r.King. IJ. t.Ki:lg. lj.6. r.King. !!48. Dan.6. ro. Verfc8. 7'he Idolatry ofthe lajl times. remembring the rule of Chrift, concerning A Tem.ples ofidols ; I thinke they ooghr not to t~em that be offended. Mat. I 5. 24. Let them doe lt. For they rhcmfelues tcm t God b f< •lone,rhry are theb!indeltaaers oftheblind. Furdoing; they olfend their wcake Grcrhrcn,~nd thermore,by hearmg ofMaffe, weak ones are draw them by their example, todoe the like. difcournged, and obllmatetrlolatcrs are conAnd Ianiy", by their prcfence they ·confirme firmed,and mad~more ob~mate. Thus tmey theob!lmate tdolaters, in their ft>per!lition that fe.are Id! offence be taken, giue olfe.ncc. T~e like is to be faid ofthem, that curiouO; Here 1t may bee demanded, whether It be wuhomcalling,gooutoftheprecintlsofthe lawfull for Chri!lian men to gG into the remChurch, into idolatrous countries for this pels of idols. I anfwer, they may,ifthey haue end onely to fee, and to be feene. ' a~allmgfo to doe, and doe n?t. commu~icate Touching ciuill focietie with tlJ<m, two wtth Idolaters mtheu l:Jpcrllmons,orglUe apomts are to be handled. What focietie may ny honour to idols: but on the contrarie, doe be vfod with rhem,andwhat not.hrthe firft openly 1profeffe, either by word, or by their we may vfe their focictie vpon necefsitie tha; deeds, or bo;h, that they abhorre boththe i- B ~ar.noF be auoid~d,vnlcffe we will vtterly redols,and their fcrUice. Thus was Elt.uprefent Iech.he fellowllnp of mankinde. PaHI, who WI.ththe Pr~ellsofB~al. ;rhus were the three forbtds the C?rinr~ians, to company wlrh r.Coq. ch!ldr<n prefent, when rhe goldemmag~ was a brotherthat IS an Idolatour;for al!"rhis giues ro,u. wor!hrpped. Thus was the Propherof God themllbcrtiero conuerfewirh theidolatrous prefent at thealtar of Bethtl, \yhen [trebeam ofthe ~orld. Th!s may feeme llrange,but the frretched out h1s hand to offer mcenfe to rile reafon Is, becaufc the companie of bdewers rdol.Thus Paul was prefent inAthens, and in w.as then but fmall, and the whole world betheplaces ofidolatry , rhatheemight behold fide,was nothing but idolaters: and therefore their fupcrllitions. Tbe Protcllant princes, in it wasimpQ!sible for beleeuers to auoid their the crowning of Maximi/ian at Frankfurt, focietic, vnleffe they meant to goe out of rhe brought the Emperourto the Church, and to world. And vpon thisnee<fsitie,Pa•lpermits rhe place wlleras he was to fit:this done,they the. Crurchin his daies, to vfe the fellow!hip returned without doing any reuerence at all, oftdolaters : and for the very fame <aufe bee and thereby profeffed their miOike ofpopifh farrh, J .Car,Jo. •?·If••; of th<m thAtbtittut idols, and their feruice. It may bee obietled, C not,bidyon to • f.ajl,got ify•wiR. Socondly,berhat the Prophet of the Lord prayedinrhe lecuersmaylawfully ioyncwithidolatcrs, in place whereidolatrie was exercifcd: becaufe thefocitti< ofCenc.,.d, For by the generall calhe prayed at the altar ofBethel, forrhe relloling of Chrillianitie, rtey are bour.d to haue ring oftheKings arme. Anfll'tr, He didaot apeace with all men. Vpon this ground may miffe. Forto the cleane, all things indifferent the Church make coucnantsof peacewith iare cleane : and therefore the place, though dolatcrs, vpon cuciJand iuftconditions. Heb. poliuted with idolatrie ofothers, was cleane 1 2·1 4· Haoe ptacetowardsal/men,andholitujfe, to the cleane Propl>et. And thelcwes were Rom.u.,s·.HaNtptactwith•Rmm,ifit bepoffi· commanded, when they were in rhemiddell ble,and.u m•cluu inJ•HIJ·erb, Thus .Abrah~m G ofidolatrous nations, to worlhip GOD tomadealeaue of peace wirh Anerand Efohel, ·~'"· >J· wards the Temple at Hierufalcm. AndGod kingof the Amorites,& withAbimel«h: and • heard his prayer, by miracle re!loring the lfoacwith .Abime/ech: and/a"bwith L.ban: Iudg.~. king• armc: and therefore bee approoned ir. andHcbtr the Kenite, .with labin a forraine 17. And a prayer made in an idolatrous alfcmbly king: and thefe examples haue lllfficientwaris no approbation ofidolatry, ifthere becan rant. Forthat which ":'e may do,we may bind open profef>ion of the miflike thereof: and our felues rodoc. Thudly, wee may vfe any thepraycrbeemadevponfome-necelsitie, as D fuchfcllowfhipwiththem, as is,orfhall bie thisofthe Prophets was, that the king might occafiohed byv~rtue ofourparticularcalling. be conuinced of his impietie. It may beeobThus Chnft beemg the Sau10ur ofthe world, ietled that rhe Prophet, refuting to cat in the conuerfed with publicans and finners. Thus place; fhould alfo haue rcfufed topray there. Pau/beeinJ: the Apollle of the Gentiles, enI anfwer, no; becaufe God.app<>inted ab!litersinto .Athlns, and their beholds their de11 nence frcm meate, to bee rhe fignc ofdetellauorions. !t is Gods commandement, that ,~. · ' 7 • tion ofthe idolatry committed iuBethe/, and the ~eleemng W1fe~fhall Dot forfakeher vnbe- <.Coo. 7, norabllinence from prayer. And this example leeumg husband, tf hee be w!llmg or deliwus •J· of the Prophet, cloth n~t warrant vs to b~e todwell with her.Ifit be alleadgcd,that Ev:A Em ro, prefent at idolatrous.ferurce,there rowodlup conllramed the Ifrael1rcs. ro put awaytheu 3• the true God · becaufe he did uor dtlfemble, Ammonmfh, and Moabttdh, 2nd the reil of but he openly'profeffcd the truth again!l idorheir hcathes wiues: I anfwcr;that their malaters. riagcs wereifldeede voide, and no marriages. Onthecontrary,ifmc?refolucnottopro-' FirlL becaufe the natipns with whom they ~'"'·'•· fdfc therr dctell:atton of idolatrous worOup, marned,were people accordmg ro Gods law, ro. either bywordofmourb, gflliKc, orfome ociuilly dead:. in that God had commanded ther way; but onely ddirc vpon curiolitie, to their dellrucbon , vnlelfe when peace was fee new fafhions,andhereupon, enterintotke affered, tbey accepted oftt. Secondly, In that
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