wee likewise may raine-downe abundance of teares praying for our sinnes and thanking him for his goodnes knowing it as a most assured truth that no dewe of the night can so glad the earth as this swéete moisture of thy wet eye in these respects doth please thy God Good therfore was that Counsaile of a most honourable Father to his Childe that aboue all other times hee should haue a care in the quiet night to talke with his God Dauid goeth on in another Psalme and saith I haue thought vpon the Lord in the night season and remembred him when I was waking At midnight will I rise to giue thanks to Thee because of thy righteous Iudgements In the night I commune with mine owne heart and search out my Spirits With my soule haue I desired thee in the night saith the Song of the Faithfull And all these thinges should be our instruction In Iob it is said God giueth songs in the night and it is a Place much to be thought on Therefore I say againe since mercie and iudgement thus stir in the night the one for his children the other for his Enemies awake thou that sleepest in most dull securitie going to thy bed as the Dogge to his kennell without anie thought either of God or of Deuill Full little knowest thou what may happen vnto thée before it be day It may be with thée as with these first borne with the fiue Kings with the Citie Ai c. Thy selfe may be dead thy houses on fire thy goods spoyled thy children destroyed and a thousand wofull miseries vpon thy friends Wherefore goe to bed with prayer awake with prayer and arise with prayer Let God and grace be in thy first thoughts and not anger and wrath not Shéepe and Oxen not money and mucke which shall all perish with thée when God is angrie We see how the faithfull haue done before vs and let it suffice in this point concerning the time when this plague was executed 2. The second thing is the Plague it selfe which was the death of the first borne To make vse of it to our selues let vs consider how great a gréefe it is to haue any childe die and that to haue the eldest and first borne to die is commonly a griefe much greater but yet this was not all the griefe of the Egyptians For besides the particular griefe of any one to haue it generall through the whole Land and not to knowe whether God would there stay or extend his wrath vpon them all for they said we all shall die this was a thing most full of feare and woe So by all these circumstances the iudgement was terrible vpon them and to them past our féeling and conceite except the Lord assist our vnderstanding and féeling But why will some say séeing wee all owe a death to God first or last young and olde and all degrées I answere that death in it selfe to any grounded vpon God is neither hurtfull nor fearefull yet Nature is Nature when the separation commeth and wee are allowed to mourne for them that die but when death commeth with a circumstance or shewe of Gods anger in manner or suddainnesse or such like then is there not that comfort which we otherwise haue For Example sake Lot knewe well his wife must die but to sée her changed so suddainly and strangely into a pillar of Salt was very fearefull and discomfortable both to him and all her friends Those sonnes of Aaron Nadab and Abihu their Father knewe full well must haue a death but to sée them both together suddainly slaine by a fire frō God iudge in your heart what griefe it was Corah Dathan ond Abiram must haue died and no friend of theirs but well knewe it yet to haue the earth open and swallowe them vp with all their families O what a dreadfull spectacle was it Add vnto these those Tormentors which died with the flames flashing out of the fierie fornace where into they had cast the three seruants of God those Accusers of Daniel who were cast into the Lions denne and shaken in peeces ere they came to the ground Ananias and Saphira his wife suddenly smitten by the hand of God This Pharaoh here and so many of his Nobles and people drowned and ouerwhelmed in the Red-sea were they not all full of woe and griefe to friends more than if they had died orderly without any such circumstance of Gods anger Surely they were And the best Learned are of opinion that Dauid so doubled his crie for Absolon more in regard of the manner of his death than of the death it selfe For hee died in rebellion against his naturall Father and King he was hanged by the haire of his head betwixt Heauen and Earth in a tree till his enemies came and stabbed him through againe and againe There were no signes knowne of his repentance Which all laid together and considered of a wise Father made his heart turne and ouerturne within him crying O my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon would God I had died for thee O Absolon my sonne my sonne Conclude we therefore that though naturally wee must all die and there is nothing more sure yet either the kinde of death or the suddennes may depriue friends of much comfort So was it heere in Egypt for these first borne in euerie house 3. But yet you will not iudge may some say all that die a suddaine or extraordinarie death No indeede For things reuealed belong to vs and the Lords secrets appertaine to himselfe The Lords mercie is restrained neither to time nor manner and the Apostle saith what shall or can separate a man or woman once grafted into Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword No no. Neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come Nor height nor depth nor any other creature can doo it No suddainnes of death then or extraordinarie manner which may happen to the best either by naturall causes in their bodies or otherwise as God shall please in his vnsearchable wisedome But in such cases we are to remember for our comfort what Testimonies of Faith Religion of vertue and pietie they gaue in their life time to rest vpon those The Lord is no Changeling but loueth to the end whom hee once loued although sodainly they depart and say nothing Neuerthelesse wee entreate the Lord if it may be his blessed will to deliuer saue vs frō sodaine death and to giue vs spéech memorie and hearing to our last breath Because the Last part is all in all of this transitorie life and being once gone cannot be restored againe as a Carpenter can pull downe his house if hee dislike it and make it new againe Also because it fareth with vs in this point as with the Archer who though he
his word séeing it is so sure a way for mée to walke in Or why should any Teacher deliuer to me that which hée neuer receiued of God to be deliuered to his people If they craue obedience why should they bée angry that I pray to haue it shewed out of his word whom onely I must obey Hée hath prescribed a forme of seruing him that forme hée will accept and blesse with eternall peace all other formes hée will abhorre and punish Nadab and Abihu preach so vnto vs and all flesh They wish vs to take héed by their harme God is in other things full of patience but in this he is full of wrath and his authoritie to appoint his owne worship he will not indure it to be taken from him by any man Let Popish whisperers then make good out of Gods word Latine Prayers when we vnderstand no Latin Calling vpon Saints that heare vs not Flying from the sufficiencie of Christs Passion to our owne merits crossings and creepings with a thousand deuised toyes and we will obey them But if they cannot let them leaue vs to serue God according to his word that we may bée accepted 3 You may also well note it here that Nadab Abihu were two of Aarons eldest sonnes which after their father should in his place haue succéeded him yet there is no mercie with God to stay his iudgement when they will not be ruled by his word No prerogatiue therefore of any man shall saue him from wrath if hee thus offend but the eldest shall die aswell as a yonger the richest aswell as the poorer a great man or woman aswell as a small There is no regard with God of these things But the soule that serueth him according to his owne will reueiled in his VVord that is regarded and euer déere vnto him c. Build we not therefore vpon any titles and so swarue from the rule laid downe vnto vs. If so little a transgression cannot be qualified any way by any circumstance O what will bée their case one day that so many wayes stray from the Law of God and almost in no one iote of their worship haue any warrant Thinke with your self more of this matter and meditate further of it at your times 4 Then Moses said vnto Aaron This is that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come neere mee and before all the people I will be glorified You can conceiue what wo it was to Moses to sée this end of two of his brothers sonnes but he must stoope to God and so he doth telling Aaron the trueth of the fault and so consequently defending God that he did but iustly In déede saith he we must confesse that this is that we were told before how God will be sanctified in them that come neere vnto him that is how he will haue his Law obeyed and followed in his worship and not any way else how though he vse the Ministerie of man yet no man liuing must be wiser than Hee to swarue from the forme appointed and to follow his owne libertie but man must thinke it his wisedome to doe as God biddeth c. 5 But Aaron held his peace saith the Text that is was so astonished with the fearefulnes of it that he had no spéech but all amazed and shaken with the woe of it held his peace He howled not out with any vnséâ—mly cries neither vttered any words of rage and impatiencie but méekly stooped to Gods will kissed his rodde and held his peace If thus Aaron in so great a iudgement how much more we when our friends dye naturally swéetly and comfortably so that we may boldly say NoÌ„ amisimus sedpraemisimus VVe haue not lost them but sent them before vs whether we our selues hope to follow Lay to this heauie harted father yet silent and patient the example of olde father Elye the Priest to whom when Samuel had related such fearefull things quietly he answered It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good The example also of Dauid who in his distresse very bitter and heauie yet notably said Let the Lord doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes These are most excellent Paterns for vs to follow in all our crosses and griefes not forgetting that golden Saying of Iob Wee haue taken good things at Gods hands and shall we not take euill O yes yes The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh and euer euer blessed be his Name for all The fish groweth greater in salt waters and the Lord for his mercie make our Faith Pacience and Comfort in him great in the saltest and bitterest waters of this world Amen 6 Obserue here againe with your selfe the strange and admirable change of these worldly matters in the turne as we say of a hand For but Yesterday as it were Aaron and these sonnes of his had a famous and glorious consecration into the greatest and highest dignitie vpon earth nothing vnder the Sunne being more glorious than that Priest-hood in those dayes And how may you thinke his heart reioyced to sée not onely himselfe but his children which Parents often loue more than themselues so blessed and honoured But O change now sudden and fearefull O fickle fading comfort that man taketh hold of in this world whatsoeuer it be if wordly These sonnes so lately exalted and honoured to their old Fathers swéet and great ioy now lye destroyed before his face to his extréeme and twitching torment And how Not by any ordinarie and accustomed death but by fire from Heauen a sore and dreadfull iudgement For what also Euen for breach of commaunded dutie by the Lord all which doubled and trebled the fathers sorrow As it did in Dauid when his sonne Absolon died not an vsual death and in rebellion and disebedience against his king and Father You remember his passion then vttered O my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon would God I had died for thee O Absolon my sonne my sonne He considered the cause wherein he dyed the manner how he dyed to a father so kinde as Dauid was both of them full of woe and sorrow Let neuer therefore any prosperitie in this world puffe vs for wée little know what to morrow-day may bring with it The glasse that glistereth most is soonest broken the rankest corne is soonest layd and the fullest bough with pleasant fruite is soonest slit hauing more eyes vpon it moe stones cast at it than all the other boughs of the trée Pleasant wine maketh wise men fooles and fooles often starke mad Thousands fall at the left hand but tenne thousand at the right Multos fraÌ„git aduersitas sed plures extollit prosperitas Many saith Saint Bernard are crushed with aduersitie but more are puffed vp by prosperitie Lacertus Milonem perdidit ambitio Caesarem Nimis alter Naturae nimis alter Fortunae credidit Milo his strong arme ouerthrew him and Caesar his ambition The one
Tragedies into Comedies 20. he can turne all hearts as he pleaseth 47 172. hee can doe for vs what he will and when hee will against all enemies 167. he can preserue his children by enemies 20. he can make his seruants honoured in the inward conceit of the wicked 174 414 415 451. he can make his Foes humble and prostrate themselues before his seruants 184. hee can ouerthrow the purposes of Tyrants 14 20 22 56 62. hee can giue better Gouernours in stead of them 312. the wicked confesse his power 104. hee can make men yeeld to his Word 75. he worketh not all he can 206. he vseth sometimes rather eâ—treatie then power 62 63. God knoweth all men 34. their names and places 433. their hearts their purposes 45 their secret attempts 56. euery step which they walk 88. euery actioÌ„ which they do 442. gods knowledge is the stay of the godly being euill reported of 349. God his loue to his Church 56 61. he reiecteth not the godly for imperfections 13 14 24 50. he presenteth our sinning by taking away the occasion of sin 206. he stayeth our weakenesse by comfortable signe 41. he is not alienated from a whole kindred for the faultes of some in it 15. he is willing to teach when wee are willing to learne 34. he helpeth vs in many mazes 75. he is vnlike to man who reiecteth his friendes in aduersitie 37. hee acknowledgeth them in the poorest pâ—ght 72 426 he is neerest to his seruants when he seemeth furthest 18 he is slowe to punish 90 91. before he striketh he giueth warning 45 117 124 125 159 160. euen when the rod is vp hee stayeth his hand 444 450 in the middest of wrath he remembreth mercie euen to the wicked 117. he defendeth guideth and deliuereth his faithfull 207 388. yea he deliuereth miraculously 210. 211. he saueth his own in the verie middest of death and danger 198. See Mercie God his will is the rule of right 172. no reason is to be demaunded aboue it 55 we must be pleased with it 243 279. it must be obeyed wholely not in part 130 199. it is performed by the wicked 1â—7 none can resist it 167. it is our dutie to yeeld vnto it 53. God disposeth of Kingdomes 1. rayseth and ouerthroweth Families 4. he disposeth otherwise than man purposeth 19 he is not the Author of euill 82. he ruleth the weather 121. any good receiued must be ascribed to him not to our selues c 230 232. the wicked sacrifice to theft owne purses wits c. 416. why God worketh by meanes 239. he can prouide extraordinarily 260 265 272. hee prouideth for his Children when they sleepe 270. c. he is to be looked vnto when man is the meanes 13. he careth for the safetie not onely of men but of verie beasts 336. he hath a care of euerie particuler man 4â—2 Godâ— of Egypt ouerthrowne at the Israelites departure 191. Godly men their lot is to be slaundred 64 1â—9 they looke to God when they are afflicted 74. they pray to God when others murmur against God 237. their condition in this world 217. they passe from triall to tryall 33 235 277 they are honoured in the in-ward conceits of the wicked 174. they are protected by God 388. they are separated when others are punished 106 107 109 122 156 183. Houses and Kingdomes are fauoueed for their sakes 99 130 444. Gospell sweetneth the law 67. how it is entertained 255. Goods well gotten prosper 269. Gosheâ— freed from the plagues of Egypt 106 109 122. Gouernement is lawfull 308. the benefits thereof 307. comparisons thereof ibid. it is a blessing of God 305. it is a burthen 280 457. euen in the wicked it is to be regarded 44 311 312 it must be reuerenced 301 306 Grace inuisible is of force without the visible signe 465. Graces of Gods Church See Gifts Grashoppers 131. Romish Grashoppers 134 135. H. Haman the degrees of his open punishment 121 122. Handicrafts are the workes of Gods spirit 408 409 434. Ha mes of other men should affect vs 97. Hardnesse of heart 55 62 104 119 123. it is no excuse to the wicked 126. how God is the Author of it 82 111 113 125 216. The Hart of man is false 122. Harts are knowne of God 443. Harts are mooued by God 47 48 76 82 172. Hart is respected in doing of things commaunded 364. A feeling Heart 64 94 111 119. Hearts sorrow is most bitter 116 117. it is seen of God 36. Our owne heads in diuine matters c. 421. Hearing must goe before condemning 12. Hearing of both sides is the vertue of a Iudge 347. Hearers of the word of god must haue thoghts concerning Gods glorie 53. God can make some heare what others will not 75 76. secure hearers punished 93. good hearers must be humbled 320. they must bee keepers and dooers also 316 419 420. to heare and obey is a signe of happinesse 119. Heauen the way thither is hard 238 290 c. Hell 166. the way to it is smooth 46 291. Heate of the Sunne signifieth afflictions 208. Hearbs the knowledge of them hath been the delight and ornament of great ones 239. Heretiques 223 they cannot ouerthrowe the Church 227. Hidden deuotion safest 16 30. Hinderers of our calling to be remooued 301. Hipocrisie 98 145 430. Holy Ghost his name vsurped by Manicheus 80. his gifts diuersly bestowed 81. signified by oyle 405 413. Holy-dayes 193. obserued by many onely for fashion 97. Honour is a burthen 75. Hornes of the Altar for what they serued and what they signified 404 428. Houses their increase or decrease from the Lord 4 Humilitie 39 111 128 165 166 457 461. Humanitie of Christ prefigured by the cloude 357. Humane writers may be vsed by Diuines 173. Husbands must haue their wife children with them 53. Wise Husbands answere not brawling wiues 60. I. Iehouab expounded 71 72. 231. Idlenesse 65 264. Idle talke 302. Idolatrie preuented 326. to bee punished with death 342. the causes thereof 436 437. no cost spared to maintaine it 439. it is an intollerable sinne 445 448. Ierusalem destroyed 161 162 163. Iethro 299. c. hee worshipped the true God 304. Iewels of the Egyptians 168. 362. Ignorance 63 147 155. Ignorant imitation 437. Images 325. popish excuse for worshipping Images is taken away 440 441 459. Impatiencie 246 278 279 436. Imperfections pardoned 13 14 24 50. no man in this world is without theÌ„ 286. they shold be no discouragement to our calling 51 78. Incense signified Prayers 428. a. and 428. b. Inchanters doe harden Pharaohs heart 85. whether they did the like miracles as Moses or no 85 86. they cold cause frogs to come but not to goe 95. they could not bring forth Lice 103. degrees of their warnings 112. 113. Inconstancie of the people 69 280 281 438. Incredulitie 49 51. Ingrossers 264 268. Instincts extraordinarie 459. Inuentions of man must not haue place in the worship of God 376.
pittifullest manner that it could therby desiring to be saued from the destroyer yet could they not help it must away to the riuer to the riuer it must be drowned without all remorse and pitie Let it worke in our hard hearts some true féeling of our happie fréedome from such miserie and earnest prayer to the God of mercie that euer he would continue freedome vnto vs. 3. It is said also the child was faire What God had appointed him for you knowe and now sée how the Lord gaue what with men might giue him more grace Uertue in a faire bodie is more acceptable And often in children appeareth some signe of future vertue wherewith God purposeth to endue them when they are men Beautie and comlinesse either in men or women is the gift of God but a greater gift it is to haue grace withall to liue vertuouslie Sarai Rebecca Rachel among women were verie faire and most vertuous withall Salomon speaketh of others beautifull also but not good Prou. 6. 27. Prou. 11. 22. Ioseph Saul Absolon among men were goodly personages but Iosephs pietie was more glorious than all his beautie Thanke GOD for his mercie in your selfe and your children and to supplie all defects beséech him in your prayer you shall finde the comfort and the benefit of it If fauour be but hard remember S. Bernard It is a happie blacknes in bodie which is accompanied with a whitenesse in minde Many haue béene hard fauoured and yet endued with excellent parts Philopaemen a Grecian Captaine verie deformed excelled most men in Militarie matters Acsope very hard fauored yet most wittie Socrates full of imperfections in shape and yet who more famous for wisedome Apollo his oracle gaue him preheminence Thus might I tell you manie Stories but you sée the Meditation sufficientlie followe it further as you sée cause Blessed be God that euery way giueth vs comfort Xerxes that had that huge armie yet is said to haue béene the goodliest man of them all Plutarch in the life of Demetrius saith hee was so passing in face and countenance that no Painter or Picture-maker was able to drawe him Of Scipio Africanus he saith that the Barbarians in Spaine stoode amazed at his comlinesse Suetonius writeth of the goodlie Eie of Augustus Caesar What an excellent personage Charles the great had Paulus Aemilius sheweth in his third booke Maximilian the first had such a Presence Maiestie that a stranger is said among 30. great Princes to have noted him out hauing neuer séene him before But I forget my selfe out of a desire to giue you occasion to thinke of more 4. But was onlie the fairenesse of the childe that made the mother hide him No euerie creature thinketh his owne faire This therefore is somewhat but not all Nature had a sway and yet aboue all Gods Spirit telleth vs of another thing which wee must marke namely of faith For by faith saith he by the Apostle to the Hebrewes Moses when he was borne was hid thrée moneths by his parents because they sawe hee was a proper childe neither feared they the Kings commaundement Faith beléeued that God would one day release them and not any longer suffer them so cruellie to be oppressed In hope therefore of the same they vsed meanes hiding him as they could and leauing the successe to God Their eies could not sée any way of safetie much lesse that way which after fell out but their hearts hoped their soules prayed and vpon him they fixed both heart and soule who is Almightie All-mercifull All-swéete and kinde to his distressed seruants then néerest when he séemeth furthest then strongest when hee séemeth weakest then swéetest when hee seemeth lowrest and then vp in wrath to reuenge our wrongs when the world doth thinke hee hath forgotten vs. Such faith then let vs marke and pray for in the euill day doubt not the Lord distrust not his helpe shift along in his holy feare with such lawfull meanes as you possiblie can commend the blessing of them to him and let him euer doe his owne will 5. But alas she could not long keepe him thus Three moneths she did it by secret hiding but then saith the Storie she could no longer so cruell were their hearts and so narrowe was the search that hee must away a case more than bitter as hath beene saide But what helpe now for this guiltlesse babe See an excellent woman full of faith in her God when she could no longer hide him she deuised for him a little arke made of réede and dawbed it with 〈◊〉 and pitch putting the childe in it and setting it among the bulrushes by the riuer side appointing her daughter the childs sister to watch the same so committing that thing to her mightie God which her selfe could not keepe from a bloodie tyrant neuer yeelding but in hope still euen as it were past hope depended faithfullie and constantly vpon her God for the safetie of her child 6. And what did the father all this while that the scripture still mentioneth the mother saying shee did and shee did Trulie of like all vexed amazed and tormented with she woe of it stoode as a man shiftlesse not séeing what to doe The woman enabled by God is the better man quicker and prompter for deuise in so touching an extremitie shee deuiseth what hee liketh and shee performeth what God blesseth In the weaker vessell Gods strength was more séene and hee doth enable them now and then for that purpose The knowledge of it must yéeld them a fit regard and men may not euer disdaine to followe them by whom they sée God sometimes doth worke Manie men haue béene well aduised by their wiues and the womans counsell not followed you reade in Scripture hath turned sometimes to the mans woe You remember the particular Haue not thou to doe with that iustman with diuers others 7. The childe thus placed by the water side and his sister watching a farre off as though she knewe not of it to sée what would become of her little brother what falleth out O depth of Gods mercie and goodnes downe commeth that way to wash her selfe in the riuer Pharaohs daughter euen this cruell Pharaohs daughter called of some Thermutis walking by the riuer side with her maydes spies the arke among the bul-rushes and sent her mayde to fetch it when shee opened it behold little Moses in it and the poore babe wept vpon her begging by teares as well as it could some mercie and pittie against the bloodie lawe of her father Shée had compassion and conceaued rightlie that it was one of the Hebrewes children By all which what may we learne but first that there is no rocke more sure nor refuge more comfortable when mans power faileth than Gods gracious prouidence for there is no temptation so great whereunto that cannot giue an issue Secondly how able God is to dispose of men and womens courses otherwise than at the
answereth Thou shalt speak to all cuÌ„ning men or men wise in hart whom I haue filled with the Spirit of wisdome that they may make Aarons garmeÌ„ts to consecrate him c. By which words two things are taught vs. First that in the seruice of God nothing ought to be done but what procéedeth from the directioÌ„ of God his Wisdome Will that being the Rule and only Rule of his owne worship Mens inuentions without warrant from him haue no place be they neuer so gloriously coloured painted with good intents and meanings Secondly that mechanicall Arts Trades OccupatioÌ„s haÌ„dy-crafts are not fouÌ„d out by men without directioÌ„ of Gods Spirit but God is the Author of them as here appeareth to the great coÌ„fort of the vsers of them well Many men otherwise good men do coÌ„demn Gold smithes Iewellers perfumemakers Imbroiderers Arace-weauers such like as though they serued onely for vanitie excesse when indéede they be the workes of God I meane their seuerall skils and fruits of his Spirit as héere we sée If any man abuse them it is the fault of man not of the skill and what may not be abused The verie Heathens haue acknowledged these things Inuenta Deorum the Inuentions of God Our Bookes mention strange garments the workes of mens handes Yet none like vnto this haue béene described being Exquisitioris artificii diuinioris inuenti vtpote à Spiritu sapientiae coelestis dignioribus sanctioribusque hominibus tributus Of a more exquisite workmanship and of a more diuine inuention giuen by the spirit of heauenly wisedome to more worthie and more holy men Let vs giue God the glorie and make right vse of the skill of men 5 The seuerall sorts are laid downe in the 4. verse are Six in number A Brestplate an Ephod a Robe a Broidred coat a Miter a girdle The matter is specified of all these garments namely gold blewsilke purple and scarlet fine linneÌ„ He beginneth with the Ephod v. 6. sheweth how that should be made vnto the 15. ver Where you are to remember that there were two sorts of Ephods one of this sort that is here described rich precious vsed only of the High-priest and an other of plaine linnen which was common to others whereupon it was said that Saule caused foure-score and fiue persons that did weare a linnen Ephod to be slaine that is so many Priestes Little Samuel also being a childe is said to minister before the Lord girded with a linnen Ephod And his mother made him a little coat that is say some a little Ephod and brought it to him from yeare to yeare when she came vp with her husband to offer the yearely sacrifice Dauid againe danced before the Arke girded with a linnen Ephod Touching the first kinde of Ephod you sée here it is said that in two Onix stones the Names of the children of Israell were to be grauen Six Names of them in one stone and sixe in the other And these stones to be put vpon the shoulders of this Ephod that Aaron might beare their Names before the Lord c. Whereupon Beda thus noteth lib. 3. de Tabernac cap. 4. Tres ob causas Aaron nomina Patriarcharum in humeris portasse sicut in pectore Primò vt ipse fidem vitamque Patriarcharum meminisset imitari Secundò vt 12. tribuum quae de his natae sunt in orationibus sacrificijs memor existeret Tertiò vt idem Pop. scripta in veste Praesulis sui patrum nomina videns curaret sedulo ne ab illorum meritis desciscens ad errorum contagia declinaret For three causes Aaron did beare the names of the Patriarches vpon his shoulders as vpon his breast First that he might remember to imitate the faith and life of the Patriarkes Secondly that he might remember both in his prayers and sacrifices the twelue Tribes whereof the Patriarches sprang Thirdly that the people seeing the Names of their Fathers written in the garment of their high Priest might diligently take heed that they fell not from the vertue which was in them vnto vice and error Mysticus vsus vt signaret Christum humeris suis portantem instar Pastoris oues perditas c. A mysticall vse of this Ephod with these Names to represent or shadow Christ like a Shepeheard bearing his sheepe vpon his shoulders c. The second is the Breastplate froÌ„ the fifteenth verse to the thirtie one In which brestplate was Vrim Thummim Vnde certior factus est Sacerdos de Dei erga se populuÌ„ voluntate quoties de iure consulentibus responsa erant danda Num. 27. vers 21. Esdr 2. vers 63. Nehem. 7. vers 65. By which the priest was informed of Gods wil toward himselfe the people as often as counsaile was sought and an answere to be giuen How this was done seuerall men are of seuerall mindes Iosephus saith Tantus erat splendor in 12. lapidibus quos suprapectus Pontifex portabat vt omni fieret multitudini manifestum Eorum auxilâ—is adesse Deum li. 13. Antiq cap. 12. The twelue stones which the Priest did beare vpon his breast did so shine and glister that the whole multitude might obserue Gods fauour to them Suidas in the word Ephod if I forget not hauing not the booke now with me maketh mention of an Adamant in the Ephod which the priest putting on when he sought counsell of God and putting his hands vnder it Cum detraheret depreheÌ„debat eas quasi colore quodaÌ„ infectas When he drewe them out he did finde them as it were stayned and coloured with a certaine colour Et si Deus petitioni annuebat confestim micabat lapis Adamas sin negabat nihil ad proprium pristinum lapidis fulgoreÌ„ accedebat quod si Deus voluit pop obijcere gladio lapis reddebatur cruentus si autem imminebat mors lapis fiebat niger And if God would graunt the petition presently the Adamant stone would glister extraordinarily but if God denied it then the Adamant remained still without any change in his colour and shining if God would deliuer the people to the sword then the stone was made bloodie and in case of death it would shew blacke The like things Epiphanius hath speaking of the Adamant which the High-priest did beare and weare August was of an other minde and beléeued not those things Quest 117. in Exod. And so you sée in a matter obscure mens guesses Diuers others I might repeat but let it be a vertue sometimes to professe ignorance The third is the Robe from the 31. verse to the 36. The fourth is the golden plate vpon his forhead or miter whereon was grauen HOLINES TO THE LORD from the 36. vers to the 39. The fift is the broidred coate verse 39. And the sixt the girdle in the same verse Of euerie parcell to stand and search out particular significations
wayes to worke anger answered Castitatem meam accuratè tuendo quicquid ille vult alacriter faciendo nullas res eius curiose vestigando c. By preseruing mine owne câ—â—stitie carefully by doing whatsoeuer he willeth cheerefully and by not prying into or medling with any matters of his curiously or busily c. Three notable vertues in a wise woman to continue loue and peace betwixt her and her Husband the contraries whereof are causes of many fires and flames where they should not be For these points of rare wisedome and for that she had béen a meanes to preserue many a Senators life and others that were questioned and in danger in her time had not she graciously wrought for them and for that she had brought vp many a mans child by her charity and married many a poore Mayden by her liberalitie she was mourned for a whole yéere by all the Matrons and women in Rome when she was dead by a speciall decree of the Senat. So will vertue priuate and publique haue his due honour with thankefull hearts at last Chast she was you sée and no enuie or malice of man or Diuell can burie that vertue so but that it will rise and liue with renowne in despight of all Diuels Matronis dos pulcherima vita pudica O! it is a dowrie of dowries to a woman a chast and vertuous carriage of her selfe If she be hard of fauour yet when she looketh in a glasse she may chéerefully say to her selfe Woman comfort thy selfe for thy beautie is inward thou art honest and it is a great and an approoued beautie of all men If she be faire and not chast she may sigh and say O how faire shouldest thou haue beene if honest Nulla reparabilis arte lapsa pudicitia No art of man wit can make whole againe decayed and broken vertue in this point therefore with all power and strength of will wit prayer preserue it and leaue the report of it to the comfort of your posteritie and friends Obedient also you see was this worthy Liuia to her husband not onely doing but doing cheerefully that is without any maner of crossing or stopping grudging or grieuing whatsoeuer hée required A vertue againe that will not die but force-foorth praise euen froÌ„ very enemies Vir a vi dictus mulier a mollitie A man hath his name of strength and force a woman of softnesse because in all things towards her husband shée is soft and gentle and most readily obedient and tractable Gods lawe hath so appointed that they should obey and all vertuous woman deepely regard it Uery Aristotle an Heathen man could write and teach that a good woman taketh her husbands will to bee a Lawe to her which she will obserue and not violate The starres all haue their light from the Sunne and if you aske them they will very thankfully acknowledge it The bodie hath his grace from the head and will be ruled by the head in all things without gain-saying The man you know is the womans head Ephesians 5. Women had their vâ—â—les and still haue their long haire to note this holy order of obdience and subiection to their husbands and therefore it was saide Etiam Anathema sit mulier quae comam sibi amputat quam Deus ad memoriam subiectionis illi dedit Euen accursed let that woman bee which cutteth of her haire giuen her of God to remember her of obedience and subiection to her husband Vashti her refusall to come when the King sent for her turned to her hurt you knowe and the example of such disorder is desired by all the Wise to bée preuented Sara is proposed to all vertuous women to bée followed in her ready louing and constant obedience to her husband Abraham calling him Lord c. The third Vertue of renowned Liuia was you saw that shee busily pryed not into her husbands actions neither medled with his matters but left his place and the workes of it vnto him herselfe dealing with her owne duties And what a thing is this to preserue loue and peace euer betwixt couples Iezabels such medling with the matter of Naboth wounted Ahab ouerthrew herselfe and the ignominie of it liueth and will neuer dye Stories doe yéeld vs many other examples and I would our owne times yéelded vs none I speake of vnfit curiositie and not of any good concurrence in well-doing For wee all know Pilate had been happie if in that matter of his Office and of Iustice hee had hearkened to his Wiues dutifull wish and not proocéeded as hée did against the Lord Jesus Thus remayneth honourable Liuia the Empresse a worthy Example to all of her Sexe how to liue in Loue and Peace with their husbandes so that no diuorce shall bée either spoken or thought of during life but longing wishes for contynuance many yeares and euen to bée the later of the two that goeth to the earth For such Wiues as they were worthy ones whiles they liued so will they bée missed and many times thought of when they bée gone Héere might I stay but since I am entred into this matter giue mée leaue to adde two or three things more beeing euer-shining Vertues in Women and great meanes of Loue Amitie and Vnitie betwixt married couples Faithfulnesse to their Husbands is one I meane a true constancie of heart preferring their wel-doing before all men and matters whatsoeuer worldly Such as was in Zipporah Moses his Wife who most tenderly louing her Childe and therefore very loath to shedde any of his blood yet when shée saw her Husband in danger for omitting that Circumcision rather than hee shall miscarrie shee addresseth her-selfe and that spéedily to doe that dutie whereby her Husband might liue although her childe smarted And shee did it not in a furie as some haue taken the place but in a most faithfull affection to the preseruation of her husband like a louing wife Neither doe her wordes Sponsus tu mihi es sanguinum Thou art a husband of blood vnto me sound foorth anger and choler but sweetnesse and loue as if shée had said My loue to thee hath been such deere husband as that it hath made me forget woman-hood to lay aside all motherly affection and to redéeme thy life and contynuance to mée with the blood of my childe c. Such againe was that in Michal to Dauid her husband when she let him downe at the window to escape from her fathers furie and layd an Image in the bed as if hée had béene there sicke Such the care of Abigael when shée heard her husband had ouer-shot himselfe toward Dauids messengers rather than any hurt should come to him for such vnaduised speaches shée prepared a very honourable Present and goeth her selfe to preuent anger which shée did indéede to the safetie of her husband and all his Such the loue of Theopompus his wife who when her husband was taken and put