To the tongue belongeth open profession of God and of all good duties: Be ready oalways to make profession to every one that asketh of you, an account of the faith which is in you: pfor with the mouth men make confession to salvation. Ye qshall make no mention of the names of other gods, neither shall they be heard out of thy mouth. Their rsorrows shall be multiplied that endow another god. I will not pour their burnt Offerings of blood, nor take their names in my lips. And hither are to be referred all outward marks of this profession; as in Gods service, The calling upon of his Name; Bowing and kneeling, Lifting up of hands, eyes, &c. as the people did, Nehem. 8. 16. answering all, Amen, Amen, with the lifting up of their hands, and stooped and bowed down to JEHOVAH with their face to the ground ward. In doing reverence to Superiors, suncovering our head, and rising up before them, &c. The contrary whereof is, Open profession of wickedness, when a man need not to dig, to find out their sins, as the Prophet speaketh, Jer. 2. 34. they are so plain and manifest unto all: or as it is in tEZEKIEL, When they set their sin upon the cliff of the Rock (in the open face and view of the World) and do not pour the same upon the earth to cover it with dust, loth it should be seen. Such is that, Isaiah 3. 10. The obstinacy of their face testifieth against them, and they do not conceal, but utter their sin, (openly, shamelessly, and obstinately) as Sodom, whose impudency ⟨p. 126⟩of sinning was such and so audacious, that the uProphet saith of them, God heard a cry in the morning, and a shooting at noon day. And JEREMIAH, xWhen I said, Keep thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from being athirst, thou saidst desperately, No: for I love strange gods, and them will I follow. Again, yThey say desperately, We will go after our own thoughts, and every one do after the fancy of our own wicked heart. And hither10 also belong all marks and badges of Superstition or other sin. But what zsaith the Scripture? I have reserved to my self, seven thousand men, that have not bowed the knee to BAAL. The aPeople s•te down to eat and drink, (before the Calf which Aaron had made) and rose up to play. So PAUL, 1. Cor. 8. 10. reprehendeth the sitting at the Table in the Idols temple, even of them that knew, an Idol was nothing in the World.
To the tongue belongeth open profession of God and of all good duties: Be readie oalwayes to make profession to euery one that asketh of you, an account of the faith which is in you: pfor with the mouth men make confession to saluation. Ye qshall make no mention of the names of other gods, neither shall they be heard out of thy mouth. Their rsorrowes shall be multiplyed that endow another god. I will not powre their burnt Offerings of bloud, nor take their names in my lips. And hither are to be referred all outward markes of this profession; as in Gods seruice, The calling vpon of his Name; Bowing and kneeling, Lifting vp of hands, eyes, &c. as the people did, Nehem. 8. 16. answering all, Amen, Amen, with the lifting vp of their hands, and stooped and bowed downe to IEHOVAH with their face to the ground ward. In doing reuerence to Superiours, svncouering our head, and rising vp before them, &c. The contrary whereof is, Open profession of wickednesse, when a man need not to digge, to finde out their sinnes, as the Prophet speaketh, Ier. 2. 34. they are so plaine and manifest vnto all: or as it is in tEZECHIEL, When they set their sinne vpon the cliffe of the Rocke (in the open face and view of the World) and do not powre the same vpon the earth to couer it with dust, loth it should be seene. Such is that, Esay 3. 10. The obstinacie of their face testifieth against them, and they doe not conceale, but vtter their sinne, (openly, shamelesly, and obstinately) as Sodom, whose impudencie ⟨p. 126⟩of sinning was such and so audacious, that the uProphet saith of them, God heard a cry in the morning, and a shooting at noone day. And IEREMIE, xWhen I said, Keepe thy foot from being vnshod, and thy throte from being athirst, thou saidst desperately, No: for I loue strange gods, and them will I follow. Againe,
- o1. Pet. 3. 15.
- pRom. 10. 10.
- qExod 23. 13.
- rPsal. 16. 4.
- sLevit. 9. 32.Leuit. 9. 32.
- tEzech. 24. 7.
- uJer. 20. 16.Ier. 20. 16.
- xJer. 2. 25.Ier. 2. 25.
- yJer. 18. 12.Ier. 18. 12.
- 10Their error, which hold it lawful to be present at Idolatrous service, keeping a mans Conscience to himself. And where such bear themselves bold upon the example of Naaman the Syrian, 2. King. 5. 17, 18, let them know, that the place hath no such meaning as they would fasten upon it, but quite the contrary: which according to the Original, may truly be thus rendered: For thy servant will no more offer burnt Offerings and Sacrifice to other Gods, but to Jehovah. in this matter, Jehovau, be merciful to thy servant, at my Lords going into the house of Rimmon, to bow down there: and he leaning upon my hand, that I also have bowed down in the house of Rimmon: for my bowing down in the houe of Rimmon, Jehovah, now be merciful to thy servant in this matter So craving pardon for his Idolatry past, with promise from thenceforth to serve God alone. This Interpretation, the faith and piety of Naaman truly converted,
