the calling of GOD sprang out of a Constant* Faith in the promises of God by Miracles confirmed vnto them By the same meanes must we also learne to frame our selues to the Obedience of Gods Calling though it seeme to be ioyned with neuer so great daunger And yet although they haue the calling and commaundemeÌ„t of God to deliuer his people they doe not stirre the Israelites to Rebellion and will them to arme themselues against the Tyranne were he neuer so Cruell and iniuryous but in curteis maner entreate him that they maye haue licence to depart into the wildernesse But what obteyned they by their endeuour First Pharao CoÌ„temneth and despiseth the God of Israell VVho sayth he is the Lorde that I should heare his voyce Then he chargeth Moyses Aaron as authors of Sedition saying VVherefore doe yee lette the people from their workeâ— c. Lastly he Oppresseth the people farre more Grieuously then he did before For he causeth them to gather strawe and stubble yet to make their Full taske of Brickes as they dyd before These things happened not without the Knowledge of God for he said before * I know that Pharao will not let you go But Gods pleasure is in this maner of Deliuerance of his people to set vp a Spectacle or Example to all ages to learne in what Sort he will vsually delyuer his people out of the kingdome of Satan Wickednesse and Error First he sendeth abroade his Messengers Prophetes and Preachers to publish the sweete voice and Promises of his Worde and Gospell Then when they beginne to execute their office and men somewhat hearken vnto them the Deuill by hys Instruments Raiseth greater trouble and Affliction then euer they had before so that manye mindes be therewith greatly Offended Yet in the ende God by the * Mightie power of his Spirite and holy Worde ouerthroweth the kingdome of darkenesse and Deliuereth his people out of the Tirannie of Egipt And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in woorse c. These officers of the Israelites by this Cruell answere did not acknowledge the wicked Obdurate hart of Pharao against the holy wil of God as they should haue done with Pacience Comfort themselues and their brethren but after the maner of olde Adam Murmure against GOD quarreling with his seruauntes Moyses Aaron and laying all the cause of the trouble vpon them Wherein they shew an example both of Impiety and Vnthankfulnesse Impious it was to lay the fault of their affliction and miserie vpon them that were the Ministers of Gods blessing and of their gracious Deliuerance Great vnthankfulnesse might it appeare seing Moyses and Aaron did hazard their Liues for their great Benefite to Call and accompt them Tormentors and Murderers of the people For say they You haue put a sworde into their hands to kill vs. But this is and hath bene the Course of the worlde alwayes The cause of all Mischiefe when it ryseth after the publishing of the worde of God is Cast vpon the Ministers and Preachers of the same and in steede of thankfull minds they haue all Spite and Reproch that can be done or spoken against them So was it in the time of the Prophets â–ª So was it in the time of Christ and his Apostles So was it in the time of the Primitiue Church as it maye be declared by infinite examples Moises returned vnto the Lorde and sayde Lord wherefore hast thou so c. Moyses here in part doth Well and godly in part he sheweth his Weakenesse Mistrust and infirmitie He doth Well in this that he both not Storme and rage agaynst those 〈◊〉 Sâ—aunderers * nor doth not requite euill with euill and also that he doth not giue ouer his calling and Flee from God but rather runneth to him for Succour and comfort For so the Text sayth He returned to the Lorde He sheweth his Weakenesse in that he seemeth not througly to Remember the wordes of God Before spoken to him when God sayd I know that Pharao will not deliuer you no not in a mightie hande and therefore he doth complaine and quarrell with God. VVherefore sayth he hast thou so euill intreated this people and why hast thou sent me As though any thing had happened which God had not Before tolde him shoulde come to passe and yet God doth not Sternely rebuke Moyses but mercifully 〈◊〉 with his Infirmitie strengthneth him with the Renewing of his Promise and signification that he will nowe begin to shewe his mightie power against Pharao for their deliuerance The sixt Sundaye in Lent at Morning and Euening prayer Exod. 9. 10. THe Lorde sayde vnto Moyses Go in vnto Pharao and thou shalt tell him Thus sayth the Lorde God of the 〈…〉 Let my people go that they may 〈…〉 If thou refuse to let them go and 〈…〉 Beholde the â—ande of the Lorde is 〈…〉 is in the fielde for vpon horses vpon asses vpon camelles vpon ouen and vpon sheepe there shall be a mightie great 〈◊〉 4 And the Lorde shall doe wonderfully betwéene the beastes of Israell and the beastes of Egypt so that there shall nothing die of all that pertayneth to the children of Israell 5 And the Lorde appoynted a time saying to morowe the Lorde shall finish this worde in the laâ—de 6 And the Lorde did that thing on the morowe and all the cattell of Egypt dyed but of the cattell of the children of Israell died not one 7 And Pharao sent and behold there was not one of the cattel of the Israelites dead And the hart of Pharao was hardened and he did not let the people go 8 And the Lorde sayd vnto Moyses and Aaron Take your handes full of ashes out of the fornace and Mosses shall sprinkle it vp into the ayre in the sight of Pharao 9 And it shall be dust in all the lande of Egypt and shall be swelling sores with blaynes both on man and beast thorowout all the land of Egipt 10 And they tooke ashes out of the fornace and stoode before Pharao and Moses sprinckled it vp into the ayre and there were swâ—lling â—ores with blaynes both in men and in beastes 11 And the sorcerers could not stand before Moses because of the blaynes for there were bâ—tches vpon the enchaunters and vpon all the Egyptians 12 And the Lord hardened the hart of Pharao and he harkened not vnto them as the â—ord had sayd vnto Moyses 13 And the Lordâ— sayde vnto Moyses Rise vp earely in the morning and stande before Pharao and thou shalt tell him Thus sayth the Lorde God of the Hebrues Let my people go that they may serue me 14 Or else I will at this time sends all my plaguey vpon thine heart and vpon thy seruants and on thy people that thou mayst know that there is none like me in all the earth 15 For now I wil stretch out my hand that I may
other dealings doe euidently declare I would to God there were not many such euen in the Boldmes of Godly men But I trust God will detect them as he doth here to Ezechiel and to their shame and rebuke teach his seruants to Beware of them For as they may Dissemble with the worlde and Abuse some true and honest meaning men so they cannot deceyue God who seeth the beâ—wels and Secretes of their heartes and will vse them accordingly Wilt thou not iudge them O Sonne of man wilt thou not iudge them c. This place is diuersly translated and enterpreted I thinke the playnest sense to be this O sonne of man enter not into disputation and reasoning with them and be not carefull to aunswere all their arguments and pretences For they Will not be taught of thee And therefore simplye and plainely to their iudgement and condemnation tell them what maner of men their fathers haue bene and what yet they remaine still themselues beginning euen at that time when I beganne first to bring them out of Egipt and so contynuing vnto this present day that they maye thereby knowe themselues In the day when I chose Israel and lift vp my hande vpon the seede c. This fashion of speaking To lift vp the hande doth signifie sometime to Sweare or take an oth because the Ceremonie or gesture of lifting vp the hand to heauen in taking an othe did signifie that they called God to wytnesse that they Concealed no truth nor Vttered any falshood or if they dyd they desired the same God to be ReueÌ„ged of them And in this signification of Swearing it is to be taken in this place because God in his concnant by othe did binde himselfe to be their God and to delyuer them Somtime To lift vp the hande signifieth to shewe his Power or strength eyther in Deliuering or Punishing or in Hurting and Stryking which signification maye also well serue in this Chapiter A lande which floweth with milke and honie and is pleasant among c. In manye places of the Scripture the lande of Chanaan is mentioned to flow with Milke and Honie that is to abounde with all things Necessarie not onely for susteynance but also for Delight and pleasure For in those dayes there was no more delectable feeding then Milke and Hony. S. Hierome who lyued a long tyme in that Countrie wryteth that it was a verie Delectable and fruitfull place but yet can we not thinke that it was then any thing in comparison of that it was before so long as they were the people of God and remayned in his obedience keeping his lawes and ordinances For when they had reiected the sonne of God and promised Messias it is likely the land it selfe also was striken for their wickednesse and thereby farre decayed from that it was in times past But they rebelled against mee and would not harken to me they did c. It is a testimonie of the great goodnesse mercie of God that he calleth earnestly to repentance before he strike and punishe his people for their sinnes And so did he then to the Israelites but they would not harken vnto him nor did cast away The abhominations of their eyes that is their wicked Idoles on which they dyd cast their eyes with great delight euen as they that be in vnchast loue be alwaye desirous to see and beholde them that they loue Vndoubtedly Idolatrie was vnpleasaunt to Ioseph and the other Patriarkes in Egipt and they did exhort their children to remain in the True worship of the liuing god Yet many of them as borne and bredde in Egipt were corrupted and fell to Idolatrie by the Imitation of that People Then were Moyses and Aaron sent from God vnto them and yet contynued they still in Idolatrie Whereby we may gather what was the Cause why God did so long suffer his people to continue in so miserable oppression in Egipt and did not sooner turne his mercifull continaunce towarde them And that was because they had almost Forgot him and his true Worship deliuered them by their Fathers and were gyuen to the worshipping of straunge Gods. And yet GOD would not euen Then poure out his wrath vpon them although they had iustly deserued it but for his Owne name sake and for the Couenant that he had made with Abraham Isaac and Iacob with his mightie hande he Deliuered them I wrought for my names sake that it should not be polluted before c. I stayde my selfe sayth God from Extremitie of my wrath and from working vtter destruction not for my people sake which in deede had iustly deserued it but for my Names sake that it might not be distained and euill spoken of among the Egiptians Amalechites and other Heathen Nations in whose sight my great works were wrought and which had Hearde of my purpose to delyuer my people And therefore would haue sayde that I had neyther beene hable nor willing to doe that which I had promised and therby to haue thought of me no otherwise then they dyd of their owne False Gods. This cause in this Chapiter so often repeated maye bring a singuler Comfort to the godly in time of affliction and trouble And therefore Moyses and other holy men haue alway staied most vpon that in their earnest prayers vnto God when he hath threatned or begunne any priuate or common plague desiring him that he would spare his people holde his mercifull hande ouer them though not for their Owne sakes which in no wise they haue deserued yet for his promise sake and for his Owne Names sake that the enemyes might not reioyce in the confusion of his people And these praiers haue euer taken good effect with God. Nowe when I hadde caused them to go out of the lande of Aegipt c. Hitherto the Prophete hath declared how their Fathers behaued themselues in Aegypt Before their deliuerance Now he sheweth how after his great benefites they Rebelled and murmured against him in the wildernesse As when Moses was in the Mountaine they made a golden calfe when God tried them with Want of meate and drinke they murmured They repined often against their gouernours and accusing them of treason and of a meaning to destroy the people were readie to haue stoned them The Histories are Exod. 15. 16. and 17. Num. 11. 14. 16. 20. and 21. The Sanctifying of the Sabboth mentioned verse .12 was a token that God had sanctifyed the Israelites euen as he had sanctifyed the Sabboth and had chosen them * as his peculier people and holy Priesthoode which should preserue and keepe his promises vntill they were fulfilled in Messias Christ Iesu who was the appoynted Sauiour of the worlde And that because they cast awaye my iudgements and walked not in my c. By this place and the like often vsed in this Chapter we haue to learne what be the Causes that mooue GOD to minde and purpose the vtter Desolation
said by laying examples of their owne wickednesse and rebellious stomackes against him The first is their dealyng at Horeb Exodus 32. when Moises was gone vp into the mountayne and there taried fourtie dayes to receyue the exquisite instruction of the law of GOD and to bring with him the two Tables of the tenne commaundementes They in the meane tyme forced Aaron to make thē a Golden Calfe to worshyp The seconde is their offendyng at the burning place Num. 11. where GOD consumed many of them with fyre The thirde was their murmuryng for lacke of water Exodus 17. at whyche tyme GOD gaue them water out of the rocke The fourthe was at the Sepulchers of luste Num. 11. when they longed for fleshe and GOD gaue thē Quailes to eate an whole moneth together vntyll it came out at their noses againe The laste is at Cades Barne Num. 13. When at the returne of the Messengers they murmured against God and against Moises desired to returne into Egipte The foure latter examples are onlie briefly touched in verse 22. 23. The first he stayeth long vpon from the .8 verse to the .21 reciting almost the whole story out of Exod. 32. but altering the order of some particular poyntes of whiche before I spake I thinke good briefly to note that if the children of Israell in no respect of their owne worthines were made heires of the land of Cbanaā and partakers of his earthly blessings muche more we maye not thinke that the Misterie of our redemption Reconciliation to God Remissiō of sinnes Iustification before God Assignement to euerlasting life is bestowed vpō vs as manye haue wickedly taught in regard of anye part of oure owne good workes and weldoynges but throughe fayth in the free mercye of God for the merite and passion of our Sauiour Christ Iesu You be saued sayth Saynt Paule Ephesians 2. By grace throughe faithe and that not of your selues for it is the gifte of God not of your vvorkes that no man may glorye The glory then hereof muste be giuen to God alone It is a thyng of farre greater worthynesse to attayne Remission of Synnes and The Kingdome of Heauen than it is to possesse the land of promyse and felicitie in the worlde It is a thyng muche farther aboue the power of man to conquer Sinne Sathan Deathe and Hell than it was to subdue the children of Anac Therfore as I haue said if they were forbiddē to respecte their owne power or worthynesse in those things that were the lesse and but onely figures of other muche more are we by Gods worde in like manner charged in those that are the greater things and the truth of suche as the other did but onely signifie Also in Horeb you prouoked the Lorde to anger so that the lord c. This is the first example of their transgression at Horeb in making the Golden Calfe In which it shal be good to consider what their offence was how much God was displeased therwith howe Moyses their gouernour behaued himselfe As touching the first although * mans corruption destitute of the grace of God is very prone euē to the grossest Idolatry yet it is hardly to be thought that the Israelites who so lately before had sene so many wonderous workes done as well in Egipte as in the wildernesse by the myghtye hande of the liuing God woulde now sodainly be so bewitched as to forsake him vtterlye and in steede of him worship a Golden Calfe and * attribute to it those benefites that they had receyued of God before the Calfe by themselues was made It is rather lykely that bycause they thoughte Moyses was nowe gone and therefore the lesse esteemed the forme of Religion by him declared they woulde haue a worshipping of God of their owne deuising and an Image as they thought in which they myghte honour hym For suche is the grossenes of mans wytte that he thinketh he hathe not God present wyth hym nor dothe not rightly worshyp him vnlesse it be in some visible forme of hymselfe deuised If they did worshippe the Calfe as God it was in them an exceeding furie and astoniednes of common reason and sense If they dyd onely worshippe God in the Calfe and thoughte some diuine holinesse therin as it is moste likelye yet it was a greuous offence and directly against the * fyrst commaundement whiche was giuen them by GOD with greate maiestie and terrour but a litle time before For in the fyrste commaundement God dothe not onelye forbydde straunge Goddes but also straunge worshyppyngs of GOD deuised by man contrarye to hys holye worde They brake also the couenant that * before they had condescended vnto to followe the worship of GOD appoynted in hys lawe and not to departe from it wherefore ouer and besyde their Idolatrous worshippe they myght be estemed false traiterous and forsworne persons in the syghte of GOD. Gods displeasure then was iuste agaynste them for they were as he sayth a * stifnecked people that by no meanes woulde be kepte in hys true obedience and therefore purposed vtterlye to haue destroyed them and to haue put oute the name of them from vnder Heauen Yea he was exceedyng angrye also wyth Aaron and woulde haue destroyed hym in like manner bycause he was so timerous and fainte harted that for any cause he wolde yelde to be their instrument or helper to worke Idolatrye This offence of the Israelites God opened firste vnto Moises saying Thy people vvhiche thou haste broughte oute of Egipte haue sore offended they are turned at once oute of the vvaye that I commanded them c. And wyth all declareth his greuous displeasure towarde them that for their detestable wickednesse he minded to take them from the face of the earth Then Moises as a good gouernour carefull for that people which God had committed to him fell downe before the Lorde making earnest intercession for them said O Lord god destroy not thy people and thine enheritance vvhich thou hast deliuered through thy great goodnes c. By whose example we also are taughte the forme of true and Godlye prayer grounded vpon the promyses of god For God had sayde that he had chosen the Israelites for hys peculiar people and that he would by mighty hand deliuer them to the end that he myght set forth the glory of hys name through all the worlde He promysed also to the Patriarkes Abraham Isahac and Iacob that he woulde preserue them and their seede and giue vnto theyr seede the land of Chanaan Vpon these promises doth Moises with a strong faith ground his prayer and earnestly* presseth God with the same and that he woulde not goe frō these promises though the stifnecked people had deserued the contrary Adding also the great reproche that might rise to his name among the heathen from whence they came that is the Egiptians who wold say That their God vvas not
and simple beginning that he came of the * Dust of the Earth And therefore hath no cause to glorie in his owne worthinesse And if he be any thing more than any other common Creatures that the Prayse thereof is to be giuen to God alone Therefore to beate downe the pride of Mans corrupt Nature very wel saith Iesus Sirach VVhy art thou so proude O thou Dust and Ashes And the Lorde God planted a Garden Eastwarde in Eden c. In this that God did set Man in a Paradise or Garden of pleasure it maketh muche to the aduauncement of Mans dignitie and the settinge forth of the great Fauour of God towarde him who woulde not haue his principall Creature whome he had made as Lorde of all other to inhabite in a cōmon place of the Earth but in a plat framed of purpose replenished with al maner of plesure delight according as is here discribed by Moyses Where or in what part of the world this Paradise was or whether it doe at this day remaine or no we may not be Curious to search or determine It may well be thought that that place of delight and pleasure that was prepared for Man in his Innocencie when he sinned and fell from the obedience of God his maker was defaced partly by the * Curse that for the same fel vpon the Earth partly by the generall Deluge ouerflowing the whole lande and all the partes thereof And if we shoulde assigne it to any place it is most likely to haue beene about the coastes of Mesaporamia and Armenia c. where the Riuers Euphrates and Tigris are The Tree of Life planted in Paradise may be thought to be that by the fruite whereof if man had not Sinned he should haue continued Immortall The Tree of knowledge of Good and Euill was that tree which God to trie the Obedience of Adam did Forbid him to taste of and tooke the name of that miserable euent that after fell vnto him by his Disobedience For thereby he vnderstoode euill and was ashamed of himselfe And out of Eden there went foorth a ryuer of water c. Forsomuch as the Riuers that beare those names at this day and flowe into the partes here mencioned haue their heades and beginninges farre asunder it is mooued as a doubt howe they are reported here to haue one heade and spring For aunswere herevnto we must vnderstand that in the time of the generall Deluge when all the fountaynes of the Earth brake out by the prouidence of God to drowne the worlde for sinne it is not vnlikely that this Spring also and the Ryuers that grewe thereof by the continuance of the Deluge did alter and varied their course and toke also other beginnings then before they had Some other thinke that at the same Deluge the sea swelling to drowne the Earth did ouerwhelme that place where Paradice was from whence these Ryuers had their beginning and that it so remayneth at this day either where the redde Sea is or in some partes of the Sea there bordering And the Lorde God commaunded Man saying eating thou shalt eate c. It is not to be thought that God had Inspired the diuin◠knowledge of good and euill into the fruites of this tree but it is to be vnderstanded that it was a type or Figure of perfite knowledge of good and euill which becommeth the wisedome of God alone being hable to declare the perfect causes of all thinges both generally and particularly wherevnto God woulde not haue Man arrogantly to aspire as a thing farre aboue his Cōdition and therefore commaunded him vnder a great paine not to taste of this fruite Augustine and others iudge that the name was giuen to this tree by the euent that folowed For Man by the tasting of that fruite to his owne great harme by experience learned the difference betweene the goodnesse of obedience innocencie felicitie immortalitie and the * euill of disobedience sinfulnesse miserie and death And the Lorde sayd it is not good for man to be alone I will make him an helpe c. Seeing that God had made Man as he did other Creatures to this ende that he should multiply and encrease vpon the face of y Earth it was not fitte and conuenient for him to be alone therefore God of his great goodnesse respecting this his purpose in creating of Mankinde sayth he will make an Helper to Adam like himselfe The woman lawefullye ioyned to Man bringeth three Helpes which he cannot haue without hir 1 The first is the Helping to Procreation and multiplying of mankinde 2 The seconde is that she is a lawfull Remedie agaynst whoredom al filthy vncleane lusts To auoyd fornication sayth Paule let ech man haue his wife And again It is better to Marry than to burne 3 The thirde Helpe is Comfort in sickenesse in affliction and in all houshold cares and troubles as in education of children and keeping the family in order In this place haue we the Institution and notable commendation of matrimonie by God himselfe euen before the fall of Adam Which maketh greatly agaynst all such that vnder a colour of hipocrisy in the Spirit of Antichrist depraue the Institution of God and make Mariage a Wallowing in the Flesh or a Permission onely for the auoyding of a greater euill c. For this cause shall man leaue his father and his mother and shall be ioyned c. After the Institution of matrimonie Moyses addeth the Indissoluble bonde and knot whereby the husbande and wife are fastened togither by the ordinance of God and sheweth that it is * straighter than any other coniunction in the societie of mankinde Inso much that it is a lesse offence to forsake Father and Mother and to leaue them succourlesse whiche notwithstanding ought by Gods commaundement to be honoured then it is to doe the like towarde his lawfull maried Wife Wherefore let them looke well what they doe that are readie for Light and Small causes to Seperate man and wife Seeing that Christ himselfe sayth that VVhosoeuer is separated from his wyfe sauing for fornication and marieth another committeth adulterie The sunday called Sexagesima at Morning prayer Genesis 3. ANd the Serpent was subtiler then euery beast of the fielde which the Lorde God had made and he saide vnto the woman yea hath God saide ye shall not eate of euery tree of the garden 2 And the woman sayde vnto the Serpent We eate of the fruite of the trées of the garden 3 But as for the fruite of the trée which is in the midst of the garden God hath sayde Ye shall not eate of it neyther shall ye touche it least peraduenture ye die 4 And the Serpent sayde vnto the woman Ye shall not dye the death 5 For God both knowe that the same daye that ye eate thereof your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and euill 6 And
which folowe the profession of God for the worldes sake Some of the children of Israel call vpon God as knowing in him to be their onely ayde Othersome and the more part forgetting Gods mightie workes so lately done for them repent them of their following of God and Raile at their guyde and leader Moyses with spiteful reproches But he as a good and mercifull Gouernour doth not storme with them nor requite them with that which in Iustice they might seeme to deserue but Comforteth them with the repeating of the promises of God and the assurance of his mightie helpe thereby teaching vs that in time of aduersitie their is no surer comfort then to call to our Remembrance the sweete promises of God made vnto his people and the example of such things as he hath done for them And the Lorde saide vnto Moyses wherfore criest thou vnto me c. The text saith not that Moyses Cried in his praier nor that any voyce was heard come from him But he cryeth in the eares of the Lord that Prayeth in fayth with a feruent and earnest minde though no voyce be harde to other in his prayer And such earnest * calling vpon God with hart and minde doth alwaye preuayle and taketh effect before God as we see here that Moyses prayer doth Speake vnto the children of Israel that they go forwarde c. Here now God ▪ sheweth his mightie arme stretched out to the deliuerance of his people and worketh 3. great and wonderfull Miracles The first that the Angell of God which directed the pyller of fyre and the clowde before the people of Israel doth nowe sodainely withdrawe himselfe backe and is placed betweene the Egiptians and the campe of Israel so that on the part of Israel in the night time there was a light and brightnesse that they might see to doe any thing that they thought good and on the part of the Egiptians was so great darknes that they did scant see one the other much lesse were hable to doe any thing against the Israelites The second Miracle was that by the stretching out of Moyses rodde there came such a strong winde as staied the waters of the Sea that the children of Israel might passe through vpon the dry lande The thirde is that when the Egiptians desperately as men blinded with the furie of their owne wickednesse did follow the Israelites to the Sea the Angell of God so abashed them that they were readie to flie from the face of Israel and then Moses at the appointment of God stretching out his rodde the waters returned vpon them in such sort that the Egiptians with all their power were drowned in the sea By these Miracles the name of God was glorified throughout the whole worlde and he knowne to be both a mightie and mercifull God in the defence of his people and also a seuere Lord in punishing such as did resist his holy will. The tone of which two things ought to strengthen our faith in time of aduersitie and to make vs to put our assured trust in God as one that by his mightie power Can and of his mercyfull goodnesse Will deliuer vs The tother shoulde stirre vp in vs the feare of God and cause vs in time to repent and to embrace his worde and calling least for our vnrepentant hartes he deale with vs as he did with Pharao and the Egiptians The first Sunday after Easter at Morning prayer Numeri 16. AND Corah the sonne of Isaar the sonne of Caath the sonne of Leui went apart with Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab and On the sonne of Peleth the sonne of Ruben 2 And they rose vp before Moses with certaine of the children of Israel two hundred and fiftie which which were capitaynes of the multitude famous in the congregation men of great renoume 3 And they gathered themselues togither against Moises Aaron and said vnto them Ye take to much vpon you séeing all the multitude are holy euery one of them and the Lorde is among them Why lift ye your selues vp aboue the congregation of the Lorde 4 And when Moises heard it he fell vpon his face 5 And spake vnto Corah and vnto all his companie saying To morow the Lorde will shewe who are his who is holy and who ought to approch me vnto him and whome he hath chosen he will cause to come neare vnto him 6 This doe therefore Take you fire pannes both Corah and all his compainie 7 And put fire therein and put incense in them before the Lorde to morowe And the man whom the Lorde doth choose the same shall be holy Ye take to much vpon you ye sonnes of Leui. 8 And Moyses sayde vnto Corah Heare I pray you ye sonnes of Leui. 9 Séemeth it but a small thing vnto you that the God of Israel hath separated you from the multitude of Israell and brought you to himselfe to doe the sceruice of the tabernacle of the Lorde and to stande before the multitude and to minister vnto them 10 He hath taken thée to him all thy brethren the sonnes of Leui with thée and séeke ye the office of the priest also 11 For which cause both thou and all thy companie are gathered together agaynst the Lorde And what is Aron that ye murmure agaynst him 12 And Moyses sent and called Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab which sayde We will not come vppe 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought vs out of the lande that floweth with milke and honie to kill vs in the wildernesse except thou make thy selfe Lord and ruler ouer vs also 14 Moreouer hast thou brought vs vnto a lande that floweth with Milke and honie and giuen vs inheritance of fieldes and vineyardes Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men We will not come vp 15 And Moyses waxed very angrie and sayde vnto the Lorde Turne not thou vnto their offering I haue not taken so much as an asse from them neyther haue I hurt any of them 16 And Moyses sayde vnto Corah Be thou and all thy company before the Lord both thou they and Aaron to morow 17 And take euery man his censer and put incense in them and bring ye before the Lorde euery man his censer two hundred and fiftie censers thou also and Aaron euery one his censer 18 And they tooke euery man his censer and put fire in them and layde incense thereon and stoode in the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moyses and Aaron 19 And Corah gathered all the congregation agaynst them vnto the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation and the glorie of the Lorde appeared vnto all the congregation 20 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses and Aaron saying 21 Seperate your selues from among this congregation that I may consume them at once 22 And they fell vpon their faces and sayde O God the God of Spirites of all fleshe hath not one man
on some that be in honour and dignitie By this bayte the common subiects are allured to take part with them and headelong to thrust themselues not onely to daunger and slaughter but also to the iust * vengeance of God that commonlye followeth for the same These meanes doe Corah Dathan and the other vse agaynst Moyses and Aaron For first they say vnto them You take to much vpon you wherein they note Pride and Ambition in them And againe in the. 13. Verse Is it a small thing that thou hast brought vs out of the land that flovveth vvith milk and honie to kill vs in the VVildernesse but that thou make thy selfe Lorde ouer vs also In these wordes of an obstinate stubburnnesse euen agaynst his owne conscience Dathan obiecteth to Moyses ambitions seeking of principalitie where as in deede he sawe by the woonderfull workes wrought by him that he was called therto by god But this is of Exceeding malice that he â—ayeth agaynst him as a great fault that thinge which was the Worthiest act that euer he did that is the Deliuerie of the Israelites out of the miserable bondage of Aegypt And yet this wicked Rebell calleth it here a bringing of the people out of A lande flovving vvith milke and honie An horrible Bondage and Oppression in dispite of their gouernour is tearmed a state of great felicitie and all of purpose to make him odious to the people Their Dissimulation appeareth in this that whereas they seeke nothing but principalitie and the high Priesthood they pretende fauour and loue towarde the people All the people say they are holy euery one of them as if they had sayde they are all the people of God and therefore whie shoulde you gouerne them so sternely whie should you so oppresse them And againe You bring forth the people to kill them in the VVildernesse As though the Pitie of the people had mooued them to that purpose and not rather their own ambitious miâ—ds By this common people may learne to Beware of the dissimuled pretences of such as be Capitaynes in Rebellion And for their owne ambitious purpose seeke to leade them to vnquietnesse trouble and daunger It is not vnprofitable to consider how Moyses as a good Gouernour and hauing a cleere conscience did in this trouble behaue hymselfe he is not greatly Astonied or dismayed nor seeketh any vnlawful or extraordinarie meanes to represse them But first he was assured in his conscience he was called and appointed to that office by God therefore he resorteth to him in earnest prayer For the Falling dovvne vpon his face mencioned in the fourth verse was not for Feare of the Rebell but an earnest prostrating hymselfe before God praying for his assistance Then he Reproueth the Rebelles and telleth them of their fault how greatly they doe against their Dutie and howe Vnthankfully towarde God and thereby exhorteth them to quyetnesse He sendeth for some of the other Rebelles Dathan and Abiran to haue delt with them in like maner if they would haue come vnto hym But they stubbernly refused it Lastly seing they would not yeelde to reason or perswasion with an assured confidence of the goodnesse of his cause he putteth it into Gods hande by his mightie power to determine ende the matter This should all good Princes and Rulers in the like case folow First to * call vpon God earnestly and faythfully then to vse all the quyet meanes they can by reason to perswade them And if that will not serue as seldome times it doth such is the furie of Rebelles then with an assured confidence in the prouidence of God and the right of their cause being Gods appointed gouernours by battayle or other lyke meanes to commit the thing to His hande to determine who neuer hath hitherto vsed to gyue sentence or successe on the parte of the Rebels And Corah gathered all the congregation against them c. and the glorie c. The verie confidence that Moyses shewed in the Goodnesse of his cause might well haue Abashed their rebellious spirites Much more when they sawe the glorie of the Lorde appeare on the part of Moyses and to speake vnto him they should haue bene abashed and giuen ouer their wicked purpose But such a furie doth alwayes folow the mindes of Rebels that though they see neuer so present daunger they will as Corah and his company doe as it were Face God himselfe and neuer giue ouer vntill by the iust iudgement of God they bring themselues to vtter confusion And assoone as he had made an ende of speaking the ground cloue c. By this dreadfull punishment of destroying the principall doers by the swallowing of the Earth and with fyre from heaueÌ„ God declareth would haue it knowne to the worlde howe he doth Hate and Dâ—test â–ª * such as rebell agaynst their Princes and Rulers appointed by him to gouerne them which he afterwarde more amply declareth For when euen the next day folowing the people murmurd against Moyses and Aaron and that punishment wherewith God had plagued the Rebelles Gods wrath was so kindled against them that if the earnest Prayer and endeuour of Moyses and Aaron had not beene he woulde haue vtterlye destroyed them All from the face of the earth And yet could not Moyses with such speede appease his wrath but .xiiij. thousande of them were slaine to the terrible Example of all other that in any age should follow their euill doing And in deede if we looke into the histories of all times we shall finde that Rebellions and Insurrections haue ended in the vtter destruction of them that haue beene the doers of it For they striue not against the Magistrate but against God that ordayned him For vvhatsoeuer povvers there are they are of God. Paul. Rom. 13. The first Sunday after Easter at Euening prayer Numb 22. ANd the children of Israel departed and pitched in the fieldes of Moab on the other side of Iordane from Iericho 2 â–ª And â—alue the sonne of Ziphor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorâ—tes 3 And the Moabites were sore afraid of the people because they were manye and they were strikon with scare of the children of Israell 4 And Moab saide vnto the elders of Madian Now shall this companie â—ick vp all that are round about vs as aâ—ore 〈◊〉 vp the grasse of the field And Balac the sonne 〈◊〉 was â–ª king of the Moabites at that time 5 He sent messengers therfore vnto Balaam the sonne of Beor to Pethor which is by the riuer of the lande of the children of his folke to call him saying Beholde there is a people come out of Egipt and beholde they couer the face of the earth and dwell it ouer against me 6 Come now therfore I pray thée and curse me this people for they are to mightie for me so it may be I shal be hable to smite them and to driue them
vnto thy fathers Abraham Isahac and Iacob and shall geue to thée great and goodly Cities which thou buildedst not 11 Houses full of all maner of goodes whych thou filledst not and weâ—â—es digged which thou diggedst not vineyardes and Oliue trées whych thou plantedst not and when thou hast eaten and arte full 12 Then beware lest thou forget the Lord which brought thée out of the land of Egipt from the house of bondage 13 Thou shalte feare the Lorde thy God and serue hym and shalte sweare by his name 14 Sée that ye walke not after straunge Gods the Gods of the Nations which are about you 15 For the Lorde thy God is a Ielous God among you least the couÌ„tenance of the Lord thy God be moued to wrath against thée and destroy thée from the face of the earth 16 Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God as ye did in the place of temptation 17. But you shall diligently kepe the commaundementes of the Lord your God and his testimonies and his ordinaunces which he hath commaunded thée 18 And thou shalt doe that which is ryght and good in the sight of the Lord that thou mayst prosper that thou mayst go in and possesse that good lande which the Lord sware vnto thy fathers 19 To cast oute all thine enemies before thée as the Lord hath said 20 And wheÌ„ thy sonne asketh thée in time to come saying What meaneth these testimonies ordinances and lawes which the Lorde our God hath commaunded you 21 Then thou shalt say vnto thy sonne We were Pharaos bondmen in Egipt the Lord brought vs out of Egipt with a mightie hande 22 And the Lorde shewed signes and wonders great and euill vpon Egipt vpon Pharao and vpon all his housholde before our eyes 23 And brought vs oute from thence to bring vs in and to geue vs the lande which he sware vnto oure fathers 24 And he hath commaunded vs to doe all these ordinaunces and to feare the Lorde oure God for our wealth al the dayes of our life as it is come to passe this day 25 Moreouer this shal be oure righteousnesse before the Lorde oure God if we take heede and kéepe all these commaundementes as he hath commaunded vs. The exposition vpon the .vj. Chapter of Deuteronomie These are the commaundementes ordinances and lawes whiche c. MOyses purposing to exhorte the Israelites to a diligent and faithfull obseruation of the law of God beginneth with the repetition of that whereof he hath before sundry tymes spoken that is that the lawes whiche he dothe so earnestly admonishe them to keepe are * not his nor deuised of his owne brayne but suche as were deliuered him of the Lord and of that Lord which had not only euer shewed himself their gratious and good God but also * chosen them to be his peculiar people and vndertaken to defende them from all their enimies and therfore that they coulde not without most iust blame refuse obedience therevnto And for so muche as Saincte Paule sayeth VVhatsoeuer is written is written to our instruction I thinke there is no better maner of exposition seing the text is plaine inough of it selfe than to apply the same vnto vs We haue far greater cause by our obedience to sette forth the glorie of God than they had First then as Moyses exhorteth the Israelites wée muste feare god For as Salomon sayth The feare of God is the beginning of wisedome This feare will not onely beate downe our pryde and confidence in oure selues but also will bee as a brydle to staye vs from euill and to represse the wicked iustes and affections that rise in vs contrary to the law of god * Feare of the Lorde represseth sinne sayeth Iesus Syrach Chap. 1. And Salomon Prouerb 8. Feare of the Lord doth hate euill Contrarywise where feare of God is not men run headlong to all wickednesse yet must not this feare be in the faithfull a bonde and seruile feare wherein we think of God only as he is a terrible iudge for so Satan * and the wicked do feare God But our feare muste be ioyned with the earnest loue of god We muste not onely feare God for his iustice but wee muste* loue him also for his mercie and goodnesse towardes vs And therefore Moyses afterward addeth Thou shalte loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might This Loue of God in the faithfull * doth far more earnestly bridle them from the disobedieÌ„ce of gods holy lawes than feare can doe For they that by a sure faith haue the true sense of Gods infinite mercies towards them and therby vnfaynedly loue hym are more* readie to please God and to shewe themselues thankful to him than feare of his iustice can make them lothe to displease and offende him by sinne and wickednesse The one of these that is Feare muste represse and keepe vnder olde Adam and the carnall man The other that is Loue doth set forwarde and encourage the spirituall and newe man that is begotten in Christ Iesu Moreouer forsomuch as our corruption is so great and our inclination vnto euill so ready that we soone forget our duties towarde God after Moyses his counsell wee must seeke by all meanes that we can to* imprinte his holy will in oure heartes to sette it before oure eyes and to make it* continually as it were to ring and sound in our eares This will best be doone by the diligent reading hearing and meditating of the holie Scriptures by whiche the wil of God is learned For this cause Dauid sayeth that Hee is blessed whiche delighteth in the lawe of the Lorde and exerciseth himselfe therein both day and nighte This is it that Moyses meaneth when he biddeth the Israelites that they should Talke of the lawes of God in theyr house By the way Lying downe to bedde Rising vp in the morning That they shoulde bee as a sygne in theyr hands as a Frontlet before their eyes and VVryte them on their doore postes That is by all meanes they can to make them selues famyliar with them that by the fleshe and the worlde they myghte not bee drawne to forgetfulnesse thereof And when the Lorde thy God hathe broughte thee into the lande c. This is an other good Instruction that Moyses vseth to the Israelites and behooueth vs also to follow that is that with earnest consideration we call to mynde the * inestimable benefites that God hath doone for vs whiche are farre greater and of more worthinesse than are these worldly benefites whiche God here is reported to haue done for the Israelites For he doth not only continually from tyme to tyme bestowe vpon vs the lyke worldly and outwarde blessings to our no small comfort and quietnesse in this lyfe but hath also enriched vs with his spirituall* treasures and blessings as
consider that it was the Lord of al Mercy that appointed here this order of punishment and also let them remember what extreme crueltie it is for a Magistrate to whose charge God hath committed hys people to se the Soules of a number of his people by wicked Doctrine or other like indeuor to be pulled from God hys true worship and lamentablie drawen to Hel perpetual Damnation yet not to cause the Roots workers therof to be taken awaye that their poyson may not so largely be spred to the great daunger of other and the decaie of Gods glory and truth IF thy brother the sonne of thy mother or thine owne sonne c. The same that was before spoken of false Prophets teachers only is here applied euen to euery one of the people whose offence although it may seme somewhat the lesse bicause of their Ignoraunce that they haue not the Office of teaching yet the Forsaking of God his truth and the seking to misleade other with them is to God alwayes and in all persons vntollerable But this is to be obserued bothe in this place before that such punishmēt is not to be vsed but where Gods true Religion is throughly knowē and Settled as it was at this time among the Ievves This is to be considered how Earnestly God requireth this punishment to be done For he willeth vs not to regarde eyther brother or syster or childe or wife or any* persons whatsoeuer thoughe he be vnto vs as oure owne life Wherby he declareth how earnest our studie and endeuour should be to maintayn his True worship Al natural affections be they otherwise neuer so cōmendable yet ought they to * giue place to the zeale of Gods glory to the affection that we shoulde haue to the establishing of the same among his people For in gods cause to be * slack and colde in consideratiō of these persons what els is it than to set our affections against Gods commaundements and to shewe that we more esteeme oure Naturall friends than we do God and his Glory Wherfore sayth God Thou shalt not obey him thine eye which commonly is the instrument of pitie shall not spare him nor take mercye vpon him no nor thou shalt not hide him or kepe him secrete but cause him to be slaine and yet to make the charge more vehemēt he addeth Thine hande shall be firste vpon him to kill him This he speaketh bicause the maner* was that in stoning of persons condemned the witnesses shold cast the first stones at them to declare that in their conscience the witnesse was true The cause and ende of this seueritye added in the .11 verse is diligentlie to be marked And all Israell shall heare and feare and shall doe no more any such vvickednesse The good and godly are stayed from euill throughe the loue of God and reuerence of his worde but the other which are alwaye the more parte will not be brideled but with* Seueritie feare of punishment whereby we may learne howe necessary sharpe correction and punishment is in Christian cōmon weales For such is the corruption of mans nature that where they see hope of impunitie they runne on headlong to the greatest mischiefes But by example of punishment and feare of Iustice they be somewhat stayed and kept in order If thou shalt heare say in one of thy Cities which the Lorde c. If the infection of Apostasie and falling from God doe growe from the false Prophete to the people and from some of the people to a whole Citie God willeth the whole Citie not to be spared but to be put to punishmente and vtter desolation For better it were that a fewe dyd perishe * than Gods true worship should be ouerthrowen and his glory decaye But in this place especially as in the other also before Men proceede to punishment God woulde haue them enquire and searche out the matter diligently that they dyd not vpon light report rashly condemne men But if it were founde for a suertie then that they should smite them with the edge of the sworde and to declare Gods iuste wrathe against the Reuolters from his knowen truth and right worship and not to spare so muche as their Cattell And gather all the spoile into the middes of the streete thereof c. God willeth the whole furniture and Implements of the Citie to be gathered into one place and burned with fire and * not to turne any therof vnto their owne vse It maye be God somewhat herein respected their couetousnes that they might not couer a corrupt affectiō of couetousnes with a pretensed zeale of Gods iustice But the principall cause that Moises here vttereth that is that the people by this might be more accustomed to the hating and Detestation of that whiche they saw God so greuously dyd abhorre Whitsundaye at Morning prayer Deuteronomie 16. OBserue the moneth of newe corne that thou mayest offer the passouer vnto the Lorde thy God For in the moneth when corne beginneth to rype the Lorde thy God brought thee out of Egipt by night 2 Thou shalt therfore offer the Passouer vnto the Lorde thy God of shéepe and oxen in the place which the Lord shal choose to put hys name there Thou shalt eate no leauened breade with it but seuen dayes shalte thou eate vnleauened breade therewith euen the breade of tribulation for thou camest oute of the lande of Egipte in haste that thou mayest remember the daye when thou camest oute of the lande of Egipte all the dayes of thy life 4 And there shal be no leauened breade séene in all thy coastes seuen dayes long neither shall there remayne anye thyng of the fleshe which thou offerest the firste day at euen vntyll the mornyng 5 Thou mayest not offer the Passouer wythin anye of thy gates which the Lord thy God geueth thée 6 But in the place which the Lorde thy God shall choose to set hys name in there thou shalt offer the Passouer at euen about the goyng downe of the Sunne in the season that thou camest oute of Egipte 7 And thou shalte roste and eate it in the place whiche the Lorde thy God hathe chosen and thou shalte returne on the morowe and goe vnto thy tentes 8 Sixe dayes thou shalte eate swéete breade and the seuenth daye shal be a solempne assemblye before the Lorde thy God thou shalte doe no worke therin 9 Seuen wéekes shalte thou number vnto thée and beginne to number the seuen wéekes when thou beginnest to put the sicle to the Corne. 10 And kéepe the feast of wéekes vnto the Lord thy God with a frée will offering of thyne hande whiche thou shalte geue vnto the Lord thy God according as the Lord thy God hath blessed thée 11 And thou shalt reioyce before the Lord thy God thou and thy Sonne thy Daughter thy seruant and thy mayde and the Leuite that is within thy gates
and the straunger the fatherlesse and the widdowe that are among you in the place whyche the Lorde thy God hathe chosen to put hys name there 12 And remember that thou waste a seruant in Egypte and thou shalte obserue and doe these ordinaunces 13 Thou shalte also obserue the Feast of Tabernacles seuen dayes after that thou hast gathered in thy corne and thy wine 14 And thou shalt reioyce in thy feast thou and thy sonne thy daughter thy seruaunt and thy maide the Leuite the straunger and the fatherlesse and the Widowe that are within thy gates 15 Seuen dayes shalte thou kéepe a solemne feast vnto the Lorde thy God in the place which the Lorde shall choose for the Lorde thy God shall blesse thée in all thy fruites and in all the workes of thine handes therfore shalte thou be glad 16 Thrée times in a yéere shall all thy males appeare before the Lorde thy God in the place whiche he shall choose in the feast of unleaucned because in the feast os weekes and in the feast Tabernacles and they shall not appeare before the Lorde emptie 17 Euery man shall geue according to the gift of his hand and according to the blessing of the Lorde thy God which he hath geuen thée 18 Iudges and officers shalt thou make thée in all thy cities which the Lord thy God geueth thée throughout thy tribes and they shal iudge the people with iust iudgement 19 Wrest not thou the lawe nor knowe anye person neither take anye rewarde for giftes doe blinde the eyes of the wyse and peruert the wordes of the righteous 20 That whiche is iuste and righte shalte thou folowe that thou mayest lyue and enioye the lande whych the Lord thy God geueth thée 21 Thou shalte plante no groue of anye trées neare vnto the aulter of the Lorde thy God which thou shalt make thée 22 Thou shalte set thée vp no Piller which the Lord the God hateth The Exposition vpon the .xvj. Chapter of Deuteronomie Obserue the moneth of newe corne that thou maiest offer the Passouer c. THe Israelites in this place are commauÌ„ded wyth all diligence to obserue the three principall Feastes wherein they were appointed especially to resort to the place that the Lorde would choose that is the Citie of Hierusalem The first Feast was the Passouer called here the Moneth of nevvecorne and by vs noted vnder the name of Easter The second was Pentecost called here the Feast of vveekes and by vs VVhitsontide The thirde was the Feast of Tabernacles As touchyng the Passouer there is more large declaration of it vpon Exodus 12. redde on Easter day It was solemnised the first moneth that is the moneth of Marche and here is called the Moneth of nevve corne bycause fruite and graine then began to growe toward ripening For in those countries being many degrees more Southward narre the sunne Haruest is much sooner than with vs Northwarde At this Feast besyde other ceremonyes they were appoynted to offer vnto God a certayne small portion of their eares of new corne therby confessyng that theyr towardnesse of Haruest was of Gods onely goodnes and also praying that he would vouchsafe to prosper to their vse that which was on the grounde for this cause especiallye is the tyme of this Feast called the Moneth of newe corne The principall cause of the Institution* of the Passouer was to put them in continuall remembrance of Gods maruellous benefite in passing away his plague from them and not striking them when hys Angell* killed all the firste borne of Egipte At this Feast by the space of seueÌ„ dayes they might eate no leauened bread whereby they were put in minde of their Hastie dispatch out of Egipte For albeit Pharao was obstinately set not to let them goe yet God by his mighty plagues so Brake his harte that he did not onely deliuer them but forced them to depart with such spede as they coulde not abyde to leuen their dowe but caried it away on their shoulders Whiche their hastie departure â—â—s some trouble to them and thereof doth this vnleauened bread put them in remembrance and for that cause is called here The bread of tribulation As for all other ceremonies appertainyng to this Feast they are expounded in the chapiter aboue mentioned Seuen weekes shalt thou number to thee and beginne to number c. From the day after that the Measure or Portion of newe corne was offered vnto the Lorde whiche I thinke was in the ende of the Feast of Passouer reckning seueÌ„ ful Sabathes or wekes to the nexte daye after the seuen weekes ended are iuste fiftye dayes was the time appoynted for the Pentecost called here the Feast of vveekes and in Exodus 23 The Feast of Haruest and wyth vs as I haue sayd is named VVhitsontide The firste cause of the ordynance of thys Feaste was that they mighte remember the Libertie that God had geuen them and shewe themselues thankefull for the same For fiftie dayes after their comming out of Egipte God gaue them the Lawe in Mount Sinay and first ordained them a free State and Policie by peculiar Lawes among themselues whereas before they were in bondage and lyued in miserable oppression vnder the Lawes and * tyrannie of the Egiptians An other cause of the Institution hereof was that they myghte offer a newe Oblation vnto God that is two Loaues of new Corne baked as the first Fruites in way of thankesgeuing to the Lorde So that they did not offer onelye the Measure of Newe corne before Haruest but Oblation also towarde the ende of Harueste And thereby are taughte as We also shoulde be that the Fruites of Harueste come not eyther of the Fertilitie of the grouÌ„d or of their owne Labour and trauayle but of the singuler Fauour and Blessing of God and therefore that they should vse the same not to Ryote and DrunkeÌ„nesse but wyth reuerence and * thankesgeuyng The third cause of the Institution was that it might be a figure both of the true Libertie of conscience and of the spirituall Haruest that was to come vnder the true Moyses and Deliuerer Christ Iesu For euen as fiftye dayes after the deliuerie of the Chyldren of Israell oute of Egipte they had the Lawe geuen them in Mounte Sinay So the fiftieth daye after oure deliuerance from the Tyrannie of Sinne and Sathan by the Deathe and Resurrection of Christe whiche was the true* Passouer The holye Ghoste was sente downe from Heauen which myghte not onelye wryte the eternall lawe of God in oure heartes make vs free Citizens of the heauenly Hierusalem but also by the Apostles and other good Ministers labourers might* gather together the Spirituall Haruest of God throughoute the whole worlde and that all Faithfull might receyue the firste Fruites of the benefytes of hys Deathe and Resurrection We do not therfore Obserue this day supersticiously bicause the like was ordeined among