béene borne than without care so to sinne Now go we a little farther than this law expresly goeth and iudge in our owne heart if falshood in pledges committed to me by man be thus odious is not vnfaithfulnesse in Gods pledge much more odieus Remember the place to Timothie Custodi depositum That worthy thing which was coÌ„mitted to thee keep through the holy-ghost which dwelleth in vs. What worthy pledge is this but the pure and holy doctrine of the word which I must neuer mingle with mans traditions The manner of teaching it if I be a Teacher must be plaine profitable and to the most edification not to the greatest ostentation Be faithfull in these things therefore for they are pledges lest with vs by God which he wil aske for againe and require an accompt what we haue done with them c. 4 For wanton and licentious life the Lord prouideth saying If a man entice a maid that is not betrothed lie with her he shall endow her and take her to wife But if her father refuse to giue her to him he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins Where you may obserue the seuerity of God the remisnes of man in punishing matters of this kinde For man made his law disiunctiue he shall marry her or giue her dowry But God maketh a copulatiue he shall marrie her and giue her dowrie yet leauing frée the fathers authoritie whether he would so bestow her or no. If the father would bestow her then both must he marrie her and endowe her because he had thus offended with her So God euer regarded parents consents in the placing of their children Yea Nature it selfe saw this equitie in Hermione the maid in Euripides who answered Orestes the sought her to wife that the mariage of her belonged to her father He that will may read S. Ambrose vpon the storie of Rebecca and sée his iudgement of this thing But why was not the maid punished also aswel as the man partly because yeares and sex weaknes of iudgement might be occasion of fall in her but chiefly because such money imposed vpon her must haue come from the parents who were innocent and had griefe inough by the fall of their child Furthermore this is to be remembred here that if the parents would bestow her neuer might he that had abused her put her away by bill of diuorce as other might The Romans did not inforce marriage because the man might be noble the woman meane or contrariwise the woman noble the man mean Wheras the Israelites were all alike noble descended from one the same house the pedegree knowne but iâ— he were rich he lost halfe of his goods if worth little his bodie was punished and he banished which was sharper 5 Of witches your Chapter saith Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue which God would neuer haue laid downe if either there had béene no wiâ—ches or being yet they can do nothing as some haue to their blame affirmed The shiftes they vse to auoide this place are weake and by the best learned reiected God maketh no law in vaine but for more of this matter I refer you to the Commandement In this place saith One God ioyneth this law next after that of inticing young women because many times these witches are iustruments to work them to mens sinful desires The next law against vnnatural lustes with Beasts I passe ouer the fact being more filthy than to be spoken of Death it was by law and death eternall followeth the temporall God and Nature abhorre it and he tasteth neither of God nor Nature that committeth it The eyes of God sée all things and the Justice of God will finde out all things in time 6 He that offereth to any Gods saue vnto the Lord onely shal be slaine The like law you reade in Deut. If there bee found amongst you in any of thy Cities which the Lord thy God giueth the man or woman that hath wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord thy God in transgressing his couenants and hath gone and serued other Gods and worshiped them as the Sun or the Moone or any of the host of heauen which I haue not commanded and if it be told thee and so forth then stone that person to death c. In the 13. Chapter the like death is imposed vpon those that shall perswade draw to this sin So both worker and willer suffered death And indéede shoulde théeues dye for robbing man and not man dye for robbing God Can mans goods be compared with Gods honour No no. Againe if we smeare fealtie to the Prince his enemie Dye wée not worthely To sweare fealtie to the Diuell by Idolatrie is worse to God than that to man Happy were deceaued creatures if any thing would make them wise bring them backe againe to God only only and marke the word 7. Thou shalt not doo iniurie to a stranger neither opresse him forye were strangers in Egypt Ye shall not trouble any widowe nor fatherlesse childe For if thou vexe or trouble such and so he call and crie vnto mee I will surclie heare his crie Then shal my wrath be kindled and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shal be widowes and your children fatherlesse Our state in this world is not tyed to any place but God at his pleasure may remooue vs euen when we thinke least therefore the Lord would haue them then and all men still favourable to strangers Experiences of euill past and expectances of future if God so please to haue it must make men forbeare those discourtesies to strangers that otherwise mans corruption will offer By the law of Nations it was euer forbidden and sharpely punished to violate the trust that a poore stranger hath in vs when he liueth with vs and vnder vs. The Athenians were good the Lacedemonians were bad and so praised and dispraised in Bookes to this day The next Chapter verse 9. teacheth this matter againe and often is it beaten vpon by God that they may remember it Hippias in Plato saith By Nature euery like is cozen to his like and surely it is a great knot among men likenesse either of wit manners iudgment or fortune c. Which Plutarch also witnesseth when he saith Senis lingua suanissima est seni puer puero mulier mulieri iucunda est Et aegrotus afficitur calamitate aegrotantis aruÌ„nosus socio calamitatum suam sententiam a scribit The speech of an old man pleaseth an other old man a childe conteÌ„teth a childe and a woman a woman One sicke body feeleth the paine of an other and pittieth it So do fellowes in affliction talke together and expresse each to other their mindes Wherefore God vseth for his reason here that they also haue bene Strangers in Egypt It pleaseth the good Spirit of God to vse this
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
beginning they entended for this Ladie purposed onelie to walke and wash her but God had a worke of mercie to doe by her her purpose was one thing and the Lords was another Often thus Trulie so often as any man or woman heare their owne name they are accused of these things if they be guiltie A promise so broken being made to God in the face of the congregation will trouble the soule sore at the houre of death 11. Finally wée sée plainely by this whole discourse how mans counsell can not hinder that which God hath determined shall come to passe For there is no counsell no wisdome no strength against the Lord. Moses must liue and become a Deliuerer to that people doo Pharaoh what he can And though many poore infants were cast away to preuent his feare yet that Infant which must effect what he so feared is preserued aliue in despight of him yea nourished vp by his owne daughter in his owne bosome to the wonder of all that reade it to the worlds end The like you may remewber of Herod and those infants but this is inough of the first part of this chapter The second part 1. NOw followeth the second part namelie of his departure both from Court and Country which happened when hée was forty yéeres olde as Stephen witnesseth And if any maruell why it was so long of all the reasons that are alledged it séemeth best that till that time hée had not his Calling from God to beginne that worke Hée might consider his owne birth and parentage his great preseruation and education his Nations misery and bondage and heartilie pittie them but that he was of God appointed to them a Deliuerer he knew not till God reuealed it and God reuealed it not till now as it should séeme for Stephen saith it came into his minde when he was thus olde to visite his brethren as if hee should say hée now felt his calling and not before 2. When he did feele it and that once the Spirit of God smote his hart then marke we how no honours no pleasures no riches could kéepe him in the Court any longer but he rather chose to suffer aduersitie with the people of God than to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the rebukes of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt For he had respect vnto the recompence of the reward A notable example for all Courtiers and men of high place that they suffer themselues not to be snared with any thing incident to their places so that they may not serue the liuing God as they ought For surely if either pleasure or profit draw froÌ„ him it is too dearely bought wil lie heauie vpoÌ„ their soules one day Their dissembling there can neuer profit Gods people as their open profession would doe But in steade of profiting it draweth many thousands to death with them who obserue their steppes and depend vpon them which will bée laide to their charge in that great daie of the Lord when Moses shall liue and they die Not all the glory they possessed in this world béeing able to procure them one droppe of water to coole their tougues 3. When hee came to his brethren he saw their bitter seruitude burdens and slauery out of measure hée saw many great abuses offered vnto them wherewith hée was so farre mooued that he laide his hands vpon one of the Egyptians and siue him Not so teaching priuate men to doe without authoritie what he did warranted by a Calling but rightly teaching Magistrates which haue calling to vse their Places to the reliefe of the oppressed instrucing all men as their Places will warrant them to helpe their brethren from iust oppressors 4. But his looking about him on euery side when he did it and hiding him that was slaine argue as you may thinke an euill conscience and prooue in him an vnlawfull act No indéede no more than it dooth in other Magistrates that they execute iustice vpon some earely or late or priuately to auoide sedition and tumult This was in Moses and in them a godlie wisedome prouiding warely that whiles they endeauour a good by some indiscréet handling there grow not an euill Some feare if you will I deny not to haue béene in Moses when hée did it it may truly teach vs the weakenesse that sometimes is in the best seruants of God in the very warranted works of their lawful calling to our comfort if wée féele the like And which is swéete also that God dooth not â—ast away obedience performed to him with some feare more than it should Wée are not greater than Moses and therefore praying for strength and dooing our best if some vnwished weakenesse shew it selfe let this example bée remembred 5. It is saide in the text that Moses came forth againe the second daie and thereby all Magistrates may learne constancie and continuance in their care for their people For it is not inough one day to come and sée how all goeth as at their first entrance vpoÌ„ their Office or otherwise but euen the second day they should doo the same and so day by day as occasion serueth during the time of their Charge The want whereof maketh many a one wring that by more diligence would bée righted and relieued 6. But how was he requited Surely finding two striuing together and admonishing them to cease from such vnbrotherly strife streight hee was reproached by one of them in this sort Who made thee a man of authoritie a Iudge ouer vs Thinkest thou to kill me as thou killedst the Egyptian A cléere glasse for all eies to sée in the reward often giuen to good men when they haue performed some good duties to their brethren But it may be no discouragement for GOD is in heauen and will reward all obedience to him paying home heauily such vnthankefull receiuers of it 7. Was this all no marke more in these vnkinde Israelites The death of the Egyptian is brought to Pharaohs care so that now Moses for his zeale and heart to relieue his country-man that was abused must either himselfe fall into danger or flie the country to his disgrace Not onelie therefore the vnthankefulnesse but the measure of it is to bée obserued for our good For many times wée can disgest some ingratitude but such a measure and such a manner as is happily offered vnto vs wée caunot This example will helpe vs for sure the measure héere was great and the manner odious Againe for whiblers and pratling pick-thanks tatlers and tale-tellars there may bée a Note of them You sée what an auncient wéede in the world they bée they were neuer wanting nor will bee while the world indureth neither Princes nor meaner than Princes can auoide them there is no newes stirring but they are carriers of it and they can greatlie iucrease it in the carriage No circumstances can make them silent Many good men haue smarted by them and
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
Catechisme among them you will be found an vnprofitable seruant in the Reckoning-day one that hath gayned nothing to his Lord but hid his talent in the fowle Napkin of fruitlesse matter and idle figures of affected spéech Are you a hearer and no teacher Looke at your Leauen doth it heaue you vp in thankes for the Gospell vouchsafed vnto you in loue to them that truely preach it in honest life to them that looke at our example Doe you season your children seruants familie as you are able This is new leauen then in you and good leauen accepted of GOD and profitable to your selfe be thankefull for it and God increase the measure of it 4 In the 14. verse you read thus Of all the Sacrifice hee shall offer one Cake for an heaue-offering vnto the Lord c. And bui one Cake saith a Writer vpon this Booke was appointed that it might shadow out one Holy Communion to be celebrated in time to come of the Church and not so many Masses euen Masses vpon Masses c. 5 In the 15. verse c. A Law is made that the Flesh of the Peace-offerings for thankesgiuing shall bee eaten the same day that it is offered and nothing thereof left vntill the Morning A Ceremonie vsed saith One to signifie that publike Feasts should not be superfluously continued and kept long vnder the colour of Religion For GOD loueth not idle banquetting and prodigall spending although hée alow graciously what is fit for the occasion Mariage-Feasts therefore in some Places according to the equitie of this Law are restrayned to one day or two dayes and not more So of other lawfull occasions of méetings A Ceremonie sayth Another made in wisedome by God lest if the Flesh should haue smelled by longer kéeping Religion might so haue béene vile in the eyes of tickle persons Happily also saith the same Person to restraine vaine glory which some would haue shewed in sacrificing often with small charge if the meat might haue béene kept salted and so offered againe for a glorie 6 But if the Sacrifice of his Offering be a Vow or a Free-offering it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his Sacrifice and so in the Morning the residue thereof shall be eaten But as much of the offered flesh as remayneth vnto the third day shall be burned with fire For if any of the Flesh of his Peace-offerings bee eaten in the third day he shall not be accepted that offereth it neither shall it be reckoned vnto him but shall be an abhomination therefore the person that eateth of it shall beare his iniquitie That is the Sinne for which he offered shall still remayne and not be forgiuen The Flesh then of the first sort must be eaten the same day and this of the second sort in two dayes none might be eaten the third day but if any remained burned A Ceremony say some fore-telling and fore-shewing that this out-ward worship of God by Sacrifices and such Ceremonies should haue his being no longer than vnto the Resurrection of the Messiah which was on the third day Others make vse of this Ceremonie thus eueÌ„ to learne thereby that the taking hold of Christ and his benefits is not to be deferred and put off but spedily and quickly to be done whilest time serueth oportunitie is offered for behold saith Christ to day and to morrow I cast out Deuils and the third day c. Luke 13. 32. that is a short time I haue yet to go on with my Ministerie and then I shall be slaine So the Phrases to day and to Morrow signifie a short time and therefore when this Law alotteth but one day to eat the one sort and but two at the vttermost for the second well may we learne by it that whilest by the Preaching of the Word the fruite and benefit of Christ is offered we spéedily take hold and deferre not lest the time elaspe and we finde the doore shut against vs. This poynt hath bene handled before 7 Others deuide all time into three dayes as it were and the first day they make from Adam to Christ The second from Christ to the Iudgement and The third euer after In these two first dayes the Gate is open to true penitent sinners that come when they are called without putting-off from day to day but these two dayes neglected and ended there is no more sacrifice for â—â—nne no more mercie no Christ nor Comfort any longer but a fearefull expectation of iudgement and eternall death for euer More particularly euery man and woman may be said to haue three dayes The first of Youth till Age come The second of Age till death come and in these two dayes there is mercie offered but the 3. day is after death and then no helpe As here on the 3. day no Offering was accepted but the sinne remayned vnpardoned and not forgiuen All these applications by Godly men tending to our good are agreable to the proportion of Faith we may be bettered by them 8 In the 19. verse c. You haue another Law of vncleannesse growing by touching For the Flesh sayth your Chapter that toucheth any vncleane thing shall not be eaten but burnt with fire c. Againe If any eate of the Flesh of the Peace-offerings that pertayne to the Lord hauing his vncleannesse vpon him euen the same person shall bee cut-off from his people Moreouer when any toucheth any vncleane thing as the vncleannesse of man or of an vncleane beast or of any filthy abhomination and eate of the Flesh of the Peace-offerings which pertayneth vnto the Lord euen that person shall bee cut-off from his people A man would thinke that rather this Flesh of the Sacrifice representing Christ shonld sanctifie all things that it touched than be defiled by any thing so that it might not be eaten But the Ceremonie aptly teacheth what it was intended for if you marke it For as it was meant it sheweth that Christ sanctifieth and bettereth none but such as take hold of him by a true Faith To others if they touch him hée is vncleane not in himselfe who euer is holy and pure the immaculate Lambe of God but accidentally he is hurtfull by reason of their want of Faith and prophanesse according to the Scripture We preach Christ Crucified to the Iewes a stumbling-blocke to the Graecians foolishnesse but to them that are called of both sorts wee preach Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God And that the vncleane Toucher of this Sacrifice was to be cut-off it taught them the punishment of vnreformed Hypocrites and still doth shew what shall bée the ende of those that touch Christ that is beare his Name and are called Christians vse his Word come to his Sacraments and yet as the Psalme saith Hate to bee amended surely they shall be cut-off their ende shall be destruction and they shall perish eternally Euer
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. 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shalt thou giue thy selfe to thy neighbours wife to be defiled with her by carnall copulation Héere he descendeth to other foule and vngodly mixtures which very Nature should teach men also to abhorre and the first is that whith is with a woman when shee hath her naturall course repeated in the 20. Chapter verse 18. and a penaltie of death set vpon it both for the man that doth it and the woman that will suffer it to bée done to her in that case so God loueth puritie and would haue all his to loue it The second is Adulterie which likewise by the Law then was death and should haue some sharper punishment than in our dayes it hath among vs. 15 Also thou shalt not giue thy children to offer them vnto Moâ—ech neither shalt thou defile the Name of the LORD thy GOD For I am the LORD Some thinke Molech was a holow Image Wherein the Children were put and fire vnder so to burne them as pleasing Sacrifices to their Gods Others thinke they were two fires betwixt which they went Reade your Marginall note in your Bible which is large This after a sort did they that gaue their children euer to be cloystred vp there to burne in sinfull lusts to the losse of both body and soule whereas the other fire burned but the bodie 16 Thou shalt not lye with the Male as one lyeth with a Woman for it is abhomination Thou shalt not also lye with any beast to bee defiled therewith neither shall any Woman stand before a beast to lye downe thereto for it is abhomination Yee shall not defile your selues in any of these things for in all these the Nations are defiled which I will cast out before you And the land is defiled I will visite therefore the wickednesse thereof vpon it and the land shall vomit out her inhabitants Of these vgly pollutions the least thought it too much God and nature abhorre them and the fearefull fire of God vpon Sodom and Gomorrah biddeth all flesh beware them Read the first to the Rom. Vers 28. 17 From the 26. verse to the end you sée the penaltie of breaking these holy lawes of a pure God as in the beginning you sée the profit of kéeping of them Learne then that not forreigne foes onely may bring a land to desolation and destruction but much sooner and soarer these home-bred impurities which if a godly magistrate master father or mother kéepe downe they procure the peace and safetie of the land or house more than if they resisted violence with armes and weapons To vomit out her inhabitants and to spew out her people are tearmes of great vehemencie in God and therefore most great should mans feare bée lest hée should prouoke him to such ver geance Sit but with your selfe and meditate of great men and great houses meaner men and meaner houses and you will remember great examples of the effect of an vncleane life in men and women Happie are they whom other mens harmes do make to beware 18 Although I might héere stay vpon these things that haue bin thus bréefly noted concerning this Chap. and leaue you not without some profit yet for asmuch as vpon these lawes concerning lawfull and vnlawfull marriages many points fall often to be spoken of I wil a little further procéed and acquaint you with the good labours of some writers which you by your selfe peraduenture otherwise shall not obtaine and get knowledge of And first concerning marriage it selfe in generall let it euer be duely considered that as vnlawfull and impure coniunction of man and woman is detested of God so is holy lawfull matrimonie with him euer accepted and allowed and crowned with many blessings of his fauour and loue being honourable among all and the bed vndefiled The Scriptures are full of the praises of it and of good aduise giuen to married persons Wée haue all béen borne by it and as God shall appoint may come to it Let therefore no crosses worldly abate the reputation of it in our hearts Let no popish parasite trouble vs that with a foule mouth from a foule heart calleth that vncleane which God hath sanctified Deceiptfull time-seruers God in time will discouer together with their impurities couertly committed by contempt of his ordinance appointed for their good nothing casting out such an vgly sent into his nostrels as their forced chastitie indeed very monstrous villanie doth Till then scorne them that scorne God and if they thinke you incumbred know you them to be tormented within and without a further torment tarying for them when God his time shall be In policie to destroy pietie will prooue but bad policie in the end if this Chapter be true which wée know cannot deceiue But marriage must bée according to these Rules of Consanguinitie Affinitie about which if any doubt arise that by this Chapter you plainly cannot discusse it shall be safe to conferre with men learned in the lawes of God and men The Ciuill lawe reckoneth degrees one way and the C 〈…〉 non law an other way The Ciuill kéepeth this Rule still that looke how many persons there are so many degrees there are taking one away to wit the roote The C 〈…〉 on lawe stretcheth restreynt further than Gods word doth therfore idle in that respect there being no transgression where no law of God is Concerning marriage many questions happen by occasion to be both thought of and spoken of whereof I will giue you a taste First séeing nothing is more contrary to marriage than want of consent Marriage indéed being but a consent of two fit persons to goe together in such sort according to the will of God and nothing more contrary to consent than error and compulsion of both these there ariseth question And first of Error or mistaking whether it doth make a marriage voyd or no Answere is made that Error or mistaking is of foure sorts namely of Fortune of Qualitie of Person of Condition And for the two first the Rule is that error of Fortune or qualitie excludeth not Consent of Marriage But the error of the two latter Namely of person and condition doth Now error or mistaking of Fortune is when the Man taketh his Bride or Shée her Bridegroome to be richer thaÌ„ he prooueth to be Error of Qualitie when the Bride is thought to be honest chaste modest painfull and a good huswife when in déed shée is deâ—â—led drunken slouthfull and a waster Error of Person is when to the woman is betrothed the eldest sonne and the youngest by deceipt giuen her This was Iacobs case who expected Rachel and had Leah but his consent after made it a marriage Error or mistaking of Condition is when the man or woman is thought free and in déed is bond which in old times was wont to dislolue matrimonie but if the man knew it before it was no cause of breach Yet if his happe was to light of a