they can They will rake they will scrape they will hoord and muckervp their wicked Mammon is their GOD and their Chest their hope in time of néede But what became of Manna it selfe when it was kept contrarie to Gods liking Wormes bred in it as you sée it stanke and no wayes serued to their vse that so disobediently had laide it vp Euen so so shall it euer bee with this Crue let them make their reckoning of it and rest assured Ill gotten goods shall not prosper nor the thirde heire bee the better for them Our eyes daylie sée what may teache our hearts if GOD bee within vs and this notable place of rotting Manna would neuer bee forgotten 7. Yet the sixt day they reserued and it corrupted not Uerie true and let it neuer goe out of your minde whilest you liue For vpon the sixt day they were commaunded to gather both for that day and the day following ver 5. which was the seauenth day and the Sabbath to the end they might rest vpon the Sabbath and not goe out to gather and it corrupted not No more shal any goods you get and gather with the will and good liking and by the commaundement of Almightie God that is truly lawfully and with a good conscience but the Lord shal blesse that basket and that store to you whilest you liue and to yours when you are gone and though it bee but little yet hee shall make it sufficient to sustaine your selfe to bring vp your Children and to doo what they which haue thrice as much as you comming in cannot doo Your Children againe after you maintayned with that which you haue well gotten shall prosper either in learning or trade so that they shall come to great Places often and to bee Great menne to carie such Offices of credite as are in the Countrie or Tewne where they dwell and leaue Gods mercies againe to their Children after them to a thousand generations louing and fearing Gods holy Name and kéeping his Commaundements when the quite contrarie shall come to passe with the goods ill gotten as you haue séene 8. Forget not to marke héere also the great care that GOD hath of his Sabbath that it bee kept holy according to his appointment when hee will not suffer these Israelites to gather so much as his Manna for their foode vppon the Sabbath day but appointeth them to doo it the day before May not a good soule thus reason then with himselfe or her selfe Good Lorde what doo I vppon the Sabbath day This people of his might not gather Manna and may I safelie gad to Faiers and Markettes to dauncinges and drinkinges to wakes and wantonnesse to Beare-baytinges and Bull-baytinges with such like wicked prophanations of the Lords day May I bee absent from the Church where Gods people are gathered together in his Name he in the midst of them walking about my Closes and grounds sending my Seruaunts and Cattle to Townes with corne which I haue solde before because I will not spare them on the wéeke daies and so forth Are these works for the Sabbath Is this to keepe holy the Sabbath day Can I answere this to my God that giueth me sixe daies for my selfe and taketh but one day to himselfe of which I rob him also No no assuredly I shall not be able to endure his wrath for these thinges one day and therefore I will leaue them and regard héereafter his holie Sabbath better than I haue done Yes assuredly this is a sound and a blessed Reason and therefore I pray God to set it in our hearts since now a-daies there is so much offending this way 9. When came this Manna from Heauen in the day or in the night In the night when the dewe fell downe this Heauenly bread fell with it and in the morning as hath béene noted verse 14 When the dewe ascended this lay all scattered vpon the earth to be gathered till the heate of the Sunne melted it away ver 21. What a swéete Note doo I sée heere namely that when his Children sléepe and are at rest Gods prouidence for them sléepeth not but worketh and giueth thinges for their vse and for their comfort for their health for their life for their aduancement vnto honour Groweth not the grasse when wee sléepe and the best hearbs for our health and vse Come not the swéet showers when we sléepe that make the Husbandman reioyce and sing Peter was a sléepe in the prison the next day to suffer death by cruell tyrannie watched and warded and bound with chaines neither was there any helpe in mans eyes for him only the little flocke of Gods Children gathered together in the house of a religious woman prayed for him but the prouidence of God was not sléepe which watched ouer him and his life and sent his Angell to deliuer him in such miraculous manner as you reade of euer and euer leauing vs a Testimonie of his care loue mercie and power as shall be good for vs the swéetnesse whereof I am not able to reach vnto but crie with the Prophet from my heart O blessed blessed is the man that hath the Lord for his God! it is better to trust in him than in all the Princes of the world And if he be on our side wee neede not care what man can doo against vs. Such another Example is that of king Ahasuerosh not able to sléepe but calling for the Chronicles and hitting vpon that place where Mordecai his loyaltie and faithfull seruice was mentioned thereby enquiring what had béene done for him and so exalting him to great honour Poore Mardocheus was a sléepe when this was done and little thought of such a matter But his swéete and gracious God was not on sléepe you sée sending from Heauen his Manna that is his comfortable Mercie to his Childes honour and his whole Churches good by his aduancement Shall wee euer then fall from this God by distrustfull feare that thus careth for his when they be on sléepe Lord Lord giue vs the vse of these thinges and strengthen our Meditation to an immoueable Faith and strong comfort in Thee euermore Consider the olde generations of men saith the wise Sirach and marke them well was there euer any confounded that put his trust in the Lord Did euer any continue in his feare and was forsaken or euer any call vpon him and was despised No no no no. And therefore lay it vp in your heart marke the Scriptures If wee beléeue that he hath made our bodies shall wee not also beléeue that hee will prouide for them séeing the creation is greater than the preseruation Hath hee care ouer the wicked to doo them good and will hee not much more reioyce to doo his Children good Did the Lord loue vs when wee were his enemies and will he leaue vs succourlesse when we are reconciled to him in so déere a price as his owne Sonnes precious blood O if he did vs
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
trueth is first and that which was first is truth and yet they fayle and still will fayle to graunt and make the conclusion Their handes are red in their poore brethrens bloud who haue auowed trueth and chosen rather to loose life than to forsake trueth what remaines but searefull confusion without repentance God giue them eyes 10 Now if ought of the flesh of the consecration or of the bread remayne vnto the morning then thou shalt burne the rest with fire It shall not be eaten because it is an holy thing First this was done for more reuerence of those holy Sacrifices lest by reseruation eyther any loathing might haue growen from wormes and such like or neglect and contempt by casting it away or loosing it Secondly by this shadowed that God will haue no part of his worship put ouer till an other day but cheerefully euer will hee be serued without delayes Cras Cras To morow to morow is the noice of a Crow not the voyce of a Christian But To day if you will heare his voyce hearden not your hearts And while it is called To day exhort one another with many other such Speaches in the Scripture are we stirred vp to take present time and not to delay Thirdly by this denying them to keepe any the Lord would preuent superstition by abusing those parts kept contrarie to Gods will as to heale diseases to keepe away ill Spirits to hang them about their necke to sweare by them and such like as at this day is to be seene in the Popish Church by reseruation of the Sacrament Sathan was readie then had not this lawe preuented him but after in the time of the Gospell hee preuailed and euen in Tertulians time were crept in foule abuses growing to adoration of the bread 11 These things thus passed ouer belonging to the consecration of the Priestes your Chapter commeth to the Sacrifice which was continuall A Lambe in the Morning and a Lambe at Euen with what further is specified in the Text. By which kinde of Sacrifice notably the Lambe Christ Iesus was figured which taketh away sinnes of the world The manner how the Lambe resembled Christ you may read in the 12. Chapter of this Booke where Speach was of the Paschall Lambe thither I referre you Oyle and Wine were added to this sacrifice to signifie that vnto these holy exercises of the lawe they should bring with them faith and repentance which should make the tast of them good as oyle and wine doth the Sacrifice For without these two what sauour or relish could God haue of them Sorrow for my sinne and faith in him that hath redeemed mee from my sinne is all the camfort God can conceiue in me and therefore beware of dooing any dutie to him without these two lest the Lord say I haue no pleasure in them Oyle and wine then with that Legall Sacrifice and faith and repentance with our spirituall duties and Sacrifices agrée well As all Sacrifices then led vnto Christ so did this daily Sacrifice of the two Lambes Morning and Euening most plainely and therefore after Christ was exhibited in the flesh accordingly these legall Sacrifices had their end all and by name this whereof read the praediction of Daniel in his ninth Chapter Yet neuerthelesse the Synagogue of Antichrist is not ashamed hereupon to build that filthie Idol of their Masse saying that all they are Antichristes which take away their daily Sacrifice of their Masse But their mouthes are no slaunder The trueth we holde and GOD euer make vs holde it both in this point and the rest In this point we say thus that this daily sactifice of the Lambes figured Christ he is come and therefore no longer to be figured as to come But these Lambes are gone and he the true Lambe remayneth once offered vpon the crosse but daily sauing vs from our sinnes vpon our true repentance and faith in him He is our daily sacrifice and continuall Mediator And who so taketh him away hee is Antichrist ware he thrice three Crownes vpon his head But that doth the Man of Rome and his Succession who teach that remission of sinnes may bee obteyned by other meanes than by him onely Wee haue none but him yesterday and to day and the same for euer His blessed Sacrament he hath left vs to remember vs of his worke wrought for vs and wee so vse it to thankesgiuing and not as a sacrifice for quicke and deade as they doe Judge betwixt vs good Christian Reader and the Lord giue thee wisedome in all thinges 13 Finally the Lord promiseth they vsing these his appointments rightly he will dwell among them and will be their God It is not hard in prosperitie to thinke God is present and careth for vs béeing indéed as Philosophers could say the Cause of all good things in Nature But when the cloudie day of aduersitie commeth and wée are ouerwhelmed as it were with perilles and crosses then is it a gratious strength to thinke and beléeue so stedfastly Cato a Wise-man as long as Pompei stood and flourished defended stoutlye a Prouidence but when he fled into Egipt was slaine of a base fellow lay vpon the shore without any honor of buriall when Cato himself also was beset with Caesars army then in this mist of miserie he fell from his former doctrine turning his tale as if there were no Prouidence at all but euery thing went by Hap and saying There was a great darknesse in Diuine things seeing Pompei who had many times prospered and had good successe in ill causes now was ouerthrowen in a good cause most misearably namely in the defence of his countrey Too many taste of this weakenesse which know more than Cato knew and therefore in the day of comfort and faire Sunneshine it is good to gather strength against a change And to remember such Spéeches as this of God to his Church and to his people I WILL DVVELL AMONG YOV AND WILL BE YOVR GOD. Hee is true in this promise aswell in foule weather as in faire and we must be assured of it Other like Spéeches there are many If any man loue me saith Christ He will keepe my word and my Father will loue him and wee will come to him and dwell with him The Psalmes are full of such comforts The Lord is neere vnto all them that are of atroubled spirit the LORD is neere to all them that call vpon him faithfully It is a memorable place where Esay the Prophet bringeth-in GOD saying Ego DEVS habito cum contrito et humili SPIRITV vt erigam SPIRITVM humilium et viuificem CORDA contritorum I the Lord will dwell with the contrite and humble spirit that I may raise vp the spirit of the humble and reuiue the hearts of them that are contrite It is the manner of sinfull men to insult ouer them that are in affliction and to go ouer where the wall is broken but
Egyptians couering All the face of the earth by their multitude till the land was darke with them and eating vp all the hearbes of the land with the fruits of the trees c. You may take occasion to remember what you reade of Grashoppers in the Scriptures and you may heare also what others haue saide of them First you find in Leuiticus a kinde of Grashopper among the cleane beasts which the Israelites might eat of whereunto referre that in Mathew of Iohn Baptist how his meate was Locusts that is Grashoppers and wilde hony This kinde of Grashopper to vs at this dale is not well knowne as neither to others before our time For Theophilact vpon Math supposeth Iohns Locusts to haue béene hearbes so called and Euthimius vpon Math Certaine wilde fruites such as the wildernesse wherein Iohn liued yéelded vnto him Chrisostome and Athanasius before him were of the same opinion saith Hermolaus Barbarus But Saint Hillary thinketh they were Animalia quaedam apta ad comedendum Certaine liuing creatures good for meate Thomas Aquinas vpon Mathew hath the same wordes Albertus Magnus vppon Math That they were not our vsuall Grashoppers for they saith hee are venemous but they were certaine Birdes in the Wildernes which vpon similitude of their leaping and hopping rather than flying were called Grashoppers Plinie in his Naturall Historie writeth that Grashoppers or Locusts to the Parthians were most acceptable meat againe in another place that a part of Aethiopia liueth onely by Locusts made hard by smoake and salt But they liue not saith he aboue 40. yéeres S. Hierome saith that the Easterne people Enhabitants of Libya eate much these Grashoppers because in the Desert hote vastnes of the Wildernes there are found cloudes of them Plinie againe writeth of them that there are of 3. foote long in India The word also Locusta we knowe is sometimes taken for the fish which we call a Lobster In the Apocalyps you reade that the bottomlesse pit was opened and out of the same arose a smoake like the smoake of a great fornace And out of the smoake came Locusts or Grashoppers vpon the earth c. Where you may consider what is meant by these Locusts and then the reason of their resemblance These Locusts prefigured and foretold to the Church of God all that rabble of the Popish Clergie which afterward in time couered as it were the face of the earth their Priests their swarmes of Monkes Fryers Nunnes other Orders almost without number For héere is mention made of a Starre that fell nowe Starres in this booke doo signifie the Angels of the Churches who shine by the light of Heauenly doctrine and holie life as starres in the firmament by their brightnes and who truly may be said to stand whilest they doo their duties and to fall from Heauen when forgetting life and doctrine they thinke speake and followe earthly things The Starre therefore that is héere said to fall from Heauen vnto the earth was some great Minister in the Church of such authoritie and high estimation as the power ascribed vnto him plainly teacheth But who in all the world can bee named such a One sauing the Bishop of Rome for by all Stories wee sée and knowe that they were excellent men at the beginning many of them yea vnto Constantine the Great as I remember 32 succéeded one after another good and learned men holy and reuerend Martyrs for the selfe same truth which wee at this day holde and their Successors haue forsaken From Constantine againe to Gregory the Great about 32 more good men though not altogether as the former For euen now began some declination in the Church yet not such but that Gregorie detested the proude Supremacie which now is challenged and tolde the Bishop of Constantinople then ambitiouslie séeking for it that whosoeuer sought to bee called Vniuersall Bishop was out of question the Forerunner of Antichrist But when Boniface the Third came he little passing for Gregorie his opinion obtained of Phocas that bloodie Traytor who had killed the Emperour his Maister his Wife and Children and so got to bee Emperour that Rome might bee the Head of all Cities and the Bishop there vniuersall Bishop ouer all Here then fell the Starre from Heauen to Earth when it left Heauen and claue to the Earth hunting continually for earthly honour since that day and plotting earthly trouble to all Nations The brightnes of Doctrine and holy life which former Bishops of Rome had and thereby did shine as starres was now lost and all idle inuentions of mans sinfull braine brought in to worship God with them in steade of his owne Commaundements Great power to hurt retained hauing not nowe Peters keyes as they boast but the keyes of the bottomlesse pit giuen them to bring out thence into the Church Doctrines of Deuils darknes ignorance superstition and all wicked abhominations like soule thicke smoake hiding the brightnes and light of Christ our Sauiour from the eyes of men euen so strongly that such smoake is resembled to the smoake of a great fornace for the strength of it What grosse lyes what palpable Fables haue their Legends their elder Masse-Bookes and Primers printed long since surely euen such as themselues at this day are ashamed of and leaue out of their new Bookes Then out of this filthie foggie smoake ascending out of the pit when it was opened came the swarmes of Locusts mentioned Monkes Fryers c. No Papist in the world can shew where vnder any Starre fallen there is such a resemblance as vnder their Pope hath béene and is at this day still which being the second point I prayed you to marke now cast your eyes vpon it and marke it much First Grashoppers doo most of their hurt by their mouthes and so doth Romish Lucusts by their cursed speaking teaching charming and alluring Christian people from GOD from Prince and Countrie to their damnable opinions and resolutions This Spéech of their mouthes maketh mee remember S. Bernards Spéech Bestia illa cui datum est es loqūens blasphemias bellum gevere cum sanctis Petri cathedram occupat tanquam Leo paratus ad praedam That beast vnto which there is giuen a mouth to speake blasphemies and to warre with the Saints possesseth the Chayre of Peter as a Lyon prepared to his pray A great Spéech in those dayes if you marke it Secondly Grashoppers vse to swarme in great abundance whereupon came the Prouerbe As thicke as Grashoppers So these Romish Locusts did they not ouer-spread as it were the whole earth when vnder Pope Pius the 2 one order of Fryers called Minorits so abounded swarmed that the Maister of the Order offered the Pope either against the Turke or for any other seruice thirtie Thousand able fighting men and yet would leaue so manie more What Swarmes thinke you were amongst all the Orders if one were so great very fitly therefore did
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
this a fore-shewing of that and that a true fulfilling of this In like sort doth S. Paule when he saith Our Passeouer is offered vp speaking of Christ If the Familie were too little to eate a whole Lambe then must they take their neighbours next vnto them to make a fit number Whereby was noted and figured that Christ is not deuided into diuers houses and families kingdomes and Countries but he doth vnite and gather diuers houses and Nations to make one Church euen as héere many did eate one Lambe A comfortable Figure and worthy often remembrance Wee may not deuide the Lambe but we must gather our selues to the Lambe and that is the true Church where people are so gathered Be sure then of the Lambe and not of the place where the Lambe once was but now is not féede vpon this Lambe in manner prescribed that is beléeue in Christ according to the Scriptures and be sure you are right other notes may deceaue you this will not And if as yet you be not thus gathered make no longer stay in so dangerous an estate but be reformed and blesse God for his Truth 4. Your Lambe shall be without blemish saith the next verse first to prefigure the puritie and vnspottednes of Christ frée and cleane from all sinne And secondly to teach that a more excellent ransome was to be had to saue man from sinne than in all mankinde was to be found which wholly was sinfull In Apish imitation of which immaculate puritie our profound Romists take great care that their Cake be whole round and sound not bitten nor broken but without blemish as this Paschal Lambe was giuing themselues rather to abolished Ceremonies than to the teaching of Christ now come in whom these Ceremonies had end It must be a Male not a female thereby figuring the spirituall strength of Christ according to which the Prophet Esay spake of him before That hee should deuide the spoile with the strong and that great number of Angels about the throne euen thousand thousands saying that he is worthie to receaue power and riches and wisedome and strength and honour and glorie and praise Thirdly the Lambe must bee of a yeere olde thereby to prefigure our Sauiours experience of infirmities and miseries which euen a daies continuance in this wretched world yéeldeth both to man and beast much more a yéere Of which the Prophet also foretolde when he said of Christ Hee is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities Surely he hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes c. Reade ouer the whole Chapter Whereunto the Apostle agréeth againe when he saith We haue not a High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne The comfort and vse whereof followeth in the next verse Therefore let vs goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that wee may receaue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede And indéede a Comfort of comforts it is that in his owne bodie and our true Nature it pleased him thus to taste our woes For hee did it onely that wee might be assured of his knowledge and loue that he both knoweth our case better than we can expresse it and in his loue towards vs will helpe and succour vs as shall be fit Fourthlie ye shall take it of the Lambes or of the Kids saith the Text To shadowe out how Christ should be taken from amongst the stocke of sinfull men from whom hee descended without sinne as appeareth by the Scripture 5. And you shall keepe it vnto the 14. day of this Moneth from the 10. day wherein it was taken Whereby Two things chiefely were figured First that Christ should not by and by suffer after he was borne but liue and abide a certaine time in the world and then die euen as this Lambe taken vp the 10. day was not killed till the 14. day All which we knowe was fulfilled accordingly he being at the time of his Passion about thirty and thrée yéeres olde Secondly it both serued to prepare their hearts to the right eating of it being a Remembrance before their eies those 4. daies before and also to prefigure vnto vs with what meditation and preparation wee ought euer vnto our liues end come to the eating of the true Passeouer whereof this Lambe was but a shadowe in that holy Sacrament which is left vnto vs as a Remembrance of his Passion for mankinde Other conceipts haue some Writers which I omit onely I will remember His words that saith Decimo quarto die immolabatur quia tunc plenilunium est Luna recepta luminis sui plenitudine Sole iam occidente in Oriente consurgit quia morienti Christo Sole iustitiae Ecclesia quae in Luna intelligitur ad vitam consurgit c. The 14. day this Lambe was offered because then the Moone being at full and rising in her full light when the Sunne was set thereby might bee shadowed that the Church vsuallie signified by the Moone riseth with light and to light that euer shall endure in great fulnes after the setting of the Sunne that is by the death of Christ the true Sunne both of light and life to all that faithfully beléeue in him 6. It was to be killed at night and why at night more than any other time Surely to note and remember vnto them alwaies the time of their Deliuerance out of Egypt which was in the night Againe it might shadowe out the time of Christ his comming in the flesh which was as it were in the Euening of the world that is in the last times 1. Cor. 10. In regard whereof as some haue noted many of his mercies and miracles were shewed vpon men in the Euening or towards Euening as when it is saide in the Gospell When the Euen was come they brought vnto him many that were possessed with Deuils and hee cast them out c. Likewise in Marke when Euen was come at what time the Sunne setteth they brought to him all that were diseased and hee healed them Thus shewing by the time of Euening that he was indéede that health of mankinde which in the latter time should come 7. The blood was to be sprinkled and striked vpon the doore posts with a bunch of Hyssope that it might be a signe for the Lord to passe ouer their houses by when he executed wrath vpon the Egyptians Non quod incorporea natura huiusmodi signis egeret sed quia conueniebat vt per symbolum intelligerent illi prouidentiam Dei c. Not that God had any neede of such signes but that by such outward meanes it was comfortable to them to knowe and be assured of Gods prouidence for their safety saith Theodoret. And it figutatiuely shewed the effect and vertue of Christes blood the true paschal Lambe euer to saue from
good although as yet I sée not how because hee is no Changeling in his loue to his Seruants and did beyond all conceite of man deliuer these Israelites from this perill Surely there can be no perplexitie in this world greater than this was if all things be considered and yet all was most well in the end Remember we therefore alwaies the words of Dauid in his Psalmes When I am in heauines I will thinke vpon God when my heart is vexed I will complaine I wil cry vnto God with my voice yea euen to God will I crie with my voice he shall hearken vnto me c. The whole Psalme is comfortable if you reade it 2 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel they are tangled in the Land the Wildernes hath shut them in c. So they were indéede if wee consider the place where they were yet there is no tangling where the Lord will haue a passage But sée you here in your Meditation how when the destruction of the wicked is at hand the Lord in his iustice offereth them some baite or other to pull them on that as here He saith He may winne his honour vpon them they know he is the Lord. So was Ahab drawne to his end with a desire to recouer Ramoth Gilead which once was his the bait allured him the wrath of God flewe him So were Senacharib the Asyrians baited as it were with former successe with their multitude the smallenes of Ezechias his number But how gloriouslie did the Lord deliuer his and destroy them that so boasted Many such Examples may you remember by your selfe all teaching what a sure thing it is to belong to God to haue our trust in him onely For otherwise there will be a time of falling for vs we shall euen runne vpon it gréedily as these men did You may also here think of the number noted by Iosephus who addeth to the 600. Chariots mentioned in the Text ver 7. fiftie thousand Horsemen two hundred thousand footmen more all marching after Gods people with great confidence iolity yet all ouerthrowne in the déepe by a mighty God most easely So great a God is our God and it must euer comfort vs make vs strong Obserue againe their words vttered before they pursued after them Why haue we this done let Israel goe out of our seruice Which sheweth how quickly the wicked repent them of their good but seldom or neuer of their euill For to let them go was good yet they repented but to pursue after them was euill they repented not Many such there be in our daies which often grieue at an houre spent in the Church and neuer of daies yéeres spent in sin But let them looke vpon these Egyptians here be warned in time if God so will The difference of the hosts againe in this place is verie worthie obseruing the one all warriers well appointed the other full of weake women little children The chiefest men without great munition or any exact order militarie to match with them yet the weaker liueth the stronger dieth euer to teach vs to fixe our harts vpō God not to be tied to outward shew For there is no wisedom no counsell nor strength against the Lord. The horse is prepared against the day of battell but saluation is of the Lord. And as the Prophet Esay saith Gather together on heapes O yee people yee shall be broken in pieces and hearken all yee of far Countries gird your selues and you shall be broken in pieces gird your selues you shall be broken in pieces Take counsaile together yet it shall be brought to naught pronounce a decree yet shall it not stand for God is with vs c. Repeating things ouer and ouer that we may be assured alwaies strong in him 3. Againe I sée héere and marke it for my good that when wee are once deliuered out of Egypt then doth the Deuill muster his Chariots Horsemen after vs he wil if he can get leaue He cannot abide to loose his seruants so His we were he hath lost vs and his we must be againe if by all his strength he can possibly gaine vs. A Land that floweth with milke and honey may not be inherited without resistance Out of Egypt wee may be deliuered but from following afflictions we shall not be quite fréed Hue and Crie will be made by Hell after vs we shall be tried as God pleaseth Thinke of that Deuill in the Gospell who when he must néedes depart loose his possession did rend and teare the poore party most cruelly Thinke of those Stories of the Primatiue Church how Nero Domitian Dioclesian all those persecuting Emperours pursued the Christians deliuered from darknes to light What were they all but Sathan Hoast doing then as Pharaoh did here by the mighty hand of a iust reuenging God The Land of Canaan is ours but in our way thither looke for lets When the Deare is hued-in by the Hunters the dogges placed to make a course if hee take his way vpon the Dogges euery man is silent and letteth him goe for that is the way to death and it well pleaseth the Hunters But if hee offer to breake out some other way to escape the Dogges then they crie and beate the hedges to driue him backe againe and if he escape how disconted are they So so in our Deliuerance from Death and Hell doo wee plainly sée it And therefore hoping for the best when God shall sée it fit be prepared alwaies in your selfe for the worst and reckon of it Pharaoh will pursue you 4. When Pharaoh drewe neere the Israelites weresore afraide and cried vnto the Lord. Others said vnto Moses hast thou brought vs out of Egypt to die in the Wildernes c. Philo saith Quatuor tribus in aquis submergi voluisse ne ad Aegypttorum manus peruenirent alias quatuor se tradere Aegyptijs constituisse cum spe veniam impetrandi sed reliquas quatuor scilicet Iuda Leui Ioseph Beniamin vsque ad mortem cum illis pugnare decreuisse That 4. Tribes resolued to drowne themselues in the waters rather than to fall into the Egyptians hands other 4 Tribes determined to submit themselues to the Egyptians in hope of pardon and forgiuenes but the 4 Tribes left after these namely Iuda Leui Ioseph and Beniamin setled themselues to fight as long as they should be able to stand aliue against them Note then héere how affliction trieth what is in vs for such as héere rested vpon God cried you sée vnto him and no doubt hoped of helpe from him well considering that vbi humanum deest consilium ibi Diuinum adest auxilium Where mans Counsaile faileth there Gods helpe is present Others not so grounded setled foulely and sinfully discouered their corruption quarrelled
at large reade in the exposition of that Commandement So great is the honour of Parents before God and so sharpe a Iudge is God against all abusers of them Little thought of by too many in our daies the rather because continually in the Church there is not a beating of these points of Catechisme into Childrens heades and hearts by carefull Ministers O that they woulde bée once drawen to doo this dutie in their seuerall Churches Soone soone shoulde they finde the Fruite of it and the greatnesse of their Sinne in so long neglecting it In Plato an heathen we reade the like law wherein is decréed that all beating and contumelies of Parents should bée punished with perpetuall banishment and death By the Romane lawes the slaier of his parents was not to be slaine either with sword or fire or other ordinary punishment sed in sutus culeo c. sowed in a sacke with a Dogge a Cocke a Viper and an Ape he should be throwne into the Sea or Riuer that the ayre whilest he liued and the earth when he was dead might be denied him who so had wronged them that gaue him a life and beeing in the ayre and vpon the earth A good Writer testifieth hee saw one put to death at Tigurine who had cursed and reuiled his Mother 5 He that stealeth a Man and selleth him if hee be found with him shall dye the death To flocke away as wee speake a mans seruant Man or Maide or to buy or sell a freeman and so to bring him into bondage was a grieuous sinne with God and therefore thus seuerely punished Thus sinned the brethren of Ioseph against him when they sold him to bee a bondman and to be vsed as pleased the buyers which might haue béene so as twentie deathes had béene better Great therefore was their sinne in that action This law is to be referred to the 7. Commandement and to the 5. also 6. When men striue together and one smite an other with the stone or with the fist and he dye not but lyeth in bed If he rise againe and walke without vpon his staffe then shall he that smote him go quite meaning for mans law saue onely he shall beare his charges for his losse of time and shall pay for his healing By the stone or fist are meant all other things whereby any wound is giuen although these onely bée named for example For with sword or dagger or any weapon all was one if hée were wounded and recouered so that hée was as fit for his vocation as before then this was the law but if he were maimed then otherwise If a man smite his seruant or his mayde with a rod and he dye vnder his hand he shal surelie bee punished But if he continue a day or two he shall not be punished for hee is his money These lawes of God were fitted for the state of that people when many things were indured which were not allowed If the seruant dyed presentlie it was more grieuous and therefore punished but if hee liued a time after not so yet before God it was murder also though by Mans law he escaped both in regard he was his money in his masters power and also because there might in that daye or two happen some other cause of death than that beating Perfection in these lawes wée must not looke for because God was pleased to beare with much weakenesse But yet know wée euer what his Morall law requireth and follow that which forbiddeth the abusing of seruants aswell as of others because they also beare the Image of God and God careth for them as hath béene shewed 7 If a man striue and hurt a Woman with childe so that her childe depart from her and she yet dye not hee shal be surely punished as the womans husband shall appoint him or he shall pay as the Arbiters determine But if death follow thē shal he paye life for life eye for eie tooth for tooth hand for hand foote for foote Burning for burning wound for wound stripe for stripe c. Still obserue how these lawes tend to the explanation of some of the Ten Commandements and referre this to the fift The light of Reason and Nature giuen vs of God teacheth That what measure we mete it is iust we should receiue euen the like againe That hee that taketh the sword should perish with the sword That he which spoileth should be spoiled That by what a man sinneth by that he should be punished That what a man doth the same he should suffer That euil should hit the worker and the offendor be pressed with his owne example This law of equalitie was in effect thus also in the 12. Tables at Rome the equitie thereof béeing deriued to them either from other Nations or by the light of Nature The verse saith Iusta malis haec admisso pro crimine paena est Si quae fecerunt eadem patiantur ipsi It is verie iust if men suffer the same things of others which they haue done to others If any man obiect that by Christ in the fifth of Matthew this law is repealed or was disliked we answere neither but there our Sauiour condemneth the abuse of this law according to priuate affections and for the nourishing of a lust to reuenge by priuate persons that are not Magistrates and neuer would be intreated to forgiue any Whereas he liketh euer in his children mercy and kindnesse and patience and so to ouercome our enemies as his words shew Recompence not euill for euill but ouercome euill with goodnesse 8 The other lawes that follow in this Chapter of setting seruants free for hurts done them by smiting Of the Oxe that should gore any bodie Of digging a well whereby my neighbours cattle receiue harme falling into it Of harme by one beast done to an other and such like they are so easie that without any Commentarie you may by reading of them be satisfied All of them teach vs with that care we should liue of our Neighbours goods as well as of our owne no way hurting either the one or the other small or great frée or bond but peaceably spending our daies with all men and doing what good wée can any way God wée sée is iust and we should be iust God careth for the safetie and well béeing not onely of all sorts of Men but euen of the very brute beasts and we must learn to doo the like that by our resembling of him we may be knowne to be his Children one day to inherite with his deare Sonne in his eternall kingdome This will not such cursed courses as many men delight in bring them to who in oppressing their neighbours in hurting their seruants in spoyling mens goods and killing their Cattle in fightings and striuings and all euill take their great and dayly pleasure Who hath eares to heare shall heare and to others doe what we can
the Lord with a perfect heart Againe in 〈◊〉 17. v. O my God thou tryest I know the heart and hast pleasure in righteousnesse I haue offered willingly in rhe vprightnesse of mine heart all these things I haue also found thy people which are here to haue offered willingly with ioy The Apostle also witnesseth that God loueth a cheerefull giuer and what is done grudgingly that is with a sparing nigardly hart or of necessity that is against a mans will as loth to be euill reported off all that be it whatsoeuer the Lord despiseth and regardeth not to which agréeth that aduise of the wise-son of Sirach Giue vnto the most High according as he hath inriched thee and looke what thine hand is able giue with a cheerefull eye With a cheerefull eye I say againe and doo you mark it For the Lord recōpenceth and will giue thee 7. times as much meaning as thou giuest with such a cheereful eye Such a matter in al offerings gifts and duties to God is willingnesse cheerefulnesse hartinesse making good that Saying of S. Augustine Nemo inuitus benefacit etiamsi id quod bonum est facit Euen a good deede vnwillingly done is not well done Were this considered of people that for feare of lawe or such like respects come to Church and to the holy Communion without al conscience loue of such as cannot be drawne to giue any thing to the poore to reparatiō of their Church to the Minister that preacheth the Word of life vnto them is in Gods stead sent by him directed and inabled by him for their saluation more than by méere authoritie and strength of the law the Magistrate they shal be forced vnto surelie it would work some better disposition in them I would hope so draw from a gracious God reward vpon willing duties which now perish without any profit to them from him because they are altogether forced He is able to make it felt and considered 4 The fourth point is to what end these offerings should be euen for a Sanctuarie saith the Text that is for a place to offer Sacrifices in and to heare the lawe in as wée now speake to make a Church For this Sanctuarie was in steade of a Church vnto them till Salomon built the glorious Temple The fauorites of Rome often obiect to the Professors of the Gospell that we haue no Churches built by any of our Religion c. To whom true answere is made that first our bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost therefore were there no other Temples than these yet God might dwell in vs and we be his Secondlie this people of the Iewes and our Forefathers had no such Churches as now be but worshipped the true God in Tabernacles or tents in the wildernes before this Sāctuarie was made then in this Sanctuarie which was moueable also frō place to place Thirdly Jesus Christ in the Mountaines in Ships such like places taught the people they heard his word beléeued Iohn Baptist in the prison preached Christ and that was his Church Paul did like begat disciples to Christ in his bands He preached taught two yeares together in his owne house hired in Rome Thereupō it hath bin said that our Fathers true godly men indéed had dark Churches light harts afterward counterfet Christians had shining Churches and darke harts Men became like the Disciples of Christ in that error of theirs when they so gazed vpon delighted in and doted vp ō the outward forme and matter of the Temple cōming to their Master to shew him the building of the Temple and saying to him Maister see what manner stones and what manner buildings are here how it was garnished with goodly stones and with consecrate things To whom Christ answered Are these the things that ye look vpon As if he should haue saide this is but lightnesse in you to eye so much these things for they are not the things that I most estéeme And therefore the time will come when not one stone shall be left vpon an other which shal not be throwen downe Earthly temples and Churches haue an vse whilest God pleaseth but true Religion may bée without them and God rightly serued if none were But now there are Churches in the World and did the Papists builde them all No No Assuredlie the Iewes and the Gentiles did build most of them and their labours we inioye Some peraduenture were built or repaired by men of Romish Religion Princes Bishops or others but what said their great man Campion preaching at the nerall of Sir Thomas White Surely saith he this they did in maxima rerum vilitate et multorum opibus adiuti in a time of great cheapenesse of euery thing and helped with the riches of many men Thus could he sée and say before discontentment made him Popish and blinde Popery made him blinde also Constantine the Great built Churches before euer Popery was hatched Charles the Great built Schooles of diuinitie and Vniuersities in Germanie Fraunce Italy not for Popery but for the Bible to be taught in and Saint Augustines workes reade at their tables Edward the third King of this Realme loued Wickleff adorned the Vniuersities and speaking honorablie of the bountie of Princes blameth accuseth greatlie the spoile and ouerthrow of Churches by Popes The Britans auntientinhabiters of this Nation as Beda witnesseth had their Churches and Temples and yet no Popery Therefore all was not done by papists The varie papists themselues confesse the contrarie Churches then wée haue and not built by them which yet if wée had not wée might bée Gods people Worthy persone in our daies which haue built Colledges inriched Cities with many such other good works would also haue built Churches if wée had wanted c. 5 To what end would God haue this Sanctuary builded That I may dwell among them saith the Lorde Hee that hath Heauen for his seate and earth for his footestoole dwelleth not in Temples made with hands Neither is included in any place But because there he gaue them visible signes of his gratious presence and was not called vpon in vaine but with effect and profit to all men that rightlie made their refuge to him therfore such mercie is called euen dwelling among them God is not changed in these daies but still kinde comfortable to his people And therefore euen our Temples also are his house in which he is trulie worshipped and euer present to heare our true prayers and to send vs away with his comfort as then he did Which vse and end of the Church is a matter of great good to all minds that rightlie and religiouslie will meditate of it and be instructed For if it be his house where he dwelleth and is present if it bée the house of prayer and the worship of God with what zeale and desire should we go
to it with what reuerence should we remaine in it and how vnwillingly depart from it before an end What is for the decencie of it how chéerefully should we giue and the wicked prophaners of it how seuerely should wée punish The Prophet Dauid being letted by his persecutors that he could not be present in the congregation of Gods people grieuously complaineth for it and protesteth that although he was separated in bodie frō them yet his heart was with them and that after a very earnest maner For euen as the Hart desireth the water brookes saith he so longeth my soule after thee O God My Soule is a thirst for God yea euen for the liuing God when shall I come to appeare before the presēce of God My teares haue bin my meate day and night while they daylie say vnto me where is now thy God Now when I think therevpon I poure out my very hart by my self for I wēt with the multitude brought thē forth into the house of God in the voice of praise thanksgiuing among such as keepe holy day In an other Psalme I was glad when they said vnto me we will goe into the house of the Lord. In the fifth Psalme But as for me I will come into thy house euen vpon the multitude of thy mercy in thy feare will I worship toward thine holy Temple Againe We will go into his Tabernacle and fall low on our knees before his footestoole Lord remember Dauid how he sware vnto the Lorde and vowed a vow vnto the Mighty God of Iacob I will not come within the Tabernacle of mine house or climbe vp to my bed I will not fuffer mine eies to sleepe nor mine eye lids to slumber neither the Temples of my head to take any rest Vntill I finde out a place for the Temple of the Lord an habitation for the mighty God of Iacob c. Thus earnest to haue a Temple thus earnest to go the Temple and thus grieued to be from the Temple was this holy King and Prophet in whom Gods Spirit ruled Others also that haue zealously loued to go to the Church hath God noted and chronicled in his booke both for the incouragement of such as will doo the like and for the iust condemnation of all stubborne despisers of the same Anna an olde Woman that had béene Widow foure score and foure yeeres the Lord hath caused his holy Euangelist to register this praise of her that shée went not out of the Temple but serued GOD with fastings and prayers day and night It is said of old Father Simeon that he came into the Temple by the MOTION OF THE SPIRIT when the parents brought the babe Iesus to doo for him after the custome of the lawe Gods spirit then moueth men to the Church but neuer from the Church The Pharisie and the Publicā went both vp into the Temple to pray And so good a thing as to go to the Church God wil not leaue vnnoted and praised in a very Pharisie The blessed Apostles Peter Iohn went vp together into the Temple at the ninth houre of prayer when they might haue prayed at home yet they would goe to the Church Three times in the yeare said the law of God shal all the males appeare before me in the place that I shall choose stil still to kéep them in vse and loue and care of the Church albeit they dwelled a great way off Where you may obserue that although the law reached but to the males because God gratiously considered that the women might be with childe or nurses and not able to come yet godly women when they were able and had no impediment would go vp also with their husbands such a zeale had they to the house of God where the assemblie met to serue God So went vp Anna with her husband Elcanah when shee made vnto her Son Samuel a little coate brought it vnto him from yeare to yeare So went vp the blessed Virgine to Hierusalē euery yeare at the feast of the Passeouer both of them when there were grosse and foule corruptions For when Anna went vp what read you of the Sons of Heli the Priest And when Mary went vp Scribes and Pharisies and wicked Priests were in their ruffe Yet they went vp and many other godly and wel disposed to teach vs euer not to fall out with God for mens faults nor to absent our selues from Church and Church exercises because all things are not perfect in the Ministers O let men be men and full of miseries let God be God ful of mercy to regard reward them the so loue him cleaue vnto him to his house to his seruice as for no vices faults of mē they wil be plucked seuered frō him To cōclude what a care had Christ our sauior himself of Church meetings cōming to thē obseruing of thē that he might do good in thē to many Yea euen in his childhood where was he found when his Parents had lost him but in the Temple sitting in the midst of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them questions To teach it euer to the worldes end that the place to séeke Christ and finde Christ in is the Church for in other places you may misse of him as his Parents did but neuer in the Church shall you faile if you séeke him duely It is written of S. Iohn that when he was so olde as he could not go to Church he would be carried by his schollers friends to it Chrisost Quod apud te precatus accipere non potes c. That which praying priuately thou cāst not obtain go to the Church and pray there for it and thou shalt obtaine The prayers there made saith S. Hierom. are like a great thūder-clap yea like the roaring of the sea saith Basil One sticke maketh a fire but many stickes a great and hot fire One string giueth a sound but many strings a melodious soūd c. I could not therfore refraine teares saith S. Austine at the hearing of the songs which thy Church cōgregatiō met together did vse to sing to thee O Lord what time I first began to recouer my Faith vnto thee yea me think euen yet still I feele my selfe rauished not with the singing but with the sweet matterwhich is sung c. To the Church to the Church then let our harts be euer following these blessed examples laide before vs know it well to be but a late deuise of the Diuell to vphold his kingdome by secret perswading of people frō the Church There is nothing in the Church but the Scriptures of God the Sacramēts of God holy praiers holy and comfortable exhortatiōs to amendment of life drawen out of the Scriptures all in a tongue that we vnderstand instruction of our childrē seruants for whom wée must answere if by our
tasted when he said Coit caetus cōgregantur omnes et quasi manufacta praecationibus ambiunt Deumorantes Grata haec vis est Deo quodque singulis petentibus negaturus forte fuerit multorū vnanimitati precantium fere tribuit The assembly commeth together and all meeting as it were with an host or band of men they set vpon GOD with their ioined prayers and the Lord accepteth well such force offered vnto him graunting commonly to that one voice of many what he would not haue graunted to some of them if they had bene seuerall Surely as many stickes make a greater fire and many strings a fuller musicke so is the méeting of many in the Church to pray together a fire of great heate an harmonie passing pleasing to the Lord. The Churches are like those Cities of refuge which God appointed among the Israelites whither hee that had offended might flye finde pardon onely those Sanctuaries were for some kinde of faults and the Church is for all kinde so that wée heartely and vnfainedly cry Lord forgiue and what a comfort is this Meditation if you follow it Dooth the husbandman sow onlie for the pleasure hée taketh to sowe or dooth he it to the end he may reape Dooth the Merchant onely aduenture for a pleasure to saile or dooth hée it to gaine and get So so must a Christian Man or Woman goe to the Church not for the pleasure of walking or such like but to get and gaine some spirituall comfort and profit which if wée doo certainely that God that séeth our harts desires and driftes will mercifully and gratiously answere the same to our good contentment Let these things therefore increase our loue to the Church to goe to it to spend the time wel when we are there and to tarrie out the end of all diuine duties there which last point S. Chrisostome exhorteth vnto by much perswasion finding the fault euen then as it séemeth which too too much aboūdeth in our Churches namely to depart away before the end of Prayers and Sermon Medicamentum inquit si tibi adhibeatur nec te sanet an non altero die adhibebis Si incisor arboris vno ictu non incidat an non plures adhibebit Sic tu ingressus Ecclesiam et admissus ad consortium Christi noliexire nisi demittaris nam si exeas tamque fugitiuus reposceris Totum diem in his quae ad corpus spectant insumis et duas horas spiritualibus non vacas Ad theatrum venis et non discedis donec dicatur valete et plaudite et in Ecclesiam ingressus priusquam Diuina mysteria peragantur abis A medicine saith hée if it be applied to thee and helpe thee not the first daye wilt thou not vse it the second daye againe A feller of a tree if he cannot smite it downe at one blowe will hee not smite againe and againe till it fall So then entring into the Church admitted to the cōpany of Christ depart not away till thou be dismissed For if thou do go forth thou shalt bee called for againe as a fugitiue All the whole day thou canst bee content to bestow in things concerning the Bodye and canst thou not bestow two houres vpon spirituall matters To the Theater where the playe is thou wilt come and not depart before the end and out of GODS house wilt thou depart before an end Thus effectuallie did that godlie Father then reprooue this fault and let it mooue vs much Diuers Councilles also laide downe expresse Decrees against it as may bée séene But let this suffice of this matter occasioned by the end and vse of this Sanctuatie which God here would haue built Namely that he might dwell among them 6 The last point is the forme fashion of it which God here expresly cōmandeth should be According to all that he shewed him euen so should he make it and all the instruments of it Afterward often it is repeated according to that patterne which God shewed Moses in the Mountaine verse 40. Wherein wée are most plainelie taught that in the seruice and worship of God our deuises and inuentions must haue no place but carefully and precisely we must euer serue him according to his owne paterne and prescription left vs in his holy Word Much hath the Word of this matter we must be very héedefull of it Heare O Israel saith the Lord the ordinances and lawes which I teach you c. Ye shall put nothing to the Word which I commaund you neither shall you take ought there from Againe ye shall not doo whatsoeuer seemeth good in your owne eyes But to the place which the Lord your God shall choose thither shall you bring all that I commaund you c. Againe Ye shall haue fringes vpon the borders of your garments put vpon the fringes of the borders a ribād of blew silke That whē you looke vpon them ye may remēber all the cōmandements of the Lord to do them and THAT YE SEEKE NOT AFTER YOVR OVVNE HART NOR AFTER YOVR OVVNE EYES c. The punishment of transgressing in this kinde you may reade in many places in the Old and New Testament Hee that breaketh the least of these commandements shall be counted the least in the kingdome of God If any man loue me he wil keepe my Word Then are you my friends if you doo what I commaund you The Apostle condemneth all voluntarie religion to the Colossians the place is worthy looking on Therefore himselfe expresly mentioneth that touching the holy Sacrament he deliuered nothing but what hee had receiued For in vaine in vaine saith he do we worship God teaching for doctrines mens precepts Secondly in that God shewed Moses a patterne we may consider that as a builder before he build a house in a paper vseth to draw the whole plot and forme so God Almightie before the sending of his Son in our flesh which is the builder of the new Testament in the Ceremonies of the law as in a paper or paterne drew and discouered the manner of his worship and mercies and fauours in Christ And as the same builder after he hath finished the worke taketh away and throweth downe all scaffoldes and proppes and stayes vsed before so the Lord soone after the resurrection of Christ hauing ended the happie worke of our saluation tooke away all the Mosaicall policie with these Ceremonies that onely Christ might be looked at and not these not sparing that glorious materiall Temple which if it had stood neuer would or could men haue béene drawen from these shadowes to the bodie and truth of all This matter of the Tabernacle is againe spoken of in the 35. Chapter whither you may turne and reade that with this out of which reading happily this Question may come in your minde why God would haue eyther now suich a sumptuous Tabernacle erected or afterward such a glorious Temple And you may answer thus That because the Heathen
figuratiuely the puritie of the Church cleansed in Christ and how carefull euery member of the same must be to kéepe himselfe pure and cleane as the Lord shall strengthen him The goodly rich furniture and ornamentes shadowed out as hath béene saide the rich gifts and Graces of God powred vpon his Church and the blessed estate of it vnder Christ Of which sée a description in the Prophet Esay most notable O thou afflicted and tossed with tempest that hast no comfort behold I will lay thy stones with the Carbuncle and laye thy foundations with Saphires And I will make thy windowes with Emerandes and thy gates shining stones and all thy borders of pleasant stones And all thy children shal be taught of the Lord c. 4 The three distinct Rooms they haue applied to three kindes or measures of righteousnes thus There was an outward Court and that may represent the first step to God when a man vseth the outward Ceremonies and actions cōmanded as then of sacrificing washing and so forth now of cōming to church hearing c. Those be good things but yet a man is not gotten into the Church only into the outward Court he is gottē there remaineth For euill men may doo these outward matters Then there was an inward place called the Holy place a third within that againe called the Holyest of all So they say there is a second degree of righteousnesse or a second step to God when a man dooth these outward things hartely truly vnfeignedly And a third step when by so dooing his hart is opened and he beléeueth in him that redéemed him and for euer holdeth fast by him And now is he gotten into both the Holy place and the most holy of all Into the Holy place in possession that is to be a true and sound member of Christ his Church and into the most holy of all by hope and in expectation because after this life is ended he passeth into the presence of God in heauen and there liueth for euer 5 By the vaile men haue noted how the obscurity of those Kites and Ceremonies was figured and that the time of full Reuelatiō was not yet come in which things should be most plaine as when Christ came they were Those Types and shadowes being open in him to whom they all caried their meaning Also they noted in it how reuerently we must speak and heare of the Maiestie of God of his Word of his holy exercises whatsoeuer belongeth to Religion And lastly by the rending of the vayle frō the top to the bottome when Christ suffered plainely was shewed that then that kinde of teaching the Church by such figures was ended and they also were ended The body and truth was come had finished all things Now intending to poure out his Spirit more aboundantly and to teach more plainly whatsoeuer belonged to eternal cōfort Read S. Peters Sermon in the 2. of the Acts when the Holy-ghost fell vpon them ignorant men déemed thē drunke Thus may we profit by this Chap. leaue many particulars which idle men haue béene too busie with abounding with vnquiet thoughts and itching loue of nouelties Still still carry this in your minde how God loueth a place of publike méeting for holy exercises and to haue al his come thither vpon daies and times appointed and euer loue you the Church and be not drawen from it CHAP. 27. THis Chapter also goeth forwarde with the description of the Tabernacle and namelie of those pointes which in the former Chapter were not mentioned as the Altar of burnt offerings the Court of the Tabernacle and the Lampes continuallie burning Concerning the Altar how it was made for matter height length and breadth the Text is plaine and you may there read it in the first 8. v. For the vse to vs wée may note two things First that it was a figure of Christ as the Apostle to the Heb. expoundeth it and secondly that the Altars vsed in Popery are not warranted by this example But that the Primatiue Church vsed Communiō tables as we now doo of boords and wood not Altars as they doo of stone Origen was about 2. hundred yéeres after Christ he saith that Celsus obiected it as a fault to the Christians that they had neither Images nor Churches nor Altars Arnobius after him saith the same of the Heathens Accusatis nos quod nec Templa habeamus nec aras nec imagines You accuse vs for that we haue neither Churches nor Altars nor Images Gershon saith that Siluester first caused stone◠Altars to be made and willed that no man should consecrate at a wooden Altar but himselfe and his successors there Belike then the former ages knew not that profound reason that Altars must be of stone quia Petra erat Christus because the Rock was Christ as Durandus after deuised Upō this occasion in some places stone Altars were vsed for steddinesse continuance wooden tables hauing béene before vsed but I say in some places not in all For S. Augustine saith that in his time in Aphrica they were made of wood For the Donatists saith he brake in sūder the Altar-boords Againe the Deacons dutie was to remooue the Altar Chrysostome calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy board S. Augustine men sā Domini the table of the Lord. Athanasius men sam ligneam the table of wood Yet was this Cōmunion table called an Altar not that it was so but onely by allusion metaphorically as Christ is called au Altar or our hearts be called Altars c. Marke with your selfe therefore the newnesse of this point for stone Altars in comparison of our auntient vse of Cōmunion tables let Popery his parts fall truth and sound antiquitie be regarded 2 Touching the hornes of the Altar spoken of they litterally serued to kéepe vp the sacrifice from falling of and figuratiuely noted strength so that to binde the sacrifice to the hornes of the Altar was to giue themselues wholly with a strong faith and onely to rest and trust and stay vppon him to tye al carnall affections fast also to the Altars hornes by subduing and making them captiue to God This Altar was in one place the Sacrifice in one place noting how Christ should onely once and in one place offer vp himselfe for al mankinde 3 Concerning the lampes as little doo they warrant Popish tapers and candles as the Altars before did their Altars And Christians vsed no such follies and apish imitations of things abrogated and seruing only for the time For we doo not light candles at noon day saith S. Hierom but in the night wee vse lights as a comfort against darknesse The same saith Augustin Eusebius others whose Testimonies are often vsed And Lactantius asketh whether they be wel in their wits or no that offer candles and lightes to the Author and giuer of all light
of minde and woe of heart for his owne fault and the peoples death Dauid bought the threshing floore of Aranah c. And offered Burnt Offerings vnto the Lord wherevpon his comfort followed The Lord was appeased towards the Land and the plague ceased from Israel Thus might I wearie you with Examples but I will adde but one more the example of Salomon who béeing brought of God to the Kingdome of his father Dauid and wisely weighing the great charge and burthen of it as also his owne want of experience and skill to guide so great a ship troubled and perplexed in his heart betwixt a desire to doe well and a feare to light short of what he desired through his owne weakenesse got him in this agonie to his God and offered Burnt Offerings which likewise had effect to his ioy the Lord saw him and heard him and gaue him both wisedome for his charge which he onely begged and riches and honour which he begged not so that before him was neuer such a one neither after him should euer be the like Sée then as I said the vse of this kinde of Sacrifice in all feares and troubles when comfort was wished and a strong stable heart in Gods promises till the time of the same co 〈…〉 for t came without fainting or falling away Secondly after obseruation in what case the burnt Offering was vsed let vs consider the maner and circumstances of it which likewise you sée in this third Uerse c. First it must bee of the Herde or flockes if it were a beast not a wild Hart Bore Beare Woolf c. For these kinde of creatures being fierce sauage cruell and by force brought to death not otherwise could not be figures and shadowes of a méeke milde swéete and gracious Sauiour who willingly and louingly should euen lay downe his life for vs that wée by his death might be saued Secondly it was required to be a Male. The Male is stronger and perfecter than the Female and therefore fitter to shadowe and shew the strength and perfection of Christ in vanquishing sinne death druill and hell which the mightiest Monarche the earth euer had could neuer doe Thirdly it was required that it should be without blemish that is not blind not lame nor broken and so foorth as you may read Leuit. 22. ver 22. which when the Iewes obserued not sée how the Lord complaineth Malachie 1. 8. If any man thinke these bodily imperfections small things to be regarded of God it is very true but for an expresse commandement of God to stubbornely broken by dust and ashes that should obey is no small matter If we looke at the Apple eaten by our first Parents it was but an Apple a matter of small moment but when the Commandement saide no and yet they did it their fault was not small and so the punishment shewed Therefore euer in the Commandements of God we must not regard so much the thing as his Will who being our maker may command what he will and his will being euer iust holy wise and for our good if we haue grace ought to be obeyed precisely carefully and chearfully This condition of the burnt Sacrifice figured out the puritie of that Lambe that indéede had no blemish any way no guile found in his mouth but so cleane as by his cleannesse his righteousnesse béeing imputed vnto vs his Spirit dayly worketh our Sanctification and newnesse of life from sinne and vncleanesse Fourthly your Chapter saith it must be presented of voluntary will so to figure out that Christ should willingly not constrainedly giue himselfe to death for mankinde and peraduenture also to shew that God neuer liketh of constreyned seruice but will haue men doe their duties to him voluntarily as indéed is fit of the creature to the Creator euer Fiftly it must be presented at the doore of the Tabernacle God tying them to a place appointed by him and not suffering them to sacrifice where they listed themselues in euery place Deut. 12. 13. 14. as in the Margin the places are noted If this thought come in your minde why God should thus tye them to a place when as for the shadowing of Christ and confirming the faith of the Godly it seemeth rather it should haue béene lawfull euery where to sacrifice because euery where Christ is a comfort to all beléeuers and Faith in al places should receiue her appointed helpes to make strong and stable from despaire or doubt You againe may remember that there were two reasons chiefly of this Commandement The first is expressed in Leuit. Chap. 17. ver 3. c. Namely that by this meanes they might be stayed from vsing any vnlawfull maner in their Sacrifices and from following the fashions of their adioyning neighbours the Heathens which happily they might haue done if in euery place at their pleasure they might haue sacrificed The second reason was to signifie by this means that he only was the true Sacrifice for sin whom that Mercie seat there in the Tabernacle did represent which in that place where after the Temple should be built to wit in Ierusalem should offer himself for our sinnes If you aske whether by this example at this day a certaine place be requisite you may remember that euen by this example and true experience wisely our Elders haue both thought of prouided that in every Parish there should be a publike place euen a Church or Chappell whither except in case of necessitie all people of that Limyt should come to performe their duties to God publiquely after one maner not allowed at their wil euery one to haue a seuerall place lest priuate places should bréede priuate fancies errors and heresies schismes and deuisions in the Church Sixtly vpon the Burnt Offering you read here they must lay their hand euen vpon the head of it vers 4. And diuers good things were taught hereby to them that vnderstood rightly those Ceremonies then vsed For first the partie bringing that Sacrifice did by this means acknowledge that he himselfe deserued to dye but by the mercy of God he was spared and his desert laid vpon the beast for which he ought to be thankfull Secondly as that beast then was to die for him and to be offered in Sacrifice so did he beléeue Christ should come and die for him Thirdly that it is not enough to beléeue that Christ should come and die for sinne but he must put his hand vpon Christ that is lay vpon him all his iniquities by the hand of his Faith apply Christ to himselfe and beléeue that hée must die then and wée now that he hath dyed for his sinnes my sinnes your sinnes c Being the onely propitiation for sinne The Iewes put their hand vpon the workes of the Law the Heathens vpon their deuised worships Hypocrites vpon their almes fasts prayers c Making these things satiffactorie to God for them and so wronging the Lord Jesus