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
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
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
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
would aduise and his counsell is worse then a curse For his curse had hurt none but himselfe his counsell cost the blood of 24000. Israelites Hee that hath heard God speake by Balaam would not looke for the Diuell in the same mouth And if GOD himselfe hadde not witnessed against him who could beleeue that the same tongue which vttered so diuine prophecies should vtter so villanous and cursed aduise Hypocrisie gaines this of men that it may doe euill vnsuspected But now he that heard what he spake in Balacs eare hath bewrayd and condemned his counsell and himselfe This policie was fetcht from the bottome of hell It is not for lack of desire that I curse not Israel thou doest not more wish their destruction then I doe thy wealth and honour But so long as they holde firme with GOD there is no sorcery against Iacob withdrawe GOD from them and they shall fall alone curse themselues Drawe them into sinne and thou shalt withdrawe GOD from them There is no sinne more plausible then wantonness One fornication shal drawe in another and both shall fetch the anger of God after them send your fairest women into their tents their sight shall drawe them to lust their lust to folly their folly to Idolatry and now God shal curse them for thee vnasked Where Balaam did speak well there was neuer any Prophet spake more diuinely where he spake ill there was neuer any diuell spake more desperately Ill counsell seldome succeedeth not Good seed falls often out of the way and roots not but the tares neuer light amisse This proiect of the wicked Magician was too prosperous The daughters of Moab come into the tents of Israel and haue captiued those whō the Amorites Amalekites could not resist Our first mother Eue bequeathed this dowry to her daughters that they should be our helpers to sin the weaker sex is the strōger in this cōquest Had the Moabites sent their subtilest Counsellors to perswade the Israelites to their Idol-sacrifices they had beene repelled with scorne but now the beauty of their women is ouer-eloquent and succesfull That which in the first World betrayd the sonnes of GOD hath now ensnared Gods people It had beene happy for Israel if Balaam had vsed any charmes but these As it is the vse of God to fetch glory to himselfe out of the worst actions of Satan so it is the guise of that euill one through the iust permission of the Almighty to raise aduantage to himself from the fayrest peeces of the work-manship of God No one means hath so much inriched hel as beautifull faces All Idols are abominable but this of Baal-Peor was besides the superstition of it beastlie Neither did Baal euer put on a forme of so much shame as this yet very Israelites are drawne to adore it When lust hath blinded the eyes it carries a man whither it lists euen beyond all differences of sinne A man besotted with filthy desires is fitte for any villany Sin is no lesse crafty then satan himselfe giue him but roome in the eye and he will soone be possessed of body and soule These Israelites first saw the faces of these Moabites and Midianites then they grew to like their presence from thence to take pleasure in their feasts From their bords they are drawne to their beddes from their beds to their Idols and now they are ioyned to Baal-Peor and separated from GOD. Bodily fornication is the way to spirituall If we haue made Idols of flesh it is iust to be giuen vp to Idols of wood and stones If wee haue not grace to resist the beginnings of sin where shall wee stay If our foot slippe into the mouth of hell it is a miracle to stop ere wee come to the bottom Well might God be angry to see his people goe a whoring in this double fornication neither doth hee smother his wrath but himselfe strikes with his plague and biddes Moses strike with the sword Hee strikes the body and bids Moses strike the head It had beene as easie for him to plague the Rulers as the vulgar one would thinke these should bee more properly reserued for his immediate hand but these hee leaues to the sword of humane authority that he might win awe to his owne ordinances As the sinnes of great men are exemplary so are their punishments Nothing procures so much credit to gouernment as strict impartial executions of great and noble offendors Those whom their sins haue embased deserue no fauor in the punishment As God knows no honor no royalty in matter of sinne no more may his deputyes Contrarily conniuence at the outrages of the mighty cuts the sinewes of any State neither doth any thing make good lawes more contemptible then the making difference of offenders that small sacriledges should bee punished when great ones ride in triumph If good ordinations turne once to Spyders webs which are broken through by the bigger Flyes no hand will feare to sweepe them downe GOD was angry Moses and all good Israelites grieued the heads hanged vppe the people plagued yet behold one of the Princes of Israel feares not to braue God and his Ministers in that sinne which hee sees so grieuously reuenged in others I can neuer wonder enough at the impudence of this Israelite Heere is fornication an odious crime and that of an Israelite whose name challenges holinesse yea of a Prince of Israel whose practice is a rule to inferiors and that with a woman of Midian with whom euen a chaste contract had beene vnlawfull and that with contempt of all gouernment that in the face of Moses and all Israel and that in a time of mourning iudgement for that same offence Those that haue once passed the bounds of modesty soone grow shamelesse in their sinnes Whiles sin hides it selfe in corners there is yet hope for where there is shame there is a possibilitie of grace but when once it dare look vpon the sunne and send challenges to authority the case is desperate and ripe for iudgement This great Simeonite thought hee might sinne by priuiledge He goes as if he said Who dares controll mee His nobility hath raysed him aboue the reach of correction Commonly the sins of the mightie are not without presumption and therfore their vengeance is no lesse then their securitie and their punishment is so much greater as their conceit of impunity is greater All Israel saw this bold lewdnesse of Zimri but their harts eyes were so full of griefe that they had not roome enough for indignation Phineas lookt on with the rest but with other affections When hee saw this defiance bidden to God and this insultation vpon the sorrow of his people that whiles they were wringing their hands a proud miscreant durst out-face their humiliation with his wicked dalliance his heart boyles with a desire of an holy reuenge and now that hand which was vsed to acenser sacrificing knife takes vp his Iaueline and