his Sonnes sake giue it vs. Againe you may note here how Moses doubleth ouer and ouer in this Chapter the foulenesse of their fault calling it a great sinne a grieuous sinne c. so learning you not to extenuate faultes before God if you sue for mercie but to set them out in their true colours that mercie may the more appeare 4 Touching this Booke of life you must know it to be a figuratiue Spéech borrowed from the manners of men who vse Bookes and writings for their memorie and not conceiue that God hath or néedeth any such things It is therefore in sense as if Moses had said O Lord pardon them or depriue me of that saluation which is as sure before thee as if it were registred and written in a book Such borrowed speeches you haue more in Scriptures as you may remember In the Psalme you read of a Booke wherein Dauid saith Were all his members written which day by day were fashioned when as yet there were none of them In the Reuelation you read of bookes againe when he saith I sawe the dead both great and small stand before God and the Bookes were opened c. And for the Booke of life you read persons written in it of two sortes one as it seemed the other true indeed Of the first speaketh the Psalme Let them be wiped out of the Booke of the liuing and not be written among the righteous meaning wherein they séemed to be written or might perswade themselues they were written but indêed were not For then they could not be wiped out Of the later you read here and in other places Where though Moses speake of rasing out yet indéede there is no such matter being nothing but the eternall election of God which neuer can be altered This is more plaine in the words following when God answered Moses that Whosoeuer sinned against him he would put him out of the Booke meaning hee would make it appeare that he neuer was written in it For the house built vpon the Rocke can neuer fall They should deceiue the verie Elect if it were possible as if he should say but it is impossible Hee that commeth to mee I neuer cast away No man taketh my sheepe out of my hand and many such other places Lastly consider and note here how he biddeth Moses go on with his charge but for the people he wil visit them vers 34. And so the Lord plagued the people because they caused Aaron to make the Calfe which he made vers 35. It telleth Magistrates and Ministers that they may not desist from their dueties for the peoples frowardnes but indeuouring to their vttermost to reforme them they must go on though they perish and euen in them so perishing they shall be a sweet sauour to the Lord. That Aaron thus escaped among them if you thinke of it Answere your selfe The Lord knoweth whom to spare for their amendment and whom for a time to spare though he know they will neuer amend O how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past all finding out Grieuous and thrise grieuous is the sinne of Idolatrie that not for Moses his so earnest prayer may be fréed wholy from all further punishment though in part the Lord yéeldeth as vers 14. you saw God make it sinke where it is so much vsed by deceiued Romish Recusants CHAP. 33. 1 GReat was the sinne which this people had committed mentioned in the former Chapter and therefore the Lord whose mercie hath neither bottome nor measure not willing the death of any sinner much lesse of so many thousands but rather that by repentance pardon may be procured in this Chapter gratiously vseth the meanes that their hearts may smite them with true féeling of their fault and so they turne and be spared Their sinne I say was great and great sinnes are not so easily repented of as they ought to be Againe in sinnes of this kinde namely when they are coloured and couered ouer with a good intention by them to serue to GOD most hardly are men and women drawen to acknowledge an errour and mistaking Matters of the second Table committed against our neighbour we much better discerne than matters of the first Table concerning the worship of God For here we thinke wholy our meaning should be accepted which was to worship God be the thing we do eyther neuer so void of warrant in the word or neuer so contrarie to the word The meanes that God vseth here is by letting them know that he will be no more with thē as he hath beene nor trauell with them as he hath done Moses shall goe on with them to the land which God had promised to giue thē And to send his Angell to driue out the Canaanites But himself would not go for they were a stif-necked people lest he should consume thē in the way The Lord noteth a maner of repentāce namely to put away their costly rayment frō thē not that this is a necessarie part of Repentance alwaies but that at this time by this outward signe the Lord would haue them testifie that which is néedfull indéed the true remorse and sorrow of their harts And vpon the hearing of this fearefull newes that indéed the Lord would thus deale with them they cast from them accordingly their best attire and sorrowed for their fault 2 For further working of this sauing sorrow in them the Tabernacle wherein the Lord will conferre with his seruant Moses vntill the other now so much spoken of was readie is by the appointment of God to Moses pitched without the host farre of from the host that by this signe also it might be shewed how God was estranged from them for their sinne who earst so comfortably and so powerfully had shewed himselfe for them and amongst them All which things religiously considered manifest vnto our soules what a sweete God the Lord whom we serue is who thus séeketh his lost people euen a father ful of all pittie compassion that they may returne to him againe and haue that which so ill they haue deserued his fauour and loue for euer Will this God can you thinke in your conscience euer cast away the poore sinner that commeth in sorrow when he worketh thus to draw men to sorrow Féele and be comforted with it 3 And when Moses went out vnto the Tabernacle all the people rose vp now reuerencing him whom before they spake verie lightly of saying This Moses we know not what is become of him What caused this but that still he was in fauour with God and they out So so shall a sound and vpright heart to God euer in the end procure honor howsoeuer for a time contēpt may be shewed for God will honour them that honour him it is his Word and it shall neuer fayle That vnion that was betwixt God and his seruant Iohn Baptist when he was true to God and
Comfortable Notes Vpon the bookes of Exodus and Leuiticus as before vpon Genesis Gathered and laid downe still in this plaine manner for the good of them that cannot vse better helpes and yet are carefull to read the Scriptures and verie desirous to finde the comfort in them BY The Reuerend Father in God Geruase Babington Doctor of Diuinitie and Bishop of Worcester With a Table of the principall matters contained in this Booke PSAL. 1. Blessed is that man whose delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth exercise himselfe day and night AT LONDON ¶ Printed for Thomas Chard Anno Dom. 1604. * ⎠* Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 1. Strom Pag. 116. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. id est Si ambo verbum praedicant hic quidem scripto ille voce quomodo non sunt ambo admittendi qui effecerunt vt fides operetur per dilectionem c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. id est Praedicandi quidem scientia est quodammodo Angelica vtrouis modo iuuans seu per manum seu per linguam operetur quonlam qui seminat in spiritu de spiritu metet vitam aeternam Erasmus Praefat in Aug. Quia perspiciebat librorum vsum multò latius patere quà m vocis in hanc operam quicquid poterat temporis suffurabatur Clem Alex. Lib. 1. Strom. Pag. 127. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Neque honestus est ille cibi apparatus qui plura habet condimenta quam ea quae nutriunt nec est bellus vrbanusue orationis vsus qui auditores magis potest delectare quà m iuuare Clemens Alexandrinus in his first booke Strom. Pag. 116. If both preach the word this man by writing and that man by speaking why are not both to be approued which haue caused faith to worke by loue c. The knowledge of preaching is in a maner Angelicall whether it worketh by hand-writing or by tonguespeaking because he which soweth in the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting Erasmus in his Preface vpon Augustine Because he perceiued the vse of bookes to extend farther then the vse of speech he did withdraw what time he could to this employment Clemens Alexandrinus in his first booke Strom. Pag. 127. Neither is that prouision of meate allowable which is set forth with more sauces then which nourish neither is that vse of speech conuenient or seemely which may more delight then profit the hearers ¶ A Table setting downe Alphabetically the principall matters contayned in this booke of Exodus A. AAron how he was Moses his Prophet 81. his rod kept in the Arke 383. his calling 406. his apparell 408. the seuerall parts of his garments 409. his consecration 413. his yeelding to the people for an Idol 439. and making an Altar before it 441. Adamant in the Ephod mens gesses of it 411. Admonitions from God before he striketh 45. 124. 117. 125. 159. 160. Adulterie wilfully commited is made but a sleight matter by Papists 46. 47. Adoration of the Bread an ancient errour 423. Aduersitie 30. Affliction noted by the heate of the Sunne 208. it followeth Prosperitie 4. God seeth vs in it 36. and pitieth vs vnder it 72. when it is most extraordinarie it doth not shew that the partie is disliked of God 37. but in the midst thereof God regardeth and acknowledgeth 62. and helpeth in the end 210 for it shall haue an end 27. 65. 67. 92. 138. 305. and sometime it is turned to great ioy 20 171 172 242. in it we must be patient 74 167. and constant 226 227. and returne to the Lord. 70 72 75 112 278 384. for though there be diuersities of crosses 94 129. 224 291 333 yet all come to vs by Gods prouidence 112 116 210. the time when they shall begin and when they shall end is in his hand 110 and therefore in and vnder them we must â—aâ—rie his leasure 57 69 167 201 226. God sendeth to the wicked one crosse vpon the necke of another 121. and encreaseth his crosses where there is no amendmeÌ„t 89 91 92 115 159 163 181. euen to the godly one crosse succeedeth another to shew that this life is a warfare 277. to trievs 213 426. to discouer to vs and others our vnknowne weakenesse 238 261. to correct vs 5. to drawe vs to obedience 181. and to other ends 331. to traine vs vp in Gods schoole 290 by it we learne more good than by prosperitie 29 321. Alexander the great his reuerence to the high Priest 414 415. Allegories 398. Altar why there was but one and why of earth and why without steps 326. Altar of burnt-offering a figure of Christ 403. Altar of incense 427. Altar of brasse signified Christ his humiliation the golden Altar his exaltation 428. Altars in Poperie 326 403 404. Alteration 25. fine 29 30. Ambition 40 329. Answere must be readily made when God calleth 34. Antichrist 43 79 424. Angell a name giuen to Christ 31 32 216. Angels subiect to Christ 387 they are our seruants 388 we being in Christ are ioyned to their companie ibid. Anarchie 307 310. Anabaptists confuted touching warre 290. concerning magistracie 307 309. for refusing Ministers and the vse of the sacraments 407. for casting away meanes 240. Athiests 416 417. Antiochus called himselfe God 80. Appearing of God diuersly to diuers ends 32 33 it is to some fearefull to some comfortable 357 358. Apparell of Ministers 408. herein the orders of a Christian Church must be obeyed 412. The Arke was an outward signe of Gods presence 380. called by the name of God and by other names 381. a figure of Christ 382. Authoritie of the booke of Exodus 1. Authoritie in all superiors must be reuerenced 301. The Authors intent in writing this booke 28 90 289 299 332. B. Baptisme not euerie want but the contempt the 〈…〉 â—f damneth 60. not to be administred by women ibid. Names giuen at Baptisme 21. the wordes of the institution paraphrased 384. Banishment for good causes not to be ashamed of 27. Baites to allure the wicked to destruction 210 211. Backeparts of God 454. Beautie ioyned with pietie a great blessing 16 17. Beare-baytings c on the Sabboth 269. Beades 427. Beasts are cared for by God 336. Bed we must remember God and pray to him when we goe to bed 176 177 128 428. Beginnings of repentance are hard 66. Beginnings of errour are to be stayd 441. Beginnings of the yeere was diuersly taken 184 185. Bels about the Priests garment signified that a Minister should not be dumbe 412. Bible 155. Bispop vniuersall 133. Bispops in Popery why buried in their robes 421. Birth not to bee regarded so much as Gods graces 463. Blessing of God 272. Bitter waters 235. Blood of Christ 189 416. Booke of Creation 154. Booke of life 447. A Booke that hath but two leaues White Red 164. Borrowed things must be restored 179. Boasting of the wicked against the godly 233. Bribes 352 353. Bread
being in darknes as in prison or else where for by experience it is so found often Euen so by long custome of walking liuing in the outward workes of darknes groweth a strong and thicke inward darknes in the heart of man and woman Proofe héereof Ahab Manasses Herod Iudas and such like too many also in our daies who hauing long vsed Swearing Lying Uncleanenes c are growne so blinde in them that they neither will leaue them neither be perswaded they tend so to their destruction as they doo These blinde creatures shrinke to heare of this Egyptian darknes and yet their owne tenne thousand times worse they neuer shake at Let it make vs remember the words of wise Sirach A man that is accustomed to opprobrious words will neuer be reformed all the daies of his life Why because Custome of sinning taketh away the sense of sinning and long aboade in darknes maketh starke blinde Accustome not thy mouth therefore saith he to swearing neither take vp for a Custome the naming of the Holy one Where still marke the word Custome Custome and sée what a strong destroyer it is of the sight the inward sight light I meane of our hearts and mindes Fourthly ouermuch heate may hurt the bodily eyes as we all know the hotedung did Toby his eyes Euen so ouer hote desires of gaine hurteth the inward light as we knowe both by that which hath béene saide touching the world and by that which S. Paule saith that they which will be rich fall into temptations and snares and into manie foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction For the desire of money is the roote of all euill which while some lusted after they erred from the Faith and pearced themselues through with many sorrowes They that will be rich I say againe I pray you mark the Apostles words that is they which haue resolued with themselues set their hearts vpon it and concluded it that by hab or nab by one way or other whatsoeuer it cost them they will be rich and haue the wealth they possiblie can attaine to These these men with this Will this resolued and setled Will fall into temptations and so forth For this is a kinde of pestilent heate within which as powerfully thrusteth out the inward eye light of the minde as euer any outward heate did the eye of the body And then the inward eye being out nothing but darknes is there so a falling into all dangerous Courses that may leade to destruction and perdition Then vsurie is no sinne no not vsurie vpon vsurie oppression and deceite be no sinnes stealth and robberie if it may be any way coloured is wisedome and well yea murther and blood bite not But is the Lord of Heauen pleased with this sinfull Will to be rich and with these exorbitant wayes or is this heate a pleasing heate vnto him because hee is slowe to wrath and vengeance no no and that shall the end declare both vpon the wealth and the house that this dealing is in appointed time In the meane while we are taught by this place to Timothy to beware of such a Will and of such an inward heate as causeth such inward blindnes Soone enough if well enough say we euer and for these transitorie things as wee brought them not into the world so shall we not carie them out of the world Balaam Gehesi Iudas and such like preach vnto vs to beware of goods euill gotten A darknes then you sée there is within as well as without and the more dangerous farre is the inward because it hideth from vs things of greater consequence than doth the outward Not to sée credenda agenda cauenda things to be beleeued things to be performed and things to be auoyded is a horrible darknes Caine sawe not the first and Salomons foolish young-man led as an Oxe to the slaughter and as a foole to the stockes sawe neither the second nor the third Wherefore the Lord in great mercie hath euer béene carefull to furnish vs with meanes and helpes against it First he created vs as hath béene shewed with light and knowledge most excellent he prouided a great Booke euen the Booke of the World created by him wherein the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power God-head might be seene much excellent knowledge might be had And this Booke remaineth still if wee will reade in it an enemie to darknes Of which Booke Clemens Alexandrinus spake when he said Creatio mundi Scriptura Dei The Creation of the world is Gods Writing Also that Antonie mentioned in the Storie vnto whom a Phylosopher comming and asking him what he did without Bookes he answered O Philosophe meus codex est Natura creaturarum qui adest cum voluero verbaque mihi relegit Dei O Philosopher mȳ Booke is the Nature of all creatures which Booke is euer present with me when I will and deliuereth to me the words of God Héere wee sée the most admirable quantitie of the Sunne and Starres héere we reade the varietie the qualities the motion and the continuance in order appointed of all Creatures in Heauen in Earth and in the Sea so as no man can be either wearie of reading or reade without great profit in this Booke Neuerthelesse the Lord hath not héere left vs but as vnto the Starre manifesting the birth of his Sonne he pleased to add the Scriptures also which witnessed more particularly time place c so hee hath ouer and besides the Booke of the Creation giuen vs another more excellent by much to driue from our hearts this damnable darknes and to kéepe vs in light pleasing to himselfe and profitable vnto vs. Of this Booke farre better wee may vse Damihi Magistrum giue me the Maister than Cyprian could vse then of Tertullians workes For this Booke passeth All Bookes that euer were or shall be I meane the Booke of Gods holy Bible which Booke saith Hierome shall remaine with vs till wee be as the Angels in Heauen Goe we forward and consider how also to this Booke he hath added Prophets Apostles Euangelists Pastors and Doctors in all times to open and expound the same vnto vs that by all meanes wee might be enducd with light loue light liue in light and die in light Add againe the appointing of the Sabaoth day wherein men shonld rest from their labours and hearken to this Booke together with the many precepts giuen to heare to reade to search to know and vnderstand not to be as children perceauing nothing Thinke with your selfe often how the little Infant groweth to strength able to go by it selfe is it not by sucking and plucking his Mothers breasts euen so doth the Childe of God grow to strength of grace and from grace to grace by hanging continually vpon these two Breasts the olde and new Testament And as all men differ from brute Beasts
affliction fitting vs to Gods Kingdome and the Lawe teaching vs what to doo and what to flie Consider of these Marginall Quotations by your selfe and add the like vnto them And touching these bitter waters marke howe they are a meanes to discouer the hidden bitternes which lay in the hearts of these Murmurers and thinke with your selfe that euen so doth bitter aduersitie in many men and women at this day disclose secrets and shewe them to haue weakenes before not knowne or thought of Secondly Note howe in trauelling to the Land of Canaan wee must assuredly passe by Marah and there wee must make a pitching place for a time till it shall please God to graunt a Remoue Bitter bitter and very bitter will the waters prooue but murmure we not as these men did for hee that was so gracious as to make them sweete to such Repiners what will he doo in his good time to vs if we patiently abide his will surely he will much more respect vs and euen boast of our patience to our eternall good as he did of his seruant Iobs righteousnes But now for the tree some aske whether there were any such vertue in it by Nature to swéeten waters and if there were what néede God had to vse any such meanes séeing with his onely word hee could haue helped them for answere whereunto it may first be saide concerning the first that the Lord hath giuen most excellent vertues to his creatures beastes hearbes plants stones trées and such like thereby to shewe his mightie power wisedome and mercie As for beasts their blood their flesh their fat c what vertues are in them for hearbs some comfort and helpe the braine some the eyes some the liuer some the heart some one part some another with most rare and souereigne qualities giuen them of GOD for this end The consideration whereof hath greatly delighted many worthy persons and caused them both to speake and write of them with great pleasure Methridates that great King of Pontus and of one and twentie Kingdomes more for his wonderfull skill in hearbes and his souereigne remedie against poyson and contagious diseases called after his name Methridate is become in all Bookes and Monuments of learning renowned and famous Lysimachus Eupator King of Ilyricum is said to haue béene most skilfull in hearbs Artemisia the wife of Mausolus King of Caria was an excellent Lady for knowledge in hearbes Marcus Valerius Coruinus a worthie Romane was so delighted with the studie of hearbs that he withdrewe himselfe into the Countrie where he might wholely as it were dwell in his Garden But what speake I of these since we all knowe what is written of Salomon namely how he wrote of all Trees from the Cedar which is in Libanon vnto the Hyssop which springeth out of the wall that is from the highest to the lowest hee wrote of plants and hearbes besides of beasts fowles creeping things and fishes worthie Bookes no doubt if it had pleased God to let them continue to this day The strange vertues of precious stones diuers likewise haue written whom both with pleasure and profit we may reade Concerning all which happie qualities vouchsafed to these Creatures and euen particularly of this wood we now speake of remember with your selfe that Notable Testimonie of Iesus the sonne of Syrach in his Booke The Lord saith he hath created medicines of the earth and he that is wise will not abhorre them Was not the water made sweete with wood that men might knowe the vertue thereof So he hath giuen men knowledge that he might be glorified in his wondrous works With such doth he heale men taketh away their paines Of such doeth the Apothecarie make a confection c. Such vertue therefore was in the wood giuen to it by God who is the God of Nature and giueth all these things To the second why God should vse such meanes being able with his word to swéeten them true Answere may bee made that although God be able to doo all things by himselfe yet chooseth hee often to worke by meanes and that for our good As first that so he might teach vs his Souereigne power ouer all Creatures vsing them at his pleasure when and how he shall best like and draw vs to the true reuerence worship of him as Creator Ruler Lord and Gouernour of all the creatures Secondly that hee might manifest by this meanes his loue and goodnes to vs much more when he maketh all his creatures serue to our health comfort and good and so drawe and stir vs vp to true thankfulnes vnto him for it Thirdly that he might teach vs thus not to abuse those his creatures which with so excellent vertues and qualities are created for vs to doo vs good Fourthly that we might learne by this meanes not to contemne second Causes and meanes by abusing through a vaine presumption the holy Doctrine of his prouidence For when God himselfe is pleased to vse these instrumentes who are wee that wee shoulde reiect them and if we doo what doo we contemne and reiect but his Ordinance Lewd and wicked therefore are the Anabaptists who as of the soule so of the body cast away the meanes of health and yet say they desire the health of both S. Augustines words I cannot passe ouer fit for them and fit for vs in this matter in his whole 29. Chapter of the 7. Booke of the Citie of GOD shewing howe God vseth second causes in the gouernment of the world because he hath created them to that purpose Yet euer he doth not tie himself to these things but sometimes without them and euen contrarie to them hee worketh his will also that thereby wee might learne his vsing of them to be without néede séeing hee can worke without them if he please Secondly that when hee vseth them it is he that worketh by them and not they without him as he giueth light in the Sun he féedeth vs in our meate c. For if without them it be he much more in them and by them it is he Thirdly that wee might sée how many waies he is able to helpe vs when any thing is wanting vnto vs which is néedefull And this we may well thinke was the cause héere why it pleased GOD to shewe this Tree that they might be ashamed of their impatiencie and mistrust neuer more so sinning againe séeing by one meanes or other there is with him euer so readie easie helpe Yea this is the cause also why euen contrary to Nature he worketh often that neither to Nature we should tie him despairing of health wealth or liberty when we sée no means or meanes in reason working to the contrary forasmuch as he is stall about all and can with meanes without meanes agréeably to Nature contrary to Nature giue his Name praise and his children comfort in a moment Profit wee therefore thus by this Tree shewed to Moses in
such Incense as this in the lawe was and that also shadowed that no creature is to be prayed vnto but this honor reserued only to God Euery Morning and Euening this Incense was offered vp that so might bee shadowed the continuall vse and exercise of prayer both when wee rise and when wee goe to rest The Apostle therefore commandeth true CHRISTIANS to pray continually Thinke with your selfe I pray you as you reade this Note what fearefull negligence is in this behalfe and for your owne part neuer be guilty in it but let the Lord smell your swéete odours Morning and Euening at least sent vp to him which many wayes he assureth you are to him acceptable and to your selfe most profitable Last of all Note it that this Altar of inceÌ„se was once in a yeere sprinkled with the blood of the expiatorie sacrifice to signifie so that no prayer auaileth any thing with God vnlesse he or she that prayeth be reconciled to God in the blood of his Sonne Iesus Christ the true sacrifice of reconciliation So haue you this figure of the lawe euery way leading your prayers to God only in the Name and mediation of his Sonne Christ and all other waies and meanes condemned which if you be the Lords shall so sinke in your hart as all the Inchanters of Egypt shal not remooue you from yemaner of praying You may follow the meditatioÌ„ further if you please 3 Afterward the Lord spake vnto Moses saying when thou takest the summe of the children of Israel after their number then they shall giue euery man a redemption of his life c. Unto the seuenteenth verse This is the second part or point of this Chapter concerning a Tribute raised vpon the people of Israell toward the maintetenance of the Tabernacle and what belonged thereunto and diuers things wee may obserue in it First that to number people in a Land is lawfull And if you thinke of Dauid why he was plagued for so dooing surely it was not for that he numbred the people but because he did it in a pride and confidence in mans strength which indéede is very odious before God all victory and prosperitie resting in the helpe of God and not in man or horse or any humane meanes These are things men may vse not trusting in them but in the Lord but to slip from the Lord in any measure or degrée to a confidence and vaine hope in these is most sinfull The Hebrewes say Dauid offeÌ„ded because he numbred the people and tooke not this Tribute here spoken of according to the lawe But the former opinion is more like Among the Romanes we read one Seruius â—ullus first ordained this mustering or numbering of the people that so he might know the number of able men for the warres the worth of them in worldly estate and so impose a Tribute accordingly with other such ends and vses But here neither wealth nor other such ends were respected rather obedience was aimed at and that they should professe themselues thus Gods people him their King and themselues his tributaries and so be strongly comforted euer in his protection and defence of them whose power no worldly Princes could match It was also a redemption of their liues or a matter expiatorie to them that there should be no plague among them when they were numbred How often this was is not mentioned whether euery yeare or euerie fiue yeare as it was in Rome How Moses numbred you may reade in the Booke of Numbers at large From tweÌ„ty yeares olde and vpward they were numbred and what they gaue you reade in the Text. That the poore payde as much as the rich and the rich no more than the poore it is worthy noting It was a personall tribute imposed to testifie obedience to God and therefore equally was payde to signifie that God is no respecter of persons but the poore are as déere and acceptable vnto him dooing his will as the rich we are all wholly the Lords the price of our redemption is one the precious blood of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus In worldly matters the rich may go before vs but in matters belonging vnto God his seruice and worship we ought to be as forward as the rich c. Againe here may you thinke what an acceptable thing to God it is to preserue the Ministerie to giue to the Church on the contrary side how odious to spoile the Ministery to take from the Church what men women of better harts than we haue gaue to the Church You sée how this was not posted ouer to Princes and great men only but euen priuate men also must ioyne in this For if he be borne to inherite Heauen he must thinke himselfe borne to maintaine the meanes that leade vs vnto Heauen Our shéepe and cattle we prouide for because they labour for vs and féede vs what hearts then should wée haue to sée them comfortably maintained that labour for vs in a far higher sort féede vs with a much better foode They draw body and soule out of the pit of death and leade them both to eternall comfort Of this tribute againe was the question mooued in Christ his time For the Romanes hauing conquered tooke this tribute to themselues which was here appointed for God and this offended much the Iews but Christ knowing these legall types were ended by his comming bad them giue Caesar that which was his God that which was his Himself also paying for himself Peter 4 This Lauer spoken of in the next place wherein the Priestes washed their hands and feet when they went to performe their office plainly resembled how with vnwashen hands we ought not to medle with holy things that is with prophane hearts tongues or mindes as they doo that reade the Scriptures not to guide their liues but to maintaine table-discourses with vnholy tongs speake most vnholy and false things drawing the Scriptures to their iudgments not framing their iudgments according to the Scripture The Pharisies were great washers of the out-side and still left the in-side very foule Such washers still the world is full of But as Christ rebuked that superstitious folly in them so hee will iudge sharpely this hypocriticall mockery in vs. These washings againe in the law had a â—urther reach béeing vsed in Faith euen vnto the inward washing of the spirit whereof they were true Sacraments to the beléeuers So you sée by Dauid in his Psalme Wash me O Lord and I shall be cleane that is inwardly inwardly O Lord by thy blessed Spirit from my foule transgression and fall So you may sée by the Prophet Esay 1. 16. 17. Wash you make you cleane how it followeth take you away the euill works from before mine eyes cease to doo euill Learne to doo well seeke iudgment relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the Widow This washing was shadowed by the other and wrought by Gods holy
in this matter The third part 1 THen Moses prayed and said O Lord c. Heere héere then sée A faithful Magistrate A faithfull Minister A true Shepeheard ouer his people coÌ„mitted to him of God Who knoweth what iudgements godly Gouernours turne away by their earnest intercession to God for their people We sée this place we read what Hester did and the mercie of God is plaine for their sakes It should worke in vs all loue and obedience and dutie to them and make vs day and night pray for the continuance of them Treasons and treacheries raylings and reuilings slaunders and defamations wrongs and iniuries any way are not fit requitals of such good receiued by them and for them This prayer of Moses if you marke it is most vehement as comming from a mooued heart and vseth vehement and vrging arguments vnto God As first of his fauour all waies extended to them vers 11. Secondly of his glorie which would be obscured by the Aâ—gyptians lewd speaches if he destroyed them ver 12. Thirdly of his promises made vnto their fathers Abraham Isaac and Israel the trueth whereof might not be violated vers 13. with which the Lord moued in mercie stayeth as you see Such Reasons serue euen at this day and may be vsed to the Lord in our prayers Hee hath béene good to vs infinite waies and we may intreat him by these passed fauours to vouchsafe future and to stay his wrath which we haue deserued Nothing more commonâ—with Dauid in euerie Psalme if you marke it Againe euen by our punishment the enemie will be proud and speake euill they will call both himselfe and his truth into question and ecclipse his glorie to the vttermost His promises also we haue most richly and therefore in all these respects we may craue pardon and doing of it heartely with true repentance and purpose to amend he is the same God still and we shall finde fauour 2 Upon this earnest praier the Lord saith the text v. 14. changed his minde from the euill which he threatned to doe vnto his people with which comfort Moses came away and drawing neere the host he first heard the noyce of singing vers 18. for they were making merrie about their new God then comming nearer he saw the Calfe and the dancing vers 19. But then although he were the meekest man in the world yet his wrath waxed hote and he cast the Tables out of his hands and brake them in peeces beneath the mountaine Which breaking of the first Tables allegorically shewed that the law of God lighting vpon our vnregenerated nature is brokeÌ„ as it were and by the meanes of our inabilitie cannot iustifie vs. But the second written tables are put in the Arke that is when God by his Spirit worketh in vs we are regenerated and the law is obeyed of vs though not fully yet in measure this imperfect obedience is made perfect by Christ Aug. Magno etiam mysteris figurata est iteratio Testamenti noui qucniam vetus erat abolendum constituendum nouum Quaest 144. By a great mysterie the abrogating of the olde Testament by the comming of the new was figured But vnderstand Augustine rightly Then he tooke the Calfe which they had made and burned it in the fire and ground it to powder and strowed it vpon the water and made the children of Israel drinke of it vers 20. Partly to despight them and partly that they should haue no occasion to remember it After he rebuked Aaron vers 21. And if Aaron now elect High priest a Figure of Christ be so sharply rebuked of Moses surely great men must be reprooued and it is a cursed doctrine that though the Pope should carrie thousands of soules to hell yet no man may say Sir why do you thus Secondly in matters concerning the glorie of God we must rebuke euen our néere ones as others no place for affection After that he called for such as would reuenge this wrong done to the Lord vers 26. and the sonnes of Leui gathering to him he bad euerie man put his sword by his side goe to and fro from gate to gate through the host slay euerie man his brother euerie man his companioÌ„ euerie man his neighbour vers 27. so that there fell of the people the same day about three thousand men vers 28. This was the zeale of his heart to the glorie of God it must be a glasse for vs to look in whilst we liue in this world The Lord hath placed the commaundements in the Decalogue the petitions in the Lords prayer which concern his honor before those which coÌ„cerne our selues to teach vs that we ought to prefer his glorie before all worldly things yea euen life it selfe if they come in Question together Thus did Shadrach Meshach and Abednego thus did Daniel when he he opened his window and made his prayer to God notwithstanding that cruell law thus did the Mother and her seuen sonnes in the Machabees thus did Elias Phinees Dauid and others Thus did not olde Heli and therefore the Lord smote him Mine eyes gush out with teares saith the holy Prophet because men keepe not thy law And doe not I hate them that hate thee and am grieued with them that rise against thee Yea I hate them right sore euen as though they were mine enemies He that loueth Father or mother more than mee is not worthie of mee And he that loueth Sonne or Daughter more than mee is not worthie of mee c. 3 And when the Morning came Moses said vnto the people yee haue committed a grieuous crime but now I will goe vp to the Lord if I may pacifie him for your sinne Moses therefore went againe vnto the Lord and said Oh this people haue sinned a great sinne and haue made them gods of Gold Therefore now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercie shall appeare but if thou wilt not I pray thee rase me out of the booke which thou hast written When Moses had fought on Gods part with the sword now he striueth for the people with his prayer so both true to God in a holy zeale and carefull of his people in the bowels of loue was this holy man this faithfull Gouernour and leader of this multitude Anotable example for all Magistrates and all Ministers euer to follow But heere is more than I said in the former Note For here is a preferring of Gods Glorie before euen life and comfort eternall which is farre more than this temporall life and all the ioyes of it So shall you sée in Saint Paule to the Romanes and what a measure of Gods holy Spirit it was consider you Farre are we from this that preferre euerie small profit and pleasure before this glorie of God and yet say we hope to be saued as well as they A true féeling of our owne iniquitie herein may much amend vs hereafter and God for