Ezekiel 8

This is to be the right seed of Adam, to love the forbidden fruit, to love to drink of stolen waters. (Ezekiel 8:8-9) Son of Man, dig in the wall; and when I had dug, behold a door; and he said, Go in and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. Could we, as the prophet…

The placing it also at the East end of the Church, is superstitious. This was the custom of those idolaters (Ezekiel 8:16); they worshiped the Sun, with their faces towards the East. And it is a symbolizing also with the Papists.

Whether these were real chariots or images of chariots is uncertain. But it is certain that, beyond this dedication of horses, they worshipped the Sun directly and immediately (Ezekiel 8:16): "They worshipped the sun toward the east." That this was a most ancient solar cult, we…

Now let us see what particulars are forbidden, and what commanded. First, we see forbidden in the first part, the making of images to liken God, or to worship him, whether graven or painted (Romans 4:12; Ezekiel 8:10; John 5:21). No image of God must be made, because he is a Spi…

Oh then, do you perform chamber and closet duties? They had their [Divos penetrales, or Penates] their household gods, and closet images, they had their [opertanea, and tenebrosa sacra] their covered, veiled, and mysterious exercises in secret places: and the Jews borrowed sever…

Quest. If it be asked why the Lord makes mention of idols, seeing the Jews professed to worship but one God: I answer, Ans. they were already so corrupted by too much familiarity with the Gentiles, and had so defiled themselves with superstitions, that God was in a manner utterl…

Now for the other word expressing his favor to the righteous, by the openness of his ear, the opposition in the other needed not, for either the wicked pray not, or if they do, it is indeed no prayer, the Lord does not account nor receive it as such; and if his face be set again…

And indeed it is a general rule given by Christ himself, that he who does evil hates the light, because his deeds are evil, and he cannot endure that they should be manifested, for then they would be reproved by the light (John 3:19-20). The abominations of the Ancients of Israe…

That God will execute the fierceness of his anger implies that he will inflict wrath without any pity: when God beholds the ineffable extremity of your case, and sees your torment to be so vastly disproportioned to your strength, and sees how your poor soul is crushed and sinks…

Whether there be any among us that dare to say it in words, may be questioned; but there are too many whose practices declare them to be directed by these false principles, this is too evident. And indeed, that is the root of all wickedness that is committed among professors: Go…

(5.) Infants are debarred from Covenant-calling and gathering in under the wings of Christ: contrary to Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 23:37, Psalm 147:19-20, and excluded from God's Covenant-choice: contrary to Deuteronomy 7:6-9, 13-14, Deuteronomy 10:15, and left being heirs of wra…

But a godly man dares not sin secretly: 1 he knows that God sees in secret, Psalm 44:21. as God cannot be deceived by our subtlety, so he cannot be excluded by our secrecy. 2 A godly man knows that secret sins are in some sense worse than others: they discover more guile and Ath…

For I am sore ashamed, to speak any more of their ribaldry, and detestable deeds, that they do secretly Ephesians 7. And if any man might see through the walls their secrets and privities, as in times past, the Lord did reveal unto his holy prophet, Ezekiel 8 he should see horri…

Again, the sinner lessens God, and brings him low in the thoughts of others. Ezekiel 8.12. They say, the Lord sees us not, the Lord has forsaken the earth.

Good men have a peculiar interest in God's power; hence he is called the strength of Israel, and the mighty one of Israel. If we do what God requires of us, we may expect that he will put forth his power, and exert his arm for us; but if we disobey, we must expect he will manife…

That GOD will execute the Fierceness of his Anger, implies, that he will inflict Wrath without any Pity: When GOD beholds the ineffable Extremity of your Case, and sees your Torment to be so vastly disproportioned to your Strength, and sees how your poor Soul is crushed and sink…

Micah 3:11: the Lord is among us, no evil can betide us, and therefore they steal, judge for reward, wrong the innocent; there is no danger. Reas. 2. From the secret atheism and hypocrisy that is in the heart of vain man, who thinks God takes no notice of their wickedness, but i…

The truth is, there is aliquid dementiae, a tincture of madness in all idolatry, from where the Scripture testifies that men are mad upon their idols, but yet we do not find that these Danites though resolved upon false worship, were so mad as to entertain such vain thoughts as…