station where God hath set vs. I see the Leuites not long since drawing their swords for God and Moses against the rest of Israel and that fact wins them both praise and blessing Now they are the forwardest in the rebellion against Moses and Aaron men of their owne Tribe There is no assurance of a man for one act whom one sinne cannot fasten vpon another may Yea the same sinne may finde a repulse one while from the same hand which another time giues it entertainment and that yeeldance loses the thanke of all the former resistance It is no praise to haue done once well vnlesse we continue Outward priuiledges of blood can auaile nothing against a particular calling of God These Reubenites had the right of the natural primogeniture yet do they vainly challenge preeminence where God hath subiected them If all ciuill honour flow from the King how much more from the God of Kings His hand exalts the poore and casts downe the mighty from their throne The man that will be lifting vp himselfe in the pride of his heart from vnder the foot of God is iustly troden in the dust Moses is the Prince of Israel Aaron the Priest Moses was milde Aaron popular yet both are conspired against Their places are no lesse brothers then their persons Both are opposed at once He that is a traytor to the Church is a traytor to the King Any superioritie is a marke of Enuy. Had Moses and Aaron beene but fellowes with the Israelites none had beene better beloued their dispositions were such as must needs haue forced fauour from the indifferent now they were aduanced their malice is not inferiour to their honour High towers must looke for lightnings we offer not to vndermine but those wals which we cannot scale Nature in euery man is both enuious and disdainfull and neuer loues to honour another but where it may be an honour to it selfe There cannot be conceiued an honour lesse worth emulation then this principality of Israel a people that could giue nothing a people that had nothing but in hope a people whom their leader was faine to feed with bread and water which paid him no tribute but of ill words whose command was nothing but a burden and yet this dignitie was an eye-sore to these Leuites and these Reubenites Ye take too much vpon you ye sonnes of Leui. And this challenge though thus vnseasonable hath drawne in two hundred and fifty Captaines of Israel What wonder is it that the ten Rulers preuailed so much with the multitude to disswade them from Canaan when three traitors preuailed thus with 250 Rulers famous in the Congregation and men of renowne One man may kindle such a fire as all the world cannot quench One plague-sore may infect a whole Kingdome The infection of euill is much worse then the act It is not like these Leaders of Israel could erre without followers Hee is a meane man that drawes not some Clients after him It hath been euer a dangerous policy of Satan to assault the best he knowes that the multitude as wee say of Bees will follow their master Nothing can be 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 ye vp your selues Euery word is a falshood For Moses deiected himselfe 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 infidelitie feare Idolatry mutiny disobedience What could make them vncleane if this were holinesse They had scarce wip't their mouths or washt their hands since their last obstinacie and yet these pick-thankes say All Israel is holy I would neuer desire a better proofe of a false teacher then flatterie True meaning need not vphold it selfe by soothing There is nothing easier then to perswade men well of themselues when a mans selfe-loue meetes with anothers flattery it is an high praise that will not be beleeued It was more out of opposition then beliefe that these men plead the holinesse of Israel Violent aduersaries to vphold a side will maintaine those things they beleeue 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 was worthy to be more precious then his gouernment That his Princedome serued but to the glory of his Master Good Magistrates are more tender ouer Gods honour then their owne and more sensible of the wrongs offred to Religion then to themselues It is safest to trust God with his owne causes If Aaron had been chosen by Israel Moses would haue sheltred him vnder their authority Now that God did immediately appoint him his patronage is sought whose the election was Wee may easily fault in the managing of diuine affaires and so our want of successe cannot want sinne He knowes how to vse how to blesse his owne 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 receits 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 enuy 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 owne Tribe now hee sends for the Reubenites which rose against himselfe They come not and their message is worse then their absence Moses is accused of iniustice cruelty falshood treacherie vsurpation and Egypt it self must be commended rather then Moses shall want reproch Innocency is no shelter from ill tongues Malice neuer regards how true any accusation is but how spightfull Now it was time for Moses to be angry They durst not haue been thus bold if they had not seene his mildnesse Lenity is ill bestowed vpon stubborne natures It is an iniurious senslesnesse not to feele the wounds of our reputation It well appeares hee is angry when he prayes against them He was displeased before but when he was most bitter against them he still prayed 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 be no greater iudgement then Gods reiection of our seruices With vs men what more argues dislike of the person then the turning backe of his present What will God accept from vs if not prayers The innocence of Moses cals for reuenge on his Aduersaries If hee had wronged them in his gouernment in vaine should he haue
yea without dimention of matter was truly admirable Doubtlesse he went oft about it and viewed it on all sides and now when his eie and mind could vntâ—â— with no likely causes so far off resolues I will goe see it His curiosity led him neeres and what could hee see but a bush and a flame which he saw at first vnsatisfied It is good to come to the place of Gods presence howsoeuer God may perhaps speak to thy heart though thou come but for nouelty Euen those which haue come vpon curiosity haue beene oft taken Absence is without hope If Moses had not come he had not beene called out of the bush To see a fire not consuming the bush was much but to heare a speaking fire this was more and to heare his owne name out of the mouth of the fire it was most of all God makes way for his greatest messages by astonishment and admiration as on the contrary carelesnesse caries vs to a meere vnproficiency vnder the best meanes of God If our hearts were more awfull Gods messages would be more effectuall to vs. In that appearance God meant to call Moses to come yet when he is come inhibits him Come not hither We must come to God we must not come too nere him When we meditate of the great mysteries of his word we come to him we come too neere him when we search into his counsels The Sun and the fire say of themselues Come not too neare how much more the light which none can attaine vnto We haue all our limits set vs The Gentiles might come into some outter courts not into the inmost The Iewes might come into the inner Court not into the Temple the Priests and Leuites into the Temple not into the Holy of Holies Moses to the Hill not to the Bush The waues of the Sea had not more need of bounds then mans presumption Moses must not come close to the bush at all and where he may stand he may not stand with his shooes on There is no vnholinesse in clothes God prepared them for man at first and that of skins lest any exception should be taken at the hides of dead beasts The rite was significant What are the shooes but worldly and carnall affections If these be not cast off when we come to the holy place we make our selues vnholy how much lesse should we dare to come with resolutions of sinne This is not onely to come with shooes on but with shooes bemired with wicked filthinesse the touch whereof pro-the pauement of God and makes our presence odious Moses was the Sonne of Amram Amram of Kohath Kohath of Leui Leui of Iacob Iacob of Isaac Isaac of Abraham God puts together both ends of his pedigree I am the God of thy father and of Abraham Isaac Iacob If he had said onely I am thy God it had beene Moses his duty to attend awfully but now that he sayes I am the God of thy Father and of Abraham c. He challenges reuerence by prescription Any thing that was our Ancesters pleases vs their Houses their Vessels their Cotâ— armour How much more their God How carefull should Parents be to make holy choices Euery president of theirs are so many monuments and motiues to their posterity What an happinesse it is to be borne of good Parents hence God claimes an interest in vs and wee in him for their sake As many a man smarteth for his fathers sinne so the goodnesse of others is crowned in a thousand generations Neither doth God say I was the God of Abraham Isaac Iacob but I am The Patriarkes still liue after so many thousand yeares of dissolution No length of time can separate the soules of the iust from their Maker As for their body there is still a reall relation betwixt the dust of it and the soule and if the being of this part be more defectiue the being of the other is more liuely and doth more then recompence the wants of that earthly halfe God could not describe himselfe by a more sweet name then if his I am the God of thy father and of Abraham c. yet Moses hides his face for feare If he had said I am the glorious God that made heauen and earth that dwell in light inaccessible whom the Angels cannot behold or I am God the auenger iust and terrible a consuming fire to mine enemies here had beene iust cause of terror But why was Moses so frighted with a familiar compellation God is no lesse awfull to his owne in his very mercies Great is thy mercy that thou mayst be feared for to them no lesse maiesty shines in the fauours of God then in his iudgements and iustice The wicked heart neuer feares God but thundring or shaking the earth or raining fire from heauen but the good can dread him in his very sunne-shine his louing deliuerances blessings affect them with awfulnesse Moses was the true son of Iacob who when he saw nothing but visions of loue mercy could say How dreadfull is this places I see Moses now at the bush hiding his face at so milde a representation hereafter we shall see him in this very Mount betwixt heauen and earth in Thunder Lightning Smoke Earth-quakes speaking mouth to mouth with God bare faced and fearlesse God was then more terrible but Moses was lesse strange This was his first meeting with God further acquaintance makes him familiar and familiarity makes him bold Frequence of conuersation giues vs freedome of accesse to God and makes vs powre out our hearts to him as fully and as fearlesly as to our friends In the meane time now at first he made not so much haste to see but he made as much to hide his eies Twice did Moses hide his face once for the glory which God put vpon him which made him so shine that he could not bee beheld of others once for Gods owne glory which hee could not behold No maruell Some of the creatures are too glorious for mortall eies how much more when God appeares to vs in the easiest manner must his glory needs ouercome vs Behold the difference betwixt our present and future estate Then the more Maiesty of appearance the more delight when our sin is quite gone all our feare at Gods presence shall be turned into ioy God appeared to Adam before his sin with comfort but in the same forme which after his sin was terrible And if Moses cannot abide to looke vpon Gods glory when he descends to vs in mercy how shall wicked ones abide to see his fearfull presence when he sets vpon vengeance In this fire he flamed and consumed not but in his reuenge our God is a consuming fire First Moses hides himselfe in feare now in modesty Who am I None in all Aegypt or Midian was comparably fit for this embassage Which of the Israelites had bin brought vp a Courtier a Scholler an Israelite by blood by education an Aegyptian learned wise valiant
counsell of so wise and mercifull a God hath drawne vs into his want and shall not he as easily find the way out It is the Lord let him doe what he will There can be no more forceable motiue to patience then the acknowledgment of a diuine hand that strikes vs. It is fearefull to be in the hand of an aduersarie but who would not be confident of a Father Yet in our fraile humanity choler may transport a man from remembrance of nature but when wee feele our selues vnder the discipline of a wise God that can temper our afflictions to our strength to our benefit who would not rather murmur at himselfe that hee should swerue towards impatience Yet these sturdy Israelites wilfully murmur and will not haue their thirst quenched with faith but with water Giue vs water Nooked to heare when they would haue entreated Moses to pray for them but in stead of entreating they contend and in stead of prayers I find commands Giue vs water If they had gone to God without Moses I should haue praised their faith but now they goe to Moses without God I hate their stubborne faithlesnesse To seeke to the second meanes vvith neglect of the first is the fruit of a false faith The answer of Moses is like himselfe milde and sweet Why contend ye with mee Why tempt ye the Lord In the first expostulation condemning them of iniustice since not he but the Lord had afflicted them In the second of presumption that since it was God that tempted them by want they should tempt him by murmuring In the one hee would haue them see their wrong in the other their danger As the act came not from him but from God so he puts it off to God from himselfe Why tempt yee the Lord The opposition which is made to the instruments of God redounds euer to his person He holds himselfe smitten through the sides of his Ministers So hath God incorporated these respects that our subtilty cannot diuide them But what temptation is this Is the Lord among vs or no Infidelitie is crafty and yet foolish Craftie in her insinuations foolish in her conceits They imply If we were sure the Lord were with vs we would not distrust They conceiue doubts of his pr sence after such confirmations What could God doe more to make them know hiâ— present vnlesse euery moment should haue renued miracles The plagues of Aegypt and the diuision of the Sea were so famous that the very Innes of Iericho rang of them Their waters were lately sweetned the Quailes were yet in their teeth their Manna was yet in their eye yea they saw God in the Pillar of the Cloud and yet they say Is the Lord amongst vs No argument is enough to an incredulous heart not sense not experience How much better was that faith of Thomas that would beleeue his eyes and hands though his care he would not Oh the deepe infidelitie of these Israelites that saw and beleeued not And how will they know if God be amongst them As if hee could not bee with them and they be a thirst either God must humour carnall minds or be distrusted If they prosper though it be with wickednesse God is with them If they be thwarted in their owne designes straight Is God with vs It was the way to put God from them to distrust and murmure If he had not been with them they had not liued If he had been in them they had not mutined They can thinke him absent in their want and cannot see him absent in their sinne and yet wickednesse not affliction argues him gone Yea then is he most present when he most chastises Who would not haue looked that this answer of Moses should haue appeased their fury As what can still him that will not be quiet to thinke he hath God for his Aduersarie But as if they would wilfully warre against Heauen they proceed yet with no lesse craft then violence bending their exception to one part of the answer and smoothly omitting what they could not except against They will not heare of tempting God they maintaine their strife with Moses both with words and stones How malicious how headdy is impatience The act was Gods they cast it vpon Moses Wherefore hast thou brought vs The act of God was mercifull they make it cruell To kill vs and our children As if God and Moses meant nothing but their ruine who intended nothing but their life and libertie Foolish men What needed this iourney to death Were they not as obnoxious to God in Aegypt Could not God by Moses as easily haue killed them in Aegypt or in the Sea as their enemies Impatience is full of misconstruction If it be possible to find out any glosse to corrupt the Text of Gods actions they shall be sure not to scape vntainted It was no expostulating with an vnreasonable multitude Moses runs straight to him that was able at once to quench their thirst and their fury What shall I do to this people It is the best way to trust God with his owne causes when men will bee intermedling with his affaires they vndoe themselues in vaine We shall finde difficulties in all great enterprises if wee be sure we haue begun them from God wee may securely cast all euents vpon his prouidence which knowes how to dispose and how to end them Moses perceiued rage not in the tongues only but in the hands of the Israelites Yet a while longer and they will stone me Euen the Leader of Gods people feared death and sinned not in fearing Life is worthy to be deare to all especially to him whom publike charge hath made necessary Meere feare is not sinfull It is impotence and distrust that accompany it which make it euill How well is that feare bestowed that sends vs the more importunately to God Some man would haue thought of flight Moses flyes to his Prayers and that not for reuenge but for helpe Who but Moses would not haue said This twice they haue mutined and beene pardoned and now againe thou seest O Lord how madly they rebell and how bloodily they intend against me preserue me I beseech thee and plague them I heare none of this but imitating the long suffering of his God he seekes to God for them which sought to kill him for the quarrell of God Neither is God sooner sought then found All Israel might see Moses goe towards the Rocke None but the Elders might see him strike it Their vnbeleefe made them vnworthy of this priuiledge It is no small fauor of God to make vs witnesses of his great Workes That he crucifies his Sonne before vs that he fetches the water of Life out of the true Rocke in our sight is an high prerogatiue If his rigour would haue taken it our infidelity had equally excluded vs whom now his mercy hath receiued Moses must take his Rod God could haue done it by his will without a word or by his word without the
fleshly forehead of authority dant vs how shall we stand before the dreadfull Tribunall of Heauen Moses maruels to see Israel run away from their Guide as from their Enemie and lookes backe to see if hee could discerne any new cause of feare and not conceiuing how his myld face could affray them cals them to stay and retyre Oh my people whom doe ye flee It is for your sakes that I ascended stayd came downe Behold here are no armed Leuites to strike you no Amalekites no Aegyptians to pursue you no fires and thunders to dismay you I haue not that rod of God in my hand which you haue seene to command the Elements or if I had so farre am I from purposing any rigor against you that I now lately haue appeased God towards you and lo here the pledges of his reconciliation God sends me to you for good and do you run from your best friend Whither will ye go from me or without me Stay and heare the charge of that God from whom yee cannot flee They perceiue his voyce the same though his face were changed and are perswaded to stay and returne and heare him whom they dare not see and now after many doubtfull paces approching neerer dare tell him he was growne too glorious Good Moses finding that they durst not looke vpon the Sunne of his face clouds it with a vayle Choosing rather to hide the worke of God in him then to want opportunity of reuealing Gods will to his people I doe not heare him stand vpon termes of reputation if there be glory in my face God put it there he would not haue placed it so conspicuously if he had meant it should be hid Hide ye your faces rather which are blemished with your sinne and looke not that I should wrong God and my selfe to seeme lesse happy in fauor of your weaknesse But without all selfe respects he modestly hides his glorified face cares not their eyes should pierce so far as to his skin on condition that his words may pierce into their eares It is good for a man sometimes to hide his graces Some Talents are best improued by being layd vp Moses had more glory by his Vaile then by his face Christian modesty teaches a wise man not to expose himselfe to the fayrest shew and to liue at the vtmost pitch of his strength There is many a rich Stone laid vp in the bowels of the Earth many a fayre Pearle laid vp in the bosome of the Sea that neuer was seene nor neuer shall bee There is many a goodly Starre which because of height comes not within our account How did our true Moses with the Vayle of his flesh hide the glory of his Dietie and put on vilenesse besides the laying aside of Maiesty and shut vp his great and Diuine Miracles with See you tell no man How farre are those spirits from this which care only to be seene and wish onely to dazle others eyes with admiration not caring for vnknowne Riches But those yet more which desire to seeme aboue themselues whether in parts or graces whose Vayle is fairer then their skinne Modest faces shall shine through their Vailes when the vain-glorious shall bewray their shame through their couering That God which gaue his Law in smoke deliuered it againe through the Vayle of Moses Israel could not looke to the end of that which should be abolished for the same cause had God a Vayle vpon his face which hid his presence in the Holy of Holies Now as the Vayle of God did rend when he said It is finished so the Vayle of Moses then pulled off We cleerely see Christ the end of the Law Our Ioshua that succeeded Moses speakes to vs bare-faced what a shame is it there should bee a Vayle vpon our hearts when there is none on his face When Moses went to speake with God he pulled off his Vayle It was good reason he should present to God that face which he had made There had beene more need of his Vayle to hide the glorious face of God from him then to hide his from God but his faith and thankfulnesse serue for both these vses Hypocrites are contrary to Moses he shewed his worst to men his best to God they shew their best to men their worst to God but God sees both their Vayle and their face and I know not whether he hates their vayle of dissimulation or their face of wickednesse Of NADAB and ABIHV THat God which shewed himselfe to men in fire when hee deliuered his Law would haue men present their Sacrifices to him in fire and this fire hee would haue his owne that there might bee a iust circulation in this creature as the water sends vp those vapours which it receiues downe againe in raine Hereupon it was that fire came downe from God vnto the Altar That as the charge of the Sacrifice was deliuered in fire and smoake so God might signifie the acceptation of it in the like fashion wherein it was commanded The Baalites might lay ready their Bullocke vpon the wood and water in their Trench but they might sooner fetch the blood out of their bodies and destroy themselues then one flash out of Heauen to consume the Sacrifice That Deuill which can fetch downe fire from Heauen either maliciously or to no purpose although he abound with fire and did as feruenly desire this fire in emulation to God as euer he desired mitigation of his owne yet now hee could no more kindle a fire for the Idolatrous Sacrifice then quench the flames of his own torment Herein God approues himselfe only worthy to be sacrificed vnto that he creates the fire of his owne seruice whereas the impotent Idols of the Heathen must fetch fire from their neighbors Kitchen and themselues are fit matter for their borrowed fire The Israelites that were led too much with sense if they had seene the Bullocke consumed with a fire fetcht from a common hearth could neuer haue acknowledged what relation the Sacrifice had to God had neuer perceiued that God tooke notice of the Sacrifice but now they see the fire comming out from the presence of God they are conuinced both of the power and acceptation of the Almightie They are at once amazed and satisfied to see the same God answer by fire which before had spoken by fire God doth not lesse approue our Euangelicall Sacrifices then theirs vnder the Law but as our Sacrifices are spirituall so are the signes of his acceptation Faith is our guide as Sense was theirs Yea euen still doth God testifie his approbation by sensible euidences when by a liuely faith and feruent zeale our hearts are consecraten to God then doth this heauenly fire come down vpon our Sacrifices then are they holy liuing acceptable This flame that God kindled was not as some momentany bonefire for a sudden and short triumph nor as a domesticall fire to goe out with the day but is giuen for a perpetuity and
the eares of God then a speechlesse repining of the soule Heat is more intended with keeping in but Aarons silence was no lesse inward He knew how little he should get by brawling with God If he breathed our discontentment he 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 and humbly and contentedly to rest the heart in the iustice and wisedome of Gods proceeding and to bee so farre from chiding that we dispute not Nature is froward and though shee well knowes we meddle not with our match when we striue with our Maker yet she pricks vs forward to this idle quarrell and bids vs with Iobs wife Curse and dye If God either chide or smite as seruants are charged to their Masters wee may not answer againe when Gods hand is on our backe our hand must be our mouth else as mothers doe their children God shall whip vs so much the more for crying It is hard for a stander by in this case to distinguish betwixt hard-heartednesse and piety There Aaron sees his sonnes lye he may neither put his hand to them to bury them nor shead a teare for their death Neuer parent can haue iuster cause of mourning then to see his sonnes dead in their sinne if prepared and penitent yet who can but sorrow for their end but to part with children to the danger of a second death is worthy of more then teares Yet Aaron must learne so farre to deny nature that he must more magnifie the iustice of God then lament the iudgement Those whom God hath called to his immediate seruice must know 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 be seasonable it becomes a funerall And if Nadab and Abihu had dyed in their beds this fauour had been allowed them the sorrow of their Father and Brethren for when God forbids solemne mourning to his Priests ouer the dead hee excepts the cases of this neernesse of blood Now all Israel may mourne for these two only the Father and Brethren may not God is iealous lest their sorrow should seeme to countenance the sinne which he had punished euen the fearfullest acts of God must be applauded by the heauiest hearts of the faithfull That which the Father and Brother may not doe the Cousins are commanded dead carkasses are not for the presence of God His iustice was shewne sufficiently in killing them They are now fit for the graue not the Sanctuary Neither are they caried out naked but in their coats It was an vnusuall sight for Israel to see a linnen Ephod vpon the Beere The iudgement was so much more remarkable because they had the badge of their calling vpon their backs Nothing is either more pleasing vnto God or more commodious to men then that when he hath executed iudgement it should bee seene and wondred at for therefore he strikes some that he may warne all Of AARON and MIRIAM THe Israelites are stayed seuen dayes in the station of Hazzeroth for the punishment of Miriam The sinnes of the gouernors are a iust stop to the people all of them smart in one all must stay the leasure of Miriams recouerie Whosoeuer seekes the Land of Promise shall finde many lets Amalek Og Schon and the Kings of Canaan meet with Israel these resisted but hindred not their passage their sinnes onely stay them from remouing Afflictions are not crosses to vs in the way to heauen in comparison to our sinnes What is this I see Is not this Aaron that was brother in nature and by office ioynt Commissioner with Moses Is not this Aaron that made his Brother an Intercessor for him to God in the case of his Idolatry Is not this Aaron that climbed vp the Hill of Sinai with Moses Is not this Aaron whom the mouth and hand of Moses consecrated an high Priest vnto God Is not this Miriam the elder Sister of Moses Is not this Miriam that led the Triumph of the Women and sung gloriously to the Lord It not this Miriam which layd her Brother Moses in the Reeds and fetcht her Mother to be his Nurse Both Prophets of God both the flesh and blood of Moses And doth this Aaron repine at the honor of him which gaue himselfe that honour and saued his life Doth this Miriam repine at the prosperity of him whose life she saued Who would not haue thought this should haue beene their glory to haue seene the glory of their owne Brother What could haue beene a greater comfort to Miriam then to thinke How happily doth he now sit at the Sterne of Israel whom I saued from perishing in a Boat of Bul-rushes It is to mee that Israel owes this Commander But now enuy hath so blinded their eyes that they can neither see this priuiledge of nature nor the honour of Gods choyce Miriam and Aaron are in mutiny against Moses Who is so holy that sinnes not What sinne is so vnnaturall that the best can auoyde without God But what weaknesse soeuer may plead for Miriam who can but grieue to see Aaron at the end of so many sinnes Of late I saw him caruing the molten Image and consecrating an Altar to a false god now I see him seconding an vnkind mutiny against his Brother Both sinnes find him accessary neither principall It was not in the power of the legall Priesthood to performe or promise innocency to her Ministers It was necessary wee should haue another high Priest which could not bee tainted That King of righteousnesse was of another order He being without sinne hath fully satisfied for the sinnes of men Whom can it now offend to see the blemishes of the Euangelicall Priesthood when Gods first high Priest is thus miscaried Who can looke for loue and prosperity at once when holy and meeke Moses finds enmity in his owne flesh and blood Rather then we shall want A mans enemies shall be those of his owne house Authority cannot fayle of opposition if it be neuer so mildly swayed that common make-bate will rather raise it out of our owne bosome To doe well and heare ill is Princely The Midianitish wife of Moses cost him deare Before she hazarded his life now the fauour of his people Vnequall matches are seldome prosperous Although now this scandall was onely taken Enuy was not wise enough to choose a ground of the quarrell Whether some secret and emulatory brawles passed between Zipporah and Miriam as many times these sparkes of priuate brawles grow into a perillous and common flame or whether now that Iethro and his family was ioyned with Israel there were surmises of transporting the Gouernment to strangers or whether this vnfit choice of Moses is now raised vp to disparage Gods gifts in him Euen in fight the exceptions were
enemies vpon himselfe True Christian fortitude teaches vs not to regard the number or quality of the opponents but the equity of the cause and cares not to stand alone and challenge all commers and if it could be opposed by as many worlds as men it may be ouerborn but it cannot be daunted Whereas popularity caries weake minds and teaches them the safety of erring with a multitude Caleb saw the giantly Anakims and the walled Cities as well as the rest and yet he sayes Let vs go vp and possesse it As if it were no more but to go and see and conquer Faith is couragious makes nothing of those dangers wherwith others are quailed It is very materiall with what eyes we looke vpon all obiects Feare doth not more multiply euils then faith diminisheth them which is therefore bold because either it sees not or contemnes that terror which feare represents to the weake There is none so valiant as the beleeuer It had beene happy for Israel if Calebs counsell had beene as effectuall as good But how easily haue these Rulers discouraged a faint-hearted people In stead of lifting vp their ensignes and marching towards Canaan they sit them downe and lift vp their voice and cry The rods of their AEgyptian Task-masters had neuer beene so fit for them as now for crying They had cause indeed to weepe for the sinne of their infidelity but now they weepe for feare of those enemies they saw not I feare if there had beene ten Calebs to perswade and but two faint spies to discourage them those two cowards would haue preuailed against those tenne sollicitors How much more now ten oppose and but two incourage An easie Rhetoricke drawes vs to the worse part yea it is hard not to run downe the hill The faction of Euill is so much stronger in our nature then that of Good that euery least motion preuailes for the one scarce any sure for the other Now is Moses in danger of losing all the cost and care that euer he bestowed vpon Israel His people are already gone backe to AEgypt in their hearts and their bodies are returning Oh ye rebellious Hebrewes where shall God haue you at last Did euer Moses promise to bring you to a fruitfull Land without Inhabitants To giue you a rich Country without resistance Are not the graues of Canaan as good as those of Aegypt What can ye but dye at the hands of the Anakims Can ye hope for lesse from the Aegyptians What madnesse is this to wish to dye for feare of death Is there lesse hope from your enemies that shall be when ye goe vnder strong and expert Leaders then from the enemies that were when yee shall returne masterlesse Can those cruell Egyptians so soone haue forgotten the blood of their fathers children brothers husbands which perished in pursuing you Had yee rather trust the mercy of knowne enemies then the promise of a faithfull God Which way will ye returne Who shall diuide the Sea for you Who shall fetch you water out of the Rocke Or can ye hope that the Manna of God will follow you while yee runne from him Feeble minds when they meet with crosses they lookt not for repent of their good beginnings and wish any difficulty rather then that they finde How many haue pulled backe their foot from the narrow way for the troubles of a good profession It had been time for the Israelites to haue falne downe on their faces before Moses and Aaron and to haue said Ye led vs thorow the Sea make way for vs into Canaan Those Giants are strong but not so strong as the Rocke of Rephidim ye stroke that and it yeelded If they be tall the Pillar of God is higher then they when we looke on our selues we see cause of fear but when we consider the miraculous power of you our leaders we cannot but contemne those men of measures Leaue vs not therfore but go before vs in your directiōs go to God for vs in your praiers But now contrarily Moses and Aaron fall on their faces to them and sue to them that they would be content to be conducted Had they beene suffered to depart they had perished Moses and his few had beene victorious And yet as if he could not be happy without them be falls on his face to them that they would stay We haue neuer so much need to bee importuned as in those things whose benefit should make vs most importunate The sweetnesse of Gods Law and our promised glory is such as should draw all hearts after it And yet if we did not sue to men as for life that they would bee reconciled to God and be saued I doubt whether they would obtaine yea it were well if our sute were sufficient to preuaile Though Moses and Aaron intreat vpon their faces and Ioshua and Caleb perswade and rend their garments yet they moue nothing The obstinate multitude growne more violent with opposing is ready to returne them stones for their prayers Such hath been euer the thankes of fidelity and truth Crossed wickednesse proues desperate and in stead of yeelding seekes for reuenge Nothing is so hatefull to a resolute sinner as good counsell We are become enemies to the world because we tell them truth That God which was inuisibly present whiles they sinned when they haue sinned shewes himselfe glorious They might haue seene him before that they should not sinne Now they cannot choose but see him in the height of their sinne They saw before the Pillar of his ordinary presence now they see him vnusually terrible that they may with shame and horror confesse him able to defend able to reuenge The helpe of God vses to shew it selfe in extremitie He that can preuent euils conceales his aide till danger be ripe And then he is fearfull as before he seemed conniuent Of CORAH'S Conspiracie THe teares of Israel were scarce drie since the smart of their last mutiny and now they begin another The multitude is like a raging Sea full of vnquiet billowes of discontentment whereof one rises in the fall of another They saw God did but threaten and therefore are they bold to sinne It was now high time they should know what it is for God to bee angry There was neuer such a reuenge taken of Israel neuer any better deserued When lesser warnings will not serue God lookes into his Quiuer for deadly arrowes In the meane time what a weary life did Moses lead in these continuall successions of conspiracies What did hee gaine by his troublesome gouernment but danger and despight Who but he would not haue wisht himselfe rather with the sheepe of Iethro then with these wolues of Israel But as he durst not quit his hooke without the calling of God so now he dare not his Scepter except he be dismissed by him that called him no troubles no oppositions can driue him from his place we are too weake if we suffer men to chase vs from that
in pieces Hee that will iudge and can confound is fetcht into the quarrell without cause But if to striue with a mighty man bee vnwise and vnsafe what shall it be to striue with the mighty God As an angry child casts away that which is giuen him because he hath not that hee would so doe 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 Twice hath the very Rocke yeelded them water and euery day the heauen affords them bread Did any one soule amongst them miscarie either for hunger or thirst But no bread will downe with them saue that which the earth yeelds no water â—ut from the naturall Wels or Riuers Vnlesse nature may be allowed to bee her owne caruer she 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 mouths This heauenly bread was vnspeakably delicious it tasted like wafers of hony and yet euen this Angels food is contemned He that is full despiseth an hony-combe How sweet and delicate is the Gospel Not onely the Fathers of the Old Testament but the Angels desired to looke into the glorious mysteries of it and yet we are cloyed This supernaturall food 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 he 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 neere to death If the Serpent bite when he is not charmed no better is a slanderer Now these venemous Adders reuenge it which are therefore called fiery because their poison scalded to death God hath an hand in the annoyance and hurt of the basest creature how much lesse 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 them and plagued the Egyptians now they are rebellious in the Desart the serpents finde them out and sting them to death Hee that brought the Quailes thither to feed them 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 will not bee in league with vs while we are not in league with God These men when the Spies had told them newes of the Gyants of Canaan a little before had wisht Would God wee were dead in this Wildernesse Now God hath heard their prayers what with the Plague 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 wee pray for and would not haue are oft granted The eares of God are not only open to the prayers of faith but to the imprecations of infidelitie It is dangerous wishing euill to our selues or ours It is iust with God to take vs at our word and to effect that which our lips speake against our heart Before God hath euer consulted with Moses and threatned ere he punisht now he strikes and sayes nothing The anger is so much more by how much lesse notified When God is not heard before he is felt as in the hewing of wood the blow is not heard till the axe be seene to haue strooke it is a fearfull signe of displeasure It is with God as with vs men that still reuenges are euer most dangerous Till now all vvas well enough with Israel and yet they grudged Those that will complaine without a cause shall haue cause to complaine for something Discontented humours seldome scape vnpunished but receiue that most iustly whereat they repined vniustly Now the people are glad to seeke to Moses vnbidden Euer heretofore they haue been wont to be sued to and intreated for without their owne intreaty now their miserie makes them importunate There need no sollicitor where there is sense of smart It were pity men should want affliction since it sends them to their prayers and confessions All the perswasions 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 wilde and neuer come to a sound humiliation wee 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 he would pray to God for them He that so oft prayed 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 finds 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 â—â—y seeke to him for remedy and seeking may finde it from such meanes 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 legges Or what could a Serpent of cold brasse preuaile against a liuing and fierie Serpent In this troublesome Desart wee 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 Paschal Lambe their Manna their Rock their Serpent To all purposes dost thou vary thy selfe to thy Church that we 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 Israel at last stings them to death by Idolatrous abuse What poyson there is in Idolatry that makes euen Antidotes deadly As Moses therefore raised this Serpent so Ezekias pulled it downe God commanded the raising of it God approued the demolishing of it Superstitious vse can marre the very institutions of God how much more the most wise and well-grounded deuices of men Of BALAAM MOab and Midian had beene all this while standers by and lookers on If they had not seen the patterne of their own ruine in these neighbors it had neuer troubled them to see the Kings of the Amorites and Bashan to fall before Israel 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 iudgments till themselues be touched The fire of a neighbors house would
Egypt thorow the Sea and wildernesse within the sight of their promised Land and now himselfe must take possession of that Land whereof Canaan was but a type When we haue done that we came for it is time for vs to be gone This earth is made only for action not for fruition the seruices of Gods children should be ill rewarded if they must stay here alwaies Let no man thinke much that those are fetcht away which are faithful to God They should not change if it were not to their preferment It is our folly that wee would haue good men liue for euer and account it an haâ—d measure that they were Hee that lends them to the world owes them a better turne then this earth can pay them It were iniurious to wish that goodnesse should hinder any man from glory So is the death of Gods Saints precious that it is certaine Moses must goe vp to mount Nebo and die The time the place and euery circumstance of his dissolution is determined That one dyes in the field another in his bed another in the water one in a forraine Nation another in his owne is fore-decreed in heauen And though we heare it not vocally yet God hath called euery man by his name and saith Die thou there One man seemes to dye casually another by an inexpected violence both fall by a destiny and all is set downe to vs by an eternall decree He that brought vs into the world will cary vs out according to his owne purposes Moses must ascend vp to the hill to dye He receiued his charge for Israel vpon the hill of Sinai And now hee deliuers vp his charge on the hill of Nebo His brother Aaron dyed on one hill hee on another As Christ was transfigured on an hill so was this excellent type of his neither doubt I but that these hills were types to them of that heauen whither they were aspiring It is the goodnesse of our God that hee will nor haue his children dye any where but where they may see the Land of Promise before them neither can they depart without much comfort to haue seene it Contrarily a wicked man that lookes downe and sees hell before him how can hee choose but find more horrour in the end of death then in the way How familiarly doth Moses heare of his end It is no more betwixt God and Moses but goe vp and dye If he had inuited him to a meale it could not haue beene in a more sociable compellation No otherwise then he said to his other Prophet Vp and eate It is neither harsh nor newes to Gods children to heare or thinke of their departure To them death hath lost his horror through acquaintance Those faces which at first sight seemed ill-fauoured by oft viewing grow out of dislike They haue so oft thought and resolued of the necessity and of the issue of their dissolution that they cannot hold it either strange or vnwelcome He that hath had such entire conuersation with God cannot feare to goe to him Those that know him not or know that he will not know them no maruell if they tremble This is no small fauour that God warnes Moses of his end he that had so oft made Moses of his counsel what he meant to do with Israel would not now do ought with himselfe without his knowledge Expectation of any maine euent is a great aduantage to a wise heart If the fiery chariot had fetcht away Elias vnlookt for wee should haue doubted of the fauour of his transportation It is a token of iudgement to come as a theefe in the night God forewarnes one by sicknesse another by age another by his secret instincts to prepare for their end If our hearts bee not now in readinesse we are worthy to be surprized But what is this I heare Displeasure mixed with loue and that to so faithfull a seruant as Moses He must but see the Land of Promise he shall not tread vpon it because he once long agoe sinned in distrusting Death though it were to him an entrance into glory yet shall be also a chastisement of his infidelity How many noble proofes had Moses giuen of his courage and strength of faith How many gracious seruices had he done to his Master Yet for one act of distrust he must bee gathered to his Fathers All our obediences cannot beare out one sinne against God How vainly shall we hope to make amends to God for our former trespasses by our better behauiour when Moses hath this one sinne laid in his dish after so many and worthy testimonies of his fidelitie When we haue forgotten our sinnes yet God remembers them and although not in anger yet he cals for our arrerages Alas what shall become of them with whom God hath ten thousand greater quarrels that amongst many millions of sinnes haue scattered some few acts of formall seruices If Moses must die the first death for one fault how shall they escape the second for sinning alwayes Euen where God loues he will not winke at sinne and if he doe not punish yet he will chastise How much lesse can it stand with that eternall Iustice to let wilfull sinners escape iudgement It might haue beene iust with God to haue reserued the cause to himselfe and in a generalitie to haue told Moses that his sinne must shorten his iourney but it is more of mercy then iustice that his children shall know why they smart That God may at once both iustifie himselfe and humble them for their particular offences Those to whom he meanes vengeance haue not the sight of their sinnes till they be past repentance Complaine not that God vpbraides thee with thy old sinnes whosoeuer thou art but know it is an argument of loue whereas concealement is a fearefull signe of a secret dislike from God But what was that noted sinne which deserues this late exprobation and shall cary so sharpe a chastisement Israel murmured for water God bids Moses take the rod in his hand and speak to the rock to giue water Moses in stead of speaking and striking the rocke with his voice strikes it with the rod Here was his sinne An ouer-reaching of his commission a fearefulnesse and distrust of the effect The rod he knew was approued for miracles he knew not how powerfull his voyce might be therefore hee did not speake but strike and he strooke twice for failing And now after these many yeares hee is striken for it of God It is a dangerous thing in diuine matters to goe beyond our warrant Those sinnes which seeme triuiall to men are haynous in the account of God Any thing that fauours of infidelity displeases him more then some other crimes of morality Yet the mouing of the Rod was but a diuerse thing from the mouing of the tongue it was not contrary He did not forbid the one but he commanded the other This was but acrosse the streame not against it where shall they appeare whose whole