reason, suppose that they were inclosed in that brazen idol, and so burnt to death in the most barbarous manner *.

The use which we ought to make of this doctrine, should be to excite us to bless God for the clear light of the gospel, whereby we are led to turn from dead idols to serve the living and true God: nevertheless we are to take heed lest we be chargeable with heart-idolatry; whereby we may be said to break this Commandment, though it be in a different way from that in which the Heathen did. This leads us to consider,

2. That idolatry which is sometimes found among Christians; who, though they abhor the thoughts of giving divine worship to a creature, yet, if they look into their own hearts, will have reason to charge themselves with those things which are in scripture called idolatry; namely, when they put any thing in the room of God, or love it more than him; and this may be considered in the following instances.

(1.) Self may be reckoned among those idols which many, who make profession of the true religion, pay a greater regard to than to God. Thus the apostle, speaking concerning the great degeneracy of the world, among other things, says, that men should be lovers of their ownselves, 2 Tim. iii. 2. so that self-love turns away the heart from God, and excludes all practical religion. This we may be said to be guilty of; in which respect we are chargeable with heart-idolatry.

[1.] When we reject, or refuse to give credit to any of the great doctrines contained in divine revelation, unless we are able to comprehend them within the shallow limits of our own understandings; upon which account some are inclined to treat the most sacred mysteries of our religion with contempt; and for the same reason they might as well deny and disbelieve what is said concerning the infinite perfections of the divine nature, because they cannot be comprehended by us. This is no other than a setting up our own understanding, which is weak and liable to err, in opposition to the wisdom of God, and, in some respects, a giving superior glory to it.

[2.] When we are resolute and incorrigible under the various rebukes of providence, and persist in our rebellion against God, notwithstanding the threatenings which he has denounced, or the judgments which he executes. When the will of man is obstinately set on those things which are directly contrary to the will of God; and, though we are warned of the danger

*To this the poet's observation might well be applied, Tantum religio potuit saudere malorum! Lucet. de Nat, Rer. Lib. 1. And that human sacrifices were offered, appears from what we read of the king of Moab, who took his eldest son, that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt-offering, 2 Kings iii. 27.

thereof, resolve notwithstanding, to add rebellion to our iniqui ties, like the wild ass used to the wilderness, or the swift dromedary traversing her ways, that cannot be easily turned out of her course. In this respect the will of man is set in opposition to God; and therefore he is, for this reason, justly chargeable with idolatry.

(3.) This also discovers itself in our affections, when they are either set on 'uniawful objects, or immoderately pursue those that would otherwise be lawful; when we love these things which God hates, or covet what he has expressly forbidden, as Achan did the wedge of gold, and the Babylonish garment; upon which account covetousness is, by the apostle, called idolatry, Col. iii. 5. And to this we may add, that we are chargeable with this sin, when we make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, Rom. xiii. 14. Thus the apostle speaks of some whose god is their belly, Phil. iii. 19.

And as for those things which are otherwise lawful, we may be guilty of idolatry in the immoderate pursuit of them, when they take up too much of our thoughts, time, and coné cern; when our affections are so much set upon them, as though we had nothing better to mind; when we are not willing to part with them when God calls for them at our hands, and are more cast down at the loss of them, than we are when deprived of those spiritual blessings which are of the highest importance. In these instances we may be said to set up self as our idol in opposition to God.

And to this we may add, that there is a more subtle kind of idolatry, whereby self enters into, and takes its place in those religious duties, which believers are engaged in. Thus when they attempt to perform them in their own strength, as though they had a sufficiency in themselves, and had no occa sion to depend on the almighty power of God to work in them that which is pleasant in his sight. And we are farther guilty of this sin, when, through the pride of our hearts, we are apt to applaud ourselves when we have performed some religious duties, and expect to be justified thereby; which is a setting up self as an idol, in the room of Christ. And lastly, when self is the end designed in what we do in matters of religion, and so robs God of that glory which is due to his name.

(2.) There is another idol, which is put in the room of God; and that is the world. When the profits, pleasures, or honours thereof are thought of with the greatest delight, as though they were our chief good, and pursued with more earnestness than Christ's interest and glory. When it has not only the highest place in our affections, but, as it were, engrosses them; this is that love of the world which, as the apostle says, is inconsistent with the love of the Father, 1 John ii. 15. and de

potes us guilty of that idolatry which we are now speaking of; more particularly,

[1.] When our thoughts are so much engaged in the pursuit of it, that we grow not only cold and remiss as to spiritual things; but allow ourselves no time for serious meditations on them, or converse with God in secret.

[2.] When the world has our first and last thoughts every day; when we are so far from following the Psalmist's example, when he says, When I awake, I am still with thee, Psal. cxxxix. 18. as considering ourselves under the care of providence, and beholden to God for the mercies which we enjoy, that we are taken up with nothing else but the projects and schemes which we lay for the gaining or increasing our wealth, or worldly estate therein. And this having been the great business of the day, takes up and engages our wakeful thoughts by night, as though it were the main work and business of life.

[3.] When we pursue the world, without depending on God for his blessing to attend our lawful undertakings, and do not consider the good things thereof as his special gift, nor the disappointments that attend us therein, as ordered by his overruling providence, to engage us to walk more closely with him, and take up our rest in him as our only happiness.

[4.] When our hearts are hereby hardened, and grow cold and indifferent in religion, or when it follows and disturbs us in holy duties, and renders us formal in the discharge thereof.

[5.] When the riches, honours, and pleasures of the world have a tendency to quiet our spirits, and give us full satisfaction, though under spiritual declensions, and destitute of the special presence of God, which is our greatest happiness.

[6.] When we fret, or repine at the providence of God, under the disappointments we meet with in our secular affairs in the world. And,

[7.] When we despise the members of Christ, because they are poor in the world, are ashamed of his cross, and refuse to bear reproach for his sake.

(1.) There is another instance' of heart-idolatry, viz. when we adhere to the dictates of Satan, and regard his suggestions more than the convictions of our own consciences, or the Holy Spirit. Satan's design in his temptations, is to turn us away from God; and when we are drawn aside thereby, we may be said to obey him rather than God. This is what all are more or less guilty of; but some are said, in an uncommon degree, to be his servants. Thus the apostle Paul styles the sorcerer, who sought to turn aside the deputy from the faith, a child of the devil, Acts xiii. 10. and our Saviour tells the Jews, Ye are of your father the devil; and the lusts of your father ye will do, &c. John viii. 44. He is also called The god of this world, VOL. III.

3 L

2 Cor. iv. 4. and the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, Eph. ii. 2. and accordingly he attempts to usurp the throne of God; by which means he has led a great part of the world after him. And, as he tempted our Saviour to fall down and worship him, Matt. iv. 9. though without success, he prevails upon others to do it to their own ruin. Here it may be observed,

[1.] That he has propagated several doctrines, in opposition to the gospel; and, indeed, all those doctrines which are subversive thereof, take their rise from him. Thus the apostle speaks of some who, in the latter times, should depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, 1 Tim. iv. 1. This they do when they depart from the way of truth.

[2.] He has sometimes invented those modes of worship, which have been observed by some, in imitation of the sacrifices which God had ordained; and whatever pretence there might be of religion herein, he had doubtless a design, by this means, to set up himself, in opposition to God.

[3.] He has amused and hardened the hearts of his subjects, by pretended miracles, designed to oppose, and lessen the credit of those real miracles which have been wrought, to confirm the truth, by the finger of God, Exod. viii. 7.

[4.] He has endeavoured to extirpate the true religion, by raising persecutions against the faithful worshippers of God; which has been his constant practice, so far as he has been permitted, in all ages.

[5.] He has excited, in some of his subjects, the greatest degree of hatred, opposition to, and rebellion against God. Thus he entered into the heart of Judas, Luke xxii. 3. and filled the heart of Ananias, that he lied to the Holy Ghost, Acts v. 3. and has hardened the hearts of others, that they bade defiance to the Almighty, as Pharaoh, who said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? Exod. v. 2.

[6.] He has persuaded many of his subjects to enter into a kind of confederacy with him, and with one another, to promote his wicked designs. Thus those wretched Jews did, who bound themselves under a curse, that they would neither eat or drink till they had killed Paul, Acts xxiii. 14. And we read of others who had made a covenant with death and with hell, Isa. xxviii. 15. The vilest instances of sins of this nature, were found among some who used sorcery, divination, witch-craft, and other diabolical practices; which is so horrid a crime, and so contrary to the dictates of human nature, that had we not an account of some in scripture, who used those abominable arts, we should be ready to think that none were ever guilty of them.

I will not deny but that many things, which are commonly related concerning witch-craft and sorcery, as practised in latter ages, are fabulous and incredible; and some things, said to be done by the power of the Devil, may be accounted for by natural causes; and others are ascribed to it, which are performed by the concealed arts of some who get a livelihood by cheating the unthinking part of mankind: nevertheless, I am far from thinking that the account we have hereof in scripture, is without any manner of foundation, as some modern writers suggest. That famous story of the witch of Endor, mentioned in 1 Sam. xxviii. 7-20. is an argument that there were such persons, at that time, in the world.

I am sensible that it will be objected to this, that she was a cunning woman, who lived by her wits, and deceived Saul, by pretending that she used some infernal art, as expedient to bring him to the speech of Samuel; which it may not be amiss for us to inquire into. Therefore let it be observed,

1st, That it is by no means to be supposed that she raised Samuel from the dead; for it is out of the Devil's power to call the soul of a saint out of heaven, with a design to subserve his interest thereby, and to set up his kingdom in opposition to Christ's; and it is not reasonable to suppose that Samuel should do the Devil so much service after his death, who was so great an enemy to him in his life. Besides, he was buried at Ramah, 1 Sam. xxv. 1. and can we think that he should be now raised at Endor?

2dly, On the other hand, we are not to imagine, that it was a mere trick or juggle of the woman, whereby she imposed on Saul; for though it is true, he did not see a shape, yet he heard a voice, and made a reply thereunto. Moreover we read, that he had an intimation given him, that Israel should be delivered into the hands of the Philistines; and that he and his sons should be with him to-morrow; that, is in the state of the dead; which the woman was not cunning enough to foretel; (a) or if she had guessed that it would be so, she would hardly have ventured to tell Saul such ungrateful tidings; which, if he had lived to see himself cheated, and her prediction confuted, it would have endangered her life. Had it been nothing but a cheat or juggle, she would rather have told him, that he would be safe and victorious; for which, if it had come to pass, she might have expected a reward; and if not, she had nothing to fear from him as a just punishment of her impiety.

3dly, We must therefore suppose, that she was a professed servant of the Devil, and had, as the text says, a familiar spirit; by which we are to understand that she conversed with

(a) Satan knew the state of the armies, and wished to drive Saul to despair.