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 considereth 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 his 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 vili, 6. For from Israel

was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

Hab. 11, 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. ...

2 Cor. vi, 15. 16. And what conCord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple 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 thou nor thy fathers bave known, even wood and stone.

Judges xi, 24. Wilt not thou 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 the tribe of Dan until the day of And the captivity of the land. they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

cast you out of this land into a Jer. xvi, 13. Therefore will I land 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 resur

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, aud break my cove-rection. 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
and break my covenant.
Josh. xxiv, 2. And Joshua said
unto all the people, Thus saith
the LORD God of Israel, Your

me,

Acts xix, 85, 36. And when the town-clerk had appeased the people, 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 Jupiter? Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

fell down from

1 Cor. xii, 2. Ye know that ye

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

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 know

est 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 ii, 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,

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 ched 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 boam king of Judah, and they unto their lord, even unto Rehoshall 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 sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus which smote him; and he said,

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.

Jer. xliv, 4, 5. Howbelt 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: images, and they are mad upon for it is the land of graven their idols.

Ezek. xx, 8. But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto 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 servant will henceforth offer neither burnt-offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.

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

another god: their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.

Ps. xliv, 20, 21. If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a

strange god, Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

Isaiah ii, 20, 21. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to wor

ship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he to shake terribly the

ariseth earth.

Dan. iii, 8-12, 16-18. Wherefore

at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. They spake, and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst

of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews, whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: these men, O king, have not regarded thee; they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which 254

Shadrach,

an

thou hast set up. Meshach, and Abed-nego, swered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not care

ful to answer thee in this matter. serve, is able to deliver us from If it be so, our God, whom we will deliver us out of thine hand, the burning flery furnace; and he O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

Hosea xiv, 3, 8. Asshur shall not save us.... neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods. Ephraim shall say. What have I to do any more with idols.

Bald, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me.

John xiv, 7-11. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself: but the Father, that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

John xv, 23, 24. He that hateth me, hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

John xvii, 10, 21-23. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they world may believe that thou hast also may be one in us: that the sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Phil. i, 6. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.

Col. i, 15. Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature.

Col. ii, 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Heb. 1, 5. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

Heb. iii, 5, 6. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; But Christ as a Son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Heb. v, 5. 8. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made

3.-ATTRIBUTES OF GOD POSSESSED BY HIM. ETERNITY OR PRE-EXISTENCE

IMPLYING ETERNITY.

knew in himself that his disciples John vi, 61, 62. When Jesus murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

What and

if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

John viii, 56-58. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, Abraham was, I am. verily, I say unto you, Before

John xiii, 3. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God.

John xvi, 28. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

John xvii, 5, 24. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou

hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

Heb. 1, 10. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth.

Rev. i, 17, 18. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Rev. xxii, 13. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Luke xx, 23. But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?

John 1, 48-50. Nathanael said unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Be

cause I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

John ii, 24, 25. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in

man.

John v, 42. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

John vi, 64. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.