Angel of the Lord had guided them the Arke had gone before them and Manna from heauen had fedde them yet now all is forgotten they beleeue not in God but tempted and prouoked the holy one to anger And yet behold more prouocations then these in these chapters following where we shall see how they complaine and cry out through scarsity of water and through wearinesse of their life when they were stung with the fiery serpents But let vs consider the words of Scripture as they lie in order in this chapter 1 Then the children of Israel came with the whole Congregation into the desert of Zin in the first Moneth and the people abode at Kadesh and Miriam died there and was buried there 2 And there was not water for the Congregation and they assembled against Moses and against Aaron 3 And the people chid with Moses spake saying But would wee had perished when our brethren died before the Lord. 4 And wherefore haue yee caused the Congregation of the Lord to come into this wildernesse that we and our cattell should die there 5 And wherefore haue yee made vs to come vp from Egypt to bring vs into this miserable place No place for seede nor Figges nor Vines nor Pomgranates Neither is there any water to drinke 6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the face of the assembly vnto the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation and fell vpon their faces and the glory of the LORD appeared vnto them 7 And the LORD spake vnto Moses saying 8 Take this Rodde and gather thou and thy brother Aaron this Congregation together Of this Râ— and the waters gushing out of it 〈◊〉 more befâ—â— in the next chapter that ye may speake vnto this Rocke before their eyes and it shall giue foorth his waters and thou shalt bring them waters out of this Rocke so thou shalt giue this Congregation and their Cattell drinke 9 Then Moses tooke that Rod from the presence of the Lord as he commanded him 10 And Moses and Aaron caused the Congregation to assemble together before that Rocke and he said vnto them Heare now O ye Rebelles shall we bring you waters out of this Rocke 11 Then Moses lift vp his hand and smote that Rocke with his Rod twice and much water gushed out so the Congregation and their Cattell dranke 12 Wherfore the Lord spake to Moses Aaron Because ye haue not beleeued in me to sanctifie me before the eies of the childreÌ„ of Israel therfore ye shal not bring this CongregatioÌ„ into the Land which I haue giuen them 13 These are the waters of strife where the children of Israel stroue against the Lord he sanctified himselfe among them In this Chapter we are to consider three seuerall things First the murmuring of the people secondly the purpose of the Israelites to passe toward Canaan by the borders of Edom. Thirdly the death of Aaron in the Mountaine in whose stead Eleazar his sonne succeedeth and for whom the people a long time lamenteth All these particulars are amplified in the beginning of the Chapter by the circumstances of time to wit the first moneth of the 40 yeare after their departure out of Egypt as appeareth chap. 33 38. and likewise of the place â—t 2 14. of Kadesh a City in the borders of Edom at which time also Miriam the sister of Aaron and of Moses died These circumstances being set downe the History of their murmuring followeth which we haue often before seene and considered declaring that whensoeuer wheresoeuer any aduersity happened by and by they became impatient vnthankfull and forgetfull of present mercies and fauours A like history to this we saw before Exod. 17. which is not the same recorded in this place but differing in time place as may appeare by collation conference of both the places Now let vs marke their behauiour in this want of water in the wildernesse First they wish they had died by the stroke of Gods hand with the seditious rout of rebels that coÌ„spired against God whom notwithstanding they call their brethren Secondly they expostulate with Moses and Aaron that they had brought them out of Egypt into the wildernesse being barren without fruite miserable without haruest and dry without water Whereas they should comfort themselues in the former mercies of God rest in the experience of his power and remember his helpe euer ready in time of neede they rise vp against Moses and Aaron in shew but in deed against God whom they serued setting downe their present condition and comparing their abode in Egypt where they had tasted all miseries felt all oppressions and groned vnder the heauy burthens with their present estate to amplifie the woe and wretchednesse therof such is their blindnesse and vnthankfulnesse â—mb 12 3. But what doth Moses whose meeke and patient spirit they greeued and whose righteous soule they vexed froÌ„ day to day with their vngodly murmurings Hee doth not heere turne himselfe to them nor dealeth with them to reclaime them as he did chapter 16. but went with Aaron to God flying to the Tabernacle as to a Sanctuary throwing downe theÌ„selues on their faces and comforting themselues in his power presence and protection who being alwaies neere to them that call vpon him shewed forth his glory and commanded them to take the Rodde and speake to the Rocke promising them water and assuring them of an happy issue of all their troubles necessities Now as God commandeth so Moses obeyeth and taketh the Rod. Here a question may be asked Question what Rod God meaneth and Moses taketh for we reade of two Rods famous among them and well knowne one the Rod of Moses that he vsed when he kept sheepe in the Land of Midian Exod. 4 2 3 7 8 19 14 1â— and 17 5. Numb 17 8. Hebr. 7 4. whereby hee wrought afterward many myracles in Egypt and at the red Sea in the wildernesse the other the Rod of Aaron which did bud and beare blossomes to confirme the calling of Aaron and to declare that God had separated the Tribe of Leui to serue in the Tabernacle I answer Answer we are to vnderstand in this place rather the flourishing Rod of Aaron first because Moses made mention of this in the last place not long before to wit chap. 17 the other is not spoken off in this booke so that we are rather to referre it to Aarons Rod before specified then to the other not named Secondly this serued more fitly and fully to confirme their calling of rule and gouernement ouer the people which by these conspiratours was called into question As if they shold say Do you doubt of our calling aske by what authority we do these things Behold this rod do ye not know it this florishing rod shall conuince you and serue to beare witnesse against you Thirdly Moses and Aaron were fled into the Tabernacle verse 6 now chap. 17 10. it is
tempted Where we see he beginneth the sentence with the plurall number and endeth it with the singular Wherefore to returne vnto our purpose from which we haue digressed to answere an obiection and to open the interpretation of this Scripture faithfull parents who haue endeuoured to sow the seede of eternall life in the mindes of their children are not to bee censured and condemned because they haue leude and vngodly children that giue euident tokens rather of reprobation then of saluation as if it were their fault and offence for as much as they may bee carefull to vse all meanes of faith and furtherance to eternall life and yet notwithstanding faile of their end If they doe not discharge their duties they shall be guilty of their blood but if they doe teach them they are free they haue deliuered their soules If wee haue vsed diligence and be euill spoken off let vs comfort our selues in the Lord and rest our selues in the cleerenesse of our owne consciences and comfort our hearts in the testimony thereof being well assured that in the great day of account the LORD shall acquit vs when the mouth of iniquitie shall be stopped Vse 3 Thirdly from this ground ariseth great consolation to all faithfull parents who are to comfort themselues in this if among many children and a plentifull issue they haue some fewe of them yea but one onely that appeareth to be the faithfull childe of GOD albeit it bee otherwise with the rest GOD indeede will receiue glory in all though some of them bee reprobates this must preuaile with our natural affections and teach vs to suppresse our greefe and sorrow No doubt it is cause of the greatest griefe and maketh their head as waters and their eyes a fountaine of teares that they make their bed to swimme and water their couch with weeping which striketh neerer vnto them to beholde their vngodly wayes then to see them suffer a thousand deaths Abraham was exceedingly mooued when he was commanded to cast out of his family his sonne Ishmael Gen. 21.11 and 17.18 for the thing was grieuous in Abrahams sight because of his sonne and before this he had saide O that Ishmael might liue in thy sight yet neuerthelesse he yeelded to the will of God who would therein bee honoured So when GOD respecteth vs and confirmeth his couenant toward vs and taketh vnto himselfe any of our seede we ought rather to praise God for this mercy and goodnesse toward vs in sauing one then murmure against him or aske the question of him why he calleth not all If it please God so to deale in mercy toward vs that he vouchsafeth to be both our God and the God of all I say of all our seede we are bound vnto him in so much greater dutie and he requireth of vs the greater obedience and looketh for a sacrifice of greater thankefulnesse Hee dealeth not so with all good men euen such as haue faithfull soules and desire to approoue their seruice vnto him who when they haue giuen them what education they can and heartily craued of GOD his blessing vpon their holy endeauours yet haue found many crosses and such inward griefes as haue beene ready to breake euen their heart-strings and to bring their gray haires with sorrow to the graue Neuerthelesse we must not suffer our ouer-strong affections to preuaile too farre within vs and to swallow vs vp with ouermuch heauinesse when we beholde with our owne eyes the wickednesse of our children that are come out of our owne loynes and are of our owne blood when we see them without hope of being reclaimed and reformed as those that runne into all excesse of riot no though we should see them taken away in the prophanenesse of their hearts For why should we repine at it to consider how God glorifieth himselfe albeit it be in the destruction of some of ours Of this we haue two most notable examples in Aaron and in Eli neuer to be forgotten of vs recorded in the Bookes of Leuiticus and of Samuel Touching Aaron his two eldest sonnes Nadab and Abihu of whom we now speake sinned against the Lord in offering strange fire and seruing of God otherwise then hee appointed which is a thing detestable in his eyes and there came out a fire from the Lord and deuoured them and they dyed before the Lord. Heere was a grieuous sinne committed heere was a grieuous punishment executed vpon them and their father did beholde it with his eyes and how they were carryed out of the campe in their coates Moses tolde him that the LORD would bee sanctified in them that come nigh him and before all the people he will be glorified so that Aaron helde his peace Leuiticus chapter 10. verse 3. So touching Eli when he heard a fearefull iudgement denounced against his posterity he said It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good 1 Samuel 3.18 Thus ought we to doe and not vexe and turmoyle our selues without reason for that which we cannot remedy and redresse All the children of the faithfull are not the children of the promise they that are the children of the flesh are not the children of God Galatians chapter 4. verse 23. All that are the seede of Adraham are not the children of Abraham Romanes chapter 9. verse 6 7. neither are all the Israel of God which are of Israel Heere it may be obiected which the Apostle Obiection 1 Peter speaketh to the Iewes The promise is made to you and to your children Actes 2.39 God is the God of the faithfull and of their seede I answere The Apostle answereth this in the next wordes Answer euen as many as the Lord our God shall call So many as haue God to bee their God shall in his good time be called to the knowledge of the trueth Hence it is that in the promise annexed to the second commandement it is said Exod. 20.6 hee sheweth mercy to thousands that loue him and keepe his commandements Thus hee limiteth the promise of mercy he restraineth it to those that loue him This promise is performed when it holdeth in any albeit a farre off Another obiection ariseth out of Paules words to the Corinthians where the seede of Obiection the faithfull are said to be holy that is sanctified and cleansed The vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by the wife 1 Cor. 7.14 and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children vncleane but now are they holy If then they be all cleane and holy it followeth they are also vnder the election of grace I answere they are holy touching the outward couenant and generall election Answer as to be of the visible Church to haue right in the Sacraments and to haue interest in the outward priuiledges therof as in the word prayer and such like Thus the whole nation of the Iewes are saide to bee chosen and thus they may bee saide Rom. 11.16 and are saide to bee sanctified They
Tribes and families of Israel and hauing seene what forces and number of men fit to beare armes were found in euery Tribe from 20. yeares of age vpwards hee appointed vnto them by direction from the Lord such Princes and Leaders as in worth and reputation were in euery Tribe most eminent Numb 1 46. The number of the whole army was 603550. men for the warres besides women and children also beside the strangers which followed them out of Egypt This great body of an army was diuided by Moses into foure grosse and mighty Battalions each of them containing the strength of three whole Tribes hauing Captains and Colonels appointed vnto them Thus did the blessing which Israel gaue to his children and God himselfe before to Israel take place among them In the middest of the foure great armies sorted vnder their seuerall standards was the Tabernacle Numb 3 8 as a portable or mooueable Temple carryed which was surrounded by the Leuites and the Leuites also by the other Tribes so that not onely the Pagans and Heathens were forbidden accesse vnto it Verse 38 but the sentence of death passed vpon euery soule of the Israelites themselues that durst approach it who were not of the Leuites to whom the charge was wholly committed So sacred was the Tabernacle of the Congregation Numb 1 39 and with such reuerence garded and regarded that two and twenty thousand Priests were dedicated to the seruice and attendance thereof For as the industry in framing euery the least part thereof the curious worke-manship bestowed vpon it Exod. 31 3 4 and the charge and expences about it were exceeding great so the dutifull obseruance in the preseruing and laying vp of the holy vessels the solemne remoouing thereof the vigilant eye in attending thereon together with the prudent and prouident defence of the same serued to procure all due reuerence to the holy things of God and to encrease zeale and deuotion in such as approached neere vnto him euen as on the other side this is the maine cause of the prophanation of the Sacraments and of the contempt of the Word and Prayer and of so little practise of true piety among vs because there is so little feare and reuerence in the hearts of men towards the worship of God and the parts thereof Great was the zeale and forwardnesse both of Princes and people as appeareth both in making the Tabernacle and all manner of worke for the seruice of the Sanctuary Exod. 36 5. in offering afterward For after that Moses had taken order for all things necessary written in the Lawes numbred his armies and diuided them into seuerall Regiments or squadrons whereof the Tribe of Iudah led the Vantgard the twelue Princes or Commanders of the Tribes renowned of the Congregation and the heads of thousands in Israel Numb 1 16. brought their Offerings before the Lord to wit sixe couered Chariots and twelue Oxen to draw them therby to transport as they marched the parts of the Tabernacle Numb 7 2. with all the appurtenances the Sanctuary onely excepted which for more reuerence and regard was carried vpon the shoulders of the sonnes of Kohath vnto whom that care and charge was commited Numb chap. 3. verse 31. Neuerthelesse after so many mercies of God vpon them hauing seene so many miracles shewed so many victories atchieued so many remissions obtained so many benefites receiued and so many iudgements inflicted vpon the disobedient yet they as a stubborne and rebellious generation a generation that set not their heart aright Psalme 78 8. whos 's spirit was not stedfast with God neuer ceased to prouoke him by their sinnes and oftentimes as it were made a generall Conspiracy against him and Moses his seruant so that Miriam and Aaron were not free Arist Rhetor. lib. 2. cap 24. Numb 12.1 verifying the saying of the Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Euen a mans Kindred know how to enuy at him But among all other mutinies and murmurings recorded in this Booke none was greater then that which happened after the returne of the twelue Aduenturers or Discouerers sent out by Moses into the Territories of Canaan as wel to informe themselues of the force of the inhabitants and fertility of the Countrey as also to take knowledge of the Wayes Passages Riuers Foards Plaines and Mountaines thereof that nothing might be hidden from them For the wrath of God was turned against Israel being kindled by the violent breath of their rebellion Numb 14.22.30.31 so that hee punished the same in a most fearefull manner Iude verse 5. and almost extinguished euery soule of the whole multitude which he had brought out of Egypt for onely two Caleb and Ioshua were excepted And albeit Moses was the mildest and meekest man vpon the earth Numb 12.3 and often prayed vnto God for them to renew his wonted mercies and to consider that theyr destruction would encrease the pride of the Heathen Nations both of the Egyptians from whence they came Numb 24 13. and of the Canaanites to whose Land they were going and preuayled by his wonderfull prayers with him For the prayer of a righteous man auayleth much if it be feruent as the Apostle Iames saith chapt 5. verse 16. yet they ceased not to murmure against him witnesse heereof amongst others the insolent behauiour and conspiracy of Korah Dathan and Abiram and their Partisans Numb 16. verse 1. who for the contempt of God and his Ministers and seeking to ouerthrow the order and discipline of the Church were some of them swallowed vp aliue and by the earth opening her mouth deuoured others euen two hundred and fiftie in number which offered Incense with Korah their Captaine were consumed with fire from heauen besides fourteene thousand and seuen hundred which iustified the former mutiny were stricken dead with a sodaine pestilence as Numb 16. verse 49. Thus while the wicked multitude vsurped ecclesiasticall authority and endeauoured to subuert the power of the Church-gouernment and to bring in a parity that is an horrible confusion by making all men alike by pretending that all the Congregation are holy euery one of them as Numb 16. verse 3. and by rebelliously contending against the high Priest and the cheefest Magistrate to whom God committed the ouersight of all the Almighty altered the course of Nature that They dyed not the common death of all men neither were visited after the visitation of other men Verse 29. but he made a new thing and wrought one of the greatest wonders and myracles which fell out in all the time of Moses his gouernment And the better to assure his people and in his great goodnesse to confirme them touching the election of Aaron and his sonnes to the Priesthood it pleased him also to approoue the same by a great miracle of the Twelue Rods giuen in by the hands of the twelue Tribes of which Moses receyued one of euerie Head and Prince of his Tribe all which being
1050 8 It is the duty of Magistrates to do iustice fol. 1057 9 Euill men proceed from worse to worse fol. 1061 10 Actions vnlawfull are made lawfull fol. 1060 11 When sin is punished God is appeased fol. 1070 12 Sin depriueth vs of Gods protection fol. 1074 12 Gods wrath being prouoked is full of rage fol. 1077 14 The faithfull bring a blessing vpon their houses and posterities fol. 1980 15 It is lawfull sometimes to reproue desperate sinners by name fol. 1084 16 God beginneth to chasten his owne Church and children fol. 10â—0 17 The people of God may take armes fol. 1093 18 The seducers and the seduced shall bee punished together fol. 1100 CHAP. xxvi 1 Irreligion prophanensse and impiety make places and persons infamous and reprochfull fol. 1104 2 It is a most wicked impious thing to oppose authority and to withstand gouernment fol. 1108 3 It is no disgrace for godly children to descend come of vngodly par nts fol. 1109 4 It is hard to shun and breake off society with wicked men c. fol. 1112 5 God prouideth for all his people fol. 1113 6 It is a sinne to decline from the pure worshippe of God set downe in the word fol. 1117 7 An whole multitude cannot cleere it selfe from Gods iudgements when he sendeth them fol. 1118 CHAP. xxvii 1 In all wrongs and iniuries wee must resort to the Magistrate fol. 1120 2 Wee may make our selues guilty of other mens sinnes fol. 1123 3 Sin is the cause of death all misery fol. 1125 4 Propriety of goods is Gods blessing fol. 1127 5 Many want outward signes that are partakers of the inward grace of the Sacraments fol. 1130 6 Many are punished temporally that are not coÌ„demned eternally Ibid. 7 God is the Creator and maker of the soule fol. 1132 8 Kings and Princes haue and hold their places callings immediately from God fol. 1134 CHAP. xxviii 1 The first and cheefest care is to bee had of the Church matters of religion fol. 1135 2 Of the morning euening sacrifice c. fol. 1136 3 Of the Iewish Sabbath and the vses to vs fol. 1140 4 Of the new Moones and the vses to vs. fol. 1143 5 Of the Passeouer and the vses to vs. fol. 1146 6 Of the feast of first fruites or Pentecost fol. 1149 CAP. xxix 1 Of the feast of Trumpets with the vses fol. 1150 2 Of the feast of fasting or afflicting the soule together with the vses thereof to our selues fol. 1152 3 Of the feast of Tabernacles the vses to vs. fol. 1155 Chap. xxx 1 Lawfull vowes are to be performed fol. 1159 2 Great is the iurisdiction of parents ouer their children fol. 1166 3 The husband is the wiues head fol. 1169 CHAP. xxxi Sundry Doctrines directing warres and warriers 1 Before men go to battell an hoast of men must be mustered and gathered together fol. 1173 2 An army leuied must be sent out Ibid. 3 An army must be sent out by publike and lawfull authority Ibid. 4 He against whom we wage warre must be known to be an enemy fol. 1174 5 Al sinne must be auoided carefully by such as are emploied in warre Ibid. 6 Wicked men though they be suffered long yet at length God taketh vengâ—ance of them fol. 1176 7 Princes Potentates and great men lye open to iudgements as well as others fol. 1177 8 Sins of omission and neglect of duties which men are bound to perform are displeasing to God fol. 1179 9 Euery mans death and destruction cometh from himselfe fol. 1181 10 Things in themselues vnseemly to bee vttered are modestly to be spoken of fol. 1184 11 The Lord as he wil destroy the wicked so he wil do it fearfully and seuerely fol. 1186 13 For benefits receiued we returne praise to God fol. 1188 14 It is our duty to returne thankesgiuing to God speedily fol. 1189 15 It is our duty in extraordinary blessings to returne extraordinary thankes ibid. Chapter xxxii 1. The loue of this world is dangerous fol. 1191 2 The Ministers of God must reproue sharply and earnestly zealously and powerfully fol. 1194 3 It is a greeuous sin to giue offence to others or to discourage our brethren from wel-doing fol. 1197 4 It is an vsuall thing with the Lord to punish the sins of parents with the sins of their children 1200 5 We must haue a fellow-feeling of the miseries afflictions of Gods people fol. 1203 6 The onely cause of iudgement is sin fol. 1205 7 It is the duty of all Gods children to put foorth their hands to helpe the Church fol. 1206 8 The relikes of idolatry to bee vtterly abolished and all occasions that might draw vnto it to be taken away fol. 1209 Chapter 33. 1 God preserueth his Church in the midst of dangers and deliuereth it out of slauery and boÌ„dage fol. 1212 2 The 42. Mansions of the Israelites in the wildernesse fol. 1214 3 No familiarity is to be vsed with idolaters fol. 1219 4 Coldnes in Gods cause is a greeuous sin fol. 1222 CHAP. 34. 1 God setteth bounds to euery mans possession and limiteth what he shall haue fol. 1225 2 The estate of Gods people is such that some among them do alwayes stand in need fol. 1229 3 Faith apprehendeth and applyeth all Gods promises as present fol. 1232 CHAP. xxxv 1 The Ministers must be prouided for fol. 1237 2 All men by nature are proue to reuenge fol. 1240 3 Murther is an hainous sinne in the sight of God fol. 1244 4 To do lawfull things without a calling is vnlawfull fol. 1247 5 GOD will haue no innocent person put to death fol. 1252 6 Inferiors ought to reuerence their superiors fol. 1255 7 Lawes touching the inheritance of the Israelites fol. 1257 CHAP. xxxvi 1 The marriage of Cousen-germans is lawfull fol. 1267 A Commentary vpon the Fourth Booke of Moses called NVMBERS Generall Obseruations out of the whole Booke by way of Preface or Introduction BEfore wee come to the Exposition of this Booke of Moses and to the handling of the particular points contained therein it may not be thought vnprofitable or vnnecessary to prefixe somewhat by way of a Preface that our mindes may bee enlightned and our hearts prepared and our iudgements setled for the better conceyuing and receiuing of that which followeth Now as in the Booke of Genesis Moses hath deliuered the creation of the world together with the originall and first beginning of the church laying as it were an happy foundation as wel of the one as of the other and in Exodus hath handled the publishing and promulgation of the Law together With the miserable thraldome and bondage of the people of God in Egypt and in Leuiticus hath particularly expressed the sacrifices and oblations as Types of the sacrifice and oblation of Christ the promised Messiah together with the inauguration of Aaron and his sonnes and the consecration of the Tribe of Leui so in this Booke of Numbers
that in order followeth after the other Moses declareth the performaÌ„ce of Gods promise touching the multiplying of their seede together with the myraculous gouernment of that people wandering vp and down and iourneying heere and there without any setled estate more then 38. yeares in the Wildernesse When Moses was to bee gathered vnto his Fathers Deut. 32 49 50. and to go the way of all flesh GOD commanded him to go vp vnto the Mount Nebo which is in the land of Moab and from thence to behold as it were in a moment the Land of Canaan and the seuerall parts of it In like maner if wee from this place as from an high Mountaine and as it were looking from the vpper ground shall take a view of the parts proportion of this booke we shall throughly vnderstand what is the purpose and purport of it and what are the ends for which it was committed and commended vnto vs. Wherefore for our better and more orderly proceeding heerein let vs generally obserue and consider these particular points First we will speake of the Author of this booke secondly of the inscription or Title thereof thirdly of the ends and vses and last of all of the seuerall parts and diuision of it The Author for that is the first branch is double either principall or instrumentall The cheefe author of this booke is God For who is the inditer of the Scripture but he or from what spirit can it proceede but from his The Prophets alwayes begin their preaching and prophesying with this note b Esay 1 10. Hab. 1 1. 2 1. Thus sayeth the Lord Heare ye the word of the Lord the vision of Isaiah the burthen which Habakkuk did see Thus the Apostles shew their calling froÌ„ God c Rom. 1. ver 1 Galat. 1 1. Reuel 1 1. Paul a Seruant of Iesus Christ called to bee an Apostle not of men neyther by man but by Iesus Christ The Reuelation of Iesus Christ shewed to his seruant Iohn Thus Zachary in his song teacheth that d Luke 1 70. God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which were since the world began To this accordeth the saying of Peter e 2 Pet. 1 20.21 No prophesie of the Scripture is of priuat motion for it came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were mooued by the holy Ghost And the Apostle affirmeth f 2 Tim. 3 16. That the vvhole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God Al which serue to teach vs that the words of all the holy Prophets are to bee receiued and embraced as the words of God but the doctrine handled in this booke is a part of the word of one of the most ancient most holy most excellent and most diuine Prophets and therefore consequently the doings heere registred and the doctrines heere deliuered are to be holden as a portion of the vndoubted word of God So then as Christ spake to his Disciples g Math. 10 20 It is not you that speake but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you so may we truly say it is not Moses that speaketh heere but the Spirit of God that spake in him and wrote by him in which respect it may iustly be affirmed He that heareth him heareth God and he that despiseth him that is the writer dispiseth God that is the inditer And as the Author of this Booke appeareth to be the Lord himself by an argument drawn from the generall to the speciall so the authority of it will euidently appeare and easily bee demonstrated out of sundry particular places and circumstances out of the booke it selfe Such is the full consent and sweete agreement betweene the old and new Testament that one of them serueth to confirme ratifie and establish the other Hence it is that Christ Iesus himselfe and his Apostles writing by his spirit do alledge sundry examples produce sundry testimonies proue sundry doctrines and disproue sundry errors as by an authenticke witnesse taken from this book of Moses which now we haue vndertaken to expound Moses the man of God reciteth and reckoneth vp in sundry places h Numb 20 21. 25. compared with 1. Cor. 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 c. of this Booke on the one side the great mercies of God to his people that he gaue them and they did eate Manna that is bread from heauen and dranke water out of the rocke and on the other side their wretched vnthankfulnesse toward him they lusted after flesh they murmured against him they committed fornication and perished manie thousands of them The truth of these thinges is confirmed by the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 10. testifying that they did all eate the same spirâ—tuall meat and all dranke the same spiritual drinke drinking of the rocke that followed them and thereupon alluding vnto the history he saith i Num. 21 6 8 compaâ—d with 1 Corin. 10. Iohn 3 Let not vs commit fornication as some of them committed fornication and fell in one day three and twenty thousand Againe we reade heere how â—od brought among them in the wildernesse fiery Serpents k Numb 12 6 7 compared with Hebr. 3 2 5. that destroyed them but vpon their repentance and humiliation hee was reconciled commanded Moses to make the resemblance and representation of those fierie Serpents and set it vpon a pole that so many as were bitten m ght looke vpon it and liue The truth of these appeareth both by the testimony of Paul 1 Cor. 10 9. Neither let vs tempt Christ as some of them tempted him and were destroyed by Serpents by the words of Christ himselfe Iohn 3 14 15. As Moses lift vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Son of man be life vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Moses in the 12 chap. saith l Num. 11 29. compard with Iames 4 5. If there be a Prophet of the Lord among you I will be knowne to him by Dreame or vision my seruant Moses is not so who is faithfull in all his house Heereunto the Apostle to the Hebrues alludeth Consider Christ Iesus the high Priest of our profession who was faithfull to him that hath appointed him euen as Moses was in all his house Moreouer in the former chap. when Ioshua saw the two Elders in the hoste to prophesie m Iunius in paralel hee feared that Moses his reputation and authority would be diminished therefore ran to him in haste that hee should forbid them but Moses saide vnto him Enuiest thou for my sake Heereunto the Apostle Iames alludeth Think ye that the Scripture saith in vain Doth that spirite which dwelleth in vs lust vnto enuy Lastly to omit sundry Testimonies that might be produced n Numb 24 14. and 31 16. compard with 2 Peter 2 15. Iude 12. Reu. 2 14. and are remembred by others we haue at large laide
Church were many wicked liuers of whom the Apostle saith e 1 Cor 10 5. 1 Cor. 10. With many of them God was not pleased but they were destroyed in the Wildernesse Yea such as were the chiefe among them and excelled in godlinesse aboue the rest as the Cedar doth the low shrub had their failings and infirmities as wee see in Aaron in Miriam and in Moses himselfe as we shall see afterward in this booke Wherefore they are deceiued that seeke for a Church in this life without spot or wrinkle Such in former times were the Donatists and such in our dayes are the Anabaptists whoe shall looke vntill their eyes fall out before they shall finde any company or society wholly separated from al contagion of hypocrites Epicures Libertines and such like loose liuers Christ compareth the Church vnto a draw net cast into the Sea which gathereth fish of all sorts both good and bad Againe heere is comfort for the sincere Ministers of the Gospell to whom the dispensation of the Word and sacraments is committed that they ought not to forsake their calling when they behold the greatest part of their charges and Congregations to take no profite and to receiue no instruction by their ministery but to continue and waite with patience vntil f 2 Tim. 2 26. God wil giue them repentance that they may come out of the snare of the diuell of whom they are holden captiue to do his will Fourthly we learne the vnchangeable loue of God toward his people It is euident by Vse 4 this booke more then by the former how diuersly they prouoked him to wrath by their sinnes as their lust murmuring impatience vnthankfulnesse idolatry and fornication they tempted him in the wildernesse whereby they deserued not onely to be depriued of the Land of Canaan but to bee excluded out of the Kingdome of heauen Notwitâ—staâ—â—ing God continued their mercifull Lord still so that his election is immutable g Iohn 13 1. and whom hee loueth he loueth him to the end What then shall we sinne that grace may abound God forbid nay how shall wee that are dead to sinne yet liue therein As his graces guifts are without repentance so they must leade vs to repentance and cause vs to expresse backe againe vnfained loue vnto him who loued vs first Vse 5 Fiftly we haue set before vs many fearefull examples of Gods heauy indignation against sinne and sinners Hee punisheth the murmurings of the people fretting fuming against God in their extremities he taketh vengeance on their idolatry and committing fornication he chastiseth their sedition emulation breach of the Sabboth contempt of authority luste tempting of God and such like wickednesse that thereby wee might learne the feare of God and be admonished to auoide the same sinnes which will bring vpon vs the same or gteater iudgements euen temporall and eternall punishments For God is the same God to them and to vs he will shew himselfe iust and righteous in all his wayes a Psal 5 4. that hee is not a God that loueth wickednesse and that euill shall not dwell with him Hence it is that Paul alluding to these famous and remarkable examples of his iustice saith b 1 Cor. 10 11 These things came vnto them for examples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the worlde are come Let him therefore that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall If his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that trust in him Lastly as wee haue fearefull examples and Vse 6 threatnings of the Lawe manifested in this booke so on the other side wee haue comfortable promises of the Gospell touching our saluation and redemption by Christ Iesus who dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification For hee is truely and plainely preached in this booke a type of whom wee haue in the brasen Serpent c Num. 21 9. Iohn 3 14 and 12 32. lifted vp in the wildernesse and healing those that were bitten of the fiery Serpents which Christ expoundeth Ioh. 3 to be meant of his death and lifting vp vpon the Crosse That euery one which beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Likewise the Rocke which Moses did strike yeelding vnto them abundance of water as out of a plentifull Fountaine the Apostle expoundeth of Christ for he saith d Num. 20 10 and 21 16. 1 Cor. 10 4. They did all drinke the same spirituall drinke for they dranke of the spirituall Rocke that followed them and the Rocke was Christ The like we might say of Manna of the ashes of the red Cow of the Nazarites besides the sacrifices and ceremonies burnt offerings meat offerings and purifications which were figures painting and pointing out the sacrifice â—nd sufferings of Christ Iesus But because we haue spoken somewhat of them before and more remaineth to be spoken heereafter we will passe them ouer at this time without farther consideration This serueth to confute those which hold that all things were carnall to the Fathers that they had no knowledge of the Messiah but onely a carnall imagination of earthly things These are disciples brought vp in the damnable schoole of Seruetus an arch-enemy to the faith who contradict the Apostles in many places and make the Iewes as Swine fatted in a Stie groueling vpon the earth and neuer lifting vp their heads to a better life The Apostle Peter reasoning against such as taught the necessity of circumcision saith e Act. 15 10 11 Why doe yee tempt God to lay a yoke on the Disciples neckes which neyther our Fathers nor we are able to beare but we beleeue through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ to be saued euen as they doe Thus wee see Christ was onely the way to Gods Kingdome and that by faith in him the Fathers looked for saluation as well as we Our Sauiour testifieth f Iohn 8 56. that Abraham reioyced to see his day and saw it and was glad So the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes saith g Heb. 13 8. Iesus Christ yesterday and to day the same also is for euer As therefore the Couenant of GOD touching life and saluation is for substance one and the same so there is one faith one hope and way to attaine to the Kingdome of heauen for the Fathers in the time of the Law and for vs in the time of the Gospell Thus much of the generall vses of this booke The last point which wee propounded in the beginning to be handled h The diuision of this booke into his parts is the diuision of this booke that we may orderly proceede in the seuerall parts of it Some do diuide it into two parts according to the Chronology or computation of time obserued heerein for in the first nineteene chapters he handleth those things which happened in the wildernesse from the second yeare of their departure out of Egypt to the fortieth yeare
accepteth and approueth of his creatures to bee his vouchsafing to them his speciall fauour louing them as his own children of this the Psalmist saith The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous or godly Psal 1 6 but the way of the wicked shall perish So the Apostle saith Rom. 11 2. God hath not cast away his people whom he knew before that is whom hee approued and loued The other is that knowledge whereby he disalloweth of the wicked and disavoweth them to be his and therefore he wil not shew forth his mercy toward them and of this we now speak which setteth forth the greatnesse of their misery and vnhappines Though he know them by the general knowledge of his power and prouidence Psal 34 16. Iob â—9 21. Psalme 31 3. Ieremy 9 12. Exod. 6 6. Psal 110 1. 114 7. 27 8 9. yet he wil not see them with the eie of his pity nor touch them with the hand of his fauour nor heare them with the eare of his bounty nor speake vnto them with the mouth of his goodnes nor compasse them with the arme of his protection nor come vnto them with the feete of his presence nor behold them with the Face and countenance of his louing kindnesse Can there be a more miserable condition described and felt then this is Yet these are they that count themselues happy and entitle themselues to the Kingdome of heauen But as soone shall they bring heauen and earth together and make an agreement betweene fire and water betweene God and the diuell betweene righteousnesse and vnrighteousnesse as procure the loue and fauour of God toward them so long as they walke in their euill waies For as they regard not to know God in his word so hee regardeth not to know them with his grace in this life and to crown them with his glory in the life to come These are they that Iob speaketh of chap. 21. ver 14 15. Who say vnto God Depart from vs for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Who is the Almightie that we should serue him And what profit should we haue if we should pray vnto him Though they speake not this with their tongues nor vtter such words with their mouths yet such corruption and Atheisme is in their harts For there is a double kinde of voice and a two-fold speaking One with the tongue the other with the heart and the foole speaketh with them both sometimes with the former and sometimes with the latter On the other side the Lord recompenceth them according to their words and workes and meeteth with them according to their sinnes for hee will professe vnto them his despising of them as they haue despised him and his passing by of them in the day of iudgement as they haue passed by him in the day of his mercie This is it which Christ himselfe speaketh in the manifestation of the iust condemnation of the Reprobate Math. 7 23. Then will I professe to them I neuer knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquity Heere is a description of the estate of all vnreformed and vnrepentant persons God disclaimeth them commandeth them to depart out of his sight Both these are ioyned together and both of them are most fearefull If God once disclaime vs who can lay claime to vs but the diuell If we may not enioy the presence of God whose fellowship shall we enioy but the diuels And mark with me how God iustly repayeth such men and findeth them out in their owne wickednesse They say to God in their life as we heard before out of Iob Depart from vs and God in the last day shall say to them Depart from mee They say in their life to God wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes and he shall say in the end of the world I know you not ye workers of iniquity They will not know the Lord who he is and the Lord will not know them with his fauour but with his furie not with mercy but with iudgement not with glory but with shame and contempt poured vpon them Hence it is that in another place amplifying the last iudgement he saith Then shall they begin to say Luk 13 26 27 We haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets But he shall say I tell you I know ye not whence you are depart from me ye workers of iniquâ—ty Let vs therefore all betimes seeke to know the Lord to haue him dwelling in our hearts to call vpon him and to attend vnto his word with feare and reuerence that he may know vs and accept of vs. When a certaine man going downe from Ierusalem to Iericho fell amongst theeues was robbed of his goods Luke 10 31 32 33. stripped of his raiment wounded in his body and lefte halfe dead did it not increase his sorrow and misery that a certaine Priest saw him and passed by on the other side And that likewise a Leuite came neere to the place looked vppon him and departed his way without counsell or comfort without succor or assistance This did adde to the heape of his miserie but how much more lamentable shall it bee when wee shall lye not halfe dead but without any life of God in vs without any pitty shewed vnto vs without any Samaritan to haue compassion vpon vs to binde vp our wounds to poure in oyle and wine to giue vs any ease or to make prouision for vs When God will not know vs none of his creatures shall acknowledge vs or comfort vs or call vs by our names It shall bee with vs as with the rich man to whoÌ„ the Scripture vouchsafeth to giue no name as not worthy to be spoken of Luke 16 19. verifying the saying of the Wiseman Prou. 10 7. The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot Seeing therefore God promiseth to take notice of all such as are his it followeth he wil not know that is loue or allow the wicked or their deedes and therefore their condition must needs be miserable as being out of his number Vse 3 Thirdly seeing all that are Gods are numbred of him and haue their names written in his booke this serueth to seale vp the assuraÌ„ce of our saluation and election to eternall life For if God know vs euen by name our names shall neuer be blotted out of his account but remaine there grauen for euer This the Apostle teacheth 2 Tim. 2 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his and let euery one that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquity Where he sheweth that Gods decree is infallible and vnchangeable and built vppon a sure foundation that cannot bee remooued True it is Satan will not cease to winnow vs the world to allure vs the flesh to corrupt vs and sundry other tentations to set vpon vs yet the elect shall
the rest that remaine who were exempted out of the former training to wit the Priests and the Leuites For first of all Moses numbreth them according to their persons then according to their order and ministery Touching their persons in this chapter touching their ministery in the fourth chapter So then in this place the Tribe of the Leuites is numbred who were selected and separated to the worke of the ministry that they might therein serue God and his people In this Chapter wee are to obserue two things first The parts of Chapter a transition or passage by way of preface to this holy numeration distinct from the former in the 13. first verses secondly the numbring it selfe in the rest of the chapter Touching the first point which is the entrance wee must consider in it two other points first a description of the Tribe of Leui◠and of the family of Aaron forasmuch as Moses and Aaron the two heads of the people descended out of that Tribe as is more at large declared in the booke of Exodus and this is amplified by the circumstance of time in the beginning of the first verse In the day that the Lord spake with Moses in Mount Sinai Exod. 6 16. as if he had saide Now it is time to proceede to speake of the Tribe of Leni and to set downe how great the number of thē was when God commanded them to be numbred at Mount Sinai Osiand in Numb cap. 3. for as yet the people was not departed from thence where the law was giuen but first I will rehearse the names of the sonnes of Aaron who aboue or before others were appointed to the Priest-hood Secondly the presentation of the Leuites before Aaron to be numbred which we will reserue to be handled afterward in his proper place The description of Aarons family Touching the description of Aarons house and family whereon the numbring of the Priests depended First his sonnes are reckoned and their ministery declared verse 2 and 3. of which we haue heard more particularly in the book of Leuiticus chap. 8 and 9. Then the destruction of two of them which were the eldest is set downe Leuit. 10. for when they transgressed the Commandement of God offered strange fire before him they were consumed and confounded which is breefly repeated in the 4. verse but at large expressed in the 10. chapt of Leuiticus whereby it came necessarily to passe that two being cut off and leauing no issue behinde them that there remained onely two heads or families of the Priests to wit of Eleazar and Ithamar Verse 1. These are the generations of Aaron c We see in this place how Moses immediately after the numbring vp of the people that medled not with the ministery of the word or killing of the sacrifices or administring of the Sacraments or seruing in the Tabernacle or carrying of the Arke or teaching of the people handleth in the next place the forme and fashion of the ministery that laboured and spent themselues in the former things For let there be neuer so great order or good pollicy in the Common-wealth yet if the care of the ministery be neglected all is to little purpose Wee see from hence the goodly order that GOD obserueth in this great army he establisheth among them most carefully the holy Ministery to the ende they might be taught and instructed in the word Doctrine 1 Heereby we learne that among all nations people vnder the heauens There is an absolute necessity of a standing Ministery among all people the ministery of the word ought to be planted and established I say there is a great and absolute necessity of a standing and setled ministery among all sorts and conditions of men to guide them in the waies of godlinesse This appeareth euidently from the beginning for rather then there should be no teaching God himselfe was the Pastor and Teacher the Priest and Prophet of his Church and instructed them immediately by his owne voice without the ministery of man he was then the Shepheard and they the sheepe he the master and they the Schollers So he appeared to Adam and taught him and likewise his posterity after him Then there was no neede of any other Doctour or instructer he was all in all For as a man need not light a Candle at noone day thereby to see when as the Sunne shineth cleerely in his strength no more needed man in his innocency to be taught by man seeing he enioyed the bright Sun-shining of Gods glorious presence But when once mankinde began to multiply and encrease out of one house into diuers families as a tree displaying it selfe into many branches God raised vp ordinary and extraordinary Teachers For the father of the family was the King and Priest of it a King to rule a Priest to teach the will of God to his children Hence we reade that Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophesied of the second comming of Christ to iudgement Iude 14. with ten thousands of his Saints to execute iudgement vpon all vngodly sinners So then he was a Prophet raised vp of God in those corrupt times to reproue sinne and to conuince all that were vngodly among them of all their vngodly deeds which they vngodly committed After him he stirred vp Noah 2 Pet. 2 5. a Preacher of righteousnesse while the Arke was in preparing when the long suffering of God waited an hundred twenty yeares for their conuersion Besides that the people of God might bee sufficiently prouided for the first borne were also sanctified to this Office as we shall see afterward in this chapt and the chap. following and lastly in their stead the Tribe of Leui were set apart in whom alone it continued excepting the Prophets that had a speciall calling while the Synagogue stoode euen vnto Christ who when he ascended and led captiuity captiue gaue giftes vnto men at his pleasure and appointed some Apostles some Euangelistes some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints Eph. 4 12. and for the edifying of the body of Christ We see in this place that so soone as the law was giuen in Mount Sinai God appointed those that shold publish and preach the same and so soone as the Tabernacle was erected he ordained Aaron and his sonnes to attend vpon it and to perfourme their seuerall duties according to his direction and appointment Thus also did the Apostles deale so soone as they had preached the Gospell according to the commission and commandement they had receiued thereby gained a people vnto God they setled a ministery to continue and appointed Elders and Pastors ouer that people for the propagation of true religion and the strengthening of Gods seruants in all good duties This appeareth in the Acts of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas confirmed the soules of the Disciples and exhorted them to continue in the faith and when they had ordained them Elders in euery Church
with his hands the thing which is good that he may haue to giue to him that needeth Secondly it is very comfortable to vs to be busied in them we must looke for a blessing vpon vs and them while we continue in them God appeared to Moses in a slame of fire out of the middes of a bush while he kept the flocke of Iethro his father in Law Dauid was chosen and taken from the sheepefolds to feed the people of God The Lord tooke Amos Amos 7. â—â— as he followed the flocke and said vnto him Goe Prophesie vnto my people Israel While the shepheards were attending their flocks by night and abiding in the fields an Angel of the Lord brought them tidings of great ioy which should be to all people that to them was borne that day in the City of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord Luke 2.10 11. The like we might say of Iacob while he was faithfull in his calling the Lord appeared vnto him He chose his Apostles as they were busie in their callings and painefull in them Gen. 31. â— Matth. 4â— 21 and â—â— Peter and Andrew as they were casting a net into the sea Iames Iohn his brother as they were mending their nets for they were fishers Matthew the Publican as he sate at the receit of custome he saith vnto him follow me who arose immediatly followed him Mat. 9. While we walke in our callings we may look for a blessing but when once we goe from them and either forsake our calling or busie our selues in other mens callings we can expect no blessing at his hands for when we leaue them he leaueth vs when we returne to them he returneth to vs. Thirdly euery one must iudge and esteeme his particular calling to be the best and fittest for him The Apostle confirmeth this by his owne practise and example Phil. 4 12. I haue learned in whatsoeuer estate I am therewith to bee content This will arme vs against all discontentment and murmuring against God and make vs quietly to keepe our owne standing When Absolon was not content with the place of a Subiect and to be accounted the Kings sonne but said O that I were Iudge among you 2 Sam. 15 4. then he sought his fathers kingdome â— 20 24. When the sonnes of Zebede contented not themselues with the calling of Disciples but were enflamed with the thirst of honour and desire of dignity to be the greatest in the kingdome of Christ then arose enuy and heart-burning among them It is altogether vnpossible that we should rest well pleased with our callings and conditions and not climbe aloft aboue the places wherein we are set except we set downe this as our rest that our calling such as God hath appointed is the fittest and meetest for vs. Lastly euery one is bound to glorifie God in his calling though it be neuer so meane or base Wiues are charged to be obedient to their owne husband that the word of God be not blasphemed Tit. 2 5 10. Seruants are commanded to please their masters in all things that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things Tit. 2 10. That the Name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed 1 Tim. 6 1. This ought to be propounded vnto vs and set before our eyes to make it the end of all our actions that whether we eate or drink or whatsoeuer we do we may do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. It is not the highnes or lownesse the greatnes or meannesse of our calling that God so much respecteth as the sincerity of the heart of him that walketh in his calling If it be not sound all our actions are corrupt We must not think that onely men of high callings are to giue glory vnto God it is a common duty required of all and woe vnto vs if we do it not The heauens declare the glory of GOD much more ought man endued with reason and vnderstanding 27. And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites and the family of the Izeharites and the family of the Hebronites and the family of the Vzzielites these are the families of the Kohathites 28. In the number of all the males from a moneth old and vpward were eight thousand and sixe hundred keeping the charge of the Sanctuary 29. The families of the sonnes of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the Tabernacle Southward 30. And the chiefe of the house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Vzziel 31. And their charge shall be the Arke and the Table and the Candlesticke and the Altars and the vessels of the Sanctuary wherewith they minister and the hanging and all the seruice therof 32. And Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest shall be cheefe ouer the cheefe of the Leuites haue the ouersight of them that keepe the charge of the Sanctuary Now we come to Leuies second sonne We haue spoken before of Gershon of whom came the Gershonites It followeth to speake of Kohath for to him his posterity were committed the most honourable offices as we shal see afterward in the next chapter Touching whom we may obserue as we did in the former these particular points First the families that descended of him which are foure in number the Amramites the Izeharites the Hebronites and the Vzzielites verse 27. Secondly the number of the males that came of them to wit eight thousand and sixe hundred verse 28. Thirdly the place where they pitched to wit the South-side of the Tabernacle verse 29. Fourthly the ouerseer or superintendent of them namely Elizaphan the sonne of Vzziel verse 30. Fiftly the charge and function committed vnto them were the chiefe things within the Sanctuary verse 31. Sixtly the ouerseer of all these ouerseers and the chiefe of them that were the chiefe was Eleazar the sonne of Aaron who had authority ouer all the Priests and Leuites verse 32. He was vnder Aaron appointed to haue the ouersight of them that had the charge of the Sanctuary For Aaron himselfe was the high Priest and his eldest sonne Eleazar was vnder him as it were the second Priest euen as in the reigne of Zedekiah the high Priest was Seraiah the second Priest was Zephaniah as we reade in the second booke of the Kings chap. 25 18. The Captaine of the guard tooke Seraiah the cheefe Priest Zephaniah the second Priest and the three keepers of the doore See the notes on the Geneua Bible The second Priest is thought to be one appointed to succeed in the high Priests roome and to supply his place if he were sicke or otherwise hindred and letted by necessary occasions Of this family of the Kohathites came Moses and Aaron And albeit the Lord appeared in speciall manner to Moses called him to be a most excellent Prophet to whom he reuealed himselfe as it were face to face and chose him to be the Gouernor of a mighty
and infirmities of the Ministers should not bring the holy ordinances of God into contempt Lastly this law seemeth to be restrained to such Leuites as bare the burden of the Tabernacle the Sanctuary all the instruments of it For God will haue no man to liue without a calling he aloweth idlenesse in no estate and condition What then did the Leuites What the Leuites did after 50. yeares of age They trained vp younger men they instructed them and were no doubt as the Ouerseers of the schooles of the Prophets in them were the younger sort brought vp and called the children of the Prophets Besides they preached to the people and taught the Law of the Lord which is no idle worke but a matter of great labour exceeding paines so that albeit they bare not material burdens which required strength of body yet they bare weightier burdens then those they had the charge of mens soules lying heauy vpon them which is able to presse downe the feete and to weary the shoulders of the strongest man Last of all no doubt they were present president at the oblations that were brought they offered sacrifices and burned incense vnto God in the Tabernacle so many of them as were of the number of the Priests as appeareth by the age of Aaron who ministred in the place of Gods seruice after the age of fifty It is noted of Zachary the Priest that he was an old man Luc. 1 7. he was well striken in yeares which cannot be supposed or imagined but he was aboue 50. yeares of age yet he ceassed not to execute the Priests office before God in the order of his course and burned incense in the Temple Nay the circumstances of the text in that place do rather guide vs and as it were leade vs by the hand to thinke that he was more then threescore peraduenture fourscore and it may be aboue otherwise there had beene no great barre and impediment on his behalfe but he might haue a childe wheras he obiecteth against the Angel not onely the age of his wife but also his owne age Whereby shall I know this Luc. 1 18. for I am an old man and my wife well striken in yeares So then all the Leuites being come to the age of fifty trained vp young men vnder them they were as tutors vnto them taught the people knowledge sitting in the chaire of Moses and the Priests offered sacrifice to God first in the Tabernacle and after in the Temple their time of vacation therefore was granted from such labours and seruice as required the strength of the body which Moses himselfe seemeth to point vnto afterward in this booke From the age of fifty yeares they shall cease waiting vpon the seruice thereof Num. 8 25 26 and shall serue no more but shall minister with their brethren in the Tabernacle of the Congregation to keepe the charge and shall do no seruice c. Verses 2 3. Take the summe of the sonnes of Kohath c from thirty yeares old and aboue c. See heere a different manner obserued in numbring of this Tribe from the former Before they were numbred at a moneth olde because then they were fit to be presented to God but yet not fit to execute the office of the Ministery or manage any businesse of charge and importance Now none are numbred vnder thirty because before they were not capable of this office Such as were to serue in the warres among the other Tribes were numbred at 20. yeares old but such as were to appeare before the Lord to doe the warfare of his seruice Numb 8 25. as the Scripture speaketh must be 30. yeares of age so that he requireth greater maturity in the gifts of the body and minde greater wisedome vnderstanding in such as minister in the Tabernacle then in such as pitch vp their Tents and go out with an army There is wonderfull skil required in leading an host of men against the enemy but to be a Captaine ouer the Lords people and to conduct them into the field against the spirituall enemies of our soules where the danger is greater is a matter of deeper knowledge pollicy experience and iudgement We learne from hence how the Doctrine 1 Ministers of the word ought to be qualified The Minisâ— of the woâ—â— must be man of grauity 〈◊〉 moderanâ—â— their affeâ—â—ons they must be men of grauity wisedome sobriety and moderation of all their affections For if this were required of those that serued in the Tabernacle and the Temple in the time of the old Testament that onely they of 30. yeares old and aboue euen vntill fifty should enter into that calling who then were in the prime and flower of their age and had the greatest gifts much more is it necessarily required of the Ministers of the Gospel that they be men of sobriety constancy staiednesse wisedome iudgement and diligence Such as were to builde the Tabernacle and to frame all the instruments of it and appurtenances vnto it were filled with the Spirit of God in wisedome and in vnderstanding Exod. 31 3. and in knowledge and in all manner of workmanship All such as had any hand in the erecting thereof were fitted to it for God did put wisedome in the hearts of all that were wise-hearted verse 6. that so they might make all that he had commanded them The building vp of Gods Church is a greater worke and therefore the workmen appointed to the edification of it must not haue lesser gifts or baser qualities Hence it is that the sons of Eli are noted to bee wicked men greeuous sinners that knew not the Lord 1 Sam 2 1â—â— because they bare themselues without sobriety temperance and discretion they were ful of lightnesse wantonnesse excesse and couetousnesse The sinnes of Ieroboam are set out that he made not choise of the Tribe of Leui 1 Kings 12 â— but took the scum of the people and the basest of them men of euill note Christ willeth his Disciples to be wise as serpents Math. 10. 1 Tim. â—â— Titus 1 â— The Apostle Paul describing what the Ministers ought to be teacheth that they must be vnreproueable and blamelesse they must be wise iust patient temperate discreete not selfe willed not soone angry not giuen to fighting and brawling So that the Ministers set apart for the worke of the Ministery must not onely be apt to teach and able to diuide the word of truth aright but there is farther required of them that they be qualified with wisedome with knowledge with gifts of gouernment discretion in their calling and conuersation As this is plainely proued vnto vs by these consents so it may be strengthened by these Reason 1 few yet forcible reasons First because they haue oftentimes giuen vnto them in the scripture the name of Elders Many titles are giuen vnto them and euery one of them carrieth some instruction and admonition with it vnto
doth yet nothing lesse then pray Many a Minister that getteth vp into the Pulpit doth nothing lesse then preach Many people that come with eares to heare do nothing lesse theÌ„ heare and to eate the Supper of the Lord that do nothing lesse then partake of his holy table Wherefore wee must be present in minde at holy things as well as in body or else our presence is no better then an absence Secondly we must yeeld to this principle that it is both safer and better to conceiue a prayer then to reade a prayer because it keepeth our mindes constant and freeth vs from wandring thoughts that carry vs oftentimes from the matter which we should altogether minde For we are ready to goe astray and to set our hearts vpon other things whereas by this meanes they are kept close and stedfast to the requests which we make Againe a man may reade a praier that neuer vnderstandeth it or conceiueth the meaning of it and therefore it is more profitable to poure out our petitions our selues then to haue our petitions drawne by the hand of another No man can haue such a feeling of our owne wants as our own necessities will make vs able to expresse neither can conceiue such ioy and gladnesse for blessings receiued as the experience in our selues of Gods benefits will affoord vnto vs. Thirdly no man must condemne such as do conceiue themselues formes of praiers call them conceited praiers or fantasticall praiers These are enuious persons who enuy in others the graces of God cannot abide that any should go before themselues or beyond themselues These are wise in their own eyes and indeed themselues wholly conceited and fantasticall which they falsely charge vpon others being vtterly ignorant both of Gods workes and their owne wants For had they knowne or regarded the gifts and power of the Spirit which helpeth and assisteth his seruants that their tongue is as the pen of a ready writer and findeth sufficient matter to vtter to their Maker or had they knowne themselues throughly what new wants they haue what new sinnes they commit what new assaults they vndergoe what new blessings they enioy which are as so many occasions or rather prouocations to open their mouthes anew to God to sing a new song vnto him they would not blot this ordinance of God with such an odious cauill So then whereas all such should be greeued that cannot frame their petitions according to their present wants nor poure out their supplications according to their particular assaults neither make confession to God according to their particular offences they are rather grieued that any others can performe these duties better then themselues And whereas they should striue with might and maine to be like vnto them and to follow their example they would haue all other men ignorant like themselues and please themselues in that ignorance On this wise ye shal blesse the children of Israel Note in these words the persons that must performe this duty and they are the Priests note also what they are to doe to blesse the people that is to pray to almighty God for them that his blessings may come downe vpon them From hence we see that it is the duty of the Ministers to pray for the people Doctrine It is the Ministers duty to pray for the people So did Melchisedec for Abraham and he was the Priest of the most high God Gen. 14.18 19. So did Moses often for the people when Gods heauy iudgements were vpon them or hanging ouer their heads Exod. 32 33 Psal 106 23. he stood oftentimes in the gappe when the hand of God had made the breach to turne away his wrath lest he should destroy them So did Aaron as appeareth afterward in this booke when the plague was begun among the people he put on incense made an attonement for them he stood betweene the dead the liuing and the plague was staied Numb 16 Rom. 1 2 â—â— 47 48. Paul in euery Epistle practiseth this duty and the Apostles committed the charge of prouiding for the poore Acts 6 â— and distributing to the poore to the Deacons that they might giue themselues continually to prayer and to the ministery of the word The Prophets also neuer failed in this duty as we reade almost in euery place of their Prophesies Dan. 5 22 they stood vpon their watch-tower hauing the people continually in remembrance in their holy praiers Christ Iesus himselfe the great Shepheard of the sheepe is a perfect patterne of performing this he prayed for Ierusalem oftentimes Luke 19. and for the whole flocke of God committed vnto him whoÌ„ he would not suffer to perish but bring them to euerlasting life Iohn 17 20. Thus then we see wee haue the examples of Melchisedec of Moses of Aaron of the Priests of the Prophets of the Apostles and of Christ Iesus the Lord of life as liuely examples to go before vs and as a cloud of witnesses to conduct vs in this duty to proue vnto vs the truth of this point This must the rather be practised first because it is an infallible token of our loue toward Reason 1 them and of an earnest desire that we haue of their good Psal 118 26. And how can we better expresse euen the bowels of our affection and our longing after their prosperous estate from the heart roote then by our daily praying for them Rom. 1 10. Secondly the faithfull Ministers of God haue beene much greeued when they were forbidden and not permitted to performe this duty We see this euidently in Ieremy Ier. â—4 â—â— when the Lord had said vnto him Pray not for this people for their good he said Ah Lord God the Prophets say vnto thom yee shall not see the sword neither shall ye haue famine but I will giue you assured peace in this place where we see he layeth the fault vpon the false Prophets and goeth about to excuse or at least to lessen the sinne of the people who were blindly led by those blinde guides that thereby he might make a way to moue the Lord to heare him for that poore seduced people Thirdly the flocke of God is committed vnto them it is no small charge that lyeth on their hands the price of Christs precious blood is committed vnto them and therfore by all meanes they are charged to procure their good especially considering that the blood of such as perish through their negligence shall be required at their hands 1 Pet. 5 2. Ezek. 3.18 Fourthly it is a sinne against God as well as against his people to omit or refuse this duty And therefore when all the people saide to Samuel Pray for thy seruants vnto the Lord thy God that we die not he answered As for me God forbid that I should sinne against the lord in ceasing to pray for you 1 Sam. 12 23. If then it be a sinne to omit it it must needs be a duty
consider two things first the commandement of God without whose authority nothing is to be imposed as necessary in the Church which is that the Priests should light the lampes not one or two but all of them to giue light in the Tabernacle to signifie the light of Gods word shining in the Church which ought sincerely to be preached and published by the teachers to giue light of knowledge to all in the house of God as the Apostle declareth of himselfe that he had kept backe nothing Acts 20 20 27 but reuealed the whole counsell of God as the Priests kept not any of the lampes vnlighted but did light theÌ„ all Secondly the obedience of Aaron to the commandement he lighted the lampes that they might giue light round about the candlestick on euery side wheresoeuer the candlesticke could be seene Vpon occasion of mentioning the candlesticke we haue a description of it verse 4 by the matter of it it was made of gold and by the forme of beaten gold according to the patterne shewed to Moses in the Mount for he was a faithfull seruant in the house of God Heb. 3 2. But of this we may reade farther Exo. 25 37 40 25 26. There was but one candlesticke in the Tabernacle made by Moses because this was sufficient howbeit Salomon that built the Temple afterward made ten candlestickes whereof fiue stood at the one side fiue on the other side 2 Chron. 4 ver 7 20. because the Temple was larger and wider then the Tabernacle and therefore moe were requisite in the one then in the other The place where the Candlesticke stood was in the Sanctuary next to the most holy place or in the first Tabernacle Hebrewes chapter 9 verses 2 9. Not in the most holy place forasmuch as the High-Priest went into it once onely in the whole yeare Heb. 9 7. whereas the lampes of the Candlesticke were renued daily But let vs come to the words as they lye in order and first touching the lampes appointed to bee lighted we must consider that the Tabernacle with all things thereunto belonging was a figure of the time present vntil the time of reformation Heb. 9 9. and when the Priesthood was changed there must be also a change of the law Heb. 7 12. All things had their signification and the truth which is as the pith and substance of the ceremonies belongeth to vs as well as to the Iewes Hence it is that the lampes belonging to the candlesticke â—â—ctrine signifie vnto vs that the word is the light of the church 〈◊〉 word is â—â—amp and 〈◊〉 of the â—â—â—rch giuing light to the people as the Sun doth to the world wherby the true light of the knowledge of God of Christ our Redeemer of true righteousnesse and of saluation is kindled in the hearts of all true beleeuers Dauid is a certaine witnesse of this truth who teacheth that the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes Psal 19 8. Thy word is a lampe vnto my feete and a light vnto my path Psal 119 105. So Salomon saith Prou. 6 23. The Commandement is a lampe and the Law is a light It is plaine therefore that the lampe lighted in the Tabernacle did figure out the word of God Hence it is that the Prophet Esay saith O house of Iacob â—â—â—y 2 5. come let vs walke in the light of the Lord and afterward he sheweth that if any speake not according to this word 〈◊〉 8 20. it is because there is no light in them Reason 1 And it cannot be otherwise because the Lord which is the author of the Scriptures is light it selfe he is called the Father of lights Iam. 1 and the Church acknowledgeth when it sate in darknes that the Lord was the light of it Mich. 7 8. The Apostle saith he only hath immortality and dwelleth in the light which no maÌ„ can approch vnto 1 Tim. 6 16. And in the beginning of Iohns Gospel Christ is called the light of men Iohn 1 4. If God then be the true light how can his word but partake of his nature and be lightsome in it selfe and bring light to vs Againe the word hath in it the effects of light it expelleth darknes and is very comfortable and therfore comfort is often called by the name of light Ps 97 11. Ester 8 16. Ps 118 27 and 43 3. Iob 30 26. Lam. 3 2. So is it with the word it driueth away spirituall darknes and it comforteth and reioyceth the heart Psal 19 8. Vse 1 This doctrine serueth to reproue the church of Rome which bring in their Torches and Tapers and Candles into the Church as the setting of them vp at burials and funerals 〈◊〉 dâ— par â—â—b 2 c. 19. to signifie that the soules of the dead are aliue a superstitious custome condemned by sundry Councels as superstitious and heathenish Moreouer they obserue continually another foolish custome to set vp wax candles Taper lights before their Images and vpon the Altar in their Churches and this they do not onely in the night but in the day at noone when the Sun shineth in his strength And lest they might seeme to wander without Scripture and to be mad without reason they pretend for themselues and their superstition the continuall burning of the lampes in the Tabernacle before the Arke of the testimony Exod. 25. Bellarmine disputing of the reliques of the Saints Bellar. lib. 2. de reliqu c. 3. et 4. noteth three ends of this practise because fire is a signe of gladnesse a signe of glory and a signe of life But all this is no better then will-worship which is condemned Mat. 15 9. Col. 2 23. of which it may be said Who required these things at your hands Es 1 12 And this obseruation in the law touching the lamps is meerly ceremoniall which had an end with the Priesthood and was honourably buried with the Synagogue and is not to be raked out of the dust and raised out of the graue againe Also it is vtterly vntrue that these lampes were lighted in the day time for they were lighted in the euening burned vntill the morning and then were put out Thus doth Ahijah tell Ieroboam and all Israel 2 Chr. 13 11. that they had the Candlesticke of gold with the lampes thereof to burne euery euening Therefore it is said in the law The high Priest shall light the lampes at euen the word is betweene the twilights meaning therby both the euening and the morning Exod. 30 8 and Aaron must cause the lampes to burne continually from the euening vnto the morning Leuit. 24 3. In the booke of Samuel in other places it appeareth that they burned all night for those that kept the watch of the Lord in the Tabernacle and in the Temple but were alwaies exstinguished in the morning when it was day 1 Sam. 3 3. Thus then we reason against them from their owne
purpose of God was to saue them together and therefore he telleth them Except these abide in the ship yee cannot bee safe Act. 27.22.31 God is absolutely able to preserue our life without the taking of food or the labour of our hands or the apparelling of our bodies as the fowles are fed and the Lillies are clothed which neither sow nor reape Mat. 6.26 28. neither labour nor spinne yet he commandeth vs to labour the thing that is good In the garden of Eden in the time of mans innocency Adam was called to labour and after the fall it was saide In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread Gen. 2.15 and 3.19 till thou returne to the earth So God can nourish to eternal life without means of man otherwise we shold diminish his power yet he will haue his word preached in season out of season he will haue it heard and attended vnto with all diligence to begin and to encrease faith in vs and he sendeth a comfortable blessing vpon his owne meanes And therefore the Apostle teacheth Ephes 4.12 That Christ ascending vp to heauen and leading captiuity captiue gaue gifts vnto men for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery fitting teachers to their callings although he can saue without meanes The reasons follow First we are commanded Reason 1 to further Gods prouidence by lawful endeuors in our callings This is to vs most comfortable and giueth euident assurance of the blessing of God without which holy endeuor we want this comfort and assurance Thus the Apostle reasoneth directly 2 Pe. 1. The election of God in it selfe is sure for the foundation of God remaineth and hath this seal 2 Tim 2.19 20. 2 Pet. 1.5 6 9 10. The Lord knoweth who are his yet he requireth of vs to giue all diligence to increate in knowledge faith temperance patience godlinesse loue brotherly kindnesse If ye do these things ye shall neuer fall Reason 2 Againe the end why God hath giuen vs meanes and fitted vs to our calling is to serue his prouidence not to make vs idle in our selues vnprofitable vnto others Gods gifts are to some purpose they were not giuen and granted in vain we must not hide them in the earth but imploy them to their vse This the Apostle teacheth 2 Tim. 1.6 7. I put thee in remembrance that thou stirre vp the gift of GOD which is in thee by the putting on of mine hands for God hath not giuen to vs the spirit of feare but of power loue and a sound minde And thus Mordecai reasoneth in his charge to Esther that she should goe into the king Eccle. 4.8 13 14. make supplication before him for her people Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdome for such a time declaring that we haue not our callings singled out and fitted vnto vs to hide our talents in the earth but to employ them to encrease and aduantage The vses remaine First we must know that Vse 1 extraordinary courses are not to be looked after nor to be depended vpon we must leaue them to extraordinary times seasons which are now ceassed and not to be expected Many desire that God should shew among his people such great and miraculous works as hee shewed in bringing his people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and out-stretched arme and so feed themselues with fancies and are carried away after their owne imaginations God hath tyed vs to ordinary courses which are more for our comfort and therefore he that walketh plainely walketh safely Luke 16.27 28 29 30. This vse is concluded out of the parable where the rich man desireth to haue Lazarus sent from the dead to his fathers house to warne them lest they also come into the place of torment But Abraham answered They haue Moses and the Prophets let them heare them and when the rich glutton would haue other meanes If one come from the dead they will repent he said againe vnto him If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead and come vnto them Whereby our Sauiour sheweth that whosoeuer depends vpon extraordinary meanes visions or reuelations or dreames or the dead when God hath left vs ordinary wayes is to follow by-pathes of our owne to dig cesternes that hold no water and to trust in lying words that shall not profit God hath ordained to teach vs by the Ministery of his word and hath put his hidden treasure in earthen vessels whereunto we must attend as to a light shining in darke places This is the ordinary way and common meanes left vs to attaine saluation and eternall life Hereby then all ignorant persons are reproued and conuinced who neglecting this vsuall way to begin and confirme faith and the rest of the graces of God in vs say O if God would himself speak vnto vs from heauen or if wee might heare Christ preach vnto vs wee would repent and beleeue the Gospel as for men we know not whether they speake the truth or not Others say we haue the Scriptures in our houses we can reade them at home can they by all their teaching preaching make the word of God any better Besides if you vrge Sermons so much we haue Sermon bookes at home wee reade them and can serue God in our houses as well as they that run after Sermons Others also think they haue knowledge sufficient already that they need neither heare nor reade any more Lastly others obiect we haue good prayers and good homilies why should not men be content with them as the law prescribeth and enioyneth All these excuses are but fig-leaues to couer ouer their owne shame when once they are sifted and examined We answer to the first obiection many waies The first â—â—iection aâ—swered First we are not able to endure the dreadfull presence of Almighty God and therefore the faithfull haue cryed out Alasse wee shall die because we haue seene the Lord. Wee heare not the thunder without feare we behold not the brightnesse of the Sun without dazeling how then shold we heare the immediat voice of God or see his glory without confusion Againe if the Lord should speak from heauen and vtter his voyce from the place of his habitation he would speake no otherwise hee would teach no other trueth then the Prophets and Apostles haue deliuered And if wee should heare one of the elect Angels he wold set before vs no new points of religion hee would bring vnto vs no new article of faith and therefore the Apostle saith Gal 1. â— Though wee or an Angel from heauen preach vnto you otherwise then that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed But it is more comfortable and profitable to vs to be taught by men like vnto our selues then by the angels that are spirits we cannot abide their glory through weaknes of our flesh we cannot be
King of Bashan Now let vs come to the first point which is the encounter with the Canaanites in these words 1 And Harad a Canaanitish King dwelling toward the South heard tell that Israel was come by the way of the Spies then fought he against Israel and tooke of them a multitude of prisoners 2 So Israel vowed a vow vnto the Lord and said If thou wilt surely deliuer this people into mine hand then will I vtterly destroy their Cities 3 And the Lord heard the voice of Israel deliuered them the Canaanites and they vtterly destroyed them their Cities and called the name of that place Hormah What Canaanitish King this was whereof Moses maketh mention in this place is vncertaine Some thinke it to be the king of the Amalekites which Moses pointeth out but this carieth no shew or semblance of truth For first the Amalekites long since endeuoured to stop the passage and proceeding of the children of Israel and were destroyed with a great destruction and therefore it is not likely that now they would come out againe to make a new on-set especially seeing the Israelites inuaded not their Land Besides the Amalekites cannot be accounted in the number of the Canaanites Gen. 36 12. inasmuch as they descended not of Canaan but of Esau and so were alied to the Israelites being of the race of Shem. Rather we are here to vnderstand some King of the Amorites who because they came of one common stocke as Moses teacheth Gen. 10 15 16 ate comprehended vnder the Canaanites But to come to the matter it selfe here we see how the Israelites encounter with Harad occasion of the battaile beeing offered by himselfe For when by his espials and scouts sent abroad he had intelligence that Israel approched he leuied an hoast armed them and issued forth against them of his owne accord not chalenged not prouoked not iniuried by the Israelites but himselfe chalenging and prouoking rusheth forward to the destruction of his person and the confusion of his army The successe of this encounter was double First the Canaanites had the vpper hand slew some of the Israelites and tooke many prisoners led them away captiues so that they turned their backes and were not able to stand before their enemies The people of God hauing had this losse taken the foyle do not fret against God nor despaire of his helpe but after this fresh disaster discomfit they reconcile theÌ„selues to God they flie to him by prayer they humble themselues as Ioshua did when the meÌ„ of Ai put them to flight Iosh 7 4 8. saying O Lord what shall wee say when Israel turne their backes before their enemies They vow vnto God to turne nothing of this Kings Country to their owne vse and profite but consecrate and sanctifie all to God destroying their enemies and razing their Cities if hee would grant them victory and deliuer the Canaanites into their hands in whom now was equall their proud insolency and good successe through the former battaile No doubt the Israelites had sinned before against God and not repented of their sinne they prouoked him by their security glorying in their strength trusting in their multitude and puffed vp with the victories which God had giuen them who had fought their battels gone in and out with their armies and couered their heads in the day of slaughter thus lying in their sinnes nothing can prosper God curseth the works of their hands and letteth them see their owne weaknesse and that they should not be able to preuaile against any of their enemies vnlesse God did fight for them according to that in the 127. Psal v. 1 2. Except the Lord keepe the City the keeper watcheth in vaine it is in vaine for you to rise early and to sit downe late and eate the bread of sorrow but he will surely giue rest to his beloued So long as they trusted in their owne strength and number looked not for victory as a blessing from God they could not stand but when they had repented and craued protection from him that is the strength of Israel they ioyn againe their power vnite their forces order their battails resist their enemies preuaile and put them all to flight Rom. 8 38. For if God bee with vs who shall bee against vs But if he be against vs who shall be with vs or who shall pleade for vs It is not the wisedome of the Leaders nor the vertue of the souldiers nor the counsell of the wise nor the planting of munition can any whit preuaile vntill we be reconciled vnto God and God vnto vs. Lastly the Israelites being masters of the field hauing the Cities and persons standing at their mercy they performe the solemne promise and vow made to the God of heauen not to halues or in part as Saul did 1 Sam. 1â— who spared the better sheepe and the fat beasts but they vtterly destroyed their enemies their cities in memoriall of the great goodnes of God hearing them in their prayers and respecting them in their miseries they call the name of y place Hormah that is destruction and confusion This is the principall drift of this diuision Now let vs consider the doctrines that directly arise from this place that our faith may be strengthened our obedience encreased And Harad a Canaanitish King c. We see here how the Canaanites appointed to destruction and to be rooted out enemies to the people of God such as had now filled vp the measure of their sins yet here preuaile against Israel kill some of them and take others prisoners This teacheth vs this Doctrine that oftentimes Doctrine the enemies of the Church preuaile ouer them Enemieâ—â— tentines aâ— suffered 〈◊〉 preuaile â— the Churcâ— I say the enemies of God and of his people who in the secret counsell and purpose of God are vowed to destruction doe insult and triumph ouer the Church and particular parts thereof God correcting the rebellion of his children by them This truth God sealed vp in the beginning by the blood of Abel Caine spake friendly Gen. 4 8 But rose vp desperately against him and slew his brother because his owne works were euill his brothers good So iust Lot vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked for he being righteous 2 Peter 2 â— and dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deeds was notwithstanding carried away captiue by a proud and insolent enemy Genesis 14 Besides the book of Iudges serueth vs as a plentifull storehouse to teach this truth where we see that wheÌ„ the people of God did wickedly in the sight of the Lord serued Baalim and forsooke the Lord God of their fathers which brought them out of the Land of Egypt the wrath of the Lord waxed hot against them he deliuered them into the hands of spoilers he sold them into the hands of their enemies
the world This is it which the Prophet teacheth Psal 111. The works of his hands are established for euer and euer and are done in truth and equity If then all his works abide and continue from the glorious Creatures in the heauens to the silly worme creeping in the earth much more the holy Scripture must abide without decaying or diminishing as the durable Cedar without rotting and consuming which is not onely his handy-worke but a masterworke chiefe aboue all others as the Diamond among pearles of great price And if the least and lowest creature in the world hath beene in his kinde continued hitherto and shall be continued to the end by the mighty hand of God vpholding and supporting all things that he hath made much lesse shall the Scripture perish and fall away which bringeth greater glory to God and greater gaine to his people Thirdly the Scripture was written for these ends and purposes for instruction and admonition for teaching and confutation for comfort and consolation that so the man of God may be absolute 1 Tim. 3 16 17. Neither was God deceiued in his purpose and intent so that it must remaine continue being written for those endes and vses But what errour can be conuinced what comfort can be receiued what vice can bee corrected what truth can be published what grace can be commended to the Church out of those books which are supposed to be lost Let vs not therefore doubt of Gods prouidence and so shake the faith of the Church thereby Fourthly we see the old Testament hath reserued entirely the Genealogies of the fathers which are not absolutely necessary to faith and saluation as also the whole body of the ceremonies set downe in Leuiticus and other places of the Law which notwithstanding were shadowes of things to come why then should we not presume that the same his prouidence hath also watched ouer other books which more properly belong to our practise and times and so more fitly might informe vs against ignorance teach vs in our religion warne vs in dangers and comfort vs in afflictions And if we haue no word missing or sentence wanting in such bookes as are left to the Church that there should need a void roome or a desunt nonnulla or an Asteriscus and some little starre to giue warning of some defect as we see it is in many prophane writings Dionys Halâ— carâ—as Plutâ— Tuâ—â— Poâ—â—â—â—â—pian Lâ—â—â— and otherâ— and those of the best note how should we be induced to beleeue that whole volumes of the old and new Testament are vtterly lost neuer to be repaired Lastly let vs heare the testimony of the Scripture it selfe obserue what it can say and doth witnesse for it selfe Moses an old and ancient witnesse teacheth Deut. 29 29 that secret things belong to the Lord our God but the things reuealed belong vnto vs and to our children for euer that we may do all the words of this Law But how do they belong vnto vs that are not reserued for vs Or how shall our children be directed by them that cannot be found in their daies or in the daies of their fathers before them Or how shall either father or sonne doe that which they cannot know Heereunto Dauid accordeth Psal 119 152. I haue knowne long since by thy testimonies that thou hast established them for euer And our Sauiour giueth his holy consent vnto this heauenly truth saying Truely I say vnto you till heauen and earth perish one iote or one title of the Law shall not escape till all things be fulfilled Mat. 5 18 and 24 35. So then we must hold the durablenesse and continuance of the Scripture in the Church which is the pillar of truth that it cannot faile or fall away as is prooued at large in the answer to the Preface of the Rhemish Testament But before we proceed to the Doctrines of this diuision it shall not bee amisse to answer the obiections that are raised and mooued against this point touching the perpetuity of the whole Scripture and of euery part of it First wee finde often mention made of the bookes of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iudah and Israel â—ect 1. â—ngs 14 19 â—5 7 11 Iosh 10 3 â—am 1 18. of the booke of the iust such like which are lost If then these be lost and by no meanes to be found how shall we truly say that the whole Scripture doeth continue I answer â—sw these bookes were neuer Canonicall Scriptures but ciuill stories and chronicles of the Commonwealth matters not of the Church whereunto the Reader is directed if he be desirous to reade and know the History more at large whereas the Prophets doe onely touch so much as serued for the edification of the Church and the building of it in faith toward God For as all ciuill Nations haue the Chronicles of their fore-fathers and auncestors actes Ester chap. 6 verse 1. Ezra 4 verses 15 19 so had the Iewes their ciuill Histories such were those wee now speake of which were good and profitable bookes of men but were neuer committed or commended to the care of the Church to be preserued and maintained â—ect 2. Againe we reade in sundry places of the bookes of Nathan and Gad the words of Samuel the works of Ahia of Shemaia of Isaiah and other Prophets which likewise seeme to be lost as well as the other wee named before I answer â—er they seeme so to such as do not duely consider of them which indeed are not lost but contained in the olde Testament in the bookes of Samuel and of the Kings which were not written by any one Prophet but by diuers Prophets at diuers times euen in the seuerall ages wherein they prophesied albeit their seuerall names bee not to euery part expressed as appeareth 2 Chron. chapter 26 verse 22 where the Spirit of God testifieth that Esaiah wrote the actes of Vzziah first and last meaning that he wrote them in the second booke of the Kings and in his Prophesies and not pointing out any book which now is lost both the former bookes remaining as a treasure to the Church As then we confesse these bookes mentioned in this obiection to bee of another nature then those expressed in the former so they haue beene preserued and euer shall bee preserued in the Church and be as it were laide vp in the Arke thereof Thirdly it may bee obiected that many Obiect 3 worthy bookes of Salomon are lost which hee wrote I answer Answ his workes are of two sorts first sundry bookes of Humanity and of Philosophy naturall and morall secondly bookes of Diuinity written as he was moued and inspired by the Spirit of God The first sort of humane and earthly things which the Church might best spare without perill or impeachment of faith haue long since failed as it is thought in the captiuity the rest which are parts of the Canonicall Scriptures do abide And marke
no gifte of perswading is read in any prophane author but the same is found in the Scripture as in a plentifull store-house yea with farre greater grace and excellency then any where else let vs acknowledge the maiesty of the word and reuerently esteeme of it aboue all other Writings Secondly seeing Poetry is a good gift to Vse 2 be reuerenced and receiued for the antiquitie and worthinesse it serueth to reprooue those that abuse this gift to the reproch of the Art it selfe and to the dishonor of the giuer And howsoeuer many among the Heathen excelled in this kinde and haue lighted a candle to others yet was this Art no where more disgraced and disgraded from the former glorie and ancient estimation thereof then amongst themselues For whereas Poetry at the first was vsed to expresse some memorable accident and record some great worke to posterity that it might bee better remembred and regarded they turned these vses into wrong ends changed the truth into horrible lies For â—e the works Homer Virâ— Oâ—d oâ—ers what are all the Poems of the Infidels vnbeleeuing Gentiles but a detestable mingling of histories with Fables of trueth with lies of deedes done with their owne dreames and inuentions And whereas of olde time there was no difference between a plaine story and an artificiall Poem but in the manner of penning and enditing the one being easie and euident the other curious and cunning more exquisite and laboured they haue set the one against the other and opposed them as contraries â— fâ—mil epi. â— lib. 1. Orator â—t de Art 〈◊〉 charging an historie to speake the truth all the trueth and nothing but the truth but discharging a Poeme of this burthen They require the foundation to be some deed done indeed and then build vpon it Fables and falshood so that the plaine song being a truth the descant shall be a lye Neither hath this Noble Science beene abused onely among the Gentiles but the remnants of it haue crept into the Schooles and defiled the pens of many Christians We must feek to restore its ancient honor and being a graue matrone wee must pull from her the Ornaments and deckings that do not become her Therefore let not yong men addicted to this Art abuse this gift but vse it to the praise of God and to the publishing of his works Let them in their Poems shew themselues Christians and manifest themselues to differ from the vnbeleeuing Gentiles that know not God Let all songs and Sonets of loue or rather Lusts all scurrilous iests and Satyricall Pamphlets be banished from vs which are not the faultâ— of Art but of the Artist not of Poetry but of the Poet not of the matter but of the man Let al inuocation of strange gods and heathenish inducing of many gods be odious to our eares speeches vsuall among many but not seasoned with salt as they ought to be Wee haue liberty enough to follow the verse without wandering into such licentiousnes wherunto the Apostle directeth vs Ephes 4 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouths but that which is good to the vse of edifying that it may minister grace vnto the hearers Lastly seeing the Art of Poetry is lawfull Vse 3 and lawdable let vs praise God and sing to him in spirituall songs penned by the Prophets and endited by the Spirit of GOD for the instruction and direction of the Church not onely in the booke of Psalmes but in other places of the Scripture And surely it were a worthy and profitable labour tending to the aduancing of the glory of God seruing for the comfort of the Church if all the songs of prayer and praises which are found in the Law and the Prophets were turned and tuned for the ordinary vse of our assemblyes and ioyned to the booke of Psalmes as the song of Moses of Miriam of Deborah of Esay of Hezekiah of Habakkuk of the Canticles and Lamentations together with some others in other places to bee found that wee might haue plentifull matter and perfect direction to lift vp our hearts and voices vnto God vpon all occasions that shall be offered vnto vs. Hereunto commeth the exhortation of the Apostle Paul Col. 3 16. Let the word of God dwell in you plentifully in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your owne selues in Psalmes Hymns and spirituall songs singing with a grace in your harts to the Lord. This duty of singing Psalmes is not proper to the Church and the publicke assemblies of the Church but an exercise of our Religion to be vsed publikely priuately whether we would giue thankes for some deliuerance or craue forgiuenesse of sinnes or desire restoring of health or craue the graces of Gods Spirit which wee want True it is there are many abuses of this part of Gods seruice as also in the rest yea euen in singing the Psalms of Dauid 1 Cor. 14 15 26. as vsing of an vnknowne tongue without vnderstanding the spending of too much time shutting out thereby the preaching of the word and hindering other exercises of our Religion as we see it vsuall in the Church of Rome where the chanting of their Mattins and Masses hath iustled out the publishing of the Doctrine of the Gospel making the deed done to be meritorious auaileable for the forgiuenesse of sinnes singing many sinfull and superstitious things touching the intercession of Saints and such trumpery bringing in their broken Musicke that nothing can be vnderstoode any more theÌ„ if it were in a strange tongue an vnknown language whereas al things should be done to edifying in the Church of God Notwithstanding all these abuses we must maintaine the right and holy vse of singing in the Church and in our houses which is an exercise excellent in it selfe acceptable to God profitable to our selues and those that heare vs. The Apostle exhorteth the Ephesians Not to be drunke with wine wherein is excesse but to be filled with the Spirit speâ—king vnto themselues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs making melodie to the Lord in their hearts Ephe. 5 18 19. Likewise the Apostle Iames chap. 5 13. Is any among you afflicted Let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalmes This was the practise of Paul and Silas while they were in prison They praied at midnight and sing Psalmes vnto God Acts 16 25. Let vs follow these examples of godly men and take vp this exercise better then we haue done beeing a notable gift of God which duty albeit commanded by precept and commended by example is greatly decayed in all places and among all estates of men in stead whereof prophane songs and beastly Ballads are come in places filling and defiling all shops houses and meetings iustling out the other to the decay of Religion to the disgrace of the Psalmes to the corrupting of youth to the contempt of the word and to the dishonour of God They that spake in Prouerbs say
City which now is ours but by and by shall be thine where thou shalt receyue a Temple beseeming thy might and Maiestie And to conclude if we would yet further vnderstand the order and manner of this Magicall supeâ—stition we may read the very forme and fashion aâ— large which those nations vsed in Macrobius whom before wee recited Si Deus â—râ—b Satur. 〈◊〉 cap. â— â—uâ— in â—ib 2 â—ad si dea est c. that is whether it be god or goddesse that haue vndertaken the guidaÌ„ce and gardianship of this City and people we pray and beseech you to forsake this Citie and people to relinquish their places temples holy things and to depart without them strike ye a feare into the hearts of that people and City betray them and come to our side defend our Armies protect our Cities safegard our Temples c. This was the charge that was vsed when they went to the siedge and sacking of any City and in this manner they prayed which was made when the Romans as called out the gods of Carthage to come vnto them The like we reade in Appian also in his booke of the Parthian wars â—â—m debeâ—l â—th I confesse I haue stoode ouerlong in handling and debating these points 〈◊〉 apâ—â—ica◠〈…〉 câ—â—â—â—â—â—iâ— to the 〈◊〉 in haÌ„d which I haue laide as the foundation of all that followeth and serueth to cleere such doubts as arise out of the text and is nothing at all from the purpose of that which we haue in hand For these points as certaine Principles being thus concluded may easily be applyed to our present purpose and comparing the fashions of the Gentiles with the fitnesse of the person that the King of Moab chose and by whom hee proceedeth in this practise we may euidently gather the true sence of this history and see how the whole matter was carried and conueâ—ed For as the manner of the vnbelâ—euing Nâ—tions was to sue and seeke to the gods of thâ—â—r enemies to forsake them betake them selues to their side so Balaam being a notable and notorious sorcerer as we haue prooued before in the third Conclusion worketh by the Principles of sorcery and intendeth to begin his businesse and whole action by calling vp the protecting God of the Israelites which indeed was the true Iehouah as we see in the Chapters following by the words of Balaam himselfe Besides we may be the rather induced to receiue and beleeue this truth if we consider that all this sorcery and superstition had his first originall and beginning out of the East from whence Balaam came these were the manners of the men of the east as appeareth in Pliny before remembred Iustin hist lâ—b 1 Polid de inâ—â—â—n rer lib. 1 c. 24. and in others who excelled all other people in the Art of Magicke so that the manners and the man arose both of one place Furthermore as the sorcerers in Egypt being confounded by the mighty power of God in a base creature confessed the miracles of Moses to be wroght by the finger of God so when this soothsayer hath assayed at sundry times and in diuers manners to worke his will in the end he witnesseth with his owne mouth Numb 23 23. that there was no sorcery effectuall against Iacob nor soothsaying against Israel Lastly we may obserue how he calleth the Lord his God verse 18. I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God because he knew if he should work any thing against Israel he must do it by their owne God For he doth not vse these words as the faithfull do in a special feeling of Gods fauour and in the particular assurance and affiance of their owne faith inasmuch as he was a couetous wretch and an old witch as the Scriptures witnes but his meaning is he is the God whom in all this cause I haue heed of and by whoÌ„ I must of necessity deale withall Hee saith no more of him then he would haue done of the Idoll-god of any Idolatrous people he would haue called him his god as being the god by whom hee must worke all his feats Thus then Balaam intending to bewitch Israel he must by the rules of his own profession coniure vp the God of the Israelites whereupon it was that he deferred the Messengers sent vnto him As if he should say vnto them If I worke not by him ye cannot preuaile ouer his people he must first bee drawne to your side and afterward ye shal easily obtaine the other Neither let any heere obiect against these things that Balaam was ignorant of the true God or that it agreeth not to the nature of God to reueale himselfe to Magitians and to attend vpon their trumpery For albeit he did not acknowledge him to be the Creator and Gouernor of the world by whom all things stand or fall yet he knew him to bee the God of the Israelites which was sufficient for his purpose so that he meaneth not in speaking of the â—ord his owne false gods but hee consulteth with the true God as sundry places in this present Chapter make manifest Numb 22 8 18 19. as when he saith He would answer them as the Lord shold say vnto him and that hee cannot go beyond the word of the Lord. So that he asketh counsell of the true God and receiueth his answer of the true God And this he doth not as a Prophet of God but as a Sorcerer Neither may wee thinke it strange that God should haue ought to do with witches and wizâ—rds seeing he giueth answer not only to his owne people that cleaue vnto him and call vpon his name but to such as are out of the very bosome of the church for his peoples sake sometimes reprouing them sometimes instructing them somtimes conuincing them of euill and alwayes leauing them without excuse As here he teacheth Balaam that all his coniurations enchantments were vaine and voide seeing hee hath decreed and determined so to continue his blessing vnto the end toward the Israelites as that no deuice of man or worke of the diuell shall be able to hinder or lessen or abolish the same as we shall see afterward Verse 3. And the Moabites were sore afraid of the people Hauing in the former words serched into the meaning of this history and examined the seueral circumstances therof now let vs come to the doctrines that arise out of this diuision And first see the occasion of the Moabites confederating themselues with the Midianites and the proiect of them both in sending out to a cunning man to helpe them namely a sodaine feare arising in their hearts danting all their courage weakening all their strength and driuing them into despaire Israel was an innocent and harmelesse people professing righteousnesse abstaining from all wrongs surceasing from all iniuries for conscience sake as we saw before when they desired passage throgh the lands of the Edomits and the Amorites Numb 20 19. Deut. 2 25.
testimonies of the fauour of GOD blessing them both with spirituall blessings in heauenly things and with temporall blessings in earthly things In regard of benefits belonging to the life to come and accompanying saluation hee sheweth diuers priuiledges bestowed vpon them concerning their iustification sanctification regeneration and comfortable vse of the Word vouchsafed vnto them Touching their iustification hee saith Hee seeth none iniquity in Iacob and hee beholdeth not transgression in Israel Whereby hee meaneth not that they were freed from sinne for if wee say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs 1. Iohn 1 8. but that he imputeth it not he layeth it not to their charge but he couereth it and freely forgiueth it Hee doth not charge them with it but discharge them from it Hee seeth their sinnes well enough with the eyes of his knowledge but because they are couered in Christ 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 31. he will not looke vpon them with the eyes of his iudgment he beholdeth them as wel able to discerne them but not with a purpose to reuenge them Touching their sanctification he saith The Lord his God is with him not onely with his presence but with his grace and Spirit of sanctification For if wee speake of the presence of his essence and being hee is with all persons and filleth all places This Salomon in his worthy and excellent prayer 1. King 8 27. confesseth to GOD saying Is it true indeed that GGD will dwell on the earth Behold the heauens and the heauen of heauens are not able to contain thee how much more vnable is this house that I haue built Heereunto accordeth the saying of the Prophet Ieremy Ier. 23.24 Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Losd Doe not I fill heauen and earth saith the Lord How then is this made a speciall priuiledge and prerogatiue bestowed on the people of GOD to haue GOD with them which is the common condition of all places and persons I answere that in respect of his Natute and being he is no more in heauen then on earth with the godly then with the vngodly in the Church then out of the Church but in respect of his effects and the presence of his grace fauour and protection For as the soule of man is wholly in the whole body and sitteth therein as a Queene ruling in euery member and part of the body in respect of the essence thereof and is no more in the head then in the hand nor in the hand more then in the heele but it is saide to bee especially in the head and in the hart because there it exerciseth most worthy and weighty effects so God is present euery where in the world euen in the wicked and reprobate in respect of naturall gifts of preseruation knowledge and such like But he is present in the godly in more speciall manner by more speciall graces of regeneration and sanctification of faith and repentance ruling them by his Spirit pardoning their iniquities and remembring their sins no more so that howsoeuer he may leaue them for a season to see their owne infirmity and the necessity of his mercy yet he neuer totally and finally departeth from them but returneth in compassion toward them and followeth them with his louing kindnes vntill he haue brought them to eternall life In these respects he is said Numb 14 42. 2 Chro. 5 7. to be farre from the wicked and not to come neare their habitation Touching the next priuiledge which is his word he saith The ioyfull shout of a King is among them that is he ruleth them by the Scepter of his Word which soundeth shrill among them as the blast of a trumpet whereby is wrought in them both faith and sanctification Touching temporall blessings he painteth and pointeth out the long experience which his people haue had of his mercy in sauing them and of his power in ouerthrowing their enemies This he sheweth by a particular example of his wonderfull deliuerance from the tyranny of the Egyptians who could not holde them in that slauery and bondage but were constrained by great wonders and grieuous plagues to let them go And as he deliuered them from the hard and heauy yoke of their oppressors so he armeth them with strength as with a shield against all their enemies and fenceth them with his mighty hand as the Vnicorne is with his borne so that al the diuelish deuices that diuelish men can practise can no more preuaile against them then poyson against the Vnicorne For we reade partly in the holy Scriptures and partly in other authors that haue searched out the nature of foure-footed beasts both of the strength of the Vnicorne and of the nature of his horne to expell poyson This is it which the Lord himselfe speaketh in the book of Iob Iob. 39 12 13 14 15 Psal 22 22 and 92.11 Esay 34 7. Will the Vnicorne serue thee or will he tarry by thy cribbe Canst thou binde the Vnicorne with his band to labour in the furrow or will he plough the valleyes after thee So the Prophet Dauid describing his enemies resembleth them for their cruelty to the Lyon for their strength to the Vnicorne Aelian lib. 16. hist animal cap. 20. Likewise all men agree about the Vnicornes horne Writers doe confesse and experience doth confirme that it hath force to expell poyson therefore his horne being put into the water purgeth it and driueth out the poyson that he may drinke without harme if any venomous beast happen to drink therein before him So the Israelites are compared to the Vnicorne in this place partly in respect of their owne strength who whilst they were obedient to God and serued him with a faithfull heart could not be ouercome of their enemies but stood victorious and inuincible against all dangers and partly because no hurtfull or noysome arts vsed against them should be able to worke their confusion Now to the latter point which respecteth the person of Balaam he acknowledgeth that notwithstanding his sorcery and diuellish diuination he was destitute of all power ability to hurt them by his enchantments therfore saith There is no sorcery against Iacob nor southsaying against Israel that is the people of God which were his posterity Some vnderstanding these words as if the people were praised and commended because they were not giuen to sorcery and such like superstitions as GOD condemneth in the Law and had forbidden to be among his chosen people Deu. 18 10. but the meaning of Balaams words rather seemeth to be this that the elect people of GOD were so protected from aboue that no sorcery or southsaying could haue any force against them to doe them hurt This mercy of GOD was so great so maruailous so miraculous in the eyes of the very infidels their enemies that from hence forward Balaam resolueth to leaue his Magicke and extoll the workes of GOD toward
therefore to be esteemed aboue al the glory riches pleasures and profits of this world This made the Prophet Dauid say Many say Lord who will shew vs any good But Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart then they haue had when their wheat and their wine did abound Psal 4 6 7. Hereunto accordeth the Apostle Phil. 3 20. So then they are conuinced condemned to be prophane beasts possessed with the euill spirit of Esau that will not keepe the Lords Sabbaths nor attend vpon his worship but make that day a time of toyle and trauaile about their worldly businesse and a day to be spent in dancing and dallying in surfetting and drunkennesse in gaming ydlenes thereby making that which is the Lords day by his institution to be to theÌ„ the diuels day by their prophanation The Gospel and al things of a better life are lightly regarded of all such as are giueÌ„ to their profits and pleasures and delight to pamper vp the flesh No Religion could enter into the rich glutton that was clad in purple and fared deliciously euery day Luk. 16 19. The rich man whose ground brought foorth fruites plentiously whose tongue promised to him perpetuity and whose heart bred in him security neuer thought what should become of his soule neuer dreamed of sodaine death neuer minded his owne saluation and therfore God saide vnto him O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided Luk 12 16. The Apostle Peter maketh it a speciall marke of the prophane beasts in that time 2 Pet. 2 13. that they accounted it their chiefe pleasure to liue deliciously for a season And the Apostle Iude speaking of the like liuers saieth Iude 11. they were feast-hunters filling pampering themselues Of this sort are all drunkards gluttons epicures and belly-gods speake vnto them to embrace the truth to minde heauenly things to consider wherefore they were created and to remember the shortnesse of their life they cannot heare the belly hath no eares They are ready to answer with carnall minded men what will the Gospel aduantage me Why should I be a professor and become a by word of the world What good cometh to a man by hearing the word by reading the Scriptures or by being the childe of God It can get me neyther many in my purse nor cloaths to my backe nor food to my belly nor any other pleasure to my heart I had rather haue the company of good fellowes and a draught of wine or strong drink then to heare the best Sermon that can be preached And heere consider with mee prophane Esau once againe When Iacob demanded of him the sale of his birth-right the said Loe I am almost dead what is then this birthright to me Gen. 25 31. Thus the Atheists speake in the booke of Iob chap. 21 15. Who is the Almighty that we should serue him and what profit should wee haue if we should pray vnto him Such prophane Esaues there be many in the world monsters among the sons of men proud gyants that are at opeÌ„ defiance with God that regard the cup and kan the pot and good fellowship before heauen and heauenly things that prize the most precious pearles of God most basely like Iudas the son of perditioÌ„ that valued Christ at thirty pence so these sell euerlasting life and giue heauen depart froÌ„ saluation some for their whore some for their drinke some for their money and other for other base and beastly pleasures all these shall one day know the price of their folly and confesse with their owne mouthes that they were worse then fooles and mad meÌ„ that euery one is ready to point at with the finger Euery one is ready to sit in iudgement vpon Esau to condemne the prophanenes of his hart because hee regarded more the satsfying of his present lust and moment any pleasure then to be the successor of his father in the Church of God yet of this number there bee infinite thousands in the world that prize the precious treasure of Gods heauenly graces the vse of the Sacraments the frame of Christian Religion the glorious ministery of the Word the hope of a better life and the endlesse ioy of Gods kingdom things more of value then the whole world beside as brutishly basely as euer Esau did his birthright are ready to sell them for euery filthy gaine drudgery pleasure They thinke of no other life then this present and know no other God but Mammon and therefore howsoeuer they haue oftentimes the praise of the world and the commendation to be ciuill honest men they are not onely enemies vnto their soules but to the crosse of Christ 〈◊〉 3 18. and are in the fearfull estate of condemnation Verse 14. Come I will counsell thee such things as this people shall do to thy people in the latter dayes Heere we haue set downe vnto vs the cheefe occasion of that great iudgement which fell vpon the people wherein foure twenty thousand perished as appeareth in the chapt following namely the diuellish counsell of Balaam which hee gaue vnto Balak to draw the people into fornication But it may seeme at the first sight that Balaam speaketh very vnproperly For whereas he sayth I will counsell thee such things as this people shall doe to thy people some may suppose he should rather haue sayde I will counsell thee such things as thou and thy people shall do to the people of Israel Notwithstanding if wee consider the words aright we shall see his meaning to bee so in effect So then if we marke what the people of God should do to them wee shall finde what they shall do to the people of God The Israelites as we see in the seuenteenth Verse Shall smite the coasts of Moab and destroy them subdue them and bring them vnder so was the drift of his counsell to lay a plot and prepare a snare whereby the Israelites shold be weakned and many thousands of them destroyed by the hand of God As if hee should say I know this people whom thou hatest shall waste and weaken thy posterity in time to come but hearken vnto mee and obey my counsell I will shew thee how thou shalt ruine them and compasse theyr destruction and so do vnto them that which they shall do vnto thy people Thus we see the wickednes of Balaams heart to bee exceeding great who when he was restrained from cursing opened his mouth to wicked counsell thereby the children of Israel fell into horrible sinnes and drew vpon themselues heauy punishments â—ctrine 〈◊〉 an horri◠〈◊〉 to giue 〈◊〉 counsell Hereby we learne That to giue euill counsell is a greeuous sinne It is not enough for vs to abstaine from doing euill but wee must beware of this great sinne that we do not counsell any to
voluptuousnes and sensuality which could not be subdued by warre or witchcraft according to the receiued opinion Difficiliâ—â— esâ— voluptatem vincere 〈◊〉 dâ—â—erem It is harder to ouercome prosperity then aduersity and pleasure then sorrow Indeed we are compassed about with many tentations and the subtle serpent layeth baytes before vs of all sorts some on the right hand and other on the left hand yet none are more dangerous or deceitfull then such as come masking vnder the vizard of honour pleasure profit and preferment as we see in Dauid in Sampson in Salomon in Lot in Noah and in the Israelites in this place all which were caught with these hookes Wherfore Moses hauing already set downe what outward dangers they had ouerpassed threatning theyr ruine and working together to stop their passage into the Land of Canaan now he declareth an inward danger greater then the former arising from themselues and setled in theyr owne bowels euen theyr owne sinnes against the first second Table which had consumed them in the Wildernesse vnlesse God in mercy had bene appeased toward them at the intercession of Moses and the execution of Phinehas Such is our weaknesse in all our wayes and thus wee halt in our obedience so that our strength is to confesse our owne frailty and a step toward perfection is to acknowledge our owne imperfection Hauing therefore in the chapters going before considered the entrance into this history as also the history it selfe of Balak and Balaam let vs now heare the end and conclusion of all in this chapter wherein wee are to consider three things First the sinne of the Israelites committed against God Secondly the reconciliation and attonement whereby his wrath is pacified Thirdly the commandement and decree of God against the Midianites through whom the scandall and offence came Touching the first point deliuered in this diuision which is the sinne of the people the Spirit of God setteth downe both the circumstances and substance thereof For first it is described by the time when it was committed by the place where it was committed and by the meanes or maner how it was committed The time and place were while the Israelites rested and remained in the plaine of Moab â—t Shittim which is the two and forty mansion and the last place where they pitched their tents in the wildernes as appeareth in the three and thirty chapter of this book of Numbers ver 50 which serueth to increase the greatnesse of their sinne in that being now brought by the prouidence and mighty hand of GOD to the frontiers and confines of the land of promise they doe shamefully and shamelessely fall from him The manner and occasion of theyr sinne was in that the Moabites and Midianite brethren in euill combined together both to one purpose by Balaams counsell made theyr daughters common to entice and allure the Israelites beeing no doubt adorned with whorish attyre decked in all wanton and lasciuious manner fit to bring them to their lure and loue or rather lust and so to worke theyr ouerthrow as we see Salomon describing the harlot painteth her out in her colours and cunning that shee maybe well knowne better detested Prou. 3 4. and 6 24 25. and 7 10 11. and 9 13 14.15 Thus much of the circumstances of theyr sinne Touching the substance of theyr sinnes we are to obserue both theyr wicked facts and theyr obstinate contumacy and setled continuance in their sinne Their facts or actions are noted to be these three First bodily fornication and vncleannesse condemned in the seuenth Commandement defiling the hoast hindering true sanctification and estranging them from God who is a God of purity and holinesse and who commanded them to bee holy Secondly Idolatry which is spirituall fornication forbidden in the first Commandement which prohibiteth vs to haue to acknowledge and worship strange gods This is vtterly to renounce our faith to God the Husband of his Church to defile the marriage couenant Hosea 2 19. and to deny that true Religion into which we are entred Thirdly they coupled themselues to Baal-Peor that is to the Image of Baal which was adored and worshipped in Mount Peor Numb 23 32. where no doubt the Idoll had some Shrine or Chappell erected for his seruice â—â—cel lib. 4. 〈◊〉 1â— lâ—b 〈◊〉 vlt. in like manner as the Papists do call her the Lady of Lauretto which is worshipped in that place With this filthy and detestable Idoll they ioyned themselues and worshipped it with diuine worship and consequently renounced the worship of God being made one body with the Idolaters For when once his worship is mingled and corrupted the true God is turned into an Idoll such worship is Idolatry and abhomination in his sight for as the Prophet saith If God be God follow him if Baal bee God follow him 1 Kings 18 21. Now in setting downe these sinnes marke how the Israelites fell into them by steps and degrees If the Moabitish women had at the first tempted them to worship Baal and had said vnto theÌ„ Come let vs go serue strange gods no doubt they would haue detested and abhorred so great wickednesse But Satan is a more expert and cunning workman and his instruments are more subtle and wise in theyr generation Therefore first they call them to their feasts and banquets to eate of the meates and delicates that they had prepared and afterward they draw them to Idolatry which for the most part hath fornication a companion with it as we shall see hereafter further opened vnto vs. The next point is their obstinacy and continuance in the dregs of their sinnes ioyned with shamelesnesse and hardnesse of heart But because all stubbornnes and contumaâ—y presupposeth of necessity both reproofe and chastisement Moses setteth downe the obseruation of this course and order For first the chiefe heads of that people which fell to commit Idolatry and fornication were apprehended and executed before the going downe of the Sunne to pacifie the wrath of the Lord lest if that wickednesse had remained vnpunished the whole body of the people should be defiled Thus God declareth Acts 10 34 35. That with him is no respect of persons but as he that doth righteously is accepted of him so he that prouoketh him sinneth against his owne soule The higher the place of men is the greater is their sinne who hurt more by theyr example then by their offence Thus the chiefe in the offence are also the chiefe in the punishment After this hanging vp of the heads of this rebellion he chargeth the Iudges and Officers of the people that had kept themselues pure and vndefiled to kill al those with the sword that had sinned against the Lord which belonged to their charge and iurisdiction according to the ordinance of God and order that he had established Exod. 18 25 appointing them to bee Rulers ouer hundreds Rulers ouer fifties Rulers ouer tens Thus the wrath of God was appeased
vnskilfull Surgeons that make a deepe wound instead of applying a plaister and therefore kill where they should cure For wee cannot admit any faults in memory in the blessed Apostle who wrote by the direction of the Spirit of God as also the whole Scripture was inspired by him 2 Tim. 3.16 and wee cannot giue any reason to warrant why it should rather be a slip of memory in Paul then in Moses both of them beeing guided by the same Spirit Againe others say that Paul is not contrary to Moses forasmuch as if there were foure and twenty thousand as Moses teacheth there must of necessity be three and twenty thousand as the Apostle gathereth seeing the greater number includeth the lesser and seeing he doth not say expresly there were iust so many neither more nor lesse True it is to make vp around summe a full number the Scripture vseth sometimes to adde and sometimes to detract but in this place there is no reason why the Apostle should vse the lesse number rather then the greater considering the greater number is heere as full and perfect a number as the lesser and therefore no iust cause to change alter any thing Besides the Apostle maketh the number as directly to bee 23000 as Moses maketh it to bee 24000. Wherefore to let passe these gesses coniectures the best and truest answere is Iuâ— parâ—â— that Moses distinguisheth the history into two parts First touching the heads of the people that were hanged vp Secondly touching the people that were slaine with the sword If we ioyne both these together as Moses doth in this place it is truely saide There dyed foure and twenty thousand For he speaketh first of the chiefe Captaines and Ring-leaders to this rebellion against God then of the rest of the people that walked in their wayes and followed their example afterward he casteth vp his accounts setteth downe the totall sum as it did accrew out of them both But if we speake of the principall malefactors by themselues and of the rest of the people by themselues a thousand of the principal were hanged or crucified and among the people were slaine three and twenty thousand of which latter Paul onely speaketh omitting the thousand Princes to shew how fond and friuolous their excuse is who defend theyr offences by the example or authority or counsel or commandement of theyr superiors seeing the people in this place following the foote-steps of theyr Magistrates were no lesse punished then the Magistrates themselues So then these are most true both that which Moses saith to wit that foure and twenty thousand perished ioyning both Princes and people together and that also which Paul affirmeth mentioning three and twenty thousand only omitting the Princes and reckoning the people and hence it is that the summe in Moses amounteth to a thousand more in Paul to a thousand lesse Hitherto of the execution of iustice by Phinehas vpon two audacious and open offenders and of discussing the questions that arise thereupon now followeth the approbation of God in whose nosthrils it smelled as a sweet sauour This fact is commended his zeale is praised his person is blessed and rewarded For albeit good works wrought in faith and dyed with the blood of Christ doe not merite eternall life which is the free gift of God Roman 6 23 yet they are rewarded of mercy in this life and in the life to come The blessing of God to rest vpon him and his posterity is set downe in two respects First generally I will make my couenant of peace with him so that he shall haue me a mercifull God Secondly particularly where the manner is set downe that the Priesthood should remaine to him and to his posterity for euer so that both his seede should flourish so long as the Iewish Church should continue and the honour of the high Priesthood should abide among his posterity Vntill the high Priest of our profession Iesus Christ should come to make an end of all Ceremonies Hebr. 3 1. The accomplishment whereof is not hard to shew in the holy Scriptures and in other approued Histories For the lineall succession of the Priesthood from him to the carrying away into captiuity to Babylon is expressed in the books of the Chronicles 1 Chron. 6 4 15 from the father to the sonne and from one generation to another From the captiuity vntill the time of Alexander the Great to whom the Persian Monarchy befell and whom Iadduah the high Priest met in his Priestly robes coming to conquer Ierusalem the genealogy is remembred in the booke of Nehemiah Ioseph antiq lib. 11 cap. 8. chapter 12 10 22. Neyther may it seeme strange vnto vs that Nehemiah should set downe the succession so farre seeing from the reigne of Artaxerxes whom he serued being in chiefe place about him to the Monarchy of Alexander the Great who ouercame Darius were not aboue sixty yeares as the Chronology Computation of the reigne of the Persian Kings declareth And from the times of Alexander the Great Ioseph antiq lib. 15 cap. 3. to Aristobulus and his sonne who was the last whom Herod treacherously and cruelly caused to be drowned the pedigree is to be seene in Iosephus and others Afterward the Priesthood was set to sale and those promoted that made their owne way by sums of money or by fauour of friends or both together After this promise made to Phinehas Moses annexeth a description of the whoremaster and the whore that prouoked Gods wrath and troubled Israel who are set forth by their names by their family by their condition and degree The name of the man was Zimri his family was the tribe of Simeon touching his estate hee was one of the Princes of his tribe by whom no doubt being a man of sort and quality hee was accompanied and countenanced yea it should appeare he was a mouer and perswader of others to commit the like wickednes whereby it came to passe that the greatest number of this tribe perished with him as may be gathered by the new suruey and numbering of the tribes which is taken in the Chapter following Numb 26 14 and 1 23. For they which in the former mustering and numbering amounted vnto the number of nine and fifty thousand and three hundred were now diminished and abated to two twenty thousand and two hundred for their idolatry and fornication so that with this Zimri the greater number of this tribe perished They did partake with him in the sinne of whoredome and therefore they communicared with him in the plague and punishment of it Hence it came to passe that whereas all the other tribes in a manner amounted to more then forty thousand this tribe attayned onely vnto the number of two and twenty thousand and two hundred The name of the harlot was Cosbi her stocke and kindred was of the Midianites in respect of her place shee was the daughter of one of the chiefe Princes of that people
hands of all those that haue suffered and fostered it in others by their negligence in gouerning and remisnesse in punishing Wee heard this before in Ahab 1 Kings chapter 20. verse 42 who letting Benhadad goe free life must goe for life he should answer for the other We see this euidently in the example of olde Eli who not controlling and correcting his children when they sinned greeuously against the Lord is himself directly charged to haue committed those sinnes 1 Samuel chapter 2 vers 29 to honour his children aboue the Lord to make himselfe far of the first of all the Offerings and is punished with suddaine death by breaking of his neck So likewise shall the sinnes of sinful men that liue vnder our roofe and shroud themselues vnder our protectioÌ„ be required at our hands if we vphold them in their euill or do not punish them for their euill according vnto the meanes that God hath giuen vs. Lastly seeing God is well pleased appeased when sinne is taken away as the cause of Vse 3 his displeasure let vs not carry til the Magistrate draw the sword out of his sheathe but euery one turne vnto God and enter into iudgment with our selues that the Lord may not enter into iudgement with vs. We must be carefull to gaine and get God to be our friend The way is to forsake our sinne and to walke with God as being euer in his presence Can two walke together except they be agreed Let vs then reconcile ourselues to God and hee will be reconciled vnto vs Let vs draw neere vnto him and he will draw neere vnto vs Iam. 4 8. This must be done of vs by cleansing our hands and by purging of our hearts Abraham the father of the faithfull beeing righteous by faith is called The friend of God Iam. 2 â—3 This is it which our Sauiour teacheth Yee are my friends if ye do whatsoeuer I command you Iob. 13 14. If then we would be at peace with God and desire the friendshippe of the most High if we would haue him turne away his wrath and heauy displeasure from vs we must be carefull to auoid sinne seeing it bringeth the iudgements of God and putteth a sword into his hand to destroy vs. From hence as from the principall cause come all manner of punishments that God inflicteth war death famine the plague pestilence our sinnes are the fountaines of them all Therefore the Apostle in this respect willeth vs to try and examine our selues that we may finde out the true cause of our troubles when he saith For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe for if wee would iudge our selues we should not be iudged 1 Cor. 11 31. So then the best course to preuent iudgements or to remoue them which are already brought vpon vs is by repentance The Lord hath many wayes visited vs for our sins somtimes by the raging of the pestilence sometimes by inundations ouerflowings of waters sometimes by dearth famine of bread all which are as sharpe arrowes which hee taketh out of his Quiuer and shooteth theÌ„ out of his Bow and we are not able to stand before them for who is able to stand before his fierce wrath Or who can abide the greatnesse of his power Nahum 1 6. The onely way left vnto vs to take is to seeke reconciliation with God and to turne vnto him by vnfeined repentance We must make conscience of all sin For so long as we flatter our selues in any one knowne sinne the wrath of God will neuer be appeased but he hath still some controuersie against vs. We must not therfore leaue one sin vnrepented of When Moses was to leade the people as a flocke of sheepe out of the Land of Egypt and Pharaoh permitted the fathers and the children to go serue the Lord in the wildernesse onely their sheepe and cattell should abide Moses answered Our Cattell also shall goe with vs there shall not an hoofe be left behind Exod. 10 26. So must our obedience be vnto God it must bee perfect and entire we must not repent to halfes we must not leaue one sinne behind but search the secret corners of our deceitfull hearts For when God shall search with lights to finde out our hidden sinnes he will visite the men that are frozen in their dregs and say in their hearts the Lord wil neither do good nor euill These neuer mourne for their sinnes and therefore God will make them mourne lying vnder his wrath If they will haue no feeling of their sin they shall haue a feeling of his punishments and of the burden of his iudgements Verse 9. And there died in that plague foure and twenty thousand In these words Moses setteth downe the number of all those that perished as well of the Princes as of the people How this agreeth with the Apostle that nameth onely three and twenty thousand wee haue already declared in the exposition of the words and answering of the Questions that arise out of the words We haue heard before that albeit Balak Balaam intended by their sorceries to curse the people of God yet they could by no meanes doe them hurt they were guarded by the protection of God as with a sure watch For God is the watchman of Israel that neyther slumbreth nor sleepeth Psal 121 4. But so soone as they forsook the liuing God and fell a whoring with the daughters of Moab and Midian by and by God departeth from them and his heauy iudgements breake in vpon them The force of sorcery could not hurt them but the strength of sinne doth weaken them and greatly diminisheth the number of them Heereby we learne Doctrine Sin depriâ—â— vs of Gods protection that sinne depriueth vs of Gods protection and layeth vs naked and open to the fiercenesse of his wrath and to the fury of our enemies The sinnes wherewith the Church in general or any member in particular doe prouoke GOD bring downe iudgements of all sorts cause his wrath to be kindled and giue strength to the enemy to preuaile against vs. When the people of God had committed Idolatry made them gods to goe before them it is said by Moses that the people were naked for Aaron had made them naked vnto their shame among their enemies Exod. 32 25. This appeareth also in the booke of Ioshua when Achan had sinned and stolne the babylonish garment the shekels of siluer and the wedge of gold they could not stand before their enemies Iosh 7 4. but fell before them as naked men beeing vtterly destitute of Gods defence by reason of the offence committed among them We see this oftentimes in the Bookes of the Iudges of the Kings and Chronicles when they rebelled against God and prouoked him to anger presently hee sold them into the hands of their enemies they became subiect to sundry calamities they fell into all kinde of miseries that were layde vpon them When they began to do
these things are hidden from their eyes and cannot enter into their hearts yet this shall bee the end of all those that worke iniquity God will raine downe vpon the wicked snares fire brimstone stormy tempest this is the portion of their cup for the righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse his countenance doth behold the iust Psal 11 6 7. On the other side wee must needes acknowledge and confesse that it is a blessed thing to be at peace with God It is a great blessing to liue at peace in the world and to be in vnity with men among whom wee liue but much more sweet and comfortable is it to be at one with the eternall God so as hee haue no controuersie against vs. This is it which the Prophet concludeth Kisse the sonne lest he be angry so ye perish in the way when his wrath shall suddenly burne blessed are all they that trust in him Psal 2 12. So then as the estate of all the vngodly that are vnder the wrath of God is most miserable so the condition of the godly how soeuer accounted of by the vnfaithfull of the world is happy and blessed who are safe vnder the wings of God and shall bee deliuered in the day of iudgment Secondly wee must be wise and circumspect Vse 2 to take heed that we doe not kindle it to our owne confusion This is the exhortation of Moses to the people Take heed that there bee not among you man nor family nor tribe which should turne their heart away from the liuing God that there should not be among you any roote that bringeth forth gall and wormewood for the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoke against that man euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen Deut. 29 8. This serueth to reprooue such as are in this point like the horse and mule that are without knowledge and haue no vnderstanding They neuer regard the iudgments of God present they neuer seeke to preuent them being to come This is it which our Sauiour toucheth in the Iewes when he came neere the citty he wept for it and sayd If thou haddest euen knowne at the least in this thy day those things which belong vnto thy peace but now are they hid from thine eyes Luke 19 42. It is therefore our duty to labour to know the times of his iudgments It is vnpossible to auoid the wrath of God vnles we haue a care to know it The wrath of GOD to come vpon the sonnes of men is foreknowne three wayes First The wrath of God to come is forâ— knowne thrâ— wayes by the oracles of the Prophets and by reasons drawn out of the Word of God Secondly by signes and wonders which God sheweth in heauen or in earth or in the sea Thirdly by plagues and punishments that he sendeth the which as they are the beginning of his anger present so they are testimonies and tokens of greater iudgments to come And as we haue shewed before that the wrath of God is resembled oftentimes to a consuming fire so we vnderstand that a fire is already kindled will grow greater by these three meanes before expressed to wit Zanch de diâ—â—â— attrib lib. 4. c. eyther by the report of credible witnesses or by beholding of the smoke ascending or by sensible perceiuing of the flame breaking out which is a fearefull signe of a farther fire and a greater burning except it bee speedily quenched and preuented First the wrath of God is foreshewed vnto vs by the words of the Prophets and Apostles which were inspired by the Spirit of God and foretell the wrath of God to come vpon vs for our sins And as the Law of God setteth downe sundry threatnings and curses so the Ministers of God out of the same doe denounce the iudgements of God gather that the wrath of God hangeth ouer a kingdome or City by an infallible conclusion without repentance For where sinne reigneth there the wrath of God cometh but in this Nation or City or Family sin reigneth wherfore the wrath of God hangeth ouer such a Nation City or house Such threatnings denounced by the seruants of God 〈◊〉 28 20. 〈◊〉 26 21. Cor. 11 30. collected by certaine reasons out of the Scripture are not to be despised but feared not to bee passed ouer but to be preuented not to be derided but to be applyed to our consciences that if we finde those sinnes in vs wee may labour earnestly to repent of them For albeit the Ministers of God do not speake by special inspiration and reuelation of the Spirit as the Prophets yet their threatnings are not voide and vaine but are grounded vpon effectuall reasons of the word and the beholding of present wickednes that aboundeth euery where We must not therefore account them as scar-Crowes which cannot hurt for God will make them powerful in the mouths of his seruants so that they which will not be perswaded to feare them shall bee constrayned certainly to feele them whether they will or not Another meanes to giue vs vnderstanding of Gods wrath before it falleth is by the vndoubted signes and tokens which are as the messengers of God and the fore-runners of wrath which we see in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the waters For whensoeuer God is determined in his heauy but yet iust iudgement to bring any plague vpon the world and to make manifest his fierce indignation he vseth to send certaine tokens of his anger to testifie that it is not farre off which are as the sproutings of the fig-tree signifying that sommer is neere Thus doth Christ foretell the destruction of Ierusalem and the end of the world by the signes which shal go before them 〈◊〉 24 32. saying Learne the parable of the Figge-tree when her bough is yet tender it putteth forth leaues ye know that the Sommer is nere so likewise ye when ye see all these things know that the kingdome of God is neere euen at the doores These appeare in the Sun in the Moon in the Starres in the Elements and in the creatures when the course of nature is altered changed 〈◊〉 de bell 〈◊〉 lib. 7. cap. â— the very insensible and vnreasonable things doe preach repentance vnto vs and therefore are to be marked and not despised Lastly the former punishment is a fore-runner of a further iudgement the smaller of a greater and the first of a second God broght sundry plagues vpon Pharaoh king of Egypt but such as came after pressed and punished him more then such as went before When Christ had foretold many euilles that should come vpon Ierusalem for their contempt of the Gospel and their refusing of all grace offered vnto them he addeth Mat. 24 6 8. The end is not yet all these are but the beginning of sorrowes as if hee should say there shall moe in
know him in his kingdome For the word is the path way that leadeth vnto it and therefore is called the Gospell of the Kingdome This teacheth vs to consider diligently the saying of Christ Iohn 17. Iohn 17 3. This is eternall life that they know thee to be the only very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ If then we desire eternall life we must labour to know God lest he say to vs in his wrath Wherein the knowledge of God consisteth Depart from me I know you not This knowledge of God necessarily required of vs consisteth in these points following First we must confesse acknowledge him to be the soueraign and highest good Dan. 4 32. incomparison of whom 〈◊〉 things are reputed as nothing being as drosse drauery and nothing to be desired with him as Christ saith Why callest thou me good Math. 19 17 there is none good but one euen God If we equall ought with him or preferre any thing in heauen or earth before him wee are ignorant of him and know him not Secondly it behoueth vs to depend vpon him and to put our whole trust in him alone not in any man or Angell for then we make flesh our strength and so leane vpon a broken staffe that cannot stay vs but will deceiue vs. Thirdly wee must draw neere vnto him in time of need as to the fountaine of all goodnesse with all reuerence and humility crauing all things of him by hearty and feruent prayer If we call vpon him hee hath promised to reueale himselfe vnto vs. Fourthly we must giue him thankes for all blessings receiued from him not only in prosperity but in aduersity Now wee shall shew our selues thanâ—full vnto him by dooing that which he commandeth by auoyding that which he forbiddeth by praising and aduancing his name for all his works whether they be works of his mercy or whether they be works of his iustice in correcting of his Children and in punishing his enemies Fiftly we must seeke the knowledge of his waies word and increase in the knowledge thereof which bringeth vs to eternall life As we grow forward in knowledge so wee grow forward vnto life and when our knowledge shall be perfected then our life shal be perfected in the next world Now if eternall life consist in this knowledge doubtlesse death is to be found in the ignorance of God The Apostle ioyneth these two as companions together ignorance and death They haue their vnderstanding darkned Ephes 4 38. heere is the ignorance of God are strangers from the life of God here is death For the priuation or want of the life of God is eternal death Wherfore whosoeuer desireth to liue the life of God must auoid ignorance which is the forerunner cause of death And what is the darknesse of ignorance as it were a mist before our eies but the beginning of vtter darknesse in the pit of destruction where shall be weeping gnashing of teeth Hence it is that Christ saith Iohn 10 When he hath sent foorth his owne sheepe Iohn 10.4.5 hee goeth before them and the sheepe follow him for they know his voyce and they will not follow a stranger but they flie from him for they know not the voyce of strangers If then we would approoue our selues to be the sheepe of Christ wee must haue this eare-mark we must know his voice we must heare his word wee must partake his Sacraments otherwise we shall be Goats not Sheepe Many there are that would bee accounted Sheepe but they want this badge cognizance they are not hearers but contemners of his word they follow not Christ Iesus the Shepheard but flye from him they know not his voyce they are not acquainted with his call but they thinke themselues in the best case when they are farthest off from the hearing of it The Lord calleth vs by his worde the preaching of the Gospell is his voice if we regard it not woe be vnto vs we exclude our selues from his Sheep-fold and renounce our beeing in the number of his Sheepe Lastly we must yeeld all obedience vnto him and his word For as all his Sheep are hearing Sheepe and none of them deafe dull eared so are all obedient Sheepe They haue their eares opened which maketh them hearers and they haue them bored to their heart which maketh them obedient and to offer vp themselues as a sacrifice well pleasing vnto God But all our hearing shall hinder vs and serue to further and increase our condemnation vnlesse we ioyne vnto it a carefull obedience according to the doctrine of the Apostle Be ye doers of the word and not hearers onely Iam. 1.22 deceiuing your owne selues If these things be found in vs then we know God aright then we may be assured wee shall be knowne by him and not denied of him This is that vse which Christ himselfe toucheth Iohn 10. I am the good Shepheard and know mine and am knowne of mine Where we see that the consideration of Gods acknowledging vs to bee his should bee a forcible meanes to make vs endeuour to know him For who are wee that he should know vs Yea what is man that he should be mindfull of him or the son of man that he should consider him Wee are dust and asâ—es rottennesse and corruption yea lighter then vanity no better then enemies to him and the heires of wrath as well as others Seeing therefore the bountifulnesse and loue of God toward vs hath appeared so that of his mercy not our merits hee hath saued vs by â—he wash ng of the new birth Titus 3.5 and the renewing of the holy Ghost let vs passe our pilgrimage heere in feare and aboue all things let vs labor to know him in his owne ordinances and to seâ—kâ— the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse that in the end of our dayes we may be knowne of him to his glory and our endlesse comfort in Christ Iesus our blessed Lord and Sauiour Verse 17. Then Moses and Aaron tooke these men which are expressed by their names 18. And they called all the Congregation together in the first day of the second Month who declared the r kindreds by their families and by the houses of their Fathers according to the number of their names from twenty yeare and aboue man by man 19. As the Lord had commanded Moses so he numbred them in the wildernesse of Sanai HItherto we haue heard and handled the Commandement of God The obedieÌ„ce of Moses and Aaron requiring Moses and Aaron to number the people now followeth their obedience without any delaying or deferring the matter It is meete that the seruants obey the commandement of their Maister and that subiects perfourme the decrees of their Princes Hence it is that Moses taking to him Aaron and the heads of the Tribes do addresse themselues to take a suruay of the people discharging their duty with all diligence He doth not
heere as afterward in this Booke ch 20. where he obeyeth with doubting but he executeth the charge laide vpon him with readinesse and willingnesse This obedience of Moses and Aaron is set downe first generally then particularly Generally in these words particularly in the verses following Heere a question may be demanded Obiection whether it were lawfull for them to number the people Wee reade in the holy Historie 2 Samuel 24 that Dauid was sharply reprooued and seuerely punished because hee did number them yet Moses numbereth them in this place and is approoued and iustifiedâ— Some thinke Answer that Dauid is reproued not simply for numbring the people but because he would haue all numbred and not onely from 20 yeare old and aboue But this was not the true cause of Dauids offence and of Gods iudgement in as much as it is very euident out of the words of the Text and circumstances of the place that such only were numbred as were strong men and able to draw out their swords 2 Sam. 24.9 Others make this the reason because the Lord promised to multiply the seede of Abraham as the starres of Heauen which are innumerable and as the sand on the Sea Shore which cannot bee tolde Oleast in Exod. and therefore he was angry sore displeased wheÌ„ they were numbred as if it were a calling of his promise into question But if this reason were good and to bee granted it would follow that they could neuer be numbred without sin Neither was this the cause of Gods anger as others imagine Simâ—â—r in Exod because after his numbring of them hee caused not the tribute to be paid that God had appointed Exod. 30.12 for Moses did not alway enioyne any such polle-mony to be paid whensoeuer he nuÌ„bred their persons and besides the punnishment should be inflicted vpon Dauid not for numbring the people but for want of paiment The true causes why Moses is commended Differences between Moses and Dauid in numbering the people Dauid condemned for their numbring of Israel are these First Moses was inioyned vnto it had the expresse commandement of God to direct and warrant him but Dauid was not commaÌ„ded of God he was stirred vp of Sathan who tempted him to this euill in setting before his eies 1 Chron. 21 1 his glory and excellency his power victories Aug. quaest 134 in Exod. This is one difference Secondly it was lawfull to number the people when anie publique collection or contribution was to bee made of tribute or subsidy for vnlesse an exact account were taken some should be omitted others ouerburthened and iniustice committed This maketh it lawful for Princes to number their people muster them by hundreds or thousands albeit they haue no special warrant or particular commissioÌ„ from God Thus did Dauid in another place and at another time number them without sin 2 Sam. 18 1. Againe when any Army is to be gathered forces to be leuied it is necessarie the people should be assembled and mustered that fit choise may bee made of such as are to goe to battell as Dauid did number them without sinne 2 Sam. 18 1. when hee sent an armie against Absolon but in this place hee did not intend any of these ends either that Tribute should be gathered or that souldiers should be mustered and therefore the warrant of his worke was not answerable to the calling of Moses Thirdly as they were stirred vp by diuers causes so they respected diuers ends Dauid propounded to himselfe an euill end hee did it to set forth his owne glorie to reioyce in himselfe to put his whole affiance and confidence in the multitude of his men and therefore his pride and presumption his haughtinesse and ambition his rashnesse and vnthankefulnesse were punished of GOD. Thus we see how one and the same thing is praised in one and reprooued in another because howsoeuer the deede were one yet the cause was not one from whence it proceeded neither were the ends one whereunto it was referred Verses 17.18.19 Moses Aaron tooke these men c And as the Lord commaunded Moses so he numbred them Heere we haue an example of the obedience of Moses Aaron who lingred not the time to discharge the dutie that God had laide vpon them This example offereth vnto vs this instruction that it Doctrine 3 is required of all Gods seruants t is our dutie to obey Gods coâ—mandements to performe obedience to Gods commandements Whensoeuer God speaketh vnto vs wee must heare and obey his voyce Noah receiued a Commandement from God to builde the Arke Genes 6 ver 13. Whereby hee and his houshold might be saued many hindrances might haue stayed him and sundry inconueniences might haue stopped him and infinite dangers might haue terrified him from that enterprize the greatnesse of the Arke the labour of the building the continuance of the worke the tants of the wicked and an hundred such like troubles stood in his way all which he did ouerstride as the Apostle witnesseth Heb. 11 7. By Faith Noah beeing warned of GOD of the things which were as yet not seene mooued with reuerence prepared the Arke to the sauing of his Houshold through the which Arke hee condemned the world and was made heire of the righteousnesse which is by faith In like manner Gen. 12 4. Heb 11 8. Abraham receiued an expresse commandement to go out of his Country and from his Kindred and Fathers house and he also by Faith when hee was called obeyed to go into a place which he should afterwarde receiue for inheritance and he went out not knowing whither hee went So when God charged him to circumcise himselfe his sonne and all his houshold hee did not delay the time Gen. 17 23. 22 1 2 3. Heb. 11 17. 18 19. but did it the same day and when hee commanded him to take his sonne his onely son euen Isaac whom he loued the sonne of promise through whom all Nations should bee blessed By Faith hee offered vp Isaac when hee was tryed for he considered that God was able to raise him vp euen from the dead from whence he receiued him also after a sort When God called Samuel and determined to reueale vnto him the destruction of Elies house and the calamitie that hanged ouer all Israel hee saide vnto him to testifie the willingnesse of his heart to obey Speake Lord 1 Sam. 3 9 10 for thy Seruant heareth This the Prophet Dauid witnesseth Psal 27 8. When thou sayedst Seeke ye my face mine heart answered thee O Lord I will seeke thy face Luke 5 4 5. When Christ commanded Peter to launch out into the deepe and to let out their Nets to make a draught Simon answered and saide vnto him Master we haue trauailed sore all night and haue taken nothing neuerthelesse at thy word I wil let down the net The examples are infinite and endlesse that might bee