Salomon 13
1 All things be vain, except the knowledge of God. 10 Idolaters and idols are mocked.
SURELY all men are vain by nature, and are ignorant of God, and could not know him that is, by the good things that are seen, neither consider by the works of the work master.
But they thought the fire or the wind or the swift air, or the course of the stars, or the raging water, or the lights of heaven to be governors of the world, and gods.
Though they had such pleasure in their beauty that they thought them gods, yet should they have known, how much more excellent he is that made them: for the first author of beauty hath created these things.
Or if they marveled at the power, and operation of them, yet should they have perceived thereby, how much he that made these things, is mightier.
For by the greatness of their beauty, and of the creatures, the Creator being compared with them, may be considered.
But yet the flame is less in these, that seek God and would find him, and yet peradventure do err.
For they go about by his works to seek him, and are persuaded by the sight, because the things are beautiful that are see.
Howbeit they are not to be excused.
For if they can know so much, that they can discern the world, why do they not rather find out the Lord thereof?
But miserable are they, and among the dead is their hope, that call them gods which are the works of men’s hands, gold, and silver, and the thing that is invented by art, and the similitude of beasts, or any vain stone that hath been made by the hand of antiquity.
Or as when a carpenter cuts down a tree meet for the work, and pares off all the bark thereof cunningly, and by art make a vessel profitable for the use of life.
And the things that are cut off from his work, he bestows to dress his meat to fill himself,
And that which is left of these things, which is profitable for nothing (for it is a crooked piece of wood and full of knobs) he carves it diligently at his leisure, and according as he is expert in cunning, he glues it a proportion, and fashions it after the similitude of a man,
Or make it like some vile beast, and straketh it over with red, and paints it, and covers every spot that is in it.
And when he hath made a convenient tabernacle for it, he sets it in a wall, and makes it fast with iron,
Providing so for it, lest it fall: for he knows that it can not help itself, because it is an image, which has need of help.
Then he prays for his goods, and for his marriage and for children: he is not ashamed to speak unto it, that hath no life.
He calls on him that is weak for health: he prays unto him that is dead for life: he requires him of help that hath no experience at all.
And for his journey, hm that is not able to go, and for gain, and work, and success of his affairs he requires furtherance of him, that hath no manner of power.
Salomon 14
2 The detestation and abomination of images, 8 A curse of them, and of him that makes him. 14 Whereof idolatry proceeds. 23 What evils come of idolatry.
AGAIN, another man purposing to fail, and intending to pass through the raging waves, calls upon a stock more rotten then the ship that carries him.
For as for it, covetousness of money has found it out, and the craftsman made it by cunning.
But thy providence, o father, governs it: for thou hast made a way, even in the sea, and a sure path among the waves,
Declaring thereby, that thou hast power to help in all things, yea, though a man went to the sea without means.
Nevertheless thou would not, that the works of thy wisdom should be vain, and therefore do men commit their lives to a small piece of wood, and pass over the stormy sea in a ship, and are saved.
For in the old time also when the proud giants perished, the hope of the world went into a ship which was governed by thine hand, and so left seed of generation unto the world.
For blessed is the tree whereby righteousness comes.
But that is cursed that is made with hands, both it, and he that made it: because he made it, and it being a corruptible thing, because it was called god.
For the ungodly, and his ungodliness are both like hated of God: so truly the work and he that made it, shall be punished together.
Therefore shall there be a visitation for the idols of the nations: for of the creatures of God they are become abomination, and stumbling blocks unto the souls of men, and a snare for the feet of the unwise.
For the inventing of idols was the beginning of whoredom, and the finding of them is the corruption of life.
For they were not from the beginning, neither shall they continue forever.
The vain glory of men brought them in the world: therefore shall they come shortly to an end.
When a father mourned grievously for his son that was taken away suddenly, he made an image for him that was once dead, whom now he worships as a god, and ordains to his servants ceremonies and sacrifices.
Thus by process of time this wicked custom prevailed, and was kept as a law, and idols were worshiped by the commandment of tyrants.
As for those that were so frare [brother, friar, monk]* of that men might not worship them presently, they did counterfeit the visage that was far off, and made a gorgeous image of a King, whom they would honor, that they might by all means flatter him that was absent, as though he had been present.
Against the ambition of the craftsman thrust forward the ignorant to increase the superstition.
For he peradventure willing to please a noble man, labored with all his cunning to make the image of the best fashion.
And so through the beauty of the work the multitude was allured, and so took him now for a god, which a little afore was but honored as a man. [God hates idolatry, an idolaters end is the lake of fire. Do not “saint” men/idolize them – we are all sinners in need of salvation.]*
And this was the deceiving of man’s life, when men, being in servitude, through calamity and tyranny ascribed unto stones and stocks the name, which ought not to be communicate unto any.
Moreover, this was not enough for them that they erred in the knowledge of God: but where as they lived in great plagues called they peace.
For either they slew their own children in sacrifice, or used secret ceremonies, or raging dissoluteness by strange rites,
And so kept neither life nor marriage clean: but either one slew another by treason, or else vexed him by adultery.
So were all mixed together, blood and slaughter, theft, deceit, corruption, unfaithfulness, tumults, periurie [juvenile]*,
Disquieting of good men, unthankfulness, defiling of souls, changing of birth, disorder in marriage, adultery and uncleanness.
For the worshiping of idols that ought not to be named, is the beginning and the cause and the end of all evil.
For either they be mad when they be merry, or prophecy lies, or live ungodly, or else lightly forswear themselves.
For in so much as their trust is in the idols, which have no life, though they swear falsely, yet they think to have no hurt.
Therefore for two causes shall they justly be punished, because they have an evil opinion of God, addicting themselves unto idols, and because they swear unjustly to deceive, and despise holiness.
For it is not the power of them by whom they swear, but the vengeance of them that sin, which punishes always the offense of the ungodly.
*WP4Y
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