It deuoures the carcasses of men but bodies informed with liuing soules neuer before To haue seene them struck dead vpon the earth had been fearfull but to see the earth at once their executioner and graue was more horrible Neyther the Sea nor the Earth are fit to giue passage The sea is moist and flowing and will not be diuided for the continuitie of it The earth is dry and massie and will neither yeeld naturally nor meet againe when it hath yeelded yet the waters did cleaue to giue way vnto Israel for their preseruation the earth did cleaue to giue vvay to the Conspirators in iudgement Both Sea and Earth did shut their iawes againe vpon the aduersaries of GOD. There vvas more vvonder in this latter It was a maruell that the vvaters opened it vvas no wonder that they shutte againe for the retyring and flowing was naturall It was no lesse maruell that the earth opened but more maruell that it did shutte againe because it had no naturall disposition to meet when it vvas diuided Now might Israel see they had to doe with a GOD that could reuenge with ease There were two sorts of Traytors the earth swallowed vp the one the fire the other All the elements agree to serue the vengeance of their Maker Nadab and Abihu brought fit persons but vnfit fire to GOD These Leuites bring the right fire but vnwarranted persons before him Fire from GOD consumes both It is a dangerous thing to vsurpe sacred functions The ministery will not grace the man The man may disgrace the ministery The common people were not so fast gathered to Corahs flattering perswasion before as now they ran from the sight and feare of his iudgment I maruell not if they could not trust that earth whereon they stood whiles they knew their harts had bin false It is a madnesse to runne away from punishment and not from sin The end of the sixt Booke Contemplations THE SEVENTH BOOKE Aarons Censer and Rod. The Brasen Serpent Balaa◠Phinehas The death of Moses At London printed by H. L. for Samuel Macham are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Bull-head 1614. TO MY RIGHT HONOVRABLE RELIGIOVS AND BOVNTIFVL PATRON EDVVARD Lord DENNY BARON of WALTHAM The chiefe comfort of my labours I. H. wisheth all true happines and Dedicates this part of his Meditations CONTEMPLATIONS THE SEVENTH BOOKE Aarons Censer and Rod. WHen shall we see an end of these murmurings these iudgmēts Because these men rose vp against Moses and Aaron therefore GOD consumed them and because God consumed them therfore the people rise vp against Moses and Aaron and now because the people thus murmur God hath againe begun to consume them What a circle is here of sinnes and iudgements Wrath is gone out from God Moses is quick-sighted and spies it at the setting out By how much more faithfull and familiar we are with God so much earlier doe we discerne his iudgements As those which are well acquainted with men knowe by their lookes and gestures that which strangers vnderstand but by their actions As finer tempers are more sensible of the changes of weather Hence the Seers of God haue euer from their watch-tower descryed the iudgements of God afarre off If another man had seene from Carmel a cloud of a hand breadth he could not haue tolde Ahab he should be wet It is enough for Gods messengers out of their acquaintance with their maisters proceedings to foresee punishment No maruell if those see it not which are wilfully sinfull wee men reueale not our secret purposes either to enemies or strangers all their fauour is to feele the plague ere they can espie it Moses though hee were great with God yet he takes not vpon him this reconciliation he may aduise Aaron what to doe himselfe vndertakes not to act it It is the worke of the Priesthood to make an atonement for the people Aaron was first his brothers tongue to Pharaoh now he is the peoples tongue to God He only must offer vp the incense of the publique prayers to God Who would not thinke it a small thing to hold a Censer in his hand yet if any other had done it hee had fallen with the dead and not stood betwixt the liuing and dead in stead of the smoke ascending the fire had descended vppon him And shall there be lesse vse or lesse regard of the Euangelicall ministery then the Legall When the world hath powred out all his contempt we are they that must reconcile men to God and without vs they perish I knowe not whether more to maruell at the courage or mercy of Aaron His mercy that hee vvould yet saue so rebellious a people his courage that hee would saue them with so great a danger of himselfe For as one that would part a fray he thrusts himselfe vnder the strokes of God and puts it to the choise of the reuenger whether hee will smite him or forbeare the rest He stands boldly betwixt the liuing and the dead as one that wil eyther die vvith them or haue them liue vvith him the sight of fourteene hundred carcasses dismayd him not hee that before feared the threats of the people novv feares not the strokes of GOD It is not for Gods ministers to stand vpon their owne perils in the common causes of the Church Their prayers must oppose the iudgements of the Almighty When the fire of Gods anger is kindled their Censers must smoke with fire frō the altar Euery Christian must pray for the remouall of vengeance how much more they whom God hath appointed to mediate for his people Euerie mans mouth is his owne but they are the mouthes of all Had Aaron thrust in himselfe with empty hands I doubt whether he hadde preuailed now his Censer was his protection When wee come vvith supplications in our handes vvee neede not feare the strokes of GOD. We haue leaue to resist the diuine iudgements by our prayers with fauour and successe So soone as the incense of Aaron ascended vp vnto God he smelt a sauour of rest hee will rather spare the offenders then strike their intercessor How hardly can any people miscarry that haue faithfull ministers to sue for their safetie Nothing but the smoke of heartie prayers can cleanse the ayre from the plagues of God If Aarons sacrifice were thus accepted how much more shall the hy-priest of the new Testament by interposing himselfe to the wrath of his father deliuer the offenders from death The plague was entred vpon all the sonnes of men O Sauiour thou stood'st betwixt the liuing and the dead that all which beleeue in thee should not perish Aaron offered and was not striken but thou O Redeemer wouldst offer and be strooke that by thy stripes wee might be healed So stood'st thou betwixt the dead and liuing that thou wert both aliue and dead and all this that wee when wee were dead might liue for euer Nothing more troubled Israell then
Contemplations VPON THE PRINCIPAL PASSAGES OF THE HOLY STORY THE SECOND VOLVME In foure Books By I. HALL Dr. of Diuinity At London printed by H. L. for S. MachaÌ„ are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Bul-head 1614. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE CHARLES PRINCE OF GREAT BRITAINE Most excellent Prince ACcording to the true dutie of a seruant I intended all my Contemplations to your now-glorious Brother of sweet and sorrowfull memory The first part whereof as it was the last Booke that euer vvas dedicated to that deare and immortall name of his so it was the last that was turned ouer by his gratious hand Now since it pleased the GOD of spirits to call him from these poore Contemplations of ours to the blessed Contemplation of himselfe to see him as he is to see as he is seene to whom is this sequel of my labours due but to your Highnes the heire of his Honour and vertues Euery yeere of my short pilgrimage is like to adde somthing to this Worke which in regard of the subiect is scarce finite The whole dooth not onely craue your Highnesses Patronage but promises to requite your Princely acceptation with many saâ—red examples and rules both for piety and wisedome towards the decking vp of this flourishing spring of your Age in the hopes whereof not onely vvee liue but hee that is dead liues still in you And if any peece of these indeuours come short of my desires I shall supplie the rest vvith my prayers vvhich shall neuer bee vvanting to the GOD of Princes that your happy proceedings may make glad the Church of GOD and your selfe in either World glorious Your Highnesses in all humble deuotion and faithful obseruance J. HALL Contemplations THE FIFT BOOKE The waters of Marah The Quayles and Manna The Rock of Rephidim The Foyle of Amalek or The hand of Moses lift vp The Law The Golden Calfe TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE HENRY EARLE OF HVNTINGDON LORD Hastings Botreaux Molines and Moiles His Maiesties Lieutenant in the County of Leicester A Bountiful Fauourer of all good Learning A Noble Precedent of Vertue The First Patrone of my poore studies I. H. Dedicates this first peece of his Labours and wisheth all Honour and Happines CONTEMPLATIONS THE FIFT BOOKE The waters of Marah ISRAEL was not more loath to come to the red Sea then to part from it How soon can God turne the horror of any euill into pleasure One shore resounded with shrieks of feare the other with timbrels and dances and songs of deliuerance Euery maine affliction is our red Sea which whiles it threats to swallow preserues vs At last our songs shall be lowder then our cries The Israelitish Dames when they saw their danger thought they might haue left their timbrels behinde them how vnprofitable a burden seemed those instruments of Musicke yet now they liue to renue that forgotten minstralsie and dancing which their bondage had so long discontinued and well might those feet dance vpon the shore which had walked through the Sea The Land of Goshen was not so bountifull to them as these waters That affoorded them a seruile life This gaue them at once freedome victory riches bestowing vpon them the remainder of that wealth which the Egyptians had but lent It was a pleasure to see the floating carcasses of their aduersaries and euery day offers them new booties It is no maruell then if their hearts were tied to these banks If wee finde but a little pleasure in our life we are ready to dote vpon it Euery small contentment glewes our affections to that we like And if heere our imperfect delights hold vs so fast that we would not be loosed how forceable shall those infinite ioyes bee aboue when our soules are once possessed of them Yet if the place had pleas'd them more it is no maruell they were willing to follow Moses that they durst followe him in the wildernesse whom they followed through the Sea It is a great confirmation to any people when they haue seene the hand of God with their guide O Sauior which hast vndertaken to carry me from the spirituall Egypt to the Land of promise how faithfull how powerfull haue I found thee How fearlesly should I trust thee how cheerefully should I follow thee through contempt pouertie death it selfe Maister if it be thou bidde vs come vnto thee Immediately before they had complained of too much water now they goe three dayes without Thus God meant to punish their infidelitie with the defect of that whose abundance made them to distrust Before they saw all water no land now all dry and dusty land and no water Extreamities are the best tryals of men As in bodies those that can beare sudden changes of heats and cold without complaint are the strongest So much as an euil touches vpon the mean so much help it yeelds towards patience Euery degree of sorrow is a preparation to the next but when wee passe to extreames without the meane we want the benefit of recollection and must trust to our present strength To come from all things to nothing is not a descent but a downfall and it is a rare strength and constancy not to be maimed at least These headlong euils as they are the sorest so they must be most prouided for as on the contrary a sudden aduancement froÌ„ a low condition to the height of honour is most hard to menage No man can maruell how that tyrant blinded his captiues when he heares that hee brought them immediatlie out of a darke dungeon into rooms that were made bright and glorious We are not worthy to knowe fot what wee are reserued no euill can amate vs if we can ouercom sudden extremities The long differring of a good though tedious yet makes it the better when it comes Well did the Israelites hope that the waters which were so long in finding would be precious when they were found Yet behold they are crossed not only in their desires but in their hopes for after three dayes trauell the first fountaines they finde are bitter waters If these wells had not run pure gall they could not haue so much complained Long thirst wil make bitter waters sweete yet such were these springs that the Israelites did not so mnch like their moisture as abhor their relish I see the first handsell that God giues them in their voyage to the Land of promise Thirst and bitternesse Satan giues vs pleasant entrances into his waies and reserues the bitternes for the endâ— God â—nures vs to our worst at first and sweetens our conclusion with pleasure The same GOD that would not lead Israel through the Philistines Land least they should shrinke at the sight of warre now leads them through the Wildernesse and feares not to trie their patience with bitter potions If hee had not loued them the Egyptian fornace or sword had preuented their thirst or that Sea wherof their enimies drunk dead and yet see how
fight then all theirs The successe must rise and fall with it Amalek rose and Israel fell with his hand falling Amalek fell Israel rises with his hand raysed Oh the wondrous power of the prayers of faith All heauenly fauours are deriued to vs from this chanell of grace To these are wee beholden for our peace preseruations and all the rich mercies of GOD vvhich vve enioie VVe could not vvant if wee could aske Euery mans hand would not haue done this but the hand of a Moses A faithlesse man may as well holde his hand and tongue still hee may babble but prayes not he prayes ineffectually and receiues not Onely the prayer of the righteous auaileth much and onely the beleeuer is righteous There can be no merit no recompence answerable to a good mans prayer for heauen and the eare of God is open to him but the formall deuotions of an ignorant and faithlesse man are not worth that crust of bread which hee askes Yea it is presumption in himselfe how should it be beneficiall to others it profanes the name of God in stead of adorning it But how iustly is the feruency of the prayer added to the righteousnes of the person When Moses hand slackned Amalek preuayled No Moses can haue his hand euer vp It is a title proper to God that his hands are stretched out still whether to mercy or vengeance Our infirmity will not suffer any long intention either of body or mind Long prayers can hardly maintaine their vigour as in tall bodies the spirits are diffused The strongest hand will languish with long extending And when our deuotion tyres it is seene in the successe then straight our Amalek pruayles Spirituall vvickednesses are maistered by vehement prayer and by heartlesnes in prayer ouercome vs. Moses had two helps A stone to sit on and an hand to raise his And his sitting and holpen hand is no whit lesse effectuall Euen in our prayers will God allow vs to respect our owne infirmities In cases of our necessity he regards not the posture of body but the affections of the soule Doubtlesse Aaron and Hur did not onely raise their hands but their minds with his The more cords the easier draught Aaron was brother to Moses there cannot be a more brotherly office then to help one another in our praiers and to excite our mutuall deuotions No Christian may thinke it enough to pray alone Hee is no true Israelite that will not be ready to lift vp the weary hands of Gods Saints All Israel saw this or if they were so intent vpon the slaughter and spoyle that they obserued it not they might heare it after from Aaron and Hur yet this contents not God It must bee written Many other miracles had God done before not one directly commanded to be recorded The other were onely for the wonder this for the imitation of Gods people In things that must liue by report euery tongue addes or detracts something The word once written is both inalterable permanent As God is carefull to maintaine the glory of his miraculous victory so is Moses desirous to second him God by a book and Moses by an altar and a name God commaunds to enroll it in parchment Moses registers it in the stones of his altar which hee raises not onely for future memory but for present vse That hand which was weary of lifting vp straight offers a sacrifice of praise to God How well it becomes the iust to be thankfull Euen very nature teacheth vs men to abhor ingratitude in small fauours How much lesse can that fountaine of goodnes abide to be laded at with vnthankfull hands O God we cānot but confess our deliuerances where are our atars where are our sacrifices where is our Iehouah-nissi I doe not more wonder at thy power in preseruing vs then at thy mercy which is not weary of casting away fauours vpon the ingratefull The Law IT is but about seuen weekes since Israell came out of Egypt In which space God had cherished their faith by fiue seuerall woonders yet now hee thinkes it time to giue them statutes from heauen as well as bread The Manna and water from the rock which was Christ in the Gospell were giuen before the Law The Sacraments of grace before the legall couenant The grace of GOD preuenteth our obedience Therfore should we keep the law of God because wee haue a Sauiour Oh the mercy of our God! which before wee see what wee are bound to doe showes vs our remedy if we doe it not How can our faith disannul the Law when it was before it It may helpe to fulfill that which shall be it cannot frustrate that which was not The letters which GOD had written in our fleshy tables were now as those which are carued in some barks almost growne out hee saw it time to write them in dead Tables whose hardnes should not be capable of alteration Hee knew that the stone would bee more faithfull then our hearts Oh maruellous accordance betwixt the two Testaments In the very time of their deliuery there is the same agreement which is in the substance The ancient Iewes kept our feasts and we still keep theirs The feast of the Passe-ouer is the time of Christs resurrection then did hee passe from vnder the bondage of Death Christ is our Passe-ouer the spotlesse Lambe whereof not a bone must be broken The very day wherein God came down in fire and thunder to deliuer the Law Euen the same day came also the Holy-ghost downe vpon the disciples in fiery tongues for the propagation of the Gospell That other was in fire smoke obscuritie was mingled with terrour This was in fire without smoke befitting the light and clearnesse of the Gospell Fire not in flashes but in tongues not to terrifie but to instruct The promulgation of the Law makes way for the Law of the Gospell No man receiues the Holy-ghost but he which hath felt the terrours of Sinai God might haue imposed vpon them a law perforce They were his creatures and he could require nothing but iustice It had been but equall that they should be compelled to obey their Maker yet that God which loues to doe all things sweetly giues the law of iustice in mercy and will not imperiously command but craues our assent for that which it were rebellion not to doe How gentle should bee the proceeding of fellow-creatures who haue an equality of being with an inequality of condition when their infinite Maker requests where he might constrain GOD will make no couenant with the vnwilling How much less the couenant of grace which stands all vpon loue If wee stay til God offer violence to our wil or to vs against our will wee shall dy strangers from him The Church is the spouse of Christ hee will inioy her loue by a willing contract not by a rauishment The obstinate haue nothing to doe with God The title of all conuerts is a willing people That
be a better sacrifice to God then the bloud of malefactors and this first sacrifice so pleased GOD in the hands of the Leuites that hee would haue none but them sacrifice to him for euer The blood of the Idolatrous Israelites cleared that tribe from the blood of the innocent Sichemites The end of the fist Book Contemplations THE SIXT BOOKE The vayle of Moses Nadab and Abihu Aaron and Miriam The Searchers of Canaan Corah's Conspiracy At London printed by H. L. for Samuel Macham are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Bull-head 1614. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS LORD VISCOVNT FENTON Captaine of the Royall Gard one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuy Counsellors One of the happy rescuers of the deare life of our gratious Soueraigne LORD A worthy patterne of all true Honor I. H. Dedicates this part of his Meditations and vvisheth all increase of Grace and Happinesse ⸪ CONTEMPLATIONS THE SIXT BOOKE The Vayle of Moses IT is a woonder that neither Moses nor any Israelite gathered vp the shiuers of the former Tables Euery sheard of that stone and euery letter of that writing had beene a relique woorth laying vppe but hee well saw how headlong the people vvere to superstition and how vnsafe it were to feede that disposition in them The same zeale that burnt the Calfe to ashes concealed the ruines of this Monument Holy things besides their vse challenge no further respect The breaking of the Tables did as good as blot out all the writing and the vvriting defaced left no vertue in the stone no reuerence to it If GOD had not been friends with Israell hee had not renued his Law As the Israelites were wilfullie blinde if they did not see GODs anger in the Tables broken so could they not but holde it a good signe of grace that GOD gaue them his Testimonies There was nothing wherein Israel out-stripped all the rest of the world more then in this priuiledge the pledge of his couenant the Law written with GODs owne hand Oh what a fauour then is it vvhere GOD bestowes his Gospell vpon any Nation That was but a killing letter this is the power of God to saluation Neuer is GOD throughlie displeased vvith any people where that continues For like as those vvhich purposed loue vvhen they fall off call for their tokens backe againe So vvhen GOD beginnes once perfectlie to mislike the first thing hee withdrawes is his Gospell Israel recouers this fauor but with an abatement Heaw thee two Tables God made the first Tables The matter the forme was his now Moses must heaw the next As God created the first man after his owne image but that once defaced Adam begat Cain after his owne Or as the first Temple razed a second was built yet so farre short that the Israelites wept at the sight of it The first workes of God are still the purest those that hee secondarily vvorkes by vs decline in their perfection It was reason that though God had forgiuen Israel they should still finde they had sinned They might see the foot-steps of displeasure in the differences of the agent When GOD had tolde Moses before I will not go before Israel but my Angel shall lead them Moses so noted the difference that hee rested not till God himselfe vndertooke their conduct So might the Israelites haue noted some remainders of offence whiles in stead of that which his owne hand did formerly make he saith now Heaw thee And yet these second Tables are kept reuerently in the Arke when the other lay mouldred in shiuers vpon Sinai Like as the repayred image of God in our regeneration is preserued perfited and laid vp at last safe in heauen whereas the first image of our created innocence is quite defaced So the second Temple had the glory of Christs exhibition tho meaner in frame The merciful respects of God are not tyed to glorious out-sides or the inward woorthinesse of things or persons Hee hath chosen the weake and simple to confound the wise and mighty Yet God did this vvorke by Moses Moses heawed and God wrote Our true Moses repayres that Law of GOD which wee in our nature had broken Hee reuiues it for vs and it is accepted of GOD no lesse then if the first characters of his Lavv had beene still entire Wee can giue nothing but the Table it is GOD that must write in it Our hearts are but a bare-board till GOD by his finger ingraue his Law in them Yea Lord we are a rough quarrie heaw thou vs out and square vs fit for thee to write vpon Well may wee maruell to see Moses after this ouersight admitted to this charge again Who of vs would not haue said Your care indeede deserues trust you did so carefully keepe the first Tables that it would doe well to trust you with such another burden It was good for Moses that hee had to doe with GOD not with men The GOD of mercy will not impute the slippes of our infirmity to the preiudice of our faithfulnes Hee that after the misse-answere of the one talent would not trust the euill seruant with a second because hee saw a wilfull neglect will trust Moses with his second Law because hee saw fidelitie in the worst errour of his zeale Our charity must learne as to forgiue so to beleeue vvhere vvee haue beene deceiued Not that wee should wilfully beguile our selues in an vniust credulity but that wee should search diligentlie into the disposition of persons and grounds of their actions perhaps none maie bee so sure as they that haue once disappointed vs. Yea Moses brake the first therefore hee must heaw the second If GOD had broken them hee would haue repayred them The amends must bee where the fault was Both GOD and his Church looke for a satisfaction in that wherein wee haue offended It was not long since Moses his former fast of fortie dayes When he then came down from the hill his first question vvas not for meate and now going vppe againe to Sinai hee takes not any repast with him That GOD which sent the Quayles to the host of Israel and Manna from heauen coulde haue fedde him with dainties Hee goes vppe confidently in a secure trust of GODs prouision There is no life to that of faith Man liues not by bread onely The vision of GOD did not onely sate but feast him VVhat a blessed satiety shall there bee when wee shall see him as hee is and hee shall bee all in all to vs since this verie frayle mortalitie of Moses vvas sustained and comforted but with representations of his presence I see Moses the receiuer of the Lavv Elias the restorer of the Lavv CHRIST the fulfiller of the olde Law and authour of the nevv all fasting fortie dayes and these three great fasters I finde together glorious in Mount Tabor Abstinence merits not For Religion consists not in the bellie either full or emptie what are meates or