some Clients after him It hath bin euer a dangerous policy of Satan To assault the best hee knowes that the multitude as we say of Bees wil follow their maister Nothing can bee more pleasing to the vulgar sort then to heare their gouernours taxed and themselues flattered All the Congregation is holy Euery one of them Wherefore lift yee vp your selues Euery word is a falshood For Moses deiected himself Who am I GOD lifted him vp ouer Israel And so was Israel holy as Moses was ambitious What holinesse was there in so much infidelity feare Idolatry mutinie disobedience What could make them vncleane if this were holinesse They had scarce wip't their mouthes or washt their hands since their last obstinacy and yet these pick-thanks say All Israell is holy I would neuer desire a better proofe of a false teacher then flattery True meaning neede not vphold it selfe by soothing There is nothing easier then to perswade men well of themselues when a mans self-loue meets with anothers flattery it is an hy praise that will not be belieued It was more out of opposition then beliefe that these men plead the holines of Israel Violent aduersaries to vphold a side will mainetaine those things they belieue not Moses argues not for himselfe but appeales to GOD neither speakes for his owne right but his brother Aarons He knew that Gods immediate seruice vvas woorthy to bee more precious then his gouernment That his Princedome serued but to the glory of his Maister Good Magistrates are more tender ouer Gods honour then their owne and are more sensible of the wrongs offred to religion then to themselues It is safest to trust God with his owne causes If Aaron had beene chosen by Israel Moses would haue sheltred him vnder their authoritie Now that GOD did immediatly appoint him his patronage is sought whose the election was We may easily fault in the menaging of diuine affaires and so our want of successe cannot want sin He knowes how to vse how to blesse his own meanes As there was a difference betwixt the people and Leuites so betwixt the Leuites and Priests The GOD of order loues to haue our degrees kept Whiles the Leuites would be looking vp to the Priests Moses sends downe their eyes to the people The way not to repine at those aboue vs is to looke at those below vs. There is no better remedy for ambition then to cast vp our former receyts and to compare them with our deseruings and to conferre our owne estate with inferiours So shall wee finde cause to be thankfull that wee are aboue any rather then of enuie that any is aboue vs. Moses hath chid the sonnes of Leui for mutining against Aaron and so much the more because they were of his own Tribe now hee sends for the Reubenites vvhich rose against himselfe They come not and their message is worse then their absence Moses is accused of iniustice crueltie falshood treacherie vsurpation and Egypt it selfe must bee commended rather then Moses shall vvant reproche Innocencie is no shelter from ill tongues Malice neuer regards hovv true any accusation is but hovv spightfull Now it was time for Moses to be angry They durst not haue been thus bold if they had not seen his mildnesse Lenity is ill bestowed vpon stubburne natures It is an iniurious senselesnesse not to feel the wounds of our reputation It well appeares he is angry when he prayes against them He was displeased before but when he was most bitter against them hee still pray'd for them but now hee bends his very prayers against them Looke not to their offering There can be no greater reuenge then the imprecation of the righteous There can bee no greater iudgement then Gods reiection of our seruices With vs men what more argues dislike of the person then the turning back of his present What will GOD accept from vs if not prayers The innocence of Moses calls for reuenge on his Aduersaries If hee had wronged them in his gouernment in vaine should hee haue looked to Gods hand for right Our sinnes exclude vs from Gods protection whereas vprightnesse challenges and findes his patronage An asse taken had made him vncapable of fauour Corrupt Gouernours lose the comfort of their owne brest and the tuition of God The same tongue that prayed against the Conspirators prayes for the people As lewd men thinke to carry it with number Corah had so farre preuailed that hee had drawne the multitude to his side GOD the auenger of treasons would haue consumed them all at once Moses and Aaron pray for their rebels Although they were vvoorthy of death and nothing but death could stoppe their mouthes yet their mercifull Leaders vvill not buy their owne peace with the losse of such enemies Oh rare and imitable mercy The people rise vp against their Gouernors Their Gouernours fall on their faces to God for the people So far are they from plotting reuenge that they will not indure God should reuenge for them Moses knew wel enough that all those Israelites must perish in the Wildernesse GOD had vow'd it for their former insurrection yet how earnestly doth hee sue to GOD not to consume them at once The very respite of euills is a fauour next to the remoueall Corah kindled the fire the two hundred and fiftie Captaines brought sticks to it All Israel warm'd thēselues by it onely the incendiaries perish Now doe the Israelites owe their life to them whose death they intended God Moses knowe to distinguish betwixt the heads of a faction the train though neither be faultless yet the one is plagued the other forgiuen Gods vengeance when it is at the hotest makes differēces of men Get you away from about the Tabernacles of Corah Euer before common iudgements there is a separation In the vniuersall iudgement of all the earth the Iudge himselfe will separate in these particular executions wee must separate our selues The societie of wicked men especially in their sinnes is mortally dangerous whiles wee will not be parted how can we complaine if we be enwrapped in their condemnation Our very company sins with them why should wee not smart with them also Moses had well hoped that when these rebels should see all the Israelites runne from them as from monsters and looking affrightedly vpon their Tents and should heare that fearfull proclaclamation of vengeance against them howsoeuer they did before set a face on their conspiracie yet now their hearts would haue misgiuen But loe these bold Traytors stand impudently staring in the doore of their tents as if they would out-face the reuenge of GOD As if Moses had neuer wrought miracle before them As if no one Israelite had euer bledde for rebelling Those that shall perish are blinded Pride and infidelity obdures the hart and makes euen cowards fearelesse So soone as the innocent are seuered the guilty perish the earth cleaues and swallowes vp the rebels This element was not vsed to such morsels
fauour Commonly those fruites which are soone ripe soone wither but these almonds of Aarons rod are not more early then lasting the same hand which brought them out before their time preserued them beyond their time and for perpetuall memory both rod and fruit must be kept in the Arke of God The tables of Moses the rod of Aaron the Manna of God are monumeÌ„ts fit for so holy a shrine The doctrine sacraments gouernmeÌ„t of Gods people are precious to him must be so to meÌ„ All times shall see wonder how his ancieÌ„t Church was fed taught ruled Moses his rod did great miracles yet I find it not in the Ark. The rod of Aaron hath this priuiledge because it caried the miracle stil in it selfe whereas the wonders of that other rod were passed Those monuments wold God haue continued in his church which cary in them the most manifest euidences of that which they import The same God which by many transient demonstrations had approued the calling of Aaron to Israel will now haue a permanent memoriall of their conviction that whensoeuer they should see this relique they should be ashamed of their presumption infidelity The name of Aaron vvas not more plainly written in that rod then the sinne of Israel was in the fruit of it and how much Israel findes their rebellion beaten with this rod appears in their present relenting complaint Behold we are dead wee perish God knowes how to pull downe the biggest stomach and can extort glory to his own Name from the most obstinate gainsayers The Brasen Serpent SEauen times alreadie hath Israel mutin'd against Moses and seauen times hath eyther been threatned or punished yet now they fal to it afresh As a teastie man findes occasion to chafe at euery trifle so this discontented people either finde or make all things troublesome One while they haue no water then bitter One while no God then one too many One while no bread then bread enough but too light One while they will not abide their Gouernours then they cannot abide their losse Aaron and Miriam were neuer so grudged aliue as they are bewailed dead Before they wanted onions garlike flesh-pots now they vvant figges vines pomgranats corne And as rabid children that cry for euery thing they can think of are whipped by their wise mother So God iustly serues these fond Israelites It was first their way that makes them repine They were faine to goe round about Idumea The iourney was long and troublesome They had sent intreaties to Edom for licence of passage the next way reasonably submislie It was churlishly deny'd them Esau liues still in his posteritie Iacob in Israel The combat which they began in Rebeccaes bellie is not yet ended Amalek vvhich was one limme of Esau followes them at the heels The Edomite which was another meets them in the face So long as there is a World there will bee opposition to the chosen of God They may come at their perill The way had beene neerer but bloodie they dare not goe it and yet complaine of length If they were afrayde to purchase their resting place vvith warre how much lesse would they their passage What should GOD doe with impatient men They will not goe the nearest way and yet complaine to goe about He that will passe to the promised Land must neither stande vppon length of way nor difficultie Euery way hath his inconueniences the nearest hath more danger the farthest hath more paine Either or both must be ouercome if euer wee will enter the rest of God Aaron and Miriam were now past the danger of their muâ—inyes for want of another match they ioyne GOD vvith Moses in their murmurings Tho they had not mentioned him they could not seuer him in their insurrection For in the causes of his own seruants he challenges euen when he is not challenged What will become of thee O Israel when thou makest thy Maker thine enemy Impatience is the cozen to Frensie this causes men not to care vpon whom they runne so they may breathe out some reuenge How oft haue we heard men that haue bin displeased by others teare the Name of their Maker in peeces Hee that will iudge and can confound is fetcht into the quarrell vvithout cause But if to striue with a mighty man be vnwise vnsafe what shall it be to striue with the mightie GOD As an angry childe casts away that which is giuen him because he hath not that he would so do these foolish Israelites their bread is light and their water vnsatisfying because their way displeased them Was euer people fed with such bread or water Twise hath the very Rock yielded them water and euery day the heauen affords them bread Did any one soule amongst them miscary either for hunger or thirst But no bread will downe with them saue that which the earth yeelds no water but from the naturall Wells or Riuers Vnlesse nature may be allowed to bee her owne caruer shee is neuer contented Manna had no fault but that it was too good and too frequent the pulse of Egypt had been fitter for these course mouthes This heauenly bread was vnspeakably delicious it tasted like wafers of hony and yet euen this Angels foode is contemned Hee that is full despiseth an Hony-comb How sweet and delicate is the Gospel Not only the Fathers of the old Testament but the Angels desired to looke into the glorious mysteries of it and yet wee are cloyed This supernaturall foode is too light the bread-corne of our humane reason and profound discourse would better content vs. Moses will not reuenge this wrong God will yet will he not deale with them himselfe but hee sends the fiery serpents to answer for him How fitly They had caried themselues like serpents to their gouernors how oft had they stung Moses and Aaron neare to death If the serpent bite when he is not charmed no better is a slaunderer Now these venomous Adders reuenge it vvhich are therefore called fiery because their poyson scalded to death God hath an hand in the annoyance and hurt of the basest creature how much less can the sting of an ill tongue or the malice of an ill spirit strike vs without him Whiles they were in Goshen the frogs lice caterpillers spared theÌ„ and plagued the Egyptians now they are rebellious in the desert the serpents finde theÌ„ out sting theÌ„ to death He that brought the quailes thither to feed theÌ„ fetches these Serpents thither to punish them While we are at warres with God we can looke for no peace with his creatures Euery thing reioyces to execute the vengeance of his Maker The stones of the field wil not be in league with vs while we are not in league with GOD. These men when the spies had tolde them newes of the giants of Canaan a little before had wished Would GOD we were dead in this Wildernesse Now GOD hath heard their praiers what with the plague
to reuenge this impietie because the sons of Aaron did it God had both pardoned graced their father he had honored thē of the thousands of Israel culling them out for his altar and now as their father set vp a false God so they bring false fire vnto the true God If the sonnes of Infidels liue godlesly they doe their kinde their punishment shall be though iust yet lesse but if the children of religious parents after all Christian nourture shall shame their Education GOD takes it more haynously and reuenges it more sharply The more bonds of duty the more plagues of neglect If from the agents we looke to the act it selfe set aside the originall descent vvhat difference vvas there betwixt these fyres Both lookt alike heated alike ascended alike consumed alike Both were fedde with the same materiall wood both vanished into smoake There was no difference but in the commandement of God If God had inioyned ordinary fyre they had sinned to look for celestiall now he commaunded onely the fire which hee sent they sinned in sending vp incense in that fire which he commaunded not It is a dangerous thing in the seruice of God to decline from his owne institutions vvee haue to do with a power which is wise to prescribe his own worship iust to require what he hath prescribed powerfull to reuenge that which he hath not required If God had strooke them with some leprosie in their forehead as he did their Aunt Miriam soon after or with some palsy or lingering consumption the punishment had been grieuous but he whose iudgments are euer iust sometimes secret saw fire the fittest reuenge for a sin of fire his owne fire fittest to punish strange fire A suddaine iudgement fitte for a present and exemplary sin Hee saw that if hee had winkt at this his seruice had been exposed to profanation It is wisedome in Gouernours to take sinne at the first bound and so to reuenge it that their punishments may bee preuentions Speed of death is not alwaies a iudgement suddennes as it is euer iustly suspicable so then certainely argues anger when it findes vs in an act of sin Leasure of repentance is an argument of fauour when God giues a man lawe it implyes that hee would not haue iudgement surprise him Doubtlesse Aaron lookt somewhat heauily on this sad spectacle It could not but appall him to see his two sonnes dead before him dead in displeasure dead suddenly dead by the immediat hand of God And now hee could repent him of his new honor to see it succeed so ill with the sonnes of his loines neither could he chuse but see himself striken in them But his brother Moses that had learned not to knowe either nephews or brother when they stood in his way to God wisely turned his eies from the dead carcasses of his sonnes to his respect of the liuing GOD My Brother this euent is fearefull but iust These vvere thy sonnes but they sinned it vvas not for GOD it is not for thee to looke so much who they were as what they did It was their honor and thine that they were chosen to minister before the Lord Hee that called them iustly required their sanctification and obedience If they haue profaned God and themselues can thy naturall affection so miscary thee that thou couldest wish their impunity with the blemish of thy Maker Our sons are not ours if they disobey our Father to pitty their misery is to partake of their sinne If thou grudge at their iudgement take heed least the same fyre of GOD come forth vpon this strange fyre of nature Showe now whether thou more louest GOD or thy sonnes Show whether thou be a better father or a sonne Aaron weighing these things holds his peace not out of an amazement or fullennesse but out of patient and humble submission and seeing Gods pleasure their desert is content to forget that he had sons He might haue had a silent tongue and a clamorous hart There is no voice lowder in the eares of GOD then a a speechless repining of the soule Heat is more intended with keeping in but Aarons silence was no lesse inward Hee knew how little hee should get by brauling with GOD. If hee breathed out discontentment hee saw GOD could speake fire to him againe And therefore he quietly submits to the will of God and held his peace because the Lord had done it There is no greater proofe of grace then to smart patiently humbly and contentedly to rest the hart in the iustice wisdome of Gods proceeding and to be so far from chiding that we dispute not Nature is froward and tho she well knowes wee meddle not with our match when wee striue with our Maker yet she pricks vs forward to this idle quarrell and bids vs with Iobs wife Curse and die If God either chide or smite as seruants are charged to their Maisters we may not answere againe when Gods hand is on our backe our hand must bee on our mouth else as mothers do their children God shall whippe vs so much the more for crying It is hard for a stander by in this case to distinguish betwixt hard-hartednes and pietie There Aaron sees his sons ly hee may neither put his hand to them to bury them nor shed a teare for theyr death Neuer parent can haue iuster cause of mourning then to see his sons dead in their sinne if prepared and penitent yet vvho can but sorrow for their end but to part with children to the danger of a second death is woorthy of more then teares Yet Aaron must learne so farre to denie nature that hee must more magnify the iustice of GOD then lament the iudgement Those vvhom GOD hath called to his immediat seruice must knowe that hee will not allow them the common passions and cares of others Nothing is more naturall then sorrow for the death of our owne if euer griefe bee seasonable it becoms a funerall And if Nadab Abihu had died in their beds this fauour had been allowed them the sorow of their father and brethren for when GOD forbids solemne mourning to his Priests ouer the dead he excepts the cases of this neerenesse of bloud Now all Israel may mourne for these two onely the father and brethren may not God is iealous least their sorow should seeme to countenance the sinne which he had punished euen the fearfullest acts of GOD must bee applauded by the heauiest hearts of the faithfull That which the father brother may not doe the cozens are commanded Dead carcasses are not for the presence of GOD His iustice was showne sufficiently in killing them They are now fit for the graue not the sanctuarie Neither are they carried out naked but in their coats It was an vnusuall sight for Israell to see a linnen Ephod vpon the beere The iudgement vvas so much more remarkable because they had the badge of their calling vpon their backs Nothing is either
what with the serpents many thousands of them dyed The ill wishes of our impatience are many times heard As those good things are not granted vs which we pray for without care so those euils which we pray for and would not haue are oft granted The eares of God are not onely open to the prayers of faith but to the imprecations of infidelity It is daungerous wishing euill to our selues or ours It is iust with GOD to take vs at our word and to effect that which our lippes speake against our heart Before God hath euer consulted with Moses and threatned ere he punisht now hee strikes and sayes nothing The anger is so much more by how much lesse notifyed When God is not heard before he is felt as in hewing of wood the blowe is not heard till the axe be seen to haue strooke it is a fearefull signe of displeasure It is with God as with vs men that still reuenges are euer most dangerous Till now all was well enough with Israel and yet they grudged Those that will complaine without a cause shall haue cause to complain for somthing Discontented humors seldome scape vnpunished but receiue that most iustly wherat they repined vniustly Now the people are glad to seeke to Moses vnbidden Euer heeretofore they haue beene wont to be sued too and intreated for without their owne intreaty Now their misery makes them importunate There neede no solicitor vvhere there is sense of smart It were pittie men should want affliction since it sends them to their prayers and confessions All the perswasiōs of Moses could not doe that which the serpents haue done for him O GOD thou seest how necessary it is wee should be stung sometimes else we should runne vvilde and neuer come to a sound humiliation vvee should neuer seeke thee if thy hand did not finde vs out They had spoken against God and Moses And now they humbly speake to Moses that hee would pray to GOD for them He that so oft prayd for them vnbidden cannot but much more doe it requested and now obtaines the meanes of their cure It was equally in the power of God to remoue the serpents and to heale their stinging To haue cured the Israelites by his word and by his signe But he findes it best for his people to exercise their faith that the serpents may bite and their bitings may inuenome and that this venome may indanger the Israelites and that they thus affected may seeke to him for remedy and seeking may find it from such means as should haue no power but in signification That while their bodies were cured by the signe their soules might be confirmed by the matter signified A serpent of brasse could no more heale then sting them What remedy could their eyes giue to their legs Or what could a serpent of cold brasse preuaile against a liuing and fiery serpent In this troublesome desert we are all stung by that fiery and old Serpent O Sauiour it is to thee we must looke and be cured It is thou that wert their paschall Lamb their Manna their Rock their Serpent To all purposes dost thou vary thy selfe to thy Church that wee may finde thee euery-where Thou art for our nourishment refreshing cure as hereafter so euen now all in all This serpent which was appointed for cure to Israell at last stings them to death by idolatrous abuse What poyson there is in Idolatry that makes euen Antitidotes deadly As Moses therefore raised this serpent so Ezekias pulld it down God commanded the raysing of it God approv'd the demolishing of it Superstitious vse can marre the very institutions of God how much more the most wise and wel-grounded deuises of men Balaam MOab and Midian hadde bin all this while standers by lookers on If they had not seene the patterne of their owne ruine in these neighbours it had neuer troubled them to see the Kings of the Amorites and Bashan to fall before Israell Had not the Israelites camped in the Plaines of Moab their victories had beene no eye-sore to Balac Wicked men neuer care to obserue Gods iudgements till themselues bee touched The fire of a neighbours house would not so affect vs if it were not with the danger of our owne Secure minds neuer startle till God come home to their very senses Balac and his Moabites had wit enough to feare not witte enough to preuent iudgement They see an enemy in their borders and yet take no right course for their safety Who would not haue looked that they should haue come to Israel vvith conditions of peace Or Why did they not thinke Either Israels GOD is stronger then ours or hee is not If he be not why are wee afraide of him If hee be Why doe we not serue him The same hand which giues them victory can giue vs protection Carnal men that are secure of the vengeance of God ere it doe come are mastered with it when it dooth come and not knowing which way to turn them run forth at the wrong doore The Midianites ioyne with the Moabites in consultation in action against Israel One would haue thought they should haue looked for fauour from Moses for Iethroes sake which was both a Prince of their Country and father in law to Moses and either now or not long before was with Israel in the Wildernesse Neither is it like but that Moses hauing found fortie yeeres harbour amongst them would haue beene what hee might inclinable to fauourable treaties with them but now they are so fast linked to Moab that they will either sinke or swimme together Intirenesse vvith vvicked consorts is one of the strongest chaynes of Hell and bindes vs to a participation both of sin and punishment An easie occasion wil knit wicked hearts together in conspiracy against the Church of God Their errand is diuelish Come curse Israel That which Satan could not doe by the swords of Og and Sehon he will now try to effect by the tongue of Balaam If either strength or policy would preuaile against Gods Church it could not stand And why should not we be as industrious to promote the glory of God and bend both our hands heads to the causes of the Almighty When all helps faile Moab the Magician is sought too It is a signe of a desperate cause to make Satan either our counsellor or our refuge Why did they not send to Balaam to blesse themselues rather then to curse Israel It had beene more easie to be defended from the hurt of their enemies then to haue their enemies laid open to be hurt by them Pride and malice did not care so much for safetie as for conquest It would not content them to escape Israel if Israel may escape them It was not thank-worthy to saue their owne blood if they did not spill the blood of others As if their owne prosperitie had beene nothing if Israell also prospered If there bee one proiect worse then another a wicked heart will
but this to our spirituall aduersaries it were as impossible for vs to be surprised as for Iericho to be safe Me thinkes I see how they called their councell of warre debated of all meanes of defence gathered their forces trained their soldiours set strong gards to the gates and walls and now would perswade one another that vnlesse Israel could fly into their city the siege was vaine Vaine worldlings think their rampires and Barricadoes can keepe out the vengeance of God Their blindnesse suffers them to looke no further then the meanes The supreme hand of the Almighty comes not within the compasse of their feares Euery carnall heart is a Iericho shut vp GOD sets downe before it and displayes mercy and iudgement in sight of the walls thereof It hardens it selfe in a wilfull securitie and saith Tush I shall neuer bee mooued Yet their courage fear fight together within their walls within their bosoms Their courage tells them of their owne strength their feare suggests the miraculous successe of this as they could not but thinke inchanted generation and now whiles they haue shut out their enemy they haue shut in their owne terrour The most secure hart in the world hath some flashes of feare for it cannot but sometimes looke out of it selfe and see vvhat it would not Rahab had notified that their hearts fainted and yet now their faces bewray nothing but resolution I knowe not vvhether the heart or the face of an hypocrite be more false and as each of them seeks to beguile the other so both of them agree to deceiue the beholders In the midst of laughter their heart is heauy who would not thinke him merry that laughs Yet their reioycing is but in the face vvho vvould not thinke a blasphemer or profane man resolutely carelesse If thou hadst a vvindowe into his heart thou shouldst see him tormented with horrors of conscience Now the Israelites see those walled cities towers whose height was reported to reach to heauen the same wherof had so affrighted them ere they saw them and were ready doubtlesse to say in their distrust which way shall wee scale these inuincible fortifications what ladders what engines shall wee vse to so great a worke GOD preuents their infidelity Beholde I haue giuen Iericho into thine hand If their walls had their foundations laid in the center of the earth If the battlements had beene so high built that an Egle could not soare ouer them this is enough I haue giuen it thee For on whose earth haue they raised these castles Out of whose treasure did they digge those piles of stone Whence had they their strength and time to build Can not he that gaue recall his owne O yee fooles of Iericho what if your walls bee strong your men valiant your leaders skilfull your King wise when God hath said I haue giuen thee the City What can swords or speares doe against the Lord of hostes Without him meanes can doe nothing how much lesse against him How vain and idle is that reckoning wherein God is left out Had the captaine of the Lords host drawne his sword for Iericho the gates might haue beene opened Israel could no more haue entred then they can now bee kept from entring when the walls were falne What courses soeuer wee take for our safety it is good making GOD of our side Neither men nor diuels can hurt vs against him neither men nor Angels can secure vs from him There was neuer so strange a siege as this of Iericho Heere vvas no mount raised no sword drawen no engine planted no pioners vndermining Here were trumpets sounded but no enemy seene Heere were armed men but no stroke giuen They must walke and not fight seuen seuerall dayes must they pase about the walles which they may not once looke ouer to see what was within Doubtlesse these inhabitants of Iericho made themselues merry with this sight When they had stood sixe dayes vppon their walles and beheld none but a walking enemy vvhat saie they could Israel find no walk to breath them with but about our walls Haue they not traueled enough in their forty yeeres pilgrimage but they must stretch their limmes in this circle surely if their eies were engines our walls could not stand wee see they are good foot-men but when shall we trie their hands What doo these vaine men thinke Iericho will be wonne with looking at Or doe they onely come to count how many pases it is about our City If this bee their manner of siege wee shall haue no great cause to feare the sword of Israel Wicked men thinke GOD in iest when hee is preparing for their iudgement The Almighty hath waies and counsells of his owne vtterlie vnlike to ours which because our reason cannot reach we are ready to condemne of foolishnesse and impossibilitie With vs there is no way to victorie but fighting and the strongest carryes the spoile GOD can giue victory to the feet as well as to the hands and when hee will makes weaknesse no disaduantage What should we doe but follow GOD through by-wayes and knowe that he will in spight of nature lead vs to our ende All the men of war must compasse the City yet it was not the presence of the great warriours of Israel that threw downe the walls of Iericho Those foundations were not so slightly laide as that they could not indure eyther a looke or a march or a batterie It was the Ark of God vvhose presence demolished the walles of that wicked Citie The same power that droue backe the waters of Iordan before and afterwardes laide Dagon on the floore cast downe all those forts The Priests beare on their shoulders that mighty engine of God before which those walles if they had been of molten brasse could not stand Those spirituall wickednesses yea those gates of hell vvhich to nature are vtterlie inuincible by the power of the worde of GOD which hee hath committed to the carriage of his weake seruants are ouerthrowne and triumphed ouer Thy Arke O GOD hath beene long amongst vs howe is it that the walles of our corruptions stand still vnruined It hath gone before vs his Priests haue carryed it wee haue not followed it our hearts haue not attended vppon it and therefore how mighty soeuer it is in it selfe yet to vs it hath not beene so powerfull as it vvould Seuen dayes together they walkt this round They made this therfore their Sabaoth-daies iourny and who knowes whether the last and longest walke which brought victory to Israel were not on this day Not long before an Israelit is stoned to death for but gathering a few sticks that daie Nowe all the host of Israel must walke about the walls of a large and populous City and yet doe not violate the day Gods precept is the rule of the iustice and holines of all our actions Or was it for that reuenge vpon Gods enemies is an holy worke and such as God vouchsafes to
countenance when vpon his houshold to tremble and fear when vpon his person to be vtterly confounded in himselfe Foolish men thinke to run away with their priuie sinnes and say Tush no eye shall see me but wheÌ„ they think themselues safest God pulls them out with shame The man that hath escaped iustice and now is lying downe in death vvould thinke My shame shall neuer be disclosed but before men and Angels shall hee bee brought on the scaffold and finde confusion as sure as late What needed any other euidence when GOD had accused Achan Yet Ioshua will haue the sinne out of his mouth in whose hart it was hatched My sonne I beseech thee giue glory to GOD. Whom God had conuinced as a malefactor Ioshua beseeches as a son Some hote spirit would haue said Thou wretched traytor how hast thou pilfred from thy GOD and shedde the bloud of so many Israelites and caused the host of Israel to show their backs with dishonour to the heathens now shall wee fetch this sin out of thee with tortures and plague thee with a condigne death But like the disciple of him whose seruant he was he meekly intreates that which hee might haue extorted by violence My son I beseech thee Sweetnes of compellation is a great help towards the good entertainment of an admonition roughnes and rigor many times hardens those harts which meeknesse would haue melted to repentance whether wee sue oâ— conuince or reproue little good is gotten by bitternesse Detestation of the sinne may well stand with fauour to the person And these two not distinguished cause great wrong either in our charity or iustice for either wee vncharitably hate the creature of GOD or vniustly affect the euil of men Subiects are as they are called sonnes to the Magistrate All Israel was not onely of the family but as of the loynes of Ioshua such must be the corrections such the prouisions of Gouernours as for their children as againe the obedience and loue of subiects must be filiall GOD had glorified himselfe sufficiently in finding out the wickednesse of Achan neither need he honor from men much lesse from sinners They can dishonor him by their iniquities but what recompence can they giue him for their wrongs yet Ioshua sayes My sonne giue glory to God Israel should now see that the tongue of Achan did iustifie God in his lot The confession of our sinnes doth no lesse honour God then his glory is blemished by their commission Who would not be glad to redeem the honor of his Redeemer with his owne shame The lot of God and the milde words of Ioshua won Achan to accuse himself ingenuously impartially a storm perhaps would not haue done that which a sunshine hath done If Achan had come in vncalled and before any question made out of an honest remorse had brought in this sacrilegious booty cast himselfe and it at the foot of Ioshua doubtless Israel had prospered his sin had caried away pardon now he hath gotten thus much thanke that he is not a desperat sinner GOD will once wring froÌ„ the conscience of wicked men their owne inditements They haue not more carefullie hid their sin then they shall one day freely proclaime their owne shame Achans confession tho it were â—ate yet was it free and full For hee doth not onely acknowledge the act but the ground 〈◊〉 his sin I saw and coueted and tooâ—â— The eye betrayed the heart anâ— that the hand and now all conspire in the offence If we list nâ—â— to flatter our selues this hath bâ— the order of our crimes Euill 〈◊〉 vniforme and beginning at thâ— senses takes the inmost fort 〈◊〉 the soule and then armes oâ— owne outward forces against vâ— This shall once be the lasciuioâ— mans song I saw and coueted tooke This the thieues this thâ— idolaters this the gluttons anâ— drunkards All these receiue the death by their eye But oh foâ—â—lish Achan with what eyes did thou look vpon that spoile whiâ—â— thy fellowes saw and contemned Why couldest thou not before well as now see shame hid vnder â—hat gay Babylonish garment and â—n heape of stones couered with â—hose shekels of siluer The ouerâ—rizing ouer-desiring of these â—arthly things caries vs into all mischiefe and hides vs from the â—â—ght of Gods iudgements whosoeuer admires the glory of meâ—alls or of gay clothes or honor â—annot be innocent Well might Ioshua haue proâ—eeded to the execution of him whom GOD and his own mouth â—ccused but as one that thought â—o euidence could be too strong 〈◊〉 a case that was capitall hee â—ends to see whether there was â—s much truth in the confession as â—ere was falshood in the stealth Magistrates and Iudges must pase slowly sure in the punishment of offenders Presumptions are not ground enough for the sentence of death no not in some cases the confessions of the guiltie It is no warrant for the Law to wrong a man that hee hath before wronged himselfe There is lesse ill in sparing an offender then in punishing the innocent Who wold not haue expected since the confession of Achan was ingenuous and his pillage still found entyre that his life should haue beene pardoned But heere was Confesse and dye He had been too long sick of this disease to bee recouered Had his confession beene speedy and free it had saued him How dangerous it is to suffer sin to lye fretting into the soule vvhich if it vvere washt off betimes with our repentance could not kill vs. In mortall offences the course of humane iustice is not stayd by our penitence It is wel for our soules that we haue repented but the lawes of men take not notice of our sorrow I knowe not whether the death or the teares of a malefactor be a better sight The censures of the Church are wip't off with vveeping not the penalties of lawes Neither is Achan alone cald foorth to death but all his familie all his substance The actor alone doth not smart with sacriledge all that concerns him is enwrapped in the iudgement Those that defile their hands with holy goods are enemies to their owne flesh blood Gods first reuenges are so much the more fearefull because they must be exemplary The Gibeonites THe newes of Israels victory had flowne ouer all the mountains and vallyes of Canaan yet those heathenish Kings and people are mustered together against them They might haue seene themselues in Iericho and Ai and haue wel perceiued it was not an arme of flesh that they must resist yet they gather their forces and say Tush wee shall speed better It is madnesse in a man not to be warned but to runne vpon the poynt of those iudgements wherewith hee sees others miscary and not to belieue till he cannot recouer Our assent is purchased too late when we haue ouer-stayd preuention trust to that experience which we cannot liue to redeeme Only the Hiuites are wiser then their fellowes will rather yield