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bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, eren all the curses that are written in

the book which they have read before the king of Judah: Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.

Jer. v, 19. And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.

Jer. ix, 12-14. Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the month of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burnt up like a willderness, that none passeth through? And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein; But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them.

Jer. xvi, 10, 11. And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt show this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?

Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law.

Jer. xviii, 16. To make the land desolate, and a perpetual hissing: every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his

head.

Jer. xix, 3. 4. Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the

which whosoever heareth, his cars

cause they

worshipped other gods, and served them.

Jer. xxxii, 29. And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this, city, and burn it with the houses upon whose roofs they have of fered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink-offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.

unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their ear-rings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.

to pass the same night, that the Judges vi, 25-32. And it came LORD said unto him. Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years

And

old, and throw down the altar Jer. xliv, 2, 3, 6-8, 20-23. Thus of Baal that thy father hath, and saith the LORD of hosts, the God of cut down the grove that is by it: Israel, Ye have seen all the evil And build an altar unto the LORD that I have brought upon Jeru- thy God upon the top of this rock, salem, and upon all the cities of in the ordered place, and take the Judah; and, behold, this day they second bullock, and offer a burntare a desolation, and no man sacrifice with the wood of the dwelleth therein; Because of their grove which thou shalt cut down. wickedness which they have com- Then Gideon took ten men of his mitted, to provoke me to anger, servants, and did as the LORD had in that they went to burn incense, said unto himn: and so it was, beand to serve other gods, whom cause he feared his father's housethey knew not, neither they, ye, hold, and the men of the city, that nor your fathers. Wherefore my he could not do it by day, that he fury and mine anger was poured did it by night. And when the forth, and was kindled in the cities men of the city arose early in the of Judah, and in the streets of morning, behold, the altar of Baal Jerusalem; and they are wasted was cast down, and the grove was and desolate, as at this day. cut down that was by it, and the Therefore now thus saith the second bullock was offered upon LORD, the God of hosts, the God the altar that was built. of Israel, Wherefore commit ye they said one to another, Who this great evil against your hath done this thing? And when souls, to cut off from you man and they enquired and asked, they woman, child and suckling, out of said, Gideon the son of Joash hath Judah, to leave you none to re- done this thing. Then the men of main; In that ye provoke me the city said unto Joash, Bring unto wrath with the works of your out thy son, that he may die; behands, burning incense unto other cause he hath cast down the altar gods in the land of Egypt, whither of Baal, and because he hath cut ye be gone to dwell, that ye down the grove that was by it. might cut yourselves off, and And Joash said unto all that that ye might be a curse and stood against him, Will ye plead a reproach among all the nations for Baal? will ye save him? he that of the earth? Then Jeremiah will plead for him, let him be put said unto all the people, to the to death whilst it is yet morning: men, and to the women, and to if he be a god, let him plead for all the people which had given himself, because one hath cast him that answer, saying, The in- down his altar. Therefore on that cense that ye burnt in the cities of day he called him Jerubbaal, sayJudah, and in the streets of Jeru-ing, Let Baal plead against him, salem, ye, and your fathers, your because he hath thrown down his kings, and your princes, and the altar. people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not into his mind? So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed: therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.

Because ye have burnt incense,
sinned
and because ye have
against the LORD, and have not

1 Sam. vii, 4. Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD

only.

2 Sam. v, 21. And there they left their images, and David and

his men burned them.

2 Kings x, 26-28. And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baul, and burned them. And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down

shall tingle. Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burnt incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have obeyed the voice of the LORD, nor the house of Baal, and made it a filled this place with the blood of walked in his law, nor in his sta- draught-house unto this day. Thus

innocents.

Jer. xxii, 8, 9. And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city. Then they shall answer, B1

tutes, nor in his testimonies; there-
fore this evil is happened unto
you, as at this day.

IDOLATRY PUNISHED AND
EXTIRPATED BY MAN.
Gen. XXXV, 4. And they gave

Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

1 Chron. xiv, 12. And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burnt with fire.

2 Chron. XV, 8. And when Asa

heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim,

2 Chron. xv, 16. And also concerning Maachah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen,because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and

burnt it at the brook Kidron.

2 Chron. xxxi, 1. Now, when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all.

2 Chron. xxxiii, 15. And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the

LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.

2 Chron. xxxiv, 3, 4. 6, 7, 33. For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images that were on high above them he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks, round about. And when he had broken down the

altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel he returned to Jerusalem. And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.

Isa. xxxvii, 18, 19. Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries. And have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone:

therefore they have destroyed | Beth-shemesh, that is in the land them. of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.

Jer. viii, 1, 2. At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves: And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved; and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.

DIVINE WARNINGS AGAINST

FALSE GODS.

Jer. xlvi, 25. The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saith, Behold, I will punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods, and their kings; even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him.

be ashamed of Chemosh, as the Jer. xlviii, 13. And Moab shall

house of Israel was ashamed of

Beth-el their confidence.

Jer. 1, 2. Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard: publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.

Jer. li, 44, 47, 52. And I will Exod. xii, 12. For I will pass punish Bel in Babylon. through the land of Egypt this Therefore, behold, the days come, night, and will smite all the first that I will do judgment upon the born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the her whole land shall be confoundgraven images of Babylon; and gods of Egypt I will execute judged, and all her slain shall fall in

ment: I am the LORD.

Exod. xxiii, 13. And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.

Num. xxxili, 4. (For the Egyptians buried all their first-born, which the LORD had smitten among them: upon their gods also the LORD executed judgments.)

Isa. ii, 18. And the idols he shall utterly abolish. . . . .

Isa. xix, 1. The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.

Isa. xxvi, 14. They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thon visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.

Isa. xxxi, 7. For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin.

Jer. x, 11. Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, cren they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

Jer. xliii, 12, 13. And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives.... He shall break also the images of

the midst of her. Wherefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will do judgment upon her graven images; and through all her land the wounded shall groan.

Ezek, vi, 4-6. And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken; and I will cast down your slain men before your idols. And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars. In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.

Ezek. xxx, 13. Thus saith the Lord Gon; I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause their images to cease out of Noph.

Hosea ii, 17. For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.

Hosea x, 2. Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.

Micah 1,7. And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burnt with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.

Micah v, 13. Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standug images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.

Nah. 1, 14. And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning ilee, that no more of thy name be Sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image, and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.

will Zeph. ii, 11. The LORD... famish all the gods of the earth. Zech. xiii, 2. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off

the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered; and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirits to pass out of the land.

VI.

INCONSISTENCY AND
ABSURDITY OF

IDOLATRY.

1-IDOLS MADE BY MAN HIMSELF, AND THEREFORE

PASSIVE AND USELESS. Gen. xxxi, 32. With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

Exod. xxxil, 20. And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

Deut. ix, 20, 21. And the LORD was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time. And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until if was as small as dust; and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.

Deut. xxxii, 37, 38. And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted; Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink-offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.

Judges x, 14. Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

Judges xviii, 17. And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came in thither, and took the graven image, and

| the ephod, and the teraphim, and,
the molten image: and the priest
stood in the entering of the gate
with the six hundred men that
were appointed with weapens of
War.

1 Kings xviii, 21, 29. And Elijah
came unto all the people, and
said, How long halt ye between
two opinions? if the LORD be God,
follow him: but if Baal, then fol-
low him. And the people an-
swered him not a word. And it
came to pass, when mid-day was
past, and they prophesied until
the time of the offering of the
evening sacrifice, that there was
neither voice, nor any to answer,
nor any that regarded.

2 Kings xviii, 33-35. Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? Where are the gods of Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand? Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?

2 Kings xix, 12, 13, 17, 18. Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar? Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena, and Ivah? Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands; And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them.

2 Chron. XXV, 14, 15. Now it
came to pass, after that Amaziah
was come from the slaughter of
the Edomites, that he brought the
gods of the children of Seir, and
set them up to be his gods, and
bowed down himself before them,
and burned incense unto them.
Wherefore the anger of the LORD
was kindled against Amaziah, and
he sent unto him a prophet, which
said unto him, Why hast thou
sought after the gods of the peo-
ple, which could not deliver their
own people out of thine hand?

2 Chron. xxxii, 13. Know ye not
what I and my fathers have done
unto all the people of other lands?
the gods of the nations
were
of those lands any ways able to
deliver their lands out of mine
hand.

Ps. cxv, 4-8. Their idols are
silver and gold, the work of men's
hands. They have mouths, but
281

They have they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not; They have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not; neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

Ps. cxxxv, 15-18. The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; They have ears but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their are like unto them; so is every mouths; They that make them one that trusteth in them.

Isa. x, 10, 11. As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols."

Isa. xxxvi, 19. Where are the gods of Hamath and Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?

Isa. xli, 23, 24, 29. Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold Behold, ye are of it together. nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that choosBehold, they are all eth you. vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.

Isa. xliv, 9-11, 15-20. They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses: they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

Who hath formed a

god, or molten a graven image,
that is profitable for nothing? Be-
hold, all his fellows shall be
ashamed; and the workmen, they
are of men:
gathered together, let them stand
up; yet they shall fear, and they
shall be ashamed together. Then
shall it be for a man to burn: for
he will take thereof, and warm
himself; yea, he kindleth it, and
baketh bread; yea, he maketh a
god, and worshippeth it: he mak-
eth it a graven image, and faileth
down thereto. He burneth part
thereof in the fire; with part
thereof he eateth flesh; he roast-
eth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he
warmeth himself, and saith, Aha,
I am warm, I have seen the fire:
And the residue thereof he mak
eth a god, even his graven image:
he falleth down unto it, and wor-
shippeth it, and prayeth unto it,
and saith, Deliver me; for thou art

let them all be

my god.
They have not known
nor understood: for he hath shut
their eyes, that they cannot see;
and their hearts, that they cannot
understand. And none consider-
eth in his heart, neither is there
knowledge nor understanding to
say, I have burnt part of it in the
fire; yea, also I have baked bread
upon the coals thereof; I have
roasted flesh, and eaten it: and
shall I make the residue thereof
an abomination? shall I fall down

to the stock of a tree? He feedeth
on ashes: a deceived heart hath
turned him aside, that he cannot
deliver his soul, nor say, Is there
not a lie in my right hand.

Isa. xlv, 16. They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of

idols.

Isa. xlvi, 1, 2. 7, 8. Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth; their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast. They stoop; they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity. They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble. Remember this, and shew yourselves men; bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.

Jer. x. 14. Every man is brutish in his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for bis molten image is false, and there is no breath in

them.

Jer. xi,12. Then shall the cities of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, go and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.

Jer. li, 17, 18. Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

Daniel xi, 8. And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the

north.

Hosea vill, 6. For from Israel acas it also: the workman made it: therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

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Hab. ii, 18, 19. What profiteth | fathers dwelt on the other side of the graven image that the maker the flood in old time, eren Terah. thereof hath graven it; the molten the father of Abraham, and the image, and a teacher of lies, that father of Nahor: and they served the maker of his work trusteth other gods. therein. to make dumb idols? Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.

Zech. x, 2. For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain.

Judges xi, 24. Wilt not thon possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before us, them will we possess.

children of Dan set up the graven Judges xviii, 30, 31. And the image: and Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to 2 Cor. vi, 15, 16. And what con- the tribe of Dan until the day of cord hath Christ with Belial? or the captivity of the land. And what part hath he that believeth they set them up Micali's graven with an infidel? And what agree-image, which he made, all the ment hath the temple of God time that the house of God was with idols? for ye are the temple in Shiloh. of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

2-EARLY PREVALENCE AND GENERAL SPREAD OF

IDOLATRY.

Deut. iv, 27, 28. And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you. And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

Deut. xxviii, 36, 64. The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone. And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thon nor thy fathers have known, even Wood and

stone.

Deut. xxxi. 16, 20. And the LORD
said unto Moses, Behold, thou
shalt sleep with thy fathers; and
this people will rise up, and go a
whoring after the gods of the
strangers of the land whither they
go to be among them, and will
forsake me, and break my cove-
nant which I have made with

them. For when I shall have
brought them into the land which
I sware unto their fathers, that
floweth with milk and honey;
and they shall have eaten and
filled themselves, and waxen fat;
then will they turn unto other
gods, and serve them, and provoke
me, and break my covenant.

Josh. xxiv, 2. And Joshua said
unto all the people, Thus saith
the LORD God of Israel, Your

Jer. xvi, 13. Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a laud that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night, where I will not shew you favour.

Ezek. xx. 32. 39. And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. As for you. O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord Gop, Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me; but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.

Hosea iv, 17. Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

waited for them at Athens, his Acts xvii, 16-18. Now while Paul spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Therefore disputed he in the Synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

Acts xix, 35, 36 And when the town-clerk had appeased the peo ple, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

1 Cor. xii, 2. Ye know that ye

were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were ed.

Gal, iv, 8. Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

1 Thess. 1, 9. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true

God.

1 John v, 21. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

3-OBSTINATE AND ALMOST UNACCOUNTABLE ATTACH

MENT TO IDOLATRY. Gen. xxxi, 19. . . . And Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.

Exod. xxxii, 21-24. And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief. For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.

Judges 1, 16-19. Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and

bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so. And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings, by reason of them that oppressed them, and vexed them. And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them: they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.

Judges xviii, 14, 23, 24. Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of Laish,

1

and said unto their brethren. Do |
ye know that there is in these
houses an ephod, and teraphim.
and a graven image, and a molten
image? now therefore consider
what ye have to do. And they
cried unto the children of Dan:
and they turned their faces, and
said unto Micah, What aileth
thee, that thou comest with such a
company? And he said, Ye have
taken away my gods which I
made, and the priest, and ye are
gone away; and what have I more?
and what is this that ye say unto
me,
What aileth thee?

1 Sam. v, 7. And when the men
of Ashdod saw that it was so, they
said, The ark of the God of Israel
shall not abide with us: for his
hand is sore upon us, and upon
Dagon our god.

1 Kings xii, 26-28. And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

1 Kings xx. 23. And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills, therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

2 Kings v, 18. In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.

2 Kings xvii, 29, 40, 41. Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt.

Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner. So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children's children: as did their fathers, so did they unto this day.

2 Chron. xxviii, 23. For he sacriflced unto the gods of Damascus which smote him; and he said,

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Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me: but they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.

Jer. ii, 10, 11. For pass over the isles of Chittim and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing:

Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.

Jer. xi, 10. They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant, which I made with their fathers.

now

Jer. xxxv, 15. I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them,

but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.

Jer. xliv, 4.5. Howbeit I sent unto

you all my servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness,

to burn no incense unto other gods.

Jer. 1, 38. A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.

Ezek. xx, 8. But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken urto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt; then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

Micah iv, 5. For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the

name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.

4-REMARKABLE EXCEP

TIONS.

2 Kings v, 17. And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy will henceforth offer servant neither burnt-offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.

Ps. xvi, 4. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after

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