We be all but dead men 34 And the people tooke their dough before it was sowred which they had in store béeing bounde in clothes vpon their shoulders 35 And the children of Israel did according to the saying of Moises â–ª and they borowed of the Egyptians iewels of siluer and iewels of golde and rayment 36 And the Lord gaue the people fouour in the fight of the Egyptians so that they grâ—â—nted such things as they had reâ—â—red and they robbed the Egyptians 37 And the children of Israel tooke their iourney from Ramesis to Suchoth sixe hundred thousand men of foote beside children 38 And a great multitude of sundrie other nations went also with them and shéepe and oxen and excéeding much cattell 39 And they baked vnleauened cakes of the dough which they brought out of Egypt for it was not sowred For they were thrust out of Egypt and could not tary neither had they prepared for themselues any prouision of meate 40 The dwelling of the children of Israell which they dwelled in Egypt was foure hundred thirtie yeares 41 And when the foure hundred and thirtie yeares were expyred euen the selfe same day departed all the hostes of the Lorde out of the lande of Egypt 42 It is a night to bée obserued vnto the Lorde in the which he brought them out of the lande of Egypt This is that night of the Lord which all the children of Israell must kéepe throughout their generations 43 And the Lorde sayde vnto Moises and Aaron This is the law of Passeouer there shall no straunger eate thereof 44 But euery seruant that is bought for money after that thou hast circumcised him shall eate thereof 45 A straunger and an hyred seruant shall not eate therof 46 In one house shall it be eateâ— thou shalt 〈◊〉 none of the fleshe out of the house neither shall ye breake a boâ—e thereof 47 All he congregation of Israell shall obserue it 48 If a straunger also dwell 〈◊〉 you and will helde passeouer vnto the Lord let him circumcise all that be â—â—les and then let him come and obserue it and he shall be as one that is borne in the lande for no vncircumcised person shall eate thereof 49 One maner of lawe shall be vnto him that is borne in the lande and vnto the straunger that dwelleth among you 50 And all the children of Israel did as the Lorde commaunded Moyses and Aaron so did they 51 And the selfe same day did the Lorde bring the children of Israell out of the lande of Egypt with their 〈◊〉 The Exposition vpon the .xij. Chapter of Exodus And the Lord spake vnto Moises c. Saying this Moneth c. THe Historie of the oppression of the children of Israell in Aegypt and their maruelous deliuerance from the tyrannie of Pharao described in the former Chapters doth as it were in a liuely Image set before our eyes our spirituall deliuerance from the tyrannie of Pharao the deuill and from the heauie burthens of Sinne and Wickednesse wherwith we were ouerwhelmed in the Aegypt of this worlde Our Pharao is the Deuill our Aegypt is this worlde our bondage is the subiection to Satan and his kingdome our taskes of Bricke are the grieuous burthens of our sinnes our Moises is Christ our Deliuerance is the Conquest that our Sauiour Christ made of Sin Satan Hell and Death by the merite of his passion And as the night before the Israelites were Deliuered it pleased God to ordeyne them a Sacrament whereby they should from time to time call into theyr remembrance the great benefite of God shewed vnto them and yeeld most heartie thankes to him for the same Euen so our sauiour Christ the night before he went to his passion thereby to worke our deliuerance * ordeyned the holye Sacrament of his last supper wherby we might confirme in our memorie the worke of our redemption and set forth his death vntill his last comming This Sacrament of the Iewes now here discribed in this Chapter is called the Passeouer because by the sprinkling of the doore postes with the bloud of the lambe God willed his Angell to Passeouer the houses of the Israelites and not to strike them with that punishment wherewith he plagued the Aegyptians In like maner when Almightie God seeth the bloud of the Innocent Lambe his deere sonne Christ Iesu sprinckled vpon the doore postes of our Consciences by Fayth in his Passion the execution of his wrath due for sinne doth passe and not light vpon vs as it doth vpon the Reprobate and Wicked that haue not Fayth nor Beleeue his Gospel But forsomuch as this whole Sacrament of the Iewes Passeouer is nothing but a comfortable sweete preaching to vs of the death of Christ and the mysterie of our redemption I thinke it good to note some chiefe and particuler poyntes thereof vnto you The Pascall lambe as I haue sayde is Christ Iesu for so sayth saint Paule Our Passeouer is offered Christ Iesu And for this cause also Iohn the Baptist poynting vnto him sayde Beholde the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the VVorlde This Lambe must be without spot to note therby the innocencie of our Sauiour Christ who therefore of saint Peter is called The Immaculate and vndefiled Lambe For in him there was no sinne although he tooke vpon hym the Burthen of all our sinnes This lambe was taken From among the sheepe to declare the humanitie of Christ who was taken out of the flocke of that breede that God before had blessed in Abraham And therefore sayth saint Paule to the Hebrewes He tooke not the nature of Angels vpon him but the seede of Abraham The Passeouer was killed in the euening and latter part of the day and so Christ came to redeeme and deliuer Mankinde towarde the latter ende of the worlde The bloud of the Lambe Sprinckled vpon the doore postes as is before sayde is the bloud of Christ by fayth sprinckled in our consciences As the flesh of the Lambe might not bee eaten raw so must not Christ be receyued as a raw an vnperfite or an vnsufficient Sacrifice only for originall sinne or for our sinnes before Baptisme onely or for the sinnes of some and not of other But for a sufficient Sacrifice and ful Satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole worlde that eyther hath bene or hereafter shall be For as Paule saith to the Hebrewes VVith one oblation once made he made perfite all that be sanctified The Lambe must be eaten with bitter herbes in signification that the receyuing of Christ by fayth in this worlde is ioyned with the bitternesse of Affliction and Trouble For whosoeuer will liue holily in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution Nothing must be left of the lambe vntill the morning to note that we must repent and beleeue in Christ while we be in this life and not deferre the matter to another time For Christ can
hath chosen you 25 Neuerthelesse I haue waked vp one from the north and he shall come from the east he shall call vpon my name and shall treade vpon princes as vpon clay and as the potter treadeth downe the mire 26 Who declared this from the beginning and we will know him or from the olde times and we will confesse and say that he is righteous but there is none that sheweth or declareth any thing there is none also that heareth your wordes 27 The first is he that shall say to Sion Beholde beholde they are present and to Hierusalem it selfe will I giue an Euangelist 28 But when I consider there is not a man among them nor any that can giue counsaile nor that when I examine them that can answers one worde 29 Lo wicked are they and vaine with the things also that they take in hande yea their Images are but winde and vaine things The exposition vpon the. xlj Chapter of Esay Bee still you Islandes and hearken vnto me let the people lay their c. ESay in this Chapter imagineth god to stande in place of iudgement as it were at the barre pleading his owne cause agaynst the Idols and false Gods of the Heathen and al the worshippers of the same Which he doth to this ende not onely to confound the heathen for the vanitie of their worshipping of Idols stockes and stones but also to confirme and establish hys owne people of the Iewes and other in the true worship of him selfe being the onely liuing and almightie God maker and gouernour of all things And therefore as being in place of iudgement hee thus beginneth Bee still and keepe silence all you inhabitours of the Islandes and other partes of the earth that worship your false Gods. Lay your strength together arme and furnish your self with as good matter as you can for your defence to answere that I shall say and then will I pleade the cause with you euen in iudgement of the world c. Who raysed vp the iust man from the east and called him to go forth c. This is his fyrst reason against the heathenish worshippers of Idols By the iust man he meaneth the Patriark Abraham whom God called out of his couÌ„trie of Mesopotamia from Idolatrie wherin he was bredde and caused him to go into the lande of Chanaan and there to worship the true god where also although he were in a straunge lande vtterly vnknowne god did so prosper and defend him that he made euen kings abashed to worke him villainy as it appeareth in Pharao king of Egypt Gen 12 and Abimelech king of Gerar Gen. 20 21. yea and at another time gaue him force and hability to put to flight and chase foure kinges at once which had caried away prisoner his cosin* Loth. Gen 14. which easie victory god vttereth here by this spech Scattering them like stubble with his bowe The force of this example is thus This maruelous calling defending prospering of one meane man in a straunge Countrie agaynst so noble and mighty persons and the making of him so notable a man among them done and wrought by me only yea and the true seruice and honor wherwith he worshipped me the only liuing God coulde not bee vnknowne to all your Idolatrous nations thereabout For he preached and declared these thinges as a Prophete and gaue you to vnderstande by whose power it was done yea you sawe it you knewe it and were abashed at it and therefore shoulde you haue sought to haue learned at hys hande whyle he was amonge you the knowledge and seruice of that mighty God that did so aduance and * defend him in farre other maner than your Idols were hable to do But you were so farre froÌ„ thus doing that you comforted encouraged one another forwarde in your wicked Idolatrye and ioyned your helpes togither to make vp your grauen and carued Goddes The Carpenter who had carued the stocke spake to the Goldsmith to lay on the plates of siluer or gold that it might seme a gay God and the Goldesmith instructed the hammer man to set it on fynely and smooth and to soulder it surely and set it fast with nayles and * this did you altogither take conference to sette forwarde your worshipping of Images Idols as you yet continue And therfore are you in the iudgement euen of men * vnexcusable that by this means knowing the power of the true God you haue not yelded to doe condigne worship to him but run on yet still in your owne vayne and * grosse phantasies Hereby ought we also to learne dearely beloued euen in these our dayes in howe great danger we are and how vnexcusable before god if we hauing so great oportunitie to learne the truth of the doctrine and gospell of Christ doe neglect the same and followe on still in the desire of our olde superstition and Idolatrie The calling preseruing and defending of Abraham was not so great nor the publishing of the true knowledge of God by him so notable as the publishing prospering defending of his Gospell hath bene in these latter days agaynst Popes Princes Prelats and al powers of the earth And therfore may God more iustly stande in iudgement with vs to our vtter condemnation if we do not acknowledge his goodnesse But thou Israell art my seruant thou Iacob whome I haue chosen c. Least that Gods people of the Iewes and other faithfull of hys Churche shoulde bee discouraged with the pryde and prosperitye of the Heathen and their cruelty agaynst them Here doeth hee comforte and assure them that hee will helpe and defende them also as notably and with as great terrour to the wicked as hee had done their father Abraham Shewinge that hee had * bounde himselfe by Couenant to be the mightie and defending God not onely of Abraham but also of his posterity And putting them in mind of their wonderfull deliueraunce out of Egypt whence he led theÌ„ through the desert into the land of Chanaan which he had promised before to the seede of his loued seruant Abraham Therefore sayth he be not afraid thou little silly worme Iacob Thoughe my Church and people that put their trust in mee seeme neuer so simple and contemptible and euen as very wormes of the earth in sight of the gay meÌ„ and great powers and as it were * Lions of the worlde yet are they my people the sheepe of my pasture And therefore will I and â—he holy one of Israell my sonne Christ Iesu their Redeemer preserue and defend them yea I wil make them as a treading Cart as a new stayle wher with corne is threshed that they may thresh * grind and beate to dust Mountains and Hils that is the high and mighty Empires kingdoms and principalities of the world thinke they themselues neuer so strong They shall fanne and scatter them abroade with
yet shall he be as still as a Lambe before the shearer and not open his-mouth 8 From the 〈◊〉 and iudgement was he taken and his generation who can declare for he was cut of from the grounde of the lyuing which punishment did go vpon him for the transgression of my people 9 His graue was giuen him with the condemmned and with the riche man at his death whereas he did neuer violence nor 〈◊〉 〈…〉 him with infirmitie that when he had made his 〈…〉 of the Lorde shall prosper in 〈◊〉 hande 11 Of the trauaile and labour of his 〈…〉 the fruite and be satisfied my righteous 〈…〉 knowledge iustifie the multitude for he shall 〈…〉 their sinnes 12 Therefore will I giue him among the great ones his part and he shall deuide the spoyle with the mighty because he giueth ouer his sioule to death 〈…〉 The Exposition vpon the. liij Chapter of Esay But who hath giuen credence vnto our preaching or to whome c. ESay in sundry places of hys prophecies speaketh so plainely of the vocation of the gentyles to the fayth of the kingdome of Christ of his merueylous byrth of his stocke and kindred c. that he is of a auncient wryters esteemed as an Euangelist recording thinges past rather then a Prophet foretelling things to come albeit he was before the comming of Christ aboue 750. yeares And yet of all the parts of his prophecies is there none wherein he doth so plainely speake of Christ of the state of his life of his death and passion and of the fruites thereof as he doth in this present chapiter Neyther is there any place of the olde Testament out of the which so manye allegations be made by Christ and his Apostles as out of this part of Esay The Prophete in the latter ende of the former chapiter had sayde that as Christ should be published and knowne among all the Gentiles so the state and maner of his lyfe should be so * base and simple as all men should woonder at it Therefore in the begynning of this chapiter as it were vnder the person of the Apostles and first preachers of the Gospell he breaketh 〈◊〉 to a lamenting of the * small number of them that at the publishing of this doctrine would giue credence to it So straunge and so * vnlikely a thing shall it seeme to them to haue saluation by one that in continuance of the worlde appeared so meane a person as Christ should be especially seing the Prophets in other places described the Messias as a myghtie Prince and king For he did growe before the Lorde like as a branch and as a roote in c. Shootes or branches doe sometime spring vp in drie barraine groundes but bicause â—hey haue not moysture and fatnesse of the earth they prosper not nor proue faire and large to see to So Christ when he came in fleshe and sprang vp here in the soyle of this drie and horraine worlde entring his spirituall kingdome he shewed not hymselfe of anye notable continuance and authoritie nor flourished in the worlde with princely maiesty and power but appeared rather as a thinne slender and vnprofitable shoote more meete to be cast into the fyre or to be trodden vnder foote then to looke for any great fruite of it Therefore when they behelde him they sawe no maiestie in hym but esteemed him as an abiect as * an outcast and as a contemptible person not worthye so much as once to be looked on This euydently appeareth to haue bene in Christ aswel in the residue of his lyfe as especially at his death passion wheÌ„ they scorned and 〈…〉 when they buffeted him and crowned him 〈…〉 when they preferred a robber and a murderer before him when they cried away with him awaye with him and crucifie him finally when with great despite they hanged him betweene two theeues Howbeit he onely hath taken on him our infirmitie and borne our paines c. And yet sayth the Prophet in the person of the Church of God this CoÌ„temptible Person whom we esteemed as a worme of the earth was the only man that hath 〈◊〉 vpon him out infirmitie and borne our paines When we saw him not only so base and simple but so 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 A shéepe of all cattell is most foolish and the flock being once scattered euery one runneth his way and not one knoweth how to Returne to the folde vntill he be fet by the shepeherde By this Similitude he expresseth our waywardnesse ignorance and blindnesse that being once gone astray from God we neyther * can nor will nor know howe to returne to him againe vntill our gracious and good pastor Christ Iesu vpon whome God hath layd our sinnes doe seeke vs and * Bring vs home to the folde vpon his shoulders Hee suffered violence and was euill entreated and did not open c. The Sheepe whether he be shorne or led to the slaughter he neuer byteth nor strugleth no nor so much as openeth his mouth to bleate to signifie any Misliking By this he discribeth the great obedience and * pacience of our Sauiour Christ at the time of his passion sufficiently declared by the Euangelistes This place and certaine verses folowing are interpreted by saint Peter 1. Pet 2. and Actes 8. by Philip to the Eunuch From the prison and iudgement was hee taken and his generation c. This is to be vnderstanded of the Resurrection of Christ and deliuerance from death and miserie Although Christ was taken bounde despiteously entreated adiudged to die last of all put to * most reprochfull death yet he was by Gods mightye hande deliuered from miserie from bondes from death and restored to life and glorie for euer to endure For Christ sayth Paule being raysed from death dyeth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him No man therefore is hable to declare the euerlasting age and continuance of Christ The cause why he was so Glorified is in the latter part of the verse set forth for that he did vouchsafe to die and suffer punishment for the sinnes of the people of God. His graue was giuen him with the condemned and with the rich man c. By the Rich man is ment the cruell and violent oppressor and by the Graue the maner and place of his death So that the sense is he suffered and was put to death in that place that was appointed for the wicked and condemned persons that vse extortion and violence whereas he * neuer did iniurie neither vttered deceyte with his mouth Yet hath it pleased the Lord to smite him with infirmitie that when c. The death and passion of Christ for our sinnes was not the worke of enimies but of our mercifull * God and heauenly father God sayth the Prophete would strike him with infirmitie to the ende that when he had * giuen his
was in the earth and euery herbe of the fielde before it grewe For the Lorde God had not yet caused it to raine vpon the earth neyther vvas there a man to till the grounde 6 But there went vp a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground 7 The Lorde God also dyd shape man of the dust of the ground and breathed into hys nosethrilles the breath of life and man was a liuing soule 8 And the Lorde God planted a Garden eastwarde in Eden and there he put the man whome he had shapen 9 Moreouer out of the ground made the Lorde God to growe euery trée that was fayre to sight and pleasant to eat The trée of life in the middest of the Garden and the trée of knowledge of good and euill 10 And out of Eden there went forth a ryuer to water the Garden and from thence it was deuided and became into foure heades 11 The name of the first is Pison the same is it that compasseâ—h the whole lande of Hauilab where there is golde 12 And the golde of the lande is very good There is also Bdellium and the Onix stone 13 The name of the second riuer is Gihon the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia 14 The name of the thirde Ryuer is Hidekel and it goeth towarde the east side of Assyrta and the fourth ryuer is Euphrates 15 And the Lorde God tooke the man and put him into the gardeÌ„ of Eden that be might worke it and kéepe it 16 And the Lorde God commaunded the man saying Eating thou shalt eate of euery trée of the garden 17 But as touching the trée of knowledge of good And euill thou shalt not eate of it For in what daye so euer thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death 18 And the Lorde God sayde It is not good that the man should be alone I will make him an helpe lyke vnto hym 19 And so out of the grounde the Lorde God had shapen euery beast of the fielde and euery foule of the ayre and brought them vnto man that he might sée howe he woulde call them For likewise as man named euery lyuing thing so was the name thereof 20 And the man gaue names to all cattell and foule of the ayre and to euery beast of the fielde but for man founde he not an helpe like vnto him 21 The Lorde God caused a déepe sléepe to fall vpon Adam and he slept and he tooke one of his ribbes and closed vp the place with fleshe in steade thereof 22 And the ribbe which the Lorde God hath taken from man made he a woman and brought her vnto the man. 23 And man sayde This is nowe bone of my bones and fleshe of my flesh she shall be called woman bicause she was taken out of man. 24 For this cause shall man leaue his father and his mother and shall be ioyned with his wyfe and they shall become one fleshe 25 And they were both naked the man and his wyfe and were not ashamed The Exposition vpon the .ij. Chapter of Genesis Thus the heauens and earth was finished and all the hoast of them c. SEing that when Man was made the whole worlde had his perfection and ending it maye appeare that all thinges by Gods goodnesse were made for man and to his vse which consideration oâ—â—ght to moue men to bee thankefull vnto God for so great and vnestimable Benefites and to * doe all things to his Honour and glorie according to the ende of their Creation For as the world was made for Man So Man was created to set forth the praise and glorie of god By this worde Hoste he meaneth the Furniture of heauen and Earth and the Multitude of all Gods creatures belonging to them both And therfore when God is often in Scripture called* The Lorde of Hostes it is ment he is the Lord and maker of all Creatures and hath them all at hys commaundement eyther to defende his people or to worke punishment vpon his Enimies And the seauenth daye he rested from all the workes that he made c. Verie well saith Augustine God rested the seauenth day from the worke of Creation but he neuer Ceaseth from the rule of his gouernance For the same God that in the beginning made Heauen and Earth and all Creatures contayned in them doth now also continually Preserue Maintaine and gouerne the same Therefore we are no 〈◊〉 nowe daylie bounde to thanke God for the Preseruation of his Creatures to our vse then we were at the beginning for Making of them We maye not thinke that Creatures once made doe preserue and prosper themselues by a course of Nature oâ—ely but that it is the finger of God and his gratious Prouidence that woâ—â—eth coÌ„tinually in them By him saith Saint Paule wee haue our Being we Liue and we Mooue And to the Hebr. Sustayning all things by the worde of his power And God blessed the seauenth day and sanctified it because c. There are 4. causes why God sanctified the seuenth day 1 The first because he ceased from the making of any mo new Creatures 2 The second for the Worthynesse of mankinde whose creation and making was the Ende of the whole worlde 3 The thirde that it might be an institution and ordinance of a worship due vnto God on the behalf of Man wherby he should set forth his prayse and Glory and acknowledge his vnestimable goodnesse towarde him 4 The fourth that it might be a Figure of Immortality and of our eternal Rest with God in heauen after the ende of the worlde For the Lord God had not yet caused it to raine vpon the earth c. At the beginning thinges that grewe on the Earth were brought forth by God without raine and without labour of mans hande but afterward God giueth in commaundement that Man should Manure the Earth and God did sende Raine to season and moyst it Wherefore Men must Laboure and traueile Plant and Sowe and not looke to eate the fruites of the Earth * in Idlenesse And yet must he not so trust in his worke and labour as though it coulde be of any force or worke benefite vnto him without the goodnesse of God in Seasoning the Earth and prospering his labors and traualles The prouidence of God will haue both to go togither Mans painefull labour and Gods gracious working The Lord also did shape man of the dust of the Grounde c. Here Moyses returneth againe to the worke of the sixt day and expoundeth nowe that he left vnspoken before that is that God made the body of Man of the dust of the Earth He had before sayde that God did make Man according to his owne Image which was the greatest Dignitie that could be giuen vnto Man But nowe least by that pretence he should be puffed vp with Pride he setteth before his eyes his Base
Conscience among them â—or haue any hope to Preuaile and do Good by drawing them to repentance 2 The second if he haue the 〈…〉 of gods commaundement calling him and good Oportunitie to Spreade the glorie of God and studie of his true worship in an other place Otherwise if these causes be not as they were both in Abram I thinke he is not bound in conscience to depart but without Sinne maye Tary among them as Loth did in Sodome And I will make of thee a great people and will blesse thee c. This Blessing that God here promiseth to Abrain is in wordes very great and notable But if we looke to the maner of perfourming it in the face of the worlde it will seeme somewhat straunge to mans reason He promiseth Abram Multiplying and Blessing if he depart out of his Countrey but it might seeme more likelie that he should grow to wealth and power if he Taâ—yed in his Countrey Furthermore when he dyed in the lande of his peregrinage he was in deede welthy and riche but he scantly left One Sonne to performe the great Blessing of the increase of his Seede Yea and the same Sonne hauing lyke condition as his father had left but One sonne behinde him partaker of the Promise And lastly when some shew of great increase appeared in the sonnes of Iacob by Hunger and Famine they were * driuen to go into Aegypt and there in deede increased in great numbers but yet vnder the crosse of Trouble and AfflictioÌ„ as it is read The morâ— that they did â—ppresse them the more they mereased and multiplied This must we diligently consider iâ— the blessing of Abram that we may learne howe God blesseth his in this world least we fall into the iudgement of carnall men and thinke them Happie and blessed whiâ—h in deede are cursed and vnhappie â–ª For Gods Blessing doth not alway go with the Wealth of the worlde nor his Curse with Affliction and trouble but most commonlye in cleane contrarie maner For it is profitable for the Elect of god often in this life to be vnder the bridle of Affliction and Trouble It is good for me sayth Dauid that thou hast Humbled me Who would haue esteemed Ioseph happie when he was * solde into Aegypt and there a long time kept in Prison Or Dauid when he was Tenne yeares Persecuted of Saule Or in time of his kingdome when he was troubled with so many Warres and * Rebellions But as the kingdome of God is Spirituall so are his Blessings for the most part Spiritual and not according to the iudgement of the 〈◊〉 And in thee shall all the kindredes of the earth be blessed c. This place is diligently to be imprinted in the mindes of the faythfull as one of the sweetest Promises of our Free blessing in Christ Iesu that is in all the Scriptures We be taught in these wordes to learne the riches and abundance of Gods mercie who doth not restraine his blessing to anye one House kindred or Nation but doth freely impart it to All the Kindreds of the earth Therefore when Christ sent his Messengers to bestowe this blessing he sayd Go into the whole worlde and declare these good tydings To all creatures Moreouer this blessing here promised is our Iustification For sayth Saint Paule * The scripture foreseeing that God iustified the Nations of the earth by fayth preached of the same to Abraham before saying In thee shal all Kinreds of the earth be blessed Thus Blessing then to saint Paule is Iustifying and Blessed are Iustified And this Iustifiyng by S. Paule is by Fayth and * not by our Workes To conclude the foundation of this free blessing or Iustification is the seede of Abraham * Christ Iesu Wherefore we see that God him selfe in thys place to Abraham is the First preacher of our Free out some great consideration whie God did nowe chiefely plague the Chananites after that Abram and other good and godly persons were come among them It might seeme more likely that God for the * Iustes sake woulde haue spared them or that all things for their cause shoulde haue gone the more Prosperously with them But seeing it pleased God otherwise we must thinke that Gods pacience was greatly stirred against them both by some meruelous increase of their Stubburnnesse and wickednesse and also by the malicious and frowarde Abusing of the Godly For so we see it oftentimes by the prouidence of God that when Gods truth and his holy will is preached taught in the worlde by his notable and worthie instruments some great Aduersitie and Plague doth followe to the punishment of the stubburnnesse and blasphemie of the wycked agaynst it The causes of which plagues the Malice of the worlde to their further coÌ„demnation not seeing their owne Sinnefulnesse doth blasphemously Impute to the true Doctrine of God and to the good and godly persons publishing the same Thus was it in the time of Hieremie and of the Prophetes Thus was it in the Primitiue Church Thus it is now in these Latter dayes And when he was come nere to enter into Egypt he sayde vnto Sarai c. Here first we haue to note that euen Godly men comming among the Wicked or into place of daunger though they put their trust in God yet are they not voyde of care and feare and * Deuise by all meanes they can howe they may Shunne and auoyde the same Secondly we haue to consider the Violence Malice of the wicked which to satisfie there Filthie and fleashly Lust whyll not spare to commit any Mischiefe eyther by Murder or otherwise Thirdly it may be doubted howe a godly man can deuise to saue himselfe by a Lye for aunswere wherevnto vnderstande you there are three kinds of Lying 1 First when we vtter an Vntruth 2 Secondly when we denie a Truth 3 Thirdly when Truth is dissembled and for the time vpon considerations concealed The two first wayes no man can vse without sinne nor ought to saue himselfe by them The thirde waye Abram did vse concealing that Sarah was his wyfe and yet vttering no vntruth in saying she was hys sister But neyther in this nor yet in that that foloweth is it to be thought that Abram was voide of some Imperfection proceeding of to much timorousnesse and want of confidence in the promises of god For how can it stand with perfit Sinceritie for his bodily safetie and hope of better intertainement in a straunge place to hasarde the Chastitie of his faythfull true and louing Wife and giue occasion both to her and to the Prince or other of the Egiptians to commit adulterie Saint Paule sayth VVe may not doe ill that good may come therof We haue not therfore any colour here in Abram wherby we may be encouraged for any cause to vse the lyke dealing but rather a plaine example that euen Holy
smite thée and thy people with pestilence and thou shalt perishe from the earth 16 And in verse déede for this cause haue I kept thée â–ª for to shew thée my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the worlde 17 Yet exaltest thou thy selfe against my people that thou wilt not let them go 18 Beholde to morowe this time I will sende downe a mightie great hayle such a one as was not in Egypt since the foundation thereof was layde vnto this time 19 Send therefore now and gather thy beastes and all that thou hast in the fielde for vpon all the men and the beastes which are founde in the fielde and not brought home shall the hayle fall and they shall die 20 And as many as feared the worde of the Lord amongst the seruants of Pharao made their seruants and their beasts â—lee â—â—to the houses 21 But he that regarded not the worde of she Lorde left his seruants and his beastes in the field 22 And the Lord sayd vnto Moses Stretch forth thy hand vnto heauen that there may be hayle in all the lande of Egypt vpon man and vpon beastes and vpon all the hearbes of the fielde throughout the lande of Egypt 23 And Moyses stretched forth his rod vnto heauen and the Lord thundred and hayled and the fire ranne along vppon the grounde and the Lord hayled in the lande of Egypt 24 So there was hayle and fire mingled with the hâ—â—le so grieuous and such as there was none throughout all the lanâ—â— of Egypt since people inhabited it 25 And the hayle smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field â–ª both man and beast and the hayle smote all the hearbes of the fielde and broke all the trées of the fielde 26 Onely in the lande of Gosen where the children of Israell were was there no hayle 27. And Pharao sent and called for Moses and Aaron and saide vnto them I haue now sinned the Lorde is righteous 〈◊〉 I and my people are vngodly 28 Praye ye vnto the Lorde that these thunderings of God and hayle may be 〈…〉 and I will let you go and ye shall â—arâ—e no longer 29 â—â—yses layde vnto him Assoone as I am out of the Citie I will spread abroade my handes vnto the Lorde and the thunder shal ceasse neither shall there be any more haile that thou mayst know howe that the earth is the Lordes 30 But I know that thou and thy seruants yet feare not the face of the Lorde God. 31 And so the flaxe and the barlie were smitten for the barly was shot vp and the flaxe was boulled 32 But the wheate and the rie were not smitten for they were late sowne 33 And Moises went out of the Citie from Pharao and spred abroade his handes vnto the Lorde and the thunder and hayle ceassed neyther rayned it vpon the earth 34 And when Pharao â—awe that the raine and the haile and thunder were ceassed he sinned yet more and hardened his hart he and his seruants 35 And the hart of Pharao was hardened neyther would he let the children of Israell go as the Lord had sayde by the hand of Moises The .6 Sunday in Lent at Euening prayer Exod. 10. ANd the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses Go into Pharao for I haue hardened his heart and the heart of his seruantes that I might shewe these my signes before him 2 And that thou tell in the audience of thy sonne and of thy sonnes sonne what things I haue done in Egypt and the miracles which I haue done amongst them that ye maye knowe howe that I am the Lorde 3 And so Moyses and Aaron came into Pharao and said vnto him Thus sayth the Lord God of the Hebrewes How long wilt thou refuse to submit thy selfe vnto me Let my people go that they may serue me 4 Or else if thou refuse to let my people go beholde to morrowe will I bring Grashoppers into thy coastes 5 And they shall couer the face of the earth that it can not be séene and they shall eate the residue which remayneth vnto you and is escaped from the hayle and they shall eate euery gréene trée that beareth you fruite in the fielde 6 And they shall fill thy houses and all thy seruaents houses and the houses of all the Egiptians after such a maner as neyther thy fathers nor thy fathers fathers haue séene since the time they were vpon the earth vnto this day And he turned himselfe about and went out from Pharao 7 And Pharaos seruantes sayd vnto him Howe long shall he be hurtfull vnto vs Let the men go that they may serue the Lorde their God knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed 8 And Moyses and Aaron were brought againe vnto Pharao and he sayde vnto them Go and serue the Lorde your God but who are they that shall go 9 And Moyses answered We will go with our yong and with our olde and with our sonnes and with our daughters and with our shéepe and with our Oxen we must go for we must holde a feast vnto the Lorde 10 And he saide vnto them Let the Lorde be so with you as I will let you go and your children take héede for ye haue some mischiefe in hande 11 Nay not so but go ye men and serue the Lorde for that was your desire And they were thrust out of Pharaos presence 12 And the Lorde saide vnto Moyses Stretch out thine hande ouer the lande of Egipt for Grashoppers that they may come vpon the lande of Egipt and eate all the hearbes of the lande and all that the hayle left behinde 13 And Moyses stretched forth his rod ouer the lande of Egipt and the Lorde brought an east winde vpon the lande all that day and all that night and in the morning the east winde brought the grashoppers 14 And the grashoppers went vp ouer all the lande of Egipt and remained in all quarters of Egypt verie grieuously before them were there no such grashoppers neyther after them shall be 15 For they couered all the face of the earth so that the lande was darke and they did eate all the hearbes of the lande and all the fruites of the trées whatsoeuer the hayle had left there was no greene thing left in the trées and hearbes of the fielde through all the lande of Egipt 16 Therefore Pharao called for Moyses and Aaron in haste and saide I haue sinned against the Lorde your God and against you 17 And nowe forgiue me my sinne onely this once and pray vnto the Lorde your God that he may take away from me this death onely 18 And Moyses went out from Pharao and prayed vnto the Lorde 19 And the Lorde turned a mightie strong west winde and it tooke away the grashoppers cast them into the red sea so that there was not one grashopper in all the coastes of Egipt 20 And the Lord hardened Pharaos heart so that he woulde
not let the children of Israel go 21 And the Lord saide vnto Moyses Stretch out thy hand vnto heauen that there maye be vpon the lande of Egypt darkenesse which maye be felt 22 And Moyses stretched forth his hande vnto heauen and there was a thicke darkenesse vpon all the lande of Egypt thrée daies 23 No man saw another neyther rose vp from the place where he was by the space of thrée daies But all the children of Israel had light where they dwelled 24 And Pharao called for Moyses and â—ayde Go and serue the Lorde onely let your shéepe and your oxen abide and let your children go with you 25 And Moyses saide Thou must geue vs also sacrifice and whole burnt offerings for to doe sacrifice vnto the Lord our God. 26 Our cattell also shall go with vs and there shall not one hoofe be left behinde for thereof must we take to serue the Lorde our God neyther doe we knowe with what we must doe seruice vnto the Lorde vntill we come thither 27 But the Lorde hardened Pharaos heart and he would not let them go 28 And Pharao saide vnto hym Get thée from me take héede vnto thy selfe that thou séest my face no more for whensoeuer thou commest in my sight thou shalt die 29 And Moyses saide Let it be as thou hast saide I will sée thy face no more The Exposition vpon the .ix. and .x. Chapter of Exodus The Lorde saide vnto Moyses goe vnto Pharao for I haue hardened c. IN these two Chapiters read this day in the Church are recited sundrie of those plagues wherewyth God Punished Pharao and wrought the Deliuerie of the People out of Egipt And because God was determined to set his People at Freedome and was hable * with one Breath to haue confounded Pharao ouerthrown the Whole power of the Egiptians a man myght marueyle why he dyd Deferre the tyme so long and worke so many Meane miracles whereas he might haue brought it to passe with one Mightie and terrible worke Seing especially that God did know that Pharao would not repent and yeeld To this cogitation GOD himselfe answereth in the .13 14. 15. and 16. verses of thys nynth Chapiter Go thy wayes sayth God to Moyses and tell Pharao c. let my people goe serue me or else at this tyme I wil send al my plagues vpon thyne hart and vpon thy seruants and on thy people that thou may est know there is none like me in al the earth c. And in verye deede for this cause haue I kept thee to shewe thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the worlde Here haue we an euident cause why GOD did so long Suffer the wicked and obdurate hart of Pharao that is that God might * set forth his Glorie and by this terrible Example be knowne to the whole worlde That he was a Mightie God hable to breake the power of their Enimies were they neuer so Obstinate and Stiffe harted against hym That he was a Seuere God and * would terriblie punishe the Obdurate vnrepentant sinners Yea though they be neuer so great Kings Princes That he is a Wise God that can Turne the wicked Malice and Obstinacie of sinners to the Working of his greater glory That he is a Carefull and mercifull God towarde his people and for their defence and deliuerance will not sticke to Breake and Pull downe euen Mightie Princes and people There is also an other cause why God doth here Suffer Pharao at other times Beare with other Grieuous sinners and onely for the time punishe them with Light Meane plagues and this is By his great Lenitie Sufferance and Mildenesse if it might be to bring them to repentance or otherwise if they will not repent that they shall declare themselues to the worlde to bee Vnexcusable and God in his Iudgement when he doth confounde them to be a iuste god Of this Cause speaketh Paule Rom. 2. Eyther despisest thou the ryches of his goodnesse and long sufferance not knowing that the kindenesse of God leadeth thee to repentance c. When God is sayd To harden the hart of Pharao we maye not thinke that God doth Force and Compell Pharao to sinne or that the blame of his obstinacie and vnrepentant hart can iustly be laide vpon God * For God doth neyther worke Sinne himselfe nor would haue it to be Wrought of other But God by his seruantes Moyses Aaron offered to Pharao his holye worde and great miracles and he being of nature Wicked and waywarde from God and vtterly destitute of his holy Spirit of which al Inclination to goodnesse commeth did more and more Harden his harte and Withstande the will of god For the Corrupt nature of man without the singuler grace of God when he heareth Gods worde and will declared to him doth not only not yeelde vnto it but more and more stormeth against both the Worde it selfe and the Messengers that bring it For naturall man vnderstandeth not those things that are of God no nor cannot Wherefore when we see in these Chapiters that all endeuour is vsed both by God and by his seruauntes to perswade Pharao and yet that he is nothing Mooued eyther by his Worde or by his threatnings or by his Miracles or by the counsaile and aduertisement of Moyses and Aaron yea or of his owne subiectes we are taught that all the Workes endeuours of Man to bring sinners from their obstinacy vnto the Imbracing of Gods holy will is all Vaine vnlesse it please God also to worke by his holye spirite Wherefore we must submit our selues to the mightie hande of God in his secreat iudgementes and continually in our prayers * craue the assistance of his grace and good spirite which may so worke in vs that both we our selues may humbly Receiue the worde of GOD and that our endeuour to perswade other may by him be Effectuall Moreouer when there happeneth vnto vs vnseasonable Weathering Plagues and other sicknesses of sundrie sortes terrible Nayle Thunder and Lightning Murraine of cattaile Destruction of corne or fruites by blast Vermine or otherwise we must by these examples learne that they come not by Chaunce or by naturall causes onely but that they are Sent of God as Punishmentes of our Sinne and Disobedience to the will and worde of God and as * Meanes to bring vs to Repentance or else that God will lay on vs continually mo of his Plagues vntill he bring vs to Vtter confusion as hee did Pharao and the Egyptians All whose Disobedience sprange of this Roote that they Contemned the worde of God brought vnto them by his seruantes The Contempt whereof if repentaunce did not preuent it God hath alway punished with Induration and vtter Desolation When we reade that the Israelites were cleare from all those grieuous Plagues with which the Aegyptians were punished we muste to our comfort consider
and in the cause of their sister Cozbi the daughter of a lorde of the Madianites which was slain in the day of the plague for Peors sake The exposition vpon the .xxv. Chapter of Numeri And Israell aboade in Sittim and the people began to commit whoordom c. THe offence that is described in thys chapter to haue bene committed by the childreÌ„ of Israel may seme to be wroughte by the * wicked policie of the false prophet BalaaÌ„ who seeing before that the fauor of god was much enclined to the Israelites did aduertise the Moabites to suffer their wiues daughters to be carnally abused by them to the end that their God being * displeased with their whooredome adulterie might forsake them and so leaue them to the daunger of theyr enimies This was a maruellous way wardnesse in the Israelites that neyther with aduersitie nor prosperity they could be reteined in their dutie toward God. In aduersitie they * sundry tymes murmured against God. And now in prosperitie being come to a * fertile couÌ„trey and hauing great successe of * victorie they are caryed away with loosenesse and wanton lust towarde straunge women and thereby prouoke the heauie * wrath of God against them Wherfore by this example we are admonished in bothe states of Fortune to beware and to call earnestly vnto God for the assistaunce of his grace that wee be not caryed from the remembrance of our dutie eyther with the griefe of the tone or with the pleasauntnesse of the tother In this example also wee haue to obserue howe perillous the companie of * wicked women is not onely for the grieuousnesse of whoordome it selfe but also for the perill that is least we be ledde also by the poysoned pleasure therof vtterly to * forsake God and to contemne his holy lawe and true worship And the Lord sayde take al the heades of the people and hang them c. Iustly doth Saincte Paule 1. Corinth 10. admonishe vs to beware of whooredome and fornication least the lyke perill of Gods wrath doe lyghte vpon vs also The common multitude of the offenders were slayne by hande as aâ—ter doth appeare but the heades and ryngleaders of the people to that wickednesse that is the Princes Magistrates and rulers who shuld haue stayed and punished this foule offence are by God commaunded to be hanged vp against the sunne that their * punishement mighte be the more grieuous to the terror of other For the prince or greate person offendeth double bothe in the filthinesse of the deede it selfe and also in the example whereby he draweth a number to the lyke naughtynesse Suche as the greate persons are suche commonly are the people Wherfore wel saith wisedom cap. 6 The mightie persons shal myghtily be punished A notable lesson is here to be gathered of al them which at this day make so smal accompt of fornication whooredome and adulterie as though it were no synne at all yea as though it were a praise or glorie to them to be knowne and taken to be suche persons And beholde one of the children of Israell came and brought vnto c. This was a notable spectacle of the coÌ„tempt of God and all good men when Moyses and the people were before the doore of the Tabernacle bewayling and lamenting the wickednesse that was encreased among them and by their prayers tears sought to turne the displeasure of God froÌ„ theÌ„ this maÌ„ as it were in despite of them all and of God himselfe in their syghtes brought a straunge strumpet into his tent to be abused of himselfe and of his children By this example it may appeare that wickednesse was growne to a very * high degree among them seing that they had therin caste away al shame * and feare of God. This was none of the common sort of people that coÌ„mitted this outrage He was a lorde and a noble man of the house of Simeon the strumpet also was a Lady or GeÌ„tlewoman the daughter of Sur an head ruler of the Madianites Wherby it appereth what kinde of persons doe soonest breake out to suche foule examples of the contempt of god And as the offence committed was greuous so was the Authour and manner of the punishment extraordinarie For Phinees was a priest and no ciuile Magistrate his * office was to serue God in the teÌ„ple and not by death to punish offenders yet bicause the example of the wickednesse was horrible he was stirred vp vndoutedly by the spirit of God in the vehemencie of his zeale for Gods cause to vse an extraordinarie punishmeÌ„t of those persons that with such despite of Gods lawe and true worship did grieue the heartes of all good men in their heuie distresse And therfore though this fact of Phinees be greatly praised both here and in other * places of the holy Scripture yet being but a peculiar instinction of God in this one cause it is not to be taken as an example coÌ„monly of all persons to be folowed For if euery priuate man should take vpon him to punish offences and that by death it would grow to very greate disorder But Magistrates and they to * whom God hath committed the sworde may here learne with how earnest zeale they should see to the repressing and punishing of synne and wickednesse and not as commonly they doe eyther winke at it without punishment or so triflingly punishe it that it is rather a mockerie than a punishment Then God spake to Moyses saying Phinees the sonne of Eleazar c. By this God sheweth that Phinees was led by his instinction to the zelous execution of that punishment therfore doth not only shewe him selfe to lyke well of it but also rewardeth him with the * perpetual annexing of the high priesthood to him and to his house posteritie Here good princes and magistrates may learne that God with great blessing will rewarde the iust and with sharp punishment correct the authors of wickednesse and vice The third Sunday after Easter at Morning prayer Deuteronomie 4. NOw therfore hearken O Israel vnto the ordinances lawes which I teach you for to do them that so ye may liue and goe in and possesse the land whiche the Lorde God of your fathers giueth you 2 Ye shal put nothing vnto the worde which I commaund you neither shal you take ought from it that ye may kéepe the coÌ„maundements of the Lorde your God whiche I commaunde you 3 Your eyes haue séene what the Lorde did against Baal Peor for all the men that folowed Baal Peor the Lord thy God hath destroyed from among you 4 But ye that cleaue vnto the Lord your God are aliue euery one of you this day 5 Behold I haue taught you ordinances lawes such as the Lord my God coÌ„maunded me that ye should do