aliam quamcumque causam Spiritus Sanctus appellatus est Digitus Dei For God is not limitted or cōcluded within any forme or shape of bodie neither are limmes and Fingers to be imagined so to be in him like as we see them in our selues but because by the Holy Ghost the gifts of God are so distributed vnto holy men that although they be able to doo differing things yet they do nothing cōtrary to the quietnesse of loue For in the Fingers most of all is seene some certaine separation howbeit no cutting off from vnitie among themselues Either for that cause or for some other cause whatsoeuer it be the Holy Ghost is tearmed the Finger of God Theophilact thinketh Spiritum Sanctum Dei apellari digitum propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sicut enim inquit Digitus toti corpori est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita Spiritus Patri filio That the holy Ghost is called the Finger of God because of the same substance For euen as saith hee the finger is of the same substance with the whole bodie so is the Holy Ghost with the Father and the Sonne Ambrose noteth that the naming of the Finger is to be referred ad formam vnitatis non ad distinctionem potestatis to the maner of vnitie in the Godhead not to the distinction of power But an Obiection is made how they were written with the Finger of God when Moses is saide to haue written them Exod 34 28 diuerse men answere diuersly S. Austine thinketh the first were written by God which béeing broken the second were written by Moses But Moses plainly affirmeth that both were written by God Exodus 31. 18. Deut. 10. 2. Lyra therefore saith Deum scripsisse authoritatiuè dictando Mosen ministerialiter figurando God wrote as the Author that prescribed but Moses as the Minister a figure Then not liking this so wel Fieri potuit ait vt Moses manū tabulae admouerit Deus autē miraculose litter as formauit It might be saith he the Moses hād was put to the table of God miraculosly framed the letters Hugo saith Moses wrot the Tables that is He receiued them writtē Later Writers make this answere that the words Exod. 34. 28. referred to Moses should be referred to God And for Moses writing it was that volume Exod. 17. ver 14. But let this much suffice of this Chapter CHAP. 27. I will shut vp these Chapters following as briefely as I can leaue the amplificatiōs of the Notes to the diligēt Readers owne meditatiōs In this Chap. we see 4. principall Heads The Idolatrie of the people The wrath of God The Intercession of Moses The fact of Moses 1. TOuching the first follow the words and note things as they lye The text saith whē the people saw that Moses taried long ere hee came downe from the mountaine c. The causes of Idolatrie are moe than can be reckoned vp but some you may here think of and first of this that appeareth in these words impatiencie to stay for Moses cōming down from the Mountaine Such impaciencie made Saul run to a Witch euen at these times many to doo the like God dooth deferre many times his helpe for the tryall of men and then hauing not his holy Spirit to make them patiēt they rashly and hastily flye to forbidden meanes for help It was truly said Feare maketh Gods to wit false Gods For in distresses agonies as I say men doe as here they did run to wicked deuises thinking so to comfort themselues A second cause of Idolatrie is often an ignorant imitation of things not rightly vnderstood as because Abraham was commanded to offer vp his sonne Isaack and his readinesse to doo it so wel taken therefore men would follow him herein and offer vp their sonnes and daughters with bloudy hands to their false Gods A third cause foolish doting loue and affection Thus was Salomon made an Idolater for his loue to his Wiues And it is written of Alexander that he so loued Ephestio as he decréed diuine honor to be done vnto him A drian the Emperour did the like to a most wicked and naughtie person whom he loued A fourth cause good hap or prospertie Thus did the Athenians who hauing but Ten Thousand in their armie against the Persians at Marathe the Lacedemonians being not yet come it is saide a certaine Spirit apeared in their armie in the likenesse of Pan and mightily daunted their aduersaries assuring them after of victorie in the same likenesse Whereupon in great kindnesse forsooth they would euer after worship Pan and built him a Chappell vnder the Temple of Pallas Thus is mans nature prone to Idolatrie and taketh very small occasions to fall from God The roote of this foule Idolatrie here was that foule and odious vice of ingratitude forgetting all the great works and wonders of God done and shewed for them and by name their so comfortable deliuerance from such thraldome and miserie in Aegypt Such vice and such effect of it ruleth still in too many whose eyes haue bene lightened and whose hearts haue béene comforted with truth of the Gospell and yet cursedly and damnably they fall from this kinde God and run a whoring after their owne inuentions whose wisdome herin is much like the Thracians that could not as Aristotle saith number aboue fiue Wherefore against this feareful inconstancie and mutabilitie of our natures let vs often vse from our harts the words of the Psalme Make me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirit within me Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me Giue me the comfort of thy helpe againe and stablishe me with thy free Spirit I am thy seruant O giue me vnderstanding to learne thy Testimonies 2 They gathered themselues together against Aaron said vnto him vp and make vs Gods to go beforevs They neuer aske Aaron whether it might bee done lawfully or no but vp doo it most presumptuously directing him who should direct thē audatiously vrging him to approoue what they liked Think here of some people some parishes where if the minister will not doo as they fancie allowing their dācings drinkings their bowles their pastimes full of disorder and sin for orderly recreatiō is good they fall out with him they turne both hart hand from him he is now become their greatest enemy because he hartely wisheth their saluation But I said I would not amplifie much and therefore your selfe meditate of this hatefull and pernitious boldnesse in some Congregations 3 For this Moses the man that brought vs out of the lād of Aegypt we know not what is become of him And is this all the care of him if he be gone Such an instrumēt of God good to them such a deliuerer such a famous Gouernour so deare to God so familiar with God so graced honoured by
Thirdly outward darknes maketh men fall and that often with great hurt euen vnto death so doth inward darknes of the minde make men fall with so much perill by how much the fall of soule is worse than the fall of body and death eternall worse than temporall Let their way be darke and slipperie saith Dauid in the Psalme as a meanes both the one way and the other to bring men to confusion Fourthly outward darknes worketh in some horror and feare wee knew it by experience euen so doth in-ward darknes if you obserue either Scripture or experience Scripture when it is said They shall feare where no feare is meaning by the darknes and ignorance of iudgement Experience in Caine who through ignorance cried with horror and feare My sinne is greater than can be forgiuen and in many deare children of God who quake and quiuer vnder the taste and touch of sinne not yet able to reach by the light of minde because God will exercise them to the swéetnes and riches of Gods mercie reuealed in his promises Examples are many but a secret meditation in your selfe of what you knowe may best serue Fiftly lastly outward darknes in some others cleane contrarie worketh boldnes and securitie and is the deadly bane of modestie and honestie As when the man that breaketh Wedlocke thinketh thus in his heart Who seeth me I am compassed about with darknes the walles couer me no body seeth me whoÌ„ neede I to feare the most HIGH will not remember my sinnes c. So doth inward darknes of Judgement and hart in some men make boldnes aboue measure to aske to speake to defend and publish what were better passed ouer and buried with peace of Church and Common-wealth They sée not in darknes what they doo but pleasing themselues in a misse-conceipt for want of true iudgement build vp the Tower of Babell very violently to their great shame and reproofe both with God and man Fitly then you sée in regard of these properties and many others is Ignorance called darknes by the holy Ghost and thereby wee admonished to pray and labour against it as a plague of God not vnlike to this of Egypt Which iustly may occasion your next Meditation to be How it groweth that wee may the better â—sâ—heâ—â— and preuent it This will likewise appeare by considering the causes of outward darknes and séeing whether there be not the like of inward darknes First then outward darknes or blindnes of the body groweth in some by birth as the blinde man in Iohn healed by our Sauiour Christ and many daily experiences before our eyes euen so doth inward darknes growe in vs all from our birth by the fall of Adam that most excellent light and knowledge wherein hee was created being lost by him both to himselfe and all his posteritie vntill the Lord renue vs in knowledge after his image as he created vs at first according to the same by knowledge Secondly outward darknes groweth sometimes by too-much gazing vpon bright and glistering things as in experience we sinde by white snow white paper and the like so doth inward darknes grow also by fixing the minde too-much vpon the glistering glory of this World the pompes and pleasures that shine in it Proofe héere of that rich Glutton that rich Barne-builder in the Gospell and that Turne-coate Demas of whom S. Paule speaketh who all were blinde you plainly sée with gazing too-much vpon this tempting World And how many amongst vs men and women be in this sort blinde he knoweth who shall iudge both quicke and dead and who cannot be deceaued by any colours Good it is therefore to take héede betime and to turne away the eye from so hurtfull an obiect duly and truly considering the nature of it It is transitorie and abideth not it is vaine and vile please it neuer so much So haue all found it that haue gone before vs so shall wee finde it and all that euer shall followe after vs. A Mappe of the world hath Kingdomes and Countries very beautifully set out in it Cities Churches and Towers described liuely in variable colours yet all is but Paper one drop of water will deface the greatest Princes Pallace in it So is this World which men loue so much in déede very Paper that is very vaine and fickle And that heart which hath furnished it selfe with all these Castles and Towers through a wicked loue and longing for them one Fit of an Ague wil shake and shiuer in such sort as no pleasure shall remaine of all these things In the meane time Religion there is none where this loue is neither any fellowship with the Almightie For as hote Sommer-weather maketh our inward heate lesse by suffering it to euaporate than Winters-colde doth which kéepeth it in so doth this World fawning vpon vs and the loue of it liuing in vs eate out all zeale and pietie leauing vs colder within than aduersitie and the want of the world doth And Loue God and the world to we cannot saith S. Iohn Dauid clogged with Saule his Armour said he could not goe and therefore put it all off againe Euen so assuredly can no man march towards Heauen if his heart be buckled and fastned to this World till he lay aside that hinderance from him That Spéech of S. Cyprian should much be marked in this point Arridet mundus vt saeuiat blanditur vt fallat allicit vt occidat extollit vt deprimat Vna haecplacida solida firma perpetua securitas si quicquid in rebus humanis sublime magnum videtur occulis ad coelum elatis infra conscientiam tuam iacere possis gloriari This cursed world fawneth that it may bee cruell flattereth that it may decaue allureth that it may kill and lifteth vp that it may throw downe Wherefore this onely is sweete sound firme and during securitie if thou canst truly auowe that whatsoeuer seemeth great and glorious in this world with thine eyes lifted vp to Heauen thou hast cast and throwne vnder thy heart so that it shall not presse downe thée but thou wilt tread vppon it in a Religious contempt thereof by comparison with Heauen and Heauenly ioyes S. Augustine his Spéech also is worthy remembring Vnicuique tempestas est suacupiditas Amas Deum ambulas super mare Amas seculum absorbebitte Amatores suos vorarenouit petare non nouit Euery mans lust or vehement desire is as a tempest to him like vnto that in the Gospell whereof Peter being afraide began to sinke Louest thou GOD then thou walkest vpon the Sea Louest thou the world then thou sinkest and this Sea will swallow thee vp The world knoweth how to deuoure her Louers but not how to refresh them and doo them good I might goe farther in this cause of darknes if it were néedefull but this sufficeth to shew you the way how to meditate further on it A Third way whereby outward blindnes groweth is by long
is Christ known but frō the rising of the sun to the going downe of the same c. Thus may we profit by their multiplication 2. The second head in this chapter is the crueltie of the Egyptians by meanes whereof a very bitter and heauie affliction followed this great and glorious multiplication The vse to our selues may bée this that euen so dooth aduersity follow prosperitie and therefore prosperity should euer prepare for aduersitie A wise man in his good day thinketh of his euill and dayly beholding the sunne ouer shadowed at times with a darke cloude maketh vse of it to his good Sorrow and ioy wil not dwell togither but by composition they were thus agréed as the Poets feigne that as soone as the one hath had a time the other shall enter and haue his time also the former passing away and giuing place Let no wise-man therefore say as Dauid said tush tush this estate shall neuer decay for the Lord turned his face and Dauid was soone troubled Iob on a day could not thinke on such a change as after happened to him and yet all to the glorie of God and his good No earthly father louing his childe doth forbeare to chastice him much lesse dooth the father of Spirits leaue his children without fit corvection since both hée loueth more and knoweth how better to correct for their good The path to heauen is beaten out through many tribulations and vp must euery man and woman take their crosse that will bée his in eternall comfort Let vs note againe in this place the causes of this their affliction oppression as the Spirit of wisedome for our good hath héere laide them downe The first is their very increasing and multiplying For the king saide Behold the people of the children of Israel are greater and mightier than we come let vs worke wiselie with them lest they multiply Where wée sée that Gods fauour bestowed in mercy where hée liketh is still an eye-sore to euill men matter inough for them to grinde and grate their téeth at and to cause them to enter into plots and conspiracies against them The eye of enuie looketh euer vpward who is aboue who riseth who prospereth who is well spoken of well thought of or any way fauoured by the Lord and as much grieued is a spitefull spirit at the good of an other as at the harme of himselfe Which Diogenes noted when hée saw a knowne enuious man looke sadde No man saith hée can now tell whether harme hath happened to this fellow or good to his neighbour for both alike vexe him It was the blot of Athens that renowned Citie to haue few of any excellent vertue escape the rage of enuie in it but that either they were disgraced or banished or put to death in the end Those whom no sword of hating foe could daunt in the field enuie vanquished at home in the Citie deprauing their seruices blotting their names and breaking at last their guiltlesse hearts Which made the Philosopher prescribe this remedie against enuie whē one asked him how he might auoide it Euen neither to do nor say any good thing Thus did enuie rage against their multiplying héere And if Gods actions escape not mans malice shall yours shall mine shall any mans no no praemoniti praemuniti forewarned forearmed the streame ran euer so and God make vs euer patient and strong to go on in our duties A second cause of this affliction is a suspicious feare which entreth into these Egyptians that if there should be warre the Israelites would ioyne themselues to the enemie fight against them and so get themselues out of the land Such fruite groweth vpon such trées misdéeming thoughts causelesse iealousie vaine feares and all vniust opinions Why surely because it is the course that God hath in his word threatned to wicked persons which feare not him as they ought to doe Astonishment of heart a trembling heart feare both night and day c. reade the scriptures and you shall finde much proofe of what I say Suspect bewrayes our thoughts betrayes our words suspicious eies are messengers of woe Well fares that man howsoeuer his meate doth tast that tables not with foule suspition Better to die then to be suspitious Trust not too soone nor yet too soone mistrust for mistrust will treason in the trustiest raise The heart being once infect with iealousie the night is griefe the day is miserie Jealousie is the torment of the minde for which no wit or counsell helpe can finde Suspition wounds and iealousie striketh dead Causelesse and vndeserued suspition sendeth manie an one too swiftlie to their end These sayings of wise and true experience should much moue euery wise person We sée what we nurse when wee nourish this vice And if all this should not moue vs yet let our owne credite moue vs which by this meanes is shrewdly drawne in question the knowne versés saying thus Too much suspition of another is A flat condemning of thine owne amisse A third cause of their affliction was a new King she former being dead vnder whom they felt no such miserie Which may iustlie occasion vs to note carefullie what danger often is in change of Gouernours if the Lord be not mercifull Salomon may haue his wants but when his sonne commeth in his place he thundreth and telleth the people that his little finger shall be heauier vpon them than all his fathers hand This might we as déepelie haue tasted of as euer did these Israelites if God almightie had not thought vpon mercie in stead of iudgement The great neglect of those gracious daies which vnder the blessed gouernment of Quéene Elizabeth our late renowned souereigne wee comfortablie enioyed deserued punishment in a high degrée we must néedes confesse if we will say truth yet in steade thereof our most swéete God whose goodnes knoweth neither bottome nor measure hath raised vp ouer vs such a King againe as both so firmelie is fastned to the loue of the Gospell and so enriched with all other princelie vertues either of nature or grace as not onelie we with bowed knées may euer praise the name of God but all forreigne Nations speake and write of so admirable mercie vouchsafed vnto vs God for his Christes sake make vs thankfull That the King knewe not Ioseph Diuines say it was either for want of reading the Histories or because vnthankfullie hee contemned the good that was done in other times and to other men S. Augustine héere giueth a note how men may know what King ruleth within them to whose words I refer the reader And let this forgetting of Ioseph that is of the seruice and good that Ioseph did to all that land of Egipt in the great famine mentioned in Genesis be the fourth and last cause of this affliction And this indéede if you marke it is a mother of great mischiefe wheresoeuer it is euen this forgetting of such benefites as we ought neuer to
I say of this nature very limmes of Sathan the world hath euer had and still hath too many Now these causes were all naught and therfore this warre ill grounded ill prospered For enuie I haue often touched it but if the Lord also touch not such hearts nothing will serue I say no more now but wishe they woulde earnestly think of the Saying of GODS SPIRIT in the Psalme The vngodly shall see it and gnash his teeth The vngodlie the vngodly be these gnashers And Let him that hath eares to heare heare For that filthy desire of hauing from others still still that their heape may grow infinite I wisse that Heathen Africanus wel remembred who when he should haue ioyned with the Priest in praying for more and more increase to the Romanes answered no no our state is good all readie and aboundantly rich I will therefore rather pray that God will keepe it and maintaine it as it is Surely this man shall rise-vp in Judgment against such vnsatiable mindes and bée a swift witnesse against them The Old Saying is wise enough is enough and enough is as good as a feast Mediocria firma Meane things be firme when great things be fickle In Plutarch is mentioned a reason why the Kings of Sparta reigned so long namely because they were content with their owne limit and desired no more The thirde vice is as bad as either of these namely To be vnquiet And al Books of learning by occasion speake of the blot it made in that worthy Alexander when the Scithian Embassadours trulie tolde him That if there were no men to fight quarrell with all he would fight with the woods and the mountaines and the wilde beasts Such an other was Alcibiades an excellent man many waies but so vnquiet that the Saying grew how Graece was not able to beare two Alcibiades Beware then of these causes of warre and contention and learne by the Rod of GOD vpon Amalech to liue in peace and to let Gods children passe by vs without trouble I could héere with iust honour remember Her late Maiesties most happie gouernment Her blessed contentment with her own not séeking nor desiring the right of others no not taking that which was earnestlie offered vnto Her In regard whereof she renownedly flourished when other enuious gréedy and troublesome natures fel. But I end this Note here 3 And Moses saide vnto Ioshua Chuse vs out men and goe and fight with Amalech wée may obserue in this the antiquitie of Musters and a warrant for them All did not goe heere but some and those chosen out by a Muster and view taken by Ioshua Such vse remaineth still amongst vs and in all gouernments els for it is fit it is necessarie and I would haue all Menne consider well how full of honour and credit it euer was in these cases to bee chosen as contrariewise what a blotte it caried often with it to bee omitted as that either hee was guiltie of some fowle vice or not trusted c. Then woulde not men run away and hide themselues as soone as they heare of a Muster towardes as now a daies they doo Such base mindes and cowardly spirits were not wont to bée in English-men I would it were amended for no friende can heare such a one but with blushing and shame And againe it worketh an other great mischiefe namelie to haue our armies that stand for God and Religion for Prince and Countrie to consist of such a scumme as no blessing can be expected where such instruments are vsed Non recepiebantur olim miliâ—es aliquo publico iudicio damnati non relegatus ad tempus multo minus deportatus in insulam ad bestias damnatus immo nec reus tantum criminis c. Ex quorum foece tameÌ„ nostri exercitus sunt refertissimi In times past saith One They were not taken for Souldiers which were condemned by any publique iudgment or banished for a time or finally or to be cast to the beasts or guiltie of any crime with which froath yet al our armies are ful Obseruauit illud antiqua disciplina militaris vt armapro iustitia et repulsione immicorum hominibus non vitiosis darentur c. Old Militarie Discipline obserued this carefully that armes for iustice and repulsing of enemies should not be giuen to vicious persons c. In Rome when the Empire flourished hée thought himselfe not a man that had not serued in the warres per decennium by the space of tenne yeares And with vs hee thinkes himselfe a Kill-Kowe that neuer sawe hostem aut castra either enemy or campe that can better skill to swagger and sweare in an Ale-house or in a market-towne with long shagged hayre like a birde of Newgate than how to serue among men like a man A foule degenerating from the vertue of our Elders and of our Nation Let it bee vile hereafter to such as taste of Manhood or haue true ENGLISH bloud in their hearts 4 To morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rodde of GOD in my hand namely to praye for so it appeareth he did Where see and Note a religious ioining of godlie Prayer with the meanes of outwarde force This is no newe thinge but as olde as Moses acceptable to GOD and very powerfull euer Asa did thus and he was a godlie king There came out against him the king of Ethiopia or Egypt with an hoste of Ten hundreth Thousand and three hundreth Charets a huge companie And Asa went out before him and vsed both these waies First they set the battaile in arraie withall those things then ioine they prayer also as most requisite And Asa cryed vnto the Lord his God and said Lord it is nothing with thee to helpe with many or with no power helpe vs O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy Name are we come out against this multitude O LORD thou art our God let not man preuaile against thee Then the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Iudah and the Ethiopians fled c. Ichoshaphat did thus and prospered his notable Prayer is also expressed Mauritius did thus against the Persians and prospered Our Chronicles tell vs of Oswald the King of Northumberland how he did the like prospered against Cedwall How Ethelred being at prayer and hearing that his brother Alured was shrewdly distressed in the battaile yet went on with his prayer and would not stirre till he had ended that dutie after he went and had a notable victorie and relieued his brother The men of S. Edmondsburie prayed against that cruell Tyrant Swanus and the Lord heard them smote Swanus that hee died roaring and yelling and they were deliuered Edward 3. against the French did thus and prospered Many moe might be recited Wherefore good is that Saying of S. Ambrose to Gratian Nosti fide magis Imperatoris quam virtute militum victoriam queri solere Thou