wee likewise may raine-downe abundance of teares praying for our sinnes and thanking him for his goodnes knowing it as a most assured truth that no dewe of the night can so glad the earth as this swéete moisture of thy wet eye in these respects doth please thy God Good therfore was that Counsaile of a most honourable Father to his Childe that aboue all other times hee should haue a care in the quiet night to talke with his God Dauid goeth on in another Psalme and saith I haue thought vpon the Lord in the night season and remembred him when I was waking At midnight will I rise to giue thanks to Thee because of thy righteous Iudgements In the night I commune with mine owne heart and search out my Spirits With my soule haue I desired thee in the night saith the Song of the Faithfull And all these thinges should be our instruction In Iob it is said God giueth songs in the night and it is a Place much to be thought on Therefore I say againe since mercie and iudgement thus stir in the night the one for his children the other for his Enemies awake thou that sleepest in most dull securitie going to thy bed as the Dogge to his kennell without anie thought either of God or of Deuill Full little knowest thou what may happen vnto thée before it be day It may be with thée as with these first borne with the fiue Kings with the Citie Ai c. Thy selfe may be dead thy houses on fire thy goods spoyled thy children destroyed and a thousand wofull miseries vpon thy friends Wherefore goe to bed with prayer awake with prayer and arise with prayer Let God and grace be in thy first thoughts and not anger and wrath not Shéepe and Oxen not money and mucke which shall all perish with thée when God is angrie We see how the faithfull haue done before vs and let it suffice in this point concerning the time when this plague was executed 2. The second thing is the Plague it selfe which was the death of the first borne To make vse of it to our selues let vs consider how great a gréefe it is to haue any childe die and that to haue the eldest and first borne to die is commonly a griefe much greater but yet this was not all the griefe of the Egyptians For besides the particular griefe of any one to haue it generall through the whole Land and not to knowe whether God would there stay or extend his wrath vpon them all for they said we all shall die this was a thing most full of feare and woe So by all these circumstances the iudgement was terrible vpon them and to them past our féeling and conceite except the Lord assist our vnderstanding and féeling But why will some say séeing wee all owe a death to God first or last young and olde and all degrées I answere that death in it selfe to any grounded vpon God is neither hurtfull nor fearefull yet Nature is Nature when the separation commeth and wee are allowed to mourne for them that die but when death commeth with a circumstance or shewe of Gods anger in manner or suddainnesse or such like then is there not that comfort which we otherwise haue For Example sake Lot knewe well his wife must die but to sée her changed so suddainly and strangely into a pillar of Salt was very fearefull and discomfortable both to him and all her friends Those sonnes of Aaron Nadab and Abihu their Father knewe full well must haue a death but to sée them both together suddainly slaine by a fire frō God iudge in your heart what griefe it was Corah Dathan ond Abiram must haue died and no friend of theirs but well knewe it yet to haue the earth open and swallowe them vp with all their families O what a dreadfull spectacle was it Add vnto these those Tormentors which died with the flames flashing out of the fierie fornace where into they had cast the three seruants of God those Accusers of Daniel who were cast into the Lions denne and shaken in peeces ere they came to the ground Ananias and Saphira his wife suddenly smitten by the hand of God This Pharaoh here and so many of his Nobles and people drowned and ouerwhelmed in the Red-sea were they not all full of woe and griefe to friends more than if they had died orderly without any such circumstance of Gods anger Surely they were And the best Learned are of opinion that Dauid so doubled his crie for Absolon more in regard of the manner of his death than of the death it selfe For hee died in rebellion against his naturall Father and King he was hanged by the haire of his head betwixt Heauen and Earth in a tree till his enemies came and stabbed him through againe and againe There were no signes knowne of his repentance Which all laid together and considered of a wise Father made his heart turne and ouerturne within him crying O my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon would God I had died for thee O Absolon my sonne my sonne Conclude we therefore that though naturally wee must all die and there is nothing more sure yet either the kinde of death or the suddennes may depriue friends of much comfort So was it heere in Egypt for these first borne in euerie house 3. But yet you will not iudge may some say all that die a suddaine or extraordinarie death No indeede For things reuealed belong to vs and the Lords secrets appertaine to himselfe The Lords mercie is restrained neither to time nor manner and the Apostle saith what shall or can separate a man or woman once grafted into Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perill or sword No no. Neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come Nor height nor depth nor any other creature can doo it No suddainnes of death then or extraordinarie manner which may happen to the best either by naturall causes in their bodies or otherwise as God shall please in his vnsearchable wisedome But in such cases we are to remember for our comfort what Testimonies of Faith Religion of vertue and pietie they gaue in their life time to rest vpon those The Lord is no Changeling but loueth to the end whom hee once loued although sodainly they depart and say nothing Neuerthelesse wee entreate the Lord if it may be his blessed will to deliuer saue vs frō sodaine death and to giue vs spéech memorie and hearing to our last breath Because the Last part is all in all of this transitorie life and being once gone cannot be restored againe as a Carpenter can pull downe his house if hee dislike it and make it new againe Also because it fareth with vs in this point as with the Archer who though he
of Reconciliation to himselfe reputing vs now iust for his Sonne Christ and Sonnes and Heires of all heauenly benefits with the blessing of his Spirit whereby wée walke in his calling béeing guided and gouerned therby in the same with the blessing of acceptance of all our workes though full of imperfection and weaknesse and with this great blessing That all aduersitie becommeth a helpe to vs to draw vs to Heauen and eternall rest c. How are wée bound to loue such a GOD Let vs often fall into the reckoning of it and rise vp in thankefull speaches and thoughts as others of his seruants haue done before vs vpon the same cause Namely Saint Augustin whose wordes are these Minus te amat O Deus qui aliquid tecum amat quod non propter te amat O GOD hee loueth thee not as much as hee should who loueth any thing els but thee which he loueth not for thee Saint Cyprian Disce nihil Deo praeponere quia Deus nihiltibi praeposuit Learne O man to prefer nothing in thy loue before God because he hath preferred nothing before thee in his loue No no not the life and blood of his owne deare and onely Sonne Saint Bernard Quando ignorabam me instruxit quando errabam me reduxit quando steti me tenuit quando cecidi me erexit quando veni me suscepit c O quid retribuam When I was ignorant he instructed mee when I erred he reclaymed mee when I stood hee held me vp when I fell he raysed me when I came to him he receiued me c O what should I giue to the Lord for these fauours c. 4 And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people And there came a fire out from the Lord and consumed vpon the Altar the Burnt-offering and the fat which when all the people sawe they gaue thankes and fell on their faces or they gaue a shoute for ioy Thus did the Lord please to confirme both that maner of worshipping him by such Sacrifices and the Ministerie of Aaron and his sonnes now chosen and consecrated to that Office The like credite he gaue to Elias his Prophet When fire from Heauen came downe and consumed the Burnt-offering and the wood and the stones and the dust licked vp the water that was in the ditch Which the people also sawe and there fell againe vpon their faces and sayd The Lord He is GOD The Lord Hee is GOD. Againe When Salomon had made an ende of praying fire came downe from Heauen and consumed the Burnt-offering and the Sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the House Such mercie in the Lord to méete with mans weakenesse is duely and carefully to bée thought of all péeuish frowardnesse to bée instructed and to beléeue as a most vnfit thing for any that looke for Heauen to be abandoned and cast away Left after all meanes in mercie offered to winne vs and saue vs wée be destroyed with some fearefull iudgement that all the world may talke of vs for our obstinacie This I say because euen this gracious God is the same to man by his Holy-word and infinite fauours séeking vs as lost Shéepe to be wonne vnto him Let vs read let vs search let vs day and night indeuoure to know his holy Will and then constantly and faithfully walke in the same whilest we haue a day to liue This fire from Heauen did not plainlier confirme them than the euidence of his Word doth all those at this day that will looke into it And aswell may we at this day fall vpon our faces and giue a shoute in thankefulnesse for the great glory of the same in the Ministerie of his Seruants indued with great gifts of knowledge and power to expound open the same vnto vs as they did héere or in other places for such visible Lestimonies of his approbation God strike vs and worke with vs for his mercies sake that wée may liue and not die praysing and blessing his Name for euer for his Godnesse Amen Amen CHAP. X. IN the former Chapter hauing shewed by that miracle of fire frō heauen how he accepteth of worship done according to his will now in this by a dreadfull iudgement vpon the two sonnes of Aaron he sheweth how he abhorreth all presumption of man to serue him any other way The sinne and death of the young men for their sinne is layd-downe in these words But Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron tooke either of them his Censar and put fire therein and put incense thereupon and offered strange fire before the Lord which he had not commaunded them Therefore a fire went out from the Lord and deuoured them so they dyed before the Lord. Their sinne was then that to burne incense withall they tooke not the fire from the Altar of that which came downe from Heauen and was preserued by the diligence of the Priests till the Captiuitie of Babilon but other fire which therefore is called strange fire because it was not fire appointed and commaunded Which fault in mans eyes may séeme to haue excuse ann not to deserue so fearefull a punishment For they were but yet gréene in their office and so of ignorance might offend being not yet well acquainted with the nature of their Office Againe of forgetfulnesse they might offend not remembring or thinking of the matter as they ought Thirdly there was no malice in them or purpose to doe euill but wholly they aymed at Gods seruice with a true meaning although in the manner they missed somewhat But all these and whatsoeuer like excuses were as figge-leaues before God vaine and weake to defend them from guiltinesse in the breach of his commaundement and not withstanding any such they are thus fearefully and dreadfully deuoured with fire from God that they then we no◠and all flesh to the worlds end might learne and settle in our hearts two thinges First with what seueritie the Lord challengeth defendeth his authoritie in laying-downe the way and manner of his worship not leauing it to any creature to meddle with but according to prescription and appointment from him Content he is that men shall make lawes for humane matters concerning their worldly estate in this earth as shal be fittest for the place where they liue lawes against murder theft oppression c. but for his diuine worship he onlywill prescribe it himselfe and what he appoynteth that must be done and that onely or else Nadab and Abihu their punishment expected that is Gods wrath expected in such manner as he shall please The Poynt is good to be carefully marked and would god it might take full place in all hearts The Scriptures are plaine and they would be seriously thought of you shall not doe euery man what seemeth good in his owne eies but what I cōmaund what I I command that that shall yee doe c. Read all the Chapter Looke in euery Chapter
his word séeing it is so sure a way for mée to walke in Or why should any Teacher deliuer to me that which hée neuer receiued of God to be deliuered to his people If they craue obedience why should they bée angry that I pray to haue it shewed out of his word whom onely I must obey Hée hath prescribed a forme of seruing him that forme hée will accept and blesse with eternall peace all other formes hée will abhorre and punish Nadab and Abihu preach so vnto vs and all flesh They wish vs to take héed by their harme God is in other things full of patience but in this he is full of wrath and his authoritie to appoint his owne worship he will not indure it to be taken from him by any man Let Popish whisperers then make good out of Gods word Latine Prayers when we vnderstand no Latin Calling vpon Saints that heare vs not Flying from the sufficiencie of Christs Passion to our owne merits crossings and creepings with a thousand deuised toyes and we will obey them But if they cannot let them leaue vs to serue God according to his word that we may bée accepted 3 You may also well note it here that Nadab Abihu were two of Aarons eldest sonnes which after their father should in his place haue succéeded him yet there is no mercie with God to stay his iudgement when they will not be ruled by his word No prerogatiue therefore of any man shall saue him from wrath if hee thus offend but the eldest shall die aswell as a yonger the richest aswell as the poorer a great man or woman aswell as a small There is no regard with God of these things But the soule that serueth him according to his owne will reueiled in his VVord that is regarded and euer déere vnto him c. Build we not therefore vpon any titles and so swarue from the rule laid downe vnto vs. If so little a transgression cannot be qualified any way by any circumstance O what will bée their case one day that so many wayes stray from the Law of God and almost in no one iote of their worship haue any warrant Thinke with your self more of this matter and meditate further of it at your times 4 Then Moses said vnto Aaron This is that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come neere mee and before all the people I will be glorified You can conceiue what wo it was to Moses to sée this end of two of his brothers sonnes but he must stoope to God and so he doth telling Aaron the trueth of the fault and so consequently defending God that he did but iustly In déede saith he we must confesse that this is that we were told before how God will be sanctified in them that come neere vnto him that is how he will haue his Law obeyed and followed in his worship and not any way else how though he vse the Ministerie of man yet no man liuing must be wiser than Hee to swarue from the forme appointed and to follow his owne libertie but man must thinke it his wisedome to doe as God biddeth c. 5 But Aaron held his peace saith the Text that is was so astonished with the fearefulnes of it that he had no spéech but all amazed and shaken with the woe of it held his peace He howled not out with any vnséâ—mly cries neither vttered any words of rage and impatiencie but méekly stooped to Gods will kissed his rodde and held his peace If thus Aaron in so great a iudgement how much more we when our friends dye naturally swéetly and comfortably so that we may boldly say NoÌ„ amisimus sedpraemisimus VVe haue not lost them but sent them before vs whether we our selues hope to follow Lay to this heauie harted father yet silent and patient the example of olde father Elye the Priest to whom when Samuel had related such fearefull things quietly he answered It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good The example also of Dauid who in his distresse very bitter and heauie yet notably said Let the Lord doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes These are most excellent Paterns for vs to follow in all our crosses and griefes not forgetting that golden Saying of Iob Wee haue taken good things at Gods hands and shall we not take euill O yes yes The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh and euer euer blessed be his Name for all The fish groweth greater in salt waters and the Lord for his mercie make our Faith Pacience and Comfort in him great in the saltest and bitterest waters of this world Amen 6 Obserue here againe with your selfe the strange and admirable change of these worldly matters in the turne as we say of a hand For but Yesterday as it were Aaron and these sonnes of his had a famous and glorious consecration into the greatest and highest dignitie vpon earth nothing vnder the Sunne being more glorious than that Priest-hood in those dayes And how may you thinke his heart reioyced to sée not onely himselfe but his children which Parents often loue more than themselues so blessed and honoured But O change now sudden and fearefull O fickle fading comfort that man taketh hold of in this world whatsoeuer it be if wordly These sonnes so lately exalted and honoured to their old Fathers swéet and great ioy now lye destroyed before his face to his extréeme and twitching torment And how Not by any ordinarie and accustomed death but by fire from Heauen a sore and dreadfull iudgement For what also Euen for breach of commaunded dutie by the Lord all which doubled and trebled the fathers sorrow As it did in Dauid when his sonne Absolon died not an vsual death and in rebellion and disebedience against his king and Father You remember his passion then vttered O my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Absolon would God I had died for thee O Absolon my sonne my sonne He considered the cause wherein he dyed the manner how he dyed to a father so kinde as Dauid was both of them full of woe and sorrow Let neuer therefore any prosperitie in this world puffe vs for wée little know what to morrow-day may bring with it The glasse that glistereth most is soonest broken the rankest corne is soonest layd and the fullest bough with pleasant fruite is soonest slit hauing more eyes vpon it moe stones cast at it than all the other boughs of the trée Pleasant wine maketh wise men fooles and fooles often starke mad Thousands fall at the left hand but tenne thousand at the right Multos fraÌ„git aduersitas sed plures extollit prosperitas Many saith Saint Bernard are crushed with aduersitie but more are puffed vp by prosperitie Lacertus Milonem perdidit ambitio Caesarem Nimis alter Naturae nimis alter Fortunae credidit Milo his strong arme ouerthrew him and Caesar his ambition The one
good Magistrate 314. Creation the Booke thereof 154. Cryes are consequents of Gods plagues 182. Earnest prayer is a crying 215 280. Crosse see afflction Creatures armed in wrath 102. Creatures haue excellent vertues 238 239. Creatures of God must be soberly vsed 392. and not abused 240. Creatures the vse of them giuen or taken away by God 88. Crueltie forbidden 354. curiositie in searching secrets 319 322 357 451 452 454. Custome in sinne 152. D. Darkenesse of Egypt 145 c. Darkenesse in iudgement 62 147. Darkenesse outward inward compared 148. Inward darkenesse how it groweth 150. Darkenesse wherein God was noteth him to be incomprehensible 325. Daunces of ancient time what they were 235. Daunces on the Sabbath 269 438. Dauid how hee offended in numbring the people 429. Ciuill Death 340. Death comming with circumstances of Gods anger is more fearefull 177 178. Sodaine death 178 179 180. No earthly prerogatiue can free from death 182. After Death no helpe 179. Dead mens desires are truely to bee perfourmed 207. Dearth in the time of Poperie 257. Delay of religious duties 98 182 217 229 423 456. Descend how it may be sayd of God 38 322. Despaire to be auoyded 73 258 285. we may not despaire of Gods prouidence 260 265 nor of his mercie 117. Deformitie of bodie is recompenced by vertue of minde 17. Diuell see Sathan Diligence required in Gods businesse 113. Discipline 397. Discontentment 277 278. Disputations 398. Distrustfulnesse 265. Dissimulation 123. Diuision of this Booke 2. Domitian proclaymed himselfe God 80. Doubting 48 287. Diuersitie of gifts 81 355 361 363. Diuersitie of plagues 94 129 224 291 333. Diuinitie as a Ladie ought to be serued by all other Sciences 172 173 363. E. Eare is required that God may enter 209. The Eare signisieth obedience 419. The boring of the Eare what it signified 330 419. Egyptians crueltie to the Infants 16. it was punished 88. Egyptians ten Plagues the first of the turning of their waters into blood 87. 88 c. the second of Frogges 91. the third of lice 101. the fourth of flyes c. 105 the fifth of murraine of Cattell 109. the sixth of a scab 112. the seuenth Thunder haile and fire mingled with the haile 119. the eight Grashoppers 131 the ninth Darkenesse 145. the tenth the death of the first borne 177. Egyptians destroyed in the Red Sea 217. Elder a name of Office not of yeeres 43. Elect may be afflicted but not finally ouer-throwne 138. Ends of Gods punishments 331. End of Gods benefits 72. Enemies God is able to preserue by them 20. our enemies are to be helped 351 352. Enuie 5 82 292 395. it cannot alter the Lords purpose 168. Ephod of two sortes 409 the high Priests Ephod 410. the stone on the Ephod and the names on the stone 410. Equalitie is a propertie of a good Iudge 350 Equitie of al gods lawes euer remayneth 337 Euening what it signified 189 Euill God is not the author of it 82. nor religion the cause of it 129. Extraordinarie instincts 459 Extraordinarie things may not without like warrant be followed 172. Extraordinarie prouidence 260. 265. 272. Excuse taken from the wicked 62 174. F Factious men 44. 45. Fa 〈…〉 es on the Sabbath 269. Faith 18. confirmed by signes 41. it must rest vpon Christ. 404. by it we are partakers of Christ 202. signified by oyle 396 423. it is required to all spirituall duties 424. Families are raysed by God 4. Fat of the sacrifice what it signified 416. Fathers a comparison between their affection and Gods loue 56. 57. Fauoure to strangers wrought by God 47. 48. 172. Feare of God 12. it is the propertie of a good iudge 314. Feare is comforted 117. 210. 231. 232. it hath sometimes a good end 172. Feet signifie actions and affections 420. Deadly Feud reprooued 16. Finger of God what it signifieth 434 435. Fire of grace is to be kept within vs. 274. Firstborne of the Israelites were gods by a double right 204. Flies c. 105. to which are resēbled worldly cares byting of conscience sorrow for sinne Tyrants Vsurers c. Forgetting of benefites is a mother of much mischiefe 7. Forgetfulnes of Gods workes is displeasing vnto God 197. 243. God prepareth sundrie meanes to awake it 203. 272. Fortune 20. 230. 417. A friends wrong striketh deepe 70. French disease 112. Fryer 46. 47. Frogges 91. they resemble crokeing crewes c. 101. G Garments strange and costly 409. marg Garments of the Priests 408 421. Genealogie of the Israelites to what end it is described 76. Gentiles more obedient than Iewes 299. Gestures may be diuers in Prayer 298. Gifts doe corrupt iudgement 352. 353. Gifts of God diuers to diuers men that one might haue neede and vse of another 81 355 361 363. 395. Gifts and graces of Gods Church 401. prefigured by the garments of the high Priest 408 modest men are not proude of them 461. Glorie of God to bee preferred before all thinges 445 446. b. God is an existence by himselfe 72 God is eternall 231. God is true in his promises 3 73. 169. 427. God is vnchangeable 38 42. 72. 210. 426. God is incomprehensible 325. yet hee hath many names from manifold affections in vs 72. we may not search his Maiestie but in the cloud that is the humanitie of Christ 357. God reuealeth himselfe so as man may endure to behold 34 he appeareth diuers 〈…〉 to diuers men 357. 358. in appearing hee applieth himselfe to the intent of his appearing 32 33. the more hee openeth himselfe the more man feeleth and findeth his wants 35. hee vouchsafed a glimse of himselfe to Aaron c. 356. his manifestation to Moses preferred before that to Abrabam 71. he promiseth to dwell amongest vs 425. that he will bee with vs in our calling is an encouragement 40. how he is saide to come downe 38 322. how hee hath beene seene 453. and how he shall bee seene of vs. 454. his backe-parts ibid. he did speake out of the bush out of the cloude from betwixt the Cherubims 389. as he now speaketh by his Ministers so heretofore by his Angels 322 it is a mercie that he now speaketh not himselfe but by men 324. 407. God his goodnesse might iustice 210. God his loue truth and power 285. God is almightie he passeth all men of war 231. he can do great matters by weake means 38 51 54 93 103 129. his mightie power is fearefull and comfortable 198. fearefull because with one word he destroyed many first-borne 198. he is able infinite wayes to punish 102. 131. he hath power ouer all creatures to giue or take the vse of them from vs 88. yea to arme them against vs 102. infinite is his power to comfort them that cleaue to him 260. it strengthneth vs against despaire 285. he being able to performe his promises 73. he can giue strength to any man in his vocation 214. in new perils he can giue new remedies 217. hee can turne
haue their Page 206. line 34. would haue you eschue Page 234. line 34. Miriams Page 242. line 20. Sin Page 244. line 5. heare of Page 329. line 16. make you a Page 332. line 8. said not to be Page 351. line 17. president Page 355. line 19. this rash Page 366. line 22. funerall Page 436. line 1. but God Some other faults there are escaped which the diligent reader may easily amend The like notes vpon euery Chapter of the bookes of Exodus and Leuiticus TOuching this booke of Exodus in genenerall wée may note two things in it First the authority of it and secondlie the profit we may take by it The authority of it very well appeareth by such allegations as are made out of it in the new Testament for the confirmation of most weighty points of our Christian faith as the resurrectien of the dead our free election by grace not by merit with other such like The profit of it is double historicall and mysticall Historicall by notable examples of Gods wrath and mercy Wrath towards the Egiptians Maleâ—hites and such like mercy towards the Israelites and those that shew mercy vnto them as Rahab the Midwiues and others The former may teach the wicked to beware because God certainely payeth home at the last The latter may confirme all true beléeuers in Gods promises which euer were and shal be performed in their time Also make vs patient to endure the Lords good pleasure euer séeing he both so gratiouslie regardeth and so mercifully moderateth the afflictions of his children Both the points togither may teach vs that kingdomes gouernments are disposed by God euen as shall please his holy will For hée setteth vp and he taketh downe hée establisheth and changeth according as hée is serued and obeyed by Princes and people gouerning and gouerned Able to shiuer in péeces the greatest that euer was and as able againe to support the weakest when he pleaseth The mystical profit of this booke is a declaration of our Sauiour Christ and the merits of his passion which is most notablie made héerein by types and figures and liuelie resemblances as will appeare in their places The whole booke may bée deuided into these two parts The birth as it were and the beginning of the Church in the first fiftéene Chapters Then the education and bringing vp of the same in the rest of the booke CHAP. 1. This first Chapter hath these chiefe heads in it The multiplication of the Israelites The crueltie of the Aegyptians The vertue of the Midwiues COncerning the first point you sée in the fifth verse that all the soules which came out of the loines of Jacob into Egypt with him were but seuentie soules of which little flocke God made such an increase as the Egyptians grew afraide of it For they brought-forth fruite and increased in aboundance saith the seuenth verse and were multiplied and were excéeding mightie so that the land was full of them Some make the Hebrew word to signifie an increase like corne where one graine bringeth forth thirty sixty or a 100. Some as fishes which multiply in greater number than any creature R. Salamoh saith the womeÌ„ had oft foure and fixe at a burden God so prouiding to fulfill his promise touching their increase Genesis 22. 17. In the booke of Numbers you may more particularlie sée what came of euerie one For Reuben the eldest son of Jacob so increased that his branches there are saide to be sixe and forty thousand and fiue hundered Simeon his second sonne increased to nine and fifty thousand thrée hundered and fifty Gad his third sonne to fiue and forty thousand six hundred and fifty and so for the rest read their increase in that place Whereof to make some good vse to our selues wée may note and marke first the truth of Gods propromise made to Abraham in the 15. of Gen. when he bad him looke vp to the stars of heauen and number them if hée could assuring him then that euen so would hée make his posteritie and ofspring a mightie people and a great kindred which wée all sée héere was fulfilled So assuredlie true are all other of Gods promises and therefore thinke of what you will your faith and comfort shal not faile you That swéete promise that at what time soeuer a sinner repenteth truly of his sinnes God in mercy will forgiue him it shall neuer faile Hée may as soone cease to bée God as cease to be true in any thing which hée hath spoken And for this particular he hath not onely spoken it but sworne it that as he liueth he will not the death of any true peâ—itent and sorrowfull sinner Wée may not therefore do him wrong and doubt of it It is no pride to take fast hold of this word but it is duty due from vs to confesse his truth and to be thankefull An other promise he hath made to vs that if we seeke the kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof these worldly wants of ours shall euer be supplied as shall bée fit and good for vs. This also will he as assuredlie kéepe as he is God to the great quietnesse of our hearts if wée will beléeue him In a word that promise of all promises that if we beleeue in his Son we shall neuer perish but haue eternall life hée will performe So both for this life and that to come wée haue his word and no more than hée failed Abraham in multiplying his séede will he faile vs in any promise Only his time wée must tarry and hasty mindes learne humble patience Hée knoweth when is best both for him and vs. Tary hée may but come hée will Neuer vntruth passed from him neuer any that beléeued in him was disappointed of his hope Secondly we may obserue héere the rising of houses and families whence it is euen from the Lord who blesseth where he pleaseth with increase of children maketh a name spread as likewise drieth vp and cutteth off as he pleaseth others It must make vs cease from enuie where we sée increase and stay rash iudgment where we sée decrease For it is the Lords worke in whose matters wée must well beware how wée meddle A third vse ariseth from the time of this increase which was chiefelie and especially after Iosephs death whereupon S. Austin giueth this obseruation Ioseph is dead the children of Israel increase what is this my brethren As long as Ioseph liued they are not said to increase but after his death Surely bretheren these things figured in that Ioseph were fulfilled in in our Ioseph For before our Ioseph died few beléeued in him but after his death and resurrection throughout all the world the Israelites increased and multiplied that is the Christians So saide the Lord himselfe in the Gospell except the corne die that falleth into the gronnd it remaineth but it selfe alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruite Now not in Iudaea onely
slaunder and slaughter and such like but that heere they were idle was an error in the King and a malicious lie in those that so enformed him By which wee may learne and sée how wicked men haue no eyes often to sée the true causes of a thing but most apt and readie to deuise a false Let a man or woman be gréeued extraordinarily with the burthen of their sinnes and with groanes and sighes trauaile vnder the bitternes of it leauing thereupon those recreations which erst they vsed and delighted in what say the wicked oh it is a melancholie and the body would be purged c. But oh they are blinde and haue no eye-sight into the combates of the godly may wee truly say and so leaue them Festus imagineth Paul is mad when he speaketh the words of truth and sobernes and that much learning maketh him mad when learning is wisedome and maketh wise Yea Heli himselfe mistaketh Anna a vertuous woman and déemeth her to be drunke when rauished in her holy féeling shee was crying to GGD with feruent prayer Wherefore the Apostle teacheth To the end Christ might be mercifull a faithfull high Priest in things concerning God it behooued him in all things to be made like vnto his brethren And in another place Wee haue not an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne c. 8. And let them not regard vaine words saith Pharaoh Such taste and such conceipt haue vaine persons of Gods word In the 14. of the Acts the truth of God you knowe is called Heresie of the wicked And in the 17. Chapter it is called Newe of vaine Phylosophers that knewe not what it was Examples of vse to giue vs contentment in patience when like ignorance in our dayes bringeth forth like blasphemies Be stayed strong 9. Then went the Taske-maisters of the people and their Officers out and tolde the people saying Thus saith Pharaoh I will giue you no more straw Goe your selues get you straw where ye can finde it yet shall nothing of your labour be diminished Then were the people scattered c. Sée againe what was said before how the néerer that God draweth to his Church and Children to doo them good the more rageth Sathan in and by his members against them Hard hard therefore are the beginnings of deliuerance out of Egypt spirituall Egypt I meane as well as out of this earthly Egypt And therefore when the Lord shall touch thy hand and open thine eyes to sée where thou art how farre out of the way that leadeth to eternall life and giue thée a desire to returne and be saued Remember what the wise-man saith and bee comforted with it My Sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of GOD stand fast in righteousnes and feare and prepare thy soule to temptation c. Reade the place to the ende Remember that Example in the Gospell how the foule spirit being commaunded to depart rent and tare the partie more and worse than euer before Wee cannot leaue anie sinne wherein wee haue continued but by and by some contrarie winde will blowe and wee shall be discouraged if it may be somtimes with threatnings and bitter words sometimes with shew of perils and losses that may ensue sometimes with mocks and taunts in very spightfull manner and in a word if wee haue done euill wee must doo euill still and so be cast away or else Sathan will want his will But be strengthened with this Example and others in the Word Here now their burthen and miserie is greater than euer before For now they must haue no more straw but gather it where they can and yet make vp the tale and number of their bricke before which was a great extremitie yet the end is still as the Lord hath decréed his purpose is to deliuer them from this slauerie and when his time commeth they shall bee deliuered and let goe whosoeuer saith nay Though discomfort encrease for a little while to drawe sighes out of the heart to him that can helpe yet it shall end with ioyfull comfort put in the place of it and so much the sooner by how much it groweth the sharper O stand then and shrinke not and say in your heart now now is my God at hand For now I féele and sée the enemie maddest to oppresse me if hee could Come therefore swéete Lord I humbly beséech thée stay not and till thou commest vouchsafe thy hand to stay me that I faint not Thou art strong and I am weake thou art good and I am bad but thou art mine and I am thine O Blessed Blessed support thine owne that I may euer praise thée 10. And the Taske-masters hasted them saying Finish your dayes-worke c. And they beate them Then they cried to Pharaoh c. A Storie to shew you if you note it how the Law worketh without the Gospel euen roughlie sharply and rigorouslie For doo this doo this finish finish the work is stil the voice of it Whereby sin and the Deuill rageth as here Pharaoh doth For sinne saith the Apostle tooke occasion by the law c. So sinne reuiued But I died and the same commaundement which was ordained vnto life was found to be vnto mee vnto death c. Then crieth the true Israelite O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death as heere they cried vnto Pharaoh to bee deliuered from their miserie Blessed therefore bee the Lord for his swéete Gospell which helpeth all this rigour and giueth vs comfort and deliuerance in his Sonne from this great rage to our endlesse comfort Sée also how Tyrannie once begunne encreaseth more and more from words to blowes verse 14. And when they crie vnto Pharaoh in hope of remedie verse 15. shewing him the iniquitie of their vsage and how their offence in not making vp their tale of bricke grew by other mens faults that gaue them no straw verse 16 this pittifull complaint which should haue moued him to commiseration worketh but a confirmation of tyrannie in the wicked King first mocking and scoffing at their Religion as wicked men vse to doo verse 17 and vttering his crueltie with his owne mouth There shall no straw be giuen you yet shal you deliuer the whole tale of Bricke ver 18. Wherefore how happie Kingdomes be to which the Lord hath graunted mercifull and gracious Princes full of pittie and clemencie flowing from a true taste of holy Religion and from an immoueable loue of their true Subiects I leaue the Reader if he haue any bowels in him to féele and consider sending vp his thanks where it is due for what hee enioyeth in abundant measure 11. Then the Officers of the Children of Israel saw thēselues in an euill case c. And they met Moses and Aaron who
offices were all giuen away where hee least wished them and yet the Lord stayed not héere but fearefully destroyed also his posteritie Was not this thundering was not this lightning and was not this Judgment as vpon a stage O let it euer be remembred of all that reade it with their eies and God for his mercy sake make it profitable 14 Only in the land of Goshen where the children of Israel were was no hayle In which words as heretofore so stil stil is noted the vnsearchable goodnesse of God to his Church together with his Almighty power to doo euer what He wil. He can saue and He can spill He can make such a wall about his children that no storme or tempest no calamitie or euill shall come nere them though it compasse them round about and others perish with it on euery side Two shall be in the fielde the one receaued the other forsaken two shall be grinding at the mill the one accepted the other reiected c. Blessed therefore is that man and woman who haue the Lord for their God And say vnto my soule I am thy saluation saith Dauid in one of his Psalmes noting thereby the comfort of this aboue ten thousand worldes Let vs therefore euer be carefull to be of the number of those that abide in Goshen where the Sauing hand of God shall defend from al euil 15. In these smooth wordes of Pharaoh verse 27. That he had sinned that the Lord was righteous and he and his people wicked That Moses should pray for him c. returning neuerthelesse to his old byas when the Plague was gone stil obserue as you haue done before the déepe falshood of mans hart making faire shewes without fruite and if God be thus glozed and dissembled with all thinke whether it séeme strange to mortall man to taste of it No no we must reckon of it to be praised to our face to be sclaundered at our backes by the one and the same person Yet let it not discourage vs to doo any good but onely let it make vs carefull to giue no iust cause and tenne thousand times thankfull when wee are released out of such a world and taken into his kingdome 16. Lastly that often repeated Sentence of Pharaohs heardened heart let it remember vs of that Saying in Saint Augustine Corda mala patientia Dei durescunt Euill hearts wax-heard by Gods long-suffering and patience Also of that in Saint Bernard Cor durum dici quod non cōpūctione scinditur nec pietate mollitur nec mouetur precibus minis non cedit flagellis duratur ingratum ad beneficia ad consilia infidum ad iudicia saeuum inuerecundum ad turpia impauidum ad pericula inhumanum ad humana temerarium ad Diuina preteritorum obliuiscens praesentium negligens futura non praeuidens It is called a heard heart which is neither rent with compunction nor softned with piety nor mooued with prayers which giueth no place to threatnings is hardened with stripes in benefits vnthankfull in Councill vnfaithfull in iudgment cruell vnshamefast in foule things not fearefull in perils in humane things most inhumane in Diuine things rashe forgetting things past neglecting things present and not foreseeing things to come Surely such a description if we our selues haue not Pharaohs hardnes will euer mooue vs earnestly to pray against such hardnesse Thus endeth this Chapter and thus end I hauing giuen you some taste how we may profit by reading of it CHAP. 10. Here you haue following two Plagues more to wit the eight and the ninth The eight from the beginning of the Chapter to the twenty verse and the ninth from thence to the end Concerning the former the Holy-Ghost layeth downe 1. A Commaundement to Moses to goe 2. A Denunciation 3. An Execution 4. The Effect that in the Seruants King 1. TOuching the first the Text saith Againe the Lord said vnto Moses goe to Pharaoh c. Diuers times you know hee had sent before and all in vaine yet ceaseth not the bottomlesse and incomprehensible mercy of God still still againe and againe to send This was euer his gratious dealing with miserable sinners and a swéete comfort it is to a troubled minde to thinke of it The Gospell saith in like sort He sentagaine and againe other and other seruants to those wicked husbandmen to remember them of his due and their duetie At last he sent his owne Sonne vnto them saying they will reuerence my Sonne Againe to Hierusalem how often how often would I haue gathered thy Children together euen as a Hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and yet would not O tender Father what a certaine Seale is this thy goodnesse in these examples that true Repentance shall neuer be reiected A sorrowfull sinner neuer repulsed a broken and contrite hart neuer despised Let it profit vs vnto increase of faith for his sake that dyed for our sinnes Our owne experience hath taught vs as much if wee did obserue it For how long haue wee béene sinners haue not some of vs béene 20 yéeres some 30 some 40 and more all of vs too long walking the way that leadeth vnto death And what haue our sinnes béene surely great foule vglie odious to God dangerous to our selues and offensiue to the world yet hath the Lord neither swept vs away in his most iust wrath neither ceased to send Moses againe and againe vnto vs for our reformation Should not this infinite goodnes much moue vs to returne to so swéete a Father Knowest thou not O man saith the blessed Apostle that the long suffering of God leadeth thee to repentance How entertained hee the Prodigall Sonne when hee returned how reioice the Angels in Heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth far be it euer then from vs euer to resist a God so powerfull to confound vs and so mercifull to receaue vs. 2. But the Lord saith héere that he hardened Pharaohs heart and the hearts of his seruants how then was the fault in them that they yéelded not for answere let mee aske you another question whether you thinke it not lawfull that God should punish a sinner as himselfe liketh and whether hardnes of heart be not a punishment if both be true then might the Lord punish him this way Yet all men doo not thinke this such a punishment as it is for if wee be sicke wee looke for helpe if the eye faile the eare growe dull or any sense be weakened we quickly féele it and readily with for remedie onely if our heart growe dull and our vnderstanding féeling and profiting in Gods Schoole be taken from vs wee are not mooued neither thinke it goeth ill with vs preferring the outward sense of body far and far before the light of the minde But let it be lawfull you say with the Lord thus to punish yet it must néedes excuse the partie so punished for how can a man féele and relent whose heart God smiteth with
hardnes no it excuseth not because a man may sinne necessarily and yet not constrainedly but willingly which consent of will maketh him guiltie as in common experience you sée one in a great heate drinke necessarily in respect of heate yet not constrainedly but very willingly Looke not therefore at Gods secret Decrée but at mans willing approbation of what is euill And in this matter remember the modestie and reuerence of S. Paule when he saith O man who art thou that pleadest with God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus c. O the deepenes of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his Iudgements and his waies past finding out Remember also howe S. Augustine imitateth him in this vertue saying O man thou lookest for an aunswere of me and I also am a man my selfe therefore let vs both heare him that saith Who art thou that disputest with GOD Better is holy ignorance than rash knowledge Seeke thou for merit thou shalt finde but punishment O deepenes reason thou I will meruaile dispute thou I will beleeue and hee that liketh not of this answere let him séeke one more learned but take héede hee finde not one more presuming 3. That thou maist declare in the eares of thy sonne and thy sonnes sonne what things I haue done in Egypt c. A Notable place to teach vs as the end of Gods workes and wonders so the dutie and office of all Christian Parentes and Gouernours euen to teach their Children and Charge carefully and zealouslie by them and in them to knowe the Lord. The like place you haue againe in Deuteronomie These wordes which I commaund thee this day shall bee in thine heart And thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thoutariest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp c. Thus is God himselfe the Author of that Catechizing and instructing of youth in his holy feare and true Religion which so much is neglected in our daies and whereunto not onely youth who knowe not their owne good are hardly drawne but euen their elder Parents and Maisters are very vnwilling to haue them drawne But can the stubborne and headstrong contempt of so holy a Commaundement of him that made vs be euer vnpunished no no it both hath and euer shall haue his due correction both in those that should come and those that should send them and sée them come Parents Maisters Godfathers and Godmothers and the like Hence it commeth that children are often disobedient to their Parents wanton wilfull wicked and in the end die a shamefull death Parents can get for their Sonnes the Landlords Cloath thereby to haue countenance and aide in the world but they neuer cast nor care to get them Gods holy feare in their hearts who is Landlord of all Lands and Lords thereby to haue both the promise of this life and of that to come O blindnes doo we not sée how great and how foule how grosse and how sinfull if we doo let vs héereafter amend this fault and assure our selues that all the countenance in the world is not like his fauour that made both our posteritie and the world ruleth them and the world destroyeth them and the world Wherefore he promised it to Abraham as a thing aboue all the riches of the world that he would be his God and the God of his seede if he walked before him in vprightnes Follow this Meditation further in your owne minde and you shall finde it worke to a carefull course touching such as are committed to you 4. How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy selfe before me These wordes tell vs the drift of all crosses and afflictions in this life euen to bring downe the swelling pride of our sinfull hearts that yéelding God what is due to him we againe from him might reape mercie and goodnes more and more to our endlesse comfort for he would the contrary of the Storie in Genesis where for ten righteous if they could haue bene founde the whole Citie had bene saued Houses and whole kingdomes haue bene fauoured for one righteous man dwelling therein proofes are many both in Scripture all Stories Ioseph Daniel and such like 7 This spéech of Pharaohs seruants preuailed so farre that Moses and Aaron were sent for to Pharaoh and had an offer made them to depart if they would with some company but not with all vnto which Moses answered that they must néedes all goe Young and old Sons and Daughters sheepe and cattell orels none Wherein I profit thus by the graunt of Pharaoh of some to goe and not all I obserue the malice of Satan and his members against the Church and the true seruice of God if they cannot wholly destroy it hurt it and hinder it then in part as farre as they can they will doo it euer valuing much but a little gaine herein By the answere of Moses I obserue againe on the other side that we must not yéelde an inch to these plottes and fetches of the wicked but zealously must stand vpon the full obseruance of all Gods Will according to his commaundement and not according to the fancies either of others or of our selues Where the Lord dispenseth not wée must not dispense where al are bound to departe out of Egypt we must not capitulate for some to goe and some to tarrie Whereof would God men in our dais had due consideration where the Husband goeth to Church but not the wife the Father but not the Sonne the Seruant but not the Maister Moses would not doo thus in this place but knowing all to be bound requireth all leauing vs therein a fearefull assurance that this playing at halfe stake with the Lord as it is most odious to him so most dreadfully by him it will one day be punished 8. The wordes following in the eleuenth verse are not to be passed ouer without some profit Then they were thrust out from Pharaohs presence For they notably shew the too common entertainement of Gods messengers in this wicked world namely to be thrust out and very vnkindly entreated without any fault So were the Prophets and Apostles in their times yea the great Maister himselfe when they forcibly caried him toward the top of a mountaine with a purpose violently to haue cast him downe But let it comfort vs and shake the hearts of such wicked wretches euer that the very dust of our féete shall bee a witnesse for vs against them in the great day of iust iudgment and due reuenge for such sinne He that receaueth you receaueth me and he that refuseth and thrusteth you out refuseth and thrusteth me out Vengeance is mine and I will repay 9 By occasion of these Grashoppers sent in the wrath of God as a Plague to annoy the
away and their Deliuerance be wrought by a gracious GOD. Thus comforted Paule the Church in his time saying As Iannes and Iambres withstoode Moses so doo these also resist the truth But now marke they shall preuaile no longer for their madnes shall be euident vnto all men as theirs also was An end therefore will be of all troubles which these Locusts shall worke vnto the Church and Elect of God Fiue moneths is not long in respect of that eternitie which followeth and therefore in comfort be wee patient their time is set and they shall haue an end Againe this place may notably assure you and euery one that all which died in the time of Poperie were not cast-away but that at one time or other by one way or other the Lord gaue them light a holy departure in his truth and Stories tell vs how still in the time of darknes God raised vp some zealous and able Teachers of their brethren by whose ministerie and helpe many receaued light and ouercame the power of error Whereunto agrée the words of Primatius Illi hic intelliguntur qui licet falsis fuerunt irretiti doctrinis circa finem tamen vitae compuncti diuinam recipiunt veritatem They heere are vnderstoode who though they haue beene abused by false Doctrine yet in the end of their life hauing remorse they entertained the Heauenly truth The words following that in those dayes men shall seeke death and shall not finde it and shall desire to die and death shall flie from them verie effectually shew forth the tortures of conscience which Popish Doctrine casteth men into so well knowne by fearefull Examples as I néede not to stand vpon it Also the misteries of the Time wherein the Locusts should swarme fully expressed in Stories which indéede made many a man and woman wearie of life The little short time of Quéene Marie her Reigne how full it was of vexation and griefe is not nor cannot be forgotten Thirdly in the place of the Reuelation it is saide The forme of the Locusts was like vnto horses prepared vnto battell And sée how it resembleth Romish Locusts Horses are proud so are they Horses are bolde and sturdie fierce and cruell not turning backe but rushing forward so are they bold and bloodie sturdie and mercilesse not looking backe by repentance but rushing forward in hardnes of heart Horses are fat and faire and full of neighing so are they And for being prepared to battell all Histories shew what warres they haue caused and still doo in the world themselues being Leaders Captaines and Generals in them whereas wee knowe that the true Church of God by the Rule and Example of the Gospell ought to be a Daughter of peace not a Mother of debate A forgiuer of iniuries not a renenger of her selfe or a séeker of warres The Tragicall Storie betwixt Frederick the 2 and Gregorie the 9 may serue in steade of many to prooue what warres and treacheries come from Rome That horrible slaughter betwixt both sides of thirtie thousand the most Citizens of Rome whom will it not moue that readeth it This Pope was in the daies of Henry the 3 King of England The open warres proclaimed against the Gréeke Church shewe much But I will lay downe the very words of Pandolphus who wrote in Italian the life of this Frederick the 2 that such as haue not the Storie may sée this point fully and I pray you marke them well Truly saith He when I consider with my selfe that Christ whose Vicar the Romaine Bishops boast themselues to be said vnto his Disciples that they should follow him and imitate his Example as of their Maister and Teacher and commaunded them farther that they should not draw the sword but put the same into the scabbard and gaue them in precept that they should not onely forgiue iniuries 7. times but 70. times 7. times to those that offended them And when I now compare the liues of the Bishops of Rome how neere they follow him whose Vicars they say they are and consider so many and so great conspiracies treasons rebellions disloyalties lyings in waite and treacherous deuises so many Legates of the Popes being Ecclesiasticall persons which will needes be called the Sheepheards of Christ his Flocke to be such Warriours and Captaines of Souldiers in all the parts of Italy Campania Apulia Calabria being the Emperours Dominions in Picenum Aemilia Flaminia and Lumbardie to be sent against him Also when with my selfe I meditate the destruction of so many great and famous Cities the subuersion of such CoÌ„mon-weales the slaughter of so many men and the effusion of such Christian blood Lastly when I behold so victorious prosperous and fortunate Emperours to be and so many miserable infortunate vanquished Popes to be put to flight I am perswaded with my selfe to thinke and beleeue that the Iudgements of God are secret and marueilous and That to be true that Aeneas Siluius writeth in his Historie of Austria That there is no great and marueilous clade no notorious and speciall calamitie that hath hapned either to the Publique-weale or else to the Church of GOD whereof the Bishops of Rome haue not beene the Authors Add vnto this that Notable place in the Prophet Micah where speaking of Gods true Church it is saide they shall breake their swords into Mattocks and their speares into â—ithes that is their fierce affections shall by the power of the word be mortified and brotherly loue encreased with desire of peace and quietnes But these men euen contrarie breake their Mattocks into swords and their â—ithes into speares being so great so fierce so ambitions and common Warriours as they are The strange cruelties of Vrban the 5. making bloodie great warres vpon many and bringing them by force in subiection to him I omit These things shew how truly this Prophecie of the Apocalyps concerning Locusts like vnto horses prepared to battell agréeth to these Romish Locusts Popes Cardinals Legats Monkes Fryers Priests Iesuites and such like Nicholas Machiauel saith all the ruinous calamities and miserable clades that either Italy or whole Christendome hath suffered haue béene brought in by the Popes of Rome A faire warning to all Gods people to know them and auoide them Fourthly on their heads were as it were crownes like vnto gold And these haue Shauen Crownes tokens as they say of their Priestly and Kingly dignity Such Crownes are rightly said by S. Iohn to be like Crownes not Crownes indeede Surely right Notes they are of Romish Locusts and that may suffice as many as will be warned by any thing Fiftly And their faces were like the faces of men So are these not terrible in shew but curteous kinde fawning flattering watching catching with smooth wiles to effect their purpose They pretend all good making men beléeue that they can bring them to true Blessednes that they will teach them true Religion true Deuotion and giue them Pardon for
ayme at the marke neuer so right and draw vp his â—owe neuer so stedfastly yet if his loose be not good but his hand starteth aside and swarueth at the point he misseth So we in death which is our last loose not guided by Gods holy Spirit may mar all And therefore we pray and euer should pray that till our end and in our end the Lord would vpholde vs in our strength and giue vs a gracious departure in him For as for that vaine Fable of helpe after death in Purgatorie it serued to rake vp the fat of the earth to those idle bellies and to shift away with faire words and promises those poore soules that shaked quaked after all their works not finding any sufficiencie in them to appease Gods wrath who could neuer returne being once dead to tell them they lied in so teaching the people that Masses Trentalls could helpe after death But for vs we know the Scriptures that as the tree falleth either towards the North or towards the South in the place it falleth there it shall bee Heauen wee reade of and Hell wee reade of but a Third place we finde not Lazarus was caried into Heauen and the rich Glutton into Hell They that haue done well saith the Catholique Faith shall goe into life euerlasting and they that haue done euill into euerlasting fire There is no Third place there mentioned to be beléeued and it is the Catholique Faith which except euery man kéepe holy and vndefiled without doubt he shall perish euerlastingly Let counterfet Catholiques hold what they list they heare the danger S. Augustine agréeably héereunto saith Repentance is onely in this life S. Cyprian also Hic vel accipimus vel amittimus vitam aeternam Heere wee either hold or loose life eternall meaning that if wee die well wee holde it and if wee die ill wee loose it there being no more helpe after death S. Basil againe pretily saith Post mercatum solutum nullus negociatur After the Market is ended there is neither buying nor selling and when I am dead the Market is ended with mee Wherefore let all our care be to take time while time serueth to liue well and doo well according to the rule prescribed and not according to our fancies or any mans inuention that a good life may haue a good death in Gods great mercie and goodnes Then for the place leaue it to God as also the manner and remember well that from euery Kingdome and Country from euery Towne and house yea from all corners and places whatsoeuer there is a readie way to Heauen To which agréeth that pretie Conference betwixt the Husbandman the Sayler wherein the Husbandman asked whether the Saylers father liued or no he answered no. Where died he said the Husbandman At sea saith the Sailer And where your Grandfather At sea also And where your great Grandfather At sea still saith the Sailer Good Lord then saith the Husbandman do not you feare to go to sea since so many of your Ancestors died there I pray you saith the Sailer let me likewise know of you before I answere you whether your Father liue or no and hée answered no. Where then died hee In his bed saith the Husbandman And where your Grandfather and Great Grandfather In their beds also saith hee I thanke God And good Lord then saith the Sayler are not you also afraide to goe to bed since so many of your Ancestors died there So one Question quit another wittily and both of them should teach vs that no place can hurt a setled Christian but as well from Sea as Land the Lord can giue a gracious passage to his Kingdome which hea in mercie graunt vs euer 4. In the death of the first borne Note againe the degrées of Gods punishments in these plagues First hee touched their water sent them Frogges Flies Lice and such other things gréeuous indéede but not so néere them as their goods Secondly the Lord touched their goods A greater plague than the former yet not so néere them as their owne bodies Thirdly therefore hee touched their very bodies by biles and blisters botches and sores verie gréeuous vgly yet he spared their liues But now when all the former would not serue he commeth to life it selfe and smiteth all their first borne that there was no house wherein was not death that of the déerest What may we then sée but a continual encreasing of Gods wrathfull scourges rods as long as wee shall spurne against him and not obey his holy wil Let it touch vs and turne vs awake vs and warne vs to take vp betimes How long we haue followed our owne waies and cast behinde vs the waies of God the Lord knoweth well and wee must also consider What crosses and losses haue likewise béene imposed vpon vs hitherto should bee remembred For they haue all béene Gods messengers as these plagues were to Pharaoh to drawe vs to obedience and if they will not serue the Lord will write as some Judges doo ad grauiora that is the Lord wil encrease his wrath as he did here till it come to very life it selfe Which being once lost in his displeasure the soule also is lost with the body and both of them sent to during woe for euer Urge him then no further as this cursed Pharaoh did but to day if you will heare his voice turne vnto him in true amendment of life and hee shall turne vnto you in mercie and loue eternall 5. Yea Sir God may happily deale thus with some poore people for example sake but he will regard the better sort of men and women who are of reputation in the world and not bring these heauie thinges vpon them But no saith your Chapter heere for this plague must light vpon all sorts from the first borne of Pharaoh which sitteth vpon the throne vnto the first borne of the Maid-seruant that grindeth at the Mill yea the Lord will not spare the very beasts No honours therefore or riches no friends or strength no pompe or port in this world may defend from him but he will smite all degrées and therefore let all degrées profit by it He will bring downe the mightie from their seates and cast euen Crownes vnto the dust Golde and Siluer are drosse before him and nothing can helpe but a reformed heart The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit A broken and a contrite heart the Lord shall neuer despise Trust to this but bid all earthly Titles stand aloofe for they will not serue 6. Then there shall be a great crie throughout all the Land of Egypt such as was neuer none like nor shall be This is a consequent of Gods Plagues euer wheresoeuer they light Cries and great Cries woes and great woes But shall any good Childe offend his Heauenly Father till he force him to make him crie Shall wee not thinke of the daies of truth and peace till wee heare in euery
Remembrance of it that all the first-borne should be offered to him in sacrifice Which plainely sheweth our dulnes to be so great that either not at all or very slightly wée remember the Lords mercies and benefits vnlesse by sundry meanes we be raised and stirred-vp thereunto Let vs therefore thinke of our selues as the Lord knoweth vs to be and rest euer thankefull for this great care of his ouer vs testified in his sundrie waies and meanes to awake and worke in vs due duties towards him and vse the same appointed meanes continually and euer as we are commaunded otherwise we condemne both the Lords care and wisedome and the punishment at last must néedes be very fearefull Let it strike all negligent hearers of the Word all secure and earthly contemners of the Sacraments all that refuse to read to conferre and to doo whatsoeuer els as a meanes that leadeth to the Lord. The Reason which the Lord aleageth of this Law of the first-borne to be sanctified vnto him is because they were his for they are mine saith he Which doth not note any reiectiō of the second-borne or third from his grace and fauour or yet tye his mercy and liking euer to the eldest for we know He hated Esau and loued Iacob but we are to vnderstand it thus that albeit all were his indéede yet these first-borne he challenged to be his by a double right both because he had deliuered them from bondage and seruitude as the rest and because he saued them aliue and slue them not when he killed all the first-borne in Egypt I make this vse of it euen to think with my selfe That the more God hath done for me the more titles he hath vnto me and the more I am his and ought to be in al the duties and seruices that may flow from either heart or body of so wretched a creature And if I doo not so thinke and so striue to shew my selfe euen so many witnesses against me are his sundry mercies to me and I shal be destroyed The ends then of this Law of sanctifying the first-borne vnto the Lord were these To be a Remembrance of their deliuerance To be a witnesse of the Lords right to them and ouer them whom he had so gratiously and mightily deliuered euen as an earthly Lord séeketh a peny or a Rose for an acknowledgment of his right not for any increase of his welth That the Priestes might haue hereby a maintenance to liue to preserue doctrine knowledge among them That Christ hereby might be liuely shadowed and shewed who being the first-borne was offered-vp a holy and sufficient sacrifice for all our sinnes c. The Law of Redemption of the children ver 13. 15. was to mittigate the rigour of the Lawe if they should haue dyed and still sheweth how swéete and mercifull the Lord is Afterward the Leuites were taken in their place and the Redemption of the vncleane beastes teacheth vs that God will haue his due if not by sacrificing them because they were vncleane yet by a price for them or by their death Which all wicked Robbers of God in his Tithes and Offerings may make an vse of and cease so to offend any more if admonition may finde place with them Other things haue béene touched before as the vnleauened bread the instructing of their children and such like wherefore I passe them ouer The frontlets spoken of in the 16. verse béeing for Remembrance the Iewes afterward abused and had their Philacteries c. As our Papists haue sundrie superstitious things about their neckes and armes to put them in minde of I know not what The 2. part 1 COncerning the way by which GOD led them you sée héere in the 17. verse what is said namely That God caried them not by the way of the Philistims Country though it were neerer lest any should repent when they saw warr and turne againe to Egypt Si enim cum longius esset Numb 14 regredi voluerunt quid si tam vicini essent For if when they were farther of they would haue returned Numb 14. what when they were so neere saith Saint Cyril wherin behold a most singular Testimonie of Gods fatherly care ouer our infirmities in not suffering vs to be farther tryed than in him and through him we shal be able to indure and at the last to ouercome also according to the most gratious promise specified by the Apostle 1. Cor. 10. 12. Let a troubled Spirit euer thinke vpon this and euen féede upon it to the comfort of Soule as one would féede vpon swéete and pleasing meate for the good of bodie Your weakenesse is knowne to God and as you sée here he thinketh before hand what you can beare and what you cannot what will lead you to the Land of promise and what will make you turne backe to Egypt and had he not strength in store for you in his good time to be giuen you thereby to ouercome the troubles you now are in whatsoeuer they are spirituall or worldly in such sort as he knoweth to be best truly hee would haue preuented them and neuer haue suffered you to fall into them more then hee would suffer héere the Israelites to passe by the Countrie of the Philistims for he is not the God of the Israelites alone but your God and my God also no respecter of persons but swéete to all that cleaue vnto him And therefore since these things are thus now with you rest in hope and be chéerefull there is a good houre comming assure your selfe wherein his strength shall appeare and giue you victorie these things turning to your good and not to your harme For euen as an Eagle fluttereth ouer her birds stretcheth out her winges taketh them and beareth them vpon her wings so doth the Lord for his people saith the Song of Moses and let it comfort you for God is true Another vse againe I make of this place thus The Lord héere I sée would not suffer them passe by the Philistims lest they should start backe and so sinne gréeuouslie againg him And what if in like sort hee preuent my sinning and your sinning against him by taking away from vs such things as he in his wisedom knoweth would be occasions of euill vnto vs if we had them whatsoeuer we thinke as Riches friends power health of body peace of minde and such like is not he therein carefull of vs and as gracious vnto vs as héere hee was to these his people in not suffering them to goe that way which though it were néerer night endanger them Certainly he is and therefore pray for eyes to sée it and a hart to féele it with assurance be content with your estate and with his will the end shall shew you all this is true Why but could not God haue stayed them from returning although they had gone the néerer way Cyril answereth Non Deus omnia operatur vt potest sed quandoque humano
the roote of folly and begetteth contempt of all inferiours contempt bréedes sedition and rebellion they warres and warre destruction at last of all both men and titles It is written of Traian that hee was much caried away with vaine-glorie in titles and therefore painted in his house many inscriptions which Constantinus wisely iesting at called Herbam parietariam wall flowers Such a vaine fellow was Herod in the Acts and what a shamefull downfall had hee Let then this law of God for seruants freedome together with all other Scriptures shewing his care of them and their good vsage settle in our hearts the right vse of anthoritie and make vs neither vaine in coueting nor cruell in vsing The boring of his eare was a signe of obedience and figuratiuelie admonished that seruants must not be deafe but quick and readie and willing to heare what is commaunded to them And spiritually that if wee be the Lords seruants he boreth by his holy grace our eare that is he maketh vs haue eares to heare his holy word and wee are not dease we flie not from it we cast it not away wee stop not our eares but with care and zeale and loue we hearken to it as men and women whose eares he hath opened or bored This one thing well marked may shake the hearts and consciences of Popish Recusants so presumptuouslie despising the Lords voice But followe it your selfe I passe away 2. After these lawes concerning seruants follow other lawes concerning Murder and killing which you may referre to the exposition of that commaundement Punishment God still layeth vpon sinne but not euer after one manner Sometimes hee striketh the bodie sometimes the soule and sometimes both Sometimes he toucheth our goods sometime our name and somtimes our friends and deare ones Who can reckon vp his wayes to punish the rebelling man or woman against him His ends also for which he doth thus are sundrie and diuers but all and euer most iust First for his owne iustice who is a consuming fire and must néedes binde either to obey or to be punished Secondly that there may be séene a difference betwixt the good and the bad which could not be if there were not punishment and reward Thirdly for example that others séeing may feare and flie from euill either for loue of vertue or feare of paine Fourthly for the good euen of such as are punished For as Plato could say Paenae ipsis qui perferunt et spectatoribus vtiles sunt Vtrique enim redduntur meliores illi dolore hi exemple Punishment is good for both seer and sufferer amending the one by example and the other by smart Fiftly that these short punishments temporall might put them in minde of the long paines eternall Lastly for the preseruation of the societie and peace of mankinde which by slaughters and bloodshed would be ouerthrowne Euen as we sée good Chirurgions to cut away the putrified member for the safetie of the whole 3. We sée héere degrees of faults taken from the causes For all actions procéeding from the minde or iudgement and the will commaunding the outward members when the minde knoweth what ought to be done and erreth not in the obiect and yet the will goeth contrarie to iudgment the law of God not forced nor compelled but willingly freely such actions are called voluntarie So slewe Caine his brother Abell so tooke Dauid Vrias his wife But when things are done not of election either for probable ignorance as whē the minde erreth or taketh no counsaile or when the wil by violence is hindered or the outward mēbers by a violence forced then are those faults saide to be voluntarie The Lawyers distinguish faults by diuers names which I stand not vpon here remembring for whose vse I draw these notes But in short thus much we learne here that God measureth faults by wil not by Act. Wherevppon it is here saide that willfull murther shal be death and killing without purpose will shall not but an other course is taken For if a man hath not laide waite saith the Text but God hath offered him into thy hand meaning when by chaunce he is killed without any minde so to do which chaunce yet God by his hidden prouidence guideth in such a case I will appoint thee a place whither he shall fly meaning certaine Cities of refuge or Sanctuaries vsed thē in these cases as you may sée in Deut. at large Of which Sanctuaries thus ordained of God for the people and those times sprang our sanctuaries vsed within this Realme and others but nowe in most places put down and forbidden The question of them is disputed to and fro by mens wits the likers of them to continue vse these and such other reasons The Anger conceiued displeasure in the Iudge against a man The power of his aduersarie that persecuteth before that iudge The Difficultie and obscuritie of the cause not quickely to be determined In al which cases they think a Sanctuarie would be fit in a common wealth Secondly against crueltie of Maisters that either should threaten danger to a seruant or by violence seeke to force him to soule matters such a refuge would yeeld cōfort till his cause were known he preuided for Thirdly in the time of warre distres these places gaue safety to many from the bloodie sword murdering hand of inraged enemies for furie a while not weighing right Fourthly in casuall killings without pretended malice great was the vse equity say they of these Sanctuaries Contrariwise they that stand for the taking of them away alleadge many euils and discommodities that grew from them in successe of time through mans corruption albeit at the beginning there was a goodend As incouragement of seruaunts to bee disobedient and very vndutifull Great defrauding of Creditors by vngodly and unconscionable debtors Increasing of thieues and such like euilles many and many Whereupon grew that good Saying of Saint Chrysostome Nullos tam saepe ad ecclesiae asylum fugere quam qui nec Deum nec ecclesiam curabant None more vsually often fled to the Sanctuarie of the Church than they that cared neither for God nor the Church If a man come presumptuously vpon his neighbour to slay him with guile you sée God cōmanded no Sanctuary should saue him but he should be takē from the Altar and dye 4 He that smiteth his Father or Mother shall dye the death This is an other law in this Chap. which maketh for the expositiō of that Cōmandement of honouring them is to be referred to it We may note in it how God dooth not say he that killeth Father or Mother shal be killed for it but he that smiteth so that not so much as a tip is to be giuen to parents vpon paine of death no not wich the tong may wée smite them that is by any euill and vnfit words abuse them as you may
at large reade in the exposition of that Commandement So great is the honour of Parents before God and so sharpe a Iudge is God against all abusers of them Little thought of by too many in our daies the rather because continually in the Church there is not a beating of these points of Catechisme into Childrens heades and hearts by carefull Ministers O that they woulde bée once drawen to doo this dutie in their seuerall Churches Soone soone shoulde they finde the Fruite of it and the greatnesse of their Sinne in so long neglecting it In Plato an heathen we reade the like law wherein is decréed that all beating and contumelies of Parents should bée punished with perpetuall banishment and death By the Romane lawes the slaier of his parents was not to be slaine either with sword or fire or other ordinary punishment sed in sutus culeo c. sowed in a sacke with a Dogge a Cocke a Viper and an Ape he should be throwne into the Sea or Riuer that the ayre whilest he liued and the earth when he was dead might be denied him who so had wronged them that gaue him a life and beeing in the ayre and vpon the earth A good Writer testifieth hee saw one put to death at Tigurine who had cursed and reuiled his Mother 5 He that stealeth a Man and selleth him if hee be found with him shall dye the death To flocke away as wee speake a mans seruant Man or Maide or to buy or sell a freeman and so to bring him into bondage was a grieuous sinne with God and therefore thus seuerely punished Thus sinned the brethren of Ioseph against him when they sold him to bee a bondman and to be vsed as pleased the buyers which might haue béene so as twentie deathes had béene better Great therefore was their sinne in that action This law is to be referred to the 7. Commandement and to the 5. also 6. When men striue together and one smite an other with the stone or with the fist and he dye not but lyeth in bed If he rise againe and walke without vpon his staffe then shall he that smote him go quite meaning for mans law saue onely he shall beare his charges for his losse of time and shall pay for his healing By the stone or fist are meant all other things whereby any wound is giuen although these onely bée named for example For with sword or dagger or any weapon all was one if hée were wounded and recouered so that hée was as fit for his vocation as before then this was the law but if he were maimed then otherwise If a man smite his seruant or his mayde with a rod and he dye vnder his hand he shal surelie bee punished But if he continue a day or two he shall not be punished for hee is his money These lawes of God were fitted for the state of that people when many things were indured which were not allowed If the seruant dyed presentlie it was more grieuous and therefore punished but if hee liued a time after not so yet before God it was murder also though by Mans law he escaped both in regard he was his money in his masters power and also because there might in that daye or two happen some other cause of death than that beating Perfection in these lawes wée must not looke for because God was pleased to beare with much weakenesse But yet know wée euer what his Morall law requireth and follow that which forbiddeth the abusing of seruants aswell as of others because they also beare the Image of God and God careth for them as hath béene shewed 7 If a man striue and hurt a Woman with childe so that her childe depart from her and she yet dye not hee shal be surely punished as the womans husband shall appoint him or he shall pay as the Arbiters determine But if death follow thē shal he paye life for life eye for eie tooth for tooth hand for hand foote for foote Burning for burning wound for wound stripe for stripe c. Still obserue how these lawes tend to the explanation of some of the Ten Commandements and referre this to the fift The light of Reason and Nature giuen vs of God teacheth That what measure we mete it is iust we should receiue euen the like againe That hee that taketh the sword should perish with the sword That he which spoileth should be spoiled That by what a man sinneth by that he should be punished That what a man doth the same he should suffer That euil should hit the worker and the offendor be pressed with his owne example This law of equalitie was in effect thus also in the 12. Tables at Rome the equitie thereof béeing deriued to them either from other Nations or by the light of Nature The verse saith Iusta malis haec admisso pro crimine paena est Si quae fecerunt eadem patiantur ipsi It is verie iust if men suffer the same things of others which they haue done to others If any man obiect that by Christ in the fifth of Matthew this law is repealed or was disliked we answere neither but there our Sauiour condemneth the abuse of this law according to priuate affections and for the nourishing of a lust to reuenge by priuate persons that are not Magistrates and neuer would be intreated to forgiue any Whereas he liketh euer in his children mercy and kindnesse and patience and so to ouercome our enemies as his words shew Recompence not euill for euill but ouercome euill with goodnesse 8 The other lawes that follow in this Chapter of setting seruants free for hurts done them by smiting Of the Oxe that should gore any bodie Of digging a well whereby my neighbours cattle receiue harme falling into it Of harme by one beast done to an other and such like they are so easie that without any Commentarie you may by reading of them be satisfied All of them teach vs with that care we should liue of our Neighbours goods as well as of our owne no way hurting either the one or the other small or great frée or bond but peaceably spending our daies with all men and doing what good wée can any way God wée sée is iust and we should be iust God careth for the safetie and well béeing not onely of all sorts of Men but euen of the very brute beasts and we must learn to doo the like that by our resembling of him we may be knowne to be his Children one day to inherite with his deare Sonne in his eternall kingdome This will not such cursed courses as many men delight in bring them to who in oppressing their neighbours in hurting their seruants in spoyling mens goods and killing their Cattle in fightings and striuings and all euill take their great and dayly pleasure Who hath eares to heare shall heare and to others doe what we can
the word of God shall be a Sauour of death vnto death in Gods iustice And thus much shall suffice of this Chapter CHAP. 22. THe Lorde goeth-on with more lawes all tending to the explanation of the ten commaundements and in this Chapter verie excelleÌ„t lawes are laid downe which how soeuer they are not in vse among vs yet yeeld this good by the reading and marking of them To teach vs priuatelie in our selues an honest good and holy carriage of our selues Princes may alter laws as circumstances of times and place shall require but the equitie that God had in these laws euer remaineth And therfore what he punished we must auoide if we doo well First hee beginneth with lawes against theft which must bée referred to that Commandement and according to seuerall degrees and differences of theft he maketh seuerall and differing paines If a man steale an Oxe or a Sheepe and kill it or sell it he shall restore fiue Oxen for the Oxe and foure Sheepe for the sheepe The greater theft hath the greater punishment Other Nations by the light of God set in them followed much this course and punished theft diuersly Draco punished it with death Solon if it were manifest with foure folde if not so manifest with double The Rom. 12. Tables did the like Latter lawes with vs make theft death if aboue such a value following therein a constitutioÌ„ of Lothaâ—â—us the Emperour whose summe was aboue fiue shillings An other case concerning theft followeth in the second and third verses If a Thiefe be found breaking vp a house and bee smitten that hee dye no bloud shall bee shed for him his meaning is if this bée in the night But if it bee in the day light blood shall bee shed for him for hee shoulde make full restitution if hee had not wherewith then should he be solde for his thest The lawe therefore appointing that punishment hée should not bée killed that brake a house in the day The Romans twelue Tables followed this equitie and in the night these breakers might bee killed anie waie But in the day not except he defended himselfe by a weapon Our owne lawes haue made a difference betwixt day-thieues and night-thieues as indéede there is much cause to distinguishe them the feare in the night beeing farre greater and the helpe to be had farre lesse with many other circumstances But here may bée a Question asked what is lawfull before God these béeing but ciuill constitutions And answere may be made what God permitteth surely is lawfull before him and hurteth not the censcience if it be done as he permitteth But if our owne affection cruelty and rage step in béeing méere priuate men take héede for wée may doo a thing lawfull not lawfully The Law biddeth kill not but if a man smite to driue a thiefe away and death follow without a killing minde the case is altered for there is inculpatatutela as Lawyers tell vs within the compasse whereof I take this case to bée An other law followeth in the 4. verse That if the theft were found with him aliue he restored double if killed or solde you saw in the first verse an other punishment more heauy So must circumstances direct Iudges to seuerall punishments and the wisdome of God make man wise in all his proceedings They that thinke death too much must remember that euen Gods law made the stealth of man death And Dauid said he that had takeÌ„ the poore mans one sheepe should surely dye Draco made it death as you heard before and the Romans decreed that stealing seruants should first be beaten and then throwen down from a Rock slaine But I pray you would these men that thus pleade for the continuance of this law of Moses That Thieues should restore not dye be aswell content that other lawes should stand in force also as namely That adultery should be punished with death gathering but stickes on the Sabbath day with death c No I warrant you And therefore what they thinke is not a Rule but what God alloweth whose will is euer iustice it selfe and who by his Apostle hath taught That so long as lawes haue this end to be a terror to the euill a defeÌ„ce to the good the forme of them may be diuers Neither now a daies is all theft death but the Iudge weigheth circumstances of neede for sustinance only of the first offence of repeÌ„tance of youth of towardlinesse and such like 2. After theft follow lawes for damages or trespasses done to our Neighbours the Text saith If a man hurt a field or a Vineyard put in his beasts to feed in an other mans field he shall recompence of the best of his owne field of the best of his own Vineyard And if fire breake out and catch in the thornes and stackes of corne or the standing corne or the field be consumed he that kindled the fire shall make full restitution Who knoweth not that the societie of man cannot continue without recompence of losses and harmes Therefore mercifully dooth God regard it make lawes for it Euripides maketh Iocasta speake of this equitie when he giueth her these words Melius est equalitatem colere quae amicos amicis vrbes vrbibus socios socijs deuincit c. Better it is to regard equality which bindeth friends to friends Cities to Cities fellowes to fellowes c. Now equalitie is if I haue hurt any man to make amends that no man be pulled in his estate 3. Concerning pledges borrowing lending c. If a man deliuer his neighbour money or stuffe to keepe and it be stollen out or his house if the thiefe be found hee shall paye the double If the Thiefe bee not found then the maister of the house shal be brought to the Iudges to sweare whether he hath put his hand to his neighbours goods or no That is whether himselfe hath stollen it or no c vnto the 16. verse In all Nations faithfulnesse and truth in matters committed to trust hath béene highly regarded and the contrary punished Therefore euen with Heathens beside recompence imposed hée was infamous that offended this way which how great a punishment it was they sée that rightly consider it The Lawyers called it a ciuile death because it leaueth to a man no honest place among men in the commoÌ„-wealth he being disabled to sue for any thing to giue any voice to be any witnesse or to be of any credit any way There is too much iniquitie amongst men in these matters therefore to be wished greatly that these lawes of God were often read and marked Truth in trust is a iewell of price pleasing to God and man and mest honorable euer to the partie aliue dead Let Christians of all other men so thinke that the waies of God be not ill spoken of for their faults such men had better neuer haue
righteousnesse Christ helpeth this hunger being made righteousnesse and wisedome and sanctification and redemption vnto vs. Am I afraid to die and hunger for comfort Christ is my helpe for this hunger and telleth me that blessed are the dead which die in him He that beleeueth in him shall not die eternally But though he be dead yet shall he liue Death is swallowed vp in victorie O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victorie Thankes Thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs Victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ 5 He shall powre Oyle vpon it and put Incence thereon saith the Text Oyle delighteth the taste and Incense the smelling Neither of them careth God for we know But thus it pleased him to shadow-out vnto his people that they should euer serue him according to his owne presciption which is acceptable as a good taste or smell is and not with the vnsauourie inuentions of their owne braine as hatefull vnto him as the other is pleasing Againe the Oyle noted Christ his kindnesse and mercie which he should euer shewe to poore penitent sinners wounded and smitten with woe for their manifold frailties and sinnes He should not be rough vnto them sterne and cruell but soft as Oyle gracious and kinde swéete and comfortable ready to receiue them and pardon them Learne of mee I am meeke and lowly in heart take my yoke vpon you and you shall finde rest vnto your soules For my Yoke is easie and my burden is light Come vnto me all yee that are wearie and laden and I will ease you 6 Incense againe figured out the prayers of Christ for his Church so powerfull with God his Father that not onely he was heard himselfe but thereby he obteyned that whatsoeuer we should aske in his Name and for him we should receiue also The vaine vse of Frankincense in Popish Churches as an imitation of the Law is still to loue darkenesse when God vouch safeth light still to continue abolished Ceremonies and still to be stubborne against God with a will-worship of our owne neglecting his Will And shall bring it vnto Aarons sonnes the Priests and he shall take c. Whatsoeuer was offered to God must be giuen into the hand of the Priest still representing vnto men this Doctrine That onely by Christ there was accesse to God and no way els According to that plainer Reuelation in the Gospel by himselfe No man commeth to the father but by me I am the way And let vs therefore by him offer the Sacrifice of praise to God c. Heb. 13. verse 15. 2 A handfull of the Flowre and of the Oyle with all the Incense and the Priest shall burne it for a memoriall vpon the Altar for it is an offering made by fire for a sweet sauour vnto the Lord. Not all the Flowre but a handfull not all the Cakes but one not all was burned but onely a little part of one the rest went to the Priests and none could eate of it but the Priests It was a Memoriall to them to assure them that God did respect the partie Offering and would be mercifull vnto him And because it so pleased God it should be to him also it was a Memoriall to extend his swéete goodnesse to his penitent seruant 3 This Meat-offering you sée in your Chapter was either baked vers 4. or fryed in the Frying-panne vers 5. or sodden in the Caldron vers 7 And which way so-euer it was thrée Rules were to be obserued specified in the Text. First It must be without Leauen vers 11. In the 7. Chapter vers 13. and in the 22. Chap. verse 20. You may read of a lawfull vse of Leauen but it was neuer lawfull by the Law to offer vnto GOD for a Sacrifice any Leauened bread Leauen being a Figure both of corrupt Doctrine and bad life Beware of the Leauen of the Scribes and Pharisees that is of their corrupt Doctrine Mat. 16. And let vs keepe the feast not with old Leauen neither in the Leauen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse but with the vnleauened bread of sinceritie and truth 1. Cor. 5. 8. Leauen noted bad life Christ thē being shadowed in al these burnt Offerings by this Rule of hauing no Leauen they were taught the puritie of Christ his Doctrine and the holinesse of his life His Doctrine so pure that it maketh others pure Ye are cleane through the Word which I haue spoken vnto you And Verily verily I say vnto you if any man keepe my Word he shall not see death Then you sée it maketh cleane His life also so pure that not onely his false accusers could fasten no fault vpon him but by his innocencie he appeased Gods wrath for our impuritie Againe it taught the Church in that Legall fashion by darke figure that after Christ his example they ought also to be frée from both these to wit false doctrine and ill manes Not teaching if they be Teachers any corrupt matter not beléeuing and holding if they be no Teachers and absurd vntrueths Neither Teachers nor People leading a wicked life but in holinesse and righteousnesse as the Lord shall inable spending all their dayes The second Rule is That there he no hony in his Meat-offering made by fire vnto the Lord. Of Hony we read many things as that the nature of it is to preserue bodyes not suffering them to rot and putrifie That many by the vse of it liue vnto a great age as namely in the I le of Corsica by Plinies Testemonie who calleth them long-liuers onely by the dayly vse of Hony Hony hath a swéete and pleasing taste not sharpe Whereupon Salomon saith Faire words are as a hony combe sweetnes to the soule and health to the bones My Sonne eate Hony for it is good and the hony-combe for it is sweet vnto the mouth What might be the reason then that God did forbid any hony to be vsed in this Offering Answere is made that hony although it be swéet in taste yet it is bitter by effect For it greatly increaseth choler which is as bitter as the hony is swéet Secondly although hony be good to eate yet a man may eate too much of it Prou. 25. 26. Thirdly euen in taste it will not séeme swéete if you eate much but very bitter or sowre Lastly it hath the very nature of Leauen béeing boyled and so hauing gotten a little sharpenesse Nowe forasmuch as none of these things are in Christ who was shadowed by this Sacrifice therefore is hony forbidden to be vsed in it as you read here in your Chapter aswell as Leauen vers 11. First in Christ there is no such swéetnesse as ingendreth bitternesse or any euill to the true Cater of him by Faith Secondly Christ cannot be receiued or eaten too much but the more we féede on him the better Thirdly Christ is not swéet at the beginning and bitter at the
therefore let the prayer of Dauid bée in our mouth and vttered from our heart O knit mee fast vnto thee that I may feare thy Name Let vs ioyne inward truth to out-ward shew For the Lord loueth trueth in the in-ward parts Absolon Ananias and Saphira Iudas c had their vncleannesie and how ended they 9 The forbidding to eate the fat was a Ceremonie that euen at home in their houses contynued them after a sort in the exercise of Religion For still they remembered the Law and obeyed the same It also as I haue noted before preached vnto them figuratiuely that for God if he so appoint all the swéet pleasures of this world riches honours friends and whatsoeuer else being as the fat pleasing and delightfull are forsaken forborne refused and left A Lesson neuer ynough learned though often repeated so cleane our hearts to this earth and this fatnesse thereof But pray often and pray heartily with Saint Augustine That the Lord would vouchsafe to giue vs what hee requireth and then require what he pleaseth Hée is strong though wée be weake can make vs as contentedly leaue them as euer we receiued and inioyed them 10 The forbidding of them to eate the blood also as before hath béene noted signified vnto them that the Lord abhorreth crueltie in euery Childe of his and will haue them mercifull pitifull gentle c. In the 30. vers The bringing of the Sacrifice with his owne hands and not sending it by others taught humilitie and dutie to God taught that euery one must liue by his owne Faith and not by anothers and may serue vs now to sée how foolish an Error it is in Poperie to giue another his beades to say them ouer for him that day c. The heauing of it vp was a Figure of the lifting vp of Christ vpon the Crosse So was also the lifting vp of the Brasen-Serpent Some haue made it a Figure also of his Exaltation after Death Hell conquered of which the Apostle speaketh when hée saith Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a Name aboue all names that at the Name of IESUS euery knee should bowe c. That is hath highly exalted him and giuen him Authoritie and Power and Rule whereunto All shall bée subiect men women and creatures whatso-euer Little thinking of any earthly scraping with the foote at the Word of Iesus when neither word déed nor thought yéeld him reuerence due to him Popish eleuation of their consecrated Cake was neuer thought-of in this heauing and therefore vainely doe they vse this proofe The shaking of it too and fro foure wayes East West North and South shadowed the spreading of that lifting-vp of Christ that is of Christs death and Passion throughout all the world by the preaching of the Gospell 11 Lastly the brest and the shoulder were the Priests and so they were admonished to bée as Brests and shoulders to the people Brests for counsaile and direction in all their affaires Shoulders to beare-vp the burthen of care and labour of them to vnder goe Crosses and troubles in gouernment for them and for them to rest as it were and leaâ—e vpon in all their woâ—s of heart and agonies of minde whatsoeuer A profitable Meditation for all faithfull Ministers euer thus to bée as the Lord shall inable them to their seuerall Flockes in this world And as worthy a Meditation againe for the people to increase loue and singular loue in their hearts towards their Pastors for their worke sake euen for this vse of them in all their distresses and occasions whatsoeuer A godly Pastor is a brest of swéete comfort in aduersitie and a faithfull Shoulder to leane vppon euer and to support both vs and ours when without him we shall fall fearefully and paraduenture eternally Happie are the people that haue them and God worke in their hearts to make much of them In the 37. verse sée a short Rehearsall of all the sorts These are some of the chiefest things in this Chapter CHAP. VIII IF you turne to the 28. Chapter of Exodus you shall finde the most of this Chapter there explaned and therefore a bréefer touch may serue héere It contayneth the Sacrifices and Ceremonies vsed at the Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes into the Priests Office and fitly followeth vpon the other Chapters because after Sacrifices appointed the next care is for Priests to offer and vse them according to appointment For vse and benefite to our selues First let vs note that this Office of holy Priest-hood was not of man nor from man but the Lord Almightie first instituted and ordained it by his owne expresse commandement then being ordained he confirmed the honour and reputation of it by that great Miracle of the budding of Aarons rodde and he very seuerly and fearefully punished the contempt of it in Corah and his companie whom the earth opening swallowed vp with their Wiues and children and families all their goods Upon Ieroboam also and Vzziah for inâ—hroching vpon it And the Law was sharpe and generall If any stranger whatsoeuer not called to this Office by GOD approach the Altar hee was to dye The Reasons why the Lord thus precisely appointed these Priests and would not leaue it to euery man to performe this Office were these and such like First it was to be knowen that not euery man No not any man but the Man Christ Iesus could appease Gods wrath satisfie his iustice and take away the sinnes of the world reconciling vs to GOD and putting vs in assurance of eternall life This could not be figured out better than by secluding all the whole Hoste of Israel from this Office and choosing but Aaron and his sonnes as Types of Christ this onely able Priest to doe as I haue said and therefore they onely were chosen and so by such ordinance the Maiestie authoritie and if wée may so speake the propriety of Christs Office resembled and shadowed Secondly God was euer the God of order decencie and comelines and therefore in his Church would haue all things done accordingly not induring any to be an inuader of an other mans right an intruder of himselfe into another mans Office and a busie-body out of Rule out of order Certaine men therefore are appointed and they onely shall doe it Others if they meddle being strangers because not called shall dye the death as you heare before Thus hath he also in the New Testament established a Ministerie and giuen some Apostles some Euangelists some Pastors and Doctors for the building-vp of his Church c. Hée also decréed that the contempt of these is the contempt of him and then iudge you first or last what punishment will insue In neither Olde nor New-Testament can we finde the Popish Priest-hood ordained to Sacrifice for the sinnes of quicke and dead For this is to denie the perfection of
as the Dogge that returneth to his vomit Or the Swine that walloweth in the myre that is wickedly filthily and beastly This taught Irenaeus many yeares agoe and both for his antiquitie and worthinesse let vs marke his words They that haue the Pledge of the Spirit saith hée and serue the concupiscence of the flesh but subiect themselues to the Spirit and reasonably behaue themselues in all things rightly of the Apostle are called spirituall because the Spirit of GOD dwelleth in them And they that cast away the Counsaile of the Spirit and serue the pleasures of the flesh liuing vnreasonably and vnbridledly following their sinfull desires hauing no working of the Spirit but liuing as dogges or swine rightly hee calleth carnall because they sauour of nothing but the flesh And the Prophets for the selfe same cause compared them to bruite and vnreasonable beasts as to fed-Horses neighing after their Neighbours wiues c. Dauid also in the Psalme Man being in honour hath no vnderstanding but is compared to the beasts that perish c. Now all these things are done Figuratiuely to note cleane and vncleane persons as before For they that haue a true Faith and a good life by meditating in the Word are such as diuide the hoofe and chew the cudde and they are cleane Such doe neither or but the one are vncleane as hee that beleeueth in GOD but liueth not well or hee that liueth in an outward honestie but beleeueth nor rightly hee also that doth neither liue well nor beleeue well all these are vncleane The Iewes saith this Father may be sayd in some sort to chewe the cudde because they read the Scriptures but they diuide not the hoofe because they beleeue not in the Sonne of GOD Christ Iesus as well as in the Father To this effect Irenaeus Others haue by cleane beasts parting the hoofe noted the true Teachers of the Word which diuide the same aright the Lawe and the Gospell Praecepts and promises c. They againe say others may be well called cleane diuiding the hoofe who doe not beléeue in great or in grosse but discerne and distinguish things as Christ and Moses Nature and Grace Truth and falshood c. Not beleeuing euery spirit but trying the Spirits whether they be of God or no. Things may not bée taken euer litterally And againe we may not be too bold with Mysteries and Allegories leauing the letter but a true wisedome is to be prayed for and vsed in both Hee that is spirituall saith the Apostle discerneth all things That for diuiding and be wise vnto Sobrietie that for beeing too busie in deuising Mysteries For chewing the Cudde They may bée said to doe it and so to be cleane who meditate of that they heare and learne out of Gods Booke and often repeating it in their mindes ponder it in their heart as is said of the blessed Virgin A thing much commended in the Scripture as in the first Psalme Blessed is that man that meditateth in the Law of God day and night Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my hart be alway acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength my Redemer Isaac went out to meditate c. Commended also by the Fathers Meditatio Dei dulcis est To meditate of God is a sweete thing Saith Saint Augustine Meditatione pericula agnoscimus oratione euadimus And by meditation saith Saint Bernard Wee know perils by prayer we auoyd them 2 Your Chapter nameth many particulars which were but curiositie to stand on A few may be touched for example sake The Cony was vncleane because hee cheweth the cudde and diuideth not the hoofe And by this some haue thought were figured out such men and women as lay vp their treasures in earth because the Conies digge and scrape and make their berryes in the earth whereas the Scripture teacheth vs not to doe thus but to lay vp our treasures in Heauen where no theefe no moth c. These men and women are vncleane and God will haue none of them 3 The Hare was also vncleane for the same cause because hee cheweth the cudde but diuideth not the hoofe The Hare is a very fearefull creature and therefore by him figured out fearefull men and women despayring of grace and shrinking from God fearing crosses and losses and forsaking Faith Such persons are vncleane and excluded out of the Kingdome of GOD. Read Apoc. chap. 21. But the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhominable and murtherers and whore-mongers and forcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and Brimstone which is the second death 4 The Swyne was vncleane beause hee parteth the hoofe but cheweth not the cudde and of their flesh they might not eate nor touch their carkeise c. Tertullian saith Herein was figured such vncleane persons as bee good for nothing but to be slaine For if you consider what a creature the Swyne is Hee neuer looketh vp to Heauen but hath his mouth euer in the earth and myre caring for nothing but his belly Hee serueth not to ride vpon as doth the horse to till the ground as doth the Oxe to giue milke as doth the Cowe to cloath vs with his fléece as doth the Sheepe to watch by night for vs as doth the Dogge and so foorth but he is onely nourished for the knife and his death hath vse his life hath none Such ought not men and women to bée and if any be such they are vncleane God would admonish the Iewes by this Figure and still we may learne by it to be no Swyne no Hogge no filthy myrie creatures wallowing in sinne and vncleanes without regard and féeling louing the earth and looking euer on the earth rooting in it all the day and féeding the belly with all gréedinesse nourished onely to the slaughter and profiting no way whilest we liue A profitable meditation for Gods children that they may so continue and a profitable remembrance to others not yet called that they may become his children A good caueat to rich Cormorants in this world who neuer profite any till they dye with all the wealth they haue A knife therefore for the Hogge that wée may haue Puddings and death for such Wretches that the Common-wealth may haue vse of their bagges 5 From the Land Your Chapter commeth to the Water and so from the beastes to the Fishes therin vers 9. shewing what was cleane and what vncleane what might be eaten and what might not But Fishes in particular are not named as the beastes were the Fowles afterward are because the most part was vnknowen to Iewes hauing little vse or none of Fish and few Waters or none but Iordan for Fresh-fish Sea-fish was sold néerer the East and came not to the Iewes much where they were By the markes therefore God describeth them and saith Whatsoeuer hath finnes and skales in the Waters
this be not Saint Iohn telleth vs Hee Hee not she shee is the propitiation for our sinnes And therefore Come vnto him all that trauell not vnto her c. But thus séeing our manifold vncleanenes and the right remedie of it by modestly and chastly reading ouer this Chapter I wade no further in it This is a taste of the vse of it More will follow in the next Chapter and Chapter 23. CHAP. XVI 1 STill the Lord goeth on to note mans imperfections how he is freed from them séeing herein consisteth all that wée truely know our selues to be as we are and the way of God appointed for our remedie First hée forbiddeth Aaron at al times to enter into the holiest of all whereby may be learned that euen Ministers aswell as other men are not rashly to enter into all the things of God but to stand in reuerence of some mysteries either dealing not at all or very aduisedly and sparingly with them as their nature requireth 2 It is shewed how he should come in when hée did enter Namely with a yong bullocke for a sinne offering and so foorth Learne wée may by it with what ornaments men and women should come before God It is not silke nor veluet that he careth for neither the costly Iewels of pearle and stone that wée thinke so highly of but come with a sinne offering that is come with an humble acknowledgement as this sinne offering figured that thou art a sinner confesse it to God with a gréeuing heart and bring Iesus Christ in thy soule with thée offering him by thy true faith to God his Father as a sure safetie for all sinners against deserued wrath and punishment 3 Hee must also put on the holy linnen coate c. Another shadow of Christ his righteousnes wherewith wée must be clothed and couered if wée euer finde acceptance with God For to that end Aaron did change his garment to shewe that hée sustayned an other person who was holy he himselfe beeing but a man subiect to imperfection and sinne To which end tended also his washing and sacrifice héere mentioned 4 This likewise serued to beat into the people their corruption when they sawe Aaron thus changed that was the Priest chosen of God and anoynted with the holy Oyle For if hee might not enter but in such sort how much lesse might they appeare at any time before God but in Christ and by Christ shadowed in all these sacrifices And concerning this once entring into the Holy place you haue had the figure of it before and the Place to the Hebre. noted Chap. 9. verse 8. Aaron entred but once a yéere and Christ but once the Tabernacles diuers Aaron by blood Christ by blood but the blood diuers Aaron made an Atonement Christ made an Atonement but in a differing manner Aaron outwardly or ciuily as touching the sight of man Christ of the conscience truely and rightly and touching God Hebr. 9. verse 9. 13. Aaron often Heb. 10. 11. Christ but once verse 12. 14. Aaron confessed sinnes and layd them vpon the Goate but his owne sinnes aswell as the peoples Christ had no sinnes of his owne and ours hee bare himselfe and layd them vpon himselfe not vpon any creature whatsoeuer 5 The two hee Goates béeing presented lots were to be cast ouer them one Lot for the Lord and another for the Scape Goate Thus was it shadowed that in a sinner there is nothing to make him worthy of God his choise And therefore as GOD would not chuse either the one Goate or other but by lot the one was appoynted and not by choyse so wee are accepted whensoeuer we finde fauour without all merit or matter worth or dignitie in our selues to mooue the Lord to such goodnesse 6 The Goate vpon which the Lords lot fell was offered for sinne-offering And Incense cast vpon the fire to make a cloude to couer the Mercy-seate that Aaron dyed not the one shadowing the death of the Sonne of God the other with what feare reuerence we ought euer to come before God For if to Aaron the Maiestie of him were so dangerous how much more to others not to bée compared to Aaron Would God we thought of this euer when we come to Church to doe our duties to him Then would there not in that place bée so much light behauiour and sléepie vsage of our selues as is by which things the holy place is defiled verse 16. Homines ita contaminant Dei sacra ne quid tamen discedat eorum naturae nec dignitas violetur Quare diserte exprimit Moses purgari Sanctuarium ab inquinamentis non suis sed Filiorum Israel Men doe so pollute the holy things of God that nothing departeth from their nature neither is their glorie violated Therefore playnly doth Moses lay downe that the Sanctuarie is to bee purged from pollutions not of their owne but of the Children of Israel 7 But as touching the other Goate called the Scape Goate it was brought aliue And Aaron saith God shall put both his hands vpon his head of it and confesse ouer him all the iniquities of the Châ—ildren of Israel all their trespasses in all their sinnes putting them vpon the head of the Goate and shall send him away by the hand of a man appointed into the wildernesse So the Goate shall beare vpon him all their iniquities into the land that is not inhabited c. From this Law of God no doubt did spring that Custome among the Heathens who offering Sacrifices as Herodotus witnesseth of the Aegyptians vsed to banne and curse the head of the beast offered in Sacrifice with these words That if any Euill bee to come either vpon the Sacrificers themselues or vpon the whole Countrey of Aegypt it would please the Gods to turne all vpon that Head The Massilians also yearely vsed to make an Atonement or expiation for their Citie with some holy man whom decked and set out with holy garments and with Garlands after the maner of a Sacrifice they led through the Citie and putting all the euils vppon his head that might any way hang ouer their Citie they cast him into the Sea sacrificing of him so vnto Neptune speaking these words with great solemnitie Be thou an expiation for vs. Thus the Heathen catched at things but not in a right maner whereby wée may well sée what a darkenesse it is to bee depriued of the light of the Word of God In like maner receiuing it from the Doctrine of the olde Fathers by the tradition of Noah his sonnes that there should in time come a Man who taking vpon him the sinnes of all men should become a Sacrifice for the saluation of all men and not vnderstanding the maner how this should bée they vsed in great extremities perils as Plagues Famine Warres c to offer vp men to their Gods to appease their wrath thereby So in Liuie wée
saith S. Augustine that no place priuiledgeth thée to breake Gods Lawe but as being a sinner wheresoeuer thou goest thou carriest the yoke of sinne so being the sernant of God in all places obey his will c. 4 When they are called holy Conuocations thinke in your conscience whether gadding and riotting and wanton dauncing with such like be holy exercises and méete for a holy conuocation 5 For the Feast of the Sabbath in the Commandement it is handled and thither I referre you It had vse to preserue the Doctrine of Creation against all idle Philosophers dreames of an Eternitie To confirme Faith in the Article Maker of Heauen and earth and to refute all hereticall assertions touching the same To be a refreshing to the bodyes both of man and beast which without rest cannot indure To giue time for men to serue God who all the wéeke-long and euer doth serue them Finally to prefigure and in some sort to lay before vs our assured eternall rest in Heauen when the sixe dayes of this life shall end and that ioyfull seuenth day shall come 6 The Feast of the Passeouer or Easter you know was kéept in remembrance of their diliuerance out of Aegypt And it was a Figure to foretell them their deliuerance from sinne by the death of the true Lambe c. Sée Exod. Chap. 12. and 13. 7 The Offering of a sheafe with the Ceremonies mentioned taught them to acknowledge that the blessing of New corne euery yeare commeth neither from the fertilitie of the ground nor the labour and industry of man but from the Lord. Secondly this Feast hauing his time assigned they could not enter vpon their haruest before it was full readie which by this time it would bée vnlesse they would either reape before they offered this first sheafe or offer it before the day appoynted And so you sée it had an vse to restraine ill husbands and to make them more carefull that old corne might be gouerned to bring in new A gracious God that will so care for sinfull man Thirdly it serued to direct them to the time of Pentecost for from this day they reckoned seauen Sabbaths c. as you read verse 15. Lastly béeing but one sheafe it might strike their hearts with a fit féeling of his goodnesse that giueth so much and taketh so little that giueth without measure and taketh by measure yea by a very small measure So let it still profit vs to this day for euen now also wereceyne much and giue little would wée giue that thankefully and cherefully what a comsort would God take in it Though he néed none of our goods only séeking to exercise our obedience and loue 8 And they might not eat till they had brought an offering vnto God ver 14. Then God was first but now is last with vs yet as good to vs as euer to them and we as déepely bound to him for infinite mercies Will not our sinfull hearts in making God last and giuing him the worst one day condemne vs 9 Till they haue brought are the wordes ver 14. and note them they then brought to shew their willingnes we will bring none but thinke we deale wel if our minister may haue it for fetching c. 10 The feast of Pentecost sometimes called the feast of Weekes was a remembrance of the Law giuen and so of their receyued libertie by Gods out-stretched arme hauing now a law and gouernment of their owne when before they were subiects and seruants to the Egyptians and their lawes So still you sée these holy daies were to remember mercies to giue thankes Againe this feast figuratiuely fore-tolde them there should come a Pentecost when the first fruits of the spirit should be giuen to men fulfilled when Christ sent the holy Ghost vpon his Disciples assembled at Ierusalem at the feast of Pentecost 11 The feast of Trumpets here also appointed had many vses as first in the opinion of some Hebrue Doctors for a remembrance of the deliuerance of yong Isaac from being sa 〈…〉 ed God giuing a Ramme fast in the bushes for him Secondly in the opinion of others for a remembrance of the creation of the world which in some probabilitie was about this time Thirdly for a remembrance saith one of the pardoning of that grieuous Idolatrie committed by erecting and worshipping the golden calfe which is thought was about this time Fourthly for a remembrance that this Moneth was once the first Moneth Fiftly that they might learne holy assemblies to bee appointed by the voyce of God And if they then when they heard these Trumpets blow might thinke God called for them to the meeting why should not we now hauing our Bels for their Trumpets thinke God calleth for vs to the Church and assemblie of the faithfull when we heare them ring in our eares Surely I know a feeling heart doth and thereupon cannot bee quiet without going Sixtly that they might learne their duties to be through their whole life to follow God when and whither so euer he should cal Lastly as our marginall note saith to put them in remembrance of the many feasts in this Moneth being the fittest time in déed after all fruits and blessings gotten in to meete and praise God for them praying also for grace soberly and orderly to vse them to his glory and their owne comfort with all theirs whom God would haue also cared for children feruants poore c. I forget to tell you that one saith this feast also was a figure shewing how Christ by the preaching of the Gospel as by a loud Trumpet should be spred oner the world and our saluation by him In regard whereof Iohn was called the voice of a crier and the Prophet biddeth other criers lift vp their voyces like Trumpets c. 12 In the 27 verse the feast of Reconciliation is mentioned of which more fully before in the xvi Chapter 13 Of the feast of Tabernacles ver 34. the vse was to remember them of their estate when they had no houses but liued in Tents or Tabernacles or Boothes made with laughes no fields nor lands but liued in the wildernes and so to stirre vp a thankfulnes for their happie change Secondly to remēber them of the Lords great workes in driuing out the Cananites and giuing that fruitfull land vnto them Then they were a pray to all men but now a terror to all men wheresoeuer the same of them came Thirdly it serued to preach vnto them the doctrine afterward deliuered by the Apostle to wit that here we haue no abiding citie but should reckon of our houses as but of Tabernacles for the time our true hope being for houses and dwellings and euerlasting Tabernacles not made with hands in heauen c. And may not wee consider on our feast dayes all these things although we haue not now the same ceremonies May not we remember our state past vnder superstition crueltie
Samuel her sonne But in case a person thus vowed had a desire to be frée againe the Lord permitted that there might be a redemption made according to sexe and age with money And if the partie were so poore that such a rate could not be performed then was the Priest to nominate and appoint the quantitie or summe that should bée payd The proportions named in your Chapter héere are these Verse 3. A Male from 20. yeares to 60. was valued at 50. sicles that is 50. pounds Verse 4. A Female at 30. sicles that is 30. pounds after 5. shillings the ounce sterling Verse 5. From 5. yeares to 20. the Male at 20. sicles the Female at 10. Verse 6. From a Moneth to 5. yeares olde a Male at 5. sicles a Female at 3. Verse 7. From 60. yeares vpward a Male at 15. sicles a Female at 10. Verse 8. If any could not pay this then the Priest rated as I sayd Et hac redemptio fit vt quae morte propria non expletur saltem praetio vouentis deuotio compleatur And this redemption is made saith one that the deuotion which was not made by death at least might be made by the commutation which the Vower should giue 2 The second sort of things that might bée vowed were beastes Verse 9. where you sée if it were a Beast that lawfully might bée offered in sacrifice then was there no redemption allowed of it But if it were any vncleane beast of which men doe not offer a Sacrifice vnto the Lord then it might be redeemed and in case the partie would not redeeme it the Priest might sell it If there were a redemption made then was a fifth part more aboue the valuation to be giuen because it was a kinde of fault at least in shew to take that backe againe which was once giuen to God and to retayne to a priuate vse what was giuen to a religious and holy vse 3 The third sort were Houses Verse 14. when a man shall dedicate his House to bee holy vnto the Lord then the Priest shall value it whether it bee good or bad and as the Priest shall prise it so shall the value be Here also lay a redemption as you may sée in the next verse The fourth sort were fieldes whereof some were by inheritance some by purchase If the Field were inheritance then was there one maner of redemption Verse 16. c. if by purchase then an other verse 22. c. 4 Verse 26. Notwithstanding the first borne of the beasts because it is the Lords first borne none shal dedicate such bee it Bullocke or sheepe for it is the Lords c. You know the first borne were the Lords by an other Law and no redemption might be made of such but they must be left to the seruice of God as they were appoynted either to bée offered in Sacrifice or to be to the vse of the Priests c. 5 There were of Vowes againe two kindes one simple whereof you haue séene these perticulars an other which had an execration or curse ioyned to it if the thing vowed should be changed from the vse and end allotted whereof now your Chapter speaketh in the next place Verse 28 and 29. Notwithstanding nothing seperate from the common vse that a man doth seperate vnto the Lord of all that he hath whether it be man or beast or land of his inheritance may be sold nor redeemed for euery thing separate from the common vse is most holy vnto the Lord. Nothing separate from the common vse which shall be seperate from man shall be redeemed but dye the death Where you must vnderstand by seperate such a seperation or vow as is made with a curse if it be altered In which there was no redemption allowed or sale or alienation any way In this sort if men were vowed they must dye and not be spared But then not innocent men must be vowed but Malefactors that by euill doing deserued death Such were the men of Iericho Iosua 6. and Achan Iosua 7. the Amelakites 1. Sam. 15. and such others which made the sinne of Saul and the people very great when they spared Agag the King and the better sheepe and Oxen and the fatte beastes and the Lambes and all that was good would not destroy them And héere hence sprang that kinde of giuing things to the Church for the seruice of God that you sée in many old Charters in England with a grieuous curse vpon all those that should alter change those things from that vse wherein they shewed their earnest desire to haue things continue as they were giuen 6 Now if you aske why God ordayned these kinde of Vowes the answere is that he did it in two respects First that his people might not follow the fashion of the idolatrous heathens round about them who had their fashion of vowes wicked and sinfull but might be directed in a good sort séeing they would follow some sort Secondly that here-hence might spring some maynteinance for the Minister whereof in all things and by all meanes hee shewed his gracious care 7 They of the Romish Religion as from these Rites and customes of the olde Testament they haue borrowed many things so haue they vowing and many strange Vo 〈…〉 es haue they in vse and high regard They haue also redemptions of their Vowes namely Pardons and dispensations matters of no small profit to them But the Leuiticall Priest-hood béeing ended and all these Ceremonies Rites Customes and Lawes that were not Morall by the comming of the Lord Iesus the truth of all Figures and shadowes and man hauing no power of his owne head to erect and deuise any worship of GOD without his warrant in his Word easily may wée sée and all men with vs what ground their Vowes haue and how pleasing they are to GOD. Their owne Friendes and Fauorites doe say and write In malis promissis rescinde fidem in turpi voto muta decretum fouleVowe change thy determinaâ—ion Quod iâ—cauté vouisti ne facias hastVowed accomplish not Et non erit hoc praeuaricatio sed temeritatis emendatio And this shall not bee any vnfit varying but a most fit reformation of rashnesse Melius est non vouere quam vouere id quod sibi is cui promittitur exolui nolit toVowe then to Vowe that which hee to whom the promise is made will not haue payde to him Virginitas carnis non seruatur mente corrupta intactis corporibus fugit castitas de moribus Virginitie of the flesh is not kept when the minde is corrupt Though the bodie bee neuer touched yet chastitie often flyeth from a man and womans manners With many such like sayings worthy noting 8 Yet let vs knowe that there are two sorts of Vowes Ciuill Vowes and Religious Vowes Ciuil Vowes are such as Men make to Men in honest lawfull and possible things binding themselues thereby to a
therefore that all Sacrifices had either all or part burned with fire c. We know not saith the Apostle what to pray as we ought but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities c. The Spirite beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the children of God If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his The Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake The Spirit shal quicken your mortall bodies and so foorth This fire therefore the Lord euer vouchsafe vnto vs and we shall doe well Lastly when it is sayd the wood must be layd in order the peeces in order and all in order well might they then and we now obserue and learne how highly God is pleased with order and how much he abhorreth confusion Wherefore the Apostle giueth it for a Rule Let all things be done decently and in order And the more we frame our selues vnto good order the more assurance we euer haue the Spirit gouerneth vs. But the Inwards the Legges thereof shall ye wash in water sayth your Chapter The eleuenth Circumstaunce in this kinde of Sacrifice notably shadowing how Christ our Sauiour brought nothing impure or vncleane vnto his Passion as all other men doe when they suffer For although they suffer willingly ioyfully yet doe what they can they shall euer finde a law in their members rebelling against the law of their minde and leading them captiue vnto the law of sinne which is in their members No man therefore can offer a perfect offering to his God for his sinnes Onely Christ hath whose Inwards and Legges were washed that is who wholly was pure and immaculate within and without euery way This This is my wel-beloued Sonne in whom I and in whom onely I am well pleased Lastly this burnt Offering in this sort vsed and offered was a sweet sauour vnto the Lord sayth the Text. Not that God is delighted as man with any outward sauour but because first being done according to his prescript he accepted it and liked it and secondly he saw in it his slaine Sonne and smelled as it were his obedience which though it was fulfilled in time yet was with God from the beginning as hee was also slaine from the beginning Thus haue you viewed the Ceremonies of the first kinde of Burnt Sacrifices taken from the Herd Consider of them againe and often the Lord being intreated shal make them profitable to you The second kinde of Burnt-offerings ANd if his Sacrifice for the Burnt-offering be of the Flockes as of the Sheepe or of the Goates he shall offer a Male without a blemish c. The first kinde was of the Herde as you haue séene now the second is of the Flockes where againe you may note the Ceremonies before in the other kinde obserued and let that Exposition serue here without any repetition againe of the same things One thing here is which was not before touched namely how they shall kill it on the North-side of the Altar not on any side indifferently but on the North-side onely which was done assuredly to draw this his people from the idolatrie of the Gentiles who worshipped the Sunne in many places and therefore euer in their seruices turned them towards the place where the Sunne was as in the morning to the East at mid-day to the South at night to the West And matters of great moment they would referre to the iudgement of the Sunne The Persians in choise of a King agréed that all should méete at a place on Horsebacke betimes and whose Horse first neighed before the rising of the Sunne he should be King For they tooke the Sun for a God and Horses with them were consecrated to the Sunne as things pleasing to him In Tyrus when seruants and slaues had cruelly slaine by treachery and villanie their Masters and all Freemen they forsooth would make a King of themselues and how Euen thus they would all assemble before the Sunne and he that could first sée the Sunne arise he should be King as chosen out by that their God the Sunne These toyes lest the Israelites should learne of their neighbours the Heathens God not onely by words expresse prohibitions but also by such signes as this would teach and instruct them On the North-side therefore must this Burnt-offering be killed 2 This Ceremonie might admonish them that the full Sunne Christ Iesus was not yet risen vnto them but in time he should come and shine in his strength For these Sacrifices and Legall Rites were but as litle candels that gaue some small light and a farre more excellent Light should they expect that beléeued in due time And now I pray you hath it not appeared and with his glory put out all these dimme Lights of the Law We know it and find it with thankefulnesse euer may we thinke of it For he that reserued vs for these times and these times for vs could haue made vs be borne and to haue our being in the darkest times But now this Ceremonie of turning to the North is gone and we may turne any way and please God The time is come when the true worshippers shall worship in Spirit and trueth euery where and euery way lifting vp pure hands vnto God Thus much would our old Fathers signifie by the placing of the vpper ende of our Churches East-ward not North-ward which they would not haue done if they had thought this Ceremonie had bound men still Let vs then vse things indifferent indifferently and not vnto any superstition or sinne The third kinde of Burnt-offering 1 ANd if his Sacrifice be a Burnt-offering to the Lord of Fowles then he shall offer his Sacrifice of the Turtle-Doues or of the yong Pigeons Behold the third sort of burnt Offerings taken neither of the Herde nor of the Flocks but of the Fowles wherein first the Lorde by varietie did méete with the variable and mutable nature of man and so kept that people from lusting after the fashions of the wicked Secondly he mercifully regarded and prouided for the poore that should not be able to offer the former sorts and so might haue béene discomforted with it This appeareth Chap. 5. vers 7. 11. 14. 21. 22. 2 But of Fowles you sée héere not all sorts might be offered as Géese Cockes and vncleane Fowles whereof you read els-where but Turtles and Pigeons Which Fowles long before this time God appointed Abraham to offer Gen. 15 Happily because these most aptly figured Christ In whom was all holy simplicitie pacience innocencie c. 3 Concerning the Rytes your Chapter specifieth them in this sort The Priest shall wring the necke of it a sunder or pinch it with his nayle so as not the head should be quite plucked of but wounded that the blood might goe out and the creature die Thus was the Passion of Christ shadowed out whose blood was shed and he dyed yet his head not plucked
from his body And his head not plucked from his body to signifie he should not be taken from his Church which is his body by any death but raise himselfe vp againe and bée with his to the end of the world Thus then the Elect of God comfort themselues both in aflictions of the world and in death it selfe that forasmuch as their Head thus liueth and neuer was nor can â—e plucked of from them therefore as he hath ouercome so shall they by him ouercome both the malice of the world and the power of Satan and enter into ioy with him for euermore 4 The Maw and feathers were not offered but cast-away as vncleane so still noting that which I haue often noted the puritie of the Lord Iesus our true Sacrifice 5 The Priest did cleaue it with his wings but not deuide it in sunder againe to shadow that though Christ dyed yet hée was not quite extinguished but should rise againe and liue To which end also it was that not a bone of him was broken as were theirs that dyed with him That being also figured in the Paschall Lambe Lastly it is repeated here for a sweete fauour vnto the Lord and not in vaine but to the great comfort of all such poore offerers For thus are they assured that albeit they were not of abilitie to offer vnto him Oxen and Shéepe or sacrifices of great cost yet were they as déere to him as those that could so doe and their Sacrifice of Turtles or two Pigeons yéelded as swéete a sauour O swéete still for this God is not changed but the same for euer and therefore still euen two mites of a poore widow graciously accepted still a little spice a little Goats-haire or what my power is to bring vnto him is accepted So that I haue no cause to grieue at my pouertie if my heart be sound and therefore looke vnto that and be chéerefull in this Thus haue you viewed this Chapter And now a little with your selfe thinke of the maner of Reuelation then and now What a darke and dimme light I say again was that to this vouchsafed vnto vs now Surely so darke as the Apostle feareth not to call that Night and ours Day saying The night is gone the day is come God for his Christ his sake make vs thankefull But now that these kindes of burnt Offerings and Sacrifices are gone is there no sort left vnto vs Christians yes indéede First it is a Sacrifice to God most exceptable To preach the Gospell and it is euen as that song which Dauid speaketh of pleasing the Lord better than a yong Bullocke that hath hornes hoofes Thus S. Paul offered vp the Gentiles to God for a sacrifice winning theÌ„ by his Ministrie vnto the truth Rom. 15. verse 16. A Sacrifice so farre passing all others as man passeth all brute beasts And the faithfull Preachers of the Gospell dayly doe the like Secondly it is a Chiefe kinde of burnt Offering for Christians To beléeue in Iesus Christ by the Gospell because he that beléeueth offereth Christ dayly to God for his sinnes than the which nothing can be more pleasing to Christ and his Father Thinke of it early and thinke of it late when you are vpon your knées desiring mercie and pardon fauour and comfort both presently and to death yet laden and ouer-laden with a great burthen of gréeuous sinnes blemishes and imperfections hatefull to God and hatefull to your selfe through Grace giuen What hope haue you to spéed and preuaile but by his Sacrifice you will take Christ your déere Sauiour in the armes of your Faith and say holy Father looke vpon him not vpon me without him For then I dye in iustice but vpon me in him and then shall I liue in mercie Thus you offer Christ dayly and it is the Chiefest Sacrifice still of all beléeuers Thirdly it is another kinde of burnt Sacrifice left vs To offer-vp our selues wholly to God our selues I say our soules and bodyes a liuing holy and acceptable Sacrifice enery member to doe his Will and not ours Of which S. Paul speaketh to the Ro. Chap. 12. 1. Fourthly euery good worke commaunded of God and done of vs in Faith is a pleasing Sacrifice in this sort to God As Almes Coloss 4. To doe iustly to loue mercie and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God Mich. 6. vers 8. To offer spirituall Sacrifices sée S. Peter Lastly all our aflictions paciently indured according to the Psalme The Sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit c. Doe therefore what God willeth or suffer what he appointeth as you are taught and you offer Sacrifice dayly to God Thus let this Chapter profit you CHAP. II. FRom bloody Sacrifices now to Unbloody and because the Burnt-offering described in the former Chapter could not bée without the Meat-offering as you may sée Num. 15. 4. therefore before he procéede to other kindes of Offerings Moses describeth in this Chapter the Meat-offering laying downe thrée sorts of it The first Of raw Flesh vers 1. to the 4. The second of Flowre not raw but baked fryed sodden vers 4. to the 14. The third sort of Corne not ground to Flowre verse 14 to the end For the institution of these Meat-offerings it was not because God hath néede of any meate or smelling sauours in the Psalme he telling vs that if he be hungry he needes not shew vs c. Neither yet that the déede done might merit and turne away Gods anger For he that offereth an oblation is as if he offered Swines blood and he that remembreth incense as if he blessed an Idoll saith God by his Prophet but by these the Lord would teach to his Church and children good things concerning Christ their Sauiour and his comming good Lessons also for life and maners as by particulars will appeare First This Meat-offering of Flowre and Corne might greatly comfort them touching their labours and assure them that yearly God would blesse their Corne and their fields because it pleased him to be a partner with them in those fruites 2 The Meat-offering of flesh might draw their hearts to God in all times of their dyet teaching them that God giueth and God sanctifieth God prospereth and is the staffe both of bread and meat They are not vpon our tables by chance but by his kinde prouidence and great goodnesse and therefore to forget him were to become most vnworthy of those blessings 3 The Flowre must bee fine Flowre to signifie still vnto them the cleannesse and puritie of CHRIST in whom there was no sinne neither any guile found in his mouth Of whom is all puritie in any of his members our foulnesse being washed by his blood It taught also that our best things should be giuen to God and not our worst as our manner is 4 The Meat-offering taught that Christ is the remedie against all hunger As am I gréeued with sin and hunger for