But besides, they are especially such as have been brought up superstitiously or profanely; such as have been bred in superstitious Popish families, are many times bitter scorners and reproachers of those who are most forward in the ways of godliness. We read 2 Kings 2. 23. when Elisha went to Bethel, there came forth little children out of the city and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up thou bald head, go up thou bald head; that is observable, they came out of Bethel, which was that idolatrous city in Israel, where the Calf of Jeroboam was set up, that place was full of scorners at the Prophets of the Lord; you may know the temper of the place, by the disposition of the little children, they usually heard their ⟨p. 385⟩parents and those who were elder scorn at the Prophets of the Lord, they were brought up in that way, and because it was at Bethel, the curse of God was the rather upon their children to destroy them, although they were but children, yet two and forty of them were presently destroyed. Hosea 7. 5. we read of those who were elder, the great ones in that City, even Jeroboam himself, and his Courtiers, what scorners they were, In the day of our King, the Princes have made him sick with bottles of wine, he stretched out his hand with the scorners. The Princes, Nobles, Officers, great ones of the Country, jeered and scorned at those, who would not yield to that way of worship that Jeroboam had set up, namely of the Calves; O they must be so precise, as no worship will serve their turn, but going up to Jerusalem to worship there; such as ventured the loss of their estates, their offices, their liberties, they accounted them fools, and reproached them as a company of simple silly people.
But besides, they are especially such as have been brought up superstitiously or prophanely; such as have been bred in superstitious Popish families, are many times bitter scorners and reproachers of those who are most forward in the ways of godliness. We read 2 Kings 2. 23. when Elisha went to Bethel, there came forth little children out of the city and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up thou bald head, go up thou bald head; that is observable, they came out of Bethel, which was that idolatrous city in Israel, where the Calf of Jeroboam was set up, that place was full of scorners at the Prophets of the Lord; you may know the temper of the place, by the disposition of the little children, they usually heard their ⟨p. 385⟩parents and those who were elder scorn at the Prophets of the Lord, they were brought up in that way, and because it was at Bethel, the curse of God was the rather upon their children to destroy them, although they were but children, yet two and forty of them were presently destroyed. Hosea 7. 5. we read of those who were elder, the great ones in that City, even Jeroboam himself, and his Courtiers, what scorners they were, In the day of our King, the Princes have made him sick with bottles of wine, he stretched out his hand with the scorners. The Princes, Nobles, Officers, great ones of the Countrey, jeered and scorned at those, who would not yield to that way of worship that Jeroboam had set up, namely of the Calves; O they must be so precise, as no worship will serve their turn, but going up to Jerusalem to worship there; such as ventured the loss of their estates, their offices, their liberties, they accounted them fools, and reproached them as a company of simple silly people.
