orshippe / they hade not indede that mynde that they wolde fall
from the true lyuynge god / so that they wolde no more confesse
that he deliuered them out of Egypte / but this only was their
mynde they wolde not reteyne that worship of the inuisible god
which was deliuered them in worde / but they wolde worshippe the
true God vnder some signe / and visible form and shape / whiche
sholde represent vnto them the liuinge God their deliuerer: And
that shape or forme they moste desyred to haue / wich they hade
seene the Egyptians vse to represente vnto them their god: They
vsed the form or shape of an oxe / the very same forme wolde the
Israelytes nowe haue: And as the very heathen men mighte haue
sayde that they worshipped the one only true liuinge god the
Author and maker of all thinges / whose maiestie was shewed /
figured / and set forthe vnto them by those diuers signes / and
formes / which they dyd worshippe: As that the signe of Minerua
dyd set forthe his wisdom: the signe of Mars his mighte and
power: the signe of Iupiter his Iustice and goodnes: So wolde
the Israelites haue their god and deliuerer set forthe vnto them
in the shape of a Calfe / not that they mynded to turne awaye
from him / or to denye him (as they thoughte) but because they
wolde worshippe him as it pleased their fantesie. But we muste
not apoynte the manier and ordre of godds seruice after our
mynde and iudgment / or as they commonlye saye / after the goode
intent of men: for this doinge in the Israelites god did not
like / but for yt he punyshed them grevouslye: Nether dyd Moses
alowe it / for he knewe that god wolde not so be worshipped.
This cloke therfore must haue no place in this matier. but we
muste see whether god will haue suche worshippe and seruice /
whether goddes worde teachethe yt / whether it be clothed with
the worde of truithe / which if it haue not / then dost thou not
worship the true god with that worshippe which pleaseth him.
Ieroboam thought mutch after this sorte /

[[3. Reg. 12.]]

for his mynde was not to drawe the people awaye from the
worshippe of the god Iehouah / but he feared les if they sholde
customablie go to the temple at Hierusalem / the people wolde
fall from his kingdom and ioyne themseues agayne to the house and
stocke of Dauid: wherfore he sekinge his owne profite / sayde /
that it was not nedefull that they sholde go vp vnto the
temple / and to the Arke of the couenaunte when they wolde
worship the tru