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
forget This maketh the child vndutifull to his parents because hee forgetteth what they haue done for him which made the olde father Tobiah call vpon his sonne earnestlie to remember what his mother suffered for him when he was in her bodie what care after when he was brought into the world to make much of her as long as she liued when she should die to burie her by him The good father doubted not but due remembrance would work gratitude as he well knew vnkind forgetfulnes would do the contrarie This is the sinne of seruants to their Maisters of Maisters often to their seruants Of one neighbour towards another of all the world almost this day But could such seruice may you thinke as Ioseph did to Egipt be euer forgotten yea yea we sée it héere noted by God himselfe and therefore we must know it for truth that ingratitude will make no bones to swallow vp any vertue any merit any goodnes whatsoeuer Which causeth a saying to be most true Si ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris if thou canst truly say he is vnthankfull in that one word thou hast saide all the euill of him that may be spoken Honourable therefore was it and thrice honourable in King Henry the 3. King of this land so to remember the seruices of his oppressed seruant Hubert Lord chiefe Justice of England thereupon to frée him from the malice of his enemies and to saue his life I sée no reason saith he why we should deale so hardly with Hubert when his enemies vrged his execution and expected the Kings cōmandement for the same for first from the time of his youth he serued mine Uncle King Richard then my father King Iohn in whose seruice as I heard say beyond the seas he was driuen to eate his horse and in my time he hath stoode constantly in the defence of that Realme against forreigne Nations kept the Castle of Douer against king Lewis and vanquished the French-men vpon the seas also at Bedford and Lincolne he hath done great seruice If hee should be guiltie of anie thing done vntruly against me which is not euidentlie proued yet by me he shall neuer be put to such a villanous death For I had rather be accounted a king foolish and simple than to be iudged a tyrant and séeker of blood especiallie of such as haue serued me and my Auncestors in manie perils so dangerously weighing more the few euils which yet be not proued than so many good deserts both to me and the whole Realme euidently knowne vnto all men As then remembrance and forgetfulnes of a good are contrarie so you sée the effects of them are contrarie the one bringing forth all honourable actions the other oppression and crueltie as in this place These were the foure causes of this great affliction of Gods people and let vs neuer forget them nor their vse 3. In the next place let vs note their manner in bringing their purpose to passe first they haue a méeting and a consultation then an exeeution of what they haue deuised Their méeting the king caused when he said Come let vs work wiselie c. In which wee sée the guise of the world the wicked haue a Come as well as the godlie but farre and farre differing for the godlie haue their Come as a word of encouragement to religion and the exercises thereof as when they say O come and let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs hartily reioyce in the strength of his saluation But the wickeds Come is to conspiracie and practise in which they are more diligent than the children of light are in their good for their bodies méete their heads méete their hearts méete both outward inward they are earnest in euill Such a Come we reade of against holie Ieremie Come sayd the wicked and let vs imagine a deuise against Ieremie let vs smite him with the tongue and not giue credite to any of his words Such another haue Kuffians and théenes and swaggering fellowes in the booke of the Prouerbs Come and cast in thy lot with ours for we will haue all but one purse c. Such another hath the harlot to the young man Come my husband is not at home c. But against such cursed Comes let vs euer remember what the Psalme saith Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsell of the vngodly nor stand in the way of sinners and hath not sit in the seate of the scornfull And that Arnobius an olde Writer well noteth vpon those words Primus psalmus vnde scit beatitudinem perijsse inde recuperat In consilio impiorum abijt Adam id est in serpentis et mulieris Et nunc Adam noster id est consensus noster beatus erit si non abierit in consilio serpentis et mulieris id est inconsilio carnis et diaboli aut si abierit non ibi stet aut si steterit non sedeat c. The first Psalme saith he where it knew happines was lost there beginneth to recouer it againe for Adam walked in the counsell of the wicked namely of the woman and of the serpent And now our Adam that is our consent shall be blessed if it doo not walke in the counsell of the woman and of the serpent that is of flesh and the deuill or if it happen to walk yet standeth not still or if it stand still yet sitteth not downe in the same that is abideth not and tarieth in it but remembring the law of the Lord taketh his delight therein and in the same doth exercise himselfe both day and night This cursed conuenticle and malicious méeting albeit wholely it sauoreth of crueltie and blood yet if you marke it it is couered and smeared ouer with a vizard and die of wisedome for Come faith the King let vs wisely worke So still is the Deuill like himselfe if you marke it and euer in his colours His followers learne of him and they also delight in colours The proud man is cleanlie the couetous man is prouident the drunkard a good-fellow and such like But the day will come wherein all such colours will be washed away and the cleare sunne breaking out and dispiersing all clouds sinne will be discerned to be sinne and eternally punnished Thus of their méeting and their counsell 4 The conclusion resolution of their counsel if you marke the text is to lay burthens vpon this people and to kéepe them downe Burthens of labours as appeareth and burthens of payments as some write So that by this way their strength should be shaken and their liues made wearisome vnto them that thereby lesse encreasing might be amongst them and lesse feare had of them Where marke if you doe not sée the deuises of some in our daies wise as they thinke but héerein wicked as we know séeking by such practises to breake both backs and hearts of those that deserue better then
Ver. 8. vnto the 13. you sée the sixth plague of Egypt euen a foule scab breaking out into blisters vpon man and beast Whereof Iosephus saith no small number died yet could not this moue them to sée the hand of God Such vglie sores and maladies our age also hath and as far from leading to true repentance as these héere That gréeuous Disease began in Spaine but afterward crept into Fraunce and there so abounded as euer since it hath caried the name of that Country not of Spaine Be it that by diuers meanes it may happen as by a cup a combe a stoole and such like so that euery one is not guiltie of lewde life who happily is spotted with it yet which way so euer it commeth the Lord toucheth and it is euer good to sée his hand distinguished from other causes and to fall downe before him in humble acknowledgement of our sinne making our peace by true submission and beséeching him either to remoue such punishment frō vs or to seale vp our hearts in the assurance of his loue notwithstanding all earthly trials Let vs also in this place marke how the Sorcerers were smitten with this plague so that they could not stand before Moses They had séene many things before to make them giue place the deuouring of their roddes their inhabilitie to make that base vermine spoken of before yea their owne mouthes then said it was Gods Finger yet they will not giue ouer their gaine-saying and crossing of Gods Ministers till the Plague of God light vpon their owne persons in these vglie soares which surely is a very effectuall warning to all Kebellers against good things that they giue ouer betimes and yéeld to God so auoiding his wrathfull stripes either vpon themselues or their goods God is the same as iust as euer as strong as euer and will flesh and blood prouoke him A better course shal be our wisedome 6 This seuenth Plague now following ver thirtéenth hath also his Denunciation his Execution and his Effect Which in order obserued will yéelde vs sundry Meditations And first the Denunciation will more and more beate into vs the wonderfull hardnesse of Pharaoh and his People who neither by any nor all the Plagues before mentioned of Blood of Frogges of Lice of Flyes of Moraine of Botch could be mooued and turned to the obedience due from man to God Can we wonder at waywarde creatures in our times when wée sée this No no the heart of man Woman is a most wonderfull peruerse thing whē God worketh not these often Repetitions are made by Gods Spirite that we should marke it know it and continually pray against it 7 You sée God willeth Moses to Rise vp early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh Let the vse of it be to teach with what diligence and care God would euer haue his businesse how he hateth negligence and loose slubbering ouer what belongeth to our charge saying in plaine tearmes Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently Ministers then forasmuch as their calling is to doo the worke of God and to stand before Pharaoh they must be diligent zealous carefull and painfull doing what lieth in them euer Magistrates also must doo the like for they execute not the iudgments of man but of the Lord and he will be with them in the cause and iudgment For there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God neither respect of persons nor receauinge of reward Parents and Maisters doo the worke of God and therefore they must be diligent calling vpon their children and families with blessed Abraham to feare the Lord. There bee also in Parishes Church-Officers Sworne-men with such like who for their yéere haue Gods worke in hand and therefore they should haue a great conscience to doo their duties diligently for feare of the curse aboue mentioned But surely their grosse dulnes crieth for great vengeance and I pray God it reach not to their posteritie also and to all that they haue gathered together for them For so good Offices to so good vse both of the Church and Common-wealth cannot be so wilfully and wittingly so careleslie and presumptuouslie neglected as they are but it will smart one day When thou seest a thiefe saith God in the Psalme thou runnest with him and thou art a pertaker with the Adulterers When thou seest a thiefe that is an euill doer any way thou consentest vnto him that is either thou doest as he doth or at least doest ouerlooke him and conceale him not bringing him by thine Office vnto the ordinarie correction of his fault and hast beene pertaker with the Adulterers in not presenting them and following the presentment with zeale vntill there were Justice had These things saith God hast thou done and I held my tongue and thou thoughtest wickedly that I am euen such a one as thy selfe but I will reprooue thee and set before thee the things which thou hast done That is I will make thée knowe and the world also shall know by my dealings with thée that thou hast not risen vp earlie in the morning as Moses did héere that is thou hast not had care and conscience to doo the dutie of thy Place zealouslie and carefullie as thou oughtst for his sake whose worke it is and who hath raised thée to credite and accompt for thy Prince his sake who watcheth ouer thée for thy peace and is greatly abused by thée for thy Countrie sake which by thy negligence becommeth wicked and sinfull hastening to destruction most due and deserued Oh consider this better you that feare God saith the place lest I PLVCKE YOV AVVAY or teare you in peeces and there be none that can deliuer you 8 Obserue againe the word All in the 14. verse when God saith I will at this time send all my plagues vppon thine heart meaning many sundry and seuerall plagues for God did not bring All according to y◠Letter diuers others following after as the 8. 9. 10. Plague The vse is this that wee consider the perill of rebellious obstinacy against God For first he wil punish it with one rodde then with another happely with a thirde and if these single chastisements will not serue then will he go to many plagues heaping wrath vpon wrath and woe vppon woe with a fierce hand yea he will lay euen All his plagues vpon vs at once as he here speaketh to our greatfall and confusion Add vnto this proofe here those wordes in Deut. But if thou wilt not obey the voice of THE LORD THY GOD to keepe and to doe all his Commaundements and his Ordinances which I commaund thee this daie then all these curses not one or two but All these curses shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the towne and cursed in the field Cursed shall thy basket be and thy dough Cursed shall be the fruite of thy body and the fruite
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
Comfortable Notes Vpon the bookes of Exodus and Leuiticus as before vpon Genesis Gathered and laid downe still in this plaine manner for the good of them that cannot vse better helpes and yet are carefull to read the Scriptures and verie desirous to finde the comfort in them BY The Reuerend Father in God Geruase Babington Doctor of Diuinitie and Bishop of Worcester With a Table of the principall matters contained in this Booke PSAL. 1. Blessed is that man whose delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth exercise himselfe day and night AT LONDON ¶ Printed for Thomas Chard Anno Dom. 1604. * ⎠* Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 1. Strom Pag. 116. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. id est Si ambo verbum praedicant hic quidem scripto ille voce quomodo non sunt ambo admittendi qui effecerunt vt fides operetur per dilectionem c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. id est Praedicandi quidem scientia est quodammodo Angelica vtrouis modo iuuans seu per manum seu per linguam operetur quonlam qui seminat in spiritu de spiritu metet vitam aeternam Erasmus Praefat in Aug. Quia perspiciebat librorum vsum multò latius patere quà m vocis in hanc operam quicquid poterat temporis suffurabatur Clem Alex. Lib. 1. Strom. Pag. 127. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Neque honestus est ille cibi apparatus qui plura habet condimenta quam ea quae nutriunt nec est bellus vrbanusue orationis vsus qui auditores magis potest delectare quà m iuuare Clemens Alexandrinus in his first booke Strom. Pag. 116. If both preach the word this man by writing and that man by speaking why are not both to be approued which haue caused faith to worke by loue c. The knowledge of preaching is in a maner Angelicall whether it worketh by hand-writing or by tonguespeaking because he which soweth in the spirit shall of the spirit reape life euerlasting Erasmus in his Preface vpon Augustine Because he perceiued the vse of bookes to extend farther then the vse of speech he did withdraw what time he could to this employment Clemens Alexandrinus in his first booke Strom. Pag. 127. Neither is that prouision of meate allowable which is set forth with more sauces then which nourish neither is that vse of speech conuenient or seemely which may more delight then profit the hearers ¶ A Table setting downe Alphabetically the principall matters contayned in this booke of Exodus A. AAron how he was Moses his Prophet 81. his rod kept in the Arke 383. his calling 406. his apparell 408. the seuerall parts of his garments 409. his consecration 413. his yeelding to the people for an Idol 439. and making an Altar before it 441. Adamant in the Ephod mens gesses of it 411. Admonitions from God before he striketh 45. 124. 117. 125. 159. 160. Adulterie wilfully commited is made but a sleight matter by Papists 46. 47. Adoration of the Bread an ancient errour 423. Aduersitie 30. Affliction noted by the heate of the Sunne 208. it followeth Prosperitie 4. God seeth vs in it 36. and pitieth vs vnder it 72. when it is most extraordinarie it doth not shew that the partie is disliked of God 37. but in the midst thereof God regardeth and acknowledgeth 62. and helpeth in the end 210 for it shall haue an end 27. 65. 67. 92. 138. 305. and sometime it is turned to great ioy 20 171 172 242. in it we must be patient 74 167. and constant 226 227. and returne to the Lord. 70 72 75 112 278 384. for though there be diuersities of crosses 94 129. 224 291 333 yet all come to vs by Gods prouidence 112 116 210. the time when they shall begin and when they shall end is in his hand 110 and therefore in and vnder them we must â—aâ—rie his leasure 57 69 167 201 226. God sendeth to the wicked one crosse vpon the necke of another 121. and encreaseth his crosses where there is no amendmeÌ„t 89 91 92 115 159 163 181. euen to the godly one crosse succeedeth another to shew that this life is a warfare 277. to trievs 213 426. to discouer to vs and others our vnknowne weakenesse 238 261. to correct vs 5. to drawe vs to obedience 181. and to other ends 331. to traine vs vp in Gods schoole 290 by it we learne more good than by prosperitie 29 321. Alexander the great his reuerence to the high Priest 414 415. Allegories 398. Altar why there was but one and why of earth and why without steps 326. Altar of burnt-offering a figure of Christ 403. Altar of incense 427. Altar of brasse signified Christ his humiliation the golden Altar his exaltation 428. Altars in Poperie 326 403 404. Alteration 25. fine 29 30. Ambition 40 329. Answere must be readily made when God calleth 34. Antichrist 43 79 424. Angell a name giuen to Christ 31 32 216. Angels subiect to Christ 387 they are our seruants 388 we being in Christ are ioyned to their companie ibid. Anarchie 307 310. Anabaptists confuted touching warre 290. concerning magistracie 307 309. for refusing Ministers and the vse of the sacraments 407. for casting away meanes 240. Athiests 416 417. Antiochus called himselfe God 80. Appearing of God diuersly to diuers ends 32 33 it is to some fearefull to some comfortable 357 358. Apparell of Ministers 408. herein the orders of a Christian Church must be obeyed 412. The Arke was an outward signe of Gods presence 380. called by the name of God and by other names 381. a figure of Christ 382. Authoritie of the booke of Exodus 1. Authoritie in all superiors must be reuerenced 301. The Authors intent in writing this booke 28 90 289 299 332. B. Baptisme not euerie want but the contempt the 〈…〉 â—f damneth 60. not to be administred by women ibid. Names giuen at Baptisme 21. the wordes of the institution paraphrased 384. Banishment for good causes not to be ashamed of 27. Baites to allure the wicked to destruction 210 211. Backeparts of God 454. Beautie ioyned with pietie a great blessing 16 17. Beare-baytings c on the Sabboth 269. Beades 427. Beasts are cared for by God 336. Bed we must remember God and pray to him when we goe to bed 176 177 128 428. Beginnings of repentance are hard 66. Beginnings of errour are to be stayd 441. Beginnings of the yeere was diuersly taken 184 185. Bels about the Priests garment signified that a Minister should not be dumbe 412. Bible 155. Bispop vniuersall 133. Bispops in Popery why buried in their robes 421. Birth not to bee regarded so much as Gods graces 463. Blessing of God 272. Bitter waters 235. Blood of Christ 189 416. Booke of Creation 154. Booke of life 447. A Booke that hath but two leaues White Red 164. Borrowed things must be restored 179. Boasting of the wicked against the godly 233. Bribes 352 353. Bread
good Magistrate 314. Creation the Booke thereof 154. Cryes are consequents of Gods plagues 182. Earnest prayer is a crying 215 280. Crosse see afflction Creatures armed in wrath 102. Creatures haue excellent vertues 238 239. Creatures of God must be soberly vsed 392. and not abused 240. Creatures the vse of them giuen or taken away by God 88. Crueltie forbidden 354. curiositie in searching secrets 319 322 357 451 452 454. Custome in sinne 152. D. Darkenesse of Egypt 145 c. Darkenesse in iudgement 62 147. Darkenesse outward inward compared 148. Inward darkenesse how it groweth 150. Darkenesse wherein God was noteth him to be incomprehensible 325. Daunces of ancient time what they were 235. Daunces on the Sabbath 269 438. Dauid how hee offended in numbring the people 429. Ciuill Death 340. Death comming with circumstances of Gods anger is more fearefull 177 178. Sodaine death 178 179 180. No earthly prerogatiue can free from death 182. After Death no helpe 179. Dead mens desires are truely to bee perfourmed 207. Dearth in the time of Poperie 257. Delay of religious duties 98 182 217 229 423 456. Descend how it may be sayd of God 38 322. Despaire to be auoyded 73 258 285. we may not despaire of Gods prouidence 260 265 nor of his mercie 117. Deformitie of bodie is recompenced by vertue of minde 17. Diuell see Sathan Diligence required in Gods businesse 113. Discipline 397. Discontentment 277 278. Disputations 398. Distrustfulnesse 265. Dissimulation 123. Diuision of this Booke 2. Domitian proclaymed himselfe God 80. Doubting 48 287. Diuersitie of gifts 81 355 361 363. Diuersitie of plagues 94 129 224 291 333. Diuinitie as a Ladie ought to be serued by all other Sciences 172 173 363. E. Eare is required that God may enter 209. The Eare signisieth obedience 419. The boring of the Eare what it signified 330 419. Egyptians crueltie to the Infants 16. it was punished 88. Egyptians ten Plagues the first of the turning of their waters into blood 87. 88 c. the second of Frogges 91. the third of lice 101. the fourth of flyes c. 105 the fifth of murraine of Cattell 109. the sixth of a scab 112. the seuenth Thunder haile and fire mingled with the haile 119. the eight Grashoppers 131 the ninth Darkenesse 145. the tenth the death of the first borne 177. Egyptians destroyed in the Red Sea 217. Elder a name of Office not of yeeres 43. Elect may be afflicted but not finally ouer-throwne 138. Ends of Gods punishments 331. End of Gods benefits 72. Enemies God is able to preserue by them 20. our enemies are to be helped 351 352. Enuie 5 82 292 395. it cannot alter the Lords purpose 168. Ephod of two sortes 409 the high Priests Ephod 410. the stone on the Ephod and the names on the stone 410. Equalitie is a propertie of a good Iudge 350 Equitie of al gods lawes euer remayneth 337 Euening what it signified 189 Euill God is not the author of it 82. nor religion the cause of it 129. Extraordinarie instincts 459 Extraordinarie things may not without like warrant be followed 172. Extraordinarie prouidence 260. 265. 272. Excuse taken from the wicked 62 174. F Factious men 44. 45. Fa 〈…〉 es on the Sabbath 269. Faith 18. confirmed by signes 41. it must rest vpon Christ. 404. by it we are partakers of Christ 202. signified by oyle 396 423. it is required to all spirituall duties 424. Families are raysed by God 4. Fat of the sacrifice what it signified 416. Fathers a comparison between their affection and Gods loue 56. 57. Fauoure to strangers wrought by God 47. 48. 172. Feare of God 12. it is the propertie of a good iudge 314. Feare is comforted 117. 210. 231. 232. it hath sometimes a good end 172. Feet signifie actions and affections 420. Deadly Feud reprooued 16. Finger of God what it signifieth 434 435. Fire of grace is to be kept within vs. 274. Firstborne of the Israelites were gods by a double right 204. Flies c. 105. to which are resēbled worldly cares byting of conscience sorrow for sinne Tyrants Vsurers c. Forgetting of benefites is a mother of much mischiefe 7. Forgetfulnes of Gods workes is displeasing vnto God 197. 243. God prepareth sundrie meanes to awake it 203. 272. Fortune 20. 230. 417. A friends wrong striketh deepe 70. French disease 112. Fryer 46. 47. Frogges 91. they resemble crokeing crewes c. 101. G Garments strange and costly 409. marg Garments of the Priests 408 421. Genealogie of the Israelites to what end it is described 76. Gentiles more obedient than Iewes 299. Gestures may be diuers in Prayer 298. Gifts doe corrupt iudgement 352. 353. Gifts of God diuers to diuers men that one might haue neede and vse of another 81 355 361 363. 395. Gifts and graces of Gods Church 401. prefigured by the garments of the high Priest 408 modest men are not proude of them 461. Glorie of God to bee preferred before all thinges 445 446. b. God is an existence by himselfe 72 God is eternall 231. God is true in his promises 3 73. 169. 427. God is vnchangeable 38 42. 72. 210. 426. God is incomprehensible 325. yet hee hath many names from manifold affections in vs 72. we may not search his Maiestie but in the cloud that is the humanitie of Christ 357. God reuealeth himselfe so as man may endure to behold 34 he appeareth diuers 〈…〉 to diuers men 357. 358. in appearing hee applieth himselfe to the intent of his appearing 32 33. the more hee openeth himselfe the more man feeleth and findeth his wants 35. hee vouchsafed a glimse of himselfe to Aaron c. 356. his manifestation to Moses preferred before that to Abrabam 71. he promiseth to dwell amongest vs 425. that he will bee with vs in our calling is an encouragement 40. how he is saide to come downe 38 322. how hee hath beene seene 453. and how he shall bee seene of vs. 454. his backe-parts ibid. he did speake out of the bush out of the cloude from betwixt the Cherubims 389. as he now speaketh by his Ministers so heretofore by his Angels 322 it is a mercie that he now speaketh not himselfe but by men 324. 407. God his goodnesse might iustice 210. God his loue truth and power 285. God is almightie he passeth all men of war 231. he can do great matters by weake means 38 51 54 93 103 129. his mightie power is fearefull and comfortable 198. fearefull because with one word he destroyed many first-borne 198. he is able infinite wayes to punish 102. 131. he hath power ouer all creatures to giue or take the vse of them from vs 88. yea to arme them against vs 102. infinite is his power to comfort them that cleaue to him 260. it strengthneth vs against despaire 285. he being able to performe his promises 73. he can giue strength to any man in his vocation 214. in new perils he can giue new remedies 217. hee can turne
Good Intents 408 420 449. Iosephs bones carried away 207. Israelites their increase 2 3. their affliction 4. the causes of their affliction 5. their multiplication vnder the Crosse 10 33. they had their meetings for Religion euen vnder blodie Pharaoh 43. they are spared from the punishment of the Egyptians 109. not onely in Goshen but when they were mingled together 156 their departure out of Egipt 200 they being weak are deliuered when the armed souldiors of Egypt are destroyed 211. they murmur 236. their first warre 290. c. they were all alike noble 341. Iudiciall law is the execution of the morall 327. Iudges their properties 313. viz Truth 347. skilfulnesse in the Law and Constancie 349. equalitie without respect of persons 350. they must neither pitie nor wrong the poore 351. they must auoide bribes 353. Iustice 313. Iudgement day 324. K. Kindnesse of heart in requiting loue 26. 170. 302. Kingdome of Christ prefigured 428. a. Kingdomes are disposed by God 1. Kingdomes preserued from plagues for one righteous man 99 130 444. King Iames raysed vp ouer vs by God 7. 156. A King mercifull and religious is a great blessing 68. we must pray for him 97. and cleaue fast vnto him 278. Kings are to be obeyed but in the Lord 11. Kneeling at the Communion 192. Knowledge in God 34 45 56 88 433 442 443 L. Lambe in the Passouer signified Christ 186. why it was killed at night 188. c. The Lambe in the Burnt-offering signified Christ 423. Lampes 396 404. Lauer 430. Law without the Gospell is sharpe 67 321 323. Law is diuided into Morall Iudiciall Ceremoniall 327. The breakers of the Law 324. The two tables were kept in the Arke 385 446 The Law cannot iustifie vs 446. Lawes in a Kingdome 313. Mans Lawes tend to the keeping of Gods lawe 327. All good lawes are to be kept 346. Leauen what it signifieth 190. Liberalitic to the house of God 464. Lice 101. Lyes 12. Life is to be preferred before worldly trash 170 〈…〉 must goe before good death 180. 〈◊〉 is preserued by God his blessing 272. Light to the followers of Christ when others are in darkenesse 208. 〈◊〉 eaten by Iohn Baptist what they were 131 132. 〈◊〉 signifie Monkes Fryers Nuns c 132. 134. Iord this title of God strengthneth our faith 73. 〈◊〉 of God to his Church 56 61. 〈◊〉 of truth is a propertie of a good Iudge 315. M. Magistâ—ates are of God 310. 311. they are Gods Deputies 308. God will enable them to their Office 50. their pâ—operties 313. they must relieue the oppressed 2â— they should not chaâ—ge the people further than there is cause 464. they must bee discreete in executâ—ng of iustice 24. they must neuer be idle 74 75. but diligent 312. and constant in their care for their people 24. must be alwaies preseÌ„t to see the eâ—ecution of lawes 32â— they ought to punish and yet aâ— old crueltie 3â—9 they must bee tâ—â—e to God yet carefull of the people 44â— b. they pray for the people when the people 〈…〉 against them 2 5. 445. 451. they 〈…〉 not muâ—mur 255. they must bee long sâ—ffering 282 they should grace the Ministers of the word before the people 317 â—13 their aâ—thoâ—itie mâ—st concâ—rre with teaching â—59 they are first before the people to be made acq 〈…〉 ted with any newe thing to be published 44. they must be vsed 〈…〉 fit for their places 44 they must be reueâ—enâ—ed 〈◊〉 345 and obeyed 310. 〈…〉 see Goueâ—nement Maâ—â—a the na 〈…〉 of it 262. the miraculous comming of it 26â— I awes concerning it 264. c. A poâ—te of it kept in the Aâ—ke 272. it was a figuâ—e of Christ 275 â—8◠〈◊〉 called himselfe the holy Ghost 80. 〈◊〉 of God â—4 3â—5 357. Qâ—eene Ma 〈…〉 râ—igne â—39 Mâ—riage may not be without Parents consent 341. Marriage how to behaue our selues in it 256 Maâ—riage is not impuâ—e 319. Maâ—riage with Idolaters is vulawfull 460. Masse a filthy Idol 424. Masteâ—s 329. Meanes must be vsed 264. from them we must lift vp our eyes to God 13. for it is hee that worketh by theÌ„ 240. why God vseth meanes being able to doe things by his word 239 240. great matters perfourmed by weake meanes 38 51 54 93 103 129 the vsing of means should not be hindred by promises or reuelations 216. or by presumption of Gods prouidence 240. Mechanicall occupations are fruits of Gods spirit 408 409. Mercie of God is the obiect of mans enuie 5. of Satans rage 64 66. it is not to be reiected when it is offered 27. 129. it is continued to the froward 75. to vngratefull murmurers 259 260. â—t saueth vs from the euill that happeneth to others 106. 107. Mercies receiued may assure vs of moâ—e to bee receiued 236. 237. Mercies of God must be registred 298. Merit 28â— 382 451. Mercâ—e-seat 38â— a figure of Christ 386. the matter of it 387. Methridate 238. Mid 〈…〉 ues their vertue 11. their lye 12. Mâ—de must not be below 273 but on God 274 27â— Ministrie how great a charge 40 317. it is to be maintained 430. 433. Ministeâ—s may not preach without a calling 382 their calling is iâ—ward or outward 407. God enableth them to their calling 50 they shall bee encouraged if they looke not to themselues but to their calling 78 they must not forsake their calling though the people waxe woâ—se and worse 70 448. they must not bee discouraged if their words euer be not hearkned vnto 74 75 83. yet they often are discoraged by the peoples incredulitie and frowardnesse 49 51. 83. their refuge is to runne to God when the people murmur 237. how deaâ—e their flocke should be vnto them 412. they haue a proprietie in their people 442. they â—ust be true to god yet careful of their people 446. Good Ministers are a great blessing 87. it is a great blessing to our weaknesse and honor to our nature when God speaketh to vs not himselfe but by men 324 707. there is required in Ministers wisedome and strength 420. the strongest of them neede to be continuall vn leâ—propped 59 they must haue good workes ioyned with good words 412. their outward actions must shine 460 they are signified by stars 132. there is an vnion betwixt God and them 227. therefore they may not be abused 261. but reuerenced 301 358. beleeued 227 maintayned 430. 433. Minister must be diligent in preaching 395. the vehemencie of their words is to be marked 93 the fruit of their preaching is dâ—â—e s 118 they prepare but God works 455. they must keepe nothing backe of Gods will 82. deliuer nothing but it 355 their maner of teaching must be plaine 340. such as maketh most for edifying 416. câ—riosiyie must not put out the candle a quarter of a yeere together 395. Minâ—sters entertainment in this world is to bee thrust out from the presence of great ones 131. and their lot is to be loaden with iniurious accusations 64 68. but
themselues as if they had béene Egiptians borne and not Christians acquainted with the booke of God Whom I make no doubt if they hold on their way but the Red-sea will deuoure as it did these that is the Justice of God will destroy them for their sinne Till then patience and a continuall comfortable remembrance that God sitteth at the stearne which surely is enough to any that knoweth how swéete he is to all that fast and faithfully cleaue vnto him 5 What is the euent to kéepe them vnder is the plot but will it hold O comfort O comfort I say againe No no their deuise will not hold for the Lord sitting in the heauens laughed all their counsels to scorne And the more they vexed them the more they multiplied and grew saith the text A thing neuer to be thought of enough So hath it béene so shall it be to the worlds end with all faithfull seruants of God as shall be fit In those bloodie persecutions after Christes death by the Romaine Emperours what strange torments were deuised to kéepe downe religion and religious professours men and women They plucked off their skinnes quicke they boared out their eies with wimbles they broiled them aliue on Gridâ—rons they scalded them in boiling liquors they enclosed them in barrels and driuing great nailes through tumbled them downe mountaines till their owne blood so cruellie drawne out stifled and choaked them in the barrell womens breasts were seared off with burning irons their bodies rent and their ioynts racked with many and many gréeuous paines But would all this serue no no euen as héere so then the more they were vexed the more they multiplied through the mercie and power of him that gaue them strength to endure the paine and to scorne the malice So that S. Augustine saith of those times Ligabantur vrebantur cadebantur et tamen multiplicabantur they were bound they were burned they were beaten c. and yet they multiplied The bloud of Martyrs is the séede of the church and bringeth forth fruite as séede dooth some thirtie some sixtie and some a hundred fold as God pleaseth His arme shortneth not at any time wée all know and therefore what hée will suffer the deuill and his instruments to doe that they can and no more They haue worne the crowns of Kingdomes at last to the ioy of thousand thousands in despite of all malice who were thrust sore at that they might fall and from an honourable rising could not the malice of all Iosephs brethren kéepe him Therefore saith the text they were the more grieued against the children of Israel And so vsuallie falleth out to those that séeke their securitie by wicked wayes God crosseth and their deuises turne to their owne further woe and discontentment according to the common prouerbe Malum consilium consultori pessimum euill counsell is alwaies worse to him that giueth it 6 Will they then giue ouer their wicked waies and suffer them to increase whom God will haue to increase No but they adde vnto their crueltie more and more in such sort as the Israelites are weary of their liues by sore labour in clay and bricke and in all worke in the field with all manner of bondage which they laide vpon them most cruelly that their iniquity might bée full they deuise a crueltie neuer heard of before to send for the Midwiues and to deale with them to destroy the male-children of the Israelites at the birth Which may rightly teach vs to beware euer how wée begin to do euill for feare one euill pull on another as héere it did and in Dauid againe when adultery drew on murder of an innocent man and a faithfull subiect But did the Midwiues obey his commandement No they feare God saith the text and did not as the king commanded them but preserued aliue the men-children iustly commended for that they rather obeyed God than man They considered what stoode with the law of God which to them was knowne and not what pleased a mis-led minde of a gouernour Kings are to bée obeied and pleased but in the Lord. And if further they will force vs our bodies are theirs to sustaine vndeserued paine but both bodie and soule shall die if wee sinne against God This did those happie men know and followe when they were threatned and at last thrust into that fierie fornace by great crueltie saying as you reade there Our God is able to deliuer vs if it please him but if not yet know O King that wée will not doe this thing béeing wicked idolatry to worship the moulten image The reason of the Midwiues refusall is alledged the feare of God And surelie wheresoeuer this banke is the waters of vngodlinesse are held out from euerflowing as where the banke is not they doe When Abraham once entertained the thought that in the king of Gerar his courte the feare of God was not streight hée doubted violence both to himselfe and to his wife and so offended in saying she was his sister This feare made Ioseph that he durst not sinne against his maister or against his brethren when his father was dead This feare is the beginning of wisedome and a good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter the praise of it endureth for euer Still then labour to kéepe this feare in your heart and you â—hall reape a comfortable reward of it at the last 7. What then became of the Midwiues how escaped they the Kings wrath disobeying his commaundement Surely the text saith the King sent for them and they by an vntruth excused themselues saying The Hebrewe women were so strong that they were deliuered before anie midwife came Where in the King we may learne this good not to condemne anie before we heare them for if so wicked a man as this King was had yet that iustice to send for them and to heare their defence much more should wee that knowe more doe the like Manie swelling tales and strange reports haue féeble proofe when hearing is graunted Secondlie in the Midwiues we may sée the weakenes of our natures for they should not haue lyed for anie feare and therefore though a good déede be done yet it is ill defended Wee may not lie saith the scripture to iustifie God much lesse for anie other cause This weakenes then in these good women was like a spot in a faire face and S. Augustine saith of them Viues conseruare natos fuit miserecordiae at pro vita sua mentit as esse opus fuit infirmitatis quam Deus gratia condonat Homines veró non nisi ingrati et proterui possunt adexemplum imitationis sibi proponere To preserue aliue the children was a worke of mercie but to lie for the safetie of their liues was a worke of infirmitie which yet God pardoned by grace and none sauing vnthankfull and crooked persons will euer propose it to themselues to be imitated 8. But the text saith God prospered
Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things 17. Then after thus thou hast acquainted the Heads of the people of Israell with it and they by my working in-wardely with them willing to obey both thou and they shall go to Pharaoh the king and say c. Sée againe and still still most carefully note it how God regardeth Gouernment For now Pharaoh must bée vsed as was fit for his Place He being the king of the lande in which they were wicked Pharaoh I say must not be disorderly dealt with by such as liue vnder his gouernment within his Territories although strangers and not his naturall Subiects how much lesse then by naturall Subiects But hee must be gone vnto with all dutie and acquainted with all reuerence with their desire that neither themselues may be iudged factious neither others by their examples moued to any disorder They must acquaint him with the Author of this desire not their owne heads lusting after liberty or nouelitie but the Lord God that is that Lord which is God and that GOD which is Lord and Lord of Lords to worke some touch in Pharaoh of feare Secondly the Lord God of the Hebrewes that is that hath euer had care of them and dealt for them as séemed good to his Wisedome Thirdly that their scope was Religion not rebellion nor any vndutifull practise against the state Shall not this moue vs to reuerence authoritie when God thus notablie sheweth his liking of it It is enough in this place if God be with vs. Lastly obserue the long sufferance of God who though by this Pharaoh verie much offended yet before hee will smite he will admonish and doe all things so as his owne hart shall testifie his owne inexcusable wickednes Certainly euen thus the Lord dealeth with our selues if wee had eyes to sée it still forewarning and calling to a touch before hee determine Judgement and iust destruction His Preachers and Prophets his rods and his crosses his fauours and bounties be all Admonishers of vs to auoide his wrath 18. But I knowe that the King of Egypt will not let you goe but by strong hand Therefore will I sttetch out my hand and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will doe in the midst thereof and after that shall hee let you goe How well doth the Lord sée what the wicked thinke is secret and hidden to wit their thoughts and purposes their dispositions and nature yea before themselues knowe what they will doe he knoweth and shall not this moue them Their stubborne and stiffe harts contemning admonitions and all meanes of their reformation the Lord knoweth and séeth before How may this comfort the zealous Minister that is wearied and wasted with longing after the life of them that wish his death with praying entreating and crying vpon men for their good that they would hearken and consider that they would be reconciled to God and saue their soules I say how may this comfort him that this blockishnes and hardnes this ingratitude and vnkindnes of theirs was knowne to the Lord euer And therefore to content himselfe that he hath giuen warning like a faithfull Watchman that hee hath loued like a faithfull Pastor and endeauoured their good as a true Minister leauing the Lord now to his further pleasure euen to stretch out his hand and to smite such Pharaohs with their Land that is their possessions and goods their friends and associates as héere hee did for till Pharaoh féele it hee will not thinke of His might The Preacher speaketh in the aire the friend priuately looseth his labour and honest aduise Pharaoh féeleth not but thinketh himselfe wise and them fooles Their loue returneth therefore into their owne bosome being noted in Gods Booke for a Witnes against them and that swéete comfort sheweth it selfe to be taken hold of Wée are a swéete sauour to the Lord in them that perish After this consider with your selfe héere againe in that it is saide Pharaoh will not let them goe but by strong hand How far more easie it is to come into Egypt than to get out So it is assuredlie a smooth way to Hell by many pleasant delights but to returne and giue ouer the sinne once entred into to forsake that pleasant way This is a worke This is a labour nay This is a Grace indéede Any man may leape into a pit at his pleasure but hee must come out with more difficultie if euer hee come out Therefore in my conceite the good woman dealt wisely with the Frier that solicited her to sinne and told her hée would sing and say prayers for her that should cleanse her from all her offence and deliuer her presently out of Purgatorie if shee should happen to die whilest hee was aliue when shee appointed a pit to be digged in the way where the Fryer should come in the night and to be couered with some grasse that it might not appeare into which as soone as euer the Fryer came he fell and not able any way to get out againe Anon when hée had cooled himselfe well the woman came also as though shée had come to méete him to whom the poore Fryer pittifully complaineth that hee was fallen into that pit there and could not get out praying her to vse some meanes for his deliuerance But shee wisely tolde him hee should remember what hee said vnto her to wit that out of the pit of Purgatorie hee could sing her or any that should offend with him and now there was a good place to trie the power of his Musicke and Songs that shée and others might beléeue him the better If hee would haue his Portesse sent for shée said shée would but other helpe hee should get none of her And so shee left him to sing himselfe out if hee could So sleight a matter made those Hypocrites then of fearefull sinne easily purged and easilie pardoned were it neuer so wittingly and wilfully committed But this Figure of the hardnes to get out of Egypt when once they were in may shew vs as I say apparantly the contrarie and giue vs iust and good cause to beware of sinne The deuill is not such a foolish Fowler to let slip easely the bird he hath caught Euery mans owne experience telleth him how hard it is to leaue a wonted wrying from the right way and God graunt wee may thinke of it 19. Lastly the Lord addeth that Hee would make them fauoured of the Egyptians so that when they departed they should not goe emptie c. Where to our comfort wée sée that all harts are in the hands of God euen as the riuers of water and that hee turneth them hither and thither at his pleasure Hée can make them loue hate they neuer so much and they shall not bee able to withstand his will Yea hee can make them so loue that fruites from thence shall flowe to his people of their loue euen as hee best liketh Be they Jewels of siluer or Jewels of
workes how hée had not to doo with man but with God and so be voyde and naked of all excuse But This that the Lord saith Hee will harden his hart troubleth some and they séeke to temper it according to their fancies lest it should séeme iniustice in the Lord first to harden and then destroy not remembring what the Apostle saith God will haue mercy on whom hee will haue mercy and whom hee will hee hardneth And if any obiect and say why doth he then complaine for who hath resisted his Will His mouth is stopped by the same Apostle in the same place with this O man who art thou that pleadest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Noting that no reason is to be demaunded aboue Gods Will for who will goe further shall tast the reward of his rashnes and the Maiestie of God shall ouer-whelme him Hath not the Potter power ouer the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour And shall lesse authoritie bee giuen to God Aske the Potter a reason and it is but his Will and yet dust and ashes wil demaund more of God Againe if we be all of one Lumpe of corruption as wee must needes confesse wee are if it please God to exempt some from the death due to so sinfull wretches dooth hée any wrong to others that hée vouchsafeth not the same vnto leauing them but to their owne natures No he may doe with his owne as it pleaseth him and what hée dooth still is iust holy and good Let the wicked then accuse themselues and not God for still in themselues they shal finde the cause if rightly they looke into their owne will 9 It followeth in the Text Then thou shalt say to Pharaoh thus saith the Lord Israel is my Sonne euen my first borne Wherefore I say to thee let my Sonne goe that he may serue me if thou refuse to let him goe beholde I will slay thy Sonne euen thy first borne Marke then the Title God giueth to his Church and meditate on it earnestlie Hée calleth it his Sonne yea his first borne noting therein to all flesh that it is to him as a man-childe to the Father yea as the first borne which commonly is loued most tenderly and in greatest honour Now then thinke with your selfe what heart is in you to the fruite of your body and to your first borne thinke how you could endure to stand and looke vpon the abuse offered by any to the whole or any parte as to sée but a legge or an arme cut-off iniuriouslie by bloody butchers and then thinke of God to his Church and euery part of it whose affection so-much excelleth yours as God excelleth man and holinesse and perfection misery sinne and corruption What a comfort is this when the Deuill roareth and Tyrants his instruments rage breathing-out blood at their nostrils and nothing but death and destruction at their mouthes with furious phrases and spéeches of pride as though there were none that could stop them or controle them in what they will Thinke on the difference of GOD and man in this point that many harmes may be done to our Sons and our first borne which wée sée not neither know of and therefore at the instant féele not any touch for it or by it But God séeth euer and euery where all actions all intendments and purposes all thoughts and secret attempts whatsoeuer and still is aboue man in his tendernesse of loue to his sons children as far as God excelleth dust and earth and sinne and corruption as I saide O what a touch giue these raging cruelties then against his Church vnto him what a féeling hath hée of them and how doo they pierce his gratious bowels wherein he hath wrapped-vp his people as his Sonnes and as his first borne Still thinke of your selfe what heart would be in you and then try the difference of God and you But you will say vnto mée it is comfortable to consider this tender loue that you note indéede but why then doth God suffer such iniuries and oppressions béeing able to auert them as man is not for the most part This is the loue of a Father that he neither can sée nor suffer to be done to the childe hée loueth any outrage and crueltie his power béeing able to saue his childe from it To which if I answere I must pray you to continue euen still in your owne resemblance and to tell me if you dayly sée not most tender Fathers perceiuing cause for a further good to suffer their children to lie in prison to bée tossed in lawe to bée schooled many wayes by suffering want and biting vpon the bridle for a time yet in the midst of al these things haue an eye to them a loue to them and asetled purpose when they know themselues their strength the world his practises men and their humors and many such things not otherwise of many well learned often but by these meanes then to set-hand-to to helpe them that then a loue may bée knowne a loue and a good a good with a liuely taste in comparison of that which would haue béene if sooner the Father or friend had stepped in So so is it with the Lord for our capacitie though indéede no comparison betwixt Him and vs. Hée knoweth his times and turnes and our wants perfectlie fitting the one to the other most mercifully that both onr corruption and his goodnesse may best appeare to the greatest benefit vnto vs. Therefore let him alone in his own waies tarrie we as the Psal saith his blessed leasure Be strong and he shall comfort our hearts put we our trust euer in him Of the earthly father or friend the Prouerbe saith wel he may sée his childe or kinsman neede but he cannot endure to see him bleede So our sweete God wel he may see vs humbled schooled and tamed wained from the loue of this wretched world but vndone cast away finally for euer he cannot endure it he will not suffer it he will not sée it O blessed bée his Name for euer euer for it Haue this in your remembrāce therfore as a swéete Comfort the occasion of this Note Israel is my Son euen my first borne And therefore tell Pharaoh he were best take héede what he doth for I will make his Sonne and first borne féele it if he hinder mine and will not let them go to serue me The world you know contemneth despiseth vs counting vs the refuse of the people and what may bee base or vile but this loue is life and this regarde with God is honour most high in the comfort whereof we may sup-vp these earthly scornes if his Grace bée with vs. The Prophet Esay in his spirit tasted this when so swéetely hee prophecied and published to this day to bée séene and heard
stoode in their way as they came out from Pharaoh To whom they said the Lord looke vpon you and iudge for ye haue made our sauour to stinke before Pharaoh and before his Seruants in that ye haue put a sword in their hands to sley vs. A third euent of the ambassage of Moses and Aaron is this bitter expostulation of these Officers wherein as in a glasse most bright and cleare you sée the condition and lot of faithfull Ministers in this wretched world First the King and now the people accuse them as worthie of great reproofe both gréeuous to good minds but especiallie to be accused of their brethren when they doo as their dutie requireth O it is double gréeuous and euer was But thus was it euer and will bee euer and therefore praemonitus praemunitus forewarned forearmed and praeuisaiacula minus feriunt Darts espied before they come hurt lesse God giue vs patience loue still to them that loue not vs. Heere is great bitternes and yet vndeserued in this their spéech if you marke it and heere is great inconstancie compared with the Chapter before where they worshipped and welcommed these happy Messengers of a gracious God who saw their oppression and miserie and sent to helpe them But quae nocent docent things hurtfull instruct and giue wisedome While all is well good is the Minister and when the crosse commeth he and his doctrine though the truth of God is cause of all away with that and away with him The word which thou hast spoken to vs in the name of the Lord wee will not heare it of thee But wee will doo whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth as to burne Incense to the Queene of Heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her as we haue done both we our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Iuda and in the streetes of Ierusalem now marke their reason for then had wee plenty of victuals and were well and felt no euill But since we left off to burne Incense to the Queene of Heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her we haue had scarcenes of all things and haue beene consumed by the sword and by famine This is the stay of the multitude and this is the line they measure all things by their prosperitie in worldly matters and immunitie from trouble and affliction any wayes But it is a crooked rule if we hearken to God and he that will followe him must take vp his crosse and followe him when his good pleasure shal be so Take héede also by these mennes examples to expect deliuerance from any calamitie sooner and faster than God pleaseth For because of this they breake out in this sort against Gods Seruants they will not tarie the leasure of God but when themselues will and as they wil they must be deliuered A dangerous dealing and no way fit for them that are séekers and crauers 12. Wherefore Moses returned to the Lord and said Lord why hast thou afflicted this people wherefore hast thou thus sent me For since I came to Pharaoh to speake in thy Name he hath vexed this people and yet thou hast not deliuered thy people Sée sée the right remedie in all affliction euen to returne vnto the Lord as Moses did here For he woundeth and he healeth hee killeth and he maketh aliue he bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp againe But Moses manner of returning with such expostulations here is not to be commended for hee pleadeth with the Lord as though hee did contrarie to his promise because as yet there appeared no fruite of his ambassage He also complaineth as though his calling were in vaine since worse worse was the condition of the people from his first comming Wherefore sée and marke the weakenes of the strongest sometimes and especiallie when of such they are vexed as they haue deserued well and indéede should receiue a kinder course frō them O gall of friends how bitter art thou how strikest thou to the very bottome of a fleshie heart and leauest a sting behinde thée that killeth with the poyson and venome of it if God succour not Neither the furie of Pharaoh nor the crueltie of the Egyptians moued Moses any thing but his owne to wrong him whose good hee sought and with all perill to himselfe endeauoured it moueth him so that his weakenes breaketh out euen before his God This should moue men and all that looke to be liked and liue with God to forbeare and flie from the like vnkindnes toward those whom God hath sent to them for their good and this must remember such messengers to pray for strength and as Moses yet forsooke not his Office for all this so neither they to doe but still going on to expect the Lords mercy which here to Moses now shewed it selfe and gaue him comfort as followeth in the next Chapter CHAP. 6. The parts of this Chapter are two First a repetition of things done before from the 1. verse to the 12. Secondly a short Storie by way of digression of the names and families of the Israelites from the 12. verse to the end of the Chapter 1. TThen for vse of this Chapter let vs consider these wordes of the Lord ver 3 And I appeared to Abraham Isaac and Iacob by the Name of Almightie God but by my Name Iehouah was I not knowne vnto them and vnderstand the true sence and meaning of them Wherein wee may not thinke that this name Iehouah was vnknowne before this time for expreslie hee named himselfe thus to Abraham Gen. 15. 7. and to Iacob Gen. 28. 13. as also in the 26. ver 24. where Iacob prayed vnto the Lord by this Name But the Lords meaning is by this kinde of spéech to prefer by way of comparison this manifestation of himselfe which now he entended to make before all others made to the Fathers in former times because those contained but promises this should haue the effect and performance of the promises so as the words are as if the Lord should haue said I appeared to Abraham Isaac and Iacob by the name of Almightie God that is I gaue them promises which they by faith laide hold on and beléeued moued with the assurance they had of my Almightie power and all-sufficiencie but by my name Iehouah was I not knowne vnto them that is I gaue them not the accomplishment and matter of my promise as now at this time I will doo to you For now as my Name Iehouah signifieth an existence by my selfe of whō in whom by whom and for whom whatsoeuer is is and hath being so shall you sée it come to passe in your Deliuerance from this raging Tyrant and cruell bondage I will performe what I haue said and I will now cause it to be what heretofore I haue onely said should be S. Bernard hath a good Saying touching this matter when hee teacheth vs thus
offices were all giuen away where hee least wished them and yet the Lord stayed not héere but fearefully destroyed also his posteritie Was not this thundering was not this lightning and was not this Judgment as vpon a stage O let it euer be remembred of all that reade it with their eies and God for his mercy sake make it profitable 14 Only in the land of Goshen where the children of Israel were was no hayle In which words as heretofore so stil stil is noted the vnsearchable goodnesse of God to his Church together with his Almighty power to doo euer what He wil. He can saue and He can spill He can make such a wall about his children that no storme or tempest no calamitie or euill shall come nere them though it compasse them round about and others perish with it on euery side Two shall be in the fielde the one receaued the other forsaken two shall be grinding at the mill the one accepted the other reiected c. Blessed therefore is that man and woman who haue the Lord for their God And say vnto my soule I am thy saluation saith Dauid in one of his Psalmes noting thereby the comfort of this aboue ten thousand worldes Let vs therefore euer be carefull to be of the number of those that abide in Goshen where the Sauing hand of God shall defend from al euil 15. In these smooth wordes of Pharaoh verse 27. That he had sinned that the Lord was righteous and he and his people wicked That Moses should pray for him c. returning neuerthelesse to his old byas when the Plague was gone stil obserue as you haue done before the déepe falshood of mans hart making faire shewes without fruite and if God be thus glozed and dissembled with all thinke whether it séeme strange to mortall man to taste of it No no we must reckon of it to be praised to our face to be sclaundered at our backes by the one and the same person Yet let it not discourage vs to doo any good but onely let it make vs carefull to giue no iust cause and tenne thousand times thankfull when wee are released out of such a world and taken into his kingdome 16. Lastly that often repeated Sentence of Pharaohs heardened heart let it remember vs of that Saying in Saint Augustine Corda mala patientia Dei durescunt Euill hearts wax-heard by Gods long-suffering and patience Also of that in Saint Bernard Cor durum dici quod non cōpūctione scinditur nec pietate mollitur nec mouetur precibus minis non cedit flagellis duratur ingratum ad beneficia ad consilia infidum ad iudicia saeuum inuerecundum ad turpia impauidum ad pericula inhumanum ad humana temerarium ad Diuina preteritorum obliuiscens praesentium negligens futura non praeuidens It is called a heard heart which is neither rent with compunction nor softned with piety nor mooued with prayers which giueth no place to threatnings is hardened with stripes in benefits vnthankfull in Councill vnfaithfull in iudgment cruell vnshamefast in foule things not fearefull in perils in humane things most inhumane in Diuine things rashe forgetting things past neglecting things present and not foreseeing things to come Surely such a description if we our selues haue not Pharaohs hardnes will euer mooue vs earnestly to pray against such hardnesse Thus endeth this Chapter and thus end I hauing giuen you some taste how we may profit by reading of it CHAP. 10. Here you haue following two Plagues more to wit the eight and the ninth The eight from the beginning of the Chapter to the twenty verse and the ninth from thence to the end Concerning the former the Holy-Ghost layeth downe 1. A Commaundement to Moses to goe 2. A Denunciation 3. An Execution 4. The Effect that in the Seruants King 1. TOuching the first the Text saith Againe the Lord said vnto Moses goe to Pharaoh c. Diuers times you know hee had sent before and all in vaine yet ceaseth not the bottomlesse and incomprehensible mercy of God still still againe and againe to send This was euer his gratious dealing with miserable sinners and a swéete comfort it is to a troubled minde to thinke of it The Gospell saith in like sort He sentagaine and againe other and other seruants to those wicked husbandmen to remember them of his due and their duetie At last he sent his owne Sonne vnto them saying they will reuerence my Sonne Againe to Hierusalem how often how often would I haue gathered thy Children together euen as a Hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and yet would not O tender Father what a certaine Seale is this thy goodnesse in these examples that true Repentance shall neuer be reiected A sorrowfull sinner neuer repulsed a broken and contrite hart neuer despised Let it profit vs vnto increase of faith for his sake that dyed for our sinnes Our owne experience hath taught vs as much if wee did obserue it For how long haue wee béene sinners haue not some of vs béene 20 yéeres some 30 some 40 and more all of vs too long walking the way that leadeth vnto death And what haue our sinnes béene surely great foule vglie odious to God dangerous to our selues and offensiue to the world yet hath the Lord neither swept vs away in his most iust wrath neither ceased to send Moses againe and againe vnto vs for our reformation Should not this infinite goodnes much moue vs to returne to so swéete a Father Knowest thou not O man saith the blessed Apostle that the long suffering of God leadeth thee to repentance How entertained hee the Prodigall Sonne when hee returned how reioice the Angels in Heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth far be it euer then from vs euer to resist a God so powerfull to confound vs and so mercifull to receaue vs. 2. But the Lord saith héere that he hardened Pharaohs heart and the hearts of his seruants how then was the fault in them that they yéelded not for answere let mee aske you another question whether you thinke it not lawfull that God should punish a sinner as himselfe liketh and whether hardnes of heart be not a punishment if both be true then might the Lord punish him this way Yet all men doo not thinke this such a punishment as it is for if wee be sicke wee looke for helpe if the eye faile the eare growe dull or any sense be weakened we quickly féele it and readily with for remedie onely if our heart growe dull and our vnderstanding féeling and profiting in Gods Schoole be taken from vs wee are not mooued neither thinke it goeth ill with vs preferring the outward sense of body far and far before the light of the minde But let it be lawfull you say with the Lord thus to punish yet it must néedes excuse the partie so punished for how can a man féele and relent whose heart God smiteth with
wisheth a Benefice forget his dutie when hee hath got it and suffer his people the Lords Lambes to perish by his sloath Thus doth the Seruant when hee is become a Maister and thus doo thousands who when they were vnmaried and had little thought and said if they had some portion to liue vpon some reasonable competent estate O how would they serue God and doo good things to their power But all is forgotten and they are not the same persons when the Lord in mercie hath giuen them more cause to serue him than euer they had Followe this Meditation farther your selfe and thinke often in your heart what a swéete killing poyson Prosperitie is to many a one and how néedefull this Note of Moses was That they should Remember their duties to God when they were come into that pleasant Land of Promise 15. The Cōmaundement To teach their children what the Passeouer meant noteth vnto vs how the Word Sacraments should goe together not hiding in an vnknowne tongue by neglect of preaching what Gods ordinance is but plainly openly euer ioyning Doctrine to it that the people of God may knowe the Lords meaning in his holy Sacraments so vse them as they ought to his glory and their cōfort Yea the children you sée should not be brought vp in ignorance as ours are to the great prouocation of Gods wrath against vs. But euen when they are young taught and tolde what a Sacrament is and what is meant by the Paschal Lambe for thus would they prooue good seruants of God when yéeres came on and the Lord be honoured in our séede when we are dead Which whether it can be without a blessing from his hand both vpon them and whatsoeuer we leaue vnto them iudge in your owne soule when you haue considered well how sweete and gracious God is how many are his promises how faithfull he euer is in them Doo therefore as followeth in this your Chapter of this people ver 7. They bowed thēselues and worshipped That is they thankfully receaued the Lords pleasure at Moses mouth not as the word of man but as it was in déede the Word of God And they went their way and did as the Lord commaunded Moses and Aaron A blessed obedience both in hearing and doing a chéerefull alacritie and readines such as gladded the heart of Moses and euer will glad all godly Ministers Chronicled héere vp in the Booke of God by the direction of God to the lasting praise of them that were so touched and moued to obey God in his mercie make it also profitable to thy soule good Christian Reader that thou likewise in the Booke of life mayst be Chronicled vp for euermore Amen The second part 1. COncerning the death of the first borne which was the second generall Head noted before to be in this Chapter that which hath béene spoken before in the Denunciation may suffice to which I refer you praying that héere may be obserued the great care of Almightie God to haue this thing well remembred when againe he thus repeateth it with all his Circumstances of time of persons their awaking their crying their desire to bee rid of the Israelites their forcing of them away in all hast c. Surely Gods works for mankinde in generall or for any of vs all in particular to be forgotten must néedes be most displeasing vnto him when we sée such care as this to preserue in his church children a due Remembrance of them Theodoret speaking of these first-borne saith Cur interfecit primogenita Aegypti Propterea quòd Israële prmimogenita Dei Pharaoh nimis durae subiecerat seruituti Hoc enim ipse Dominus Deus dixit Filius meus primogenitus Israel c. Why did he slay the first borne of Egypt Euen because Pharaoh had subiected his first borne Israel to too hard and cruell a bondage For thus speaketh the Lord of Israel Israel my first-borne Sonne c. Againe in this that the first-borne only dyed both of man and beast not the second-borne nor the third-borne wée may with profit well obserue how the differences of children are knowne to God who is first who is second and who is third which may yéelde this vse neuer for any childe to goe about with craft and subtilty or any vnlawfull inuention of man to thrust himselfe into the place and prerogatiue thereof which God in his prouidence hath not giuen him but to abide in the order disposed to him of God and to trust in his mercy who so disposed for feare lest God who knoweth our order seuerely punish vs for breaking his order He could haue made the yongest the eldest if he had pleased he could haue made the 3. to be the 2. if he had so liked But he hath not done it and what he doth is euer best til his owne hand alter the same A contented minde much pleaseth God and a working spirit contrary to his Will as much offendeth him Let it be thought on for there is too much cause in the world giuen and sinne is counted Wisedome 2 This mightie power of God is fearefull and comfortable Fearefull for that in one night yea in one instant and with one word as it were he destroyed so many first-borne in Egypt Comfortable because what iudgment soeuer he vseth and executeth against the wicked yet he can saue his owne in the very middest of death and danger So that not a haire of their heades shal be hurt Thousands may fall on the right hand and tenne Thousands on their left yet no harme happen to them Also this gratious Clemency and Mercy in the Lord is most comfortable who when he could as easily and as iustly haue destroyed all yet in his goodnes that hath neither bottome nor measure he taketh but the first-borne so gratiously humbleth thē by a few This is that which the Prophet speaketh when he beggeth of the Lord in wrath to remēber Mercy so noting his manner and nature euer full of pitty long suffering 3 Then Pharaoh called to Moses and Aaron saying get you hence c. That is he sent his Messengers vnto them to will them to depart For Moses saw him no more after the departing mentioned in the tenth Chapter the last verse And in the eleuenth Chapter verse eight you sée Moses foretold that thus his seruants should intreat him to depart Euer till now Pharaoh had some exceptions either of their Children or of their Cattell c. But now all are put in a libertie graunted vnto all and glad and glad to be deliuered of them Thus can God with his mighty arme bring downe the proude stomakes of the greatest and make them yéelde to his Will wholly not in part A fruitfull consideration for those that dayly amongst vs vse to limmit their obedience to God saying either openly or secretly in their hearts Herein will I follow my Teacher and herein I will not Adultery
affliction fitting vs to Gods Kingdome and the Lawe teaching vs what to doo and what to flie Consider of these Marginall Quotations by your selfe and add the like vnto them And touching these bitter waters marke howe they are a meanes to discouer the hidden bitternes which lay in the hearts of these Murmurers and thinke with your selfe that euen so doth bitter aduersitie in many men and women at this day disclose secrets and shewe them to haue weakenes before not knowne or thought of Secondly Note howe in trauelling to the Land of Canaan wee must assuredly passe by Marah and there wee must make a pitching place for a time till it shall please God to graunt a Remoue Bitter bitter and very bitter will the waters prooue but murmure we not as these men did for hee that was so gracious as to make them sweete to such Repiners what will he doo in his good time to vs if we patiently abide his will surely he will much more respect vs and euen boast of our patience to our eternall good as he did of his seruant Iobs righteousnes But now for the tree some aske whether there were any such vertue in it by Nature to swéeten waters and if there were what néede God had to vse any such meanes séeing with his onely word hee could haue helped them for answere whereunto it may first be saide concerning the first that the Lord hath giuen most excellent vertues to his creatures beastes hearbes plants stones trées and such like thereby to shewe his mightie power wisedome and mercie As for beasts their blood their flesh their fat c what vertues are in them for hearbs some comfort and helpe the braine some the eyes some the liuer some the heart some one part some another with most rare and souereigne qualities giuen them of GOD for this end The consideration whereof hath greatly delighted many worthy persons and caused them both to speake and write of them with great pleasure Methridates that great King of Pontus and of one and twentie Kingdomes more for his wonderfull skill in hearbes and his souereigne remedie against poyson and contagious diseases called after his name Methridate is become in all Bookes and Monuments of learning renowned and famous Lysimachus Eupator King of Ilyricum is said to haue béene most skilfull in hearbs Artemisia the wife of Mausolus King of Caria was an excellent Lady for knowledge in hearbes Marcus Valerius Coruinus a worthie Romane was so delighted with the studie of hearbs that he withdrewe himselfe into the Countrie where he might wholely as it were dwell in his Garden But what speake I of these since we all knowe what is written of Salomon namely how he wrote of all Trees from the Cedar which is in Libanon vnto the Hyssop which springeth out of the wall that is from the highest to the lowest hee wrote of plants and hearbes besides of beasts fowles creeping things and fishes worthie Bookes no doubt if it had pleased God to let them continue to this day The strange vertues of precious stones diuers likewise haue written whom both with pleasure and profit we may reade Concerning all which happie qualities vouchsafed to these Creatures and euen particularly of this wood we now speake of remember with your selfe that Notable Testimonie of Iesus the sonne of Syrach in his Booke The Lord saith he hath created medicines of the earth and he that is wise will not abhorre them Was not the water made sweete with wood that men might knowe the vertue thereof So he hath giuen men knowledge that he might be glorified in his wondrous works With such doth he heale men taketh away their paines Of such doeth the Apothecarie make a confection c. Such vertue therefore was in the wood giuen to it by God who is the God of Nature and giueth all these things To the second why God should vse such meanes being able with his word to swéeten them true Answere may bee made that although God be able to doo all things by himselfe yet chooseth hee often to worke by meanes and that for our good As first that so he might teach vs his Souereigne power ouer all Creatures vsing them at his pleasure when and how he shall best like and draw vs to the true reuerence worship of him as Creator Ruler Lord and Gouernour of all the creatures Secondly that hee might manifest by this meanes his loue and goodnes to vs much more when he maketh all his creatures serue to our health comfort and good and so drawe and stir vs vp to true thankfulnes vnto him for it Thirdly that he might teach vs thus not to abuse those his creatures which with so excellent vertues and qualities are created for vs to doo vs good Fourthly that we might learne by this meanes not to contemne second Causes and meanes by abusing through a vaine presumption the holy Doctrine of his prouidence For when God himselfe is pleased to vse these instrumentes who are wee that wee shoulde reiect them and if we doo what doo we contemne and reiect but his Ordinance Lewd and wicked therefore are the Anabaptists who as of the soule so of the body cast away the meanes of health and yet say they desire the health of both S. Augustines words I cannot passe ouer fit for them and fit for vs in this matter in his whole 29. Chapter of the 7. Booke of the Citie of GOD shewing howe God vseth second causes in the gouernment of the world because he hath created them to that purpose Yet euer he doth not tie himself to these things but sometimes without them and euen contrarie to them hee worketh his will also that thereby wee might learne his vsing of them to be without néede séeing hee can worke without them if he please Secondly that when hee vseth them it is he that worketh by them and not they without him as he giueth light in the Sun he féedeth vs in our meate c. For if without them it be he much more in them and by them it is he Thirdly that wee might sée how many waies he is able to helpe vs when any thing is wanting vnto vs which is néedefull And this we may well thinke was the cause héere why it pleased GOD to shewe this Tree that they might be ashamed of their impatiencie and mistrust neuer more so sinning againe séeing by one meanes or other there is with him euer so readie easie helpe Yea this is the cause also why euen contrary to Nature he worketh often that neither to Nature we should tie him despairing of health wealth or liberty when we sée no means or meanes in reason working to the contrary forasmuch as he is stall about all and can with meanes without meanes agréeably to Nature contrary to Nature giue his Name praise and his children comfort in a moment Profit wee therefore thus by this Tree shewed to Moses in
the roote of folly and begetteth contempt of all inferiours contempt bréedes sedition and rebellion they warres and warre destruction at last of all both men and titles It is written of Traian that hee was much caried away with vaine-glorie in titles and therefore painted in his house many inscriptions which Constantinus wisely iesting at called Herbam parietariam wall flowers Such a vaine fellow was Herod in the Acts and what a shamefull downfall had hee Let then this law of God for seruants freedome together with all other Scriptures shewing his care of them and their good vsage settle in our hearts the right vse of anthoritie and make vs neither vaine in coueting nor cruell in vsing The boring of his eare was a signe of obedience and figuratiuelie admonished that seruants must not be deafe but quick and readie and willing to heare what is commaunded to them And spiritually that if wee be the Lords seruants he boreth by his holy grace our eare that is he maketh vs haue eares to heare his holy word and wee are not dease we flie not from it we cast it not away wee stop not our eares but with care and zeale and loue we hearken to it as men and women whose eares he hath opened or bored This one thing well marked may shake the hearts and consciences of Popish Recusants so presumptuouslie despising the Lords voice But followe it your selfe I passe away 2. After these lawes concerning seruants follow other lawes concerning Murder and killing which you may referre to the exposition of that commaundement Punishment God still layeth vpon sinne but not euer after one manner Sometimes hee striketh the bodie sometimes the soule and sometimes both Sometimes he toucheth our goods sometime our name and somtimes our friends and deare ones Who can reckon vp his wayes to punish the rebelling man or woman against him His ends also for which he doth thus are sundrie and diuers but all and euer most iust First for his owne iustice who is a consuming fire and must néedes binde either to obey or to be punished Secondly that there may be séene a difference betwixt the good and the bad which could not be if there were not punishment and reward Thirdly for example that others séeing may feare and flie from euill either for loue of vertue or feare of paine Fourthly for the good euen of such as are punished For as Plato could say Paenae ipsis qui perferunt et spectatoribus vtiles sunt Vtrique enim redduntur meliores illi dolore hi exemple Punishment is good for both seer and sufferer amending the one by example and the other by smart Fiftly that these short punishments temporall might put them in minde of the long paines eternall Lastly for the preseruation of the societie and peace of mankinde which by slaughters and bloodshed would be ouerthrowne Euen as we sée good Chirurgions to cut away the putrified member for the safetie of the whole 3. We sée héere degrees of faults taken from the causes For all actions procéeding from the minde or iudgement and the will commaunding the outward members when the minde knoweth what ought to be done and erreth not in the obiect and yet the will goeth contrarie to iudgment the law of God not forced nor compelled but willingly freely such actions are called voluntarie So slewe Caine his brother Abell so tooke Dauid Vrias his wife But when things are done not of election either for probable ignorance as whē the minde erreth or taketh no counsaile or when the wil by violence is hindered or the outward mēbers by a violence forced then are those faults saide to be voluntarie The Lawyers distinguish faults by diuers names which I stand not vpon here remembring for whose vse I draw these notes But in short thus much we learne here that God measureth faults by wil not by Act. Wherevppon it is here saide that willfull murther shal be death and killing without purpose will shall not but an other course is taken For if a man hath not laide waite saith the Text but God hath offered him into thy hand meaning when by chaunce he is killed without any minde so to do which chaunce yet God by his hidden prouidence guideth in such a case I will appoint thee a place whither he shall fly meaning certaine Cities of refuge or Sanctuaries vsed thē in these cases as you may sée in Deut. at large Of which Sanctuaries thus ordained of God for the people and those times sprang our sanctuaries vsed within this Realme and others but nowe in most places put down and forbidden The question of them is disputed to and fro by mens wits the likers of them to continue vse these and such other reasons The Anger conceiued displeasure in the Iudge against a man The power of his aduersarie that persecuteth before that iudge The Difficultie and obscuritie of the cause not quickely to be determined In al which cases they think a Sanctuarie would be fit in a common wealth Secondly against crueltie of Maisters that either should threaten danger to a seruant or by violence seeke to force him to soule matters such a refuge would yeeld cōfort till his cause were known he preuided for Thirdly in the time of warre distres these places gaue safety to many from the bloodie sword murdering hand of inraged enemies for furie a while not weighing right Fourthly in casuall killings without pretended malice great was the vse equity say they of these Sanctuaries Contrariwise they that stand for the taking of them away alleadge many euils and discommodities that grew from them in successe of time through mans corruption albeit at the beginning there was a goodend As incouragement of seruaunts to bee disobedient and very vndutifull Great defrauding of Creditors by vngodly and unconscionable debtors Increasing of thieues and such like euilles many and many Whereupon grew that good Saying of Saint Chrysostome Nullos tam saepe ad ecclesiae asylum fugere quam qui nec Deum nec ecclesiam curabant None more vsually often fled to the Sanctuarie of the Church than they that cared neither for God nor the Church If a man come presumptuously vpon his neighbour to slay him with guile you sée God cōmanded no Sanctuary should saue him but he should be takē from the Altar and dye 4 He that smiteth his Father or Mother shall dye the death This is an other law in this Chap. which maketh for the expositiō of that Cōmandement of honouring them is to be referred to it We may note in it how God dooth not say he that killeth Father or Mother shal be killed for it but he that smiteth so that not so much as a tip is to be giuen to parents vpon paine of death no not wich the tong may wée smite them that is by any euill and vnfit words abuse them as you may
comfort to his Church touching Christ if you remember That we haue not a high Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sin And thereupon concludeth Let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receaue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede If wée be not in abilitie to doo Strangers any good yet comfortable words shal please both them and God that made this law for them The other law concerning Widowes fatherlesse Orphanes as the Lord made it in great mercie so will he euer punish the breaches with sharpe iustice Affliction saith Salomon is not to be added to the afflicted Widowes fatherlesse children therfore must be pittied comforted helped if neede require séeing they haue lost their head not oppressed and wronged vexed grieued as often they are Now that the Lord wil punish you sée the Text plaine and how O reade it againe for it is fearefull with the sword will he destroy those wringers and crushers that their wiues also may become widowes and their children fatherlesse So verifying the wise Saying By what a man sinneth by that shal he be punished Careful therfore was Iob to auoide this danger and voweth vehemently that he neuer restrained the poore of their desire nor caused the eyes of the widow to faile by long waiting for her request Let this mooue vs and strike vs and euer profit vs. If thou lend money to my people that is to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an Vsurer vnto him ye shall not oppresse him with vsury This matter of vsury is so largely handled by many and so little regarded by moe that I spare my labour in it To allow all that some allow or to condemne as much as * some condemne as yet I sée no reason Many are the cases and intricate are the questions mooued mentioned in this matter Orphanes are left with nothing to bring them vp but a portion of money some in the Vniuersities some in the Country Spend the stocke and it will soone be gone vse it occupy it themselues they cannot So they haue money and want a trade others haue trades and want money Bucer in Cambridge was asked this question and did not dislike of some interchange profitable to the Orphane and yet not opening the way to flat vsury Stran gers likewise and exiles out of their countrey for religion and good causes bring a little money with them for easines of carriage and nothing else themselues happily may not trade in a forraigne land how then shall they their wiues and children liue workmen peraduenture also they are not but of an higher degrée In short therefore we know the end of the cōmandement is loue so far thē as borrowing lending breaketh not that but agréeth with it moderate men may do what is fit for them no scope giuen to the condemned vsurer To méete with one inconuenience to bring many others into the common-wealth was neuer wisedome Wherefore let euerie man search his own heart and well obserue his owne dealings in lending to his neighbour that liueth with him as knowing that nothing is hid frō God but must be accoūted for one day If cōtracts charitie agrée not together but what profiteth you hurteth your neighbour the case is altered I speak of what agréeing with loue is by learned men allowed the same disagréeing from the same is condemned blamed 9 The next law is concerning pawnes and pawne-takers A great trade still in this wringing world And of them thus the Lord speaketh If thou take thy neighbours raiment to pledge thou shalt restore it to him before the Sun go downe for that is his couering onely and this is his garment for his skin wherein shall he sleepe Therefore when he cryeth vnto me I will heare him For I am mercifull The 24. of Deutro is to be referred hither for explication further of the mercie that God requireth in this matter frō all men Mark it euer remember it the nakednesse miserie of the poore body cryeth against thée to the Lord and hée hath vowed to heare All is not gained then that is put in thy purse but only that which is wel put in The other laws of reuerence to Magistrates neither reuiling them nor thinking lightly of them of due and true paying of tythes to the maintenance of Gods truth and Ministers and so forth will come hereafter to be touched againe and therefore no more now of this Chap. CHAP. 23. THis Chapter also as hath béen said goeth on with mo Lawes tending likewise to the exposition of the Morall Law and namely of the 8. and 9. Commandements Touching the procéeding with moe lawes we may make vse of these and the like Sayings Arcesilaus in Laertius did not like that there should be many laws saying Quemadmodum vbi multi medici ibi multi morbi it a vbi permultae lege◠ibi plus vitiorum Like as where there are many Phisitions that are many diseases so where there are very many laws there are moe faults Demonax very vnaduisedly spake against all lawes saying Leges prorsus esse mutiles Vt quibus boni non egerent mali nihilò fierent meliores That lawes were altogether vnprofitable because the good needed them not the bad would not be bettered by them But Chrisostome with a better spirit both approoued goodlaws and would haue thē ALL to be obeied Saying In citharanon satis esse in vno tantum neru◠concentum efficere Vniuersos oportere percuti numerosè decenter ita ad salutem non satis esse vnam Legem vniuersas esse audiendas seruandas To make musicke on a Harpe it is not sufficient to playe on one sting but all must be striken in due measure and proportion so to saluation one Law is not sufficient but all must be wel vnderstood duly kept These laws therefore here following cōtinued by God himselfe seruing by explanation to helpe our vnderstanding consequentlie to direct our practise concerning former lawes are dillgently by vs to be obserued In the two first verses obserue the vertues of a good and vpright iudge and add them to that which was spoken in the 18. Chap. His first vertue is Truth Truth I say in his sentence and iudgment which he must euer carefully labour for by all good waies and meanes Contrary to truth are false tales rumors which therefore here in the first words are forbiddē either to be receaued of the Judge or reported by others Thou shalt not receaue a false tale neither shalt thou put thy hand with the wicked to be a false witnesse The Word signifieth both to receaue and report therefore both forbidden That the Iudge may thus doo he must euer remember Epicharmus his little saying Memēto
so small poore wretched vile and miserable Remember Saint Peters words in the tenth Chapter of the Actes If Iudges will be frée from respect of persons then needes must they be free from giftes for giftes will lead their affections will they nill they the olde saying being true Beneficium accepisti libertatem amisisti Hast thou receiued a gift then hast thou lost thy libertie and freedome All this is contained in the words ot the text Thou shalt not esteeme a poore man in his cause And if al Iudges followed this course Hesiodus should not néede to feigne that Astraea hath left the societie of men is flowen vp to heauen But it is to be feared that as Ulisses seruants when he was asléepe opened a bottle which Aeolus had giuen him wherein the windes were all inclosed and so let the windes out they thinking there was treasure in the bottle which as well at sea as at land they loued so some Iudges opening mens purses whilest they looke for gaine let truth escape from them to their owne hurt and the Common-wealthes If any do so God make his word profitable to them and so I leaue them to him 4 It followeth in the text If thou see thine enemies Oxe or his Asse going astray thou shalt bring him to him againe If thou see thine enemies Asse lying vnder his burden wilt thou cease to helpe him thou shalt helpe him vp againe with it Let vs heere remember that Gods actions are after two sortes generall and particular Generall to all men Particular to his friends So must ours be taking our president from him As therefore by his generall Action he suffereth his Sun to shine vpon the bad aswell as vpon the good and such like so must we extend our loue which is the common bond of mankinde as well to our enemies as to our friends By which common loue all hurting of the bodies or goods wiues or children of our enemies without iust and necessarie cause is forbidden and contrariwise the law of nature to be obserued Quod tibi non nocet alteri prodest praestandum What hurteth not thee and profiteth an other is to be performed From which fountaine of this generall loue spring many lawes and by name this bringing back our enemies straying Oxe and helping vp his oppressed beast That also which you read in Deuteronomie of not destroying the fruit trees in the enemies ground which they did besiege because there is vse of such trees Againe as God hath his speciall action to his friends to his Church namely Sanctification so must friendship which is our speciall Action reach it selfe but to such as are of the householde of faith and our friends For although we must loue with that generall loue all mankinde Turkes Pagans c. Yet to such may we not be friends and familiars but must beware inward and vsuall conuersation with them that hate God and all his graces Both these are conteyned in that rule of Christ Be simple as Doues and wise as Serpents for by the Doues simplicitie is meant we should learne to hurt no bodie but as neere as wee can be helpfull to all by the Serpents wisedome that we should yet know to put a difference betwixt the houshold of faith and Gods enemies betwirt the religious prophane betwixt the godly and the wicked By this distinction you may see better the meaning of that Scripture Loue your enemies Concerning this helping vp of our enemies beast vnder his burden fallen I pray you marke if the margent of your Bible note it not wel That if God commaund vs to helpe our enemies Asse vnder his burden will he euer suffer vs to throw down our brethren with heauie burdens It reacheth to many thinges wherein is hard dealing if you thinke of them Thou shalt not ouerthrow the right of thy poore in his suite Before vers 3. he commaunded that a poore man should not be spared for pittie Héere now he enioyneth that a poore man should not be wronged in respect of his pouertie such equall steppes would God haue Iudgement to walke in Thou shalt take no gift for the gift blindeth the wise and peruerteth the words of the righteous The equitie of this lawe was séene by the dimme eye of Nature for the Romanes as appeareth by the lawes of their twelue Tables Used to punish that Iudge with death which was conuicted to take a Bribe for giuing iudgement Dioclesian the Emperour likewise enacted Sententiam a iudice corrupto prolatam fore ipso iure infirmam sine prouocatione That a sentence giuen by a bribed Iudge should by the lawe bee of no validitie without any farther appeale Now corruption and giftes as One saith are not onely Money Gold Siluer and Presents Sed etiam propter laudem qui iudicat â—ale munus accipit munus quo nihil 〈…〉 anius But he also which iudgeth wrongfully to get PRAISE thereby receiueth a GIFT and a GIFT than which there is nothing more vain Patuit enim illi auris ad accipienduÌ„ iudicium linguae alienae perdidit iudicium conscientiae suae For his eare hath beene open to receiue the flattering verdict of another mans tongue and hee hath lost the comfortable testimonie of his owne conscience Innocentius reprooueth corrupt Iudges with these words Vos non attendit is merit acausarum sed personaruÌ„ non iura sed munera non quod ratio dictet sed quod voluntas affectet non quod liceat sed quod lubeat Nunquam enim vobis est tam simplex oculus vt totum corpus sit lucidum Pauperum causam cum mora negligitis Diuitum causam cum instantia promouetis c. Aliquid semper admittitis fermenti quototam massam corrumpitis In giuing iudgement YOV respect not the worth of the causes but of the person not the lawes but gifts not what reason doth counsail but what the wil doth affect not that which is lawfull in it selfe but that which is pleasing to your selues For your eye is neuer so single that the whole bodie might be light Poore mens causes with prolonging delay you neglect rich meÌ„s causes with instant earnestnes you set forward c. You alwaies mingle some leauen which corrupteth the whole lumpe 5 The law of mercie to strangers vers 9. hath béene touched before therefore obserue next this law of Rest to the ground the 7. yeare for the reliefe comfort of the poore Six yeares shalt thou sow thy land and gather the fruits of it the 7. yeare thou shalt let it rest lie stil that the poore of thy people may eate and what they leaue the beasts of the field shall eate In like maner thou shalt doe with thy vineyard with thy oliue trees with great profit we may note sée this gracious care which the Lord our God hath ouer all his creatures learne
trueth is first and that which was first is truth and yet they fayle and still will fayle to graunt and make the conclusion Their handes are red in their poore brethrens bloud who haue auowed trueth and chosen rather to loose life than to forsake trueth what remaines but searefull confusion without repentance God giue them eyes 10 Now if ought of the flesh of the consecration or of the bread remayne vnto the morning then thou shalt burne the rest with fire It shall not be eaten because it is an holy thing First this was done for more reuerence of those holy Sacrifices lest by reseruation eyther any loathing might haue growen from wormes and such like or neglect and contempt by casting it away or loosing it Secondly by this shadowed that God will haue no part of his worship put ouer till an other day but cheerefully euer will hee be serued without delayes Cras Cras To morow to morow is the noice of a Crow not the voyce of a Christian But To day if you will heare his voyce hearden not your hearts And while it is called To day exhort one another with many other such Speaches in the Scripture are we stirred vp to take present time and not to delay Thirdly by this denying them to keepe any the Lord would preuent superstition by abusing those parts kept contrarie to Gods will as to heale diseases to keepe away ill Spirits to hang them about their necke to sweare by them and such like as at this day is to be seene in the Popish Church by reseruation of the Sacrament Sathan was readie then had not this lawe preuented him but after in the time of the Gospell hee preuailed and euen in Tertulians time were crept in foule abuses growing to adoration of the bread 11 These things thus passed ouer belonging to the consecration of the Priestes your Chapter commeth to the Sacrifice which was continuall A Lambe in the Morning and a Lambe at Euen with what further is specified in the Text. By which kinde of Sacrifice notably the Lambe Christ Iesus was figured which taketh away sinnes of the world The manner how the Lambe resembled Christ you may read in the 12. Chapter of this Booke where Speach was of the Paschall Lambe thither I referre you Oyle and Wine were added to this sacrifice to signifie that vnto these holy exercises of the lawe they should bring with them faith and repentance which should make the tast of them good as oyle and wine doth the Sacrifice For without these two what sauour or relish could God haue of them Sorrow for my sinne and faith in him that hath redeemed mee from my sinne is all the camfort God can conceiue in me and therefore beware of dooing any dutie to him without these two lest the Lord say I haue no pleasure in them Oyle and wine then with that Legall Sacrifice and faith and repentance with our spirituall duties and Sacrifices agrée well As all Sacrifices then led vnto Christ so did this daily Sacrifice of the two Lambes Morning and Euening most plainely and therefore after Christ was exhibited in the flesh accordingly these legall Sacrifices had their end all and by name this whereof read the praediction of Daniel in his ninth Chapter Yet neuerthelesse the Synagogue of Antichrist is not ashamed hereupon to build that filthie Idol of their Masse saying that all they are Antichristes which take away their daily Sacrifice of their Masse But their mouthes are no slaunder The trueth we holde and GOD euer make vs holde it both in this point and the rest In this point we say thus that this daily sactifice of the Lambes figured Christ he is come and therefore no longer to be figured as to come But these Lambes are gone and he the true Lambe remayneth once offered vpon the crosse but daily sauing vs from our sinnes vpon our true repentance and faith in him He is our daily sacrifice and continuall Mediator And who so taketh him away hee is Antichrist ware he thrice three Crownes vpon his head But that doth the Man of Rome and his Succession who teach that remission of sinnes may bee obteyned by other meanes than by him onely Wee haue none but him yesterday and to day and the same for euer His blessed Sacrament he hath left vs to remember vs of his worke wrought for vs and wee so vse it to thankesgiuing and not as a sacrifice for quicke and deade as they doe Judge betwixt vs good Christian Reader and the Lord giue thee wisedome in all thinges 13 Finally the Lord promiseth they vsing these his appointments rightly he will dwell among them and will be their God It is not hard in prosperitie to thinke God is present and careth for vs béeing indéed as Philosophers could say the Cause of all good things in Nature But when the cloudie day of aduersitie commeth and wée are ouerwhelmed as it were with perilles and crosses then is it a gratious strength to thinke and beléeue so stedfastly Cato a Wise-man as long as Pompei stood and flourished defended stoutlye a Prouidence but when he fled into Egipt was slaine of a base fellow lay vpon the shore without any honor of buriall when Cato himself also was beset with Caesars army then in this mist of miserie he fell from his former doctrine turning his tale as if there were no Prouidence at all but euery thing went by Hap and saying There was a great darknesse in Diuine things seeing Pompei who had many times prospered and had good successe in ill causes now was ouerthrowen in a good cause most misearably namely in the defence of his countrey Too many taste of this weakenesse which know more than Cato knew and therefore in the day of comfort and faire Sunneshine it is good to gather strength against a change And to remember such Spéeches as this of God to his Church and to his people I WILL DVVELL AMONG YOV AND WILL BE YOVR GOD. Hee is true in this promise aswell in foule weather as in faire and we must be assured of it Other like Spéeches there are many If any man loue me saith Christ He will keepe my word and my Father will loue him and wee will come to him and dwell with him The Psalmes are full of such comforts The Lord is neere vnto all them that are of atroubled spirit the LORD is neere to all them that call vpon him faithfully It is a memorable place where Esay the Prophet bringeth-in GOD saying Ego DEVS habito cum contrito et humili SPIRITV vt erigam SPIRITVM humilium et viuificem CORDA contritorum I the Lord will dwell with the contrite and humble spirit that I may raise vp the spirit of the humble and reuiue the hearts of them that are contrite It is the manner of sinfull men to insult ouer them that are in affliction and to go ouer where the wall is broken but
You sée it you must marke it and to your soule I leaue it 4 Thou shall not curse the deafe neither put a stumbling Blocke before the blinde but shalt feare thy GOD I am the LORD It was euer estéemed a Barbarous erueltie to insult ouer a mans imperfection and the Children of GOD must beware it By the Deafe héere are also meant men and women absent who though they could heare béeing present yet béeing not there they are deafe and heare not Such should not be cursed that is euill spoken of because they are not present to heare and answere GOD you see hateth and forbiddeth this wrong and as many as are Gods will forbeare it for their good Base and bad persons spend their time in carping slaundering and ill reporting as though they were so much better by howe much they make others worse So did Saint Augustine that worthy Father abhorre this vice that ouer his Table where hée dyned hée worte two Verses to tell all them that sate with him if they carped at any person absent that Table was not for them nor they Guests welcome to him By the Blinde are also meant such as are ignorant and vnskilfull in any thing as an ignorant Buyer Learner Trader c. Before whose eyes you may not lay a stumbling Blocke deceyuing them either by False Doctrine Badde Life craftie cunning or the like For as pitifull or more is the blindnesse of minde as the blindnesse of bodie and therefore any way to abuse the one or the other by stumbling blocks is hatefull and damnable 5 Yee shall not doe vniustly in iudgement Thou shalt not fauour the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mightie but thou shalt iudge thy Neighbour iustly A good law against a great euill in the Common-wealth touched before in Exodus whether you may turne and sée the euill Who can be safe in life or limbe in lands or goods if Affection be Iudge Booteth it to be honest or iust or blameles if not Truth but Fancie try me No no. And therefore blessed bée God for Law and Iustice and woe to the Land where Affection ruleth Honestius est cum iudicaueris amare quam cum amaueris iudicare It is farre better to loue when thou hast iudged than to iudge when thou louest Clamat pauper nullus exaudit clamat diues quilibet applaudit The poore man cryeth and no man heareth the rich man cryeth and euery man prayseth and smootheth O heauie Countries case where thus it is Doe the thing that is iust therefore to rich and poore and that shall giue thée peace at the last Honoured men may be for their wealth and feared greatly for their strength but onely iustice is that which getteth loue and a good report with all men that can speake well for any cause and haue not sold their tongues and soules too vnto enuie 6 Thou shalt not walke about with tales among thy people Thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy Neighbour I am the Lord. Both these are branches of murder and in the Commandement sée more of them A great mischiefe in either Kingdome Countrey or House is a babling tale-teller and hée that is wise will beware him It is a shrewde blow that killeth thrée at a blowe and that not in body onely but in soule also The tale-teller killeth himselfe peraduenture twenty more that heare him rashly thereupon condemne the innocent The spirit of God stirreth vp Dauid that Holy man to begge of God that hee would roote out all such deceiptfull lippes and tongues that speake proude things Deceiptfull lippes are those that speake smoothly and thinke wickedly and those also that speake falsly and slanderously of their brethren Both shall be rooted out in time but til then they vexe the soules of those that deserue it not at their hands 7 But what if I bée so wise that I can holde my tongue from speaking euill and yet secretly hate him in my heart Sée what followeth in your Chapter Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but thou shalt plainly rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne Secret hate then is murder of the heart and against the Commandement Use it therefore at your perill and say God either séeth not or regardeth not Your iudgement at last shall teach you hee doth both For this Law is not idle nor any Law Hee giueth to the sonnes of men 8 Thou shalt not auenge saith the next Lawe and why In another place we read For vengeance is mine and I will repay Wrest not Gods sword therefore out of his hand sit not downe in his seate and make thy selfe a God for feare of the ende Well let him goe then I will not auenge but sure I will remember him forgiue I may but neuer forget c. Sée what followeth in the very next words of this Verse Neither shalt thou bee mindfull of a wrong against the children of thy people Remembring then you sée is condemned aswell as auenging and therefore it standeth you vpon both to forgiue and to forget or els the Lord shall forget you out of his Booke of life Nay sée more all this is not yet enough but wée must loue also our Neighbours and that euen as our selues or els we perish For I am the Lord saith the Verse that is one that séeth and hateth and wilâ— smite thée in that strength that thou canst not resist nor indure Foolish Politicke thinke then of pietie and abhorre that poliâ—ie that deuoureth pietie and destroyeth thee Thou canst not liue euer but must die and come vnto iudgement 9 Thou shalt not let thy cattell gender with others of diuers kindes Thou shalt not sowe thy fielde with mingled seede neither shall a garment of diuers things as linnen and woollen come vpon thee God will haue his creatures vsed in their kinde as hée hath created them and his ordinance neither ouerthrowen nor corrrected With diuers seedes they sowe their ground which follow diuers doctrines in Religion And linnen and woollen garments are forbidden either because the Gentiles vsed them to whom God would not haue his people like or to note how hatefull to GOD is a fantasticall head caryed about with toyes and idle deuises He that is a Papist héere and a Protestant there hée that taketh part with both sides in a quarrell or matter worldly as a plea of law or such like you may rightly thinke odious by this Lawe c. 10 Whosoeuer medleth with a woman that is a bondmayd affianced to a husband and not redeemed nor freedome giuen her hee shall be scourged but they shall not dye because shee is not made free c. With God there is no respect of bond or free but in seates of Iustice and execution of punishments there is ought to be great difference because there commeth not so much hurt to the Common-wealth by
one as by another The Lawe of the free woman you had in Exodus 22. 16. And least any should thinke this fault to be little because they are but scourged there is a sacrifice appointed to make an atonement so shewing that it is a sinne not to be done away but by Christ And as well doth fornication shut out from the Kingdome of God as Adulterie 11 Also when ye shall come into the Land and shall haue planted euery tree for meate you shall count the fruite thereof vncircumcised three yeares and it shall not bee eaten c. A mercifull prouidence for posteritie for if a Trée be suffered to beare too soone as the first second or third yeare it doth not vsually indure long but decayeth sooner than otherwise it would the fruite draweth away the nourishment which should make the roote and trée strong Secondly it rest rained Couetousnesse in the Iewes and taught them how God hateth scraping all to a mans selfe for his time and nothing careing for posteritie Such are they that will take the heart out of land before their tearme ende cut downe the wood fruite trees hedges destroy the game and doe all the mischiefe they can and dare doe The LORD séeth them and thinketh of them though they little thinke of themselues and of their malicious actions Thirdly it shadowed how little worth the fruites of youth vsually are either to the Church or Common-wealth till yeares haue bred strength of iudgement and made them both sée and doe what is profitable Euen as vncircumcised fruites so are the Actions of youth and therefore Dauid prayed for pardon in this case 12 But the fourth yeare all the fruites thereof shall bee holy to the praise of the LORD And in the fift yeare shall yee eate of the fruite thereof c. Three years they must forbeare to suffer the fruite to growe as neere as they could to the end the trée might bée strong and endure to posteritie The fourth must now bée consecrated to the LORD And the fifth they might begin to eate This Consecration of one yeare to the Lord sheweth how due from man and accepted of God true and heartie thankfulnesse is Secondly that God would haue them acknowledge the fruites of trees aswell as of the earth by corne to procéede of Gods goodnesse mercie and prouidence without all desert or merit of theirs Thirdly that they were to vse them as all other his good gifts soberly temperately orderly not ryotously wantonly as too many now a dayes do giuing so so much for a few Cherries or such like when there is no cause in Phisicke for health or so foorth but onely wantonnesse and luxurie little thinking how vile themselues are if God should looke vpon them in Justice or how many néedie naked soules as déere to God as they want and would be glad of one penny or halfe penny of that mony so wantonly without cause bestowed vpon their belly 13 Yee shall not eate the flesh with the blood ye shall not vse Witch-craft nor obserue times The first Part was spoken of in the 17. Chap. verse 10. in the 7. Chap. verse 26. Contrary to which they offended 1. Sam. 14. verse 32. Touching the latter Part you may know that the Gentiles obserue Fowles after two sorts Either their crying or their flying And neither of these is forbidden as farre as their is any naturall reason and cause which is in fore-shewing of raine and tempests and alteration of weather For example long obseruation hath found it and good writers agrée of it that the continuall crying of the night Owle all the night long prognosticateth death the gathering together of many Rauens playing and crying fore-tell faire weather Chickens crying lowde Swallowes flying about the waters and pooles crying shew it will bée raine c. These and the like may be obserued and it is lawfull wisedome no offence at all But either by flying or crying to gather Argument of good successe or ill in your actions and busynes this is wicked and damnable and therefore the Art and skill pretended of such wizards vnlawfull what feates soeuer they play to confirme the credite of it as one with a Rasour cut a whetstone in péeces to confirme his Art You may bée sure it was but either a ingling cast deceiuing the eye or the power of Satā which may not lead vs to prohibited things And wise-men in all times haue noted the folly of these toyes Iosephus telleth how one Mosselanus a Iew a valyant Souldier in the campe of Alexander the great when the march suddenly stayed asking what was the cause was told that it was to take notice by such a Fowle sheewing the Fowle whether they should go for-ward or no for if she tooke her flight before them then should they march on if not then returne wherewith hée mightly displeased saying nothing tooke his bow and with an arrowe presently strake the Fowle dead Whereat when the Southsayer and many of the Hoste were offended hée answered that it was a foule shame for so many worthy men to seeke knowledge of her that knew not what should happen to herselfe For if she had she would not haue come there or not sitten til he had shot and so the matter was laughed out and the feare gone Augustus Caesar was woont to make a great obseruation of it if his left shooe came in stead of his right in the morning and among vs if the Salt fall at the table c. These are follies and as follyes they must bée reiected Yet touching times there is a lawfull obseruation of Holy-dayes and Festiuall-dayes of fasting-dayes c. And there is a naturall and Physicall obseruation for planting sowing mowing c. For purging blood-letting bathing c. All lawfull and not forbidden héere Onely superstitious obseruations deuised by man seduced by Satan without any Christian or natural reason are héere prohibited and must of vs stil be abhorred in which kinde the Heathens abounded for want of knowledge Remember the 28. of Deut. To feare God rightly and truely and then blessed at home and abroad in the towne and in the field in thy basket and in thy dough in thy sheepe and in thy kyne c. Contrariwise for want of Religion and not because the Crowe sate on that hand or the Hare crossed the way c. 14 Yee shall not cut round the corner of your heads neither shalt thou marre the tufts of thy beard Many times it hath béen noted how carefull the Lord was not to haue his people imitate the fashions of the Gentiles for feare one thing will draw on another and in the ende euen Idolatrie and false worship Wée in these dayes are wholely giuen to forreigne fashions the Lord in mercie saue vs from forreigne superstition and continue his Gospell and peace vpon Israel preuenting confounding their purposes that craftily
being in darknes as in prison or else where for by experience it is so found often Euen so by long custome of walking liuing in the outward workes of darknes groweth a strong and thicke inward darknes in the heart of man and woman Proofe héereof Ahab Manasses Herod Iudas and such like too many also in our daies who hauing long vsed Swearing Lying Uncleanenes c are growne so blinde in them that they neither will leaue them neither be perswaded they tend so to their destruction as they doo These blinde creatures shrinke to heare of this Egyptian darknes and yet their owne tenne thousand times worse they neuer shake at Let it make vs remember the words of wise Sirach A man that is accustomed to opprobrious words will neuer be reformed all the daies of his life Why because Custome of sinning taketh away the sense of sinning and long aboade in darknes maketh starke blinde Accustome not thy mouth therefore saith he to swearing neither take vp for a Custome the naming of the Holy one Where still marke the word Custome Custome and sée what a strong destroyer it is of the sight the inward sight light I meane of our hearts and mindes Fourthly ouermuch heate may hurt the bodily eyes as we all know the hotedung did Toby his eyes Euen so ouer hote desires of gaine hurteth the inward light as we knowe both by that which hath béene saide touching the world and by that which S. Paule saith that they which will be rich fall into temptations and snares and into manie foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction For the desire of money is the roote of all euill which while some lusted after they erred from the Faith and pearced themselues through with many sorrowes They that will be rich I say againe I pray you mark the Apostles words that is they which haue resolued with themselues set their hearts vpon it and concluded it that by hab or nab by one way or other whatsoeuer it cost them they will be rich and haue the wealth they possiblie can attaine to These these men with this Will this resolued and setled Will fall into temptations and so forth For this is a kinde of pestilent heate within which as powerfully thrusteth out the inward eye light of the minde as euer any outward heate did the eye of the body And then the inward eye being out nothing but darknes is there so a falling into all dangerous Courses that may leade to destruction and perdition Then vsurie is no sinne no not vsurie vpon vsurie oppression and deceite be no sinnes stealth and robberie if it may be any way coloured is wisedome and well yea murther and blood bite not But is the Lord of Heauen pleased with this sinfull Will to be rich and with these exorbitant wayes or is this heate a pleasing heate vnto him because hee is slowe to wrath and vengeance no no and that shall the end declare both vpon the wealth and the house that this dealing is in appointed time In the meane while we are taught by this place to Timothy to beware of such a Will and of such an inward heate as causeth such inward blindnes Soone enough if well enough say we euer and for these transitorie things as wee brought them not into the world so shall we not carie them out of the world Balaam Gehesi Iudas and such like preach vnto vs to beware of goods euill gotten A darknes then you sée there is within as well as without and the more dangerous farre is the inward because it hideth from vs things of greater consequence than doth the outward Not to sée credenda agenda cauenda things to be beleeued things to be performed and things to be auoyded is a horrible darknes Caine sawe not the first and Salomons foolish young-man led as an Oxe to the slaughter and as a foole to the stockes sawe neither the second nor the third Wherefore the Lord in great mercie hath euer béene carefull to furnish vs with meanes and helpes against it First he created vs as hath béene shewed with light and knowledge most excellent he prouided a great Booke euen the Booke of the World created by him wherein the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power God-head might be seene much excellent knowledge might be had And this Booke remaineth still if wee will reade in it an enemie to darknes Of which Booke Clemens Alexandrinus spake when he said Creatio mundi Scriptura Dei The Creation of the world is Gods Writing Also that Antonie mentioned in the Storie vnto whom a Phylosopher comming and asking him what he did without Bookes he answered O Philosophe meus codex est Natura creaturarum qui adest cum voluero verbaque mihi relegit Dei O Philosopher mȳ Booke is the Nature of all creatures which Booke is euer present with me when I will and deliuereth to me the words of God Héere wee sée the most admirable quantitie of the Sunne and Starres héere we reade the varietie the qualities the motion and the continuance in order appointed of all Creatures in Heauen in Earth and in the Sea so as no man can be either wearie of reading or reade without great profit in this Booke Neuerthelesse the Lord hath not héere left vs but as vnto the Starre manifesting the birth of his Sonne he pleased to add the Scriptures also which witnessed more particularly time place c so hee hath ouer and besides the Booke of the Creation giuen vs another more excellent by much to driue from our hearts this damnable darknes and to kéepe vs in light pleasing to himselfe and profitable vnto vs. Of this Booke farre better wee may vse Damihi Magistrum giue me the Maister than Cyprian could vse then of Tertullians workes For this Booke passeth All Bookes that euer were or shall be I meane the Booke of Gods holy Bible which Booke saith Hierome shall remaine with vs till wee be as the Angels in Heauen Goe we forward and consider how also to this Booke he hath added Prophets Apostles Euangelists Pastors and Doctors in all times to open and expound the same vnto vs that by all meanes wee might be enducd with light loue light liue in light and die in light Add againe the appointing of the Sabaoth day wherein men shonld rest from their labours and hearken to this Booke together with the many precepts giuen to heare to reade to search to know and vnderstand not to be as children perceauing nothing Thinke with your selfe often how the little Infant groweth to strength able to go by it selfe is it not by sucking and plucking his Mothers breasts euen so doth the Childe of God grow to strength of grace and from grace to grace by hanging continually vpon these two Breasts the olde and new Testament And as all men differ from brute Beasts