his mother. What lhall we fay to the palate of thofe men, 1vhichas they find no good relli01 but in ftolnewaters;fobeft mthofe which are llolnefrom the fountain ofGod? How foon hath the oldwoman changed her note 1 Even now lhc palfeJ an·indefinite curfe upon her fonne for ftealing; and now flJCblelfes him abfolur.ly, for rdl;oring; Blejfedhemy (on of the Lord. Sh·e )lath forgotten the theft, E whenlhe fees tbc reflitution: How much more lhall the Godof mercies be more pleafedwith ourconfeflion, than provoke.dwithour fin? • I donbr not but this fi lver,and t~is fuperftition cameout ofEgypt,togetherwith rhc mother of M icha. This hillory is not folate in time, as in place ; for the Tribe of DM was not y_et fetled in that firft divilion of the promifed land; foas thi sold woman h:1Jfcen both the Idolatryof Egypt, <nd the golden Calfe in theWilderneflt; and no doubt,contributed fome of her earerings tothat Deity; and after all the plagues which 01e faw infliCted upon her brethren for that Idoll of HoF<h, and BMI-Pevr, fl1e ftill referves a fecret love to fuperftition,and now lh~•ves it. Where mif-religion bath once p0ffeffed it felfe of the heart, 1t is very hardly cleanfed out; bur (like the plague) will hang in the very clothes, and after long lurking, breake 0 ooo • forrh 1979
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