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
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
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
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
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
Rahab fetcht into the bloud of Israel and line of Christ If Rahab had receiued these Spyes but as vnknown passengers with respect to their mony and not to their errand it had been no prayse for in such cases the thanke is rather to the guest then to the host but now shee knew their purpose shee knew that the harbor of them was the danger of her owne life and yet shee hazards this entertainement Either faith or friendship are neuer tryed but in extremities To show countenance to the messengers of God whiles the publique face of the State smiles vpoÌ„ them is but a curtesie of course but to hide our own liues in theirs when they are persecuted is an act that lookes for a reward These times need not our fauour we knowe not what may come Alas how likely is it they wold shelter them in danger which respect them not in prosperity All intelligences of State come first to the Court It most concernes Princes to harken after the affayres of each other If this poore In-holder knew of the Sea dryed vp before Israel and of the discomfiture of Og Sebon Surely this rumor was stale with the King of Iericho he had heard it and feared And yet in stead of sending Ambassadors for peace he sends Pursuiuants for the spies The spirit of Rahab melted with that same report where-with the King of Iericho was hardened All make not one vse of the messages of the proceedings of GOD. The King sends to tell her what shee knew shee had not hidde them if shee had not known their errand I knowe not whether first to wonder at the gracious prouision of God for the spyes or at the strong faith which he hath wrought in the hart of a weak woman two strangers Israelites Spyes and noted for all these in a forraine â—n an hostile Land haue a safe harâ—our prouided theÌ„ euen amongst their enemies In Iericho at the very Court-gate against the proclamation of a King against the â—ndeuours of the people Where cannot the GOD of heauen either finde or rayse vp friends to his owne causes and seruants Who could haue hoped for such faith in Rahab which contemned her life for the present that shee might saue it for the future neglected her own King and Countrey for strangers vvhich shee neuer saw and more feared the destruction of that Citie before it knevv that it had an aduersary then the displeasure of her King in the mortall reuenge of that which he wold haue accounted trechery Shee brings them vp to the roofe of her house and hides them with stalks of Flax That plant which vvas made to hide the body from nakednesse and shame now is vsed to hide the spyes from death Neuer could these stalks haue beene improued so well with all her huswifry after they were bruised as now before they were fitted to her wheele Of these she hath wouen an euerlasting web both of life and propagation And now her tongue hides them no lesse then her hand her charitie was good her excuse was not good Euill may not bee done that good may come of it wee may doe any thing but sinne for promoting a good cause And if not in so main occasions how shall God take it that wee are not dainty of falsehoods in tryfles No man will looke that these Spies could take any sound sleep in these beds of stalks It is enough for them that they liue though they rest not And now vvhen they heare Rahab comming vp the stayres doubtlesse they looked for an executioner but behold shee comes vp with a message better then their sleepe adding to their protection aduise for their future safety whereto shee makes way by a faithful report of Gods former wonders and the present disposition of her people and by wise capitulations for the life security of her familie The newes of Gods miraculous proceedings for Israel haue made her resolue of their successe and the ruines of Iericho Then onely doe we make a right vse of the works of God wheÌ„ by his iudgements vpon others wee are warned to auoyde our owne Hee intends his acts for precedents of iustice The parents and brethren of Rahab take their rest They are not troubled with the feare and care of the succese of Israel but securely goe with the current of the present condition Shee watches for them all and breakes her midnight sleepe to preuent their last One wise and faithfull person does well in an house where all are careless there is no comfort but in perishing together It had bin an ill nature in Rahab if shee had been content to be saued alone that her loue might bee a match to her faith she couenants for all her family and so returnes life to those of whom shee receiued it Both the bond of nature and of grace will dravv all ours to the participation of the same good with our selues It had bin neuer the better for the Spies if after this nights lodging they had beene turned out of doores to the hazard of the way For so the pursuers had light vpon theÌ„ preuented their returne with their death Rahabs counsel therefore was better then her harbor which sent them no doubt with victualls in their hands to seek safety in the mountaines till the heat of that search were past He that hath giuen vs charge of our liues will not suffer vs to cast them vpon wilful aduentures Had not these Spyes hid themselues in those desert hills Israel had wanted directors for their enterprises There is nothing more expedient for the Church then that some of Gods faithfull messengers should withdraw themselues and giue way to persecutions Courage in those that must die is not a greater aduantage to the Gospell then a prudent retyring of those which may suruiue to maintaine propagate it It was a iust resonable transaction betwixt them that her life should be saued by them which had saued theirs They owe no lesse to her to whom they were not so much guests as prisoners And now they passe not their promise onely but their oath They were strangers to Rahab and for ought shee knew might haue been godlesse yet she dares trust her life vpon their oath So sacred and inviolable hath this bond euer beene that an heathen vvoman thought her selfe secure vpon the oath of an Israelite Neither is shee more confident of their oath taken then they are carefull both of taking and performing it So farre are they from desiring to salue vp any breach of promise by equiuocation that they explaine all conditions and would preuent all possibilities of violation All Rahabs familie must be gathered into her house and that redde cord which was an instrument of their deliuerie must be a signe of hers Behold this is the sauing colour The destroying Angel sees the doore cheekes of the Israelites sprinkled with redde and passes them ouer The Warriours of Israel see the window of Rahab dyed with redde and
countenance when vpon his houshold to tremble and fear when vpon his person to be vtterly confounded in himselfe Foolish men thinke to run away with their priuie sinnes and say Tush no eye shall see me but wheÌ„ they think themselues safest God pulls them out with shame The man that hath escaped iustice and now is lying downe in death vvould thinke My shame shall neuer be disclosed but before men and Angels shall hee bee brought on the scaffold and finde confusion as sure as late What needed any other euidence when GOD had accused Achan Yet Ioshua will haue the sinne out of his mouth in whose hart it was hatched My sonne I beseech thee giue glory to GOD. Whom God had conuinced as a malefactor Ioshua beseeches as a son Some hote spirit would haue said Thou wretched traytor how hast thou pilfred from thy GOD and shedde the bloud of so many Israelites and caused the host of Israel to show their backs with dishonour to the heathens now shall wee fetch this sin out of thee with tortures and plague thee with a condigne death But like the disciple of him whose seruant he was he meekly intreates that which hee might haue extorted by violence My son I beseech thee Sweetnes of compellation is a great help towards the good entertainment of an admonition roughnes and rigor many times hardens those harts which meeknesse would haue melted to repentance whether wee sue oâ— conuince or reproue little good is gotten by bitternesse Detestation of the sinne may well stand with fauour to the person And these two not distinguished cause great wrong either in our charity or iustice for either wee vncharitably hate the creature of GOD or vniustly affect the euil of men Subiects are as they are called sonnes to the Magistrate All Israel was not onely of the family but as of the loynes of Ioshua such must be the corrections such the prouisions of Gouernours as for their children as againe the obedience and loue of subiects must be filiall GOD had glorified himselfe sufficiently in finding out the wickednesse of Achan neither need he honor from men much lesse from sinners They can dishonor him by their iniquities but what recompence can they giue him for their wrongs yet Ioshua sayes My sonne giue glory to God Israel should now see that the tongue of Achan did iustifie God in his lot The confession of our sinnes doth no lesse honour God then his glory is blemished by their commission Who would not be glad to redeem the honor of his Redeemer with his owne shame The lot of God and the milde words of Ioshua won Achan to accuse himself ingenuously impartially a storm perhaps would not haue done that which a sunshine hath done If Achan had come in vncalled and before any question made out of an honest remorse had brought in this sacrilegious booty cast himselfe and it at the foot of Ioshua doubtless Israel had prospered his sin had caried away pardon now he hath gotten thus much thanke that he is not a desperat sinner GOD will once wring froÌ„ the conscience of wicked men their owne inditements They haue not more carefullie hid their sin then they shall one day freely proclaime their owne shame Achans confession tho it were â—ate yet was it free and full For hee doth not onely acknowledge the act but the ground 〈◊〉 his sin I saw and coueted and tooâ—â— The eye betrayed the heart anâ— that the hand and now all conspire in the offence If we list nâ—â— to flatter our selues this hath bâ— the order of our crimes Euill 〈◊〉 vniforme and beginning at thâ— senses takes the inmost fort 〈◊〉 the soule and then armes oâ— owne outward forces against vâ— This shall once be the lasciuioâ— mans song I saw and coueted tooke This the thieues this thâ— idolaters this the gluttons anâ— drunkards All these receiue the death by their eye But oh foâ—â—lish Achan with what eyes did thou look vpon that spoile whiâ—â— thy fellowes saw and contemned Why couldest thou not before well as now see shame hid vnder â—hat gay Babylonish garment and â—n heape of stones couered with â—hose shekels of siluer The ouerâ—rizing ouer-desiring of these â—arthly things caries vs into all mischiefe and hides vs from the â—â—ght of Gods iudgements whosoeuer admires the glory of meâ—alls or of gay clothes or honor â—annot be innocent Well might Ioshua haue proâ—eeded to the execution of him whom GOD and his own mouth â—ccused but as one that thought â—o euidence could be too strong 〈◊〉 a case that was capitall hee â—ends to see whether there was â—s much truth in the confession as â—ere was falshood in the stealth Magistrates and Iudges must pase slowly sure in the punishment of offenders Presumptions are not ground enough for the sentence of death no not in some cases the confessions of the guiltie It is no warrant for the Law to wrong a man that hee hath before wronged himselfe There is lesse ill in sparing an offender then in punishing the innocent Who wold not haue expected since the confession of Achan was ingenuous and his pillage still found entyre that his life should haue beene pardoned But heere was Confesse and dye He had been too long sick of this disease to bee recouered Had his confession beene speedy and free it had saued him How dangerous it is to suffer sin to lye fretting into the soule vvhich if it vvere washt off betimes with our repentance could not kill vs. In mortall offences the course of humane iustice is not stayd by our penitence It is wel for our soules that we haue repented but the lawes of men take not notice of our sorrow I knowe not whether the death or the teares of a malefactor be a better sight The censures of the Church are wip't off with vveeping not the penalties of lawes Neither is Achan alone cald foorth to death but all his familie all his substance The actor alone doth not smart with sacriledge all that concerns him is enwrapped in the iudgement Those that defile their hands with holy goods are enemies to their owne flesh blood Gods first reuenges are so much the more fearefull because they must be exemplary The Gibeonites THe newes of Israels victory had flowne ouer all the mountains and vallyes of Canaan yet those heathenish Kings and people are mustered together against them They might haue seene themselues in Iericho and Ai and haue wel perceiued it was not an arme of flesh that they must resist yet they gather their forces and say Tush wee shall speed better It is madnesse in a man not to be warned but to runne vpon the poynt of those iudgements wherewith hee sees others miscary and not to belieue till he cannot recouer Our assent is purchased too late when we haue ouer-stayd preuention trust to that experience which we cannot liue to redeeme Only the Hiuites are wiser then their fellowes will rather yield