That both these places were now very corrupt by Idolatry, I will make that appear too. As I have showed you how famous these places were before, so I will show you how corrupt these places afterward were made.1 For Gilgal, that place was abominably corrupt, it appears plainly in Hos. 9.15. All their iniquity (saith God) is in Gilgal, above all places there is the greatest iniquity committed, and there I hated them saith God. It was the place where God loved his people and manifested himself unto them, but now, there I hated them, I saw so ⟨p. 185⟩much wickedness in Gilgal that made me hate them now. And it quickly grew to be corrupt, for in Ehud's time the third Judg from Joshua Idols were then begun to be set up in Gilgal; Judg. 3.19. the text saith, that Ehud turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal,2 now that word translated quarries [Greek or Hebrew] some turn it, he came ab Idolis, from the Idols, and so the word may be translated; And it signifies to engrave, he came from the engravings. There were Idols at Gilgal then. And the reason of the corruption that there was in Gilgal was this, because it had been an eminent place, and that place was accounted very holy because of the great things that had been done there, upon which they set up their Images there, and put much superstitious respect and honour upon the place. They took the rise of their respect to the place from Gods much appearing there and the great things that had been done there, and now they began to think that place was holy and so abused it:3 As men are subject to abuse places and to put holiness in places more than God doth because of some special things that have been done in those places; As we see Papists do at this time, at the Sepulchre of Christ, Oh what a deal of stir was there about going to visit the Sepulchre of Christ! And the very Cross whereon Christ was crucified what a stir was there about that as if it were more holy than any other piece of wood! One chip of it was counted worth I know not how much; And the Sepulchres of the Martyrs and Cells of the Monks, men have gone many a sore journey to visit those places. This is the old vanity of spirit that was amongst the people of the Jews.
That both these places were now very corrupt by Idolatry, I will make that appear too. As I have shewed you how famous these places were before, so I will shew you how corrupt these places afterward were made.1 For Gilgal, that place was abominably corrupt, it appears plainly in Hos. 9.15. All their iniquity (saith God) is in Gilgal, above all places there is the greatest iniquity committed, and there I hated them saith God. It was the place where God loved his people and manifested himself unto them, but now, there I hated them, I saw so ⟨p. 185⟩much wickedness in Gilgal that made me hate them now. And it quickly grew to be corrupt, for in Ehuds time the third Judg from Joshua Idols were then begun to be set up in Gilgal; Judg. 3.19. the text saith, that Ehud turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal,2 now that word translated quarries 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 some turn it, he came ab Idolis, from the Idols, and so the word may be translated; And it signifies to engrave, he came from the engravings. There were Idols at Gilgal then. And the reason of the corruption that there was in Gilgal was this, because it had been an eminent place, and that place was accounted very holy because of the great things that had been done there, upon which they set up their Images there, and put much superstitious respect and honor upon the place. They took the rise of their respect to the place from Gods much appearing there and the great things that had been done there, and now they began to think that place was holy and so abused it:3 As men are subject to abuse places and to put holiness in places more than God doth because of some special things that have been done in those places; As we see Papists do at this time, at the Sepulchre of Christ, Oh what a deal of stir was there about going to visit the Sepulchre of Christ! And the very Cross whereon Christ was crucified what a stir was there about that as if it were more holy than any other piece of wood! One chip of it was counted worth I know not how much; And the Sepulchres of the Martyrs and Cels of the Munks, men have gone many a sore journey to visit those places. This is the old vanity of spirit that was amongst the people of the Jews.
- 1Corruptions of Gilgal.
- 2[Greek or Hebrew] of dolore, sculpere.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 of dolore, sculpere.
- 3Note
