words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, | from this present evil world, accordIt is more blessed to give than to re- ing to the will of God and our Father. ceive. Acts xx. 34, 35. -Gal. i. 3, 4. The carnal mind is enmity against The flesh lusteth against the spirit, &c. so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.-Gal. v. 17. : God for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Rom. viii. 7. Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.-Rom. xiii. 14. Ye see your calling, brethren: how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, &c. that no flesh should glory in his presence. -1 Cor. i. 26. 29. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them.-1 Cor. vi. 12, 13. The time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away, &c. He that is married, careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.-1 Cor. vii. 29-34. I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means when I have preached, &c.1 Cor. ix. 27. The devil is called the god of this world.-2 Cor. iv. 4. The sorrow of the world worketh death.-2 Cor. vii. 10. Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet, for your sakes, he became poor, that ye, through his poverty, might be rich.-2 Cor. viii. 9. God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye always having all sufficiency in all things, &c.-2 Cor. ix. 8. Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom (or whereby) the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.-Gal. vi. 14. Covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints, &c. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.-Eph. v. 3. 5; 2 Cor. vi. 10. Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, whose glory is in their shame; who mind earthly things. —Phil. iii. 19. Let your moderation be known, &c. the Lord is at hand: be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, &c. I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content; I know both how to be abased, and how to abound: every where and in all things, I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry; both to abound and to suffer need, &c. But my God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory, by Jesus Christ.-Phil. iv. 5, 6. 11, 12. 19. Set your affection (or mind) on things above, not on things on the earth, &c. Mortify, therefore, your members, &c. inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.-Col. iii. 2. 5. Meats, which God hath created to be received, &c. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused.-1 Tim. iv. 3, 4; 1 Cor. x. 25-27.. She that liveth in pleasure (or delicately) is dead while she liveth.— 1 Tim. v. 6. CHAP. XXXVII. OF THIS PRESENT WORLD. Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out having food and raiment, let us be therewith content: but they that will be rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition : for the love of money is the root of all evil; which, while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with But thou, O man of God, flee these things, &c. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come.-1 Tim. vi. 6-11. 17-19. many sorrows. Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth, entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.-2 Tim. ii. 3, 4. In the last days, &c. men shall be lovers of their own selves, &c. lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. -2 Tim. iii. 1, 2. 4. Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, &c.-2 Tim. iv. 10. The earth, which, &c. bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God.-Heb. vi. 7. the treasures in Egypt.-Heb. xi. Let your conversation be without Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted; but the rich, in that he is made low; because as the flower of the grass he shall For the sun is no sooner pass away. risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth; so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. James i. 9-11. of Hath not God chosen the poor this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he hath promised. to them that love him? but ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment-seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name? &c.James ii. 5—7. Know ye not, that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God, &c. Go to now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy, and sell, and get gain; whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow: for, what is your life? it is even a vapour, &c. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that: but now ye reYe, &c. took joyfully the spoiling joice in your boastings: all such reof your goods; knowing in your-joicing is evil.-James iv. 4. 13—16; selves that ye have in heaven a better Acts xviii. 21; 1 Cor. xvi. 7. 34. and enduring substance.-Heb. By faith, Moses, when he was come refused to be called the son to years, of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than X. Go to now, ye rich men; weep and howl, for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten; your gold and silver is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire: ye have CHAPTER XXXVIII. heaped treasure together for the last | 1 Pet. iv. 7; 2 Pet. iii. 7. 10, 11; days. Behold, the hire of the labour- 1 John ii. 17. ers which have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth, &c. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and have been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter; ye have condemned and killed the just. -James v. 1—6. All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass: the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.-1 Pet. i. 24. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, &c. casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.-1 Pet. v. 6, 7. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world: if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world; and the world passeth away, and the lust thereof.-1 John ii. 15-17. Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world: they are of the world, therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.-1 John iv. 4, 5. Whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? -1 John v. 4, 5. The kings of the earth, and the great men and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, &c.Rev. vi. 15-17. Heaven and earth shall pass away all these things shall end.-Matt. xxiv. 35; Ps. cii. 25, 26; Isa. li. 6; OF GRAVEN UP IDOLS are called dunghill gods.1 Kings xxi. 26; 2 Kings xxi. 21; Ezek. vi. 6. 9. 13. Laban said to Jacob, Wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?—Gen. xxxi. 30. Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, &c. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.-Gen. xxxv. 2. 4. I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, &c. Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold. Exod. xx. 2-5. 23; Deut. iv. 15-18; Ps. lxxxi. 9, 10; Hosea xiii. 4. He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.-Exod. xxii. 20; Deut. xxx. 17, 18; xxxi. 16—18. Make no mention of the names of other gods: neither let it be heard out of thy mouth, &c. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works; but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images, &c. Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods, &c. If thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.-Exod. xxiii. CHAP. XXXVIII. OF IDOLATRY. 13. 24. 32, 33; Ps. cvi. 36; Judges | ple did eat, and bowed down to their The people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for, as for this Moses, &c. we wot not what is become of him. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, &c. and bring them unto me, &c. And he received them at their hands, aud fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf. And they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt: and when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it, &c. And they rose up early on the morand offered burnt-offerings, &c. And the Lord said unto Moses, &c. Let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, &c. Moses caused the calf to be broken into powder, and scattered, &c.-Exod. xxxii. 1-6. 9, 10. 20; Ps. cvi. 19, 20; Acts vii. 38, &c. row, : Ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves; for thou shalt worship no other god for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, &c. Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.-Exod. xxxiv. 12. 17; Numb. xxxiii. 51, 52. And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring, &c.-Levit. xvii. 7. Turn you not unto idols, nor make yourselves molten gods: for I am the Lord your God.-Levit. xix. 4. Ye shall make you no idols, nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, (or pillar;) neither shall ye set up any image (or figure) of stone in your land, to bow down to it: for I am the Lord your God. -Levit. xxvi. 1. They called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the peo Upon their gods also the Lord executed judgments.-Numb. xxxiii. 4. Take heed unto yourselves: for ye saw no manner of similitude, &c. lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure.-Deut. iv. 15-18. 23. 25. Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you: for the Lord thy God is a jealous God.-Deut. vi. 14, 15; xi. 16. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them, &c. for they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods; so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, &c. Ye shall destroy their altars, &c.-Deut. vii. 3—5. 16. 25. Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside and serve other gods, and worship them; and then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit.-Deut. xi. 16, 17. Ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, &c. ye shall overthrow their altars, &c. Do not inquire after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? &c.-Deut. xii. 2, 3. 30, 31. Such who should endeavour to draw others to idolatry, were to be put to death.-Deut. xiii. Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee: neither shalt thou set thee up any image (or statue) which the Lord thy God hateth.-Deut. xvi. 21, 22. If hath and served other any gods, and worshipped them; either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not com gone manded, he shall be stoned, &c.Deut. xvii. 3. 5. That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods: so should ye sin against the Lord your God.Deut. xx. 18. Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, &c. the work of the hands of the craftsman. -Deut. xxvii. 15. Ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, (or dunghill gods ;) wood, stone, &c.-Deut. xxix. 17, 18. 24, &c. God said, Israel would go after strange gods; and that he would leave them, and much evil should come, &c.-Deut. xxx. 16-18. They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, &c. They sacrificed to devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, &c.-Deut. xxxii. 17. 21; Ps. cvi. 37. Neither make mention of the name of their gods, neither cause to swear by them; neither serve them, nor bow yourselves to them.-Josh. xxiii. 7. 16: xxiv. 14, 23. When Joshua and that generation were dead, and there arose a new generation which knew not the Lord, they forsook the Lord, and followed strange gods. Judges ii. 10. 12-14. 19; Deut. xxxi. 16. 29; Judges x. 6. 13; iii. 6, 7. Micah's mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord, to make a graven image, &c. And she made an image, &c. Micah consecrated the Levite, &c. The Danites take away the idol, and the priest, &c. Then Micah cried out, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? &c. And the children of Dan set up the graven image.-Judges xvii. 3-5. 12; xviii. 16-20. 22-24. 30, 31. The Philistines, when the god Dagon fell before the ark, would not tread on the threshold on which it fell and broke.-1 Sam. v. 2, &c. Solomon, in his old age, was drawn away to commit idolatry.—1 Kings xi. 4-10. Israel, in Ahab's time, worshipped Baal as a god, and called on him.1 Kings xviii. 26. Jeroboam (lest Israel, by going up to Jerusalem to worship, should revolt to Rehoboam) made two calves of gold, and set one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan; and said, Behold thy gods, O Israel! So Israel went, and worshipped. And he made an house of high places: and made priests of the lowest of the people, &c. ordained a feast, &c. which he had devised, &c.-1 Kings xii. 26-33; xiv. 9, 10; 2 Chron. xi. 15. Will ye plead for Baal? &c. If he They built them high places, and be a god, let him plead for himself.-images, and groves, on every high Judges vi. 31. hill, and under every green tree.1 Kings xiv. 23; 2 Kings xvii. 9 12. 16. Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah; and all Israel went thither a whoring after it which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and his house. And when Gideon was dead, the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god.-Judges viii. 27. 33. x. 6, 7. 13, 14. The Philistines praise, and offer sacrifice to Dagon their god, for delivering Samson to them.-Judges xvi. 23, 24. Asa, king of Judah, removed all the idols, &c. but the high places were not removed.-1 Kings xv. 11 -15. Elijah mocked the worshippers of Baal; and said, Cry aloud, for he is a god: either he is talking, pursuing, or in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, &c.-1 Kings xviii. 27. All the kings of Israel, after Jeroboam, did continue in the same idolatry, till Ahab: and Ahaziah, son |