and he called the name of the place Taberah Here we see the punishment of their sinne Obserue from hence â—â—ctrine that among other iudgements of God 〈◊〉 is one of â—â—â—s iudgeâ—â—â—ts fire is to be esteemed as one Thus he destroyed Sodome and Gomorrha Gen. 19.24 and burnt vp both cities and people So a fire went out from the Lord and consumed Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron because they offered strange fire Leuit. 10.2 Eliah the Prophet did call fire from heauen and consumed the captaines with their fifty 1 Kin. 1.10 The like we see afterward chap. 16.35 according to that in the Psalme The flame burnt vp the wicked Psal 106.18 Reason 1 This must be acknowledged to be a greeuous and fearefull iudgement because we say commonly and truely fire and water haue no mercy And we see by neuer failing experience that it is so Secondly it is one of the titles of God expressing his nature that he is called a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Deut. 4.24 and 9.3 Vse 1 This teacheth vs that if it please God to lay this iudgement vpon vs at any time whatsoeuer the meanes or instruments be whereby it commeth whether by negligence or wilfulnesse or by the immediat hand of God wee must alwayes lift vp our eyes to heauen and submit our selues with patience to him wee must not rest in second causes but acknowledge his prouidence and consider what is said in this place that the fire of the Lord consumed the campe We must therefore no otherwise account of it Vse 2 Secondly it is our duty in this regard to serue God acceptably with reuerence and godly feare 〈◊〉 2.28 29 We must take heed to our selues lest we forget the couenant of the Lord our God we must make no grauen image or the likenes of any thing which he hath forbidden 〈◊〉 4.23 It is reason we stand in feare of him that is able to destroy vs suddenly and to arme his creatures as his souldiers to consume vs in a moment Thirdly it warneth vs that at the last day Vse 3 the whole world shall be consumed with fire and the elements shall melt with heat and the heauens shall passe away as a scrolle Seeing then all these things shall be dissolued 2 Pet 3.11.12 What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conuersation and godlines looking for and hasting vnto the comming of the day of God! Wee neuer read nor heard of moe burning of townes houses theÌ„ within these few yeres testified by the continuall collections for the releefe of such persons as haue receiued losse that way It is a lamentable sight and mooueth much commiseratioÌ„ to see a few houses consumed to ashes these particular burnings put vs in mind of that generall burning Particular burnings put vs in mind of the generall burning when all things that worldly men so much esteem and for which they labour gape so greedily shal be on fire What should we so much delight our selues in costly apparell bespangled with gold and siluer or why doe we dote and set our affections so farre vpon the treasures of this life which wee know must all be burnt vp like stubble Lastly we are hereby admonâ—shed of a more Vse 4 terrible fire and â—â—ore fearefull spectacle then all the former for they are but as painted fires in comparison of the last fire Esay 30.33 which the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone doth kindle It was a fearefull fire fell vpon Sodom which burned their cities to ashes 2 Pet. 2.6 but their soules suffering the vengeance of God in eternall fire was more fearefull Iude ver 7. Matth. 25.4.1 Mar. 9.44 2 Thess 1.8 This is called euerlasting fire which neuer shal be quenched Into this shall the reprobate be cast be tormented in those flames These plagues are infinite vnspeakeable incomprehensible without end without ease without intermission without remedy without profit Other iudgmeÌ„ts haue some good vse many times bring profit to the sufferers after they haue been exercised by them but these shall bring none at al there shal be weeping gnashing of teeth Againe when the people first murmured God did not punish them as appeareth in the booke of Exodus they had not yet receiued the law but after the law was giuen knowledg shined as a candle in their hearts to direct theÌ„ God spared them not but entred into iudgement with them so soon as they sinned against him We learne hereby Doctrine that knowledge the light of Gods word receiued into our hearts encreaseth sin and iudgement Knowledge encreaseth sin and iudgment The seruant that knew his masters will and did not prepare himselfe to do according to his will shal be beaten with many stripes so saith Christ of the Iewes Luke 12.47 If I had not come and spoken vnto them they had not had sin but now they haue no cloake for their sinne For ignorance doth in some sort excuse that is make the sin not to be so great Again Reason 1 all colour and excuse is taken from such as haue the meanes of knowledge Ioh. 15.22 Luke 12 48. they cannot say they knew not Ioh. 12.48 the word shal iudge them at the last day which they haue heard This then teacheth that none sin more greeuously then such as liue in the bosome of the Church heare his word and receiue his Sacraments It had been better for them that they had neuer knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowne it 2 Pet. 2 22. to turne from the holy commandement deliuered vnto them and the last state of that man is worse then the first Matth. 12.45 Againe marke from hence the cause why iudgment beginneth at the house of God 1 Pet 4.17 1 Cor. 11.32 because here is the greatest light here God hath vouchsafed the greatest mercy heere he hath rained vpon his owne city while other places remained dry and withered As then they haue tasted the greatest mercies so they must be touched with the sorest iudgments Deut. 28.15 Lastly it standeth the Church in hand and euery true beleeuer to walk as wisely in the day redeeming the time Ephes 4 15.16 because the daies are euill If the word do not worke our conuersion it shall further our condemnation and wee make our selues two-fold more the children of hel then others that haue not been partakers of such graces He called the name of the place Taberah God doth not content himself to punish their murmuring but setteth vp a memorial or monument of their sinne thaâ— others might be taught and instructed by it to feare by giuing a new name to the place where the sinne was committed calling it Taberah that is a consumption or a burning The like we see afterward in this chap. ver 34. Doctrine Learne from these examples The iudgements of God are both punishments and
serueth not onely to soften the waxe but to harden the clay Hence it is that many are made worse by the word â—atth 13.15 but that falleth out through their owne corruption not through the nature of the word Hence it is that the Lord saith Make the heart of this people fatte and make their hearts heauy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and conuert and be healed Esay 6.10 â—say 6.10 Be it therefore that none are commonly worse then common hearers who heare indeed but doe not vnderstand and see indeed but doe not perceiue yet is the word to be preached and published though it be the sauor of death vnto death in those that heare it It is as the raine or snow that falleth from heauen which returneth not thither againe but watereth the earth and maketh it bud and bring forth that it may giue seed to the sower and bread to the eater so is it with the word that goeth forth out of the mouth of God it doth not returne vnto him voide but it accomplisheth that which he pleaseth and prospereth in the thing whereunto he sendeth it Esay 55. â—say 55 10.11 Lastly the wickednesse of euill hearers ought to be no barre against the preaching of the word forasmuch as euill persons are oftentimes wonne by the Gospel Publicans and harlots are brought by it to the kingdome of God Matth. 21.31 â—atth 21.31 Many of these that crucified the Lord of life and put our Sauiour to death were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do Act. 2.37 â—ct 2.37 They gladly receiued the word and were baptized so that in one day there were added to the Church about three thousand soules The like we might say of the Iailour notwithstanding his cruelty and persecution of the Apostles he came to them and said Sirs what must I doe to be saued Act. 16 30. â—ct 16 30. Who preached vnto him faith in Christ by whose Ministry hee was conuerted Shall we then reason as these men doe Hearers are wicked and as bad as others that heare not therefore away with the word out of the Church pull down the chaire of Moses and downe with all preaching let vs haue no more hearing and let the sound of the word be buried for euer O foolish reason O damnable conclusion Nay wee may inferre contrariwise Such as heard long are sinful stil therfore let them heare more cheerefully and let the Minister deale more roundly with them Let them be told and taught that God will take an account of their hearing according to the meanes he hath afforded vnto them that by the word they shall be iudged at the last day and that as much hath beene committed vnto them so much shal be required at their hands againe that they are to heare the voyce of God while it is called to day and are to take heed they neglect not the accepted time and that as Christ hath knocked long at the doores of their hearts so they know not how suddenly he will depart from them Verse 4. And Nadab and Abihu dyed before the Lord c. We haue already declared how God immediately after the ordering of the Armies of the Israelites describeth the tribe of Leui that was exempted and priuiledged out of that muster and multitude and of what family Aaron came Now wee are to shew what became of his sonnes who albeit they were the sonnes of one man yet they neither liued nor dyed after one manner For the two eldest Nadab and Abihu Leuit. 10.4 Num. 26.60 presuming to offer incense to God and to burne it with strange fire were themselues consumed with fire there went a fire from the Lord and deuoured them and they dyed before the Lord with sudden death Thus by the same thing wherein they offered they perished strange fire brought downe a strange iudgement to declare the iustice of God against sinners but of this point we shall haue better occasion to speake farther in the fift Chapter Thus it fel out in the family of Aaron his two sonnes dyed by fire euen they dyed before their father 1 Chron. 24.2 and had no children to whom the Priesthood might descend therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the Priests office When the Leuites did offer sacrifice in the Tabernacle God sent fire from heauen Leuit. 9.24 to consume the sacrifice whereupon he commanded the Priestes that the fire should be kept euermore burning vpon the Altar and neuer be suffered to goe out Leuit. 6.13 Which the Gentiles also obserued by a foolish imitation So then their transgression against God consisted in these two things First they vsed strange fire contrary to the commandement of God whereas they should haue taken it from the Altar Leuit. 1.8 Leuit. 1.8 Secondly they entred into the holy place which was not lawfull for the high Priest himselfe to doe but vnder certaine conditions and at a certaine time Leui. 16.1 2. Leuit. 16.1 2. Exod. 30.10 Exod. 30.10 Heb. 9.7 Heb 9.7 Thus then as they sinned openly so God punished them openly and made them publike examples vnto others that should succeed them and come after them in that office as he speaketh Leuit. 10.3 Then Moses said vnto Aaron This is it that the Lord spake I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified Babingâ—on Leuit ch 10. obser 6. It was but yesterday as it were that Aaron and his sonnes had a famous and a glorious consecration into the greatest and highest dignity vpon earth but these sonnes so lately exalted and honoured now lye destroyed before their fathers face to his ouermuch griefe and anguish not by any ordinary and accustomed death but by fire from heauen for their sins and breach of the Law and commandement of God We learne from hence that Godly parents haue Doctrine 2 oftentimes vngodly and disobedient children Godly parents haue oftentimes vngodly children Such as are reformed themselues haue children vnreformed We see this in Adam the first father he had not onely Abel the righteous who obtained good report that he pleased God but also Caine who was of that euill one and slew his brother 1. Ioh. 3. 1 Ioh. 3.12 Because his owne workes were euill and his brothers good Noah a iust man and perfect in his generations Gen. 6.9 had cursed Ham as well as blessed Shim Gen. 9.26 We see this in Abrahams house the Father of the faithfull who rereceiueth this commendation froÌ„ the mouth of God himselfe Gen. 18. Gen. 18.19 I know him that hee will command his children and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to do iustice and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that which hee hath spoken of him yet he had in his
the Lord Obiect Ephes 6. Ephe. 6.4 If any obiect against these commandements They will be vnruly and disordered albeit they be neuer so well brought vp and though their parents be very carefull they will be very carelesse and therefore they were as good holde their peace as to speake to them and not to be regarded Answer I answere so it is sometimes but alwayes it is not so Many that haue feared GOD with all their housholdes haue receiued much comfort by their children and seruants that haue had good instruction put into them as pure and wholesome liquour into a vessell and haue seene the fruite thereof to the vnspeakeable ioy of their hearts This we might shew at large in the reformed families of Abraham and Cornelius and sundry others As they planted and sowed good seede in the parts of their families as it were in a fruitfull field so they reaped a plentifull haruest Abraham had seruants that were also Gods seruants Gen 24.12 and 14.14 Act. 10.7 and prayed earnestly vnto him Cornelius had a souldier that waited vpon him that feared God yea all his band of Italian souldiers were Christian souldiers Againe we must trust GOD with the effect and successe of the education that we giue them He will worke thereby by his Spirit in all that belong vnto him as seemeth good to his heauenly wisedome If he doe not giue a blessing for causes vnknowne to vs but knowne to him let vs leaue Gods secret yet iust iudgments to himselfe The third particular branch is to pray to God for them to guide them in his wayes and to blesse them in his feare and to blesse our labours bestowed among them This wee see in Iob Iob 1.5 Chapter 1. toward his children When the dayes of their feasting were gone about he sent and sanctified them and rose vp early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all for he said It may be that my sonnes haue sinned and cursed God in their hearts He was carefull for those which were committed vnto his charge and feared they might offend God in their meetings albeit hee knew no such euill by them The wise man saith Happy is the man◠that feareth alway but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe Prou. 28. Prou. 28.14 A like example wee haue in Dauid Psalme 72. where he prayeth for Salomon Giue the king thy iudgements O God and thy righteousnesse to the kings sonne hee shall iudge thy people with righteousnesse and thy poore with iudgement So then the faithfull are to entreate and craue from God the continuance of his couenant to their children and to begge from his handes an holy and sanctified seede We must not presume because we are faithfull and haue receiued to beleeue that therefore our seede must of necessity be so likewise for then we shall but deceiue our selues Let not vs therefore faile in crauing a blessing from God vpon our children if we desire to make them heires of blessing Fourthly it is required of vs to reioyce in the blessing of God vpon them and to giue him praise and glory when he vouchsafeth to shew mercy vpon them and vpon vs. If hee did leaue them in their sinnes and in that corruption which they receiued from vs Psal 51. as it were by inheritance we could not finde iust cause of complaint against him who is bound neither to vs nor to our children but forasmuch as he sheweth much mercy to our posteritie as he hath done vnto vs we haue matter of praise and thankesgiuing giuen vnto vs whereby also we shall procure their farther good It is noted of the Iailour Actes 16. Act. 16.34 that he reioyced that they of his houshold also beleeued in the Lord. He accounted it not sufficient for himselfe to beleeue nor reioyced onely in his owne saluation but forasmuch as God had vouchsafed greater mercy vnto him to call his family also to the faith this cheered his heart much more If we haue tasted of the like mercy let vs not be forgetfull of the like duty Lastly it belongeth vnto vs for the furtherance of their good to giue those all good encouragement in well doing that are conscionable in their duties to God and to vs we are bound to praise and commend them to comfort them to cheere them vp and to defend them against all malicious enemies that seeke to disgrace them The Apostle Paul willeth parents not to prouoke their children lest they be discouraged Coloss 3.21 It is a meanes to coole and quench zeale to finde discouragements in godly proceedings On the other side we ought to shew all dislike and hatred against euill and an angry countenance toward such as are vnreformed The Prophet touching the right ordering and good gouernment of his house declareth that hee would not know a wicken person and him that hath an high looke he will not suffer Psal 101.4.5 His eyes should be vpon the faithfull of the land that they may dwell with him hee that walketh in the perfect way hee shall serue him This is a good meanes to make both houses to prosper and kingdomes to flourish when the godly are aduanced and the euil doers are beaten down but when euil is set aloft and goeth vnchecked and vncontrolled and godlinesse is driuen to the wall it prognosticateth and foretelleth the ruine and vtter desolation of those societies albeit for a time they may continue When they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wildernesse Wee haue hitherto spoken of the destruction of Aarons sonnes before the face of their father now let vs see for what cause it was done The sinne of his sonnes is remembred to be this they offered strange fire that is such as was not appointed and commanded of the Lord they tooke not the fire from the altar to burne incense with all which came downe from heauen and was preserued by the diligence of the Priests vntill the captiuity of Babylon Now whereas the authour of the second booke of Macchabees telleth vs that whē their fathers were led into Persia the Priests that were then deuout tooke the fire of the altar priuily Macch. 1.19 and hid it in an hollow place of a pit without water where they kept it sure so that the place was vnknowne to all men hath no testimony of trueth out of the sacred Scriptures as we shal shew more in the 26. Chapter of this Booke of Numbers Moses maketh mention of this example of the sinne and punishment of Aarons sonnes to the end the Leuites should be more wise and wary in the execution of their office because God hereby sheweth that they shal neuer escape his hand that do not rightly discharge the duties committed vnto them For the examples of Gods iudgements vpon the corrupters and contemners of his worship must make vs more carefull and fearefull to offend Now whereas they are punished according to their
build it or when it should be builded or where it should bee builded Hence it is that the Lord sent Nathan vnto him who said vnto him Shalt thou build me an house to dwell in Whereas I haue not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought vp the Children of Israel out of Egypt 2 Sa. 7 5 6 7. euen to this day but haue walked in a Tent and in a Tabernacle In all the places wherein I haue walked with all the Children of Israel spake I a word with any of the Tribes of Israel whom I commanded to feede my people Israel saying Why build ye not me an house of Cedar So then seeing it might be said to him Who required these things at thy hands Who commanded of thee any such worke Who euer spake vnto thee to doe it Howsoeuer his purpose might be commended yet the fact is reprooued And God vseth two reasons to call him backe from his desire and enterprise one taken from his owne person the other from the person of Dauid From the person of God because hitherto hee had liued in a Tabernacle so that there was no cause in respect of him to trouble himselfe with the building of a Temple From the person of Dauid because he was to consider that there were many in Israel besides him many Iudges and Princes beside him and before him yet none of them had any such charge laide vpon them or committed vnto them or required of them so that he ought not to haue enterprised that which was commanded to none of them nor to himselfe True it is GOD saith in the booke of Deuteronomy that there should be one place where he would be worshipped but what or where that place was he did not foreshew therefore his farther pleasure to bee reuealed was to be expected and an expresse commandement to be waited for For wee see in the Scriptures that oftentimes somewhat is commanded which commeth not by and by to be practised and executed as we declared before touching the chusing of a King from among their brethren Deut. 17 14. when they came into the Land which the Lord their God had giuen them So Christ sent out his Apostles into all the world and commanded them to teach all nations but at what time they should go forth they were to expect a new commandement and commission Matth 28.19 Luke 24.49 so that albeit they were bidden to goe yet if they had gone before they had knowne when to goe they had offended The summe and effect of this answer cometh heereunto that Dauids thought and purpose was good and godly if we consider the roote of it inasmuch as it proceeded from a desire of promoting true religion neuerthelesse although God approued his intent yet he suffered him not to goe forward because hee wanted his word to warrant his intent and therefore did not obey God but follow his owne mind and deuice Thus wee see the cause why God forbad Dauid to builde him a Temple and yet afterward the people in the daies of Haggai are reproued Hag. 1 4. being returned from captiuity because they builded not Heere he forbiddeth that which there he cōmandeth These things seeme not to agree together but to be contrary one to the other and yet though different in shew they agree very well in deed in truth For in this place Dauid is pulled back from his purpose as running too fast trauelling as it were without his guide and sailing without his compasse because he had not the word of God whereas they were reproued because albeit they were stirred vp by the Prophets and called continually to that duty by the word of God yet they could finde no leasure to fall to worke but followed wholly their owne profites and pleasures Thus we haue answered the obiections let vs now come to the vses see what we are to learne from hence Vse 1 First of all wee are taught that touching things that are to be done or not to be done we are not to iudge by the false rule of our owne carnall and corrupt reason but according to the sure word of the Prophets and Apostles It seemeth a small thing in our owne iudgement to burne Incense with strange fire but it is a most greeuous sinne and deserued a most greeuous punishment if we consider the word of God thereby transgressed or respect his commandement thereby violated For these two sonnes of Aaron died not the common death of all men nor were visited after the ordinary visitation of the rest of the sons of men but God wrought a strange worke he brought fire from heauen and consumed them Numb 16 18. The like we might say of Corah and his company they contented not themselues with the ordinary calling of the Leuites to do the seruice of the Tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the Congregation to minister vnto them but they would also take euery man his censure and put incense in them but they sought the Priesthood also and vsurped the office peculiarly appointed to Aaron and to his sons It might seeme a small thing to set vp others to burne incense and a man might say Why might not Korah do it as wel as Aaron What skilleth it by whom it bee done But hereby the will of God is broken and little regarded yea God himselfe is contemned and little esteemed in our eyes This then bindeth euery soule to humility not to thinke any thing better wiser or more expedient and profitable to the Church then that which is prescribed vnto it neither yet to account any thing idle or superfluous or vnnecessary or that might be amended There be many prophane men that think most basely and contemptibly of the most excellent things of God as of the Word of the Ministery of the Sacraments and of the prayers of the Church It seemeth to many a slight thing not to be washed with the water of Baptism but it is not so with God who hath instituted that Sacrament and therefore woe vnto them that neglect it or despise it The like we might say of the Lords Supper it is accounted among many a small matter whether they come to the Table of the Lord or not But we must measure the necessity of it not by the outward shew of the outward actions but by the Commandement of God because whatsoeuer Christ hath instituted for the perpetuall vse and benefit of the Church we are commanded to yeeld obedience vnto it Whosoeuer neglecteth to doe what hee appointeth sinneth most greeuously against him Wherefore the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11. 1 Cor. 1◠As often as ye eate this bread and drinke this cup yee doe shew the Lords death till he come Such then as come sildome to this Sacrament declare plainely that they regard not the death of Christ They looke to receiue life and saluation from him but they do not esteeme the meanes whereby they may be made
12. how is it then that he omitteth this miracle Doubtlesse if he had receiued so great miraculous a benefit he would not haue forgotten it neither indeede could without note of vnthankfulnesse which was farre from that deuout and religious man Furthermore the setting vp of this miracle of the new-found fire hid in the pit and after discouered by the Priests and kindled by the Lord is the weakning and shaking of a great mystery and foundation of the Christian religion For it is written that the Iewes were stirred vp by the Prophets to proceed cheerefully in building of the Temple because the glory of that latter house should be greater then of the former Hag. 2 9 which prophecy is agreed vpon to be fulfilled in that Christ was borne while the second house stood which he made famous and renowned by his presence by his doctrine by his miracles Luke 2 46 7 8. There also did the Apostles begin the preaching of the Gospel which taking his beginning from Sion and Ierusalem was spread abroad from thence into all the earth Many were the priuiledges and prerogatiues of the Tabernacle framed by Moses and of the first house builded by Salomon they had the fire from heauen the Arke of the Couenant the pillar of the cloud the Vrim and Thummim and the succession of the Prophets but the second house built after their returne from captiuity wanted all these therefore while it stood the Messiah must come being greater then all these that through his presence who was to be the ruler in Israel Mic. 5 2 the glory of the latter house might be greater then the former and so the prophecy should be fulfilled But if this story were true which is broached by the writer of that book the latter Temple should bee more glorious and famous through this miraculous fire then the former For in the former the sacrifices were onely consumed with fire that fire was sent from God and nourished by the continuall ministery and attendance of the Priests but in the latter temple they should haue had not onely the same fire with the other but the fire preserued by a wonderfull miracle that in a contrary element Fire burned â—nto water water into fire yea heere are many miracles heaped together for as that fire was preserued in water so of that thicke water into which it was changed was the fire kindled againe 2 Macab 1 22 and that which is more when the sacrifice was consumed Nehemiah is said to haue commanded the water that was left to be powred on the great stones whereby was kindled a flame which was consumed by the light that shined from the altar verse 31 32. And this is so apparent that the Iewish Rabbines that haue the vayle before their eyes or rather before their harts haue acknowledged the truth herof that the 2 house had not that fire which the former had contrary to the opinion of that writer And yet notwithstanding the euidence of the former reasons and the confession of the Iewes themselues hee sticketh not in the next chapter to alleage the Prophet Ieremy as if he had commanded them that were carried away to take with them the Tabernacle the Arke and the fire as hath beene signified 2 Maccab. 2 1. But to leaue all these assertions deliuered with warrant let vs come to the doctrine offred to our considerations in the destruction of the 2. Doctrine It is a sin to decline from the worship of God sons of Aaron because they offred strange fire to wit that it is a sin impiety which the Lord leaueth not vnpunished for any man in the outward worship of God to decline from the Law of God He appointed to burne euery sacrifice with fire taken from the Altar which was continually kept and nourished for that purpose They altered Gods ordinance and are therefore striken suddenly from heauen so that it is a great sinne for any Church or particular person to swarue from the Law of God in the worship of God as appeareth by many examples testimonies of holy Scripture 1 Sam. 13 12 13 14. 2 Chro. 26 16 17 18. Math. 15 9. Col. 2.20.21 22. The grounds are plaine first because the Reason 1 word of God is the rule of all things that wee are warranted to do and more generally it is the rule of Gods worship so that to decline from this rule to the right hand or to the left must needs be a great sinne which GOD abhorreth Deut. 12 8 13 32. In an art to vary from the rules of the art is a great errour thr carpenter and mason are guided by their line and leuell the Law of GOD is the square and rule of his worship the more closely wee keepe our selues to this rule the more warrantable are our workes if wee decline and depart from it wee wander in errour and the farther we goe from it the more we are out of the way Secondly that starting and swaruing from the Law reprooueth and checketh the wisedome of God who is Wisedome it selfe Pro. 9 1 as if we were able to direct him and knew what belongeth to his worship better then himselfe An artificer in his worke cannot abide to bee checked and controlled by those that know not so well what belongeth vnto it as he doth Iam. 4.12 so the wise GOD the supreme Lawgiuer cannot endure that men should decline from the order which hee hath settled and established in his worship and prescribed vnto them in his Word and therefore he accounteth it a great sinne and impiety in any that attempt the same This reprooueth the Church of Rome Vse 1 which is as a body infected with many diseases and running sores For their whole worship in a maner is an apostacy from God full of dangerous wounds that cannot be cured as wee may see by their worshipping of images prayer in a strange tongue communion vnder one kind and an hundred such like horrible corruptions which are so many prophanations of the worship of God These men set the Law of God at nought and thinke themselues wiser then he and preferre their owne traditions before his commandements and so worship him by the precepts of men Math. 15.6 which is a vaine worship and maketh his Law of none effect Secondly it serueth as a direction to the Vse 2 Church what they receiue to godly Magistrats what they establish by their authority that in the worship of God they alwayes set the law of God before their eies allow nothing but that which is grounded vpoÌ„ the rules of the same that they adde nothing to it take nothing froÌ„ it For this cause the King must write him a coppy of the Law in a booke that it may be euer with him that he may reade in it all the dayes of his life and learne to feare the Lord his God Deu. 17 18 19. This was taught to Ioshua chap 1 8 and
withered and dry Wands and on euery rodde the name of the Prince of the Tribe being written and Aarons name on that of Leui it fell out that the Rod of Aaron receyued by the Omnipotent power of God a vegetable soule For being layde vp in the Tabernacle of the Congregation one onely night it had vpon it Buds Blossomes and ripe Almonds wherby the power of God was manifested the calling of Aaron confirmed the mouth of the Conspirators stopped the whole Congregation of Israel perswaded to rest themselues vpon the ordinance that God had appointed and setled among them It were almost endlesse to rehearse all the other murmurings against Moses and prouocations against God For when they came to the Mountaine Hor after the death of Aaron Numbers 33. verse 38 who dyed in the first day of the fifth moneth of the fortieth yeare after theyr departure out of Egypt all the people murmured most violently against Moses by reason of the scarsity of water when neyther the punishments by fire from heauen aboue them nor the opening of the earth vnder them nor and swallowing of them vp nor the often and sodaine Pestilences that seized vpon them nor any myracle formerly shewed among them neyther the loue or wrath of God could preuaile any longer with this stubborne and rebellious people then while their bellies were filled and their appetites satisfied Numb 20. but in stead of seeking for helpe and releefe at Gods hands in their necessity when they suffered hunger or thirst or any other want they repined and repented of their estate casting into his teeth who least of all deserued it all their misaduentures And albeit they were entred into the fortieth yeare wherein all trauailes troubles and miseries were to take end and that they were euen in sight of the land promised yet againe they tempted God as obstinately as in former times and neyther trusted his promises nor feared his iudgements nor regarded his miracles Neyther are we to thinke by way of Iustification of our selues or condemnation of Israel that wee are by nature better then they or they a worse people then our selues for it hath alwayes beene the disposition of the common sort to waxe weary of present things and to desire some change and alteration The multitude as Polybius doeth not vnfitly speake is like the sea where a small gale of winde causeth a great Tempest Cicer. pro domo sua ut Demost in orat de faâ—s legat They are changeable and vnconstant and as variable in their opinions as the weather is And so often as I remember the dislike and discontent of this people with such Gouernors in the Church and Commonwealth as God had set ouer them who had they beene changed and others placed in their roome would haue liked them no better I cannot forget a memorable example that fell out among the Campanes in the City of Capua during the second Punicke Warre through a mutiny among the people against their Magistrates as Liuy reporteth Liuy decad 3. Lib. 3. when as the Commons abusing their liberty would needes depose the Senate to which they were maliciously affected and weary to be vnder their gouernment any longer and agreeed to put them to death Pacuuius Calauius the head Magistrate willing to saue them when they had passed sentence vpon one Senatour to haue him executed bad in his stead to choose a good Senator and a righteous At the first all were silent and as still as midnight for default of finding a better Afterward when some odde groome past all shame and reuerence seemed to nominate one to succeede by and by they grew to lowd words and great clamors while some sayde flatly they knew not the man others layde to his charge sundry lewd and naughty vices and others obiected against him basenesse and beggery or else some dishonest kinde of Trade and Occupation whereby he gate his liuing Thus fared they and much worse a great deale when a second or third Senator was named to bee substituted in the roome of others so as it was wel seene that the men bethought themselues better and repented of that they had done already considering how much they fayled and were to seeke when they should appoint another in his place c. And so at length they were content to keepe their olde Senators It is not therefore without cause Decad. 3. lib 4. that the same Historiographer describing the beast of many heads sayth well Haec natura multitudâ—nis est aut seruit humiliter aut superbè dominatur libertatem quae media est nec spernere modicè nec habere sciunt that is See the nature and disposition of the multitude eyther they serue basely or rule proudly Liberty that is the meane betweene them both they haue neither the skill to despise with reason nor the grace to entertaine in measure But to passe ouer these things and to see how Israel passed forward toward the Land of Canaan I cannot omit that Moses omitted nothing before his death that might serue for the good of the people and to shorten their iourney what he might and therefore sent Messengers vnto the Prince of Idumea Numb 20 17. praying him that he might passe with the hoasts of Israel through his Territory into the Land promised to their Fathers which bordered it For this was the nerest way of all other from the citty of Kadesh where Moses then encamped whereas otherwise taking his iourney by the Riuers of Zared Arnon and Iordan which afterward he was constrained to do hee might haue runne into many hazards in the passage of those Riuers with his great Army And albeit Moses vsed many strong and forcible reasons to perswade the Prince of Idumea remembring him that he was of the same race and family with Israel calling him by the amiable name of a Brother they being as sonnes of one Father to wit Isaac inferring thereby that he had more reason to fauor and respect them then he had to affect the Canaanites making a short repetition of Gods blessings bestowed vpon them as also of his purposes and promises concerning them in the time to come assuring him that he would no way offend him or his people neither yet wrong any by military insolency but would restraine his army within the boundes of the common and Kings highwayes paying money for whatsoeuer they vsed yea euen for the water which them selues or their Cattle should drinke Deut. 2 27 28 yet the King not trusting faire words knowing the strength of his owne country rampard with high and sharpe Mountaines and withal suspecting as a naturall wise man that so mighty an army of strangers consisting of more then sixe hundred thousand being once entred into the heart of his countrey it would rest in their owne wils to giue him law and to refuse directions from him and so bee at their owne discretion and disposition whether to abide there or to depart
good things and the rich he hath sent empty away Luc 1 53. Luc. 1 53. There is a perfection in Gods children accompanied with much imperfection and strength mingled with much weaknesse Phil. 3 15. So that albeit the faithfull finde their owne infirmities yet they do not please themselues in theÌ„ but continually striue against them and more and more get the vpper hand of them Fourthly we must make conscience of the least sinne that we may be afraid of the greatest When Dauid had cut off the lappe of Sauls garment his heart smote him 1 Sam. 24 5. How could he be induced to shed one drop of his blood that confessed he ought not to haue touched the lap of his garment The Apostle requireth of vs to abstaine from all appearance of euill 1 Thess 5 22. If we cast out the mote that is in our eyes wee cannot suffer a beame to sticke in them If we would learne indeed and in truth to straine at a gnat we should not so easily swallow a Camell The wages of all sinne is death and therefore we should feare to runne into any sinne Pull out the sting of this serpent in the beginning Cure this sicknesse at the first lest it grow incurable Cut downe the tree while it is young and greene one stroke now will doe more good then an hundred when it is growne old and tough and hard The labour is little at the beginning but custome in sinning groweth into another nature Fiftly we must grow ftom good to better We must not alwaies be babes and sucklings children and weaklings but euermore grow in grace There is a perfection of Christians to which we must be led as Heb. 6 1 where he moueth them that leauing the principles of the doctrine of Christ they should goe on to perfection not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead workes and of faith toward God Not that any perfection can be attained in this life as the Anabaptists and other phantasticall persons dreame off most falsely not knowing themselues nor the law of God but we must aime at it as at a marke and make it the end of all our workes forasmuch as in the Schoole of Christ wee must waxe old euermore learning somewhat God accounteth vs as pure The faithfull saâ—ctified in part are accounted pure accepteth vs as pure albeit we attaine not vnto the parts of perfect purity for these causes and considerations of apprehension regeneration imputation and glorification For though we be sanctified in part yet Christ calleth the Church his Loue all faire pure as the Sunne cleere as the Moone bright as the Morning because we lay hold on the righteousnesse of Christ by faith the worke of regeneration is begun in euery one of vs and goeth forward by degrees the perfect purity and perfection of Christ is ours for the present in whom we are accounted pure and for the time to come we haue the promise of glorification when we shall be without spot or wrinkle and made so absolutely pure as if we had neuer beene defiled with sinne Lastly it is our duty to pray vnto God to giue vs vpright hearts which in themselues are crooked and corrupt The Apostle in the shutting vp of the Epistle to the Hebrewes prayeth for them that God would make them perfect in euery good worke to do his will â—â—b 13 21. working in them that which is well pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ That which we desire for another we ought much more to craue and aske for our selues Hence it is that the Apostle assureth his owne heart that the LORD would deliuer him from euery euill worke and preserue him vnto his heauenly Kingdome 2. Tim. 4 18. If this meanes be diligently practised of vs wee shall grow more and more in good things we shall abolish the kingdome of sin and Satan in vs so that the Lord which hath begun his good worke in vs will perfect the same vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ CHAP. III. 1. THese also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in Mount Sinai â—xod 6 â—3 2. And these are the names of the sonnes of Aaron Nadah the first borne and Abihu Eleazar and Ithamar 3. These are the names of the sonnes of Aaron the Priest which were annointed whom he consecrated to minister in the Priests Office 4. And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wildernesse of Sinai and they had no children and Eleazar and Ithamar ministred in the Priests Office in the sight of Aaron their father WE haue already shewed that the numbring of the Israelites which of a small stocke grew to so many millions is of two sorts one of the people fitted for the warres the other of the Priests and Leuites that were to minister to God This whole multitude consisting partly of the people partly of the Ministers are all of them warriours and souldiers howbeit there is a twofold warre ciuill and sacred Now of such as were to wage the ciuill warre wee haue spoken before in the former chapters It remaineth to intreate in this and the Chapter following of such as follow another warre and belong to another warfare and are another kinde of warriours The former is opposed against temporall and bodily enemies but this against spirituall and both of them haue their seuerall Captaines their swords their armour their furniture their victories The former warre is carnall prophane this is sacred and holy The Generall is Christ Iesus The Captaine of the Lords host Iosh 5 14. The enemies are Satan the world and the flesh the armour is as the war wholly spirituall for our warfare is not carnall yet mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holdes casting downe imaginations and euery high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10 4 5. We fight not against flesh blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darknes of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places Eph. 6 12. And therefore our whole armour must be of the same nature that it may be of proofe Eph. 6 16. able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked our brest-plate must be made of righteousnesse our shield must be of faith which is our victory our helmet must be of saluation our sword wherewith we are to be girded is the word of God Hence it is that the Apostle exhorteth Timothy a Minister of the Gospell to bee strong in the grace that is in Christ Iesus and to endure hardnesse as a good souldier of Iesus Christ 2 Tim. 2 1 3. Now then as we obserued in the two former chapters concerning the mustering of the people both their number and their order the like we are to consider in handling
tempted Where we see he beginneth the sentence with the plurall number and endeth it with the singular Wherefore to returne vnto our purpose from which we haue digressed to answere an obiection and to open the interpretation of this Scripture faithfull parents who haue endeuoured to sow the seede of eternall life in the mindes of their children are not to bee censured and condemned because they haue leude and vngodly children that giue euident tokens rather of reprobation then of saluation as if it were their fault and offence for as much as they may bee carefull to vse all meanes of faith and furtherance to eternall life and yet notwithstanding faile of their end If they doe not discharge their duties they shall be guilty of their blood but if they doe teach them they are free they haue deliuered their soules If wee haue vsed diligence and be euill spoken off let vs comfort our selues in the Lord and rest our selues in the cleerenesse of our owne consciences and comfort our hearts in the testimony thereof being well assured that in the great day of account the LORD shall acquit vs when the mouth of iniquitie shall be stopped Vse 3 Thirdly from this ground ariseth great consolation to all faithfull parents who are to comfort themselues in this if among many children and a plentifull issue they haue some fewe of them yea but one onely that appeareth to be the faithfull childe of GOD albeit it bee otherwise with the rest GOD indeede will receiue glory in all though some of them bee reprobates this must preuaile with our natural affections and teach vs to suppresse our greefe and sorrow No doubt it is cause of the greatest griefe and maketh their head as waters and their eyes a fountaine of teares that they make their bed to swimme and water their couch with weeping which striketh neerer vnto them to beholde their vngodly wayes then to see them suffer a thousand deaths Abraham was exceedingly mooued when he was commanded to cast out of his family his sonne Ishmael Gen. 21.11 and 17.18 for the thing was grieuous in Abrahams sight because of his sonne and before this he had saide O that Ishmael might liue in thy sight yet neuerthelesse he yeelded to the will of God who would therein bee honoured So when GOD respecteth vs and confirmeth his couenant toward vs and taketh vnto himselfe any of our seede we ought rather to praise God for this mercy and goodnesse toward vs in sauing one then murmure against him or aske the question of him why he calleth not all If it please God so to deale in mercy toward vs that he vouchsafeth to be both our God and the God of all I say of all our seede we are bound vnto him in so much greater dutie and he requireth of vs the greater obedience and looketh for a sacrifice of greater thankefulnesse Hee dealeth not so with all good men euen such as haue faithfull soules and desire to approoue their seruice vnto him who when they haue giuen them what education they can and heartily craued of GOD his blessing vpon their holy endeauours yet haue found many crosses and such inward griefes as haue beene ready to breake euen their heart-strings and to bring their gray haires with sorrow to the graue Neuerthelesse we must not suffer our ouer-strong affections to preuaile too farre within vs and to swallow vs vp with ouermuch heauinesse when we beholde with our owne eyes the wickednesse of our children that are come out of our owne loynes and are of our owne blood when we see them without hope of being reclaimed and reformed as those that runne into all excesse of riot no though we should see them taken away in the prophanenesse of their hearts For why should we repine at it to consider how God glorifieth himselfe albeit it be in the destruction of some of ours Of this we haue two most notable examples in Aaron and in Eli neuer to be forgotten of vs recorded in the Bookes of Leuiticus and of Samuel Touching Aaron his two eldest sonnes Nadab and Abihu of whom we now speake sinned against the Lord in offering strange fire and seruing of God otherwise then hee appointed which is a thing detestable in his eyes and there came out a fire from the Lord and deuoured them and they dyed before the Lord. Heere was a grieuous sinne committed heere was a grieuous punishment executed vpon them and their father did beholde it with his eyes and how they were carryed out of the campe in their coates Moses tolde him that the LORD would bee sanctified in them that come nigh him and before all the people he will be glorified so that Aaron helde his peace Leuiticus chapter 10. verse 3. So touching Eli when he heard a fearefull iudgement denounced against his posterity he said It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good 1 Samuel 3.18 Thus ought we to doe and not vexe and turmoyle our selues without reason for that which we cannot remedy and redresse All the children of the faithfull are not the children of the promise they that are the children of the flesh are not the children of God Galatians chapter 4. verse 23. All that are the seede of Adraham are not the children of Abraham Romanes chapter 9. verse 6 7. neither are all the Israel of God which are of Israel Heere it may be obiected which the Apostle Obiection 1 Peter speaketh to the Iewes The promise is made to you and to your children Actes 2.39 God is the God of the faithfull and of their seede I answere The Apostle answereth this in the next wordes Answer euen as many as the Lord our God shall call So many as haue God to bee their God shall in his good time be called to the knowledge of the trueth Hence it is that in the promise annexed to the second commandement it is said Exod. 20.6 hee sheweth mercy to thousands that loue him and keepe his commandements Thus hee limiteth the promise of mercy he restraineth it to those that loue him This promise is performed when it holdeth in any albeit a farre off Another obiection ariseth out of Paules words to the Corinthians where the seede of Obiection the faithfull are said to be holy that is sanctified and cleansed The vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by the wife 1 Cor. 7.14 and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children vncleane but now are they holy If then they be all cleane and holy it followeth they are also vnder the election of grace I answere they are holy touching the outward couenant and generall election Answer as to be of the visible Church to haue right in the Sacraments and to haue interest in the outward priuiledges therof as in the word prayer and such like Thus the whole nation of the Iewes are saide to bee chosen and thus they may bee saide Rom. 11.16 and are saide to bee sanctified They
are therefore deceiued that thinke the Apostle meaneth that they are legitimate borne in lawfull wedlocke for as much as the children of infidels are borne Legitimate and not base borne so that if hee were so to bee vnderstood hee should ascribe no more to the children of beleeuers then of infidels because before the conuersion of either of them their children were lawfully begotten and therefore no doubt but they remained so afterward The question in this place is whether a faithfull person that is marryed might lawfully dwell with the vnfaithfull He prooueth it ought to be so because the vnfaithfull person is sanctified by the faithfull so that their marriage is holy and pleasing vnto God which he confirmeth by an effect of their marriage because the children begotten in it are not vncleane that is are not Gentiles but Christians they differ from the seede of Pagans and infidels that are aliants from the Church Obiect If any aske what we are to thinke of the infants of such as are Christians â—nswer I answere we must iudge of them according to charity who haue interest in the outward couenant vntill by infidelitie when they come to yeeres of discretion they shall cut off themselues grounding our selues vpon the promise of God made to Abraham I will be a God vnto thee and to thy seede after thee Gen. 17.7 Neuerthelesse albeit some cut off themselues yet if the couenant be confirmed vnto some of them we haue cause to comfort our selues heerein Ioh. 4. The Apostle Iohn writing to the elect Lady reioyceth greatly that he found of her children walking in the trueth hee saith not indefinitely her children nor generally all her children but among her children that is some of thy children which inferreth that they did not all become faithfull although her selfe a most worthy and faithfull woman and had vsed no doubt the meanes of their conuersion and continuance vnder the grace of GOD. Wee must content our selues with that fauour which GOD sheweth vnto vs whether hee call many of our children or very fewe of them Vse 4 Lastly let all parents be carefull of their childrens benefite and seeke to doe them good and not euill all the dayes of their life We doe all by a naturall instinct loue them and are inclined to shew compassion vnto them and to seeke their promotion and preferment in temporall things Our Sauiour saith â—uke 11.11 â—2 If a sonne shall aske bread of any of you that is a father will he giue him a stone or if hee aske a fish will he for a fish giue him a serpent or if he shall aske an egge will he offer him a scorpion We will not giue them what we know will hurt them albeit they should earnestly desire it and request it of vs. We all desire to leaue an happy issue behinde vs and some are more carefull for them both liuing and dying then for themselues This dutie hath many branches for though all seeke to leaue them great and taking deepe roote in the world yet all doe not take the right course Some giue themselues that libertie that they are like to leaue them little in the world Wherefore the first branch is to beginne with our selues to seeke vnfainedly to feare God and to leade our liues according to his commandements This doth the Lord himselfe deliuer Deuter. 5.29 O that there were such an heart in them that they would feare me and keepe my commandements alwayes that it might be well with them and with their children for euer If parents themselues will feare the Lord and obey his will they haue a promise made to them and to their children but if they will not be the Lords faithfull seruants woe to them and their posterities also All parents that feare God aright doe not onely lay vp a good foundation for themselues but prouide well for their children after them and are profitable instruments to deriue Gods blessings vnto them aboundantly after their departure God hath promised and cannot deceiue to shew mercy to thousands of them that loue him and keepe his commandements Exod. 20.6 If then wee truely loue our children not onely their bodies but their soules and chiefly their soules which is the truest and soundest loue we must endeuour aboue all things to leade a godly life and to goe in and out before them by a good example Psal 101.2.3 We must behaue our selues wisely in a perfect way we must walke within the doores of our house with an vpright heart we must set no wicked thing before our eyes Contrariwise Wicked parents are the greatest enemies to their children such parents as feare not God themselues bring a downe-fall and ruine to their families and posterities and are the greatest enemies vnto their children How vnnaturall or rather how monstrous a thing is it for parents to bee instruments to bring children into the world and then when they haue brought them forth to bee the chiefe meanes to send them to hell How wofull and lamentable a thing is it to cast their progeny and posterity into the curse of God more bitter a thousand times then death and more cruell then to thrust them vpon the swords point It is noted in the Scriptures Leuit. 18.21 and 20.2 2 Kin. 23.10 and 21.6 and all men are ready with one voyce and one consent to acknowledge it as an horrible impietie in those parents forsaken of God and giuen ouer to fill vp the measure of their sinnes that spared not to make their children passe through the fire and to offer their sonnes and daughters to diuels Wee condemne this all of vs to the pit of hell as a foule and fearefull practise and yet how many alas how many in the world doe practise this nay that which is tenne thousand times worse then this For all such wicked and prophane parents as are carelesse and negligent of the foules health of their children committed as a precious treasure vnto them and doe giue them euill examples of all abominations doe giue them an easie passage into hell fire and doe make them no better then a sacrifice to the diuell Hence it is that the LORD saith Deut. 28.46 Because thou didst not serue the Lord thy God with ioyfulnes and a good heart for the aboundance of all things therefore these curses shall be vpon thee for signes and wonders and vpon thy seede for euer The second branch of seeking their good is to giue them good education and to plant in them the principles of religion that they may know GOD betimes So did Dauid to his sonne Salomon 1 Chron. 28.9 to know the GOD of his Father and to serue him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde So doth Salomon instruct parents to traine vp a childe in the way that he should goe Prou. 22.6 and when hee is olde he will not depart from it So doth Paul exhort fathers to bring vp their children in the nourture of
as a Sergeant and iudge him as guilty in the sight of God Besides as there is a twofold trespasse Vrsâ—n 〈◊〉 part 4. so there is a threefold kinde of remitting or forgiuing to wit remission of reuenge remission of punishment and remission of iudgement Remission of reuenge belongeth to all persons both publike and priuate and restraineth the hands of Magistrates and subiects for neither superiours nor inferiours ought to do any thing in malice and grudge or to satisfie their owne lusts If a Iudge in proceeding against malefactors pursue his owne quarrell rather then execute iustice he sinneth and offendeth albeit the party be guilty and deserue death for vengeance belongeth to the Lord and we are not to requite like for like Remission of punishment belongeth to priuate persons that beare not the sword but as all cannot inflict so all cannot remit punishment For the Magistrate though not sometimes and in some cases and in some persons he may remit which are not needfull heere to remember yet not alwayes nor all offenders Rom. 13.4 nor in all offences because God will haue the sentence of the law proceed and the execution of iustice haue his course This extendeth not to Magistrates for then euill doers should not be punished nor euil deedes rooted out of the city of God Remission of iudgement is when we conceiue a good and charitable opinion of those that haue offended vs. But thus we are not bound alwayes to forgiue neither to remit the censure which euill men iustly deserue for their euill deedes For the Prophet Esay pronounceth a woe against all such as call euill good Esay 5.12 and good euill sweet sowre and sowre sweet It is lawfull for vs to retaine our iudgement and opinion of wicked men so long as they be impenitent Of this Christ speaketh Luk. 17.3 If he repent forgiue him that is that hard censure of him and count him as a brother But of this we haue spoken at large elsewhere 〈…〉 and therefore this shall suffice for the answere to this obiection The vses that arise from hence are many and Vse 1 of speciall note First of all is all sinne euen the trespasse against men committed against God doth it offend him and violate his law yes doubtlesse not onely man is iniuried but God himselfe is offended as hath beene sufficiently prooued and therfore it should teach vs what a grieuous and feareful thing sinne is in what account it ought to be with vs and how euery one should learn to aggrauate and augment with God his owne sinne for his farther humiliation This was it that greeued and vexed Dauid and as it were pierced his very bowels in the matter of Vriah namely that his sinne was against God who knoweth sinne perfectly and beholdeth it in his naturall colours so that neither it nor wee can deceiue him Wherefore this lesson must duly be considered of vs and enter deepely into our hearts Who it is that we offend This was it that mooued Dauid to know sinne and to mourne for it Psal 51.4 Against thee thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified when thou speakest and be cleare when thou iudgest Where note that he is not content to say once against thee but he doubleth it against thee against thee and addeth with great force and vehemency against thee onely â—ion But did he not sinne against man or is not murther a breach of the sixth commandement and adultery of the seuenth I answere 〈◊〉 1. yes these sinnes are condemned in the second Table He had slaine Vriah with a sword 〈◊〉 sinne â—eat it he had committed adultery with his wife he had beene the chiefe cause and principall meanes of the slaughter and destruction of others and so brought blood-guiltines vpon himselfe he hardned the Ammonites in their sinnes who opened their mouth to slander the word and to blaspheme the holy Name of God he sinned against the child that was mis-begotten which also dyed through that vnfaithful act he sinned against his own house in that he kindled a fire throughout his family brought stickes with his own hands to raise vp the flame that was not easily to bee quenched 〈◊〉 13.14 〈◊〉 16.22 for one of his sonnes taketh vp the sword and killeth another the brother committeth abominable incest with his owne sister of the halfe blood and another of his own sonnes taketh his wiues and lyeth with them not in the darke of the night or in a secret corner of the house but he spread a tent openly and in the sight of the sunne Lastly he sinned against the whole Church and people of God who by meanes of his sinne were offended and troubled with tumults and seditions so that the whole land was in an vprore and insurrection from one end to the other All which points shew that his sinne went farre against men it touched Vriah it touched Bathshebah it touched the child it touched the Ammonites it touched his family it touched the whole Church yet these bloody and crying and heinous sinnes so farre as they concerned men like himselfe he seeth to be as nothing albeit they were notorious in comparison of God against whom they were especially committed he had rather haue all men set against him then to haue God his enemy and to come out in battell aray against him and therefore he cryeth out in great anguish and bitternesse of spirit O against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight As if he should say Although the whole world should absolue me and no man could accuse me of sinne yet this troubleth my conscience this stingeth and striketh me to the heart that I must haue thee to be my iudge I am free from the iudgment seat of men as being my selfe supreme and vnder the iurisdiction of no other but â—lasse what can this comfort me so long as I haue thee to giue sentence vpon me He that is thus ouerburdened and ouerwhelmed with a feeling of the greatnesse of Gods iudgement as Dauid was needeth no other accuser forasmuch as God standeth and serueth in stead of a thousand If the whole world should accuse a man and conspire together to charge him with any crime yet if God acquit him his owne conscience will minister peace vnto him and comfort against all slanders and imputations laid against him For if God be on his side Rom. 8.31 who shall be against him but if God be against him and lay greeuous things vnto him woe woe vnto him who shall speake for him though he had the praise and applause though he had the gaine and glory of all the world If he condemne who shall iustify if he say guilty who dare plead not guilty He found out Adam Gen. 3 9. when none accused him when there was no man vpon the face of the earth to accuse him and said Adam Where art thou He
barbarous enemies vsing a barbarous tongue which shall bring vs into slauery and subiection For it is iust with God if we refuse to heare him speaking to vs in a knowne tongue â—â—scal obsâ—ru in 〈◊〉 or 14 21. to compell vs euen against our willes to heare another speake to vs in an vnknowne tongue to the encrease of our misery and to the danger of our soules as he dealt with his owne people for their vnthankfulnes whom he vpbraideth that they vnderstood not his speech â—â—hn 8 43. and therefore armed the mercilesse Romanes against them that spake to theÌ„ in a tongue which they vnderstood not and scourged them by that abhomination of desolation the which chastisement continueth vpon them to this day Vse 5 Lastly these siluer trumpets seruing to sound the alarme in the eares of the people put vs in minde of the last day when all people shall be gathered together and arise out of the earth at the sound of the last Trumpet of God For God will also haue his Trumpet These were blowne by Aaron and his sonnes the last Trumpet shal be blowne by the Archangell Of this we reade in many places of the new Testament of which Christ himselfe speaketh â—â—th 24 â—1 and the Apostle in his Epistles The Euangelist sheweth that the Sonne of man shal send his Angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the foure windes euen from one end of heauen to another And Paul speaking of the generall resurâ—ection at the last day saith Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not at all sleep but we shal al be changed in a momeÌ„t in the twinkling of an eie at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised vp incorruptible and we shall be changed 1 Corinth 15 51 52. Likewise the same Apostle teacheth that the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shout with the voice of the Archangel and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first 1 Thess 4 verse 16. In the giuing of the law many fearefull signes and tokens of Gods glorious presence appeared that made the people flie away cry out among the rest they heard the noise of the trumpet Exod. 20 18. which sounded long and waxed louder louder chap. 19 1â— This was so terrible that Moses said Heb. 12 19 21 I exceedingly feare and quake but at the day of iudgement when God wil requiâ—e an account of the law and how we haue walked in the obedience of it when euery one shall be iudged according to his workes the Trumpet shal be much louder and the sound of it farre shriller for the dead shâ—ll heare it arise out of their graues This shall cause a greater feare in all then was at the giuing of the law Christs comming to iudgment shall be fearefuâ—l because his coming to iudge the quicke and the dead shall be sudden vnlooked for powerfull and glorious When men shal promise to themselues peace and safety then sudden destruction shall come vpon them as trauaile vpon a woman with childe and they shall not escape 1 Thess 5 3. And as it was in the daies of Noah and Lot when they gaue themselues to a generall security and neuer knew any thing till they were destroied one sort with water and another with fire so shall the coming of the Sonne of man be Mat. 24 37. It shall be also powerfull his first coming was in much weaknesse but this with great might able to sweepe away all his enemies to hell Lastly it shall be glorious for he shall be accompanied with thousands of his Angels that shall attend vpon him as seruants vpon their master ready to execute his will Iude 14. And this his coming shall haue a three-fold effect A threefold effect of Christs comming for there will follow immediately a gathering together a separation and then a iudging First al must be gathered together at the sound of the trumpet both the dead and the liuing they shall rise out of their graues some to euerlasting life some to shame euerlasting contempt Dan. 12 2. After this gathering there shall be a separatioÌ„ Christ sitting in his throne of glory Math. 24 31. the elect shall be set at his right hand the reprobate at his left TheÌ„ shall follow the iudgment it selfe Math 25 33. the Iudge of all Iudges giuing a most iust sentence calling the elect to inherite â—he kingdome prepared for them from the foundations of the world Math. 25 32. Math. 25 41. casting the reprobate into euerlasting torments prepared for the diuel his angels Ver. 11 12. And it came to passe on the twentieth day of the second moneth in the second yeare that the cloud was taken vp c. Here we haue the remouing of the Israelites from the desert of Arabia the stony which bordereth vpon Mount Sinai where they abode for the space almost of an whole yeare during which time the law was giuen the Tabernacle was builded the Priests were consecrated the whol worship of God established In this remouing we must obserue three things the forme and manner of it the care of Moses in preparing prouiding a guide to leade them and the praiers that he vsually and ordinarily made at the beginning of their march and likewise when the Arke rested Touching the first all the people of Israel remoued from their encamping at the foote of the Mounâ—aine Sinai toward Paran the army or great squadron of Iuda led by Naashon taking the Vauntgard followed by Nethaneel and Eliab Leadcrs of the Tribes of Issachar and Zebulun after whom all the rest marched as we haue seene in the beginning of the booke From hence we learne that GOD would haue order obserued among his people Doctrine in all his ordinances Order is to be obserued in all the ordinances of God The Apostle setteth it downe as a precept 1 Cor. 14 40. Let all things be done decently and in order He was glad of the comely order obserued among the Colossians ch 2 5. We saw before how the Lord appointed the Tabernacle to be placed in the midst of all the Campe and the Leuites to attend round about and all these to be compassed on euery side with the rest of the Tribes And if we will cast backe our eies to the first times marke the creation of the world from the foundation of it together with all the parts of it the earth the water the aire the firmament and the heauen of the blessed who can expresse the goodly order which they possesse keep For as they are placed one aboue the other so they are pure subtile simple and notable And as this exquisite order sheweth and shineth foorth in the Elements and the Heauens so doth it in the Angels for as one starre differeth from another in glory so doth one Angell
God from the example of Christ and from the practise of the Apostles their hypocrisie is made open and euident to all they can now no longer hide it They teach and maintaine that heretical Princes especially being excommunicated shold not be obeyed Thus they blanch the matter whereas Paul taught and practised obedience for conscience sake Rom 13.2 5. and that such as resist purchase to themselues iudgement Vse 3 Thirdly we are to iudge no otherwise of all such as transgresse the Law of God whatsoeuer their allegations be How many men are there that thinke euen grosse and palpable sinnes to be no sinnes at all because they can blanch and colour them ouer How many thinke to excuse their ignorance as if it were no euill at all why is there no more store of knowlege in our dayes among masters and seruants why so much store of blindnesse in the matters of God O say they We are dull and forgetfull we haue our callings to follow we must prouide for wife and children This is a wilfull ignorance this shall excuse no man Such can finde and take time enough for the world but they lacke time to lay a good and sure foundation for the world to come Some pretend their age and infirmity which hinder them from comming so often to the house of God But many of them haue resorted no better to it in their youth and as yet they haue strength enough also to walke farther for their pleasure God knoweth their hypocrisie that they are able to doe more in ciuill things It is a common practise in the common sort to pray for the dead God bee with him the Lord rest his soule God haue mercy on him God send him a ioyfull resurrection and such like What say these ignorant persons this testifieth our loue and our charity This is a blanching of the matter and the casting of a new paint vpon a rotten post For who are these that pray for the dead but such as neuer prayed for them being aliue nay doe not indeed know which way to pray When the Scripture taxeth shewes of hypocrisie and reprooueth priuate prayers in publike places they haue their answere ready they doe it to stirre vp to deuotion and to fill and prepare themselues to performe holy duties 1 Cor. 11.21 22. Yea but this ought to be done at home priuate places are appointed for priuate actions and publike for such as are publike They kneele downe to their owne deuotions that sildome or neuer pray at home and haue no care to prepare themselues priuately before they come whereas GOD knoweth and man knoweth and the Minister knoweth that these men that are so deuoute at priuate prayer in open places sit most prophanely most vnreuerently and vnseemely at publike prayers Touching the Sabbath day it is notoriously knowne what blanches they haue to couer their vile blemishes or rather their sores as that a man may learne as much at one Sermon in the forenoone as he can wel meditate vpon in the afternoone and practise all the rest of the weeke O how doe these deceiue themselues God knoweth the heart of these hypocrites It is not the care they haue of meditation and practise that causeth them to speake this for how doe they spend that time but in pleasure and vanity So for the Sacraments they say they cannot come to communicate because they are not in charity with their neighbours they are not prepared as they ought to be Thus they thinke to creepe away in the darke and to bee holden excused But this is to excuse one sinne with another and to adde sinne vnto sinne Lastly this must teach vs on the contrary Vse 4 that we must not colour our actions like hypocrites and pretend to iustifie our selues when we know they are euill This is a signe of an euill heart and of a guilty conscience this is no better then to binde two euils together in one bundle first to dare them to doe euill and then to colour it And this latter is worse then the former it sheweth lesse grace and more corruption God cannot be deceiued by any pretence cunningly contriued though man may be because our most secret actions and imaginations are manifest before him This prouoketh Gods wrath the more and when we must appeare before his righteous iudgement all things shall appeare as they are and all colourable pretences shall vanish away as smoake and all things shall appeare as they are indeed God is a perfect light he dwelleth in light that none can attaine vnto 1 Tim. 6.16 and yet if he bee not light enough hee will take other lights to helpe him and search Ierusalem with candles that hee may punish the men that are setled on their lees that say in their hearts The Lord will not doe good neither will he doe euill Zephan 1.12 Then certainely he will discouer all euen the secret parts of thy heart which now thou goest about to hide and conceale Then he will make vs know that he knew all things which are written in this booke of remembrance 4 And when Moses heard it hee fell vpon his face 5 And he spake vnto Korah and vnto all his company saying Euen to morrow the Lord will shew who are his and who is holy and will cause him to come neere vnto him euen him whom hee hath chosen will hee cause to come neere vnto him 6 This doe Take your censers Korah and all his company 7 And put fire therein and put incense in them before the Lord to morrow and the man whom the Lord doth chuse the same shall be holy Ye take too much vpon you ye sonnes of Leui. Heere beginneth the proceeding against these seditious first by Moses and then by God himselfe The Lord first setteth his Ministers on worke to deale with this people if that will not serue then he will take the cause into his owne hand First Moses fell on his face a common gesture vsed in prayer thereby no doubt making supplication to God to appease the multitude Then hee turneth his speech to Korah and appealeth to the iust iudgement of God that it would please him to decide the question whom he had chosen to bee his Priests as Eliah did 1 King 18.24 in their halting betweene two opinions Then in the end he returneth their false accusation iustly vpon their owne heads and sheweth that hee was not afraide of their faces they had said to Moses and Aaron Ye take too much vpon you seeing all the Congregation are holy he payeth them home in their owne language Ye take too much vpon you ye sonnes of Leui Heere Moses setteth forth the dignity of the Ministery that there is a speciall couenant and agreement betweene God and his Ministers â—ctrine The doctrine It is a speciall fauour that God maketh a couenant with his Church â—e Miniâ—rs are in â—ciall grace 〈◊〉 fauour 〈◊〉 God that they shall bee a precious people in his sight
iudgements vpon our families We see this with our eyes wee need not say we haue heard and our fathers haue told vs for wee haue seene and haue knowne the hand of GOD heauy vpon their wiues their children their seruants and yet they take no more notice of them then if they were in another world Sometimes God doth punish men with lesse iudgements when they haue deserued greater he doth but as it were touch them with the little finger when they haue deserued to bee striken with his whole hand and smiteth them with the backe of the sword that deserue to bee cut in peeces with the edge Take example in the sinne of drunkennesse and wonder at it How many drunkards hath God cast downe in a ditch from a bridge from an horse where peraduenture they haue broken arme or legge or face wheÌ„ God could as easily haue suffered theÌ„ to haue broken their neckes so to haue ended their sinfull daies wretchedly as they liued prophanely yet which of them hath beene bettered or admonished by it or who hath taken instruction from it to feare the Lord or to repent of the same sinne Many there are that are companions in sin and brethren in euill they ioyne together in the practise thereof God giueth warning sometimes by the death of one of these companions which dieth desperately in his sins yet will not the rest take warning but proceed in their wickednesse as if there were no GOD to take vengeance of their presumptuous sinnes Lastly it belongeth to euery one to take Vse 3 notice of the corruptions of his owne heart that he is very forgetful of Gods iudgements very vnwilling to be admonished of them but is ready to passe them ouer and to put theÌ„ from him as matters that no way concerne him This is a voluntary and wilful ignorance Let vs therefore learne to make good vse of them and to lay them vp in our hearts as wee would do a treasure in our coffers The consideration of these well digested may doe vs more good then all the gold and siluer in the world As Dauid said I will neuer forget thy precepts Psal 119 61. so let vs say I wil neuer forget thy iudgements And as he remembred his mercies of old so let vs remeÌ„ber his iudgments of old And whereas the greatest fort make a mocke both of their owne sinnes and of Gods punishments let vs say with the Prophet My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy iudgements Psal 119 120. He giueth warning of his iudgements before hee smiteth and he smiteth one to teach another that so we should not fall into his iudgments but might learne to preuent them by a timely care of auoiding sinne We are yet safe from his reuenging hand let vs not be secure nor abuse his patience Security is one of the last sinnes that shall be in the world For before the fearefull day of the Lord there shall be a generall security when all are ready to fall asleepe Let vs bee warned by other mens harmes lest we feele them vpon our selues Esay 28 15. Christ our Sauiour speaking of the last times saith When the Sonne of man cometh shall he finde faith on the earth Luk. 18 8 and therefore he compareth them to the daies of Noah and of Lot when they did eate drink build and plant marry and giue in marriage euen vntill his iudgements fell in the midst of them so shall the comming of the Sonne of man be Math. 24 37 The more common this sinne shall bee the more watchful we ought to be that so against this vniuersall slumber we may prepare a generall remedy 46 And Moses said vnto Aaron Take a censer and put fire therein from off the Altar and put on incense and goe quickly to the Congregation and make an attonement for them for there is wrath gone out from the Lord the plague is begun 47 And Aaron tooke as Moses commanded and ranne into the middest of the Congregation and behold the plague was begun among the people and he put on incense and made an attonement for the people 48 And hee stood betweene the dead and the liuing and the plague was staied 49 And they that died in the plague were fourteene thousand c. 50. And Aaron went againe c. We heard before the sinne or rather the many sinnes of these men now Moses setteth downe the punishment that fell vpon theÌ„ Albeit God at the intercession of Moses did not consume them in a moment yet he sent a fearefull plague and a deuouring pestilence among them that smote downe fourteene thousand and fiue hundred beside them that died about the matter of Korah And this plague had passed a great deale farther had not Moses and Aaron by their feruent praiers preuailed mightily with God to stay his hand so that we may say as it is in the Psalme He saide hee would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turne away his wrath lest he should destroy them Psal 106 23. This is a borrowed speech from warrefare and the besieging of a City where the walles are battered with engines that make a breach in theÌ„ â—hat it is to â—nd in the â—each so that nothing remaineth but for the enemy to giue the assault and to make an entrance put all to the sword meaning thereby that the wrath of God is as the violent shaking of the walles of a City there can no strength hold out against him Now Moses and Aaron did as it were oppose theÌ„selues against Gods wrath and the peoples danger by earnest and hearty praier made on their behalfe that God would spare his people not destroy them with the pestilence For as in times of greatest danger and distresse the most valiant Captaines and Souldiers offer themselues to manifest perilles when a breach is made in the wall for the enemy to enter with all his forces that thereby they may driue backe such as are pressing forward to giue the assault so did Moses and Aaron stand betweene the liuing and the dead interposed body for body and life for life â—octrine We learne heereby that the necessity dignity 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Ministery and worthinesse of the Ministery is exceeding great in respect of the good of the people 1 Tim 3 1. Eph. 4 11 12 13. Acts 8 29 and 9 11 and 10 20 and 16 9 10 14.15 29.30 Math. 16 19. Reason 1 This is farther confirmed by the titles wherby they are called and adorned They are appointed to be Shepheards by the great Shepheard of the sheepe 1 Pet. 5. Eph. 4 11 12 to be Ouerseers of the Church of Christ Acts 20 28 to bee as fathers ouer their children Exod. 20 12. 1 Cor 3 to be as nurses ouer the infants and to be as stewards ouer the house to giue to euery one his portion Secondly they haue charge ouer mens Reason
dangers daily decaies in good things praier is as foode whereby the graces of God are preserued encreased AaroÌ„ made an attonement for the people stood between the liuing the dead Obserue in these words that Aaron the high Priest in taking his censer offering vp with fire taken from the Altar incense to God is a notable figure and type of the intercession of Christ the true high Priest of our profession Heb. 3 1. that he maketh for all his elect to his Father The doctrine is this â—rine Christ Iesus hath set himselfe as Mediatour betweene God and men 〈◊〉 Iesus 〈◊〉 Media between and man For Origen saith well hom 9. in Numer that we must ascend vnto the high mystery or signification of this Scripture and consider how Christ Iesus the great high Priest Heb. 4 14. taking our nature vpon him stood as in the midst betweene the liuing and the dead and brought it to passe by his death that death shold spread no farther 1 Tim. 2 5. Iohn 12 32. Rom. 5 11. and 8 34. He maketh intercession for vs not that now he boweth the knee to his Father or lifteth vp his eyes or spredeth abroad his hands or vttereth any voice of praier for his Church being now in the heauens for this he hath already sufficiently performed Ioh. 17 1. Now he presenteth to his Father the merites of his death and passion of his obedience and resurrection which hath the force of a liuely praier and reconcileth the Father vnto vs. Thus then we see that Christ Iesus is the true Aaron the high Priest that maketh attonement between God and vs Heb. 7 24 25. Eph. 1 verse 5 6. Reason 1 The reasons Christ Iesus our Redeemer hath fulfilled all the parts of a Mediatour and left none vnperfected he alone hath trodeÌ„ the wine-presse of the wrath of his Father Esay 65 5. Hee appeareth before the Father for vs and in our names as we do before the Father in his name he offereth vp our praiers and worketh our saluation Ioh. 17 9. Heb. 4 14 2 15 17. He hath deliuered all them which for feare of death Reason 2 were all their life time subiect to bondage Secondly the blood of Bulles and Goats outwardly sprinkled the ashes of beasts were not false lying signes representing that which is not but true and effectuall signes of purifying and cleansing â— â— 12 13. these did sanctifie the vncleane as touching the purifying of the flesh because such as were shut out of the Congregation for some legall and externall vncleannesse had thereby entrance againe into the assemblies might lawfully come to the worship of God and be partakers of holy things much more theÌ„ doth the blood of Christ which is the truth substance of all the former and which indeed is the blood of the Son of God Acts 20 28. purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God Heb. 9 13 14 14 24. Vse 1 The vses remaine First this teacheth that we haue no other Mediator in heaueÌ„ or earth but Iesus Christ who maketh intercession for vs. In the old Testament no praier is made to Henoch though he walked with God or to Abraham though the father of the faithfull or to Moses though God spake to him face to face no praier was offered vp to any Cherubin or Seraphin to any Saint or Angel The Church of Rome therefore is an Apostate Church which hath made so many Mediators and Aduocates for vs in heauen as there are Saints departed and perfected yea which is more absurd they make one Saint Patron for one disease and another for another Comment vpon Philem. so that they haue left nothing for Christ to doe as I haue shewed more at large elsewhere Neither let them obiect that there is one Mediatour of redemption but many Mediatours of intercession But as this is an euill distinction so it is as euilly obserued by themselues And will they beare vs in hand that the simple people simple indeed they are God wot among them vnderstand this difference and can tell how to distinguish betweene these to giue to each his due and no more But what speake I of the simple people of whom I may speake as Ieremy doth Surely these are poore Ier. 5 4. they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the iudgement of their God I will goe vnto the great ones and speake vnto them The learned theÌ„selues among them doe ioyne with Christ our Sauiour other Mediatours not onely of intercession but also of redemption and saluation Hitherto commeth the praier to the Popes great martyr Thomas Becket of Canterbury Breuiarium ad vsum eccles Sarum in festo S. Tho. Cantuar. who died in the Popes quarrell which he maintained against his souereigne king Henry the second and therefore a false martyr but a true traitor and rebell Tu per Thomae sanguineÌ„ quem pro te impendit Fac nos Christe scandere quò Thomas ascendit that is By the blood of Thomas which he for thee did spend Make vs O Christ to climbe whither Thomas did ascend A most blasphemous praier wherein they present not the blood of Christ who gaue himselfe a ransome for vs but the blood of Thomas to bring vs to heauen It were endlesse to shew their idolatrous praiers made to the blessed Virgin desiring to haue her to reconcile them to her Sonne Among the rest consider this one O foelix puerpera nostra pians scelera Iure matris impera redemptori that is O holy mother which dost purge away our sinnes command thou him that is our redeemer by thy motherly authority And touching Peter and Paul they say Ex Rom Breuiar Concede vt amborum meritis aeternitatis gloriam consequamur that is Grant that by the merites of them both wee may obtaine eternall glory Neither shall we need to maruaile at these things although they sound harsh in all Christian eares if we consider what they ascribe vnto the Crosse of Christ Sabb. in Hebd quarta Quandrag I meane to the wood tree to which they make their praier to this day saying O crux aue spes unica Hoc passionis tempore Auge pijs iustitiam Reisque dona veniam that is O Crosse all haile thou that art our onely hope at this time of the passion encrease thou righteousnesse to the godly and grant pardon to them that are guilty Other grosse blasphemies they haue reformed in their Portesse but this which giueth as great and grosse honour to the wooden crosse they haue reserued and reteined What is become now of their distinction that Christ is the Mediatour of redemption but the Saints of intercession when as they ascribe to the Virgin Mary to Peter to Paul nay to a vile traitour nay to a wooden crosse power to purge away the sinnes of the faithfull to grant them pardon and forgiuenesse and to bring them
Aaron the Saint of the Lord Psalm 106 16 so that he was constrained to ratifie confirme the Priesthood by the swallowing vp of Dathan and Abiram in the earth and by consuming of Korah and his confederates with fire all of them being the children of rebellion as they are called in this chapter verse 10. But heere wee may behold a notable example of Gods wonderfull mercy who is more ready to compassion then to reuenge and therefore destroyeth some that he may instruct others Wherefore in this chapter Moses continueth the same argument handled before and sheweth how GOD once againe establisheth the Priesthood to Aaron and his sonnes for an euerlasting couenant whereupon he commandeth that euery Tribe should bring a woodden staffe with a name written vpon them to put them together so as they might not be discerned asunder but by the sight of the names These staues thus prepared and ordered were laide before God in the Sanctuary and when they were taken thence againe Aarons staffe that had his name vpon it did flourish and all the rest without any change remained dry and dead as they were before whereby the Lord shewed that he had chosen that house to serue in the Priesthood 〈◊〉 diuision 〈◊〉 chapt Consider in this present chapter two things First the confirmation of the Priesthood to Aaron and his snnnes Secondly the repentance of the people and resting in the ordinance of God after they were humbled by the plagues of God and saw the flourishing of Aarons rod. Touching the first to wit the ratification of the Priesthood and the deciding of the controuersie to whom it did belong ought to belong hereafter we must obserue the commandement of God to Moses and his obedience God commandeth Moses to take of euery Tribe a rod. Ezek. 37 16. Now whether it were of seuerall kindes of wood according to the number of the Tribes or of one kinde only to wit the almond as Munster thinketh it is vncertaine Munster annot in Num. And the question may be asked whereas euery staffe must haue a name written that is the 12 rods 12 names what name was written Some thinke that the Tribe of Reuben had the name of Reuben the Tribe of Simeon the name of Simeon and so of the rest But it is to bee thought that the name of the Prince of the Tribe was written rather thē the name of the author of the Tribe and the words of the text doe fauor this interpretation v. 2. else to what purpose is Moses appointed to take seuerall rods of the Princes of euery Tribe so that for example the rod of the Tribe of Reuben had the name of Elizur written and so of the rest as they haue bene set downe before ch 1 5 6 7. and 7 12 30 36. For as the name of Aaron was written vpon the rod of Leui not the name of Leui himselfe v. 3. so no doubt the names of other Princes that were heads of the families of their fathers were written vpon the rods of their Tribes not the names of the authors of the Tribes Al these rods were laid vp together in the Tabernacle of the Congregation then the Lord giueth them this token to assure them whom the Lord chose and ordained that there might be no more contention about the Priesthood namely that his rod should waxe greene flourish and beare blossomes Thus doth God cut off all occasions of murmuring among them Speake vnto the children of Israel and take of euery one of them a rod. The people ought to haue bin throughly humbled for their offence to haue their hard hearts broken in peeces by the consideration of Gods iudgements and miracles and so throughly to bee moued to reuerence the ordinance of God concerning the Priesthood But because God is constrained to work another miracle to change the course of nature and to call things that were not as though they were it appeareth they were not yet sufficiently touched and humbled for God doeth no worke in vaine If then the dignity of the Priesthood had bene sufficiently confirmed by the punishment taken of the seditious and their partakers this new miracle had not beene wrought in the dry and withered rod. Wherefore God goeth about by this meanes to remedy their pride and presumption and sheweth his great mercy and goodnesse toward them in calling them to repentance and in curing of their infirmities We learne heereby Doctrine that the Lord is very desirous to haue sinners conuerted and brought to repentance God is desirous to haue sinners broght to repentance that so he may saue them Esay 65 2. Ezek. 33 11. and 18 31 32. Math 23 37. 2 Cor. 5 20. Peter preacheth repentance to them that killed the Prince of life and denied him in the presence of Pilate when hee was determined to let him go Acts 3 13 15. Euen to these that murthered and betrayed the Sonne of God did the Lord offer saluation To this end he is of such great patience because he is not willing that any one should perish 2 Pet. 3 9. The reasons Reason 1 Because first they are his creatures and his workmanship and therfore there is great reason why he should desire their good Naturall parents do desire to saue and keepe in health their children They that belong to God are his deere children Esay 49 15 16. He loueth Reason 2 Israel as his first borne Secondly he hath not onely created them when they were not but also redeemed them when they were lost and that with no lesse price then with the blood of his owne Sonne Col. 1 20. 1 Ioh. 1 7. Ro. 5 9 10. If then he haue done this for them doubtlesse he will goe forward with his loue toward them he will raise vp them that are fallen seeke them that are lost quicken them that are dead and bring them home that are Reason 3 strangers to him Thirdly it is more honour to God to conuert and saue then to destroy and cast away his people Doubt not but bee well assured that God will do that which tendeth most to his owne glory Rom. 11 1 2. Iustice and iudgement causeth him to be feared but his mercy and loue is that which maketh him to be honoured of men Vse 1 The vses remaine Hath God an earnest desire to conuert and saue men Then it ought also to bee our desire to bee like in this to our heauenly Father that is to labour to conuert and bring home others vnto God that goe astray from him for in so doing wee shall follow the footsteps and example of God dealing with our brethren in mercy and compassion as God hath dealt with vs. Let the husband labour to conuert the wife 1 Cor. 7 16. and the wife to win her husband the parents their children and the children their parents and euery one to conuert his brother A duty most acceptable to God and most profitable to others An
as a gift of God let him chuse them before they make choise of him let the gifts of God in him commend him before any write letters of praise for him They shall one day answer to God for the soules of such as perish through their default There is no dalying with Church-liuings let them therefore prouide sufficient Preachers for their own discharge in the great day of account Sixtly as they must looke vnto it that haue power to present so must they that haue authority to institute for if they lay their hands rashly vpon any they are thereby partakers of other mens sinnes 1 Tim. 5 22. and therefore they ought to endeuour to keepe themselues pure Seuenthly touching the people they must acknowledge themselues vnworthy of such a blessing and not take it as a fruite of their own deseruings We can deserue no good thing much lesse the greatest good We cannot deserue our daily bread that nourisheth the body much lesse our spirituall meate that feedeth the soule A good Pastour commeth not as lands and liuings by inheritance therefore as Salomon speaketh of a good wife so we may say of a good Minister House and riches are the inheritance of fathers but a good Minister is the gift of God Prou. 19 14. Eightly our duty to God is to loue him a-againe that hath so loued vs and to giue vnto him our hearts our soules and bodies that hath giuen vnto vs such a gift He could not â—estifie his fauour toward vs more theÌ„ by such a sure pledge and loue-token This the Prophet teacheth Psal 147 13 14 15. where he praiseth God for many blessings but for the word as a most speciall blessing aboue all the rest and farre surmounting all such things as are common to all nations and people Hee shewed his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgements vnto Israel Ps 147 19 20 he hath not dealt so with any nation and as for his iudgements they haue not knowne them So then among al the Lords gifts none is comparable to haue faithfull Pastours to feed mens soules with knowledge and vnderstanding and so to bring saluation vnto them True it is God hath many graces in store for vs he giueth riches and health and wealth it is he that healeth all our infirmities and restoreth vs from sicknesse but the gift of the Gospel is aboue all which being entertained bringeth saluation vnto all men The other also are graces they are enriching graces healthy graces wealthy graces healing graces but this is a sauing grace Therefore the Prophet saith If thy word had not beene my comfort I had perished in my affliction Psal 119 92. Ninthly the people should loue their feet that bring glad tydings of good things account them best welcome vnto them True it is the vngodly and prophane of the world can see no such benefit in it nor such good to come by it as to be any way beholding to God the giuer or to the Minister that is the messenger Satan the god of this world hath blinded their eies so that they are become like swine which finde more sauour in the mire of this earth theÌ„ in the sweet perfumes of the Gospel or like to children that value a beautifull toy before a precious stone These account them their enemies that tell them the truth as Ahab did 1. King 21 20. they thinke they come to trouble theÌ„ as Herod all IerusaleÌ„ thought of Christ Math. 2 â— Lastly al good people such as are Gods people should earnestly desire to liue vnder the Ministery of the word where this gift of God is that they may alwaies heare the holy doctrine of saluation sounding in their eares remembring that faith commeth by hearing Ro. 10 17. We see how carefull commonly men are to dwell in wholsome and healthy places where a sweet aire is so if we desire the health and wealth of our soules let vs frequent the preaching of the word and keep the Sabbath with our families by hearing the voice of God As for those barren places where no corne groweth and where no dew nor raine falleth they are vnwholesome flye from them they are dangerous come not neere them Hence it is that the word coupleth preaching and beleeuing together and therefore let no man put them asunder Ioh. 17 20. Acts 8 12 and 14 1. 1 Cor. 15 1 2. No man can be saued except he be called for whom he did predestinate them hee also called Rom 8 30. but he calleth none by his voice from heauen but by his word in the earth Either he calleth immediately by himselfe or mediately by his Ministers but now he hath ceased to call immediately and if we waite for such a calling wee waite vpon our owne vanity we do but deceiue our selues like Herod that waited for the wisemen but they neuer came vnto him If then we would be saued we must first be called and if wee would be called we must heare Gods Ministers speake vnto vs and call vnto vs out of his word 8 And the Lord spake vnto Aaron Behold I also haue giuen thee the charge of mine heaue offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel c. 9 This shall be thine of the most holy things reserued from the fire euery oblation of theirs euery meate offering of theirs and euery sinne offering of theirs c. 10 In the most holy place c. 11 And this is thine the heaue offering of their gift c. 12 All the best of the oyle and all the best of the wine and of the wheat c. 13 And whatsoeuer is first ripe in the land c. 14 Euery thing deuoted in Israel shall be thine 15 Euery thing that openeth the matrice c. 16 And those that are to be redeemed c. 17 But the firstling of a Cow c. 18 And the flesh of them shall be thine c. 19 Al the heaue offrings of the holy things c. We see here that God would haue the Priests to be wholly occupied in the Ministery of his seruice therfore they could not get their liuing with the labor of their hands or by tilling of the ground they might not be Merchants Artificers or Farmers but must wholly attend vpon the worke of the Tabernacle so that the Lord sheweth by what meanes they shold liue and how he would haue them maintained And first of all hee speaketh of the stipend of the Priests which had the worthier calling they were to be maintained by oblations whether meate offerings or sinne offerings or trespasse offerings by the first fruites of the corne of the wine or of the oyle by all things deuoted in Israel by the first borne that openeth the matrice in all flesh whether of men or beasts yet so as that the first borne of men and of vnclean beasts which might not be offered should bee redeemed taking for a man fiue shekels of the Sanctuary
of God because they follow righteousnesse and do not follow them in all excesse of riot so that Whosoeuer refraineth from euill maketh himselfe a prey Esay 59 15. For albeit when GOD setteth vp mercifull Princes that rule in peace and quietnes they dare not shew the inward malice of their hearts yet hatred euermore boyleth and burneth within and in the late daies of the greeuous afflictions of the Church in the memory of many yet liuing they shewed it to the full striking many innocents with the sword that deserued not to bee touched with the scabberd They raged against yong and old learned and vnlearned rich and poore men and women children and sucklings against the liuing the dead They beate them with rods they cut out their tongues they smote them with Halberts Acts and Monuments of the Church they burned their hands with torches and their whole bodies with fire and the poore babe breaking out of the mothers belly they cast into the fire again as the brood of hereticks This is the reason added by the Prophet Psal 38 19 20 where hee sheweth wherefore the seruants of God are so much maligned not because they had holden vppe their hands to a strange god not because they had raised any tumult Psal 44 20. not because they were found in any wickednes but because they follow goodnesse A liuely image and picture of this persecuting Church we haue in Cain who slew his brother and wherefore slew he him Because his owne workes were euill and his Brothers good 1 Ioh. 3 12. And this hath bene the estate of the Church euen from righteous Abel whose blood cryed for vengeance vnto this present time Againe as their hearts are inflamed with Reason 2 rage and fury so the diuell is the bellowes to blow the coales he mooueth their minds to madnesse and mischiefe albeit they perceiue it not He is compared in Scripture to a Lyon to a Dragon to the old Serpent Reuel 12 9. Iohn 8 44. He was a murtherer from the beginning and therefore no maruell if his instruments thirst after the shedding of blood being no better then a wretched generation of cruell beasts There is nothing so sweet and pleasant to the Wolfe as to sucke the blood of the Lambes This they haue learned of him that is the father of all mischiefe murther This is noted by the Apostle Iohn Reuel 2 10. Behold it shall come to passe that the deuill shal cast some into Prison that ye may be tried For in all persecutions although the deuill bee not seene to worke and contriue the plot yet he is the grand Captaine and cheefe agent It was Cain that lifted vp his hand against his brother but it was the diuel that set him on worke It was Iudas one of the twelue that with a kisse betrayed his master but it was the diuel that first Put it into his heart Lu. 22 3. Here then is a great mystery and deepe secret to be considered We thinke men to bee Actors of all mischiefe but indeed it is the diuell in them Ahabs false Prophets bad him go vp against Ramoth Gilead and prosper 1 Kings 22.6 22. but it was a false and lying spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets that inticed him and them to theyr destruction Ananias and Sapphira sold a possession and kept away part of the price but it was Satan that had filled their heart that they should lye vnto the holy Ghost Act. 5 2 3. Elymas the sorcerer withstoode the Ministers of God and hindred the course of the Gospel neyther embracing the faith him selfe nor suffering them that would imbrace it but it was because hee was an enemy of all righteousnesse and the childe of the diuell Act. 13 10. The Sabeans tooke away the Oxen the Chaldeans fel vpon the Camels the fire of God burned vp the sheep of Iob his sons daughters were eating and drinking in their elder brothers house and loe a vehement and violent winde smote the foure corners thereof that it fell vpon all of them and slew them but Satan had an Oare in this boat he was the master workman that gaue to euery one his task Iob 1 12. For whosoeuer is the instrument the diuell is the principall mouer and procurer of all euill and trouble vnto the Church of God Vse 1 The Vses are these First maruell not at all if the Church ly vnder many great crosses and afflictions insomuch that the ploughers plough vpon their backes and make long furrowes For they haue many and mighty enemies that plot crafty counsels against them and seeke to sucke out their heart blood and to draw out their last breath Many Controuersies and contentions arise in the world for things of this life for houses for lands for possessions and inheritances for slanders and trespasses whereby many actions are brought and many suites commenced betweene party party from whence much hatred and great hartburning oftentimes ensueth but there is no hatred like to that which commeth for matters of religion no bands of affinity or of consanguinity can tie them together as our Sauiour teacheth Matth. 10 34 35 36. I came not to send peace into the earth but the sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the daughter against the mother and a mans enemies shall be they of his owne houshold Yee shall be betrayed also of your parents and of your bretheren and kinsmen and friends and some of you shall they put to death and ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake All questions and quarrels among men for temporal and transitory things finde easie meanes of reconcilement either the Iudge doth iudge them or Arbitrators determine them or friends do end them or the parties themselues wearied with costs and charges in suites of Law doe grow to an agreement composition but the rage of the vngodly set on fire of hell is vnappeaseable no boundes of reason no bands of nature no chaines of Law can tye them or tame them whence once they haue set themselues against the truth of God The cause of this hurly burly and of these persecutions is not properly in Christ or in the Gospel of Christ For hee is the Prince of peace and his Gospel is the Gospel of peace preached vnto them that were a farre off and to them that were neere Ephe. 2 17. But the true cause of al these dissentions and troubles in the world is the malice of the diuell and the hatred of that world against Christ and against his Gospel Here is the cause of diuision and disagreement that the wicked man is abhomination to the iust and he that is vpright in his way is abhomination to the wicked Here is the right and proper cause of mortall hatred that the wicked beareth and breatheth out against the godly Hence came the Popish Canon and conclusion Concil Const That faith is not to bee
77.20 Hee led his people like sheepe by the hand of Moses and Aaron So long therefore as we haue a voyce so long as we haue an heart to lift vp to God and can poure out the meditations therof before him we haur comfort and assurance to be helped When the poore infant is fallen into danger of fire or water or other misery if he can cry that the father may heare his voyce there is hope of safety and deliuerance So if wee can call vpon God the Father in Iesus Christ in our distresses our heauenly Father will not leaue vs nor forsake vs in our dangers Secondly albeit the faithfull fall into many Reason 2 afflictions and their enemies make long surrowes vpon their backs yet God will not alway suffer them to bee oppressed lest they should sinke deepe and shrinke downe vnder the burthen so turne from their obedience and forsake the faith which they haue professed according to the saying of the Prophet The rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous â—al 125.3 lest the righteous put forth their hand vnto wickednesse He knoweth whereof we are made he spareth vs in our infirmities hee will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength he seeth our weakenesse and how vnable wee are to resist and therefore he will not giue vs ouer to perish in our afflictions inasmuch as our light afflictions which are but for a moment Cor 4.17 cause vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glory so that albeit the righteous fall seuen times yet he riseth againe as the wise man teacheth â—ou 24.16 Vse 1 To apply this vnto our selues wee learne first that the deuises and practises of enemies albeit they be neuer so secret or malicious are vaine and frustrate The people of God shall be preserued howsoeuer they bee euer plotting and banding themselues together as wee see in the dayes of the Apostle â—ct 4.27 Herod Pontius Pilate the Priests and people the Iewes and Gentiles conspired together yet wee shall alwayes haue assurance of safety and all shall worke for the best to them that feare God whose loue no powers no principalities no Potentates shall be able to remooue as the Prophet teacheth Reioice not against me O mine enemy â—c 7.8.10 though I fall I shall rise when I shall sit in darknesse the Lord will be a light vnto me then she that is mine enemie shall locke vpon it and shame shall couer her which said vnto mee Where is the Lord thy God mine eyes shall behold her now shall she be troden downe as the myre of the streets This serueth notably to daunt and dismay the wicked and vngodly who insult ouer the righteous and seeme wise in their owne eyes considering that The faithfull escapeth out of trouble â—rou 11.8 â—sa 8.9 10 and the wicked shall come in his stead This truth the Prophet Esay confesseth and confirmeth Chap. 8. Gather together on heapes O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces take counsell together but it shall be brought to nought pronounce a decree yet it shall not stand for God is with vs. So then if the faithfull be not euer forsaken nor stand continually vnder the strokes of their enemies but God will put to his hand and his helpe to deliuer them we see that all their deuises and all their consultations against them and insultations ouer them shal be brought to nothing Vse 2 Againe it behooueth vs in all the time of our distresse to rely vpon him whatsoeuer tentations come though we should walke by the gates of the graue and passe by the gulfe of death Many indeed are our infirmities feares cares sorrowes and troubles yet in them all we must say with the Prophet â—al 42.5.11 â— 43.5 Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Waite on God for I will yet giue him thanks he is my present helpe and my God Let vs not therefore despaire in the day of trouble When the snares of death compasse vs and the griefes of the graue take hold vpon vs â—al 116.3 4. when we find trouble and sorrow to pursue vs and ouertake vs let vs call vpon the Name of the Lord to deliuer our soule who is mercifull and full of compassion Pro. 18.10 The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth vnto it and is exalted This is the surest and safest refuge of the godly against all troubles Lastly let all such learne as lie not vnder Vse 3 the crosse to commend the common cause of their brethren to God as if themselues were in affliction For wherefore doth God promise to free his from the oppression of the enemy and to restore them to the ioy of their saluation but to moue vs to this duty of praying for them pittying their distressed estate and seeking by all lawfull meanes the comfort and continuance of the Church This the Apostle setteth downe 2 Cor. 1.3 4. Where wee see he vrgeth the Church at Corinth to thinke of this point to be mindfull of the miseries of others and to comfort them that are in discomfort as God hath comforted vs. This is taught by Moses Thou shalt not doe iniury to a stranger Exod. 22.21 neither oppresse him for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt And heereunto the Apostle accordeth Heb. 13.3 Remember them that are in bonds as though ye were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if ye were also afflicted in the body Where he would haue vs so much to bee touched as if their misery were our owne This duty it is needfull to thinke vpon Wee know not what troubles may fall vpon our heads When wee take our selues to bee freest and farthest from all dangers then we may bee neerest vnto them and suddenly fal into them as a bird into the snare of the fowler Wherefore let vs remember them to God that suffer afflictions that so we may be deliuered if wee fall into any troubles But if we harden our hearts in the miseries of others and haue no feeling of their sorrowes others shall bee as vnmindfull of vs and vnmercifull vnto vs as we haue beene to them Matt. 7.2 For with what iudgement we iudge we shall be iudged and with what measure we meat it shall be measured to vs againe Nothing is more greeuous vnto a man then to be scorned in his misery and to be insulted vppon in the day of his calamity The affliction it selfe is bitter and yrkesome to the flesh but the derisions mockings of the enemy serue to double the crosse and to adde to the measure and manner of our misery If then we shall see with our eyes and heare with our eares the lamentable condition of the Church and laugh when the people of God weepe and lament the iustice of God shall ouertake vs and make vs a
whether we shall returne to them aliue or not forasmuch as wee carry about vs euermore houses of clay And when we come into them we know not whether we shall go out of them againe vpon our feet or be carried out vpon the shoulders of others Lastly the manner and kinde of our death is also as vnknowne as the rest whether we shall dye a naturall or a violent death a suddaine or a lingring death whether our life shall be prolonged to the last point and period of nature our heat and moysture being consumed Cicer. de ◠as the light of a candle consumeth by little and little and at length goeth out of it selfe or whether it shall be taken away by fire by water by sword by famine by pestilence by beasts and such like casualties incident to the sonnes of men all which proclaime and publish in our hearts the vaine condition of all flesh Reason 2 Secondly God hath prepared for vs a City whereof he is the builder and maker This City we seeke being Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem the mother of vs all For we shall neuer sufficiently be brought to acknowledge our fraile and brittle estate vnlesse wee be raised and lifted vp to the meditation of our future condition in the life to come If then the kingdome of glory be a place of rest what is this present estate but a sea of sorrowes If the heauen be our natiue Country what is the earth but an exile and banishment ◠3 20. If it bee true happinesse to enioy the blessed presence of the liuing God then it must needs be a miserable thing and death it selfe to want it If to leaue this earthly tabernacle be a setting of vs free and at liberty what is this body but a prison If immortality be as the putting on of a garment 〈◊〉 5.6 what is our mortality but as it were a nakednesse Lastly if to die in the Lord bee to goe vnto God what is this life but an absence from him This did the Patriarkes professe and to this they sealed by their practise Heb. 11 13 14 15 16. Abraham possessed not one bredth of a foote sauing the purchase bought to bury his dead Iacob was banished out of that Land a great part of his life Isaac and the rest of the fathers had but their walke in it and enioyed it as a pledge of another Country which is aboue Vse 1 The vses follow If we haue heere no abiding City in the daies of our vanity then acknowledge Gods great mercy toward vs being so vaine We see other creatures in their estate more permanent then man is far exceeding and excelling in naturall gifts in seeing tasting mouing hearing touching and such like properties yet no creature tasteth of his sauing mercies as man doth This consideration doth the Prophet leade vs vnto Psal 8 3 4 6 7 9 that hee is mindfull of him and visiteth him and hath put all things vnder his feet There is no merite in vs to be a motiue to moue him to shew so great mercy vnto vs. He findeth vs walking in our sinnes as it were wallowing in our blood all our righteousnesse is as a foule and filthy cloth Esay 64 6. This vse Dauid vrgeth Psal 103 14 15 16 18. Hee knoweth whereof we are made he remembreth that wee are but dust the daies of man are as grasse as a flower of the field so flourisheth he but the louing kindnesse of the Lord endureth for euer he is full of cōpassion and mercy slowe to anger of great kindnesse So that he confirmeth himselfe others in Gods mercy by the consideration of our owne vanity Vse 2 Secondly seeing our daies be vaine short why doe we carke and care so much for the things of this life what we shall eate what we shall drinke and what we shall put on Why do we eate the bread of sorrow with too much painfulnesse heape vp worldly things It may be we shal not come to the sight of the fruite of our labours much lesse to the partaking of it A traueller the shorter his iourney is the lesse his prouision is We are all trauellers we are in the way to our country and we are not far from the end of our iourney what folly then and madnesse is it to cast all our thoughts and meditations to earthly things and to care not onely for the morrow Math 6 25 34 but for moneths and yeares This our Sauiour setteth downe Luke 12 19 20 21 for when the rich man saide to his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime It was answered him O foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall these things bee which thou hast prouided So is he that gathereth riches and is not rich in God Hereunto consenteth the Apostle Iames chap 4 13 14 15. Go to now ye that say to day or to morrow we will goe into such a City and continue there a yeare buy sell and get gaine and yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrow for what is your life It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little time and afterward vanisheth away for that yee ought to say Thus rather the words are to be read if the Lord will both we shall liue and we shall do this or that Salomon hauing had plentifull experience of the shortnesse and vanity of mans life penned to this purpose the Booke of Ecclesiastes which is as it were the marrow and pith yea the very quintessence of all his best knowledge and wherein we may see the refined wisedome of reformed Salomon he proclaimeth Vanity of vanities all is vanity there is an euill which I saw vnder the Sunne and it is much among men one to whom God hath giuen riches treasures and honour he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth but God giueth him not power to eate thereof a strange man shall eate it vp though he leaue no sparke behind him neither son nor brother yet doth he not thinke for whom do I trauaile and defraud my soule of pleasure This also is vanity and this is an euill trauaile Eccles 1 2 and 4 8 and 5 12 and 6 1 2. To conclude this vse if we be not strangers in this life wee shall haue no part in the kingdome of heauen If we will haue God to auow and acknowledge vs for his children let vs liue heere as forreigners and warfaring men in our iourney or rather in our race We haue pitched and patched vp a Tent or Tabernacle for a day or a night we must not nestle our selues heere we must not alwayes goe groueling to the ground nor intangle our selues in the affaires of this life to make it our euerlasting habitation but bee flying vpwards as birds sitting vpon a bough True it is God is so fauourable to many
bound to reioyce and praise GOD for their Prince who is as the comfort and consolation of our life and the verie instrument of our peace wee are they Vnder his shadow wee liue and abide as in a place of rest and sleepe quietly in our beddes free from all feare and danger whatsoeuer This we see described in the peaceable and prosperous dayes of Salomon there is no crying and complaining in our streetes We are blessed with earthly blessings we are an astonishment and wonder to our neighbour Nations They haue all deeply drunke of the cup of Gods wrath that hath beene filled with full measure whiles we haue looked on and our soule hath escaped And aboue all the rest we haue all this time enioyed and do enioy the bright light of the glorious Gospel and haue beene most of vs borne vnder the profession thereof to the establishing and continuing of many millions of thousands in the coueuant of grace and eternall life when other haue beene kept in horrible darknes and damnable idolatry to the destruction of their soules We are therefore vnhappy wretches if among all the mercies of God vpon vs this be not remembred as one of the first and cheefest And let vs learne to haue in abhomination from the bottome of our hearts the bloody practises and desperate attempts of all cursed Shemeis â— 15 6 7. who open their mouthes against the Lord and against his annointed with horrible execrations I meane the Iesuites and Priests brethren in euill together with the rest of that damned crew and generation who in stead of prayer and thanksgiuing for our Soueraigne vse falshood practise treasons and deuise mischieuous conspiracies seeking the life of their gracious Prince and labouring to stop the breath of our nostrils â— 4 20. whereas he that curseth the King should dye the death The Prophet Ieremy speaking of the estate of the people after the death of Iosiah bringeth them in thus complaining The breath of our nostrils the annointed of the Lord was taken in their Nets of whom we said Vnder his shadow we shall bee preserued aliue among the heathen Whereby he meaneth that the office of the King as the Superiour Pet. 2 13 14 and of all Magistrates as Gouernours sent of him for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that do well is to protect and preserue the people in peace and safety euen as the breath that we draw in at our nostrils giueth life and health to the body Wherefore it standeth vs that are Subiects vpon not onely to be obedient for conscience sake vnto all lawfull ordinances of Princes who are the Lords Lieutenants appointed of him ouer his people for their good â— 82 1 2. but to pray earnestly for them that they may further vs in piety keepe vs in honesty and maintaine vs in tranquility one with another piety in respect of God honesty in respect of our selues tranquility in respect of others This charge the Apostle giueth when Magistrates were Infidels and Heathen that the Church should pray vnto God for them how much more therefore doth it stand vs vpon to practise this duty when as our Magistrates are the children of God and pillars of the Church And thus much of the third part of this chapter 21 Then Israel sent Messengers vnto Sihon King of the Amorites saying 22 Let me goe through thy Land we will not turne aside into the Fields nor into the Vineyards neither will we drinke of the waters of the Welles We will goe by the Kings way vntill we be past thy Border 23 But Sihon gaue Israel no licence to passe through his Border and Sihon assembled all his people and went out against Israel into the Wildernesse and he came to Iaboz and fought against Israel 24 But Israel smote him with the edge of the sword and inherited his Land from Arnon vnto Iabbok euen vnto the children of Ammon for the Border of the children of Ammon was strong 25 And Israel tooke all those Cities therefore Israel dwelled in all the Cities of the Amorites in Heshbon and in all the Villages thereof 26 For Heshbon was the City it selfe of Sihon King of the Amorites who fought against the former King of the Moabites and tooke away all his Land out of his hand euen vnto Arnon 27 Wherefore they that speake in Prouerbs say Come to Heshbon let the City of Sihon beâ— built and repaired 28 For a fire is gone out of Heshbon and a flame from the City of Sihon and hath consumed Har of the Moabites and the inhabitants of the high places of Arnon 29 Woe be to thee Moab O people of Kemosh thou art vndone he hath deliuered his sons which escaped and his daughters into captiuity to Sihon the King of the Amorites 30 Their Empire also is lost from Heshbon vnto Dibon and we haue destroied them vnto Nophah which reacheth vnto Medeba 31 Thus Israel dwelt in the Land of the Ammorites In these words and those that follow to the ende of the Chapter is contained the last part of this Chapter to wit the subduing of two mighty enemies in two seuerall battels namely Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan The Amorites were a people that came of Ham the youngest sonne of Noah as appeareth Gen. 10 verses 6 15 16. For Ham begat Canaan who disclosed the nakednesse of his Grandfather and Canaan begat Emori of whom came the Amorites who inhabited the Land of Bashan Mount Gilead This History is more at large recorded Deuter. chapter 2 and 3. â—irst touching Sihon we must obserue two things the iust occasion and aduantage which he gaue to Israel to subdue him and take possâ—ssion of his Land For the Lord had hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate because he would deliuer him into the hands of the Israelites Deuteronomy chapter 2 verse 30. Then secondly the ouerthrowing of him the entring into his Country the possessing of his Citties Hitherto they had compassed the Land of Edom with great danger with much wearinesse and sundry tentations they come to the Land of the Amorites there the King withstandeth them and will giue them no passage but fiercely and furiously encountreth with them Touching the occasion whereby Israel was iustly moued compelled to enter fight with the Amorites it offereth two points to be considered First a friendly and louing request of Moses Secondly a currish and vnkinde deniall made by Sihon Concerning the petition of Moses obserue the Embassage which he sent together with the reasons containing both the ground of his reasonable demand shewing the equity of the petition and laying down most equall conditions of peace because he desired onely passage through his Land without spoyle of the Country in generall or dammage to any person in particular The refusall of the King followeth and albeit the Israelites freely and frankly professed that their purpose was to passe by all
should bee also in all Ministers of the Gospel though the power of man rise vp against them they must depend vpon him that is highest in power This christian courage appeareth to haue beene in the Apostles Acts 4.2.29 when they were persecuted imprisoned for preaching in Iesus Name the resurrection from the dead considering the multitude of enemies the assembling of the Rulers the corruption of Pilate the malice of Herod the cruelty of the Pharisies the rage of the Gentiles the tumult of the people they praied saying Now O Lord behold their threatnings and grant vnto thy seruants with all boldnesse to speake thy word And this generally should bee practised of all the godly that haue in mercy receiued to beleeue they must go forward in their holy faith and obedience and arme themselues against the tentation and feare of restraining their liberty of losing their goods of laying downe their life and when men persecute vs for imbracing the faith and professing of godlines we must remember Gods care ouer his seruants and his speciall prouidence ouer them that feare him with the most blessed end that shall certainly follow 2 cor 4 17 18 to wit the kingdome of heauen and an exceeding waight of glory Lastly seeing the godly must lay downe all Vse 3 feare which the wicked seeke to cast vppon them for righteousnesse sake let vs labor truly to feare God For if we may not stand in feare of men let vs know whom we ought to feare and reuerence euen the Maiesty of God fearing to offend him as a good childe feareth his Parents as the Prophet teacheth A sonne honoureth his father and a seruant his master If I be a Father where is mine honour If I be a Master where is my feare saith the Lord of hostes Mal. 1 3. This feare is the beginning of wisedome as the wise man sheweth Prou. 1 7 for this feare the holy man Iob is exceedingly commended in the Scriptures this feare should be stronger in vs to keep vs from sinne in respect of God then in respect of meÌ„ This is the vse directly made by the Prophet Esay chap. 8 11 12. Say yee not a confederacy to all them to whom this people saith a confederacy neither feare ye their feare nor be afraid of them Sanctifie the Lord of hostes and let him bee your feare and let him be your dread Where we see that hauing remoued from them the false feare of men he planteth in them the true feare of God hauing shewed where it should not be he teacheth where it should be hauing declared what feare is euill he toucheth the remedy The ready way to take from vs the feare of men dangers that may fall vpon vs from men is the feare of God For whosoeuer feareth God aright How the feâ—â— of God â—â—ueth away thâ—â— feaâ—e of mâ—â— he will not prouoke him to wrath for feare or loue of any creature knowing that God is stronger and mightier then al and assuring himselfe that if God be offended no creature is able to secure him and safegard him from danger of iudgement Againe whosoeuer hath God his friend shall not need to feare man to be his enemy If then we seeke to feare God with all our heart aboue all things we shall be free from the immoderate and excessiue feare of the mightiest enemies But if we doe not feare to offend him we shall bee constraind alwayes to tremble at the least occasion and to feare the wicked the diuels death hell and damnation Euery storme of troubles shall be able to ouerturne vs. Let not our hearts therefore be troubled let vs rest in God and beleeue in him Let no danger driue vs to deny hâ—m Mat. 10.33 lest we be denyed of him in his kingdome And let vs consider the heauy punishment determined and reserued for all distrustfull and fearefull men which shall feare man more then God and so make ship-wrack of faith and a good conscience they shall be punished with vnbeleeuers with the abhominable with murtherers and whoremongers Reuel 21 8. with idolaters and lyars in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone CHAP. XXII 1 AFter the children of Israel departed and pitched in the plaine of Moab on the other side of Iordan from Ierico 2 Now Balak the sonne of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites 3 And the Moabites were sore afraid of the people because they were many Moab fretted against the children of Israel 4 Therefore Moab said vnto the Elders of Midian Now shall this multitude licke vp all that are round about vs as an Oxe licketh vp the grasse of the field and Balak the son of Zippor was King c. 5 He sent messengers therefore vnto Balaam the sonne of Beor to Pithor which is bâ— the Riuer of the Land of the children of his folke to call him saying Behold there is a people come out of Egipt which couer the face of the earth and lie ouer against me 6 Come now therefore I pray thee and curse this people for they are stronger then I so it may be that I shall be able to smite them to driue them out of the Land for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed and he whom thou cursest shall be cursed 7 And the Elders of Moab and the Elders of Midian departed hauing the reward of the soothsaying in their hand and they came vnto Balaam and told him the words of Balak 8 Who answered them Tarry here this night and I will giue you an answer as the Lord shall say vnto me so the Princes of Moab abode with Balaam 9 Then God came vnto Balaam and saide What men are these with thee 10 And Balaam saide vnto God Balak the sonne of Zippor King of Moab hath sent vnto mee saying 11 Behold there is a people come out of Egipt and couereth the face of the Earth come now curse them for my sake so it may be that I shall be able to ouercome them in battaile and to driue them out 12 And God said vnto Balaam Goe not thou with theÌ„ neither curse the people for they are blessed 13 And Balaam arose vp in the morning and said vnto the Princes of Balak Returne vnto your Land for the Lord hath refused to giue me leaue to goe with you 14 So the Princes of Moab rose vp and went vnto Balak and said Balaam hath refused to come HItherto we haue seene the prosperous and happy successe which the Israelites had against three mighty enemies and the threefold triumph ouer them But here ariseth a new enemy with a new deuice or rather a knotte and band of many enemies to stoppe their passage to lessen their multitude and to weaken their strength Moses therefore first declareth what lets and impediments they had as blockes lying in their way and what stopping of their quiet and peaceable proceeding Thus they meet with many stayes and encounter
but they haue the wil of God reuealed and the Lord speaking vnto them in his word This word they must teach nothing but this word and all that is reuealed for our saluation in this word A witnes that is broght in to giue euidence betweene man and man in any hard matter that riseth in iudgement betweene blood and blood Cicer. Epist famil lib. 5. betweene Plea Plea is sworne to speake the truth and all the truth and nothing but the truth So should it be with all Pastors and Teachers which are as the Lords witnesses they must deale fully and faithfully they must boldly speake that which God in his word hath reuealed publish vnto his people all that which he hath deliuered vnto them This is it which the Lord spake to Ieremy hanging backe when God called him excusing wheÌ„ God separated him refusing when God had chosen him Say not I am a childe for thou shalt goe to all that I shall send thee and whatsoeuer I command thee shalt thou speake Ier. 1 7. 1 Kings 22 14. Likewise when our Sauiour sent out his Apostles into the world he charged them with this as a part of their commission Teach them to obserue all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you Math. 28 20. And the Apostle speaking of the Supper of the Lord saith I receiued of the Lord that which I also haue deliuered vnto you 1 Cor. 11 23. And afterward confirming the faith in the Corinthians in the article of the resurrection hee saith First of all I deliuered vnto you that which I receiued how that Christ died for our sinnes and rose againe according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15 3. Thus doth the Apostle clear himselfe being falsely charged by the Iewes I obtained helpe of God and continue vnto this day witnessing vnto small and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Acts 26 22. Yea this was the vsuall manner of all the Prophets preaching vnto the people to come vnto them in the Name of God Heare ye the word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord. Reason 1 The Reasons for confirmation heereof follow to be marked of vs. First this appeareth from the sundry titles as names of their Office that are giueÌ„ vnto them in the Scriptures to put them in minde of the duties of their callings They are called Workemen because they should do the Lords businesse 2 Tim. 2 15. and finish the worke whereunto hee hath called and ordayned them They are called Builders because they should build vpon the foundatâ—â—n Psal 118 â— The foundation is precious euen Iesus Christ who is pure and perfect gold and they must build vpon it gold siluer and precious stones not hay not stubble not timber lest they suffer losse when the fiery triall shall come Thus the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 3 12. According to the grace of God giuen to me as a skilfull Master-builder I haue laide the foundation and another buildeth thereon but let euery one take heed how he buildeth vpon it Sometimes they are called Pastors Shepheards Eph. 4 11. Ier. 3 15. because they shold make the Sheepe of Christ to rest in greene pasture and leade them by the still waters Sometimes they are called Messengers because they are Mal 2 7. 2 Cor. 5 20 or should be Gods mouth and messengers vnto the people and in stead of God himselfe to them Should not the Embassadour deliuer the message and al the message of his Lord and Master Dare hee chop and change dare he adde or alter dare he inuent deuise any thing of his owne No he will not depart or decline from his commission but faithfully dischargeth the trust reposed in him The Ministers are the messengers of God and Embassadours of Christ and therefore it is required of them that they be found faithfull in the execution of their office Hence it is that the Prophet saith The Priests lips should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts So the Apostle speaketh Now then wee are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God All which Titles do tye vp the Minister of God to deliuer onely the message of God and do not leaue him at liberty to teach what he list Secondly to the end the faith of the hearers Reason 2 may be certaine stayed vpon the power of God not vpon the wisedom of men which is but a broken Reede a weake Pillar and a rotten foundation to beare them vp This is the reason that the Apostle Paul vseth 1 Cor. 2 after he had shewed that he spake vnto theÌ„ the wisedome of God in a mystery euen the hid wisedome which God had determined before the world vnto our glory hee giueth this reason That your faith should not be in the wisedome of men but in the power of God 1 Cor. 2 5 7. God would not haue his people left in vncertainties nor fed with chaffe nor carried about with euery winde and weather of doctrine but builded vpon a sure Rocke stand vpon a certaine foundation But there is no sound feeding for the soule but by the word which is the power of God to saluation all other foode is as dust and drauery All the fine deuices of the wit deliuered in the perswasible words of mans wisedome that tickle the outward eares and delight carnall men sauoring wholly of the flesh and not of the Spirit are no better then huskes fitter to feed swine then to nourish the sonnes and daughters of God â—o eternall life The word of God is a sharpe two edged sword 〈◊〉 1 16. 〈◊〉 4 1â— the word of man is as a leaden knife or a wooden dagger which may well threaten but cannot strike or if it strike it cannot enter The word of God is a consuming fire Ier. 5 14 and 23 29 like to God the author of it able to enflame mens hearts with a loue of God when it is beleeued the word of maÌ„ is as a painted fire which carrieth a shew but hath no substance or strength eyther to waste the stubble or to refine and purifie siluer or gold The word of God is the Lords Fan to winnow the people Math. 3 12 separating the bastardly brood of Abraham from the true sonnes venting the hypocrites from the beleeuers and scattering with the powerfull blast thereof the reprobates from the elect all other wayes means that are vsed are too weake feeble to work this separation of the chaffe from the wheat And therefore all such as are the Lords Fanners that would publish their doctrine not to please the eare but to open the doore of the conscience must vse no other instrument then this word of God which hath this force and effect Reason 3 Thirdly God will destroy those that doe
body when Nature hath any euill and vnprofitable humours that oppresse the stomack it is forced to cast them out for the preseruation of the health of other parts so should it be with vs when we perceiue the family greatly endangered by obstinate and obdurate persons Leuit. 18 25. it should vomite them out as raw and vndigested humours by timely eiection left the whole head waxe heauy and the whole body sickly and so the vital parts languish Lastly seeing it is dangerous for vs to haue Vse 4 fellowship with the wicked let vs auoid their company and flye their society as from an infectious and contagious disease This is that vse which the Scripture maketh in sundry places The Prophet Ieremy teacheth this ch 51 9. We would haue cured Babel but shee could not be healed forsake her and let vs goe euery one into his Countrey for her iudgement is come vp vnto heauen and is lifted vp to the Clouds Hereunto accordeth the exhortation of the Apostle when he had shewed that there is no concord and agreement betweene Christ and Belial he addeth Wherefore come out from among them and separate your selues saith the Lord and touch none vncleane thing and I will receiue you and I will be a Father vnto you and ye shall be my soâ—nes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6 17. We must all know that sinne is of an infectious nature no disease so infectious no sicknesse so dangerous In the time of plague and pestilence the Physitians giue these rules and receits as directions to be followed of such as would be free from danger First that men flye with al speed secondly that they flye farre enough lastly 1. Citâ— longe â—arde that they returne slowly When the ayre is once infected dangerously no remedy can be deuised to secure vs. These rules are to be applyed of vs as carefully in regard of the welfare of the soule as we are willing to practise them in regard of the health of the body The plague that breaketh out into a sore and runneth full of corruption is no more contagious and venemous then the wicked are neyther doth it more annoy the ayre then the wicked infect those places wherein they are and those persons with whom they liue This the Prophet Dauid did see and confesse which caused him at sundry times to complaine Away from me yee wicked for I will keepe the Commandements of my God Psal 119 115. For we must consider how hard it is to auoyd sinne when occasion is at hand and opportunity tempteth to sinne It is easier for the bird to passe by the net then to breake the net so it is easier for a man to auoyde tentations then to ouercome tentations It is a great deale easier to auoyde their company then to stand vpright in their company Peter thought himselfe a strong man and auouched with great boldnes that he would rather dye then deny his Master Mat. 26 35 but yet warming himselfe at Caiphas fire and thrusting himselfe into euil company was ouercome by a silly damosell to doe that which hee neuer thought euen to renounce and forsweare his Lord and Master He had made a notable confession of his faith hee had acknowledged Christ to be the Sonne of the liuing God Mat. 16 16 and that he had the words of eternall life Iohn 6 68 yet the company of euill persons foyled him Are we better then he or are we stronger then he or haue wee a greater priuiledge from falling then he This serueth to checke the folly and rashnesse of those that haunt wicked company and drunken ale-houses and yet say we are in no danger we will looke to our wayes that we offend not we can leaue such places wheÌ„ we list This is to check the word to giue Gods Spirit the lye who in euery place warneth vs of our weaknesse This presumption is the certaine fore-runner of a fall The first step that bringeth vs downe is to be puffed vp in the opinion of our owne strength as Salomon saith Prou. 16 18. Pride goeth before destruction and an high minde before the fall Likewise the Apostle putteth vs in remembrance heereof where remembring the manifold downefals of the people of Israel consumed by the pestilence stung by the serpents and destroyed by the Angel he maketh this vse Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10 12. It is a part of the armour wherewith the seruants of God are armed made able to stand in time of tentation to feare themselues and to acknowledge their owne weaknesse for thereby they are made more wary and circumspect to looke to their wayes that they offend not So it is the beginning of our ruine the first degree by which we fall to thrust our selues into places of danger and yet thinke we haue a sure footing For what calling haue we to goe into such places Or what warrant can we haue to be protected of God while wee wander out of our calling So long as wee walke in the wayes that God hath set vs in we haue a promise of his protection and wee haue comfort in the doing of our duties but when we passe the boundes and limits of our particular vocations we haue God no longer to be our defender but we lye open as a prey to the enemy to wound vs to death and to worke our confusion Wherefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel We haue seene before the sin of the people now let vs heare also the punishment Their sinne was pleasant in the beginning but it was bitter in the ending verifying the saying of the wise man Prou. 16 25. There is a way that seemeth right vnto a man but the yssues thereof are the wayes of death Hence it is that Moses sheweth in this place how the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel so soone as they fell into fornication So then furnicators and adulterers are heere remembred to be great sinners and very hurtfull and noysome vnto the people of God From hence we learne that adulterers and vncleane persons Doctrine Fornication calleth doâ— great plaguâ— iudgmenâ— draw vpon themselues and others fearefull iudgements of God I say no sinne is more strong and auayleable to call downe the plagues and punishments of almighty God vpon a people and company or vpon particular persons then fornication and vncleannesse This was the chiefe sin among others that brought the flood vpon the whol earth and destroyed all mankinde Gen. 6 1. What was it that caused the Lord to raine downe fire and brimstone vpon Sodome and Gomorrhâ— Gen. 19 25. and to ouerthrow the Cities of the Plaine and the inhabitants therof and all that grew vpon the earth but their filthy and vnnaturall lust which was growne so outragious that the sauour thereof ascended vp to heauen and the cry of their sinnes pierced the eares of God When Abimelech did in
vncleannesse and filthinesse and pursued them into their filthy stewes and brothel-houses where he thrust them both thorough reuenging the dishonour done to God the scandall laide vpon his people A worthy example for all Magistrates to follow to be sharpe seuere in punishing sinne and taking away euill out of the citty of God Thus the plague was stayed and the anger of God turned away after that iustice was executed and so many thousands at one time and for one sinne swept away But heere two questions arise which are to be discussed before we proceede any further the first touching the fact of Phinehas the second touching the number of the dead heere remembred Touching the fact of Phinehas Obiection it may be thus obiected How can it be lawfull in him being a priuate person to exceede rhe bounds and lists of his calling Hee was of the tribe of Leui and of the family of the Priests to whom it belonged not to draw the sword For as the other tribes were not appointed to the seruice of the Altar so the tribe of Leui was not called to the execution of iustice Besides there are generall rules directing all priuate men and generall Lawes restraining them from shedding of blood as he that sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed hee that smiteth with the sword shal be smitten with the sword loue your enemies and doe good to them that hate you The seruant of God must not striue but must be gentle toward all men suffering the euill and instructing them with meekenesse that be contrary minde 2. Tim. 2 25. How then can we iustify this act of Phinehas departing from these holy rules of Gods Religion I answere Answer there is a double kinde of calling an ordinary calling and an extraordiry calling the one necessarily distinguished from the other For God doth oftentimes giue vnto his seruants a new and special vocation and addeth it vnto their former function Hence it is also that some workes are ordinary and some are extraordinary Ordinary workes must be guided and directed by ordinary rules such as those are which wee haue set downe before Extraordinary workes proceede from a special motion of Gods Spirit warranting them and making them albeit going against the common rules lawful cōmendable and necessary Such was the fact of Moses smiting the Egyptian Exod. 2 12 the fact of Samuel hewing Agag in pieces 1. Sam. 15 35 the fact of Eliah slaying the Priests of Baal 1. King 18 4 the fact of the Israelites spoyling the Egyptians and such like Exod. 12 35 who had an inward motion like to the commandement giuen to Abraham to kill his sonne These actions albeit warranted to the doers Luth in Gen. cap. 29. are not to be drawne into example and imitation vnlesse we haue the inspiration of the same Spirit and therefore Christ our Sauiour answereth his Disciples that would haue called fire from heauen to consume the Samaritanes Yee know not of what spirit ye are for the Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens liues but to saue them Luk. 9 55. Now that this fact of Phinehas is of the same nature it appeareth both because the plague ceased by it and Gods wrath kindled against his people was appeased so that the action is both commended rewarded This the Spirit of God teacheth in the Psalme Phinehas stood vp and executed iudgement and the plague was staied and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse from generation to generation for euer Psalm 106 30 which is not so to be vnderstood as if he were iustified before God by this one acte because whosoeuer will bee iust by the Law is bound to keepe the whole law according to the tenour of the law Do this thou shalt liue Gal. 4 12 20. One good worke doth not serue or suffice to make a man perfectly iust and righteous in the sight of God seeing hee that continueth not in all things written in the booke of the law is accursed So then we must know that the Psalmist meaneth that this fact was lawfull and allowed For hauing set down the vengeance that Phinehas tooke vpon this adulterer and the adultresse hee preuenteth the Obiection which might be made Was not this horrible and damnable murther in him who being a priuate man had not the sword of iustice committed vnto him and being one of the Priests of the Lord was to meddle onely in matters belonging vnto God and not in ciuill things who was to draw out the censures of the church not a materiall sword to strike offenders No saith the Prophet it was not murther it was a righteous and commendable acte he beeing stirred vp by Gods Spirit inasmuch as it proceeded from faith and aymed at the glory of the great Name of God Wherefore this place is falsely alledged and peruersly wrested by the Church of Rome to ouerthrow iustification by faith alone and to establish iustification by good works For there is a double iustification one of the worke the other of the person The Prophet speaketh in that place of the iustification of the worke which albeit in the sight of men it might seeme sauage inhumane yet God did accept of it account it as a good and iust work which pleased him being done in faith which purifieth the heart Acts 15 9. He speaketh not of the iustification of his person which was by apprehending the mercy of God in Christ by beleeuing not by doing Thus the Apostle in the fourth chapter to the Romanes verses 4 5. maketh a double kinde of imputation saying To him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauor but by debt but to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is accounted for righteousnesse Thus much of the first question touching the acte of Phinehas whether it were lawfull or vnlawfull whether it were priuate reuenge or publike iustice The second Question is touching the number that dyed in this plague Obiect wherein appeareth some difference and disagreement in outward shew betweene the old Testament and the new For Moses in this place verse 9 sayeth There died foure and twenty thousand But the Apostle Paul alledging this iudgement of God mentioneth onely Three and twenty thousand 1 Cor. 10 8 subtracting one thousand from the former number which Moses added I answer some reconcile these places thus that the Scribes or Penmen fayled in copying out the books of Pauls Epistles which shold haue written foure twenty thousand where they wrote three twenty thousand But this is shifting rather then reconciling cutting the knot with a sword rather then loosing it asunder with the hand inasmuch as all the copies generally with full consent as it were with one voice agree in the former reading Others suppose and surmise that it might bee a slip of memory in the Apostle according to humane infirmity But this answer is worse then the former and these are
number and greater in waight follow after these When God sendeth the barrennesse of ground the blasting of corne the vnseasonablenesse of weather the ouerflowing of water the infection of sicknes such like scourges of his hand they are euident marks of his wrath and the very prints of his footsteppes whereby we may trace him out comming against vs to destroy vs. They are the messengers of God to cite and summon vs to answer before him for our contempt of his word and of his former threatnings When he taketh away faithfull men that feare his name especially good Princes and godly rulers it is an assured token that his wrath beginneth to be kindled and wil ouertake the remnant of the people When the head is smitten it cannot be but the rest of the body must immediately after smart for it Thus God threatneth in the Prophet Esay 3 2. 57 1. That he will take away the strong man and the man of war the Iudge and the Prophet the prudent and the aged the captaine of fifty and the honorable and the counsellor And in another place The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous are taken away from the euill to come A notable example heereof we haue in Noah and his family so soone as they were entred into the Arke and the doore of it shut vp immediately the rain fell the flood came the fountaines of the deepe were broken vp the windowes of heauen were opened the inhabitants of the earth were drowned Gen. 7 16. 19 16. When Lot and his family were brought out of Sodome and set without the City the Lord being mercifull to them The Lord rained fire and brimstone from heauen vpon the people of Sodome and Gomorrah When the godly King Iosiah was taken away that his eyes should not see all the euill which the Lord would bring vpon the land the wrath of the Lord arose against them they mocked the messengers of God despised his words and misused his Prophets and hee brought vpon them the king of the Chaldeans who slew their young men with the sword and spared neither yong man nor virgin ancient nor aged God gaue all into his hand 2 Kin. 22 20 2 Chron. 36 16. Moreouer the Lord hath other scourges which belong to the soule as when he taketh away godly Ministers with them his holy word So he threatneth by the Prophet Amos to send a Famine of his word chap. 8 11. This is a token that God will forsake that people and condemn them to death when he taketh from them the meanes and maintenance of their life These are the beginnings of greater iudgements and by them we may iudge the wrath of God to be at hād which are as a warning peece vnto that volly of the Lords Ordinance which our great sins haue caused him to mount vp against vs and he threatneth to discharge vpon vs. So then it behooueth vs not to bee dull and drowzie in marking the iudgements of God the signs of his wrath to the end we may be prepared to preuent them and to meete the Lord by vnfained repentance before they fall vpon vs. Vse 3 Thirdly it is our duty to pray vnto him and to intreate him that albeit we continually prouoke him by our sins yet that he would not fall vpon vs in his wrath nor punish vs in his sore displesure but deal with vs as a father with his children This is it which the Prophet craueth at the hands of God Psal 6 1. 38 1 2. To this purpose Ieremy speaking of the captiuity at hand prayeth thus Ier. 10 24 25. O Lord correct me but with iudgement not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing poure out thy wrath vpon the Heathen that know thee not c. If the Lord should deale with vs according to our sinnes and recompence vs according to our deseruings we were not able to stand in his sight If hee should enter into iudgement with vs no flesh should be righteous before him Wee must therefore desire him to chastise vs as a father not as a Iudge to amend vs not to destroy vs as the Prophet speaketh of his owne experience Psal 118 18. The Lord hath chastened me sore but he hath not deliuered me to death Vse 4 Lastly we must be prouoked vpon the consideration of the wrath of God full of rage iealousie moued with our sinnes to seeke to please him to forsake our iniquities and to be reconciled vnto God This is the vse which the Apostle maketh Heb. 12 28 29. Seeing we receiue a kingdome which cannot be shaken let vs haue grace whereby we may so serue God that wee may please him with reuerence feare c. So we are charged to mortifie our members which are on earth as fornication vncleannesse and such like because for such things the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience Col. 3 5 6. So then the consideration of the fiercenesse of Gods wrath must bring vs neerer vnto him and make vs obedient to his will Let vs walk in all his commandements and make conscience of all our wayes Let vs studie to please God in all things and to be fruitfull in good workes Let vs liue soberly righteously and godly in this life and shew forth the liuely fruits of him that hath called vs out of darknesse into this maruellous light that so his wrath do not ouertake vs nor his iudgements finde vs vnprepared We should alwaies liue as if wee should dye presently or the day of iudgement come immediately For what shall it profit vs to liue in all pleasures and carnall delights for a few yeares and then to suffer eternall torments What shall it auaile vs to win the world then to lose our owne fouls Matth. 16 26. Are not they more then madde men that will hazard their soules procure the heauy wrath of God for a little profit and a short pleasure Let such as wil not be drawn from their sweet sins assure themselues they shall one day pay dearly for it and taste the most bitter woes that can be conceiued when they shal be separated frō God shut out of his fauour and bee barred out of his kingdome Oh! that there were in vs wise hearts to consider these things betimes and to preuent all the iudgements of God that hang ouer our heads Let vs prepare our selues against the houre of death then which nothing is more terrible against the day of iudgement then which nothing is more horrible and against the danger of hell fire then which nothing is more intollerable the paines pangs whereof are without end without ease without remedy Verses 10 11 12 13. Then the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Phinehas the son of Eleazar hath turned mine anger away from the children of Israel c. We haue seene the zeale of Phinehas in
will teach vs to giue the glory to his name and to lift vp our hearts in thanksgiuing to him Lastly it becommeth vs to ascend as it were Vse 4 by steppes to an higher comparison from the body to the soule and from the meat that perisheth to that which endureth to euerlasting life For seeing wee vnderstand that GOD is thus carefull to feede our bodies it is much more reason that we should seeke at his hands the nourishment of our soules If we haue not this skill and consideration in vs the Fowles of the aire and the beasts of the fielde will bee witnesses against vs to condemne vs. This is the voyce of faith the other the voyce of Nature Nature is wise enough to tell vs when wee want prouision for the body but it must be the office of faith to tell vs when wee want food for the soule Wee are ready to cry out oftentimes What shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we be cloathed Mat. 6. but few feele the wants of their soules though they be like to perish and pine away wherefore our Sauiour teacheth vs Matth. chapter 6. verse 33. First of all to seeke the Kingdome of God and then all other things shall bee ministred vnto vs. 57 And these are they that were numbred of the Leuites after their families of Gershon c. 58 These are the families of the Leuites the family of the Libnites and the family of the Hebronites c. 59 And the name of Amrams wife c. 60 And vnto Aaron was borne Nadab Abihu Eleazar and Ishamar 61 And Nadab and Abihu dyed when they offered strange fire before the Lord. Wee haue here the third and last part of the chapter touching the numbering of the Leuites apart by themselues branched out into three principall families but specially Aaron is insisted vpon to whom the Priesthood was giuen who is described both by his parents and by his posterity and among his posterity Moses againe singleth out the fact of Nadab Abihu who died when they offered strange fire before the Lord. And albeit we haue spoken of this before chap. 3 4. yet being offered again let vs consider better of it For whereas God commanded fire to bee duely and diligently kept alwaies burning vpon the Altar wherewith the sacrifices were to be consumed and must neuer be suffered to go out Leuit. 6 9 12 13. they presumed to offer sacrifice with strange fire and therefore dyed before their father for as well they might haue taken a strange beast as a strange fire the one beeing no lesse forbidden thē the other Wherby we see the euil persons are cut off betimes 1 Chro. 24.1 2 and are not suffered to liue out halfe their dayes This heauenly fire which GOD sent to consume his sacrifices was brought into the Temple built by Salomon and there it continued from one generation to another vntill the destruction of the Temple and the City The 2. booke of Macchab. not Canonical True it is the author of the second book of Macchabees telleth vs a tale that when Nehemias had builded the Temple and the Altar he offered sacrifice with this fire for when tht Fathers were ledde into Persia the Priests that were deuout tooke the fire of the Altar priuily and hid it in an hollow place of a pit without water where they kept it sure so that the place was vnknowne to all men wherefore he sent for the posterity of those Priests that had hid it howbeit they could finde no fire but thicke water which being sprinkled vpon the wood and sacrifice there arose a great fire so that euery man that saw it maruelled 2 Maccha 1 18 19 20 21 22. Wher we see two things are coupled together the building of the Temple and Altar by Nehemiah and the sending of fire from heauen by God these may well bee ioyned the one being as true as the other But it is plaine by the whole Scripture that Nehemiah builded not the Temple if we shal consider the circumstances either of the persons or of the time or of the place For the Altar was builded by Zerubbabel and Ioshua in the reigne of Cyrus so soone as by his proclamation they returned from the captiuity of Babylon to wit the seuenth moneth after Ezra 3. And touching the Temple though the foundation beganne to be laide while Cyrus himselfe yet liued yet it was not ended finished before the sixt yeare of the reigne of Darius Nothus Ezra 6 which was many years after Iohn 2 20. But Nehemiah was then in Babylon and not yet come to Ierusalem forasmuch as hee obtained leaue of the king of Persia to go thither in the 20. year of Artaxerxes Mnemon the successor of this Darius Ezr. 4. 7. Neh. 1 2 by which computation of time it will appeare that the Altar was builded an hundred yeares and more and the Temple finished at the least 30. yeares before the comming of Nehemiah so that the author of this second booke of Macchabees is not a little deceyued in his Chronology and discouereth that he wrote by a meere humane spirit according to his owne confession in the shutting vp of the booke wherein hee craueth pardon for his slips and ouersights 2 Ma. 15 38 3◠we see there was great need he shold do so Now from the former premisses I reason thus This fire discouered to Nehemiah was kindled of God when he had builded the Temple and the Altar But he neuer builded the Temple and the Altar Therefore this fire was neuer kindled of God Againe the author of that booke testifyeth that after Nehemiah had receyued this fire from God the king of Persia built a Temple vnto it but wee may truly affirme hee neuer built any such Temple forasmuch as the Iewes neyther had neyther indeed might haue any other Temple then one and that at Ierusalem before the comming of the Messiah which the Lord had chosen to put his name there It might be that the kings of Persia that king in particular might builde a Temple to fire which they worshipped as God howbeit this is spoken by way of supposition and hath no relation to the fire here spoken off Neyther can this be vnderstood of the Tēple at Ierusalem but must be referred to some other built elswhere if haply any were built at all For it is sayde that after the Temple and Altar were builded and Nehemiah had offered sacrifice this came to the eares of the king of Persia and then hee commanded this supposed Temple to be erected Againe Nehemiah expressing his iourny vp to Ierusalem and comming to the sepulchers of his fathers maketh no mention of the finding of any such fire which no doubt he wold haue done if any such had beene offered vnto them For he reporteth many sundry things done by him in that booke hee mentioneth their offering of sacrifices with great ioy and gladnes chap.
more to the heaps of their other wickednesse Sixtly theyr estate or ability what theyr lands or liuings bee what goods and substance they haue where their dwelling and abode is whether they haue any thing to lose and bee able to make satisfaction if happely they be found tainted For beggers and bankrout strangers and straglers vnknowne and vntryed may soone bee brought to lift at an oth for a little money and for hope of gain and the party grieued and abused by theyr falsehood and forgery shall purchase theyr eares when they are in the pillery at a deare rate if he list to sue at the Law for them Lastly theyr faith or religon is of speciall consideration because that is the bond of all good order If they feare God and regard theyr conscience there is no feare of them we need make no scruple of conscience to allow of them For infidels Turkes heretiques or vnbeleeuers make little account to renounce sell Christ and the Christian faith which they doe not beleeue fot a small gaine and aduantage Neuerthelesse the Gentiles themselues did put such religion in othes if they had sworne solemnely by their false gods that they feared vengeance to fall vpon them Iuuen. satyr 8. if they did breake them Thus wee haue seene what witnesses ought to bee now let vs see how they offend when they are such as they ought not to be For no man must thinke it a small offence to wrest iudgment and to be a false witnes A false witnes offendeth sixe wayes inasmuch as they offend against God against the truth against the Iudge against the person accused against the commonwealth and against themselues First of all they sinne against GOD himselfe who is the Author of truth and the President of iudgment seates for they feare not to lye shamelesly to his face and to pollute and defile his Tribunall they despise and contemne his Law and call vpon him to be a witnesse of falsehood Secondly they do offend against the truth which is that onely light wherein the knowledge of things consisteth this they go about to darken with theyr lyes and to hide it from the sight of men as they that couer a candle vnder a bushell or like to theeues that cannot abide the light but put it out that neyther they nor their doings may be espied Thirdly they transgresse against the Iudge who pronounceth sentence according to the words of the witnesses and maketh their depositions as a rule to guide and direct him It is a common thing for the Iudge to erre and to go astray Phil. Bosquieri theatrum patie p. 280 being seduced and deceiued by their falsehood pronouncing with his mouth sealing with his hand and striking with his sword otherwise then it ought to be who ought to be the instrument the oracle and the interpreter of God Fourthly against such as are accused and brought to iudgment whether they be guilty or not guilty If they be guilty and bee acquitted and discharged by them they free them from punishment which might bee a good meanes to doe them good when they should receiue according to their deserts and besides they encourage them in euill because to escape without punishment inflameth them with a desire to continue in euill If they bee not guilty they are wronged and oppressed by their false testimonie eyther in their life or in their goods or in their name or in such like earthly blessings Wilh Zepper de leg Mosaic lib. 5 cap. 7. For whatsoeuer is taken from the condemned person by sentence of the Iudge is all done by the fault of the false witnesse If life be taken from him he is the murtherer if he lose any of his goods hee is the theefe if his good name be impaired he is the slanderer Fiftly against the common-wealth because the end of iudgments and of the courts of iustice is not attayned to wit the peace and tranquillity of the people For wherefore serue so many places and seates of iudgment but that wee should leade a peaceable and a quiet life The end of warre is said to be peace so the end of suites is that we should not sue Now this great and precious iewell of peace is wronged and wrested when the Iudge following the rule of the witnesses and iudging according to things alledged and proued doth condemne the innocent and absolue the guilty person For as hee is iniurious against my body that cutteth off a sound arme or leg so is he against the citty which casteth way a good and profitable citizen Again as he is hurtfull to my body that doth not cut off a rotten member or perswade the Surgeon to cut it or to burne it when need requireth because the sound members that remain are endangered thereby so likewise he that moueth or perswadeth the Iudge to acquit a guilty person who is no better to the common-wealth then a rotten member is to the body is an enemy to the state and iniurious to the body politicke Lastly against himselfe False witnesses doe hurt themselues most of all because he depriueth himselfe of all blessings belonging to soule and body The Lord professeth himselfe to bee a sharpe and speedy Iudge against those that sweare falsely Zach. 5 4. Mal. 3.5 Hence it is that Salomon sayth A false witnes shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh lyes shall not escape Prou. 19 5.9 and chapt 25 18 A man that beareth false witnes against his neighbour is a maule and a sword and a sharpe arrow to wit not onely toward his brother but striking piercing wounding and hurting himselfe It is the part of an enuious person to pull out both his owne eyes to put out one of his neighbours but such are all false witnesses they annoy themselues in soule and body that they may hurt the body onely of their brother So then a false witnes doth hurt himselfe more then he doth another or can do He may by his false testimony take away his goods or his life or his name and this is all when in the meane season he destroyeth and damneth his owne soule and casteth it into hel fire there to be tormented with the diuell and his angels CHAP. XXXVI 1 ANd the chiefe fathers of the families of the children of Gilead the sonne of Machir the sonne of Manasseh of the families of the sonnes of Ioseph came neere and spake before Moses and before the Princes the chiefe fathers of the children of Israel 2 And they said The Lord commanded my Lord to giue the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel and my Lord was commanded by the Lord to giue the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother vnto his daughters 3 And if they be married to any of the sonnes of the other tribes of the children of Israel then shall their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers and shall be put to the inheritance of the tribe