374 The Gofpel ofthe Brazen Altar. Idolaters, Ezek. 8. ib. they worfhipped the Son with their Faces towards the Eafl. And it is a fymbolizing alfo with the Papifts, whofe Altars, verfeu Orientemfpeáant ( faith Hofpinian de Origine Altarium ) look to- ward the Eaft, good etiam ab Ethnicis fumpferurrt, which they likewife took from the Heathens : For the Temple of yeruJaleni Rood other- wife, as you have formerly heard. 4. Whereas they have Images above or over their Altars, this alfo is anotherand an old Heathenith Abomination ; for in Yofsah's Timewe read how they brake down the Altars of Baal, and the Images that were on high above them, z, Chron. 34.4; fo at this Day they have Crucifixes ftanding in or over their Altars in Arras, or Glafs, or Met- tal, or it may be force curious Common -Prayer-Book ftanding on the Altar, adorned with two or three Silver Crucifixes on the Cover in- ftead of Boftes. 5. Bowing to the Altar ; this is horrible, againft the very Letter of the fecond Commandment, which faith, thou (halt not bow down to them ; a Sin the Scripture thunders againft ; fee Ifa. 27.9. By this therefore ¡hall the Iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the Fruit to take away bis Sin, when he maketh all the Stones of the Altar as Chalk-flones, and when the Graves and the Images (hall not flan! up. It is a conditional Promife ; the Lord promifes when they take away their Idols, to take away their Sins : Therefore mark it ; God will never be at peacewith thefe Nations, God will never purge away the Iniquity of Ireland, nor take away the Sins of England, till People be convinced that there is no more Holinefs in a Church, I mean the Meeting -place of Wood and Stone, then in a Dwelling-houfe, nor in an Altar then in Chalk- ftones; but when the Stones of the Altar are become as Chalk- (tones, then the Iniquity of facob shall be purged. The Truth is, this Altar-worfhip is fuch grofs Idolatry, that as I never knew any but the devoted Sons of Babel, who are dead drunk with the Wine of the filthinefs of fpiritual Fornications, plead for it: So I doubt not but God will fhortly convince Men of it, and rid the Land of it, even by aftonifhing Plagues and Judgments, and horrible Defolations upon all their pleafant Things, if no other means will ferve to do it. The Glory of Jacob (hall be made thin, Ifa. 17. 4, 5, 6, 7 and the Fatnefs ofhis Flefh¡ball wax lean, and there ¡ball be but a gleaning left in it, as in the fhaking of an Olive-tree, two or three on the top of the uppermoft Bough. Horrible Defolations ! But then it follows, And at that Day a Man ¡hall look to his Maker, and his Eyes ¡hall have refpeel to the Holy One of Ifrael ; and he ¡hall not look to the Altars, the Work of his Bands, neither /hall he refpefk that which his Fingers have made, either Groves
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