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
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
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