It deuoures the carcasses of men but bodies informed with liuing soules neuer before To haue seene them struck dead vpon the earth had been fearfull but to see the earth at once their executioner and graue was more horrible Neyther the Sea nor the Earth are fit to giue passage The sea is moist and flowing and will not be diuided for the continuitie of it The earth is dry and massie and will neither yeeld naturally nor meet againe when it hath yeelded yet the waters did cleaue to giue way vnto Israel for their preseruation the earth did cleaue to giue vvay to the Conspirators in iudgement Both Sea and Earth did shut their iawes againe vpon the aduersaries of GOD. There vvas more vvonder in this latter It was a maruell that the vvaters opened it vvas no wonder that they shutte againe for the retyring and flowing was naturall It was no lesse maruell that the earth opened but more maruell that it did shutte againe because it had no naturall disposition to meet when it vvas diuided Now might Israel see they had to doe with a GOD that could reuenge with ease There were two sorts of Traytors the earth swallowed vp the one the fire the other All the elements agree to serue the vengeance of their Maker Nadab and Abihu brought fit persons but vnfit fire to GOD These Leuites bring the right fire but vnwarranted persons before him Fire from GOD consumes both It is a dangerous thing to vsurpe sacred functions The ministery will not grace the man The man may disgrace the ministery The common people were not so fast gathered to Corahs flattering perswasion before as now they ran from the sight and feare of his iudgment I maruell not if they could not trust that earth whereon they stood whiles they knew their harts had bin false It is a madnesse to runne away from punishment and not from sin The end of the sixt Booke Contemplations THE SEVENTH BOOKE Aarons Censer and Rod. The Brasen Serpent Balaa◠Phinehas The death of Moses At London printed by H. L. for Samuel Macham are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Bull-head 1614. TO MY RIGHT HONOVRABLE RELIGIOVS AND BOVNTIFVL PATRON EDVVARD Lord DENNY BARON of WALTHAM The chiefe comfort of my labours I. H. wisheth all true happines and Dedicates this part of his Meditations CONTEMPLATIONS THE SEVENTH BOOKE Aarons Censer and Rod. WHen shall we see an end of these murmurings these iudgmēts Because these men rose vp against Moses and Aaron therefore GOD consumed them and because God consumed them therfore the people rise vp against Moses and Aaron and now because the people thus murmur God hath againe begun to consume them What a circle is here of sinnes and iudgements Wrath is gone out from God Moses is quick-sighted and spies it at the setting out By how much more faithfull and familiar we are with God so much earlier doe we discerne his iudgements As those which are well acquainted with men knowe by their lookes and gestures that which strangers vnderstand but by their actions As finer tempers are more sensible of the changes of weather Hence the Seers of God haue euer from their watch-tower descryed the iudgements of God afarre off If another man had seene from Carmel a cloud of a hand breadth he could not haue tolde Ahab he should be wet It is enough for Gods messengers out of their acquaintance with their maisters proceedings to foresee punishment No maruell if those see it not which are wilfully sinfull wee men reueale not our secret purposes either to enemies or strangers all their fauour is to feele the plague ere they can espie it Moses though hee were great with God yet he takes not vpon him this reconciliation he may aduise Aaron what to doe himselfe vndertakes not to act it It is the worke of the Priesthood to make an atonement for the people Aaron was first his brothers tongue to Pharaoh now he is the peoples tongue to God He only must offer vp the incense of the publique prayers to God Who would not thinke it a small thing to hold a Censer in his hand yet if any other had done it hee had fallen with the dead and not stood betwixt the liuing and dead in stead of the smoke ascending the fire had descended vppon him And shall there be lesse vse or lesse regard of the Euangelicall ministery then the Legall When the world hath powred out all his contempt we are they that must reconcile men to God and without vs they perish I knowe not whether more to maruell at the courage or mercy of Aaron His mercy that hee vvould yet saue so rebellious a people his courage that hee would saue them with so great a danger of himselfe For as one that would part a fray he thrusts himselfe vnder the strokes of God and puts it to the choise of the reuenger whether hee will smite him or forbeare the rest He stands boldly betwixt the liuing and the dead as one that wil eyther die vvith them or haue them liue vvith him the sight of fourteene hundred carcasses dismayd him not hee that before feared the threats of the people novv feares not the strokes of GOD It is not for Gods ministers to stand vpon their owne perils in the common causes of the Church Their prayers must oppose the iudgements of the Almighty When the fire of Gods anger is kindled their Censers must smoke with fire frō the altar Euery Christian must pray for the remouall of vengeance how much more they whom God hath appointed to mediate for his people Euerie mans mouth is his owne but they are the mouthes of all Had Aaron thrust in himselfe with empty hands I doubt whether he hadde preuailed now his Censer was his protection When wee come vvith supplications in our handes vvee neede not feare the strokes of GOD. We haue leaue to resist the diuine iudgements by our prayers with fauour and successe So soone as the incense of Aaron ascended vp vnto God he smelt a sauour of rest hee will rather spare the offenders then strike their intercessor How hardly can any people miscarry that haue faithfull ministers to sue for their safetie Nothing but the smoke of heartie prayers can cleanse the ayre from the plagues of God If Aarons sacrifice were thus accepted how much more shall the hy-priest of the new Testament by interposing himselfe to the wrath of his father deliuer the offenders from death The plague was entred vpon all the sonnes of men O Sauiour thou stood'st betwixt the liuing and the dead that all which beleeue in thee should not perish Aaron offered and was not striken but thou O Redeemer wouldst offer and be strooke that by thy stripes wee might be healed So stood'st thou betwixt the dead and liuing that thou wert both aliue and dead and all this that wee when wee were dead might liue for euer Nothing more troubled Israell then
some Clients after him It hath bin euer a dangerous policy of Satan To assault the best hee knowes that the multitude as we say of Bees wil follow their maister Nothing can bee more pleasing to the vulgar sort then to heare their gouernours taxed and themselues flattered All the Congregation is holy Euery one of them Wherefore lift yee vp your selues Euery word is a falshood For Moses deiected himself Who am I GOD lifted him vp ouer Israel And so was Israel holy as Moses was ambitious What holinesse was there in so much infidelity feare Idolatry mutinie disobedience What could make them vncleane if this were holinesse They had scarce wip't their mouthes or washt their hands since their last obstinacy and yet these pick-thanks say All Israell is holy I would neuer desire a better proofe of a false teacher then flattery True meaning neede not vphold it selfe by soothing There is nothing easier then to perswade men well of themselues when a mans self-loue meets with anothers flattery it is an hy praise that will not be belieued It was more out of opposition then beliefe that these men plead the holines of Israel Violent aduersaries to vphold a side will mainetaine those things they belieue not Moses argues not for himselfe but appeales to GOD neither speakes for his owne right but his brother Aarons He knew that Gods immediate seruice vvas woorthy to bee more precious then his gouernment That his Princedome serued but to the glory of his Maister Good Magistrates are more tender ouer Gods honour then their owne and are more sensible of the wrongs offred to religion then to themselues It is safest to trust God with his owne causes If Aaron had beene chosen by Israel Moses would haue sheltred him vnder their authoritie Now that GOD did immediatly appoint him his patronage is sought whose the election was We may easily fault in the menaging of diuine affaires and so our want of successe cannot want sin He knowes how to vse how to blesse his own meanes As there was a difference betwixt the people and Leuites so betwixt the Leuites and Priests The GOD of order loues to haue our degrees kept Whiles the Leuites would be looking vp to the Priests Moses sends downe their eyes to the people The way not to repine at those aboue vs is to looke at those below vs. There is no better remedy for ambition then to cast vp our former receyts and to compare them with our deseruings and to conferre our owne estate with inferiours So shall wee finde cause to be thankfull that wee are aboue any rather then of enuie that any is aboue vs. Moses hath chid the sonnes of Leui for mutining against Aaron and so much the more because they were of his own Tribe now hee sends for the Reubenites vvhich rose against himselfe They come not and their message is worse then their absence Moses is accused of iniustice crueltie falshood treacherie vsurpation and Egypt it selfe must bee commended rather then Moses shall vvant reproche Innocencie is no shelter from ill tongues Malice neuer regards hovv true any accusation is but hovv spightfull Now it was time for Moses to be angry They durst not haue been thus bold if they had not seen his mildnesse Lenity is ill bestowed vpon stubburne natures It is an iniurious senselesnesse not to feel the wounds of our reputation It well appeares he is angry when he prayes against them He was displeased before but when he was most bitter against them hee still pray'd for them but now hee bends his very prayers against them Looke not to their offering There can be no greater reuenge then the imprecation of the righteous There can bee no greater iudgement then Gods reiection of our seruices With vs men what more argues dislike of the person then the turning back of his present What will GOD accept from vs if not prayers The innocence of Moses calls for reuenge on his Aduersaries If hee had wronged them in his gouernment in vaine should hee haue looked to Gods hand for right Our sinnes exclude vs from Gods protection whereas vprightnesse challenges and findes his patronage An asse taken had made him vncapable of fauour Corrupt Gouernours lose the comfort of their owne brest and the tuition of God The same tongue that prayed against the Conspirators prayes for the people As lewd men thinke to carry it with number Corah had so farre preuailed that hee had drawne the multitude to his side GOD the auenger of treasons would haue consumed them all at once Moses and Aaron pray for their rebels Although they were vvoorthy of death and nothing but death could stoppe their mouthes yet their mercifull Leaders vvill not buy their owne peace with the losse of such enemies Oh rare and imitable mercy The people rise vp against their Gouernors Their Gouernours fall on their faces to God for the people So far are they from plotting reuenge that they will not indure God should reuenge for them Moses knew wel enough that all those Israelites must perish in the Wildernesse GOD had vow'd it for their former insurrection yet how earnestly doth hee sue to GOD not to consume them at once The very respite of euills is a fauour next to the remoueall Corah kindled the fire the two hundred and fiftie Captaines brought sticks to it All Israel warm'd thēselues by it onely the incendiaries perish Now doe the Israelites owe their life to them whose death they intended God Moses knowe to distinguish betwixt the heads of a faction the train though neither be faultless yet the one is plagued the other forgiuen Gods vengeance when it is at the hotest makes differēces of men Get you away from about the Tabernacles of Corah Euer before common iudgements there is a separation In the vniuersall iudgement of all the earth the Iudge himselfe will separate in these particular executions wee must separate our selues The societie of wicked men especially in their sinnes is mortally dangerous whiles wee will not be parted how can we complaine if we be enwrapped in their condemnation Our very company sins with them why should wee not smart with them also Moses had well hoped that when these rebels should see all the Israelites runne from them as from monsters and looking affrightedly vpon their Tents and should heare that fearfull proclaclamation of vengeance against them howsoeuer they did before set a face on their conspiracie yet now their hearts would haue misgiuen But loe these bold Traytors stand impudently staring in the doore of their tents as if they would out-face the reuenge of GOD As if Moses had neuer wrought miracle before them As if no one Israelite had euer bledde for rebelling Those that shall perish are blinded Pride and infidelity obdures the hart and makes euen cowards fearelesse So soone as the innocent are seuered the guilty perish the earth cleaues and swallowes vp the rebels This element was not vsed to such morsels
hee diets them Neuer any haue had so bitter draughts vpon earth as those hee loues best The palate is an ill iudge of the fauours of God O my Sauiour thou didst drinke a more bitter cup from the hands of thy Father then that which thou refusedst of the Iewes or then that which I can drinke from thee Before they could not drinke if they would now they might and would not God can giue vs blessings with such a tang that the fruition shall not much differ from the want So many a one hath riches not grace to vse them many haue children but such as they preferre barrennes They had said before Oh that we had any water now Oh that wee had good water It is good so to desire blessings from God that wee may be the better for inioying them so to craue water that it may not be sauced w th bitternes Now these fond Israelites in steed of praying murmur in steed of praying to God murmur against Moses What hath the righteous done He made not either the Wildernesse dry or the waters bitter Yea if his conduct were the matter what one foot went hee before them without God The piller led them and not hee yet Moses is murmur'd at It is the hard condition of authoritie that when the multitude fare well they applaud themselues when ill they repine against their gouernours Who can hope to be free if Moses escape not Neuer any Prince so merited of a people He thrust himselfe vpon the pikes of Pharaohs tyranny He brought them from a bondage worse then death His rod diuided the Sea and shared life to them death to their pursuers VVho vvould not haue thought these men so obliged to Moses that no death could haue opened their mouthes or raised their hands against him Yet now the first occasion of want makes them rebell No benefit can stop the mouth of Impatience If our turne be not serued for the present former fauours are either forgotten or contemned No maruell if we deale so with men when God receiues this measure from vs. One yeare of famine One summer of pestilence One moone of vnseasonable weather makes vs ouer-look all the blessings of God more to mutine at the sense of our euill then to praise him for our varieties of good whereas fauours well bestowed leaue vs both mindfull and confident and will not suffer vs either to forget or distrust O God I haue made an ill vse of thy mercies if I haue not learned to be content with thy corrections Moses was in the same want of water with them in the same disâ—aste of bitternes and yet they say to Moses What shal we drink If they had seene him furnished with full vessels of sweete water and themselues put ouer to this vnsauory liquor enuy might haue giuen some colour to this mutinie but now their leaders common misery might haue freed him from their murmurs They helde it one peece of the late Egyptian tyranny that a task was required of them which the imposers knew they could not performe to make brick when they had no strawâ— Yet they say to Moses what shall wee drink Themselues are grown exactors and are ready to menace more then stripes if they haue not their ends without means Moses took not vpon him their prouision but their deliuerance and yet as if he had been the common victualer of the Camp they aske what shall we drink When want meets with impatient mindes it transports them to fury Euery thing disquiets and nothing satisfies them What course doth Moses now take That which they should haue done and did not They cryed not more feruently to him then he to God If he were their leader God was his That which they vniustly required of him he iustly requires of God that could doe it He knew whence to look for redresse of all complaints this was not his charge but his Makers which was able to maintaine his owne act I see and acknowledge the harbour that we must put into in all our ill weather It is to thee O God that we must poure out our hearts which onely canst make our bitter waters sweet Might not that rod which took away the liquid nature from the waters and made them solid haue also taken away the bitter quality from these waters and made them sweet since to flowe is naturall vnto the water to be bitter is but accidentall Moses durst not imploy his rod without a precept hee knew the power came from the commandement Wee may not presume on likelyhoods but depend vpon warrants therefore Moses doth not lift vp his rodde to the waters but his hand and voyce to GOD. The hand of faith neuer knocked at heauen in vaine No sooner hath Moses shewd his grieuance then God shews him the remedie yet an vnlikely one that it might be miraculous He that made the waters could haue giuen them any sauor How easie is it for him that made the matter to alter the quality It is not more hard to take away then to giue Who doubts but the same hand that created them might haue immediatly changed them Yet that almighty power will doe it by meanes A peece of wood must sweeten the waters What relation hath wood to water or that which hath no sauour to the redresse of bitternes Yet here is no more possibility of failing then proportion to the successe All things are subiect to the commaund of their Maker He that made all of nothing can make euery thing of any thing There is so much power in euery creature as he wil please to giue It is the praise of omnipotencie to work by improbabilities Elisha with salt Moses with wood shall sweeten the bitter waters Let no man despise the meanes when he knowes the author God taught his people by actions as well as words This entrance shewd them their whole iourney wherein they should taste of much bitternesse but at last through the mercy of GOD sweetned with comfort Or did it not represent themselues rather in the iourney in the fountaines of whose hearts were the bitter waters of manifold corruptions yet their vnsauory soules are sweetned by the graces of his Spirite O blessed Sauiour the wood of thy Crosse that is the application of thy sufferings is enough to sweeten a whole sea of bitternesse I care not how vnpleasant a potion I finde in this wildernesse if the power and benefit of thy precious death may season it to my soule The Quayles and Manna THe thirst of Israel is wel quenched for besides the change of the wateâ—s of Marah their station is changed to Elim where were twelue fountaines for their twelue Tribes and now they complaine as fast of hunger Contentation is a rare blessing because it arises either froÌ„ a fruition of all comforts or a not desiring of some which wee haue not Now we are neuer so bare as not to haue some benefits neuer so full as not to want something
with them and they be athirst Either God must humour carnall minds or be distrusted If they prosper though it be with wickednes God is with them If they be thwarted in their owne designes straight Is God with vs It was the way to put God from them to distrust and murmure If he had not been with them they had not liued If hee had been in them they had not mutined They can thinke him absent in their want and cannot see him absent in their sin and yet wickednesse not affliction argues him gone Yet then is hee most present vvhen hee most chastises Who would not haue looked that this answere of Moses should haue appeased their fury As vvhat can still him that will not be quiet to thinke he hath God for his aduersary But as if they would wilfully warre against heauen they proceed yet with no lesse craft then violence bending their exception to one part of the answere and smoothly omitting what they could not except against They will not heare of tempting God they maintain their strife with Moses both with words and stones How malitious how heady is impatience The act was Gods they cast it vpon Moses Wherefore hast thou brought vs The act of God was mercifull they make it cruell To kill vs and our children As if GOD and Moses meant nothing but their ruine vvho intended nothing but their life and liberty Foolish men What needed this iourney to death Were they not as obnoxious to God in Egypt Could not God by Moses as easily haue killed them in Egypt or in the Sea as their enemies Impatience is full of misconstruction If it be possible to find out any glosse to corrupt the text of Gods actions they shall be sure not to scape vntainted It was no expostulating with an vnreasonable multitude Moses runnes straight to him that was able at once to quench their thirst and their fury What shall I doe to this people It is the best way to trust God with his owne causes when men will be intermedling with his affaires they vndoe themselues in vaine We shal find difficulties in all great enterprises If we be sure we haue begun them from God we may securely cast all euents vppon his prouidence which knowes how to dispose and how to end them Moses perceiued rage not in the tongues onely but in the hands of the Israelites Yet a while longer and they will stone mee Euen the leader of Gods people feared death and sinned not in fearing Life is worthy to be deare to all especially to him vvhome publique charge hath made necessary Meere feare is not sinfull It is impotence and distrust that accompany it which make it euill How well is that feare bestowed that sends vs the more importunately to GOD Some man would haue thought of flight Moses flyes to his prayers and that not for reuenge but for help Who but Moses would not haue saide This twise they haue mutined and beene pardoned and now againe thou seest O Lord how madly they rebell and how bloodily they intend against me preserue me I beseech thee and plague them I heare none of this but imitating the long suffering of his God hee seeks to God for them which sought to kill him for the quarrell of God Neither is God sooner sought then found All Israel might see Moses goe towardes the rocke None but the Elders might see him strike it Their vnbeleefe made them vnworthy of this priuiledge It is no small fauour of God to make vs witnesses of his great works That he crucifies his Son before vs that hee serches the water of life out of the true rock in our sight is an hie prerogatiue If his rigour vvould haue taken it our infidelitie had equally excluded vs whom now his mercy hath receiued Moses must take his rod God could haue done it by his vvill without a word or by his word without the rod but hee will doe by meanes that which hee can as easily doe without There vvas no vertue in the rod none in the stroke but all in the command of God Meanes must be vsed and yet their efficacie must bee expected out of themselues It doth not suffice GOD to name the rod without a description Whereby thou smotest the riuer Wherfore but to strengthen the faith of Moses that hee might well expect this wonder from that which he had tryed to be miraculous How could hee but firmly beleeue that the same meanes which turned the waters into blood and turned the Sea into a wall could as vvell turne the stone into vvater Nothing more rayses vp the heart in present affiance then the recognition of fauours or vvoonders passed Behold the same rodde that brought plagues to the Egyptians brings deliuerances to 〈◊〉 By the same meanes can God saue and condemne Like as the same sword defends and kilâ—s That power which turned the wings of the Quayles to the Wildernes turned the course of the water through the rocke Hee might if he had pleased haue caused a spring to well out of the plaine earth but hee will now fetch it out of the stone to conuince and shame their infidelitie What is more hard and dry then the rock What more moist and supple then vvater That they might be ashamed to thinke they distrusted least God could bring them water out of the cloudes or springs the very rock shall yeeld it And now vnlesse their hearts had beene more rockie then this stone they could not but haue resolued into teares for this diffidence I wonder to see these Israelites fed with Sacraments Their bread was Sacramentall whereof they communicated euery day least any man should complaine of frequence the Israelites receiued daily and now their drinke was Sacramentall that the ancient Church may giue no warrant of a dry Communion Twise therefore hath the rock yeelded them water of refreshing to signifie that the true spirituall rock yeelds it alwayes The rocke that followed them was Christ Out of thy side O Sauiour issued that bloody stream wherby the thirst of all beleeuers is comfortably quenched Let vs but thirst not with repining but with faith this rocke of thine shall abundantly flow forth to our soules and follow vs till this water be changed into that new wine vvhich wee shall drinke vvith thee in thy Fathers Kingdome The Foyle of Amalek or The hand of Moses lift vp NO sooner is Israels thirst slaked then God hath an Amalekite ready to assault them The Almighty hath choise of rods to whip vs with and will not be content with one tryall They would needs be quarrelling with Moses without a cause and now God sends the Amalekites to quarrell with them It is iust with God that they which would bee contending vvith their best friends shold haue work enough of contending with enemies In their passage out of Egypt God vvould not lead them the nearest vvay by the Philistims Land least they should repent at the sight of warre now they
so pretious a monument as the Tables written with Gods owne hand If we see but the stone vvhich Iacobs head rested on or on which the foot of Christ did once tread we looke vpon it with more then ordinary respect With what eye should wee haue beheld this stone which was hewed and written with the very finger of God Any manuscript scroll written by the hand of a famous man is laid vp amongst our iewels What place then should we haue giuen to the hand-writing of the Almighty That which hee hath dictated to his seruants the Prophets challenges iust honour from vs how dooth that deserue veneration which his owne hand wrote immediately Prophecies and Euangelicall discourses hee hath written by others neuer did hee write any thing himselfe but these Tables of the Law neither did hee euer speak any thing audibly to whole mankinde but it The hand the stone the Law were all his By how much more precious this record was by so much vvas the fault greater of defacing it What King holds it lesse then rebellion to teare his writing and blemish his seale At the first hee ingraued his image in the Table of mans hart Adam blurr'd the image but through Gods mercy sav'd the Tablet Now he writes his will in the Tables of stone Moses breakes the Tables and defac't the writing If they had beene giuen him for himselfe the author the matter had deserv'd that as they were written in stone for permanency So they should be kept for euer and as they were euerlasting in vse so they should bee in preseruation Had they been written in clay they could but haue been broken But now they were giuen for all Israell for all mankind He was but the messenger not the owner Howsoeuer therefore Israell had deserued by breaking this Couenant with GOD to haue this monument of Gods Couenant vvith them broken by the same hand that wrote it Yet how durst Moses thus carelesly cast away the treasure of all the world and by his hands vndoe that which was with such cost and care done by his Creator How durst he faile the trust of that GOD whose pledge he receiued with awe and reuerence Hee that expostulated with God to haue Israel liue and prosper why would hee deface the rule of their life in the keeping wherof they should prosper I see that forty dayes talk with God cannot bereaue a man of passionate infirmity Hee that was the meekest vpon earth in a sudden indignation abandons that which in colde blood hee would haue held faster then his life He forgets the Law written when he saw it broken His zeale for GOD hath transported him from himselfe and his duty to the charge of God Hee more hates the golden Calfe wherein hee saw ingrauen the Idolatry of Israell then hee honor'd the Tables of stone wherein God had ingrauen his commandements and more longed to deface the Idol then hee cared to preserue the Tables Yet that God which so sharply reuenged the breach of one Law vpon the Israelites checks not Moses for breaking both the Tables of the Law The Law of God is spirituall the internall breach of one Law is so haynous that in comparison of it God scarce counts the breaking of the outward Tables a breach of the Law The goodnes of God winks at the errours of honest zeale and so loues the strength of good affections that it passeth ouer their infirmities How highly God doth esteeme a well gouerned zeale vvhen his mercy crownes it with all the faults The Tables had not offended the Calfe had and Israel in it Moses takes reuenge on both Hee burnes and stamps the Calfe to powder and giues it Israel to drinke that they might haue it in their guts in stead of their eies How he hasteth to destroy the Idoll wherein they sinned that as an Idoll is nothing so it might be brought to nothing and Atomes and dust is nearest to nothing that in stead of going before Israel it might passe through them so as the next day they might finde their God in their excrements To the iust shame of Israel when they should see their new God cannot defend himselfe from being either nothing or worse Who can but wonder to see a multitude of so many hundred thousands wheÌ„ Moses came running down the â—ill to turne their eies froÌ„ their god to him And on a sudden in stead of worshipping their Idol to batter it in pieces in the very height of the nouelty In stead of building altars kindling fires to it to kindle an hoter fire then that wherewith it was melted to consume it In stead of dancing before it to abhorre and deface it in stead of singing to weep before it There was neuer a more stiffe-necked people Yet I doe not heare any one man of them say Hee is but one man We are many how easily may we destroy him rather then he our god If his brother durst not resist our motion in making it Why will wee suffer him to dare resist the keeping of it It is our act and we will maintaine it Here was none of this but an humble obeysance to the basest and bloodiest reuenge that Moses shall impose God hath set such an impression of Maiestie in the face of lawfull authoritie that wickednesse is confounded in it selfe to behold it If from hence visible powers were not more feared then the inuisible God the world would be ouerrunne vvith outrage Sinne hath such a guiltinesse in it selfe that vvhen it is seasonably checked it puls in his head and seekes rather an hiding place then a fort The Idoll is not capable of a further reuenge It is not enough vnlesse the Idolaters smart The gold was good if the Israelites had not beene euill So great a sinne cannot be expiated vvithout blood Behold that meeke spirite vvhich in his plea vvith GOD vvould rather perish himself then Israel should perish armes the Leuites against their brethren and reioyces to see thousands of the Israelites bleed and blesses their executioners It was the mercy of Moses that made him cruell Hee had beene cruell to all if some had not found him cruell They are mercilesse hands which are not sometimes embrued in blood There is no lesse charitie then iustice in punishing sinners vvith death GOD delights no lesse in a killing mercy then in a pittifull iustice Some tender hearts would bee ready to censure the rigor of Moses Might not Israell haue repented liued Or if they must die must their brethrens hand be vpon them Or if their throates must bee cut by their brethren shall it be done in the very heat of their sinne But they must learne a difference betwixt pitty and fondnesse mercy and vniustice Moses had an hart as soft as theirs but more hote as pittiful but wiser Hee was a good Physician and saw that Israel could not liue vnlesse he bled he therefore le ts out this corrupt bloud to saue the whole body There cannot
to reuenge this impietie because the sons of Aaron did it God had both pardoned graced their father he had honored thē of the thousands of Israel culling them out for his altar and now as their father set vp a false God so they bring false fire vnto the true God If the sonnes of Infidels liue godlesly they doe their kinde their punishment shall be though iust yet lesse but if the children of religious parents after all Christian nourture shall shame their Education GOD takes it more haynously and reuenges it more sharply The more bonds of duty the more plagues of neglect If from the agents we looke to the act it selfe set aside the originall descent vvhat difference vvas there betwixt these fyres Both lookt alike heated alike ascended alike consumed alike Both were fedde with the same materiall wood both vanished into smoake There was no difference but in the commandement of God If God had inioyned ordinary fyre they had sinned to look for celestiall now he commaunded onely the fire which hee sent they sinned in sending vp incense in that fire which he commaunded not It is a dangerous thing in the seruice of God to decline from his owne institutions vvee haue to do with a power which is wise to prescribe his own worship iust to require what he hath prescribed powerfull to reuenge that which he hath not required If God had strooke them with some leprosie in their forehead as he did their Aunt Miriam soon after or with some palsy or lingering consumption the punishment had been grieuous but he whose iudgments are euer iust sometimes secret saw fire the fittest reuenge for a sin of fire his owne fire fittest to punish strange fire A suddaine iudgement fitte for a present and exemplary sin Hee saw that if hee had winkt at this his seruice had been exposed to profanation It is wisedome in Gouernours to take sinne at the first bound and so to reuenge it that their punishments may bee preuentions Speed of death is not alwaies a iudgement suddennes as it is euer iustly suspicable so then certainely argues anger when it findes vs in an act of sin Leasure of repentance is an argument of fauour when God giues a man lawe it implyes that hee would not haue iudgement surprise him Doubtlesse Aaron lookt somewhat heauily on this sad spectacle It could not but appall him to see his two sonnes dead before him dead in displeasure dead suddenly dead by the immediat hand of God And now hee could repent him of his new honor to see it succeed so ill with the sonnes of his loines neither could he chuse but see himself striken in them But his brother Moses that had learned not to knowe either nephews or brother when they stood in his way to God wisely turned his eies from the dead carcasses of his sonnes to his respect of the liuing GOD My Brother this euent is fearefull but iust These vvere thy sonnes but they sinned it vvas not for GOD it is not for thee to looke so much who they were as what they did It was their honor and thine that they were chosen to minister before the Lord Hee that called them iustly required their sanctification and obedience If they haue profaned God and themselues can thy naturall affection so miscary thee that thou couldest wish their impunity with the blemish of thy Maker Our sons are not ours if they disobey our Father to pitty their misery is to partake of their sinne If thou grudge at their iudgement take heed least the same fyre of GOD come forth vpon this strange fyre of nature Showe now whether thou more louest GOD or thy sonnes Show whether thou be a better father or a sonne Aaron weighing these things holds his peace not out of an amazement or fullennesse but out of patient and humble submission and seeing Gods pleasure their desert is content to forget that he had sons He might haue had a silent tongue and a clamorous hart There is no voice lowder in the eares of GOD then a a speechless repining of the soule Heat is more intended with keeping in but Aarons silence was no lesse inward Hee knew how little hee should get by brauling with GOD. If hee breathed out discontentment hee saw GOD could speake fire to him againe And therefore he quietly submits to the will of God and held his peace because the Lord had done it There is no greater proofe of grace then to smart patiently humbly and contentedly to rest the hart in the iustice wisdome of Gods proceeding and to be so far from chiding that we dispute not Nature is froward and tho she well knowes wee meddle not with our match when wee striue with our Maker yet she pricks vs forward to this idle quarrell and bids vs with Iobs wife Curse and die If God either chide or smite as seruants are charged to their Maisters we may not answere againe when Gods hand is on our backe our hand must bee on our mouth else as mothers do their children God shall whippe vs so much the more for crying It is hard for a stander by in this case to distinguish betwixt hard-hartednes and pietie There Aaron sees his sons ly hee may neither put his hand to them to bury them nor shed a teare for theyr death Neuer parent can haue iuster cause of mourning then to see his sons dead in their sinne if prepared and penitent yet vvho can but sorrow for their end but to part with children to the danger of a second death is woorthy of more then teares Yet Aaron must learne so farre to denie nature that hee must more magnify the iustice of GOD then lament the iudgement Those vvhom GOD hath called to his immediat seruice must knowe that hee will not allow them the common passions and cares of others Nothing is more naturall then sorrow for the death of our owne if euer griefe bee seasonable it becoms a funerall And if Nadab Abihu had died in their beds this fauour had been allowed them the sorow of their father and brethren for when GOD forbids solemne mourning to his Priests ouer the dead he excepts the cases of this neerenesse of bloud Now all Israel may mourne for these two onely the father and brethren may not God is iealous least their sorow should seeme to countenance the sinne which he had punished euen the fearfullest acts of GOD must bee applauded by the heauiest hearts of the faithfull That which the father brother may not doe the cozens are commanded Dead carcasses are not for the presence of GOD His iustice was showne sufficiently in killing them They are now fit for the graue not the sanctuarie Neither are they carried out naked but in their coats It was an vnusuall sight for Israell to see a linnen Ephod vpon the beere The iudgement vvas so much more remarkable because they had the badge of their calling vpon their backs Nothing is either
fauour Commonly those fruites which are soone ripe soone wither but these almonds of Aarons rod are not more early then lasting the same hand which brought them out before their time preserued them beyond their time and for perpetuall memory both rod and fruit must be kept in the Arke of God The tables of Moses the rod of Aaron the Manna of God are monumeÌ„ts fit for so holy a shrine The doctrine sacraments gouernmeÌ„t of Gods people are precious to him must be so to meÌ„ All times shall see wonder how his ancieÌ„t Church was fed taught ruled Moses his rod did great miracles yet I find it not in the Ark. The rod of Aaron hath this priuiledge because it caried the miracle stil in it selfe whereas the wonders of that other rod were passed Those monuments wold God haue continued in his church which cary in them the most manifest euidences of that which they import The same God which by many transient demonstrations had approued the calling of Aaron to Israel will now haue a permanent memoriall of their conviction that whensoeuer they should see this relique they should be ashamed of their presumption infidelity The name of Aaron vvas not more plainly written in that rod then the sinne of Israel was in the fruit of it and how much Israel findes their rebellion beaten with this rod appears in their present relenting complaint Behold we are dead wee perish God knowes how to pull downe the biggest stomach and can extort glory to his own Name from the most obstinate gainsayers The Brasen Serpent SEauen times alreadie hath Israel mutin'd against Moses and seauen times hath eyther been threatned or punished yet now they fal to it afresh As a teastie man findes occasion to chafe at euery trifle so this discontented people either finde or make all things troublesome One while they haue no water then bitter One while no God then one too many One while no bread then bread enough but too light One while they will not abide their Gouernours then they cannot abide their losse Aaron and Miriam were neuer so grudged aliue as they are bewailed dead Before they wanted onions garlike flesh-pots now they vvant figges vines pomgranats corne And as rabid children that cry for euery thing they can think of are whipped by their wise mother So God iustly serues these fond Israelites It was first their way that makes them repine They were faine to goe round about Idumea The iourney was long and troublesome They had sent intreaties to Edom for licence of passage the next way reasonably submislie It was churlishly deny'd them Esau liues still in his posteritie Iacob in Israel The combat which they began in Rebeccaes bellie is not yet ended Amalek vvhich was one limme of Esau followes them at the heels The Edomite which was another meets them in the face So long as there is a World there will bee opposition to the chosen of God They may come at their perill The way had beene neerer but bloodie they dare not goe it and yet complaine of length If they were afrayde to purchase their resting place vvith warre how much lesse would they their passage What should GOD doe with impatient men They will not goe the nearest way and yet complaine to goe about He that will passe to the promised Land must neither stande vppon length of way nor difficultie Euery way hath his inconueniences the nearest hath more danger the farthest hath more paine Either or both must be ouercome if euer wee will enter the rest of God Aaron and Miriam were now past the danger of their muâ—inyes for want of another match they ioyne GOD vvith Moses in their murmurings Tho they had not mentioned him they could not seuer him in their insurrection For in the causes of his own seruants he challenges euen when he is not challenged What will become of thee O Israel when thou makest thy Maker thine enemy Impatience is the cozen to Frensie this causes men not to care vpon whom they runne so they may breathe out some reuenge How oft haue we heard men that haue bin displeased by others teare the Name of their Maker in peeces Hee that will iudge and can confound is fetcht into the quarrell vvithout cause But if to striue with a mighty man be vnwise vnsafe what shall it be to striue with the mightie GOD As an angry childe casts away that which is giuen him because he hath not that he would so do these foolish Israelites their bread is light and their water vnsatisfying because their way displeased them Was euer people fed with such bread or water Twise hath the very Rock yielded them water and euery day the heauen affords them bread Did any one soule amongst them miscary either for hunger or thirst But no bread will downe with them saue that which the earth yeelds no water but from the naturall Wells or Riuers Vnlesse nature may be allowed to bee her owne caruer shee is neuer contented Manna had no fault but that it was too good and too frequent the pulse of Egypt had been fitter for these course mouthes This heauenly bread was vnspeakably delicious it tasted like wafers of hony and yet euen this Angels foode is contemned Hee that is full despiseth an Hony-comb How sweet and delicate is the Gospel Not only the Fathers of the old Testament but the Angels desired to looke into the glorious mysteries of it and yet wee are cloyed This supernaturall foode is too light the bread-corne of our humane reason and profound discourse would better content vs. Moses will not reuenge this wrong God will yet will he not deale with them himselfe but hee sends the fiery serpents to answer for him How fitly They had caried themselues like serpents to their gouernors how oft had they stung Moses and Aaron neare to death If the serpent bite when he is not charmed no better is a slaunderer Now these venomous Adders reuenge it vvhich are therefore called fiery because their poyson scalded to death God hath an hand in the annoyance and hurt of the basest creature how much less can the sting of an ill tongue or the malice of an ill spirit strike vs without him Whiles they were in Goshen the frogs lice caterpillers spared theÌ„ and plagued the Egyptians now they are rebellious in the desert the serpents finde theÌ„ out sting theÌ„ to death He that brought the quailes thither to feed theÌ„ fetches these Serpents thither to punish them While we are at warres with God we can looke for no peace with his creatures Euery thing reioyces to execute the vengeance of his Maker The stones of the field wil not be in league with vs while we are not in league with GOD. These men when the spies had tolde them newes of the giants of Canaan a little before had wished Would GOD we were dead in this Wildernesse Now GOD hath heard their praiers what with the plague
what with the serpents many thousands of them dyed The ill wishes of our impatience are many times heard As those good things are not granted vs which we pray for without care so those euils which we pray for and would not haue are oft granted The eares of God are not onely open to the prayers of faith but to the imprecations of infidelity It is daungerous wishing euill to our selues or ours It is iust with GOD to take vs at our word and to effect that which our lippes speake against our heart Before God hath euer consulted with Moses and threatned ere he punisht now hee strikes and sayes nothing The anger is so much more by how much lesse notifyed When God is not heard before he is felt as in hewing of wood the blowe is not heard till the axe be seen to haue strooke it is a fearefull signe of displeasure It is with God as with vs men that still reuenges are euer most dangerous Till now all was well enough with Israel and yet they grudged Those that will complaine without a cause shall haue cause to complain for somthing Discontented humors seldome scape vnpunished but receiue that most iustly wherat they repined vniustly Now the people are glad to seeke to Moses vnbidden Euer heeretofore they haue beene wont to be sued too and intreated for without their owne intreaty Now their misery makes them importunate There neede no solicitor vvhere there is sense of smart It were pittie men should want affliction since it sends them to their prayers and confessions All the perswasiōs of Moses could not doe that which the serpents haue done for him O GOD thou seest how necessary it is wee should be stung sometimes else we should runne vvilde and neuer come to a sound humiliation vvee should neuer seeke thee if thy hand did not finde vs out They had spoken against God and Moses And now they humbly speake to Moses that hee would pray to GOD for them He that so oft prayd for them vnbidden cannot but much more doe it requested and now obtaines the meanes of their cure It was equally in the power of God to remoue the serpents and to heale their stinging To haue cured the Israelites by his word and by his signe But he findes it best for his people to exercise their faith that the serpents may bite and their bitings may inuenome and that this venome may indanger the Israelites and that they thus affected may seeke to him for remedy and seeking may find it from such means as should haue no power but in signification That while their bodies were cured by the signe their soules might be confirmed by the matter signified A serpent of brasse could no more heale then sting them What remedy could their eyes giue to their legs Or what could a serpent of cold brasse preuaile against a liuing and fiery serpent In this troublesome desert we are all stung by that fiery and old Serpent O Sauiour it is to thee we must looke and be cured It is thou that wert their paschall Lamb their Manna their Rock their Serpent To all purposes dost thou vary thy selfe to thy Church that wee may finde thee euery-where Thou art for our nourishment refreshing cure as hereafter so euen now all in all This serpent which was appointed for cure to Israell at last stings them to death by idolatrous abuse What poyson there is in Idolatry that makes euen Antitidotes deadly As Moses therefore raised this serpent so Ezekias pulld it down God commanded the raysing of it God approv'd the demolishing of it Superstitious vse can marre the very institutions of God how much more the most wise and wel-grounded deuises of men Balaam MOab and Midian hadde bin all this while standers by lookers on If they had not seene the patterne of their owne ruine in these neighbours it had neuer troubled them to see the Kings of the Amorites and Bashan to fall before Israell Had not the Israelites camped in the Plaines of Moab their victories had beene no eye-sore to Balac Wicked men neuer care to obserue Gods iudgements till themselues bee touched The fire of a neighbours house would not so affect vs if it were not with the danger of our owne Secure minds neuer startle till God come home to their very senses Balac and his Moabites had wit enough to feare not witte enough to preuent iudgement They see an enemy in their borders and yet take no right course for their safety Who would not haue looked that they should haue come to Israel vvith conditions of peace Or Why did they not thinke Either Israels GOD is stronger then ours or hee is not If he be not why are wee afraide of him If hee be Why doe we not serue him The same hand which giues them victory can giue vs protection Carnal men that are secure of the vengeance of God ere it doe come are mastered with it when it dooth come and not knowing which way to turn them run forth at the wrong doore The Midianites ioyne with the Moabites in consultation in action against Israel One would haue thought they should haue looked for fauour from Moses for Iethroes sake which was both a Prince of their Country and father in law to Moses and either now or not long before was with Israel in the Wildernesse Neither is it like but that Moses hauing found fortie yeeres harbour amongst them would haue beene what hee might inclinable to fauourable treaties with them but now they are so fast linked to Moab that they will either sinke or swimme together Intirenesse vvith vvicked consorts is one of the strongest chaynes of Hell and bindes vs to a participation both of sin and punishment An easie occasion wil knit wicked hearts together in conspiracy against the Church of God Their errand is diuelish Come curse Israel That which Satan could not doe by the swords of Og and Sehon he will now try to effect by the tongue of Balaam If either strength or policy would preuaile against Gods Church it could not stand And why should not we be as industrious to promote the glory of God and bend both our hands heads to the causes of the Almighty When all helps faile Moab the Magician is sought too It is a signe of a desperate cause to make Satan either our counsellor or our refuge Why did they not send to Balaam to blesse themselues rather then to curse Israel It had beene more easie to be defended from the hurt of their enemies then to haue their enemies laid open to be hurt by them Pride and malice did not care so much for safetie as for conquest It would not content them to escape Israel if Israel may escape them It was not thank-worthy to saue their owne blood if they did not spill the blood of others As if their owne prosperitie had beene nothing if Israell also prospered If there bee one proiect worse then another a wicked heart will
with one stroke ioynes these two bodyes in their death vvhich were ioyned in their sinne and in the very flagrance of their lust makes a new way for their soules to their own place O noble heroicall courage of Phineas which as it was rewarded of GOD so is woorthy to bee admired of men Hee doth not stand casting of scruples Who am I to do this The sonne of the high Priest My place is all for peace and mercie It is for mee to sacrifice and pray for the sin of the people not to sacrifice any of the people for their sin My duty calls mee to appease the anger of GOD what I may not to reuenge the sins of men to pray for their conuersion not to work the confusion of any sinner and who are these Is not the one a great Prince in Israel the other a Princesse of Midian Can the death of two so famous persons goe vnreuenged Or if it be safe and fit why doth my Vncle Moses rather shed his owne tears then their bloud I will mourne with the rest let them reuenge whom it concerneth But the zeale of God hath barred out all weake deliberations and hee holds it now both his duty and his glory to be an executioner of so shamelesse a payre of offenders God loues this heate of zeale in all the carriages of his seruants And if it transport vs too far hee pardoneth the errours of our feruencie rather then the indifferencies of luke warmnesse As these two were more beasts then any that euer he sacrificed so the shedding of their bloud was the acceptablest sacrifice that euer hee offied vnto GOD for both all Israel is freed from the plague all his posterity haue the priesthood entayled to them so long as the Iewes were a people Next to our prayers there is no better sacrifice then the bloud of malefactors not as it is theirs but as it is shed by authority Gouernors are faulty of those sinnes they punish not There can be no better sight in any State then to see a malefactor at the gallowes It is not enough for vs to stand gazing vpon the wickednesse of the times yea altho with teares vnlesse wee endeuour to redresse it especially publique persons carry not their Iauelin in their hand for nought Euery one is ready to aske Phineas for his commission and those that are willing to salue vp the act plead extraordinary instinct from God who no doubt would not haue accepted that which himselfe wrought not But what need I runne so farre for this warrant when I heare GOD say to Moses Hang vp all the Heads of Israel and Moses say to the vnder-Rulers Euery one slay his men that are ioyned to Baal-Peor Euery Israelite is now made a Magistrate for this execution and why not Phineas amongst the rest Dooth his Priesthood exempt him from the bloud of sinners How then doth Samuel heaw Agag in peeces Euen those may make a carcasse which may not touch it And if Leui got the Priesthood by shedding the blood of Idolaters why may it not stand with that Priesthood to spill the bloud of a fornicator and Idolater Ordinary iustice will beare out Phineas in this act It is not for euery man to challenge this office which this double proclamation allowed to Phineas All that priuate persons can doe is either to lift vppe their hands to heauen for redresse of sin or to lift vp their hands against the sin not against the person Who made thee a Iudge is a lawful question if it meet with a person vnwarranted Now the sinne is punished the plague ceaseth The reuenge of God sets out euer after the sinne but if the reuenge of men which commonly comes later can ouertake it GOD giues ouer the chase How oft hath the infliction of a lesse punishment auoyded a greater There are none so good friends to the State as courageous and impartiall ministers of iustice These are the reconcilers of God and the people more then the prayers of them that sit still and do nothing The death of Moses AFter many painfull and perilous enterprises now is Moses drawing to his rest Hee hath brought his Israelites from Egypt through the Sea and wildernesse within the sight of their promised Land now himselfe must take possession of that Land whereof Canaan was but a type When wee haue done that wee came for it is time for vs to be gone This earth is onely made for action not for fruition The seruices of Gods children should be ill rewarded if they must stay heere alwaies Let no man thinke much that those are fetcht away which are faithfull to GOD They should not change if it were not to their preferment It is our folly that we would haue good men liue for euer and account it an hard measure that they vvere Hee that lends them to the vvorld owes them a better turne then this earth can pay them It vvere iniurious to wish that goodnesse should hinder any man from glorie So is the death of Gods Saints precious that it is certaine Moses must go vp to mount Nebo and die The time the place and euery circumstance of his dissolution is determined That one dies in the field another in his bed another in the water one in a forraine nation another in his owne is fore-decreed in heauen And tho we heare it not vocally yet God hath call'd euerie man by his name and saith Die thou there One man seemes to die casually another by an inexpected violence both fall by a destiny and all is set downe to vs by an eternall decree Hee that brought vs into the world wil cary vs out according to his owne purposes Moses must ascend vp to the hil to die Hee receiued his charge for Israel vpon the hill of Sinai And now hee deliuers vppe his charge on the hill of Nebo His brother Aaron dyed on one hill hee on another As Christ was transfigur'd on an hill so was this excellent type of his Neither doubt I but that these hills were types to them of that heauen whither they were aspiring It is the goodnes of our God that hee will not haue his children die any where but where they may see the Land of Promise before them neither can they depart vvithout much comfort to haue seene it Contrarily a vvicked man that looks downe and sees hell before him how can he choose but finde more horror in the ende of death then in the way How familiarly doth Moses hear of his end It is no more betwixt God and Moses but Goe vp and die If hee had inuited him to a meale it could not haue beene in a more sociable compellation No otherwise then he said to his other Prophet Vp and eate It is neither harsh nor newes to Gods children to hear or think of their departure To them death hath lost his horror through acquaintance Those faces which at first sight seemed ill fauoured by oft viewing growe
out of dislike They haue so oft thought and resolued of the necessity of the issue of their dissolution that they cannot holde it either strange or vnwelcome Hee that hath hadde such entire conuersation vvith GOD cannot feare to goe to him Those that knowe him not or knowe that hee will not knowe them no maruell if they tremble This is no small fauour that God warnes Moses of his end He that hadde so oft made Moses of counsell what hee meant to doe with Israel would not now doe ought with himselfe without his knowledge Expectation of any maine euent is a great aduantage to a wise heart If the fiery chariot had fetcht away Elias vnlookt for we shold haue doubted of the fauor of his transportation It is a tokeÌ„ of iudgemeÌ„t to come as a theef in the night God forewarns one by sicknes another by age another by his secret instincts to prepare for their end If our hearts be not now in a readinesse we are worthy to be surprized But what is this I heare Displeasure mixed with loue that to so faithfull a seruant as Moses He must but see the Land of Promise he shall not tread vpon it because he once long agoe sinned in distrusting Death tho it were to him an entrance into glory yet shal be also a chastisement of his infidelity How many noble proofes had Moses giuen of his courage strength of faith How many gracious seruices had hee done to his Maister Yet for one act of distrust he must be gathered to his Fathers All our obediences cannot beare out one sin against God How vainely shall we hope to make amends to God for our former trespasses by our better behauior when Moses hath this one sin laid in his dish after so many and worthy testimonies of his fidelity When wee haue forgotten our sinnes yet GOD remembers them and altho not in anger yet he calls for our arerages Alas what shall become of them with whom God hath tenne thousand greater quarrels That amongst many millions of sinnes haue scattered some fewe acts of formal seruices If Moses must die â—he first death for one fault how â—hall they escape the second for â—inning alwayes Euen where God loues hee will not winke at sinne and if he do not punish yet he wil chastice How much lesse can it stand with that eternall iustice to let wilfull sinners escape iudgement It might haue beene iust vvith God to haue reserued the cause to himselfe and in a generality to haue tolde Moses that his sin must shorten his iourney but it is more of mercy then iustice that his children shall knowe why they smart That GOD may at once both iustifie himselfe and humble them for their particular offences Those to whom hee meanes vengeance haue not the sight of their sinnes till they be past repentance Complaine not that God vpbraides thee with thy old sins whosoeuer thou art but knowe it is an argument of loue whereas concealement is a fearful signe of a secret dislike froÌ„ God But what was that noted sinne vvhich deserues this late exprobration and shall carry so sharpe a chastisement Israel murmur'd for water God bids Moses take the rod in his hand and speake to the rock to giue water Moses in stead of speaking and striking the rock with his voyce strikes it with the rod Heere was his sinne An ouer-reaching of his commission A fearefulnes and distrust of the effect The rod hee knew was approued for miracles hee knew not how powerful his voice might be therfore he did not speak but strike and he stroke twise for failing And now after these many yeeres he is striken for it of God It is a dangerous thing in diuine matters to goe beyond our warrant Those sinnes which seeme triuiall to men are hainous in the account of God Any thing that sauors of infidelity displeases him more then some other crimes of morality Yet the mouing of the rod was but a diuerse thing from the moouing of the tongue it was not contrary He did not forbid the one but hee commanded the other This was but acrosse the streame not against it where shal they appeare whose whole courses are quite contrary to the commandements of God Vpon the act done God passed the sentence of restrayning Moses with the rest from the promised Land now he performes it Since that time Moses had many fauors from God All which could not reuerse this decreed castigation That euerlasting rule is grounded vpon the very essence of God I am Iehouah I change not Our purposes are as our selues fickle incertaine His are certain and immutable some things which he reueales he alters nothing that he hath decreed Besides the soule of Moses to the glory whereof God principally intended this change I finde him carefull of two things His Successor and his Body Moses moues for the one the other God doth vnasked Hee was so tender ouer the welfare of Israel in his life would not slaken his care in death Hee takes no thought for himself for he knew how gainfull an exchange he must make All his care is for his charge Some enuious natures desire to be missed when they must goe and wish that the weaknes or want of a successour may be the foyle of their memory honor Moses is in a contrary disposition It sufficeth him not to finde contentment in his owne happinesse vnlesse he may haue an assurance that Israel shall prosper after him Carnall mindes are all for themselues and make vse of gouernment only for their owne aduantages But good hearts look euer to the future good of the Church aboue their own against their own Moses did well to show his good affection to his people but in his silence God wold haue prouided for his owne Hee that call'd him from the sheep of Iethro will not want a gouernour for his chosen to succeed him God hath fitted him whom he will choose Who can be more meet then he whose name whose experience whose graces might supply yea reuiue Moses to the people He that searched the Land before was fittest to guide Israel into it Hee that vvas indued vvith the spirite of GOD was the fittest deputie for GOD He that abode still in the Tabernacle of Ohel-moed as Gods attendant was fittest to be sent forth from him as his lieutenant But oh the vnsearchable counsell of the Almighty Aged Caleb and all the Princes of Israel are past ouer and Ioshua the seruant of Moses is chosen to succeed his maister The eye of God is not blinded either with gifts or with blood or with beauty or with strength but as in his eternall elections so in his temporary hee will haue mercie on vvhom hee will And well doth Ioshua succeed Moses The very acts of God of olde were allegories where the Law ends there the Sauiour begins we may see the Land of Pâ—omise in the Law Onely Iesus the mediatour of the new Testament can bring
vs into it So was he a seruant of the Law that hee supplies all the defects of the Law to vs Hee hath taken possession of the promised Land for vs he shall carry vs from this Wildernes to our rest It is no small happinesse to any State when their gouernors are chosen by worthiness and such elections are euer from GOD whereas the intrusions of bribery and vniust fauour or violence as they make the common-wealth miserable so they come from him which is the author of confusion Woe be to that State that suffers it woe be to that person that workes it for both of them haue sold themselues the one to seruitude the other to sin I doe not heare Moses repine at Gods choise and grudge that this scepter of his is not hereditary but he willingly layes hands vpon his seruant to consecrate him for his successour Ioshua was a good man yet hee had some sparks of Enuy for when Eldad and Medad prophecied he stomacht it My Lord Moses forbid them He that would not abide two of the Elders of Israel to prophecie how would he haue allow'd his seruant to sit in his throne What an example of meeknesse besides all the rest doth hee here see in this last act of his maister who without all murmuring resignes his chaire of state to his Page It is all one to a gratious heart whom GOD will please to aduance Emulation and discontentment are the affections of carnal minds Humilitie goes euer with regeneration vvhich teaches a man to thinke vvhat euer honour bee put vpon others I haue more then I am worthy of The same GOD that by the hands of his Angels carryed vp the soule of Moses to his glory doth also by the hand of his Angels carry his body downe into the vally of Moab to his sepulture Those hands which had taken the Law from him those eyes that had seene his presence those lips that had conferred so oft with him that face that did so shine with the beames of his glory may not be neglected when the soule is gone He that tooke charge of his birth and preseruation in the reeds takes charge of his carriage out of the world The care of GOD ceaseth not ouer his owne either in death or after it How iustly doe wee take care of the comely burials of our friends when God himselfe giues vs this example If the ministery of man hadde beene vsed in this graue of Moses the place might haue bin knowne to the Israelites but GOD purposely cōceales this treasure both from Men and Diuels that so he might both crosse their curiosity and preuent their superstition If God had loued the adoration of his seruants reliques Hee could neuer haue had a fitter oportunitie for this deuotion then in the bodie of Moses It is folly to place religion in those things vvhich God hides on purpose from vs It is not the property of the Almighty to restraine vs from good Yet that diuine hand which lockt vp this treasure and kept the key of it brought it foorth afterwards glorious In the transfiguration this body which was hid in the valley of Moab appeared in the hill of Tabor that wee may knowe these bodies of ours are not lost but layd vp and shal as sure be raised in glory as they are layd downe in corruption Wee knowe that when hee shall appeare wee shall also appeare with him in glory The end of the seuenth Booke Contemplations THE EIGHT BOOKE Rahab Iordan diuided The siege of Iericho Achan The Gibeonites At London printed by H. L. for Samuel Macham are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Bull-head 1614. TO THE TRVLY NOBLE AND WORTHILY HONOred Gentleman Maister Robert Hay one of the attendants of his Maiesties Bed-chamber a sincere friend of vertue and louer of learning I.H. with apprecation of all happinesse dedicates this part of his Meditations ⸫ CONTEMPLATIONS THE EIGHT BOOKE RAHAB IOshua was one of those twelue searchers which were sent to viewe the Land of Canaan yet now hee addresses two Spyes for a more particular suruey Those twelue were onely to inquire of the generall condition of the people and Land these two to finde out the best entrance into the next part of the Countrey and into their greatest City Ioshua himselfe was full of Gods spirit and had the Oracle of GOD ready for his direction yet now hee goes not to the propitiatorie for consultation but to the spyes Except where ordinary meanes faile vs it is no appealing the immediat help of GOD we may not seeke to the posterne but where the common gate is shutte It was promised Ioshua that hee should lead Israel into the promised Land yet he knew it vvas vnsafe to presume The condition of his prouident care was included in that assurance of successe Heauen is promised to vs but not to our carelesnesse infidelity disobedience Hee that hath set this blessed inheritance before vs presupposes our wisedome faith holinesse Either force or policy are fit to be vsed vnto Canaanites He that would be happy in this spirituall warfare must knowe where the strength of his enemy lyeth and must frame his gard according to the others assault It is a great aduantage to a Christian to know the fashion of Satans onsets that he may the more easily compose himselfe to resist Many a soule hath miscaried through the ignorance of his enemie which had not perished if it had well known that the weaknes of Satan stands in our faith The Spyes can finde no other lodging but Rahabs house Shee was a victualer by profession and as those persons and trades by reason of the commonnesse of entertainement were amongst the Iewes infamous by name and note she was Rahab the harlot I will not thinke shee professed filthinesse onely her publique trade through the corruption of those times hath cast vpon her this name of reproach yea rather will I admire her fayth then make excuses for her calling How many women in Israel now Miriam was dead haue giuen such proofes of their knowledge and faith How noble is that confession which shee makes of the power and truth of GOD Yea I see heere not onely a disciple of GOD but a Prophetesse Or if shee had once been publique as her house was now she is a chaste and worthy conuert and so approued her selfe for honest and wise behauior that she is thought worthy to be the great grand mother of Dauids Father and the holy line of the Messias is not ashamed to admitte her into that happie pede-gree The mercy of our GOD dooth not measure vs by what wee were It would bee wide with the best of vs if the eye of God should looke backward to our former estate there hee should see Abraham an Idolater Paul a persecutor Manasses a necromancer Mary Magdalen a curtizan and the best vile enough to be ashamed of himselfe Who can despaire of mercy that sees euen
that both the bloud of that wicked Citie should be spilt to him not to their owne reuenge and that the treasure should bee reserued for his vse not for theirs VVho but a miscreant can grudge that GOD should serue himselfe of his owne I cannot blame the rest of Israel if they were well pleased with these conditions onely one Achan troubles the peace and his sinne is imputed to Israel the innocence of so many thousand Israelites is not so forceable to excuse his one sinne as his one sinne is to taint all Israel A lewd man is a pernicious creature That hee damnes his ovvne soule is the least part of his mischiefe hee commonlie drawes vengeance vpon a thousand either by the desert of his sinne or by the infection VVho vvould not haue hoped that the same GOD vvhich for tenne righteous men would haue spared fiue vvicked Citties should not haue been content to drovvne one sinne in the obedience of so many righteous But so venomous is sinne especiallie vvhen it lights among GODs people that one â—ramme of it is able to infect the â—hole mass of Israel Oh righteous people of Israel that had but one Achan How had their late circumcision cut away the vncleane foreskin of their disobedience How had the blood of their Paschall Lambe scoured their soules from couetous desires The world was well mended with them since their stubburne murmurings in the desert Since the death of Moses and the gouernment of Ioshua I doe not finde them in any disorder After that the Law hath brought vs vnder the conduct of the true Iesus our sinnes are more rare and our liues more conscionable Whiles we are vnder the Law wee do noâ— so keepe it as when wee are deliuered from it our Christian freedome is more holy then our seruitude Then haue the Sacraments of God their due effect when their receit purgeth vs from our old sinnes and makes our conuersation cleane and spirituall Little did Iosua know that there was any sacriledge committed by Israel that sinne is not halfe cunning enough that hath not learned secrecy Ioshua was a vigilant Leader yet some sins will escape him Onely that eye which is euery where findes vs out in our close wickednesse It is no blame to authority that some sinnes are secretly committed The holiest congregation or family may be blemisht with some malefactors It is iust blame that open sinnes are not punished we shall wrong gouernment if wee shall expect the reach of it should be infinite Hee therefore which if hee had knowne the offence would haue sent vp prayers and teares to GOD now sends Spyes for a further discouery of Ai They returne with newes of the weaknesse of their aduersaries and as contemning their paucitie perswade Ioshua that a vving of Israel is enough to ouershadow this Citie of Ai. The Israelites were so fleshed vvith their former victorie that now they think no walls or men can stand before them Good successe lifts vppe the heart vvith too much confidence and vvhiles it disswades men from dooing their best oft-times disappoynts them With God the meanes can neuer be too weake without him neuer strong enough It is not good to contemne an impotent enemy In this second battell the Israelites are beaten It was not the fewness of their assaylants that ouerthrew them but the sin that lay lurking at home If all the host of Israel had sette vpon this poore village of Ai â—hey had beene all equally discomfited the wedge of Achan did more fight against them then â—ll the swords of the Canaanites The victories of GOD go not by strength but by innocence Doubtlesse these men of Ai insulted in this foyle of Israel and said Loe these are the men from whose presence the waters of Iordan ran back now they run as fast away from ours These are they before whom the walls of Iericho fell downe now they are fallen as fast before vs all their neighbours tooke heart from this victory Wherein I doubt not but besides the punishment of Israels sin God intended the further obduration of the Canaanites Like as some skilfull player loses on purpose at the beginning of the game to draw on the more abetments The newes of their ouerthrow spred as far as the fame of their speed and euery Cittie of Canaan could say Why not wee as well as Ai But good Ioshua that succeeded Moses no lesse in the care of Gods glory then in his gouernment is much deiected with this euent Hee rends his clothes falls on his face casts dust vpon his head and as if he had learned of his Maister how to expostulate with GOD sayes What wilt thou doe to thy mighty Name That Ioshua might see GOD tooke no pleasure to let the Israelites lie dead vpon the earth before their enemies himselfe is taxed for but lying all day vpon his face before the Arke All his expostulations are answered in one word Get thee vp Israel hath sinned I doe not heare God say Ly still and moure for the sinne of Israel It is to no purpose to pray against punishment while the sin continues And though GOD loues to be sued to yet hee holds our requests vnseasonable till there be care had of satisfaction When we haue risen and redressed sinne then may we fall down for pardon Victorie is in the free hand of God to dispose where hee will and no man can maruell that the dice of Warre run euer with hazard on both sides so as GOD needed not to haue giuen any other reason of this discomfiture of Israel but his owne pleasure yet Ioshua must now know that Israel which before preuailed for their faith is beaten for their sin When we are crossed in iust and holie quarrells we may well think there is some secret euil vnrepented of which GOD would punish in vs which tho we see not yet hee so hates that he will rather be wanting to his owne cause then not reuenge it When we goe about any enterprise of God it is good to see that our hearts bee cleare from any pollution of sinne and when wee are thwarted in our hopes it is our best course to ransack our selues and to search for some sinne hid from vs in our bosome but open to the view of GOD. The oracle of God which told him a great offence was committed yet reueales not the person It had beene as easie for him to haue named the man as the crime Neither dooth Ioshua request it but referres that discouery to such a meanes as whereby the offender finding himselfe singled out by the lot might bee most conuinced Achan thought he might haue lyen as close in all that throng of Israel as the wedge of Gold lay in his Tent. The same hope of secrecie which mooued him to sinne mooued him to confidence in his sin but now when he saw the lot fall vpon his Tribe hee began to start a little when vpon his family hee beganne to change