Kitabı oku: «Moses and Aaron», sayfa 9

CHAP. VIII.
The Feast of Expiation

Upon the tenth day of the month Tisri, answering to September with us, the Feast of Expiation was commanded to be celebrated, Levit. 13. It was called the Feast of Expiation, because the High-priest did then confess unto God both his own sins, and the sins of the people: and by the performance of certain Rites and Ceremonies expiate them, and make an attonement unto God for them.

The Ceremonies at this time to be performed, concerned either the People and the Priest, or the Priest alone. Those which concerned the People and the Priest, consisted in the afflicting of their souls by fasting. Whence this Feast was also called³⁶⁴ Dies Jejunii, the Fasting Day, Jer. 36. 6. Which serveth for the understanding of that, Act. 27. 9. Sailing was now dangerous, because the Feast was already past; that is, the Feast of Expiation was now past, and Winter was at hand.

Those Ceremonies which concerned the Priest alone, were two: First, then the High-priest entred into the Holiest of Holies, which was peculiar unto this day. Secondly, he being about to sacrifice for himself and his house, he took unto him a young Bullock for a sin-offering, and a Ram for a burnt offering, putting on his Priestly Robes: After he had washed himself in water; he took of the Congregation two He-goats for a sin-offering, and a Ram for a burnt offering. The two He-goats he presented before the Lord at the door of the Tabernacle, casting lots which of them should be sacrificed, which let scape alive. This last was termed³⁶⁵ the scape Goat, because the other being slain, this was sent alive into the Wilderness. The Greek Interpreters call this Goat ἀποπομπαῖον, Malorum depulsorem, A defender from evils; which name the Heathens applied to their Tutelar Gods. They intimated, that when the scape Goat carried away the sins of the people into the Wilderness, he likewise carried away all those evils which belonged unto those sins. And for the securing the people in this point, the Lord commanded the High priest to confess in the name of all the people, and to disburden the sins of the whole Congregation upon the head of the scape Goat. The form of Confession, according to the relation of the Hebrew Doctors, was this:³⁶⁶ O Lord, thy People, the House of Israel, they have sinned, they have done wickedly, they have transgressed before thee; I beseech thee now, O Lord, pardon the sins, iniquities, and transgressions, with which the People, the House of Israel have sinned, done wickedly, and transgressed before thee, as it is written in the Law of thy servant Moses: that in that day he shall make Attonement for you, that he might cleanse you, and that you might be clean from all your iniquities before the Lord.

The modern Jews now (because there can be no proper sacrifice, the Temple of Jerusalem being destroyèd) the men they take a white Cock on this day, the women a Hen.³⁶⁷ This Cock they swing three times about the Priests head, saying, Gallus Gallinaceus hic commutatio erit pro me: that is, This Cock shall be a propitiation for me. After that they kill the Cock; acknowledging themselves worthy of death; and then they cast the intrals upon the top of the house, that some Raven or Crow might carry both them, and together with them, their sins into the Wilderness. And least they might seem to be mad without reason, they assign the cause why they make choice of a Cock, at this time, to be this: This word³⁶⁸ Gebher in the Holy Language signifieth a Man, in their Talmud it signifieth a Cock. Now, say they, the Justice of God requires, that as Gebher sinned, so Gebher should make satisfaction. From this Feast of Expiation it is probable, that the Grecians used a yearly Expiation of their Cities, which was performed on this manner: Certain condemned persons were brought forth with Garlands upon their heads, in manner of sacrifices, these they would tumble from some steep place into the Sea, offering them up to Neptune, using this form of words,³⁶⁹ περίψημα ἡμῶν γενοῦ, Sis pro nobis peripsema: As if he had said, Be thou a Reconciliation or Propitiation for us. The like kind of Expiation was used among them in time of any Pestilence, or contagious infection; for removal of such diseases, they then sacrificed certain men unto their Gods, such men they termed καθάρματα.³⁷⁰ These two words are used by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 4. 13. and they are translated filth and off-scouring: We are made as the filth of the World, and as the off-scouring of all things. The words signifie properly the filth or dirt scraped off mens shooes, or from the pavement of the ground: But in Budæus his opinion,³⁷¹ the Apostle had allusion unto those kinds of Expiations in use amongst the Heathens. As if he had said, We are as despicable and as odious in the sight of the people, as much loaded with the revilings and cursings of the multitude, as those condemned persons, who were offered up by way of publick Expiation.

Now, seeing at this Feast principally the High-Priest was a Type of Christ, it will not be amiss to note the agreement between the Type and the Truth.

CHAP. IX.
The Sabbatical year, or Seventh years rest

As every seventh day was a Sabbath day, so every seventh year was a Sabbatical year, Levit. 25. And as the Sabbath day signified that they themselves were the Lords, and therefore they abstained from their own work to do the Lords: So the Sabbatical year was to signifie, that both they and their land was the Lords.

The observation of this Feast consisted chiefly in two things. First, in the not tilling or manuring of their ground, whence it was called Scabath Haarets,³⁷² the Sabbaths of the Land, Levit. 25. 6. Secondly, in the Creditors discharging their debtors, and releasing their debts, and thence it was called Shemita laihova,³⁷³ The Lords release, Deut. 15. 2.

Seeing they were that year forbid to till their ground, here a question might be made; what they should eat in the time of this intermission?

Answ. I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years, Levit. 25. 20, 21. saith the Lord.

Seeing every seventh year, debts, according to Gods Command were to be remitted, some might demand whether this might not much endamage their Estates if they did lend? or harden their hearts not to lend?

Answ. It could not endamage their Estates, for it is a most infallible Maxime: No man is a loser by serving God. Whence the Hebrews themselves interpret this to be rather Mandatum probationis, A command of tryal, such as Abrahams offering up of Isaac was, which God commanded, not intending that he should be sacrificed, but that Abrahams love might be tryed; rather than Mandatum obedientiæ, A command of obedience. To this purpose speaketh Aben Ezra, interpreting these words, Save when there shall be no poor among you. Deut. 15. 4. That is, saith he,³⁷⁴ as if the Lord had said, Know that that which I have commanded thee, that thou shouldest not exact of thy Brother, will be needless. If all Israel, or the greater part obey the voice of God, then there shall be no poor amongst you, to whom it shall be needful for thee to lend; yea, all of you shall be able to lend to many Nations.

The reasons why this Feast was instituted, are thought to be: First, to teach the people to depend upon Gods providence by faith; for though the owner of the field might gather, even on that year, for the maintenance of himself and his family, Levit. 25. 6. yet he was neither to sow his field, thereby to make his Harvest the greater; nor to hedge his field, or lock up his Corn-yard, thereby to enjoy the propriety, but to let all be common, and every mans hand equal in every place. Secondly, they were hereby put in mind of that happy estate which Adam enjoyed in his Innocency, when the earth brought forth her encrease without manuring. Lastly, it shadowed forth that everlasting Sabbath which we expect in the Heavens. And some conjecture³⁷⁵ this to be the ground of Rabbi Elias his opinion,³⁷⁶ that the world should continue for six thousand years, but the seventh thousand should be the great Sabbatical year. The six thousand years answered the six working daies of the week, the seventh answered our Sabbath, according to that, A thousand years are but as one day with the Lord, 2 Pet. 3. 8. Elias his words are these; Six thousand years the world shall be, and again it shall be destroyed: Two thousand shall be void, two thousand under the Law, and two thousand under the Messias.³⁷⁷ The substance of this Prophecy, howsoever we reject it as too curious, yet seeing that a Jew spake it, it may serve to prove against them: First, That the Messias is already come: Secondly, That Moses his Law ceased at his coming.

CHAP. X.
Of their Jubilee

This is the last Festival which God commanded the Jews, it was celebrated every fiftieth year. It is commanded, Lev. 25. 8. Thou shalt number seven Sabbaths of years unto thee, &c. The English word Jubilee is derived from the Hebrew ‎‏יובל‏‎ Jobel, signifying a Ram; it signifieth a Rams horn. Seven Priests shall bear before the Ark seven Trumpets of Rams horns, Josh. 6. 4. Where the word Jobelim is used, and is expounded by the Chaldee Paraphrast, Rams-horns. Marbachius is of opinion, that this year was called their Jubilee, from Jubal,³⁷⁸ the first inventer of musical instruments, of whom we read, Gen. 4. 21. Jubal was the Father of all such as handle the Harp and Organ. Other Authors deliver other reasons of the name, but it is most probable that this year was termed the year of Jubilee from Jobelim, the Rams-horns then sounded. There were five main uses of this Feast.

First, for the general release of Servants. Secondly, for the restoring of Lands and Tenements unto their first Owners, who formerly sold them. Thirdly, hereby a true distinction of their Tribes was preserved, because Lands returned unto their Owners in their proper Tribe, and Servants to their own Families. Fourthly, some are of opinion,³⁷⁹ that as the Grecians did compute their times by the number of Olympiads, the Romans by their Lustra, the Christians by their Indictions: So the Jews by their Jubilees. Lastly, it did mystically shadow forth that spiritual Jubilee, which Christians enjoy under Christ, by whose blood we have not only a re-entry into the Kingdom of Heaven, which we had formerly forfeited by our sins (and this was haply signified by the Israelites re-entry upon their Lands formerly sold) but also the sound of the Gospel, which was in this Feast typed out unto us by the noise of the Trumpets, is gone thorowout the world. And thus the Lord God hath blown the Trumpet, as Zacharies phrase is, Zach. 9. 14. But neither this release of servants, nor restoring of Lands, was until the tenth day of the first month Tisri,³⁸⁰ at which time it was proclaimed by the sound of Trumpets, or Rams horns; the nine first daies of this month the Servants feasted and made merry, and wore Garlands, in token of their liberty approaching.

CHAP. XI.
The Feast of Purim, and the Feast of Consecration or Dedication

Pur is a Persian word, and signifieth a Lot, whence this Feast of Lots is called Purim, i.e. κληρωτήρια, A Lottery: It began on the fourteenth of Adar, and continued till the end of the fifteenth, Esth. 9. 21. It was instituted by Mordecai, in remembrance of the Jews delivery from Haman, before whom lots were cast day by day, and month by month, for the destruction of them. In these two daies they read the History of Hester in their Synagogues; and as often as they hear mention of Haman, they do with their fists and hammers beat upon the benches and boards, as if they did knock upon Hamans head.³⁸¹

The Feast of Dedication, termed in the New Testament, Ἐγκαίνια³⁸² a Feast wherein something is renewed; because those things only are reputed consecrated, which are separated from their common use, and dedicated to some new and holy use. We shall read of many things consecrated in the Old Testament; the Tabernacles, the Temple, Priests, Altars, Vessels and Garments: but there was no anniversary or yearly solemnity appointed to be observed in remembrance of their Consecration. The Consecration therefore which we now speak of, being a yearly Festival, was the Consecration of the altar appointed by Judas Maccabæus to be observed from year to year, for the space of eight days, from the five and twentieth of the month Cisleu, which answereth in part to our December, 1 Macchab. 4. 59. Of this Saint John speaketh; and as he mentioneth our Saviours presence there, so he intimateth the time to be about December. It was at Jerusalem the feast of the Dedication, and it was winter, John 10. 22. &c.

The reason of this Feast was in remembrance of that great mercy which God shewed unto his people, in delivering them from the tyranny of Antiochus, and the Idolatry which he had forced upon them, setting up the Idol of Jupiter in the Temple of God, and abolishing the true worship of God.

These two Feasts are of humane institution, and others might be added unto them; but little is to be added, or nothing at all, to that which is delivered concerning them, in the places of Scripture where they are mentioned.

THE FOURTH BOOK
OF THEIR IDOLATRY

CHAP. I.
The beginnings of Idolatry

The Infiniteness of Gods Majesty far transcendeth the capacity of created Natures; and if we consult not with Gods own Oracles, though the sense of a Deity may be imprinted even in an Atheists heart, yet so far shall he be from all right understanding of God, that he will adore the creature instead of the Creator: and when he hath multiplied the number of his gods, according to the number of the Stars in heaven, and creeping things on earth; yet still his heart will be doubtful, whether he hath worshipped the true God, nay whether the true God be not utterly unknown. For this reason the Marriners in Jonahs ship cried every man unto his God, Jonah 1. 5. Every man to his own God; and lest they might all mistake the true God, they awaken Jonah to call upon his God. This uncertainty³⁸³ attending Idolatry, caused the Heathens to close their Petitions with that general, Dii deæque omnes.³⁸⁴ The Arabians perceiving the insufficiency of their known Gods, dedicated their Altars, Ignoto Deo, To the unknown God. At Athens, Saint Paul found an Altar with the same inscription, Acts 17. 23. Hence other Neighbour-Countries were wont to swear³⁸⁵ by him that was unknown at Athens. From this doubt and distrust among the Athenians, what God was, and who he was, sprang another uncertainty amongst them, as dangerous as the other, dividing and sharing that undividable Unity of the Godhead, between I know not what Compeers and Equals, so that they had other Altars mentioning a plurality of gods:³⁸⁶ the inscription being θεῶν ἀγνώστων, the Altar of the unknown Gods, yea, the compleat and entire inscription of that Altar which Saint Paul saw, is thought to have been thus,³⁸⁷ To the gods of Asia, Europe, and Africa; to the unknown and strange, God. Which observation implieth their practice to have symbolized with other Heathens in that forementioned closure; Dii Deæque omnes, O all ye Gods and Godesses, help. This distrust I think to be the chief reason why they worshipped the unknown God; though I deny not but the Altars might bear this Title, to conceal the name of their Tutelar God, unto whose protection they had committed themselves: because the Heathen people generally conceited,³⁸⁸ that if the gods name, to whom they dedicated a City, were known, then the Enemies might by some magical incantation or charm, call him forth, and cause him to foresake the City: For the better preventing of which manner of evocations, the Tyrians, the Lacedemonians, and other Nations³⁸⁹ fettered and chained their gods, that they might not depart. Again, it might be done in imitation of the Jews, who about the time of our Saviour his Incarnation, held it unlawful to pronounce that Essential Name of God, Jehovah, and instead thereof would read Adonai. The occasion of this concealment of the name Jehovah, I take to have been originally, to prevent the blaspheming of that holy Name among the Heathens, who had learned from that name to denominate their Idols, Jove Ἰαὼ Iaoth, Ἰαώια, &c.³⁹⁰ Hence afterward the forbearing the Name became superstitious, and so far prevailed, that they corrupted the Text for the defence thereof, Ex. 3. 15. This is my name ‎‏לעולם‏‎ legnolam, for ever: they read ‎‏לעלם‏‎ legnalem, to be concealed.³⁹¹ Though I deny not but that name was always in some sense ineffable: namely, as Pliny saith,³⁹² the names of the African people and Towns were ineffable, that is, such as other Languages could not express without circumlocutions.

As those forementioned Idolatrous names were nothing else but so many depravations of the name Jehovah: so the Original of many other ensuing kinds of Idolatry proceeded at first from a misconstruction of Scripture. They have learned by Tradition, that the Sun, Moon, and Stars, had a kind of Lordship and rule over day and night, times and seasons: Hence the superstitious ignorance of those people Deified those lights of Heaven, and worshipped them as gods. Afterward corruption prevailing, their Apotheosis, or god-making Ceremonies, were extended to sublunary creatures, partly as Symbola, or representative signs of those greater and more glorious lights; for this reason the Chaldeans worship fire: ‎‏אור‏‎, and Ur, of the Chaldeans, mentioned, Gen. 11. which signifieth fire or light, is thought to be the very god of the Chaldeans, though in that place the name Ur be applyed to some chief City, from the name of the Idol. Yea, the god of Nahor, Gen. 31. 53. is thought to be no other; partly, also the inferiour creatures were canonized for gods, in way of thankfulness for the benefits received from them, for which reason the Sea, the Winds, the Air, the Earth, and fruits of the earth, became deified. At last, well deserving men; nay, Crocodiles, Serpents, Rats, Cats, Dogs, Garlick, and Onions, were reputed gods.

CHAP. II.
Of Moloch, Adram-Melech, Anam-Melech, Baal, The Tabernacle of Molech, Chiun, Rempham, Horses consecrated to the Sun, Thamuz

Of the Idol Moloch we read in divers places of Scripture, 1 King. 11. 2 King. 23. 10. Leviticus 18. 21. He is sometimes called Moloch, sometimes Molech, sometimes Milcom. He was the reputed god, not only of the Ammonites, but of the Moabites also.³⁹³ He had his name from ‎‏מלך‏‎ Melac, signifying to rule or reign. The Seventy Elders translate him, ἄρχων, βασιλεὺς, a Prince, or King. Such King-Idols were Adram-melech, and Anam-melech, the gods of Shephervaim, unto whom that people burnt their Children in fire.

I take Moloch and Baal to be one and the same Idol, they were both names of supremacy and rule, ‎‏בעל‏‎ Baal signifieth a Lord or Master. And ‎‏מלך‏‎ Moloch, a King or Prince. They had both the same manner of sacrifice, they burnt their Sons for burnt-offerings unto Baal likewise, Jer. 19. 5. yea, they built the high places of Baal, which are in the Valley of Benhinnom, to cause their Sons and their Daughters to pass thorow the fire unto Moloch, Jer. 32. 35. In which Text the place of sacrifice is noted to be one and the same, common to both Idols, and Moloch put into the end of the verse, to explain Baal in the beginning thereof.

Some think them to be different, because the Planet Jupiter was worshipped under the name of Baal;³⁹⁴ but the Planet Saturn is probably thought to have been worshipped under the name of Moloch. If we diligently observe Histories, we shall find such a confusion of the Planets, that the Sun, as it was sometimes called Baal, sometimes Moloch: so it was sometimes called Jupiter,³⁹⁵ sometimes Saturn;³⁹⁶ and concerning Baal this is evident: Hence Jupiter was called by the Phœnicians, Baal-samen, which name is derived from the Hebrew, and soundeth as much as Jupiter Olympicus, the Lord of Heaven. For Baal signifieth Lord, and Shamaim, Heaven. And what is this Lord of Heaven in the theology of the Heathens, other than the Sun? who may as well be stiled the King of Heaven, as the Moon the Queen. Yea, Sanchoniatho, as Eusebius in the forequoted place relates him, taketh all these three for one, namely, the Sun, Jupiter, and Baal-samen.

Concerning Saturn, it is apparent that the Sun was worshipped under his name: But I find some Expositers to interpret Moloch to be Mercury,³⁹⁷ others Mars:³⁹⁸ these are but few, and the grounds weak. It is therefore more generally and more probably thought that he was Saturn, because as to Moloch, so to Saturn, the Heathen people did sacrifice their Sons and Daughters.³⁹⁹ Secondly, Saturns Image differed not much from Moloch’s. Of Saturns thus we read,⁴⁰⁰ It was made of brass, wonderfull for its greatness, whose hands reaching towards the earth, were so hollow (ready to clasp) that the youths which were compelled to come unto him, did fall as it were into a mighty ditch full of fire. You shall read in a manner the same description of Moloch. Jalkut commenting on Jeremy, writeth thus:⁴⁰¹ Though all other houses of Idolatry were in Jerusalem, yet Moloch was without Jerusalem, in a place apart. How was he made? He was an Image of brass; he had seven Chappels, and he was placed before them, having the face of a Bullock, and hands spread abroad, like a man that openeth his hands to receive somewhat from another: and they set it on fire within, for it was hollow: and every man severally entred, according to his offering. After what manner? Whosoever offered a Fowl went into the first Chappel; he that offered a Sheep, into the second; a Lamb, into the third; a Calf, into the fourth; a Bullock, into the fifth; an Ox, into the sixth; and whosoever offered his Son, into the seventh. Thus Moloch and Saturn agree: First, in their sacrifice: Secondly, in the form of their Images. Now these seven chappels built for Moloch, may well resemble those seven gates⁴⁰² with which the Persians honored the Sun; and as the seven gates did, so might the seven chappels mystically express the seven Planets, whereof the Sun was Moloch, i. the King and Prince. When they sacrificed their sons unto this Idol, they did beat upon Tabrets and Drums, that the cry of the Child might not be heard by the Father. Thereupon was the place called ‎‏תפת‏‎ Tophet, from ‎‏תף‏‎ signifying a Drum, as likewise from the cry of the Children, it was called Gehenna, ‎‏גיא‏‎ signifying a valley, and ‎‏נהם‏‎ roaring or crying. Some may make the question, whether that the phrase, The fire of Gehenna, Matth. 5. 22. had its original from this fire, wherewith the children were burnt unto Moloch? I answer, that in this phrase there was not respect only unto this fire, though by the bitter cries and ejulations of poor infants, the restless torments in Hell might be shadowed, yet the perpetuity and everlastingness of hellish pains I take to be signified herein by allusion unto that other fire, kept continually burning for the consuming of dead carkasses, and the filth brought out of Jerusalem.⁴⁰³ For Gehenna was reputed a contemptible place without the City, in the which they burnt, by means of a fire continually preserved there, the carkasses, filth and garbidge of the City. The Cabalists⁴⁰⁴ treating of Gehenna, in this metaphorical sense, as it is applied to the pains of hell, do distinguish of it, saying, That there is Gehenna superiour; and inferiour, by the first they understand bodily torments inflicted upon the bodies of sinners in this world: by the second they understand the pains of the soul in the world to come. They say likewise⁴⁰⁵ that there are Septem Gehennæ mansiones, Seven degrees or mansion places in Gehenna. 1. Infernus. 2. Perditio. 3. Profundum. 4. Taciturnitas. 5. Umbra mortis. 6. Terra inferior. 7. Terra sitiens. Of these seven receptacles, he that will mispend his time may read according to the quotation.

It is much controversed among Expositors, whether the children in this sacrifice were burnt in the fire or only initiated and consecrated to Moloch, passing in the middest of two fires in sign of their consecration? It is probable, that both were in use. First, the Scripture speaketh of both. Secondly, the Hebrew Doctors shew the manner of both. That they were burnt, Jalkut expressly teacheth, and with him others accord,⁴⁰⁶ saying, That Molech is the name of an Image; and the wise men of blessed memory interpret Molech to be an universal name, denoting any whom they made to rule over them: And it is agreed upon, that this is the abomination of the Sons of Ammon, and this phrase, to cause to pass thorow, is as much as, to burn. Others say,⁴⁰⁷ This Idols name was Molech, and this was his worship: That he (namely, the Father) delivered his son unto the Priests, and they made two great fires; and they made his son pass on his feet between both these fires.

Notwithstanding, we must not think that there were no other oblations unto Molech, besides sacrificing of children: For what use then served those other six Chappels? No: I take this oblation of children not to have been forced on them by any superstitious law, or tradition, binding them thereunto; but to have been reputed a work more meritorious, because it was meerly voluntary. This I note, because otherwise there were an apparent difference between Baal and Moloch. For the Baalites offered unto their fancied Deity a Bullock, in that contention between them and Eliah, 1 Kings 18. Bullocks, and Calves, and Lambs, were their ordinary sacrifices, the sacrificing of their children, extraordinary. Yet their ordinary sacrifices, were not always altogether void of mans blood, but sometimes the Priests would lance and cut their own flesh: which custome, whence it had its original, I find not: only we find the like to have been practised by the Heathenish Priests in their sacrifices to Bellona: Tertullian⁴⁰⁸ toucheth it, but Lactantius⁴⁰⁹ treating of Bellona and her Priests, speaketh more clearly, saying, They sacrificed not with any other mans blood, but with their own; their shoulders being lanced, and with both hands brandishing naked swords, they run and leaped up and down like mad men. Who would not take these Bellonites to be the very Baalites, spoken of, 1 Kings 18. They leapt upon the Altar which was made – and cut themselves as their manner was, with knives and lances, till the blood gushed out upon them.

That the opinion of pleasing God by sacrificing their children sprang from Abraham’s offering of Isaac, seemeth very probable, and is intimated by R. Solomon, who bringeth in God speaking concerning Moloch after this manner: I never commanded that they should offer up their sons for an oblation, and I never spake it unto any of my Prophets:⁴¹⁰ and when I spake to Abraham to sacrifice his son, it entred not into my heart that he should sacrifice him, but to make known his righteousness, Yea Porphyry⁴¹¹ treating of Saturn, (who seemeth to have been this very Moloch) saith, that the Phœnicians called him Israel, and that he had by Anobreth one only son called Jeud in the Phœnician language, (no doubt from the Hebrew Jechid, signifying an only begotten, and applied to Isaac, Gen. 22. 2.) which he offered upon an Altar purposely prepared. Who seeth not the History of Abraham and Sarah under the names of Israel and Anobreth? and the immolation of Isaac under the name of Jeud? and the original of this Son-sacrificing Divinity, to have been the unwarrantable imitation of Abraham?

But what! Was the Sun worshipped Idolatrously, no otherwise? Yes, except I am deceived, we find another manner of worship described by Amos, Chap. 5. 26. But ye have born the Tabernacle of your Moloch, and Chiun your Images, the star of your God, which ye made to your selves. This translation I prefer before others. First, because the Hebrew word⁴¹² signifieth a Tabernacle. Secondly, it is rendred the Tabernacle of Moloch, not Siccuth your King, by the Seventy. Thirdly, it is so repeated by Saint Stephen⁴¹³ Act. 7. 43. Ye took up the Tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your God Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them.

Three things are to be enquired for the understanding of this parrallel. First, what the bearing or taking up of this Tabernacle is. Secondly, what Idol was pointed out by these names of Chiun and Remphan. Thirdly, what is meant by the star of this God.

The taking up of this Tabernacle denoteth their worship which they exhibited unto their Idol, by carrying him up and down in Tabernacles and Pageants, after a solemn manner of procession: By the Romans this solemnity was termed pompa, and the Tent or Pageant in which the Idol was carried, Thensa, according to that, Thensa Deorum vehiculum. This kind of Idolatry may seem to have had its original among the Heathens from an unwarrantable imitation of Moses’s Tabernacle, which was nothing else but a portable Temple⁴¹⁴ to be carried from place to place, as need required. For it cannot be denied, but that many superstitions were derived unto the Heathens from the true worship of God, which he himself had prescribed unto his people. Thus, as God had his Tabernacle, Priests, Altars, and Sacrifices, so the devil had his Tabernacles, Priests, Altars and Sacrifices. As God had his Fire ever burning upon the Altar, so had the devil his fire preserved burning by those Vestal Votaries. As God had his Propitiatory or Mercy seat:⁴¹⁵ so had the devil his Sacros tripodas, his Oracles, from which he would speak unto them that served him. This solemn procession was performed by the Romans in the honour of the Sun.⁴¹⁶ It was performed by the Israelites in honour of their Moloch, who formerly was interpreted, the Sun. To add unto the pomp and state of this solemnity, both the Romans and the Israelites caused great Horses and Chariots to be led up and down. Horses were consecrated to the Sun by the Romans, and their Cirque place was sometimes called τὸ ἱππικὸν, and ἱπποδρόμιον, an Horse-race.⁴¹⁷ And that Chariots was commonly used in those pompous shewes is evident.⁴¹⁸ Concerning the people of Judah, doth not the like practice plainly appear? 2 Kings 23. Josiah did put down the Horses given to the Sun, and the Chariots of the Sun. This kind of Idolatrous worshipping the Sun seemeth to have had its beginning from the Persians, who also accounted Horses holy to the Sun:⁴¹⁹ And the Persian King, when he would shew himself in great state, caused an exceeding great Horse to be led up and down, the which was called Equus solis.