283 284. Prayers in secret and priuate places 30 31. Prayer in and with the congregation powerfull 370 374. Prayers in Gods eareâ— are loud câ—yes 37. Prayers of the godly desired by the wicked in time of danger 96. Prayer commonly neglected 97. Prayer is of great power and force 99 215 296 441. Prayer iâ— to be ioyned with meanes in warre 295. Prayer to be made daily for Prince Countrey families friends c. 97 445. a. to be made for the Minister that prayeth for vs 298. Prayer to be vsed when we goe to bed and when we rise 177 428. b. Prayer is the refuge of the godly in trouble 280. In prayer diuers gestures 298. Prayer noted by incense 428 c. Prayer must be kindled by Gods promises 457. He that prayeth must be reconciled in Christ 428. b. What reasons we may vse to the Lord in prayer 446. Prayer of the Magistrate or Minister 445. Preaching doth not alwaies preuaile and why so 111. it is to be maintained 360. it ought to be continuall 391. and pure 397. Qâ—arter sermons are not sufficient 395. Priests what they were before the Priesthood was established 322. their calling and choice 406. their garments 408. the seuerall parts of their garments 409. their consecration 413. Priesthood of Christ prefigured by Aâ—rons rod 383. Pride condemned 21. Pride plagued by base things 93 102 233 302. Pride for gifts of learning 361 362. Preparation before the Sacrament 188. Preparation before the hearing of the word of God 319. Presence of God causeth man to feele and finde his owne wants 35 324 407. Presenâ—e of God a comfort 40. the Israelites doubted of it 279. Priuate men may not kill without a calling 23. Priuate men may not make publike reformation 459. Profit of this booke of Exodus Historical 1. Mistical 2. Promises of God certaine 3 73 169 201. Promises of God kindle prayer 457. Promise made in Baptisme 21 22. Promises must not be rash 355. Prophaners of the Church 371. Properties of Magistrates 313. Propitiatorie 385. it was a figure of Christ 388. Prouidence of God 19 20 25. we must be contented with it 243. and must depend vpon it 265. extraordinarie 260 265 272. Prouidence of God waketh for vs when wee sleepe 270. c. it excludeth not vse of meanes 240. Prouidence of God denyed by Cato 425. Prosperitie maketh all sorts forgetfull 195 196. Prosperitie is a crooked rule to measure things by 69. Prosperitie getteth followers 201. it is not a signe alwaies of Gods fauour 250. yet it commeth alwaies from him 416. in it we must prouide for aduersitie 425. Purgatorie 179 180 191. Puritie of Christ 187. Purposes of man knowne of God 45 56 88. Purposes of man disposed by God 19. Q. Queene Maries raigne 139. Queene Elizabeths contentment 293. Quarelling natures 293. Quest Why the mayde was not punished for licentious life as well as the man 341. Quest Whither it were lawful for the Israelites to carrie away the Egyptians iewels 169. R. Rebellers against goodthings 113. Rebellion 278. Rebuking of neere ones 445. R 〈…〉 sants 64 370. c. 460. Receiuing the Supper of the Lord. See Sacrament Recompence of losses 339. Register of Gods mercies 298. Religion measured by gaine 69 107. Religion is not to be measured by the belly 258. Religion is not the cause of dearth c. 129. Religion ought to be but one 326 458. Reliques 207. Remembrance of Gods fauours 272 c. 274. 298. Remorse of conscience is a grace of God 170. Reparation of Churches 373. Repentance is hard in the beginning 66. Repentance promised in extremitie commonly vanisheth 100. Repentance findeth mercy 167 445. it is only in this life 180. an outward signe thereof 450. Repentance signified by wine and required to all spirituall sacrifices 423 424. Reports being euill may not be repeated 348. Resignation of our selues to God 35 53 200. Resurrection of Christ prefigured by the budding of Aarons rod 383. Reuenge 283. Reuerence 301. Reuerence to Ministers 358. Reuerence in the Church 371. Reuerence in speaking and vsing of holy things 402 456. Reuelations may not hinder the vse of meanes 216. Reuelations are ceased 390. Righteousnes of Christ 421. Righteousnes of the Lawe 460. Righteousnes threefold 402. Righteous persons what they are 444. Robe of the high Priest 411. Rock signified Christ 287 288. Roome 221. when it came to be head of all Cities 133. S. Sabboth 263 269 270 434. Sacraments depend not vpon the worthines or vnworthines of the Minister 407 465. Sacrament of the Supper is to be receiued with preparation 188. it is not to be remembred at Easter onely 190. it is to be receiued vnder both kindes 191. to receiue it kneeling is most seemely 192. faith is required to the receiuing of it 202 in it the name of the thing signified is giuen to the signe 287. so the Arke is called God 381. the godly onely eate the bodie of Christ 422. the signes are not to be reserued or adored 423. it is not a sacrifice for quick and dead 424. Sacrifice at the consecration of the Priests the blood of it 416. the fat ibid. the flesh 417. the cutting of it 418. the breast and shoulder 420. the head 421. Sanctuaries 332 333. Sanctuary See Tabernacle Sathan rageth more the more God blesseth 64 66. he can worke wonders 86. but can not make a louse when God will restrayne him 103. if he cannot hurt the Church wholely he will hurt it in part 130. his rage when men escape from him 212. his temptation 284. Saints 427. b. Securitie 93. Second causes See Meanes Seed of the Church the bloud of Martyrs 11. Scab an Egyptian plague 112. Scriptures 155 356. compared with foode 289. represented by the shew-bread 391. they must not be wrested 202 418. they are the rule of religion 258. how the Church is keepe of them 385. they are the beauty of the Church 394. In the Scriptures sometimes that is set after which in precise order was to goe before 158. Christ speakes in the scriptures 390. Separation from calamity is of the Lord 106 107. Serpent made of Moses rod 83. Seruants dutie 53. if painefull and faithfull they shall be reco 〈…〉 penced vnder hard Maâ—sters 171 328 c. they must not by any busines be euer kept from Church 193 194. they are accepted of God as well as free men 202. Seruants slocked away 334. Shew bread the signification and name thereof 39â— Shooes put off how to be vnderstood 34 35. Signes vsed of God to confirme faith 41. Signes giuen to Moses to confirme him in his calling 50. Signes and the word must be ioyned 216. Signes of Gods presence 457. Simon Magus tearmed a God 80. Simplicitue of former ages 21. Simplicitie of doues 352. Sinners punished publiquely 121. punished diuers wayes 102 331. punished for diuert ends 331. Sinners repentant finde mercy 167 445. Sinne is hard to be left 46 47 66. one sinne pulleth on another 11. Sinne
Thus saith the Lord that cretaed thee O Iacob and he that formed thee O Israel Feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the floudes that thy doo not ouerflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee For I am the Lord thy God the Holy One of Israel thy Sauiour I gaue Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Seba for thee c. reade the Chap. your selfe and I stay héere 10. Now sée an Accident in the way When Moses was in his Inne the Lord met him and would haue killed him That is by either a sore sickenesse or some other way the Lord made him know his wrath conceined against him as also the cause to wit the omitting of the circumsicion of his Sonne as by the euent wée may sée although it bee not expresly named Where to our profit let vs stay a while and consider diuers things First why Moses so well acquainted with the law of God in this behalfe should omit or neglect to do it And for answere herevnto marke with your selfe how of two sonnes which Moses had and carried with him the circumcision of one is onely here mentioned whereby you may well see the other was before and alreadie circumcised or else Gods wrath would not haue stayed in this place vpon performance of dutie onely to one Now the one hauing before beene circumcised why should he not haue done the like to the other but that out of all question his wife béeing not sonndly perswaded in this point tooke offence at the first grew vnquiet offered vnfit speathes and happely stirred vp her father also Iethro to ioine with her to rattle Moses for such crueltie as they estéemed it to his sonne Wherupon the good man milde soft of spirit in humane frailety chose rather to forbeare the second son to haue his peace than to circumcise also him and please God A notable example to teach vs this doctrine how néedefull it is euen to the great Doctours and Diuines to the great Masters and Teachers and rulers and leaders of others still and continualy to be vnderpropped and held-vp by Gods powrefull ayde and blessed Spirit in their duties when as otherwise euen they they I say that seeme so strong play Moses part here and faint in the way to the offence of God and danger of themselues Nay if Moses faint how much more fall they flat downe that neuer had such measure of grace as Moses had Pray therefore and pray continually for increase of strength for courage and fortitude for constancy and power to repell al the darts that Sathan shall throw at vs and prepare we to buckle with men and women and Diuels that shal assay to quench or to coole our zeale in our places and to bring vs to omit this and that and euerie day somewhat which God expresly requireth and will not abide to be omitted See you Discouragers and discomforters of Gods seruants in necessarie duties what venome is in your darts and poyson in yonr doings Moses this great man is ouercome and brought into daunger by them and O how shal athousand others of farre weaker strength be turned out of the way by you Will God be angry with Moses for yéelding and shall you safely escape that are the causes of his sinne the cut-throates of his zeale and the ouer-turners of his well doing No no assure your selues the wrath of the Lord shal consume you when it hath profitably corrected his childe vnlesse you repent and leaue-off such Deuillish dealing Sée you also you brawling and vnquiet women what your ignorance and obstinacie bringeth your husbands vnto though they be as Moses holy and vertuous they cannot serue God a-right for you they cannot doe what God requireth but you breake their hearts you coole their zeale you turne them out of the way and in the end you bring them to a fearefull danger of Gods destroying of them For the Lord met Moses héere and would haue killed him saith the Text. Shall this euer be vnpunished in you no your Husbands shall bee schooled for their frailtie and you shall be consumed for your arrogancie so proudly and so disobediently contemning both their religious instructions and holy actions If God be in you this will be a warning 11. Then Zipporah tooke a sharpe knife cut away the fore-skin of her Sonne The two things that héere might be considered namely that doctrine of Poperie concerning the danger of children dying vnbaptized and secondlie of such an absolute necessitie of Baptisme as that women must administer it in time of supposed néede I forbeare to stand vpon now I haue sufficiently touched them in my Notes vpon Genesis Therefore doo but remember with your selfe touching the first that wee make a great difference betwixt want of the Sacrament and contempt of the same contempt damning and want not through the strength of Gods promise meaning by want when God so preuenteth by death that it cannot be had according to the manner allowed in the word And touching the second obserue that this act of Zipporah here in circumcising her childe was méerely extraordinarie and doth no way warrant women to baptize now-a-daies Her bitter words to her husband that hee was a bloodie husband to her shewe but what spéeches are often giuen by women that haue their tongues a little too much at liberty His wisedome in not answering her is to this day his praise and her fact her fault in so vndutifully speaking Let this suffice of this Chapter and nowe reade the Text ouer in your Bible and sée how these Notes haue helped you My drift you sée and I leaue it to God I would haue all men encouraged to reade CHAP. 5. The chiefe Heads of this Chapter are these The comming of Moses Aaron to the King The greeuanees of the people Their impatiencie 1. TOuching the first héere wee sée that although Moses was very backward a-while to obey God and goe to this King vpon this errand yet at last hee yéelded faith ouercame feare and all conceits steeped to the obedience of God A happie thing and happie is that man and woman euer which can likewise say truly I haue had my feares and fancies my errors and mine ignorances my pride and my preiudice against that which was good and right but they are all gone I thanke God and I much ioy that they are gone as likewise that I am now sincerely his whose I ought to be and in this obedience doe not doubt but shall end my dayes by his grace 2. Wée may againe thinke héere why God should thus send Moses and Aaron to pray deliuerance for his people when hee was able without stretched arme to haue deliuered them at his pleasure And wee may aunswere our selues in this sort euen for the reasons
trusted too much to Nature and the other to Fortune As a Spiders webbe so is a mans greatnes in this world soone wiped away with a little whiske Often therefore thinke of Saint Iohns words Loue not this world neither the things that are in the world If any man loue this world the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in this world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world And this world passeth away and the lust therof but hee that fulfilleth the Will of GOD abideth for euer 7 But was Aaron hated of God because this fearefull happe fell vpon his Children No no. Therefore learne to stay your hastie nature from iudging rashly and bée not caryed away by a pratling world Euer remember what Crosse is layd héere not vpon a meane man in the Church but vpon him that had the highest place that was a Figure of Christ and accepted of him and meditate of it much with your selfe for your comfort c. 8 Note in the 4. and 5. verses the maner of bury all not in the Hoste but without in the fields prepared and kept for such vse Where was then the superstitious conceite of Churches and Church-yards Their friendes and kins-men cary them foorth to buriall and the custome is still commendable amongst vs. 9 After Moses said vnto Aaron and vnto Eleazar and Ithamar his sonnes vncouer not your heads neither rent your clothes least yee die and lest wrath come vpon all the people but let your brethren all the House of Israell bewayle the burning which the Lord hath kindled In this case it was not lawfull for Aaron and his sonnes to mourne least they should séeme to preferre their carnal affection to God his iust iudgement And it is a great Caueat to all such as desire to gouerne themselues in an acceptable course Of mourning for the dead and the maner of Nations differing in the same more may be said in the 19. Chapter 10 But the people here might mourne that it might euer be learned noted and remembred how néerely and truely the griefe of the Minister should touch a louing and godly people But where where is such a people God forbid but wée should assure our selues there is a portion that doth thus although al that reape the labours aswell as they dee it not And let it bée a faithfull Ministers comfort euer that mee loue him and suffer with him in any griefe of his than hée knoweth off I know what I say and my soule blesseth the Lord for my experience in this poynt My infirmities are many and my weaknesse to doe seruice hath euer béene great I know it I acknowledge it in humilitie before him that knoweth whether I lye or no. Yet hath it béene his good pleasure euer since I was first a Minister to shew himselfe strong in my weaknesse and to giue a gracious blessing to my poore Labours in diuers places that I might well learne it is all one to him to worke with small gifts and with great And touching the thing I spake of I haue found this loue in some for my onely Ministerie sake that I haue béene aduertised by writing of matters much concerning mée and to this day could neuer learne and know who they were The Lord reward it ten thousand folde into their bosomes if they bée liuing and vpon theirs if they be gone to God Thus much breaketh from mée in this place out of a thankfull heart to GOD and to them and for a true comfort to my Brethren in this Land lighting vpon these my weake labours that besides their owne experience they know also mine that howsoeuer all are not kinde and louing where wée liue and labour yet more are our faithfull friends than wée know And therefore let vs goe on through all reports good and bad and through all crosses great and small doe the worke whereunto wée are called and rest vp-vpon him that will neuer faile vs nor let vs fall 11 And they did according to Moses commandement saith the Text. So will the rod of God waken his people and worke obedience For which cause the Lord often layeth it where hée loueth not willing as himselfe saith the death of a sinner but rather that hee may turne and liue 12 Thou shalt not drink wine nor strong drinke thou nor thy sonnes with thee when yee come into the Tabernacle of the Congregation lest yee die This is an Ordinance for euer throughout your Generations That yee may put difference betwixt the holy and the vnholy and betweene the cleane and the vncleane And that yee may teach the Children of Israel all the Statutes which the Lord hath commanded them by the hand of Moses Sobrietie is a vertue fit for all men but especially for Ministers of the Word and Sacraments Thus much in this Law the Lord shadowed and wée may truely learne wine was forbidden them absolutely when their turne came to minister but now that Law bindeth not Yet to Sobrietie with wine and without wine we are euer bound Let a Minister saith the Apostle be no drinker of wine meaning disorderly and vnfitly for otherwise Timothie is exhorted to drinke a little wine for his stomacke-sake and his often infirmities To all men the same Apostle saith againe Bee not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but bee fullfilled with the spirit c. The reason added that thus they might be sound and sincere Interpreters of the Law For the chiefe Office of the Priests was not to kill beastes and offer Sacrifices but to haue knowledge and to teach the people the difference betwixt the true God and false Idolles betwixt holy things and prophane betwixt right prayer and wrong concerning the Law and sinne and grace c. according to the Prophet Malachies Speach The lippes of the Priest shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hostes. But here is no thought in this Law of any proud and Anabaptisticall separation of our selues from the fellowshippe of our Brethren and the vnitie of the Church vnder a colour that wée are holy and others prophane Beware we euer of such Doctrine and such Teachers 13 Then Moses said to Aaron and vnto Eleazar and Ithamar his sonnes that were left Take the Meat-offering c. This is added to comfort and strengthen the shaken hearts of Aaron and his liuing sonnes who might by this strange punishment haue béene driuen into doubt whether euer the Lord would bée pleased that they should meddle againe with the Sacrifices And we sée therein a swéete and gracious God who maketh not his promises voyd to all for the faults of some but only teacheth to beware by other mens harmes Wée must therefore cleaue to our Calling and euen so much
of the sacrament not to be reserued 423. Breast-plate 410. how it informed the priest of God his will 411. the twelue stones in it with names signified that God cared for euery particuler man 412. Bush burning and not consumed 33. Buriall Pompei was without the honour of it 425. C. Calling Moses was called being forty yeeres old 22. we must answere readily when God calleth 34 52 53. our calling is not to bee misliked for some defects 51. in performance of duties we must looke not to our selues but to our calling 78. and both to God and our calling 264. we must vse warinesse in it reckoning of enemies 207. in it wee must bee stronge and cheerefull 214. Hinderers thereof to bee remooued 301 we may not passe the limits of it 322. those that rush into a calling rashly are confounded 39. Calling of Ministers see Ministers Golden Calfe 439. euerie error in Religion is as it were a Calfe 442. Canaan is ours but in the way thither we must reckon of enemies 207. and looke for lets 212. for wee must passe by Marah 238. and fight with Amalech 290 291. we are directed to the true Canaan by Gods word 207 466 in trauailing thither we must not looke backe to Egypt 209. Candlesticke 393. Catechising 127 333 370 196. Cattell die when God is displeased 109. Cato denied diuine prouidence 425. Ceremoniall law the diuision thereof 358. a shadow of Christ and ended in Christ 376 377 402 187. Change of Prince dangerous 6. Change of estate not â—o be feared 25 29 30. No change in God 42 38 426 72 210. Childrens dutie 54 they should not be brought vp in ignorance 196. their differences are known to god who is first who is secoÌ„d 198 Cheerefulnesse in our calling 214. and in Gods seruice 364. Cherubins 387. the stretching of their wings signifieth the protection of Christ 388. their faces one towards another signifieth the consent of the old new Testament 389. God spake from betwixt them ibid. c. Christ his death brought encrease of Christians 4. hee was called an Angell because sent to be our deliuerer 31. 32 hee vniteth diuers houses and Nations 186. he wholely freed vs both from originall and actuall sins 191. he is not to be found out of the church 202 370. he cooleth enlightneth his Church as the cloud and pillar did the Israelites 208. he was the Angell that went before the Israelites 216. his loue to his Church 412. his blood though sufficie at for all yet not helpfull to all 416. hee maketh our prayers acceptable 427 428 how hee now speaketh to his Church 390. Christ was prefigured by Ioseph 4. by Moses 26. by the Lambe in the Passouer 186 187. 188 189 190. c. by the tree that made the bitter waters sweet 237. by Manna 275 383. by the Rock 287 by the blood of the couenant 356. by the Ceremonies of the law 376 377. by the Arke 382 by the Mercie-seat 386. by the table of shew-bred 391. by the candlestick 393. by the most holy place 400. by the altar of burnt-offering 403. by the high Priests Ephod 410 412. Christ his humanitie prefigured by the cloud 357. in the Altar of incense the wood signified his Humanitie the gold his Deitie 428. the vniting of his diuine nature to his manhood 382. the Lambe being without blemish did signifie his puritie 186. being a Male did signifie his spirituall strength 187. being of a yeere old did signifie his experience of infirmities 187. his annointing presigured by the oyle 414. his righteousnesse by the Priests garment 421. his protection of his Seruaunts by the stretching of the wings of the Cherubins 388 his eternall Priesthood by the budding of Aarons rod 383. the Maiestie of his Kingdome by the crowne of gold about the â—rke 382. and about the Altar of sweete perfume 428. His comming in the flesh prefigured to be in the Euening of the world 189. that hee should bee taken from amongest sinfull men 188. his humiliation by the brasen Altar 428. his suffering without the Citie 418. that hee shold not die by by after he was borne 188. that he shold die but once in one place 404. that he shold not putrifie in the graue 382. that he should rise againe by the budding of Aaronsâ—od â—od 383. that he should haue glorie in heauen after his ascention 428. Church of God compared to a Shippe 219. 220 221. True Church and false Church 220. The true Church shall haue Victorie ouer her enemies 227. there is an Vnion betwixt God and it 232. when God will 242. we must reioyce at the welfare of it 302. it is where Christ is 383. it was prefigured by the Arke 384. it is the keeper of the Scriptures 385 by the Tabernacle 400. the puritie of it 401 the rich grace of it ibid. it neuer quite fayleth 33. 414. God his loue to it 55 56 61. Christ his protection of it 206. 388. it is neuer forsaken but her enemies cursed and fauourers blessed 218 219. it increaseth in persecution 10 201. Our Church was before Luther 137 219. Churches built 365 366. Church-robbers 204 430. Liberalitie to the Church 464. Church-Officers Sworne-men c. 114. Church-meetings loued of God 374 403. Church is Gods house 367 it is graced by God 465 reuerence is due to it 371 372. it must be repaired 373. the outward glorie and glistering of it 378 392. the true beautie of it 394. refusall to goe to the Church will bee punished 64. reasons why we should not refuse 316. we must come to the Church cheerefully 365. exaÌ„ples 368 369. 370 we must not go out of the Church before the end of prayers sermoÌ„ 375. The distinct places in our churches coÌ„pared with the roomes of the tabernacle 400. Cloud did guide and protect the Israelites 207 208 216 465. Cloud that couered Moses a figure of the humanitie of Christ 357. Clergie men 303. Colledges built 367. Colours of sinne 9. Communion tables 326. 403. they are more ancient than stone Altars 404. Consecration of the Priests 413. it sealed to their consciences their vocation 414. Condemning must not goe before hearing 12. Conscience tortured by Popish doctrine 139. Good conscience is the preseruer of faith 396. Conscience is as the face of the inward man 461. Remorse of Conscience 170 105. Conuenticles of the wicked 8 371. Constancie in suffering affliction 226 227. Constancie in loue where we once haue loued 286. Constancie a vertue in a Iudge 349. Constancie in Religion ibid. CoÌ„tentation 167 243 268 279 293 361 362. Courtiers should not be drawne from Gods seruice by pleasure profit c. 23 98. Couetousnesse 108 150. 170 265 292 it is a blot in a Iudge 315. Counsaile if good to be receiued from an Inferiour 313. Councellors are Kings eyes and eares 311. Cookes must so dresse meate for other mens bodies that there bee care had of their owne soules 193 194. Courage is a propertie of a
gold Rayment or any thing néedefull and wished they shal graunt it and lend it giue it or send it with a fauour with a loue with so willing a mind as the partie taking néedeth to wish This shall the Lord doe by a secret power of his working grace and fauour for his people to their good This was that which hee did for Iacob the Father of these Israelites when Laban angerly pursued him the Lord changed his hart To Isaac and Abraham before the Lord gaue fauour in seuerall places To Ioseph the like to his owne comfort and the good of many And this is it which the Psalmist affirmeth The Lord giues grace and worship and no good thing shall he with-hold from them that liue a godly life This is it which all of vs haue tasted of euen in our selues and God make vs thankfull Thus may wee profit by this Chapter CHAP. 4. The generall Heads of this Chapter are chiefely these Moses his power to worke myracles His excuses not to goe into Egypt His comming to Egypt at last 1. BVtloe they wil not beleeue me sayd Moses c. Sée first and formost the ingrafted weakenes of mans nature when any great or difficult thing is to be taken in hand It is euer fearing and doubting euer quaking and shaking euer casting of perils more than stand with that prompt readines and willingnes which ought to be in all the seruants of God when he their Lord once speaketh and saith Doe this Such feare as this was in Ionas when he was commanded to Niniuie In Ieremie when hee was caused to prophecie and in many others Secondly obserue in these words also what a powerfull Pul-backe euen to the best mindes incredulitie crookednes in the people is Surely it pierceth déepe and woundeth fore as you sée in this place For euen the feare of it héere daunteth Moses a man of such faith a man of such grace as wee reade before this hee had shewed himselfe to be What what will it doe when it is not feared but found not suspected but tried and tasted of euery day Let that great Prophet of the Lord tell vs whom it so wounded that he sate him downe and desired to die to be out of woe saying It is enough Lord now it is enough take my soule for I am no better than my Fathers Let Esay againe another famous Prophet witnes whose words shewed woe when hee said and wrote Who will beleeue our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed as if he should haue said Alas alas what comfort haue wée when so vngraciously our preaching is reiected and the comfortable tidings of Jesus Christ not beléeued Let the sighes of Ieremie and the groanes of his soule when he cries Ah Lord c witnes the like also to all Readers but most wonderfully that spirituall battell that hée tooke such a fearefull fall in as that hee said I will not make mention of him nor speake any more in his name O firie dart then and piercing stroke to a tender hart of flesh that meaneth well an vntoward and froward people when so great a Prophet thus is shaken by it I néede to pursue this matter no further wee sée enough yet could I remember you of other Prophets also and many moe deare children of God faithfull members and Ministers in the Lords busines whom yet crookednes of the people hath mightily agréeued discouraged and dismayde yea it caused a sigh in our very Sauiour from the rootes of his hart that the people hee spake vnto so fitly might be resembled to children complained of for not dauncing when they were piped vnto not lamenting when they were mourned vnto c. Conclude wee therefore what wee sée héere the effect of incredulitie in the people to be bitter to the Lords Messengers sent or to bee sent vnto them for their good But so sée wee it that our selues auoide it and both day and night pray against it remembring alwaies as deare children the Apostles words to the Hebrewes Obey them that haue the ouer-sight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your Soules as they that must giue accompts that they may giue it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you c. The like Scriptures there are many moe all which may comfort vs if wee obey them and iustly iudge vs vnto the lake of Hell if we contemne them God that biddeth will neuer be abused finally but will repay Ionas had rather commit himselfe to the wilde Sea and raging gulfes than goe to preach to a people that hee could conceiue no hope of that they would beléeue and be turned vnto God 2. This infirmitie in Moses the Lord mercifully cureth when in iustice hee might haue reiected him for it So good and gracious is our God Hée cureth it by a power giuen him to worke Miracles so great and fearefull that if not to moue Pharaoh to true repentance yet aboundantly to shewe his authoritie from God to conduct that people they should suffice His Rod is turned to a Serpent and backe againe to his owne nature His hand put into his bosome is become leaprous and by and by whole againe The water is turned into blood and other great things wrought when hee came before Pharaoh Thus can the Lord and thus will the Lord enable euer to the worke that he appointeth and calleth vnto A great comfort to Magistrates and Ministers if it bee well considered 3. Then flieth hée to another excuse and saith Hee is not eloquent But the Lord also prouideth for that as you sée in the Text and promiseth helpe Still so weake and wayward is man and so good and gracious is God The Jewes haue a Tale amongst them how Moses came by this infirmitie of spéech And say that when hee was a childe and brought by Pharaohs daughter before her Father the King the King playing with him and offering hun his golden Crowne the childe tooke it and threwe it vnder his féete wherewith the King being offended and some lookers on iudging it Fatall as if that childe should ouerthrowe the King the Nurse to shew the childes want of wit put an hote coale to his mouth which hee streight licked with his tongue and so hurt his spéech But the Scripture telleth vs not any cause and therefore ignorance is best This rightly wee may note that God chooseth men in mans eies not so fit that his glory may more appeare and therefore take wee héede how wee censure our Calling for some defects since God could haue made Moses eloquent and did not In our owne Stories how M. Tyndall complained for want of vtterance wée sée and yet what a notable member and Martyr in Gods Church was hee 4. Lastly when these excuses serue not Moses breaketh out euen to an height of weakenes and prayeth him to send some other A strange thing that a
béene noted before this meditation may arise how Gods aduersaries séeke often to oppugne the truth by the selfe same meanes whereby he doth teach it As if Scripture be alleaged Sathan will doe the like if the true Prophets vse a signe then will Zidkia make him hornes to and say when went the spirit from me to thée All which God doth suffer to draw vs forward to true and sound knowledge without which wee cannot stand but shal be shaken to and fro with doubts and feares and wauering conceipts most vnfit for beléeuers The wordes of the Apostle calling vpon vs to be stedfast vnmoueable abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord. Not to he caried about with euery blast of vaine doctrine but to continue grounded and stablished in the saith not moued away from the hope of the Gospell c Saint Peter in like manner admonisheth to beware of being plucked away with the error of the wicked and of falling from stedfastnesse noting those that forsook the right way and followed the way of Balaam Labour we therefore to know how we stand and building vpon the rocke indéede though such iugâ—ing Sorcerers as these arise in the world and Apishly follow that course to subuert which Gods Ministers follow to strengthen yet they shall not shake vs but we patiently abiding a time setled vpon our true grounds the falshood shall appeare at last and all their follies be discouered in the end to the honour of God the glorie of his truth the comfort of his children and the confusion of such Egyptian Jugglers for euer Gamaliel could note it that Theudas had his time yet in the end fell with all his followers That Iudas of Galilie had his time and drew away much people after him but at last hee perished and the people were scattered Let not Gamaliel be wiser than we to obserue good things for his instruction 7 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said pray ye vnto the Lord that he may take away the frogges from me and from my people and I will let the people goe c. Why doth he not make his Wisemen take them away his Inchaunters and Sorcerers that could set a shew of making the like Could they cause frogges to come and not goe Or why doth he not call to his gods and Idols to helpe him to take them away Can none helpe him but Moses and Aaron by praying for him See then how the Lord when he pleaseth is able to force the wicked to the acknowledgment of him and his true Ministers and let it comfort vs in the middest of all contempts either of our God of our faith and religion or of our persons He can bring them downe that looke so coy by touches of bodie pinches in minde losses in goods and infinite waies And if therefore it please him a while to indure their pride we also must endure it and not grieue at it These exampels must be readie in our mindes euer when we sée such things Not long since this proud Pharaoh said WHO IS THE LORD But now he séeth and must confesse that there is no helpe but in this Lord. His Gods are weake and the frogs crawled in despight of them Moses therefore must pray to his God to helpe and take them away And who now but Moses Aaron with Pharaoh Ah wée despised Ministers by the proude worldlings let vs marke it and beare their coÌ„tempts In their extremities they shall acknowledge our callings iustifie our loue and wishe our prayers They shall stoupe they shall stoupe when our God pleaseth and it is inough Remember that great Nabuchadnezar how the Lord stouped him till hée should know that the Lord ruleth Pray pray for vs O Samuel said the stobborne Israelites when God would and so they came to him whom they erst neglected Men and brethren what shall we doe said they béeing touched that before thought much to be aduised by such men Ieroboam sendeth to the Prophet whose doctrine he would not follow and no worse a messenger than his owne wife and in his heart he acknowledgeth that truth is with him The great Turke in these daies will séeke the prayers of Christian-men when yet he fighteth against the truth that they embrace And many which at other times regard them not either going to sea or to battaile or béeing sicke and vexed at home will send and séeke for the prayers and comfort of Gods Ministers And what is this but a signe of Gods Omnipotent hand ouer all Pharaohs whatsoeuer and that he can reuenge our contempts and giue our truth and carefull walking in our places a due regarde and reuerence when he will with them and in them Let the swéetenesse of it ioy vs and make vs possesse our soules in patience Diues that rich glutton shal sée Lazarus right himselfe wrong one day 8 But why dooth Pharaoh now call rather than in the former plague for Moses and Aaron to pray Surely because this plague more nipped him than the former For when the riuers were blood he might haue wine to drinke and by that meanes not finde the smart so much See wee then howbeit other mens harmes should affect vs yet vnlesse the Lord touch our selues we are dull and dead without sense Which certainly maketh God reach vs a blowe many times when otherwise he would spare vs did we make good vse of our Brethrens harmes Applie therefore euer to your selfe Gods doings saying in your heart and why Lord am I not so also Doo not I also offend thée Father of Heauen and God of all mercie make me wise by other mens harmes and thankfull vnto thée that I am so schooled rather than with mine owne woe 9. Sée how readie Moses is to pray for Pharaoh when he biddeth him to appoint the time himselfe of his prayer and let it make vs thinke with our selues whether wee be thus harted to pray readily and willingly for Prince for Country for friends and familie yea let it open vnto vs what I feare is too true that in our liues scarce once we haue béene vpon our knées for any of these but euen goe on in a common course haling and pulling with the world all the wéeke long and on the Holiday goe to the Church rather for fashion than deuotion praying with lips not with heart a fewe words and then spending all the rest of the time either in sléeping or gazing or thinking of matters little belonging to God O that wee may profit by this readines in Moses to pray for such a wicked king Remember the Scriptures where you see how fathers and mothers haue gone to Christ for their children Maisters for their seruants and neighbours for their friends Christ is th 〈…〉 me and why should not we also be the same and Morning and Euening goe vnto God for our selues and ours as héere did Moses for Pharaoh 10. It may be moued for a question why
Pharaoh being offered to appoint the time himselfe appointed the next day saying To morrowe rather than presently the Frogges being so vgly and no place frée from them no not the Kings Chamber Who would not haue cryed now now euen forthwith pray that I may be deliuered from this plague rather than to haue stayed till the next day It is answered first that hee still doubted whether it was the Finger of God or an enchauntment and therefore was content to deferre the time to trie whether of it selfe it would passe away and so to discredite Moses and Aaron Such hollowe holes are in Hypocrites hearts when they séeme religious and carefull of Prayer or other good things Secondly héerein he shewed the nature of the wicked who not onely deferre their owne duties from day to day but as much as they can put ouer others also that offer good things vnto them as for example if a Preacher tender his seruice this Sabaoth he is tolde the next will be far more fit and if he come also the next Sabaoth then is either the Maister from home the Gentlewoman sicke the weather too hote or colde or some such thing that be Moses neuer so readie yet Pharaoh is not readie but cras cras to morrowe to morrowe is still the song till the Lord strike and all Morrowes end wee passing away to woe without end for our deferring That Moses taketh his owne time and saith Be it as thou hast said it is to teach him that at all times the Lord is the Lord his myracles no enchauntments but a powerfull working for his owne glory the gracious Deliuerance of his Church 11. Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh and Moses cried vnto the Lord concerning the Frogges c. Why went Moses forth might not hee haue stayed in the Court and haue prayed there God forbid but wee should thinke Courts to be places of prayer for such as haue a censcience in euery place to lift vp hands and heart to God yet would God also the hinderances and impediments so to doo in those places were fewer Surelie great Courtiers are found that a meaner place hath yéelded their hearts more heate to good things than those glistering places haue as sometimes a Country-house and sometimes a darke hole in a close prison Moses cried vnto the Lord saith the Text and prayer doth what neither doores nor lockes nor any strength or wit of man could doo the weapons of Gods children are such and so mightie The word of Crying noteth the vehemencie of Moses prayer against colde formalitie too common in most prayers It noteth not any loudnes of voice although that also be lawfull at times since the same Moses is said to crie in another place when hee spake not a word but from his inward Spirit Ezechias thus cried vnto his God and escaped both a mortall disease and the huge host of the Assyrians But what prayer can doo I hope you knowe and therefore goe no further 12. And the Lord did according to the Saying of Moses Sée the credite that Gods seruants haue with their mercifull God they aske and he giueth without any stop Can you thinke God heareth Moses alone no saith the Psalme God is neere vnto all that call vpon him yea to all all and euer remember it Hee will fulfill the desire of all them that feare him he will heare their crie and will saue them The Lord preserueth all them that loue him but he will destroy all the vngodly Wherefore my mouth shall speake the praise of the Lord and all flesh shall blesse his holy Name for euer and euer Daily experience sheweth the like and therefore as Moses héere euen despised Moses was stronger with his God and by his God than all Egypt to remoue a plague so shall wee euer be more strong than our enemies in what God shall sée vs fit to be enabled Wherefore one Moses is better for a kingdome than many others that are iudged to be of greater vertue c. 13. So the Frogges dyed in the houses in the townes and in the fields And they gathered them together on heapes and the Land stanke of them saith the Text. Had it not béene as easie for the Lord to haue taken them quite away assuredly to the Lord all was one but this was done to shewe the truth of the myracle that they were Frogges indéede no enchauntments thereby to méete with the vnbeléefe of the King and all his Courtiers who either openly in words or secretly in heart thought otherwise And by one meanes or other the Lord shall euer in his good time deliuer his truth from false surmises his faithfull Ministers from false imputations and write the wickednesse of Atheists and carnall men vppon their faces to their confusion Onely be wee patient to tarie his will to like of his way and be we assured we shall both sée his glory and receaue comfort 14. But when Pharaoh sawe that he had rest giuen him he hardned his heart and hearkened not vnto them as the Lord had said Sée the corruption of our nature if God worke not No sooner is the rod off but as the Dogge to his vomite and the Sowe to her myre so wretched man returneth to his olde bias and falleth to his former sinne againe When wee are sicke or distressed any way wee pretend repentance wee pray wee crie wee vowe and what not in shewe But forasmuch as all riseth from feare and not from loue it vanisheth againe as soone as the feare is past and the Deuill returneth with seauen worse than himselfe making our end more odious than euer our beginning was This hath béene touched before but yet euer marke it and feare it your selfe as you haue a care to please God For if you forsake God you can neuer blame God if hee forsake you and if after God hath giuen you rest you become retchlesse as Pharaoh was here then if as hee in the sea so you in eternall woe be drowned for euer you haue your desert and GOD is iust 15. The Frogge is as wee all knowe a foule filthie creature abiding in foule places as bogges and myrie plashes all the day long and at night péeping out with the head aboue the water making a hatefull noise with many others of his sort till the day appeare againe Wherefore Diuines haue thought that by these foule creatures fitlie might be resembled such croking Crues as hiding themselues all the day in an Ale denne or such like place of vncleanenes as soone as night commeth put out their heads and make a hatefull noise against Gouernours and Superiours neighbours and honest persons till all that heare them be wearie of them Which filthie Frogges the Lord assuredly will deale with all in his good time as here he did with these Egyptian Frogges namely kill them destroy them and make the stinch of them knowne to manie Till then let patience and
hardnes no it excuseth not because a man may sinne necessarily and yet not constrainedly but willingly which consent of will maketh him guiltie as in common experience you sée one in a great heate drinke necessarily in respect of heate yet not constrainedly but very willingly Looke not therefore at Gods secret Decrée but at mans willing approbation of what is euill And in this matter remember the modestie and reuerence of S. Paule when he saith O man who art thou that pleadest with God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus c. O the deepenes of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his Iudgements and his waies past finding out Remember also howe S. Augustine imitateth him in this vertue saying O man thou lookest for an aunswere of me and I also am a man my selfe therefore let vs both heare him that saith Who art thou that disputest with GOD Better is holy ignorance than rash knowledge Seeke thou for merit thou shalt finde but punishment O deepenes reason thou I will meruaile dispute thou I will beleeue and hee that liketh not of this answere let him séeke one more learned but take héede hee finde not one more presuming 3. That thou maist declare in the eares of thy sonne and thy sonnes sonne what things I haue done in Egypt c. A Notable place to teach vs as the end of Gods workes and wonders so the dutie and office of all Christian Parentes and Gouernours euen to teach their Children and Charge carefully and zealouslie by them and in them to knowe the Lord. The like place you haue againe in Deuteronomie These wordes which I commaund thee this day shall bee in thine heart And thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thoutariest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp c. Thus is God himselfe the Author of that Catechizing and instructing of youth in his holy feare and true Religion which so much is neglected in our daies and whereunto not onely youth who knowe not their owne good are hardly drawne but euen their elder Parents and Maisters are very vnwilling to haue them drawne But can the stubborne and headstrong contempt of so holy a Commaundement of him that made vs be euer vnpunished no no it both hath and euer shall haue his due correction both in those that should come and those that should send them and sée them come Parents Maisters Godfathers and Godmothers and the like Hence it commeth that children are often disobedient to their Parents wanton wilfull wicked and in the end die a shamefull death Parents can get for their Sonnes the Landlords Cloath thereby to haue countenance and aide in the world but they neuer cast nor care to get them Gods holy feare in their hearts who is Landlord of all Lands and Lords thereby to haue both the promise of this life and of that to come O blindnes doo we not sée how great and how foule how grosse and how sinfull if we doo let vs héereafter amend this fault and assure our selues that all the countenance in the world is not like his fauour that made both our posteritie and the world ruleth them and the world destroyeth them and the world Wherefore he promised it to Abraham as a thing aboue all the riches of the world that he would be his God and the God of his seede if he walked before him in vprightnes Follow this Meditation further in your owne minde and you shall finde it worke to a carefull course touching such as are committed to you 4. How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy selfe before me These wordes tell vs the drift of all crosses and afflictions in this life euen to bring downe the swelling pride of our sinfull hearts that yéelding God what is due to him we againe from him might reape mercie and goodnes more and more to our endlesse comfort for he would the contrary of the Storie in Genesis where for ten righteous if they could haue bene founde the whole Citie had bene saued Houses and whole kingdomes haue bene fauoured for one righteous man dwelling therein proofes are many both in Scripture all Stories Ioseph Daniel and such like 7 This spéech of Pharaohs seruants preuailed so farre that Moses and Aaron were sent for to Pharaoh and had an offer made them to depart if they would with some company but not with all vnto which Moses answered that they must néedes all goe Young and old Sons and Daughters sheepe and cattell orels none Wherein I profit thus by the graunt of Pharaoh of some to goe and not all I obserue the malice of Satan and his members against the Church and the true seruice of God if they cannot wholly destroy it hurt it and hinder it then in part as farre as they can they will doo it euer valuing much but a little gaine herein By the answere of Moses I obserue againe on the other side that we must not yéelde an inch to these plottes and fetches of the wicked but zealously must stand vpon the full obseruance of all Gods Will according to his commaundement and not according to the fancies either of others or of our selues Where the Lord dispenseth not wée must not dispense where al are bound to departe out of Egypt we must not capitulate for some to goe and some to tarrie Whereof would God men in our dais had due consideration where the Husband goeth to Church but not the wife the Father but not the Sonne the Seruant but not the Maister Moses would not doo thus in this place but knowing all to be bound requireth all leauing vs therein a fearefull assurance that this playing at halfe stake with the Lord as it is most odious to him so most dreadfully by him it will one day be punished 8. The wordes following in the eleuenth verse are not to be passed ouer without some profit Then they were thrust out from Pharaohs presence For they notably shew the too common entertainement of Gods messengers in this wicked world namely to be thrust out and very vnkindly entreated without any fault So were the Prophets and Apostles in their times yea the great Maister himselfe when they forcibly caried him toward the top of a mountaine with a purpose violently to haue cast him downe But let it comfort vs and shake the hearts of such wicked wretches euer that the very dust of our féete shall bee a witnesse for vs against them in the great day of iust iudgment and due reuenge for such sinne He that receaueth you receaueth me and he that refuseth and thrusteth you out refuseth and thrusteth me out Vengeance is mine and I will repay 9 By occasion of these Grashoppers sent in the wrath of God as a Plague to annoy the
away and their Deliuerance be wrought by a gracious GOD. Thus comforted Paule the Church in his time saying As Iannes and Iambres withstoode Moses so doo these also resist the truth But now marke they shall preuaile no longer for their madnes shall be euident vnto all men as theirs also was An end therefore will be of all troubles which these Locusts shall worke vnto the Church and Elect of God Fiue moneths is not long in respect of that eternitie which followeth and therefore in comfort be wee patient their time is set and they shall haue an end Againe this place may notably assure you and euery one that all which died in the time of Poperie were not cast-away but that at one time or other by one way or other the Lord gaue them light a holy departure in his truth and Stories tell vs how still in the time of darknes God raised vp some zealous and able Teachers of their brethren by whose ministerie and helpe many receaued light and ouercame the power of error Whereunto agrée the words of Primatius Illi hic intelliguntur qui licet falsis fuerunt irretiti doctrinis circa finem tamen vitae compuncti diuinam recipiunt veritatem They heere are vnderstoode who though they haue beene abused by false Doctrine yet in the end of their life hauing remorse they entertained the Heauenly truth The words following that in those dayes men shall seeke death and shall not finde it and shall desire to die and death shall flie from them verie effectually shew forth the tortures of conscience which Popish Doctrine casteth men into so well knowne by fearefull Examples as I néede not to stand vpon it Also the misteries of the Time wherein the Locusts should swarme fully expressed in Stories which indéede made many a man and woman wearie of life The little short time of Quéene Marie her Reigne how full it was of vexation and griefe is not nor cannot be forgotten Thirdly in the place of the Reuelation it is saide The forme of the Locusts was like vnto horses prepared vnto battell And sée how it resembleth Romish Locusts Horses are proud so are they Horses are bolde and sturdie fierce and cruell not turning backe but rushing forward so are they bold and bloodie sturdie and mercilesse not looking backe by repentance but rushing forward in hardnes of heart Horses are fat and faire and full of neighing so are they And for being prepared to battell all Histories shew what warres they haue caused and still doo in the world themselues being Leaders Captaines and Generals in them whereas wee knowe that the true Church of God by the Rule and Example of the Gospell ought to be a Daughter of peace not a Mother of debate A forgiuer of iniuries not a renenger of her selfe or a séeker of warres The Tragicall Storie betwixt Frederick the 2 and Gregorie the 9 may serue in steade of many to prooue what warres and treacheries come from Rome That horrible slaughter betwixt both sides of thirtie thousand the most Citizens of Rome whom will it not moue that readeth it This Pope was in the daies of Henry the 3 King of England The open warres proclaimed against the Gréeke Church shewe much But I will lay downe the very words of Pandolphus who wrote in Italian the life of this Frederick the 2 that such as haue not the Storie may sée this point fully and I pray you marke them well Truly saith He when I consider with my selfe that Christ whose Vicar the Romaine Bishops boast themselues to be said vnto his Disciples that they should follow him and imitate his Example as of their Maister and Teacher and commaunded them farther that they should not draw the sword but put the same into the scabbard and gaue them in precept that they should not onely forgiue iniuries 7. times but 70. times 7. times to those that offended them And when I now compare the liues of the Bishops of Rome how neere they follow him whose Vicars they say they are and consider so many and so great conspiracies treasons rebellions disloyalties lyings in waite and treacherous deuises so many Legates of the Popes being Ecclesiasticall persons which will needes be called the Sheepheards of Christ his Flocke to be such Warriours and Captaines of Souldiers in all the parts of Italy Campania Apulia Calabria being the Emperours Dominions in Picenum Aemilia Flaminia and Lumbardie to be sent against him Also when with my selfe I meditate the destruction of so many great and famous Cities the subuersion of such CoÌ„mon-weales the slaughter of so many men and the effusion of such Christian blood Lastly when I behold so victorious prosperous and fortunate Emperours to be and so many miserable infortunate vanquished Popes to be put to flight I am perswaded with my selfe to thinke and beleeue that the Iudgements of God are secret and marueilous and That to be true that Aeneas Siluius writeth in his Historie of Austria That there is no great and marueilous clade no notorious and speciall calamitie that hath hapned either to the Publique-weale or else to the Church of GOD whereof the Bishops of Rome haue not beene the Authors Add vnto this that Notable place in the Prophet Micah where speaking of Gods true Church it is saide they shall breake their swords into Mattocks and their speares into â—ithes that is their fierce affections shall by the power of the word be mortified and brotherly loue encreased with desire of peace and quietnes But these men euen contrarie breake their Mattocks into swords and their â—ithes into speares being so great so fierce so ambitions and common Warriours as they are The strange cruelties of Vrban the 5. making bloodie great warres vpon many and bringing them by force in subiection to him I omit These things shew how truly this Prophecie of the Apocalyps concerning Locusts like vnto horses prepared to battell agréeth to these Romish Locusts Popes Cardinals Legats Monkes Fryers Priests Iesuites and such like Nicholas Machiauel saith all the ruinous calamities and miserable clades that either Italy or whole Christendome hath suffered haue béene brought in by the Popes of Rome A faire warning to all Gods people to know them and auoide them Fourthly on their heads were as it were crownes like vnto gold And these haue Shauen Crownes tokens as they say of their Priestly and Kingly dignity Such Crownes are rightly said by S. Iohn to be like Crownes not Crownes indeede Surely right Notes they are of Romish Locusts and that may suffice as many as will be warned by any thing Fiftly And their faces were like the faces of men So are these not terrible in shew but curteous kinde fawning flattering watching catching with smooth wiles to effect their purpose They pretend all good making men beléeue that they can bring them to true Blessednes that they will teach them true Religion true Deuotion and giue them Pardon for
by reason knowledge so differeth one man from another by more more knowledge in this Booke Woe to those Teachers then that lull vs a sléepe and tell vs that Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion that giue vs not leaue either to reade or pray or doo any duty in a tongue that we know but like those cursed Scribes and Pharises those hypocrites shut vp the Kingdome of Heauen before men neither going in themselues nor suffering others that would enter to come in Let this now spoken make vs sée their fault and that miserie so to liue as also this most swéet blessing of knowledge now vouchsafed to vs by the mercie of God through the happy gouernment of his Annointed seruant our déere and dread Souereigne and sending vp to God our thankfull thoughts both for it and him and begging the continuance of both long and long vnto vs. 2. It followeth in your Chapter But all the children of Israel had light where they dwelt Which surely was a very admirable thing the houses of Egyptians and Israelites ioyning as it should séeme one close to another as ours in these daies doo For else why should the blood be striked vpon the doore posts of the Israelites for a signe to the destroying Angell where to kill and where to passe ouer if all the Israelites had dwelt by themselues and had not béene mingled with the Egyptians This minde was Gregory Nyssen of and therefore hee saith Nontantum in Gosen vbi cōmuniter morabantur sed cum inter Aegyptios promiscue etiam habitarent in hoc maximum miraculum Not onely in Gosen where onely Israelites for the most part dwelled but among the Egyptians being mingled and dwelling together the Israelites had light and the Egyptian darknes And heerein was the greatest miracle The good wee may take by this strange worke of GOD is first to learne how able our Heauenly Father is to make a separation betwixt his Children and the Wicked when he executeth wrath and Justice if his good pleasure be so to doo though they be in one field together in one house together and in one bed together yet can bee choose the one and refuse the other Wherefore true is that Saying of the Psalme If his wrath be kindled but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him Feare wee not then in the time of Plague of Warre or other Publique calamitie least we should perish with the wicked hand ouer head but remember this Place and say in your heart with comfort and faith O Lord my GOD and gracious Father I knowe thine able hand to make a separation if thou please in this calamitie betwixt thy poore Lambes and the Goates as thon diddest in that darknes betwixt the Israelites and Egyptians therefore I flie vnto thee in humble acknowledgement of my sinne and for him that had no sinne I begge that if thy good pleasure may bee so thou wouldest vouchsafe to saue mee from this Sword of thine to let the light of thy mercie and louing countenance shine about my dwelling as thy chéerefull light did about the Israelites So shall my soule and heart euer praise Thee and thanke Thee But if otherwise LORD and Father thy Will bee done and not mine onely in the world to come acknowledge mee as I doo not doubt but thou wilt and it shall suffice Secondly let this place be obserued as a very plaine Figure of that which wee sée amongst vs euery day At one house dwelt an Egyptian and it was all darke at the next an Israelite and it was all light so nowe at one house dwelleth a superstitious Recusant or a prophane Atheist and all is darke At the verie next house dwelleth a zealous Professour of the truth who readeth the Scriptures heareth them preached frequenteth the Sacraments and faithfully laboureth that himselfe with his whole Familie may liue according to the Word and héere is all light which shall leade to the light eternall with God and all his hoste when the good houre commeth God strengthen our hearts euermore in the loue of this light and make vs truly thankfull for these lightsome daies Amen 3. The couetousnes of this great Tyrant verse 24 shadowing the greedie mindes of all Persecutors The stoute care of godlie Moses to haue the Lords whole Will performed and not to rest in a part verse 25. 26. The fearefull driuing away of Moses from his presence shewing the rags of Tyrants towardes their end to bee greater and so comforting the godlie that when they sée the like they may knowe the time is not long and remembring vs what a dangerous thing it is to driue away Gods Ministers from vs with diuers other things in the ver 28. and 29. because I haue béeste too long in this Chapttrr I will leaue to your owne Meditation and so end héere CHAP. 11. There is nothing more common both in these Bookes of Moses and other Bookes of Scripture than to set that after which in precise order was to goe before so is it in this Place For what now is said in these first Eight verses of this Chapter by due order should be put before the 28. verse of the former Chapter which if you doo and bring in the 28. verse after those words in the 8. verse And after this I will depart then the 29. verse of the former Chapter will followe well and after that the end of the 8. verse of this Chapter to wit So he went out from Pharaoh very angry c. The chiefe Heads of this Chapter are these three 1. A Denuntiation of a new plague 2. An Admonition to the Israelites what to do 3. The Plague it selfe 1. COncerning the first it is contained as you sée in these wordes Yet will I bring one plague more vpon Pharaoh and Egypt And to make vse to our selues of it you that are acquainted by your priuate reading with the Course of the Scriptures very well knowe the manner of Gods dealing in this matter from the beginning to the end First how milde it was then how by degrées it encreased to sharper and sharper till the deliuerance of his Church and people were effected At the first he appointed Moses and Aaron with the Elders of Israel to goe to Pharaoh and to entreate him mildly and dutifullie saying The Lord God of the Hebrewes hath met with vs WEE PRAY THEE therefore let vs goe three daies iourney into the Wildernes that we may sacrifice vnto the Lord our God But this praying would not serue wherefore the Lord went néerer them by great and powerfull wonders yet by degrées touching them and not with the greatest at the first He caused Moses rod to be turned to a Serpent c. A thing that hurt them not yet in all reason should haue moued them Then he turned their waters into blood which did somewhat touch them After when that preuailed not hee annoyed them
Murder and such like be great sinnes and I will forbeare them but for my swearing my oppressing of my Neighbours my selling of my Benefices in my gift my negligence at Church and Sacraments and such like yee shall pardon me I know what is fit as wel as he Thus did Herod heare Iohn Baptist as I haue noted before in many things not in all things and namely not in the matter of Keeping his Brothers wife Now Herod and Pharaoh are but bad Exampels for a man to follow that hath any care of his soule And therefore rather fix your eye vpon that wish of God in Deut. O that there were such a heart in this people to feare me and to keepe All my commandements All All alway that it might goe well with them and with their seede for euer This is a better Example and he that thus wisheth hath Heauen in his right hand to giue it vs if we héede it and Hell in his left hand to cast vs into if we despise it Follow this meditation by your selfe farther and beware of restraining and limiting your duty to God but performe all obedience as the Lord shall inable you And if you faile in any thing let it be frailety in you not head-strong boldnesse for that is dangerous Remember also how Pharaoh here desired to be blessed of these men who erst were odious in his eies The same God can pull you downe and make you as glad of your Pastors prayer for you as you haue béene contented spitefully and malitiously to oppose your selfe against him Now is the time to thinke of these things so to vse the messenger of God as he may euer pray for you with an edge that is hartily and powerfully 4 They tooke-vp their dough before it was leauened and departed in haste The Lord knoweth euer what is best hast or leasure for his children and so be appointeth Lot was long before he would get-out of Sodom and his wife was worse than he We are all couetous and gréedie of these worldly matters and too loath to leaue them when we are called Wherefore the Lord in his great loue often preuenteth such weakenesse in vs by a suddaine and constrained haste Be it therefore euer vnto vs as he will for he is alwaies more carefull of our good than we can be Other things here mentioned haue bene touched before and therefore I passe them ouer The 3. part 1. THeir departure now out of Egypt is the 3. general Head of this Chap. concerning which it is said that They tooke their iourney from Ramases to Succoth c. This is that Rameses which you read of in Genesis 47. ver 11 Where Ioseph placed his father and his bretheren The number also is set downe about six hundered thousand men of foote beside children A most wonderfull increase from 70. Soules which were all that came into Egypt And most effectually it sheweth vs how able the Lord is to increase his Church notwithstanding all the malice of man Deuill whatsoeuer Gen. 12. 21. Gen. 15. 5. I will multiply thy seede as the sand of the Sea and we sée the truth of it A multitude also of sundry sorts of people went with them following the prosperity hoped for in the Israelites who they saw were not touched with the plagues of Egypt and rightly shadowing what after fell out and euer will that Christ shal be followed of many for the loaues and his Gospell embraced for the prosperitie and peace that often he vouchsafeth vnto it Yet no doubt some follow it for Religion and Truth sake c. 2 Their time of aboad in Egypt is here said to be foure hundred and thirty yeeres which how it is to be reckoned from the Promise sée Genesis 15. Actes 7. 6. Galathians 3. 17. and see Interpreters by name Calasius who reckoneth euery yéere in particular Note we and alwaies remember that so carefull was the Lord of his promise as When the 400. and thirty yeeres were expired the selfe same day they departed euen the selfe same day Euer it may comfort vs in our spirituall feares and conflicts that certainely the Lord will neuer faile in any promise but euen dayes and howers of comfort fit for his Children as they are knowne to him so are they obserued of him most mercifully most gratiously and most precisely Why then should not I dust and ashes tarrie his good leasure in assured hope and in peace of Soule waiting for the good houre but I must needes tye the Lord to my time and to my will or els I faint I fall I speake or thinke amisse That the Lord regardeth me not but hath forgotten me and forsaken mee and all that Sathan my sworne-Enemy suggesteth is true O doo it not any more neither euer wrong your gratious Father and déere God so much who you sée breaketh not with these Israelites one day but the very selfe same day deliuereth them which was apointed 400. yeares before God strengthen vs for his Son sake for we are weake but he is faithfull for euermore 3 Some other circumstances touching the Paschal Lamb are héere noted in the end of this Chapter omitted before namely That only such as were circumcised might eate of it so figuring that of the true Passeouer Christ Iesus they onely can be partakers hauing their hearts circumcised and purged by faith c. And being circumcised seruants might eat shewing that bond and frée are alike accepted of God That it must be eaten in one house signified that out of the Church Christ is not to be found Not a bone must be broken which was fulfilled in our Sauiour Christ as was touched before yet héere remember Theodorets wordes Ossa conterunt Agni qui male intelligentes eloquia Diuina ad suam impietatem illa detorquere conantur They may be said to breake the bones of the Lamb who ill vnderstanding the holie Scriptures go about to wrest them to their impieties One Law must be to him that is borne in the Land to the stranger that dwelled among them which signified that whosoeuer vnto the worlds end will liue in the Church he must and ought to be gouerned by the Lawes of the Church Finally The obedience of the people héere mentioned in all things to Moses and Aaron teacheth vs the like obedience euer to Magistrate and Minister ouer vs which the better we performe the more assured may we be that we are true Israelites Thus may this Chapter profit vs in Gods blessing CHAP. 13. The generall Heads of this Chapterare chiefely these 1. The Sanctification of the first-borne to the Lord. 2. By what way the Lord led them 3. The Signes of direction vouchsafed to them COncerning the first The Paschall Lamb as hath béene shewed was a liuely remembrance of the Lords passing ouer their houses and not slaying their first-borne as he did the Egyptians yet doth God héere againe institute for an other
such a God Outward signes shall goe with inward truth that both outwardly and inwardly I may doo my dutie As I am glad that men sée his goodnes to me so thinke I it fit they should also behold my dutie to him I publish the one I will not hide the other I am glad of the one and farre be it from me to be ashamed of the other Dauid speaketh of the great Congregation and I will sing in the middest of his people 5. To whom To the Lord will I sing who is the fountaine not to my selfe and my wit to my friends and my Fortune to my bagges my baggage or any other thing No Creature with mee shall rob him of his right but to the Lord will I sing And why For hee hath triumphed gloriouslie the horse and him that rode on him hath Hee ouerthrowne in the Sea He He hath done this for me for vs c. The Lord is my strength and praise and hee is become my saluation Some put their trust in Chariots and some in Horsemen but wee will remember the Lord our God Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and with draweth his heart from the Lord. Thus for men to be a meanes to stirre vp women and one woman to stirre vp another Fathers to moue their Children Mothers their Daughters Maisters their Seruants and friends their friends what a comfort is it where God graunteth it Their Timbrels their daunces were according to the manner of those parts a graue and modest going in order with Songs and signes of ioy no light nor wanton leaping neither men and women together as in the commaundement against Adulterie hath béene shewed She is called Aarons sister because Aaron was the elder brother yet she was Moses sister also The 2. part 1. THese thinges thus ended concerning the Thankes-giuing from the Red-sea they went into the Wildernes of Shur and in three daies trauell they found no water afterwards they found some but it was so bitter they could not drinke it A newe triall of their Faith and patience and wee may well Note in it the course of the life of a childe of God in this world euen to passe from triall to triall and still to be tried one way or other That through many tribulations at length hee may enter into the Kingdome of God and after many fights receaue that Crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous Judge shall giue at that day vnto all them that so haue finished their course in Faith and loue his appearing In those hote Countries the want of water is a greater affliction than else where and yet great is the want of it any where But when they had found it to haue it so bitter was crosse vnto crosse making Moses wordes true God tooke vnto him a people by signes and wonders by warre and might by a stretched out arme by great feare and nowe marke BY TEMPTATIONS Yet should all haue béene endured patiently hauing such Tokens of his care for them But alas sée what followeth 2. Then the people murmured against Moses saying what shall we drinke Who would haue thought it possible so soone after such a glorious Deliuerance for such infirmitie to shew it selfe againe But this is man both to God and his Ministers as soone as any contrarie winde bloweth against him Truly therefore saide the Lord of vs That our wickednes is great in the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts onely euill continually Let it strike vs and humble vs that no man thinke he is supported For certainly this is our mold to murmure euer when we are displeased Let the Mininister of God obserue this Nature and be prepared for the like in his people if occasion serue Moses was a great man and full of all iust matter of high reuerence with his Flocke yet we sée how he is dealt with As soone as any thing toucheth them WHY WHY and WHAT WHAT still flying vpō him with their venomed words of bitter impatiencie and he must answere for all the trials it pleaseth God to lay vpon his Church or any member thereof A fitter course it had béene for a people so taught with passed fauours to haue assured themselues of future helpes in Gods good time and with patience and Faith to haue expected the same assuring themselues that he neuer had done so great things for them to giue them ouer in any néede This is therefore their great fault and let it profit vs neuer to offend so But to looke vpon Dauid that good Patterne who reasoned soundly and comfortably That he which had deliuered him from the Beare and the Lyon would also saue him from that vncircumcised Philistime to looke also vpon S. Paule who maketh the same Argument that God did deliuer him doth deliuer him and héereafter will deliuer him assuredly This this is the right way To remember how many baskets full of broken meate were taken vp and neuer to feare any want where such a powerfull God is To remember what God hath done for mee and to make that an argument both of my prayer and hope as Dauid doth when he saith Thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble haue mercie vpon me and helpe me As for murmurings and repinings faintings fearings they offend God they grieue his Minister they shame our selues they offend the Church and no way can they profit vs be they neuer so violent bitter Blessed Iobs Spéech therefore is a blessed practise for euery good man woman If the Lord should kill me yet will I put my trust in him 3. What doth poore Moses thus grieued againe with a peruerse People surely againe he runneth to his God and crieth to him And this still is the refuge of the poore Minister and of all those that feare him Use it and kéepe it God is not as man to be wearie and thou shalt finde the fruite of it as Moses did againe in this place For vpon this his crying the Lord shewed him a Tree which when hee had cast into the waters they were sweete and the people dranke of them with great contentment to their fill Hath not GOD then an issue for euery temptation if wee would expect it Are not the Cries of his Seruants heard and doo not they crie to him when others murmure against him Marke all these things with your selfe and be the better for I passe them ouer with this pointing at them And for this tree which being cast into the waters made them sweete take it for a most Excellent Figure of Iesus Christ our Sauiour by whom all bitter affliction is made sweete and the sowre curse of the Lawe condemning all men without him quite and cleane taken away For who is able either to endure the crosse or to taste of the Lawe without Christ yet in him and by him both are sweete
knowest that victorie is gotten rather by the faith of the Emperour than by the valour of the Souldiers Both together fight strongly against all foes and forces as you sée And in this place I pray you well note what followeth 5. And when Moses helde vp his hand Israel preuailed but when hee let his hands goe downe Amalech preuailed Thus shewed the Lord to all posteritie and succéeding ages the force of holy prayer in battell or else-where Surely surely it is euer with the Lord a preuailing power as shall be good for the parties vsing it Is any sicke amongst you saith S. Iames let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him c. And the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp and if he hath cōmitted sinnes they shall be forgiuen him For the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent Elias was a man subiect to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not raine it rayned not on the earth for three yeeres and six moneths And he prayed againe and the Heauens gaue raine the earth brought forth her fruit Agréeable héereunto is that great commendation of prayer in Sirach Hee heareth the prayer of the oppressed He despiseth not the desire of the fatherlesse nor the widowe when shee poureth out her prayer Doo not the teares runne downe the widowes cheekes and her crie is against him that causeth them for from her cheeks they goe vp to Heauen the Lord which heareth them doth accept them He that serueth the Lord shall be accepted with fauour and his prayer shall reach vnto the clouds The prayer of him that humbleth himselfe goeth through the clouds and ceaseth not till it come neere and will not depart till the most High haue respect thereunto to iudge righteouslie and execute iudgement c. As Dauids Harpe wrought when the euill spirit vexed Saul saith a learned man so shall thy hartie and zealous prayer quiet thy troubled minde in all distresses and comfort thy heart in all assaulting feares Wilt thou be raysed vp saith Another then first cast thy selfe downe in feruent and humble prayer For no man is raysed that first is not downe Ioshua by prayer obtained to haue the Sunne stand still that hee might haue day enough to slay the enemies of the Lord. In the host of M. Aurelius a companie of Christian Souldiers by prayer obtained rayne when all the host was like to perish for want of water They also obtained thunderbolts to bee throwne from Heauen in the faces of their foes and thereon had a name giuen them of the same Oratio oranti subsidium Deo sacrificium Diabolo flagellum Prayer therefore to him that prayeth is a helpe to God a sacrifice and to the Deuill a whippe But sée our corruption If wee receaue not what wee pray for at the first asking wee faint and cease our praying streight not remembring how often wee vse a medicine for the body before wee can bee whole how manie strokes an Oake must haue before it will fall and how we ouer and ouer againe and againe plough our land and delue our Gardens to reape and gather fruite from them Let vs then amend this fault in our prayer héereafter and neuer forget the force of true and godlie prayer in time Whilest Moses held vp his hands that is continued praying so long Ioshua and the Israelites whō he prayed for preuailed But when he gaue ouer the enemie preuailed Thus shall it be in your case and in my case and all others that be troubled 6. But Moses hands were heauie therefore they tooke astone and put vnder him and hee sate vpon it And Aaron and Hur stayed vp his hands the one on the one side and the other on the other side so his handes were steadie vnto the going downe of the Sunne And Ioshua discomfited Amalech with the edge of the sworde This heauinesse of Moses handes may teach vs the weakenes of all flesh in Christian exercises Wee cannot holde out and continue as we ought but heauines and dulnesse will steale vpon vs and séeke to coole vs and hinder vs. The helpe that Aaron and Hur performed vnto him may teach us the benefit of Christian companie in such holy exercises and the néedefull dutie of praying for him that prayeth for vs that God would be with his spirit that is strengthen him and quicken him and ayde him so to pray so to continue his prayers as the end may be to his glorie and our comfort In regard whereofour Booke of Common prayer hath that answere And with thy spirit The outward gesture may héere also be noted which you shall finde in the Scriptures to be diuers Salomon knéeled Ezekias turned to the wall Christ fell prone vpon his face the Publican knocked vpon his breast and héere Moses lifteth vp his hands All which gestures please God as long as they arise from zeale and truth within and are not hypocriticall And what the Custome of the Church wherein we liue establisheth and vseth wise peaceable persons will kéepe and follow 7. Lastly the Lord commaundeth them to write this for a remembrance in a Booke And Moses built an Altar c. All this hath vse to tell vs howe carefull wee must be in keeping a Register in our hearts of Gods mercies and fauours towards vs in our selues in our friends in our Countrie in our Magistrates and Ministers or any way The point hath béene touched héeretofore when we spake of Manna and therefore I passe it ouer nowe but I pray you remember Examples in this case and followe them Deborah Iudith Hester Anna Mary Toby the one cleansed Leaper that returned to giue thanks the Israelites when they passed ouer the Red Sea c for all these built Altars in their hearts for Gods fauours by being truly and feruently thankfull The earth rendreth the Husbandman her fruite for his paines bestowed on her so doth the Horse and Oxe their labour for the meate which they haue giuen them How much more should man remember what he receaueth and be thankfull to his good God But I stay héere These thinges may yéeld you a taste of the vse of this Chapter if you will now reade ouer the Text againe and obserue the particulars for what is my desire but to worke a liking of reading the Text by shewing some fruite which we may receaue when we are destitute of better teaching CHAP. 18. In this Chapter we haue two generall Heads The comming of Iethro to his sonne in law Moses And the appointing of more Iudges to heare causes 1. COncerning the first the Text saith When Iethro the Priest of Midian Moses Father in law heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people and howe the Lord had brought Israel out of
children of Israel c. Secondly an argument drawne from the former benefits of God to them in these words Yee haue seene what I did to the Egyptians and how I caried you vpon Eagles wings and haue brought you vnto me Thirdly an Argument from future benefits If you will heare my voice indeede and keepe my couenant then you shall be my chiefe treasure aboue all people though all the earth be mine Yee shall be to me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation All which if you will applie vnto your selfe and make vse of them then may you in like sort euer stir vp your hart and prepare your minde to good things in this sort and by the selfe same Arguments As for Example to goe to the Church and to ioyne with the Congregation both in prayer hearing of the word preached First because it is not mans Cōmandement but God requireth the Minister to call speake to you for it as here he did Moses Secondly the fauours of God passed to you require it Thirdly future fauors if you do it shal be added vnto you It is also worthy marking still how he ioyneth here hearing keeping together saying If you will heare my voyce indeede and keepe my couenant Keepe without hearing you cannot hearing without keeping will neuer profit you or any Joyned therefore you sée they must néedes be as the Lord shall make vs able Moses doing as God bad him teacheth all Ministers to bee faithfull and to doo their Message Many are the Commaundements in Scripture to them to speake to crie to lift vp their voyces like trumpets and to tell their people what God requireth If they doo it great is their reward with God and if they bee false and idle and negligent men-pleasers and time-seruers as great againe is their iudgement Grandis est dignitas sacerdotum grandis est ruina si peccant Great is the dignitie of Priests by their office and as great is the fall of them if they offend It can neuer be too often repeated nor too much remembred The peoples aunswere to Moses what is it They answered all together and said all that the Lord hath commaunded wee will doo A most notable patterne for a Christian congregation to looke vpon and to followe Thus should it be betwixt Pastor and People euer Hee to speake what God commaundeth and they to heare answere zealously we will we will doo what God commandeth vs. O swéete ioy where this agreement is Such care and such conscience both in pastor and people will giue no place to iarres and contentions to sutes and vexations or to any thing that displeaseth God and is offensiue to the world c. 2. The particular preparation followeth frō the 9. verse to the end of the Chapter hauing 4 members First the maner of Gods Communicating of himselfe to Moses namely in a thick cloud together with the end thereof that the people may heare whilest I talke with thee and that they may beleeue thee for euer A singular instruction to all men in the world that desire to please God and especially to Great Ones shewing them how carefull they should be to grace and countenance the Ministers of the word before the people to the end their wordes may haue more weight with their hearers and their seruice and paines doo more good Would men doo thus O how comfortable to the painfull and faithfull Teacher and how profitable to the Church would it bee The Lord would sée it and acknowledge it done for him and with eternall comforts reward it for euer But now it is otherwise with too many For Great men must shewe their greatnes in disgracing the Lords Prophets and meaner men must shewe their malice in spreading false rumors of their spirituall Teachers in open assemblies and priuate conuenticles motes are made mountaines and spots surmised where none are Neuer I thinke since the world was did mens eares so itch and their hearts so boile in this sinne as at this day But what shall wee say Surely euen turne to the Lord in prayer and comfort our selues in this example of the Lords goodnes who as hee is not Moses his God alone nor Moses alone his messenger so will not he tye his countenance onlie to him but giue euery true labourer in his good time his due credite notwithstanding all the malice of man and Deuill O Lord doo it for thy Name sake and as thou gracedst héere Moses that hee might euer be beléeued so couuert or confound these Disgracers of thy Ministers whose iniquitie tendeth to hinder Beleefe and consequentlie to destroy the soules of thy poore people Encrease the number of them that followe thy example and labour by all meanes to further thy worke in the hands of thy workemen Set a Crowne of glory vpon their heads and dailie reward their loue into their bosomes with thy good blessings vnto them and theirs 3. The second branch of this particular preparation is laid downe in the 10. verse and the rest following to the 16. consisting in certaine outward matters vsed in those times among those people and figuratiuely teaching inward puritie and cleanenes of heart to come to God with all As washing of their cloathes not comming at their wiues and such like The Ceremonies are taken away but the truth remaineth namely that we are all by our corruption most vnfit profitably to heare the word of God vnlesse we be sanctified and prepared thereunto by the good Spirit of God And therefore we ought to make readie for so holy a worke by all due care before hand to purge our hearts from other cares troubles and impediments whatsoeuer The word of GOD is not to be handled with vncleane hands neither will enter into vncleane hearers It is a precious pearle it should not be cast before Swine For this cause assuredly many heare and reade without profit because they came without feare and reuerence in their mindes This abstaining from their wiues noteth no impuritie in holy Matrimonie but by this particular figuratiuely teacheth a godly abstinence from all worldly pleasures whatsoeuer in generall for a time that wee may more fully attend the seruice of God wee goe about vpon speciall occasion To which end the Apostle Paul also requireth the like by consent for a time to giue themselues to fasting and prayer and then to come together againe that they be not tempted of Sathan to incontinencie Thomas Aquinas himselfe could say thus of it Hoc ex sepeccatum non erat sed multa tunc ad carnis munditias exigebantur quae iam non sunt necessaria quia lex uostra spiritualem munditiam requirit non carnis This was not a sinne of it selfe but many things were then required to the outward clensing of the flesh which are not now necessarie because our lawe requireth spirituall cleanenes not an outward of the flesh onely c. 4. The markes that
foorth Read you the text and marke euerie particular thing as it is expressed For exposition whereof you may know that first this Arke was an out-ward signe vnto that people of God his presence amongst them and therfore as in other things the name of the thing signified is attributed to the signe so is it in this For you read Dauids words so when he sent to fetch the Arke of God WHOSE NAME IS CALLED BY THE NAME OF THE LORD OF HOSTES THAT DVVELLETH BETVVEEN THE CHERVBIMS And in the Booke of Numbers when the campe remooued they spake to it as to God Vp Lord and let thine enemies be scattered c. Secondly as men are apt and prone to abuse outward signes and Sacraments tying God to them and too much trusting in them so did the Israelites abuse this Arke For in the time of Heli that Priest when they had war with the Philistines and were put to the worse streight way they sent for the Arke out of Shiloh and alledge this reason That it might saue them out of the hands of their enemies And when it came into the host they shouted a mightie shout so that the earth rang againe when God was not tied to the Arke but could be present with them without it neither could the outward matter of the Arke profit them So abuse some men that words of the Scripture as of S. Iohn his Gospel hanging thē about their necks and putting trust in that outward words whereof S. Chrysostom much complaineth if that be his work vpon Mathew which is ascribed to him Thus in our time is the Sacrament of the Lords bodie abused by carying the outward signes vp down on horsback foot and giuing that to the signe which is proper to the thing signified Thirdly for that Name you may obserue it is called the Arke of the Couenāt the Arke of the Testament the Arke of the Testimonie The reason because in this Arke was the law kept written in the two tables which law is called the book of the Couenāt Exo. 24. 7. or the Testament of God Psal 78. 10. or the Testimonies of God ps 119. Blessed are they that keep his Testimonies I haue had as great delight in the way of thy Testimonies as in all maner of riches And in this Chapter Thou shalt put in the arke the Testimonie which I shal giue thee v. 16. for the like cause also shall you read the whole Tabernacle called the Tabernacle of the Couenant or of the Testimonie because it contayned this Arke wherein the lawe was Fourthly for the significatiō some make this Arke a figure of Christ and resemble it thus The wood wherof the Ark was made was Sittim wood a durable and lasting wood not subiect to wormes and corruption as other wood is so representing and shadowing the humanitie of Christ whose bodie in the graue felt no corruption or putrifaction as other mens flesh and bodies doe neither was subiect to sinne That wood was ouerlaid with pure gold both within and without so shadowing out the diuine nature of Christ vnited to his manhood the incomprehensible excellencie whereof wee haue nothing heere in earth more precious than Gold to resemble and yet euen in that no comparison The crowne of gold that went about it shadowed the Maiestie of his kingdome of which so great things are spoken in the Scripture The Ringes and the Barres by which the Arke was carried were shadowing figures of the preaching of the Gospell by which Christ is caried borne from place to place through the world as his owne diuine will shall appoint The Barres remained euer in the Rings might not be taken out so figuring that preaching Christ must not be seuered but euer be together Wherefore whosoeuer teacheth preacheth mans merits as eyther wholly or partly the cause of saluation y◠Preacher Teacher pulleth the Barres out of the Rings seuereth them from the Arke a thing forbidden vnlawfull offending God hurting eternally the partie so doing without vndeserued mercie The Arke must be carried onely by the Leuites and not by euerie Tribe so is there a calling still to the preaching of the word and euerie man indifferently may not do it those Leuites were able to carrie the Arke and so should men called to the Ministerie be able to preach in some measure though not in like measure as neither had the Leuites like bodily strength neither had like burdens imposed vpon them They were also willing and carefull to do what they were able and commaunded to do and certainly euen so should it be in preaching power and paines should goe to gether otherwise the sinne is as great now as it should haue béen then in that kind of bearing that material Arke the figure and shadow of Christ and of this bearing of him before our brethren if it had béene then neglected eyther for want of strength or will Hence are the Ministers called the pillars of the Church A thing not so deepely considered of many Ministers as it should and as I pray God make it to be To the calling we come of carying the Arke but from the paines many runne and let the Arke alone It will not euer be borne of a iust God and therefore happie he that returneth soonest to his office This Arke as hath beene said was a signe of Gods presence so that when the Arke was there God was thought to be there but how much more is Iesus Christ the cause that God is present with vs from whom our sinne had so seuered vs as where we were hee would not bee and where hee was wee could not be In this Arke was the lawe to shadow how Christ for vs should vndergoe the lawe satisfie and fulfill it in all points and so free and deliuer vs from it There was the pot of Manna shadowing that Christ should be the true bread from Heauen nourishing to eternall life all those that faithfully feede vpon him And thirdly there was Aarons rod that budded so to represent the Priesthood of Christ for euer after the order of Melchisedech and his Resurrection who being dead liued againe as Aarons rod dead and drie budded and bare againe Finally where the Arke was there was it lawfull to serue God and not in euerie place and where Christ is there is the Church and without him no seruice nor labour acceptable in whom and by whom only we can please What an excellent figure then was this Arke of Christ and how rightly though some-what obscurely for so then it pleased God to deale did it lay before the Iewes their future Messiah Others haue made it a figure of the Church and followed the application that way As for the name the Arke as you haue heard was called the Arke of his Couenant and what is the true Church but the people of his Couenant that is a peculiar flocke and companie chosen of God with whom he
shall heare God that deceiueth not speake vnto you knowing that as these people of the Iewes were tied to the Propitiatorie so are we now to Christ in his word The Table of the Shew bread 1 THou shalt also make a table of Shittim wood of two cubits long c. The building and parts you must read in your Bible This Table againe was a third figure of Christ who is propounded of God to his Church as a table furnished with all dainties and contents Nothing is wanting in him that we can want and is good for vs to haue but aske and you shall haue seeke and you shall finde He is the riches of God to all that beléeue in him The Shew bread vpon this Table represented the word and the preaching of the same whereby as by bread man is fed strengthened and continued aliue The one thus worketh to his bodie the other effecteth it to his soule A great blessing is the one a farre greater is the other And therefore labour not for the meat which perisheth saith our Sauiour Christ but for the meate which indureth to eternall life c. It was called Shew bread because it alwaies shewed it selfe before God For it was not lawfull to remooue the olde before they brought and placed their new and so it neuer wanted vers 30. In Hebrew the bread of faces because it euer stood before the face of God as a continuall remembrance of the twelue Tribes of Israell The being of it continually figured how preaching ought to be continuall 2 When as the Israelites did eate of the same wheate whereof the Shew bread was made the same being of the first fruites of their corne offered they were thereby admonished by type and sigure to eate and drinke euer as if they sate before God and were his guestes And that the bread meate whereon they fed was in some sort holy and consecrate to God to be vsed therefore soberly and reuerently The like good meditation may we haue at this day although we haue not the same Ceremonie For whose are all the creatures we vse for the refreshing of our bodies but the Lords And should we then abuse them riotously prophanely wastfully and wickedly as many do The fault is manifest the truth and right is as manifest Such as be Gods will note it and amend it if there be any fault giuing thanks both before and after for such goodnes as we little deserue and vse them well 3 Thou shalt also make dishes to set the bread vpon for it and incense-cups and couerings and goblets c. Deseruedly was that Bishop commended which solde the holy vessels in the time of famine to relieue the poore with the money and excused himselfe to the Church That because GOD neyther eateth nor drinketh therefore hee needeth no dishes nor cups But to haue said thus in the time of these Ceremonies and by that pretext to haue robbed the house of GOD of those things had not beene well For euerie thing hath his proper time As then to take them away being commaunded for Types and figures had béene euill so now to bring them in without commaundement and to kéepe figures when the truth and bodie is come is also vnlawfull Which might yéeld a sober minde due contentment against the idle and superfluous furniture of Popish Churches neither to desire it when it is wanting nor to like it whē it is present Neither is the Church now in her infancie nor true beléeuers in their minoritie but shadows are gone Christ is come his true worshippers worship him in spirit and truth Moses and the Prophets are read and preached mens hearts are opened by the holy Ghost in the ministerie of the word being powerfull and strong Good life is sought and sinne is reprooued Prayers are offered vp vnto God in a tongue vnderstood the Sacraments administred dulie according to their Institution this is a blessed beautie in a Church though there be neither Gold nor Siluer shining vpon the walles The truth and comfort of conscience shining within vs is far more excellent c. The Candlesticke ALso thou shalt make a Candlestick of pure gold of work beatē out with the hammer shal the Candlestick be made his shaft and his branches his bowles and his knops and his flowers shal be of the same Six branches shall come out of the sides of it c. A fourth figure of Christ is this Candlesticke and of other good things also taught by it mystically As first the whole Candlestick beeing an instrument of light noteth out fitly that euen so Christ is the light of his church which light of his in his holy Scriptures he proposech continuallie to Men Women that will reade them The Heathens Pagans had their Religion but because they had not this Candlesticke Christ therefore they had no light but were vaine in their thoughts and their foolish hart was ful of darknesse They turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and of birds and foure footed beastes and of creeping things They turned the truth of God into a lye and worshipped and serued the Creature forsaking the Creator c. The Faithfull haue this Candlesticke and therefore their Religion is true they haue light and know what they worship Their actions and manners also are directed aright for they are made to sée what truly pleaseth what truly displeaseth not following their owne imaginations and willes dooing what séemeth good in their owne eyes but what God hath commanded that doo they 2 The Candlesticke was in the Sanctuarie or Church and the light of the Word whereby Christ shineth should be in the Church that all the congregation thither comming might sée and receiue the comfort of it This is the true beautie of a Church indéede as hath bene saide and therefore either their ignorance or their malice was monstrous who set Candlestickes of Gold and Siluer and Shining brasse in their Churches but could not abide the word vnlesse it were in a strang tongue all light but that light was regarded banners and pictures and silkes and smelles and all beautie but not the Scriptures Therefore séeing they had not the true Candlesticke Christ in his Word giuing light their glorie was vanitie and their light was grosse and grieuous darknesse 3 The Candlesticke as you sée in the picture of your Bible had an vpright stemme and six branches issuing out three on either side of the stemme The stemme represēted Christ from whom all light groweth euen as the six brāches come from the stemme The branches are set in the stemme and so are all that giue light set in Christ The branche saith our Sauiour cannot beare fruite of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me I in him
to amend their light from a good heart to haue all well although they so may profit the lights accidentallye yet their owne fingers may be so burned or blacked as they had better haue dealt more charitably Disputations also haue their excellent vse to cléere matters obscure in the doctrine or light of the Church but so that they be rightlie ordered guided not béeing a strife of words whereof commeth enuie and raylings Neither froward disputations of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of truth whereof the Apostle speaketh and biddeth Timothie auoide them Both these good vses and their contrary abuses we may draw from the matter of the Snuffers which was pure gold so to teach that neither men exercising discipline to remooue darknesse and amend the light should be brasse or iron wood or worse nor disputations and explications diuers differing from the matter of the Candlesticke but both of golde the one brotherly affected and méekely minded the other true right naturall agréeing with the bodie of the Scripture with the proportion of faith and the consent of the godly members of the Church in their times Such Snuffers and snuffing wée shall euer praise God for as heartelie intreate him on the contrarie side to remooue away malice rage from vexing his poore seruants and fruitlesse contentions corrupt glosses from hurting or hindering his holy doctrine the true lampe that lighteth vnto him Thus may this Chapter profit vs if we reade it ouer and yet abstaine frō too bold wading into allegories of euery particular thing as some haue done both in times of old since not without danger and deserued blame A measure is fit and that nothing bee vrged against Faith For of the two Rules in these things to be obserued the first is as S. Paul teacheth vs That he which hath prophecie prophecie according to the proportiō of faith that is so expound things as nothing disagree from the Articles of our faith which is a short Summe of all doctrine This did not Origen obserue and therefore in all succéeding ages he still carieth a blame The secōd Rule is out of the old Prouerb The safest way is the best way The safest way is that wherein the Prophets or Apostles haue gone before who albeit they doo not euer at large fellow an allegorie yet many times they point their fingers at some giuing so the diligent Reader occasion to note more So in Esay the Storie of Gideō is referred to Christ and his Church And in S. Paul that of the paschal Lamb of Moses vayle of Abrahams two wiues the free-woman and the bond-woman of the propitiatorie c. CHAP. 26. THE former Chapter hath shewed GOD his purpose to haue a Sanctuarie or Tabernacle made and what offering to that end hee required now will this Chapter goe forward with the description of the same in what order things were placed in it To the description belong the first thirtie verses and to the order the other last seauen verses Touching the Tabernacle these things you may marke the first couering consisting of ten curtaines of fine twyned linnen and blew silke and purple and scarlet with Cherubims of broidered worke wrought as you sée in the picture of your Bible of which speake the first sir verses Then the 2. couering made of curtaines of Goates haire and spoken of from the beginning of the seuenth verse vnto the fourtéenth vpon which was put a couering of rammes skinnes coloured red and a third couering of Badgers skinnes aboue that againe all to defend the weather and to kéepe the Tabernacle drie Lastly a frame of boordes to support all these couerings and to make it a house for God and his people to méete in from the fifteenth verse to the thirtie Concerning the order of things laide down in the last seuen verses you must note that in this Tabernacle there were three distinct places or roomes First the outward Court as they called it wherein the people were where stood the Brazen Altar and the Lauer of which you reade in the next Chapter which roome was as the bodies of our Churches Secondly a place within that seuered from it wherein the Priests onely were in which roome stoode the Golden Altar of Incense the Table of the Shew-bread and the Golden Candelsticke This was called the Holy Place and it was as our quires Thirdly there was a roome within that againe seuered also by a vayle wherein did stand the ARKE couered with the Mercie seate or propitiatory and the golden Censer was there kept Chap. 40. This was called the most holy place into which the High Priest but once a yéere entered and that with blood This was resembled in the Popish time as I take it by drawing a Curtaine crosse ouer the quire and so parting the vpper end of the quire from the rest which as I remember was done by them in Lent Thus was the matter and forme of that Tabernacle 2 To make allegoricall vse of all these things one by one shoulde be vnwarranted curiositie as I haue saide Only therefore as either others haue taught vs or as wel standeth with Faith let vs walke and profit our selues And first obserue what the Apostle to the Hebrewes doth whose steps wee may safely follow and by his example apply the Holiest place of all to Christ Read the 9. and 10. Chapters of that Epistle Others not contrarie to the Scriptures haue noted by the Common Court or Tabernacle in general the visible Church of God imbracing his Word praying to him and heard of him defended by him in all perills and in the end made partaker of eternall life To this end therefore they thinke of Dauids words in many Psalmes as when he saith O how amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord God of hosts My soule hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord c. Againe One thing haue I desired of the Lord which I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the faire beautie of the Lord and to visit his Temple For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his Tabernacle yea in the secret place of his dwelling shal he hide me set me vp vpon a rocke of stone Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle that is who shal be a member of thy Church Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and receiuest vnto thee he shall dwell in thy courts and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thine house euen of thy Temple All which places vnder the figure of this worldly Tabernacle as the Apostle calleth it note out the visible Church of God dispersed now far and wide ouer the face of the earth the comforts of it and the blessings in it 3 The sumptuous dignitie of euery thing so pure so cleane and so excellent noted
Christs one Oblation and that there is now remission of sinnes séeing the Scripture saith Where there is remission of sinnes there is no more offering for sinnes c. Heb. 10. 18. 2 So Moses did as the Lord God commanded him and the companie was assembled at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Obedience in Moses the Head and chief obedience also in the People vnder him do offer vs here a good Example Such mutuall agréement in great litle to come together to the Tabernacle to vnderstand further of Gods Wil O how commendable in it self how acceptable to God how profitable for others that shall behold sée it Would God any thing might smite our hearts to come to Gods House diligently Certainly the praise of it wil endure wheÌ„ we are dead and the blessing of such zeale vpon our childreÌ„s children Banish then vngodly whisperers to the contrary with all their deceitfull and damnable perswasions and he that hath an eare let him heare what God will say to his soule Let him speake as that good Samuel was taught to speake Say on Lord forthy Seruant heareth 3 Then Moses said vnto the company This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded to doe Nothing but Gods Commandement doth Moses offer vnto them For he well knew Gods will onely in his owne House must be the Rule Our own heads were neuer the best heads to follow and for God he knoweth our mould too well to giue that swinge vnto vs. If we will preach his will he hath a blessing and if we teach our owne fancies he will with his breath blowe away both vs and our idle fancies We offering then but his will to his people and by a plaine course of teaching according to their capacities making that appeare to them as many as are ordayned to eternall life shall beleeue in time to our vnspeakable comfort and their eternall goodâ— and such as must perish if any such be in our flock eâ—â— in those also we shal be a sweet sauour to God because we haue only deliuered to them what we receiued of God not abused theÌ„ with any mans Traditions that cannot saue 4 And Moses brought Aaron his sonnes and washed them with water And put vpon him the coate and girded him with the girdle c. Of all these Ceremonies reade what hath bene noted in the 29. Chap. of Exod. The Tabernacle a type of heauen Heb. 8. 2. cha 9 11 12 24. anoynted to signifie that Heauen is the sanctified Place for perpetuall and eternall rest vnto all the Sonnes of God his Elect before the foundations of the world were laid He powred the Oyle vpon Aarons head so in him who was a Figure of Christ shadowing out the fullnes of the Spirit vpon Christ Psal 44. and Esay 61. He put also coates vpon Aarons sonnes c. They were a Figure of the Church which by Faith eateth also of the Sacrifice of Christ being made partakers of his merit aswell as the Priests Their garments figured out the Graces and gifts wherewith the beleeuers in Christ are adorned beautified Casting away the works of darknes and putting on dayly more and more the deeds of light The Lap of Aarons right eare and his sonnes thumbes of their right handes and the great toes of their feete are anoynted to represent that in Christ there is no left but all right To shew that that his blood should make blessed them on his right-hand and to teach that such as bée his Chosen haue their eares touched and made right hearing with profit good things and sincerely abhorring to heare euill Their workes also shadowed by their right thumbe are holy honest good and in their seuerall vocations they paynfully and carefully walke shadowed by their right toes anoynted with the blood 5 Upon Aarons sonnes Moses did but sprinckle the anoynting oyle which before was said he powred vpon Aaron vers 12. so plainly shewing that in Christ the spirit should be without measure and vpon his seruants in measure wée all receyuing of his fulnesse according to his good pleasure some more some lesse 6 That which is said of abiding at the doore of the Tabernacle day and night seuen dayes and ye shall keepe the watch of the Lord that ye die not is thought to haue shadowed that watch which all our life long noted by the seuen dayes wée kéepe in auoyding sinne and working righteousnesse as the Lord shall inable Which indéede may be called the wrath of the Lord being a holy Christian and happy watch The seuenth day wée shall bée frée fully sanctified and deliuered from this vale of misery to kéepe an eternall Sabaoth in Heauen to our endlesse comfort Thus bréefly for order sake of this Chapter the chiefe points as I said hauing béene touched in the 29. of Exodus CHAP. IX THe Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes being fully ended in this Chap is shewed how they entred vpon their Office began to doe the duties thereof Aaron offering the foure principall Sacrifices to witte the Burnt-offering the Sin-offering the Peace-offering the Meat-offering And for vse vnto vs. First it may be obserued that Moses who was neuer consecrated himselfe doth consecrate and inuest Aaron into his Office that so men might learne to ascribe all to God the authoritie I meane and effect of the outward signe 2 In that Aaron is commanded to offer aswell for himselfe as his people verse 7. The Apostle to the Hebr. reasoneth that the Leuiticall Priest-hood was weake but a shadow of a stronger namely of Christs For such an High-Priest saith he it became vs to haue as needeth not dayly like those in the Law to offer vp sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for his peoples c. Read the 7. Chap. verse 26 27. Also the 5. Chap. Verse 3. Hée was also herein a Figure of Christ not that Christ had any sins of his owne but that ours were so layd vpon him and he so made satisfaction to God for them as if they had bene his owne Surely saith the Prophet He hath borne Our infirmities and caryed Our sorrowes yet We did iudge him as plagued and smitten of GOD and humbled That is wée iudged euill as though hée were punished for his owne sinnes and not for ours But hee was wounded for Our transgressions he was broken for Our iniquites the chastesment of Our peace was vpon him and with his stripes We are healed 3 When it is said Aaron lift vp his hand and blessed the people vers 22. Wée must consider that héerein hée was plainly a Figure of Christ who onely can blesse béeing onely the séede of Abraham In whom all the Nations of the world are blessed and in whom saith S. Paul The Father hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenly things As with the blessing
this be not Saint Iohn telleth vs Hee Hee not she shee is the propitiation for our sinnes And therefore Come vnto him all that trauell not vnto her c. But thus séeing our manifold vncleanenes and the right remedie of it by modestly and chastly reading ouer this Chapter I wade no further in it This is a taste of the vse of it More will follow in the next Chapter and Chapter 23. CHAP. XVI 1 STill the Lord goeth on to note mans imperfections how he is freed from them séeing herein consisteth all that wée truely know our selues to be as we are and the way of God appointed for our remedie First hée forbiddeth Aaron at al times to enter into the holiest of all whereby may be learned that euen Ministers aswell as other men are not rashly to enter into all the things of God but to stand in reuerence of some mysteries either dealing not at all or very aduisedly and sparingly with them as their nature requireth 2 It is shewed how he should come in when hée did enter Namely with a yong bullocke for a sinne offering and so foorth Learne wée may by it with what ornaments men and women should come before God It is not silke nor veluet that he careth for neither the costly Iewels of pearle and stone that wée thinke so highly of but come with a sinne offering that is come with an humble acknowledgement as this sinne offering figured that thou art a sinner confesse it to God with a gréeuing heart and bring Iesus Christ in thy soule with thée offering him by thy true faith to God his Father as a sure safetie for all sinners against deserued wrath and punishment 3 Hee must also put on the holy linnen coate c. Another shadow of Christ his righteousnes wherewith wée must be clothed and couered if wée euer finde acceptance with God For to that end Aaron did change his garment to shewe that hée sustayned an other person who was holy he himselfe beeing but a man subiect to imperfection and sinne To which end tended also his washing and sacrifice héere mentioned 4 This likewise serued to beat into the people their corruption when they sawe Aaron thus changed that was the Priest chosen of God and anoynted with the holy Oyle For if hee might not enter but in such sort how much lesse might they appeare at any time before God but in Christ and by Christ shadowed in all these sacrifices And concerning this once entring into the Holy place you haue had the figure of it before and the Place to the Hebre. noted Chap. 9. verse 8. Aaron entred but once a yéere and Christ but once the Tabernacles diuers Aaron by blood Christ by blood but the blood diuers Aaron made an Atonement Christ made an Atonement but in a differing manner Aaron outwardly or ciuily as touching the sight of man Christ of the conscience truely and rightly and touching God Hebr. 9. verse 9. 13. Aaron often Heb. 10. 11. Christ but once verse 12. 14. Aaron confessed sinnes and layd them vpon the Goate but his owne sinnes aswell as the peoples Christ had no sinnes of his owne and ours hee bare himselfe and layd them vpon himselfe not vpon any creature whatsoeuer 5 The two hee Goates béeing presented lots were to be cast ouer them one Lot for the Lord and another for the Scape Goate Thus was it shadowed that in a sinner there is nothing to make him worthy of God his choise And therefore as GOD would not chuse either the one Goate or other but by lot the one was appoynted and not by choyse so wee are accepted whensoeuer we finde fauour without all merit or matter worth or dignitie in our selues to mooue the Lord to such goodnesse 6 The Goate vpon which the Lords lot fell was offered for sinne-offering And Incense cast vpon the fire to make a cloude to couer the Mercy-seate that Aaron dyed not the one shadowing the death of the Sonne of God the other with what feare reuerence we ought euer to come before God For if to Aaron the Maiestie of him were so dangerous how much more to others not to bée compared to Aaron Would God we thought of this euer when we come to Church to doe our duties to him Then would there not in that place bée so much light behauiour and sléepie vsage of our selues as is by which things the holy place is defiled verse 16. Homines ita contaminant Dei sacra ne quid tamen discedat eorum naturae nec dignitas violetur Quare diserte exprimit Moses purgari Sanctuarium ab inquinamentis non suis sed Filiorum Israel Men doe so pollute the holy things of God that nothing departeth from their nature neither is their glorie violated Therefore playnly doth Moses lay downe that the Sanctuarie is to bee purged from pollutions not of their owne but of the Children of Israel 7 But as touching the other Goate called the Scape Goate it was brought aliue And Aaron saith God shall put both his hands vpon his head of it and confesse ouer him all the iniquities of the Châ—ildren of Israel all their trespasses in all their sinnes putting them vpon the head of the Goate and shall send him away by the hand of a man appointed into the wildernesse So the Goate shall beare vpon him all their iniquities into the land that is not inhabited c. From this Law of God no doubt did spring that Custome among the Heathens who offering Sacrifices as Herodotus witnesseth of the Aegyptians vsed to banne and curse the head of the beast offered in Sacrifice with these words That if any Euill bee to come either vpon the Sacrificers themselues or vpon the whole Countrey of Aegypt it would please the Gods to turne all vpon that Head The Massilians also yearely vsed to make an Atonement or expiation for their Citie with some holy man whom decked and set out with holy garments and with Garlands after the maner of a Sacrifice they led through the Citie and putting all the euils vppon his head that might any way hang ouer their Citie they cast him into the Sea sacrificing of him so vnto Neptune speaking these words with great solemnitie Be thou an expiation for vs. Thus the Heathen catched at things but not in a right maner whereby wée may well sée what a darkenesse it is to bee depriued of the light of the Word of God In like maner receiuing it from the Doctrine of the olde Fathers by the tradition of Noah his sonnes that there should in time come a Man who taking vpon him the sinnes of all men should become a Sacrifice for the saluation of all men and not vnderstanding the maner how this should bée they vsed in great extremities perils as Plagues Famine Warres c to offer vp men to their Gods to appease their wrath thereby So in Liuie wée
following and such like First that these sundry bickerings with this Tyrant for his Church might notablie shewe his loue and affection to his Church which is euery mans great and speciall comfort Secondly that patience might be taught by this Example to all Gods children if their troubles and oppressions receaue not an end by and by Thirdly hee thus taketh all excuse from this obstinate enemie a thing of good vse if wee obserue it For euen as héere by Moses and Aaron the Lord dealt wich Pharaoh so by his Ministers still the Lord dealeth with vs leauing vs as naked without excuse if wee continue disobedient as euer hee did Pharaoh Fourthly hee thus discouered the great darknes of our vnderstanding vntill it be lightned and the damnable waywardnes of our will till it be changed by him Fiftly and lastly by this manifesting of the enemies malice he openeth to our vnspeakeable comfort and so of his Church vnto the end what a victorious hand hee hath to saue and deliuer when and whom hee shall euer please be the rage neuer so strong and great For Pharaoh cannot hold out but whilest God will we sée héere no more shall any Tyrant to the worlds end Thus you sée why God vsed this way by message and entreatie rather than the other by his power and might Let it profit you and so I leaue it 3. You sée also héere againe how God calleth them his people although oppressed and in miserie vnder a wicked wayward and prophane Gouernour It is a swéete comfort to those that tast of like griefe and sheweth as I haue noted before that affliction seperateth not from God but in the midst of all woe hee regardeth and saith mine mine although instantly hee rebuke not either winde or weather c. 4. Pharaoh his proude answere saying Who is the Lord that I should heare him pictureth out the hardnes of an vnregenerate hart and biddeth all beholders to pray against it O dust and ashes darest thou say thou knowest not him that made thée and not tremble for thy ignorance This vnféelingnes was in Pilate when hee said what is truth And what is that which some amongst vs vtter euery day what new doctrine is this Sed non impunè recusat Pharaoh quod scienter ignorat But to his woe doth Pharaoh refuse what wittingly and willingly he knoweth not And so shall all that delight in ignorance Hence commeth waywardnes and wilfulnes obstinacie and frowardnes rage and madnes that men will not heare and know But in Pharaoh sée what will followe one day when by voice and words no good is done Hée in the Sea thou in the lake that euer burneth shalt perish and sinke to eternall confusion 5. I will not let them goe saith hee Then his reason is his Will euer the refuge of the Reprobate I will not I will not and still in the end I will not A short resolution but as dangerous a resolution as man can make against his owne soule many times In the 6. of Ieremie sée the like answere Wee will not walke therein Againe in the 44. Chap. The word that thou hast spoken to vs in the name of the Lord wee will not heare it of thee c. And many moe like answeres there be in the Scriptures but whose bee they euen such I say as rebell against God and his good motiues made to them by his Ministers and meanes wishing them well Wherefore the end is Gods wrath vpon them and fearefull destruction Such answeres wee heare too often amongst our selues saying I am setled c. and I wil not heare you God graunt in any due time wee may learne by other mens harmes and leaue them For true and true shall wee finde that S. Augustine saith Religio stulta non prodest sed obest A foolish Religion doth not profit but hurt and God is iust to all men in his time I meane in punishing their proude disobedience This is confirmed euen in that which followeth in the next verse in these words Lest hee bring vpon vs the pestilence or sword Noting that this is euer the end of the contempt of diuine worship according to the prescript of God some fearefull plague and iudgement Surely this one place would suffice to many to awake them and shall no places profit vs Were this people of Israel in danger and wee in none haue wee the Lord bound that wee may doe what wee list and yet be safe If they goe not out to sacrifice to the Lord that is to serue and worship him in that sort and manner that then hee commaunded the Lord will bring vpon them the pestilence or sword and if wee stiflie and stubbornly proudly and presumptuouslie refuse to goe out but of our doores to the Church by vs to serue him as now hée commaundeth shal nothing followe God touch vs and moue vs the knife is vpon our throates and wee feare not Whole houses and Manors are rooted out and ruinated not only abroade in the Land but euen in the Country peraduenture where wee dwell for this rebellion and yet wee thinke our posteritie shall abide and nothing happen vpon our heapings for them when hee is despised that doth but blowe vpon lands and liuings and they are gone Cathedram in Coelo habet qui corda mouet His chaire is in Heauen that moueth harts and hee for his mercie sake I say againe moue vs that wee may enquire séeke and sée whether wee doo well or wrong and doo as wee ought when wee sée it The Lord hath promised to take away the stonie hart and to giue a fleshie in the place if wee will vrge him with his promise by humble hartie and earnest prayer So did Dauid when hee cried O let mee feele let mee feele knowing euen then that this Gods mercie if it were sought should be graunted 6. Then said the King of Egypt vnto them Moses and Aaron why cause yee the people to cease frō their workes c Sée the lot of the Just to be quarrelled with nipped quipped slaundred and euen laden many times with false and most iniurious imputations To Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Iesus Christ himselfe this measure hath béene measured and they haue borne it Deus videt the Lord seeth and in his due time hee will make the truth appeare Fero spero I endure and hope let it bee thy Meditation when none séeth but hee that séeth in secret Againe marke héere how when God draweth néere to yéeld vs comfort then Sathan in his members rageth more and séeketh to encrease our troubles sorrowes and griefes but yet all in vaine God in the end will deliuer his Seruants in despite of all their enemies as here he did Be of good comfort and lay it vp in thy hart 7. They be idle therefore they crie saying Let vs goe to offer sacrifice c. A truth it is that nothing is worse than Idlenes the mother of all vice as discord