contemptible creature Thus God hath done oft-times he punished the Egyptians afterwards by lyce the poorest and basest creature of all So he punished Herod by wormes hee that was so proud that he entertained the applause of the paraziticall people The voyce of God and not of man And we read of a Bishop in the Ecclesiasticall story that was punished by rats after he had called the poore people rats and mice So that insolent Pope Adrian the fourth our Country-man God used no other thing to take him away but a flye to choke him Poore things God hath to humble great men of the world and to take downe their pride This the Apostle hath 1 Cor. 1.27 God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mighty and foolish things to confound the wise and base and meane things and things that are not to bring to nought things that are Things that are of no name nor number among the sonnes of men God hath chosen to controll the great men of the world that thinke it an honour to them to fight against God You see how contemptuously and scornfully Goliah looks on David Come and I will give thy flesh unto the fowles of the aire and unto the beasts of the field Yet God ordained that poore stripling to strike downe that great monster and so he did to the honour of God and to the rescuing of the glory and Israel of God Therefore whensoever God laies shame and disgrace on us and punisheth us by creatures that we contemne and scorne reflect on the pride of thy heart that is the reason that God hath inflicted it to abate thy pride the more base the punishment is the more is thy pride that God useth that to bring thee downe The more lofty a mans thoughts be the more base shall the meanes of his humiliation be Secondly Calvin gives another reason why God sent frogs that Pharaoh and his people might understand that all this while they led their lives and enjoyed the latitude of their health and livelihood by Gods meer favour That though they contemned him or at least did not thinke of him yet they should know that he was the God of all the world and that it was he that preserved them all the while for Egypt being a place of a puddle and a standing poole and Nylus but a lake it was apt to breed frogs And there being so much water and innundations and such slime left it might breed frogs in abundance there might be abundance before But God restrained that fertile Country of frogs so that all this while they were not chastised by this judgement they might acknowledge that from God they received this immunity And certainly It is a great mercy for men to be free from the calamity of brute creatures It is a great mercy of God we must acknowledge it his worke and blessing that we are kept free from them For when man was fallen he did not only make God his enemy but every creature that every creature is ready to take the part of God against man for sinne and would fall upon man to revenge the wrath of God but only God restraines them Therefore you shall sinde among the judgements that God threatneth against wicked men Ezek. 14.21 Hee threatneth them with be ests wilde and noysome that they should come and doe mischiefe to the people as well as the plague and famine and sword So we finde it promised as a blessing Iob 5.23 The man that feareth God shall be at peace with the beasts of the field And Hos 2.18 I will make for them a covenant with the beasts of the field and with the fowles of the heaven and with the very creeping things of the earth As if he should say they will not be at peace with those that are sinfull except I restraine them and keep them in or else they will be sure to shew their wrath against man for his disobedience against God It is Gods restraining that keeps them in that else would flye upon man for sinne The Lion devoured not the Asse that devoured the Prophet God would have him goe no further but restrained him from killing him that he was as apt to fall on as the man Therefore in the dangers that we escape from beasts and brute creatures let us give praise to God For as St. Austen said He thanked God not only for the sinnes that he had remitted but those sinnes that he had kept him from So I tell thee we are bound to thanke God for privative favours I meane not only for those afflictions that we are delivered out of but those crosses and calamities that we are kept from that come not into the conceit of a great number of you when you have armed all the creatures against you by your sinnes and yet you go on free and they doe not that that they would but God restraines them You thinke it is no mercy But we must acknowledge Gods goodnesse and favour that he keeps in the creature that else would revenge him give the glory to God How oft have you knowne people some goared with Oxen some killed with Horses some stung with Serpents some torne by Dogs Why hath not all this fallen upon you or me Is it not Gods mercy That the frogs did not doe this to Egypt before was it not Gods mercy And that these creatures are kept from us is it not Gods favour Therefore if others be slaine and touched and smitten let us keep a Passeover let us give glory to God in whom we live move and have our being and let us live to his glory and according to his commandements without whom we cannot live one moment THE SECOND SERMON Vpon EXOD. CHAP. 8. VERS 2.3 I will smite all thy borders with frogs And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly which shall come up into thine house and into thy bed-chamber and upon thy bed c. NOw we come to the amplification of this judgement First from the generality of it in regard both of the persons and the place the King and the Subjects The bed-chamber as well as the common roomes the pastrie and kneading trough as well as other utinsells Secondly from the place from which this mischiefe should come from the River Thirdly from the manner the noysomnesse and irksomnesse of it they should crawle and creep upon them in that manner as was fearfull to behold These things being woven one within another I will not tye my selfe to this strict method I have laid downe but I will gather observations as I goe along and as the clauses present themselves and I will begin where I left It is said here I will smite all thy borders with frogs It is well knowne that Egypt is a large place and full of inhabitants All places and persons that were in Egypt God threatned to smite with this judgement yet you shall finde that Pharaoh was the maine offender it was he that used
submit to the government of the Shepherd That as Justinian the Emperour saith there may be a sweet harmonie between Prince and people that no string may be too high or too low that is the best musique in the eares of God If Pharaoh desire for his people how should they beg of God in the behalfe of their Soverain Paul when he wisheth that Prayers should be made for all men in the first place he puts Kings And it was the practise of holy people of God in former time Cyprian when they were charged with some rebellion We are far from that we wish well to the King saith he And his Master before him for so he calls Tertullian he professeth concerning the Christians that they begged of God in the behalfe of the Emperour they desired long life a secure regiment and reigne a safe house worthy Counsellors strong and valiant Souldiers c. Let not this be forgotten by us we are too defective in this many of us pray in private for our selves but when doe we remember our Governours O the light of our eyes and the breath of ournostrills is deprived of our prayers If it be a sin to forget a naturall father certainly it is no lesse to forget our politicall father The next thing to be observed which is the second generall is the promise that he makes I will let the people goe I will but touch one thing and so conclude you see here that now he cannot get from under the judgement what evapourates from him he will let the people goe that they may sacrifice If god reserve us God willing we shall observe that he did flie off from this But in the meane time somewhat he saith and promiseth and It is no strange thing that the worst of men have good motions sometimes This Pharaoh saith another time I have sinned And the sorcerers say after It is the finger of God And Balaam saith Let me die the death of the righteous Num. 23. And Saul may say he hath sinned and Ahab may humble himselfe and Felix may sometimes tremble and Agrippa will cry out he is almost made a Christian by Paul And it was never known of the most desperate adulterers the most bloudy men or oppressors or excessive persons but some time or other they did thinke ill of their own courses and did think that another way was better and it may be have had motions and resolutions tending to reformation The ground is the light that God puts into the consciences and the power that he hath indued it with that will sometimes put a man in minde of his abberations from the right way that this is not the course hee should take Again there is a generall illumination in the world that enlightens every man by this they come to have some notions But as Bernard saith in another case they come in frequently and passe away as speedily They are like the morning dew or the morning cloud soon dissipated not so good as Ephraims cake that was halfe baked they are soon gone as Tertullian saith of the flower it is a thing to look on and breath on and smell to and it is gone So it is with these motions of the wicked they passe away as smoke Therefore for the use of it Let us not be confident of the motions and flashes of the wicked unlesse they persist and continue in them there is little hope Nay let us not please our selves for motions that are like flashings of lightning in the soule they are not worth the talking of When motions come that are good cherish them keep them on foot that they may be actuated and perfected Thus God would have us to doe it is a sparke of the divine fire therefore the Lord would have it blown till it come to a flame If at any time we finde it dying as like enough the dear Saints of God may doe we must stir it up and excite the grace of God by the use of the Ordinances of God as the Apostle speaks And likewife by reflecting upon our many omissions and neglects and it may be suppression of motions by the consâ—â—â—â—â—tion of the fearfull account we must give one day for these neglects stir it up and keep it fresh and by the blessing of God there may come great matters That that is now a sparke may be a flame that that is like a cloud no bigger then a hand it may after mask the whole heavens That that is now as a grain of mustard seed it may be a great tree wherein the fowles of the air may make their nests Of all take heed of quenching and suppressing this Spirit of puting it out and that is done by wilfull grosse sins When God gives good motions if men would cherish them and keep them alive there might be much good in them but when they run into foul sins that waste conscience the graces of God die and all good motions are as far to seek as if they never had been This will add to a mans judgment when God shall put these things in his heart and he by untimely frosts nipps them in the bud whereas if he would cherish them they would come to great perfection and improvement THE EIGHTH SERMON Vpon EXOD. CHAP. 8. VERS 8.9 And I will let the people goe that they may doe sacrifice unto the Lord. And Moses said unto Pharaoh Glory over me when shall I intreat for thee and for thy servants and for thy people c. THere is one thing that remaines of the eighth Verse remaining that I will speedily dispatch and so go on Pharaoh saith here I will let them goe that they may sacrifice to the Lord. Ubi potentiae Ubi superbiae saith one upon my Text. How now Pharaoh what is become of thy power what is become of thy pride not long since thou wast in thy ruffe and said Who is the Lord that I should seare him or let Israel goe Thou wert so farre from dismissing them that thou eldst more intensively hate them and multiply their sorrowes Thou didst contemne Moses and Aaron that came with a Commission from God and now behold thou art under a judgement and knowest not how to extricate thy selfe from this perplexitie now thou wilt let the people goe now thou acknowledgest God now thou suest to Moses and Aaron now thou art glad to dismisse the people Even thus it was and in that it was thus my observation must bee concerning The necessitie of afflictions All faire meanes would do no good with this man God was faine to take the rod in his hand and then wee see the issue so great is the necessitie of afflictions And it drives at divers things First afflictions make a man see his sinnes as wee see in the brethren of Joseph Gen. 41.21 In their trouble in Egypt they reflect upon their unnaturalnesse to their brother they confesse that the cause of this trouble and distresse was because they did not hearken to
command them to ascend So the Septuagint is Fetch thou them forth We must acknowledge the power of God to be infinite Yet observe The workes that are his owne he attributes to men Aaron is said to bring them The bringing of Israel out of Egypt it was the worke of God with a mighty Arme none but God could doe it He assumes it oft-times I am the Lord that brought thee out of the land of Egypt So those holy people acknowledged Nehemiah and Daniel O God that broughtest us out of Egypt Yet this act is attributed to Moses and Aaron So God saith to Gedeon Iud. 6. Goe and deliver Israel yet it was God that must doe it So it is said of Samson and Shamger and Othoneele and Samuel that they delivered Israel And God saith to Moses Sanctifie to me the people against the third day yet God must sanctifie them So we see in the New Testament that conversion is attributed to Ministers and remission of sinnes Whose sinnes ye remit are remitted Nay and the saving of men 1 Tim. 4.11 This is the honour of Gods Saints God not only useth them but attributes to them what is done To arm them against discouragements though many things obstaculous to them lye in the way and confront them and be impediments to them yet let them be comforted in this the issue and effect that is wrought God will please to honour them with it he will part with some of his owne to give them he will put a splendour on Moses and make him glorious in the eyes of all the people God is content to give Iehu honour The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon Though indeed we must take heed if we be sensible of the honour that God puts upon men when he imployes them that we doe nothing to diminish the glory of God The Devill is so subtle and the corruption of mans heart is so great that he desires praise to himselfe So that oft-times the chiefe Lord suffers by the unfaithfulnesse of his Steward Let us take heed if God honour us for doing good things by him assume not so much to our selves whereby Gods glory may be diminished Let me apply it to those of the Church God hath honoured them exceedingly that he hath made them fellow workers with himselfe to dispense the great mysteries of the Kingdome And it is the observation of Chrysostome when the Prodigall returned the father doth not bid him goe to the wardrobe and take the best robe but he said to the servants Goe and fetch it He would have the servants imployed for the benefit of the sonne that the meanes might be brought in credit That shewes how much the world is beholding to the Ministers of the Word We are co-workers with God which as it may comfort us for the present so it shall adde to our crowne afterward But let us take heed that we give the glory to God and not take to our selves any thing that may diminish Gods honour Let us be of the spirit of Paul I laboured more then all yet not I but the grace of God in me Saith Austen Nos mandamus c. we do not give the increase we doe but helpe and this that we can helpe is not of our selves but the grace of God Paul may plant and Apollo may water but it is God that must give the increase Not unto us not unto us but to thy Name be the praise given So should be the speech of every one We are Stars but we are Stars in the right hand of our Blessed Lord and he is the Sun of righteousnesse So we have it by derivation from him we shine in a borrowed light Secondly for people since God hath advanced Ministers know the necessity of their calling though God made you without them he will not save you without them Know that you must reverence them for their workes sake Shew your respect by doing that which is commanded for therein lyes the especiall respect to a Minister when that is practised that he teacheth In the last place since God reckons things done by his servants as theirs when he doth it Let all people that doe any thing for God take heed of stroaking their owne heads It is the errour of Rome in doctrine and in practise they make mens good works meritorious and make themselves saviours When we have done all we can we are unprofitable and God workes all good things in us and all our works for us That as Austen saith It is certaine O God he that reckons up his owne merits what doth he reckon but thy gifts We may have comfort and contentment in our consciences and may glory in those things that God hath given us in the temptations of Satan but let us not ascribe that to our selves that belongs to God for God begins the worke and perfects it to his owne praise So much for that Now we come to the execution Aaron did so and upon the doing of it there came an innumerable company of frogs that covered Egypt here observe The wonderfull power of God how speedily and easily and at what a distance he can worke Aaron no sooner stretcheth forth his rod but this was done he doth it speedily And hee doth but stretch out the rod and all these creatures come abundantly And he doth but put forth the rod toward the river Saith Tostatus he was now in the Court of Pharaoh yet all this was done therefore he workes at a great distance Thus is the power of God remarkable in working quickly and easily and at a great distance I will not stand long on these things because in many passages we meet with it God at the first made the world and with a word He spake the word and all was made Therefore those Epicures and Atheists that aske what ladder and engine he had to raise this goodly frame they may be answered by that in the Psalme He made them by his word For as he speakes in his workes The heavens declare the glory of God so he works in his speeches Nay the very will of God not only his word but his will I will be thou cleane not only speake the word and my servant shall be whole but I will How soone and how easily and at what a distance did the Lord destroy the Army of Pharaoh in the red Sea Exod. 14. So I might tell you of Sodome Saith Tully the heathen God can doe all things without labour and defatigation Saith the old Poet All things are easie to God he knowes how to worke when he sits still Therefore for the Use of it in a word Let us stand in awe of God if the Lord can so easily and quickly and speedily and at such a distance worke it is in vaine to contend and strive against his power God doth not need to fetch an Army of men to overthrow poore sinners he can doe it by frogs by the least creatures by his word he can drowne the
them from judgement Psal 76.12 Saith David there God will be terrible to the Princes of the earth And Psal 82. Te shall dye as men and fall as one of the Princes We have instances enow of this in Scripture Abimelech sinned and was punished a great Prince So Adonnibezeck So likewise another Abimelech was slaine by a piece of a milstone Iudg. 9. So we read of Ahab and Saul and Iezebel great Princes mighty in their times We finde it in Sennacherib that came against Ierusalem with such as hoast a great Commander And Nebuchadnezzar that walked upon his Babel he had a great and large command a great latitude of dominions So in the third Herod and all those persecuters of the Church that as wilde Bores of the Wood laboured to roote out the Vineyard of God Beloved if there were no more that we did meet with of God making them the objects of his judgements then that they sicken and dye it were no great thing For surely they consist of the same principles that other inferiour persons doe When Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar Live for ever he meant another life for in regard of his temporall life he knew he was like his Image though the head were of gold the feet were of clay Surely as they consist of soule and body as well as others they have no stronger tyes and ligaments to keepe soule and body together then meaner men they have no more power over their breath then other men they are subject to sicknesse and casualties But wee speake of them as they are the objects of Gods displeasure What may be the ground of this that those who are so great in the world that the Lord should get the conquest over them and make them instances of his wrath There may be divers reasons given of it First their sinne and not simply their sinne but as their persons are advanced so usually their sinnes are of the first magnitude Those that are great sinne with a high hand they thinke they may sinne with priviledge And they are apt to heare parasiticall flatterers as Alexander had that what likes them they may doe As Iulia told Bashiana It was for them to give lawes and not to take them Therefore the Lord meets with them to humble the proud to pull downe these arrogant ones as in Iob 40. He pulls downe the mighty from their seat As it was with Pharaoh here that was in his ruffe before Who is the Lord But now hee findes a God higher then hee Secondly Princes and great persons are usually exempted from the reproofe of men As for the Lawes oft-times they are as cobwebs the great flyes breake through them who dares say to a Prince Thou art wicked Nay one saith concerning the Pope it is not lawfull to say Why doth he so Now when they are not within the compasse of humane reproofe God strikes them In Levit. 20. when the people winke at such offences Then will I set my face against him and cut him off saith the Lord he will take the matter into his owne hands Thirdly the punishment of great persons makes more for the glory of God for the greater the instances of Gods judgements be the more remarkable is his justice the more legible characters are read in the world of his impartiality Therefore in Rom. 9.17 it is said concerning Pharaoh I have set thee up that I might magnifie my power and that my name might be knowne to the ends of the earth He set him up as he would sinne so he made him an instance remarkable of his displeasure that all the world might feare and tremble And indeed it went farre and neare for the Priests of the Philistines when they consulted about the Arke saith 1 Samuel 6. Harden not your hearts as Pharaoh and the Egyptians did For the Use of it it should teach all great ones in the world to be wise to kisse the Sonne last he be angry and so they perish from the right way I know they are apt to know their eminency Herod can easily entertaine the voyce of the people The voyce of a God and not of a man And the stomach of the Pope is not so squemish but he can digest that speech Thou art another God on earth But they shall know that if they use their power to injustice and doe that that is dishonourable to the Prince of Princes the Lord of Lords the hand of God will be upon them as well as upon the meanest subject Nay the more mighty they are the more grievously they shall be afflicted and though they be Gods before men yet they are but men before God Let the Lord put them in the ballance and sinde them too light He will blow them away with the breath of his displeasure Certainly he will get him honour by the confusion of those that stand up in contumacy against him To the greatest of them all it may be said as it is Hest 4.13 Thinkest thou to escape though thou be in the Kings house more then the rest of the Iewes So may I say If thou be a Monarch of the whole earth if thou irritate Gods displeasure thinkest thou to escape I will build my nest in the mountaines saith the Edomite who shall pull me downe He that sits in heaven shall laugh thee to scorne He bindeth Kings in chaines and Robles in fetters of Iron He that threw downe Lucifer from being a Prince of light so he shall serve thee In the second place it should teach men of inferiour condition and yet have something to beare themselves out with in the world Be not proud though thou have wealth it may be honour above thy brethren and art as Saul higher by the head then thy fellowes presume not too much thinke not to be free from judgements if thou offend For if thou wouldest give ten thousand rams and a thousand rivers of oyle the fruit of thy body for the sinne of thy soule it will not doe Riches availe not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse delivereth from death Prov. 11.14 Here an under officer or Sheriffe may bee feed to forbeare the execution of his office but it is not so with the arrest of God If God say to the rich foole This night shall they take away thy soule the Subpaena will not be answered but with his appearance if hee would give all his full barnes to be released Thirdly it is an item to all to admire Gods justice and impartiality and equity that sinites the tall Cedars as well as the low shrubs and thistles Should God avenge himself upon the common people that are called Cursed and connive at the sinnes of Princes there might bee some cause of wonder but when God shall punish one as well as another who shall dare to say but his wayes are equall Fourthly stand in awe to please him if hee punish Princes he will pesants if he smite the high Towers he will the inferiour Zeph. 1.8
end of all our doings wee confirme the seale of our ministery Thirdly we are instruments of doing the greatest good in the world of converting of soules Lastly we procure to our selves the hope of eternall glory for those that turne others shall shine Therefore give us leave to say as John saith We have no greater joy then to see our Children walke in the truth And to say as Paul saith Yee are our crowne and our glory and our joy Therefore in the name of God even for his sake and for your owne soules sake and for the comfort of those that are imployed among you and that take paines in the word and doctrine doe not make the hearts of Gods messengers sad Give them not cause with Jeremiah to desire to lodg in a garden of Cowcumbers to wish that they had never seene your faces because of your improfitablenesse But commend their labours to God by your fruitfulnesse and carry your selves so that they may give account with joy and not with sorrow so much for that Now for the words Glory over me when shall I pray The words in the originall Behoth pergnali glorifie thy selfe upon me expositors are very various in laying out the meaning of these words Glory over me Shall wee take it in this sense as if it were an ejaculation of Moses or a kind of exclamation of this man O the glory that God hath put upon me here is glory upon mee indeed that this great King this proud Tyrant should sue to me and intreat hee that poured contempt upon mee before and for my sake vexed the people of God the more that now hee should intreat O what an honour and glory is over me Surely beloved Peter speaks of a spirit of glory resting on Gods Children and it shines in this that the very wicked sometimes petition to the godly Remember the instances I gave the last day What an honour was it to Isaac to bee sought unto by the Philistins that hated him before What an honour was it to Joseph that all his brethrens sheafes should bow to his according to the presage of his dreame and that he must nourish them that maliced him What an honour was it to David that Saul should desire his favour when he had him in the cave and gave a pregnant instance of his loyaltie What an honour was it to the Prophet that Jeroboam should sue to him to restore his arme And to Job that his friends that were so deeply uncharitable in censuring him must be beholding to him for his intercession Surely whensoever Gods people take knowledg in it they are bound to magnifie God for this great favour But the words will not indure this sense for both the Conjugation and the Mood wherein they are used will not admit it Therefore wee must seeke another sense Glory over me Reverend Calvin takes them by way of Antithesis in this manner as if he should say Thou hast little reason to glory in the Magitians they abuse thee with showes but now it comes to the removall of the plague they cannot helpe thee I make no question but thou hast found how waine they are Glory over me that is in my help for I am able if thou wilt heare the motion that I make I will remove this from thee The Wicked are no securitie to a man the godly must help Well may they be fuell to the fire but never able to quench the flame Hee were a mad man that to secure himselfe from the Fire would pile a many Billets betweene him and the flame such are the wicked No in the day of trouble and vexation one Moses to stand in the gap is worth a thousand of others Ten men in Sodome would have saved those Cities from that conflagration Nay Lot bayled them all the time hee was in it One man should save a Citie One Micaiah is worth foure hundred false prophets There is a third sense that is commonly hearkned unto and I listen to it Glory over me That is take thou the glory of appointing the time when I shall pray Though it be true that I that thou suest to to remove the plague should have my owne time yet take thou the glory to appoint the time and I will doe it That I take to be the full sense and meaning of the phrase Now it will be demanded why Moses did gratifie Pharaoh thus farre that he should appoint the time when the judgement of God should be removed why he was so favourable in this particular divers reasons may be given of it and each of them will yeeld an observation First Moses well weighed that Pharaoh might have a conceite having heard that Moses was learned in all the learning of the Egyptians that he might work by constellations and other Astrologicall practises hee might take advantage of the position and aspects of the planets and presently doe it and so gull Pharaoh with naturall causes and make him beleeve it was a supernaturall miracle Because Moses conceived this might be in Pharaohs imagination hee gives him leave to prescribe his owne time This hath ever been the care of Gods people and instruments for the greater glory of God ever to doe their works after that manner that they might bee free from exception That it might not be imputed to naturall causes but that the vertue and power of God supernaturally might ever be acknowledged Marke it in some instances When Eliah was to confound the Priests of Baal hee caused the sacrifice to bee put upon the Altar hee caused the wood to be layed and when he had done he caused foure barrells of water to be cast upon the wood and the sacrifice the first second and third time and when he had done hee caused a great trench or ditch about to bee filled with water All these things served to make it improbable that ever fire should come to consume it unlesse it were brought by the hand of man hee did it on purpose that they might see the worke of God and so they acknowledged when the fire came to consume the wood and the sacrifice and to lick up all the water in the trench in so much that the people being absolutely satisfied cried out The Lord he is God the Lord he is God The like we see in the proceeding of Elisha with Naaman the Assyrian when Naaman came to be cured of his Leprosie Hee did not speak with him hee did not come out and lay his hand on the sore as Naaman expected why This might have lessened the glory of the Miracle hee would have imputed it to connaturall causes to some vertue or skill in him but when he sends him word Go and wash in such a place and never saw him nor spake to him he must needs acknowledg it to be a miracle The like wee see in the works of Christ in the Gospel how he freed them from all exception and just question in the world When he was to turne the
water into wine at the marriage he did it not presently he stayed till all the wine was spent and there was generall notice almost taken of the defect of it then he causeth the water pots to be filled with water and bids the men draw and carry to the governour all these seemed to set back the worke but they set it forward for it caused all men to magnifie it and acknowledge it to be the immediate power of God So he dealt with the man at Bethesda all the people took notice of him he was a man that had been 38. years together and would faine have been put into the poole but he had never a friend to help him you see what Christ did he did but onely speak to him and so many of them acknowledged the wonderfull power of God So that man that was cured of his blindnesse John 9. our blessed Saviour was pleased to pitch upon a person that all the world took notice of and none could cure him he was borne blind So the man at the Beautifull gate Act. 3. there was a work wrought on him that was free from all exception therefore the Elders and the high Priests they confessed that not onely it was a great work but a miracle a great miracle and there was no exception against it Thus Gods people in all times labour to do their works that may be free from all exception and prejudice I would to God it might be so with us that in all the works that we do we might be free from all carnalitie and self-respects For the devillalies in the wind and puts into the hearts of those that are his own to take exception at any thing that is done well in the world If they do good works it is out of hypocrisie will he say or vain glory or respect to a mans owne profit Thus they slander godly peoples practise Therefore let us have a care to doe our works so as they may be free from all just exception Let us bee carefull to doe them in integritie of heart to approve our hearts to God Almighty and that will beare us out against all mens exceptions Art thou to doe a worke of charity and the devill will slander thee for vain glory shun the applause of the world spite the devill in that Againe doth the devill say thou makest charitie a matter of profit from men Make them the objects of thy charity that are notable to recompence thee as Christ saith that the world may say it is not a benefit put out to interest but make it a work of mercy Againe doth the devill slander thee that in the works of God thou doest them that God may prosper thee in thy basket and in thy store Make the devill a lier serve God in adversitie as well as in prosperitie So Job the devill slandered him so doth Job serve God for nought Therefore let us do as that holy man did when God frowned on him he served him and was patient under that hand of God that lay on him So much of the first reason A second is this Moses might thinke that Pharaoh might hold it for an advantage to prescribe the time He might think surely I shall now distresse Moses and put him by that he thinks of he thinks he shall presently go upon it no I will do what I can to hinder his thoughts and purpose he shall doe it in my time Pharaoh might thinke this an advantage to himself Moses is willing to yeeld that he might see he was able to do it And God sometimes gives advantage to the wicked that his own glory might be the greater A man would thinke there was a great advantage against the people of God Judg. 7. when the Army of Gedeon was defalked from 32000. to 300. and the other did lie as Grashoppers upon the earth yet you see what was the issue the barley cake that tumbled down as the man had it in his dreame overthrew the Tents of Midian God was willing they should have the advantage in regard of provision and number yet you see what became of it Was it not a great advantage that Saul had against David when hee required an hundred foreskins of the Philistines for a dowry with his daughter he thought it a great advantage and would puzzle him exceedingly thought hee is it not more probable that one David should die then a 100. Philistines yet you see for all this advantage David comes off with honour and in stead of an hundred hee gives him two hundred Was there not a great advantage on the part of Goliah against David I all Israel thought so for the very presence of that uncircumcised monster did worke terrour in their hearts and palenesse in their faces Was it not a great advantage he was tall and as the sonnes of Anak and David was a little man if it be true as he is described What was a poore sheephook to a speare that was as a Weavers beame was it not a great advantage to have a glittering sharpe Sword and the other but a few stones out of the brook That he should be armed Cap a pe and come against a naked man all the world gave him for lost yet you see though he had all this advantage and he thought so himself for he saith in scorne Come and I will give thy flesh to the fowles of the ayre for all this David layd him along and cut off his head The like we see in the Army of the Assyrians 1 King 20. They thought the children of Israel had advantage by fighting on the Mountains therefore if they did fight in the valleys they thought they should be victorious God is willing to give them the advantage into the valleys they come but have they better successe Nay though they have the advantage of the place and of the number too for it is said the people of God did lie before them as two companies of Kids and they were an infinite company yet wee see what was the issue So we may say of that great Army that came against Jehosaphat he saith Wee are not able to stand before this company So in the Army that Senacherib brought against Jerusalem rayling Rabshakeh bid them submit for all Israels dust was not enough for every man a handfull yet for all they had that advantage the Lord overthrew them by a few So God did give the Devill advantage against Job as much as he desired he did but desire to touch him he gives him leave to touch his goods his children his body that he made him the most fearfull spectacle that ever the sunne beheld yet when all this was done for all that Job was proved and the devill was confounded And our blessed Lord himself gave great advantage to the devill for his greater glory He suffered him to tempt him in the Wildernesse that wild place where there was nothing but beasts the place was enough to have filled his heart with
horrour and to tempt him after forty dayes fast and when he was an hungry and to tempt him with that that might soonest move a hungry stomach with provision of bread all these advantages God gratified the devill with that his glory might be the greater and the confusion of the devill more So afterward he suffered himselfe to be apprehended and nayled to the crosse and then they thought they had advantage enough nay to give up the ghost and to die and to grapple with death in his owne trenches yet his glory was greater by giving the devill that great advantage It was a great advantage the Philosopher had against that poore man in the Counsell of Nice the cunning Sophister came upon him with many arguments The other man in the plainnesse of his spirit so answered him for all his advantage in learning the poore man bunged up his mouth and converted him to the Christian faith What an advantage had the Pope against Luther when he rose up What an unequall combate was between them The one a poore Monk and against him all of the Church of Rome Lather had temporall and spirituall authoritie all against him to bury him under yet the worke of God was made more glorious by this and he lighted a candleithat by Gods blessing shall never be put out Well for the use of this Let us not bee too much dejected when God gives some advantage to the wicked though they have advantage of number and provision There is not the greatest man in the world but God hath a hooke for his nostrills It may bee God gives them these advantages for their greater ruines he racks them high that they may fall into the greater mischiefe God is able to send an Angell that in one night shall kill so many in the Host of Senacherib God is able to send a Panick feare among the Assyrians that shall make them run away as if they were mad men and leave their furnished tents to their enemies God is able to make the Midianites turne their of words into each others sides God is able by looking our of the pillar to confound the Egyptians in that manner that there shall not be one man left to earry the newes of the oyer throw And give me lewe to tell you we of the protestant faith have occasion to glorifie God God of late hath abated the pride and pulled down the insolencie and presumption met with the mighty in their devises and left those to losse that were proud of their owne number and provision Blessed be the Lord for his goodnesse It is the Lords doing and it ought to be mervaitous in our eyes and that heart that is not affected with it I dare say it hath not the power of Religion in it And that is the second Reason A third reason may bee this Moses gives leave to Pharaoh to pitch his time Why It may be Pharaoh would have held it some disparagement and dishonour if he should not have constituted his own time therefore Moses doth not stand with him in this but gratifies him he could as easily do it in his time as if he himself had appointed it Though he were a man of great command he will not vie with Pharaoh now but if he thinke it an honour to appoint the time he shall Indeed the children of God so God may bee glorified they do not greatly stand upon preheminence He will not vie with Pharaoh now for matter of appointing a day Gods Children so God may be glorified stand not upon termes of dignitie or preheminence The Lord saith to Cain in the case of Abel if it be preheminence that thou lookest for his desire shall bee subject to thee he shall not stand with thee for it Aaron though he were the elder he doth not stand upon it but is willing that Moses should have the preheminence And David though he were anoynted King in reversion after Saul yet he used Saul with all respect he would not invade any of his honours he would not envie him the glory that God had put upon him he would stay the time and tarry the opportunitie that God was pleased to accommodate for his advancement and when he was moved with the taking of the daughter of Saul in marriage he was not greatly moved with that So our blessed Lord himself did not stand upon titles of the world when he might have beene made a King he would not he fled away Why The Fathers give divers reasons Chrysostome saith that same humour of the people for the making him a King it grew from their gluttony they thought he was a fit man to be their King that could fit their Epicurious palate he goes away rather Saith the same Father he would give us an example to despise the dignities of the world and the honours of the same So Gregory to the same purpose he fled to give us an example of contemning the honours of the world Cyrill saith he did go away because he would shew that his Kingdome was not of this world But Austin in his 25. tract upon John hits upon this reason he would not be made a King that hee might give no way to any sedition or rebellion against the Romans as if he should have said I live under authority I content my selfe to be as I am I desire not to invade the priviledges of Princes in the name of God let them enjoy them you shall not oppose me to their power to contradict their greatnesse I will not do it So hee alwayes carried himself as one that cared not for the dignities of the world and was willing to leave them to those they belonged to So he counselled his Disciples Matth. 23. The Rulers of the Gentiles rule over you leave those authorities to them it is not fit for you to exercise them And Paul was not much moved with the great breadth and traine that the false Apostles carried though they exalted themselves by great titles He grieved for the dispersing of their leaven but for himself he was content to be accounted as nothing so God might be glorified For the use of it It should teach us all as Moses here to be indifferent in matters of honour and preheminence so we may alway preserve Gods glory that that be not impeached leave them to those that desire them and hunt after them as Haman that could indure none at the banquet but himself As Pompey and Cesar the one would not indure an equall the other not a superiouâ— As the Pharisees that did all to bee seene of men â—â—ery creatures of vaine glory And Diotrephes a man that loved preheminence 3 Joh. 9. Let us in the feare of God approve our selves to God to have our consciences upright to him And if once we know Gods favour towards us we will slight all the dignities of the world and leave them to those Camelions that live by that ayre And to come to the point intended they are
God Joshua perswades Achan to a full and free confession from this way to give glory 〈◊〉 God though he knew that he should expose his life to danger yet let him give glory to God Jos 7. It is the counsell of David Psal 22.23 O ye of the seed of Israel glorifie the Lord. And it is the practise of David if you marke it Sam. 6. when he brought the Arke and danced before it and was reproached by his wife that relished not those good things saith he I have done it before the Lord which Tostatus interpreting saith I have done it to the honour of God thou sayst I am vile I care not if I were more base so God may be glorified I will be more vile It is that that God himself indents with man for Psal 50. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me There is a supposition of a day of trouble and an imposition of a dutie we must call upon God and Gods composition Man must glorifie him and God will heare So you shall find it is the counsell of our blessed Saviour Let your light so shine before men that others may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven Matth. 5.16 It is that that our blessed Saviour sets downe in the first petition of the Lords prayer hallowed be thy name It is that that our blessed Lord in his practise had respect to Joh. 17.4 Father saith he I have glorified thee on earth It is that that Paul would have to be remembred in all our actions whether you eate or drinke or whatsoever you doe doe all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. The children of God have been so sensible of Gods honour that they have not dared to doe the least thing whereby they might impaire ir The sense of Gods honour made Abraham compose that jarre betweene Lot and him This is that that kept Joseph from satisfying the lascivious desire of his mistris This kept Mordecai from bowing to Haman he would not have stood to give that proud Persian reverence but for this First it was more then civill that he required Secondly he was an Agagite that God had cursed in both which respects he should have diminished the glory of God It was respect to this that kept Daniel from eating his portion of meate and the three children from bowing to the Image This made Paul and Barnabas so zealous that they flew in among the people when they would have sacrificed to them because it intrenched upon the honour of God Act. 14. This made Peter refuse the honour that Cornelius would have done and the Angel refuse it from the hands of John because they knew they should wrong God in his glory And this was the reason that the fathers of the Church when there was a motion made for the composing of differences betweene them and some Arian heretiques that stood up a little would have done it the least letter in the Alphabet Iota in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they would not lend a word not a syllable not a letter why because they were jealous of giving away the honour of God and that that belonged to his glory And what is the reason that we joyne not with those in the Church of Rome in giving such unlimited honour to the Virgin Mary and to other Saints but that we are afraid to take from God and give to the creature we must be jealous of his glory Why do we not pray to Saints as they doe because it is due to God and it is an impeachment of his honour since invocation is proper to him The children of God are so zealous of his glory that they regard not their goods no not their lives to set it forward Paul saith Phil 1.20 I rejoyce whether by life or death God shall be glorified hee cared not for his life So wee see in our blessed Lord himselfe Joh. 12.27 Father what shall I say free me from this houre but yet I came into the world for this houre glorifie thy name As man he desired the cup might passe from him but when he considered that God intended his glory in his suffiering Father saith he glorifie thy name what ever come Nay the Children of God have been so zealous to promote Gods glory that they have not regarded their owne salvation It is a notable instance of Moses who was conceited that if God should destroy the people now part of his glory would bee impaired saith he Lord if thou wilt doe this rase me out of the book of life Rather then Gods honour should be impaired among the heathen that were apt to take occasion to blaspheme God Moses was willing to forfeit his owne salvation So Paul for the same Israel hee was content to be Anathema for them The glory of God in their salvation was so deare to him Thus respective the children of God have ever been to bring glory to God in all their actions But one thing will bee questioned what man can give glory to God As Iohn Baptist said of Christ I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me God had need to give us glory and honour and he must give it us if we have any true honour Are wee like to bring glory to him to set forth his glory Was not God glorious and happy before ever there were Angels or men to praise him Saith Ambrose God is not the better if wee praise him or the worse if we dispraise him what can this worthlesse filme of flesh that tumbles up and downe our mouthes adde to the glory of God The schoolemen answer God accepts it to increase his glory ad extra though ad intra there bee no increase or diminution Therefore for the use of it it meets with a number in the world of whom the Apostles speech will bee verified they seek their owne but not the glory of God men build but as the builders of Babel to get themselves a name Marke saith Chrysostome to get themselves a name not God the glory So Calvin observes concerning that passage out of the mouth of Nebuchadnezzar Is not this great Babel that I have built for my honour c. Marke all is for himself not for the glory of God or the good of the State So there are a number that do almes they performe the worke but as the Pharisees not for the glory of God but for their owne prayse they do their works that they may be seen of men So there are a number that make profession of Religion what for the glory of God No to build up themselves in the opinion of the world that men may conceite of them to be religious So there are those that doe good works sometimes Is it for the glory of God No for their owne temporall ends or it may be as the Papists to merit by them that they may be said to be their own
gathered this from Gods judgement upon Pharaoh in sending the loathsome frogs I would not have it thought that every one that hath a loathsome disease is like Pharach that he must of necessity be prophane and wicked For in the examples before recited we may finde David had a loathsome disease yet he was a man after Gods owne heart Iob had a fearfull disease he was full of blaines and sores and boyles yet God gave him a great testimony for his piety and justice above all the men of the East I could adde Lazarus that was highly in the favour of God yet he was full of sores And certainly Solomen saith Eccl. 9 All these shall fall alike to good and badmen we cannot determine of affection or disaffection I meane of the speciall love or hatred of God by these outward things Though the Church of Rome and Bellarmine goe too farre for he makes the end and calamities that light upon opposers of the truth to be a necessary argument of the Church a true note of it To that purpose he reckons strange judgements to fall on Calvin and Luther fearfull loathsome diseases So upon Zuinglius and Oecolampadius that he hath from Balsicke and others that have not more lines then lies rayling Pharaoh like We could answer them in their own weapons if we were disposed and tell them of some Popes One saith of Boniface the seventh that he ended his life very filthily And Iohn Stella saith of Boniface the eight he entred as a Fox he reigned like a Lion and dyed as a Dog We could tell them of Iohn thirteenth and some say the fourteenth that was slaine in the act of adultery by the immediate hand of God And of Alexius that dyed by the same potion of poyson he had provided for another Of Dresentius Leotomus Nehotman and other persecuters that had fearfull ends We stand not upon this because there is no argument convincing to be drawne from the calamity of a man to shew his goodnesse or badnesse But that that I intend is that God oft-times sends not only troublesome but noysome judgements as we see here upon Pharaoh The use of it as David saith Psal 4. Standin awe and sinne not God is the same God His hand is not shortned He can inflict a judgement upon thee whosoever thou art that besides the paine of it shall make thee abhorre thy sustenance The very smell nay the sight of it nay the hearing and sound of it And not only so but he can make thee so loathsome that even people that should tender their attendance shall be afraid to come near thee How loathsome a disease is that even that is ordinary the small pox in the extremity And for that other disease that carries the name that a man should not mention without horror and loathing what a loathsome disease it is and how odious it makes people those that are of honest and faire condition are afraid to eat or drinke with them So I have knowne some that have been afflicted with sores and boyles and ruptures that they have been a griefe to others and a burthen to themselves Therefore I say Stand in awe and feare for the Lord can doe what he hath done he can set ravenous beasts on us to teare us he can make frogs and toads crawle on us hee can make fiery diseases possesse us he can bring it home to us in a fearfull way if we rebell Therefore let us labour to serve him and to doe him honour and evermore to praise him not only in word but in worke for feare of an uncomfortable blow For it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of God So much for that They shall come upon thee and upon thy servants and upon all thy people Now this judgement was denounced Pharaoh might have conceived a thought the frogs shall come upon me but I have somewhat to helpe my selfe by my people and my servants about me I hope will keepe my person free The Lord takes away that poore hold and disableth him in that he thought of they shall not only be upon himselfe but upon his servants that they should be so far from from helping him that they should not helpe themselves The observation is that When God smites to some purpose he can make a man helplesse that all succour in the world shall faile Let him cast upon what hope he will and nourish expectation of this and that help when adversity comes the judgement of God shall have a full blow We have read of some famines wherein one neighbour hath not beene able to helpe another all of them have beene so generally troubled by that fearfull calamity and vexed by it that a man could not give his neighbour bread without being unnaturall to himselfe and unmercifull to his family When the Sword hath forradged a place the party that should secure his wife and children hath beene wounded and not able to helpe them And so in regard of the plague when it hath entred into some families and allowed no quarter at all but hath stricken all downe that not one hath beene able to helpe another God hath stricken some men with such diseases that the whole Colledge of Physitians were never able to give them a minute of ease Nay it may be the Physitian himselfe hath beene so smitten that he needed as much helpe as his patient This is ordinary I will not stand further upon the proofe The Use concernes us a little that is that we never cast our selves upon any earthly helpes without God let them seeme as firme as they will and able to sustaine us let us never cast our selves on them without God they will prove as clouds without raine as wells without water they will prove miserable comforters They will be to us as the King of Israel was to the woman in the siege of Samaria when she complayned of the fearfulnesse of the famine O saith he if God doe not help how shall I help Let the Philistins trust in Goliah when the time comes he shall not be able to save himselfe Let them delight in Dagon he shall be so far from secuting them that he shall be broken in peeces by a fall before the Arke The high Priests tell the Souldiers if they will tell a lie for them and officiate in that kinde for them they will beare them harmlesse the day of affliction will come that they shall not be able to helpe themselves Nay David disableth the very trust in Princes Psal 146. Trust not in Princes or any son of man for vaine is their helpe Isay 20. the three last verses It seemes the people of Israel were confident when they had an adversay came and threatned them with the Babylonian forces they sent to the Ethiopians for helpe they did not greatly care what that great man could doe Saith the Lord Goe and tell them the King of Caldea shall take Egypt prisoner and the Ethiopian captive so they
shall be ashamed of Ethiopia their rejoycing and Egypt their glory And then they shall say Loe this was our expectation and how shall we escape As if they had said these people are not able to helpe themselves they are made a prey to the devourer and how shall they be able to secure us Therefore I say againe Take heed of trusting in the arme of flesh We are but too apt to doe it We think if such an adversary should come we would doe this and that this friend and that money and policie shall doe us good and when the time of calamity comes we are as men that put into a Bay in a tempest we think we are safe and before we are aware we are upon a rocke and they finde not a haven and a faire station but matter of woe and lamentation There be certaine helpes in the world saith a Father by which we are more weakned then confirmed that prove as the reed of Egypt And to presse it on then we must not cast our selves upon vaine hopes of another world If in judgements temporall God can disable a mans friends and acquaintance and his owne thoughts perhaps shall not relieve him but he shall have a disturbed conscience what shall he doe when he appeares before the tribunall of God Let him then call to father or mother or friends he shall stand naked before that judgement and whatsoever plea he hath before thought of to subterfuge the judgement they shall be as fig leaves they shall not cure or cover him Therefore get Gods protection by well-doing and get into his favour by a godly life and then though father and friends forsake thee he will take thee up and be a sure protection to his people in the time of adversity So much for that There is a further aggravation of this judgement that is from the newnesse and the strangenesse of it Though I finde in stories that this judgement of frogs was after inflicted upon the world As Pliny tells us of a Towne that was unpeopled in France formerly by frogs And Paulus Orosius saith that the people of the City Abdera were so molested by frogs that they were faine to intreat Cassander the King of Maceden to get them another place to inhabit And Athenius tells us a strange story like this he saith in Onia in Barbania there fell a raine of frogs and filled the high wayes so abundantly that people could not step besides them and for a time they shut their doores that they might be quiet but it would not doe the frogs came into their baking troughs into their meat and drinke and molested and infested every part And not only so but they crawled upon their bodies and were so noxious to them that they determined to leave their Countrie Now I say though afterward God sent his judgement yet for ought I know this judgement of frogs was the first that ever was laid upon the world in that kinde And this added to the terrour of it For to suffer new terrours is a great aggravation of any judgement Isay 64.4 When thou diddest terrible things that wee looked not for then thou camest downe They were terrible things indeed that they never looked for or dreamed of or heard of in former times those terrible things So in Micah 5.15 The Lord saith he will execute judgement upon the heathen in such a manner as was never heard of Dan. 12.1 He speaks of troubles and such as there never was since there was a Nation to that time These strange unheard of judgements uncouth punishments adde much to the terrour of the plague Doe you thinke it was not fearfull to those of the old world to see it raine forty dayes together and not to cease till the very Arke mounted And to those of Sodome to see it raine fire who had ever heard of it before And marke that in Num. 16. when Moses would aggravate the judgement that God meant to send upon Corah saith he If these men dye the common death or if they be visited with the common visitation of all men thinke as you will but if God make a new thing and cause the earth to open and swallow them quicke in the pit then say they have provoked God to some purpose A new strange and not a common visitation and death for that was never heard of before that the earth should cleave and swallow them into hell These judgements that were laid upon Egypt were made patternes for after times I will punish you after the way of Egypt So that it seems that the Egyptians were the first instances of those great calamities God begun with them in this way they were the first So in this case it falls out as in examples of good so in the punishment of evill We say the way to heaven is short by example though it be long by precept The reason is this because when a man is commanded to doe a thing and is told that another doth it before him he is comforted he perswades himselfe it is in his factivity because another hath done it so in the punishment of sinne if it be somewhat that another hath suffered before it is some comfort If it be such a thing that never any suffered that a man can say that truly that Iob spake passionately that God had made him a Butt for such remarkable judgements as never were before This is a great aggravation Now you must know that these strange extraordinary judgements are for foule and extraordinary sinnes for when men will exceed their scantling and transcend in iniquity the Lord will make his plagues wonderfull In Deut. 28. And there are strange punishments to the workers of iniquity Iob 31. Wondrous strange plagues to those that have new sins For the Use of it it may satisfie us to the full for those judgements that God brings upon the world in these last times Wee still say that there are diseases growne among us that we have not heard of before sure I am they put the Physitians past their bookes many times let us not wonder at this for Affrica is not more fertile of monsters then these our times are fruitfull in iniquity I and in new sinnes I dare appeale to your owne observation what new strange oaths have beene minted of later times that our forefathers never heard of the foulest blasphemies against heaven not to be mentioned What new strange wayes of epicurianisme and gluttony how wity is that sinne in this age as if the spirit of Sardanapalus were in men who when he was satiated with all that was in use gave encouragement to any man by a crier to invent new I dare be bold to say that god the belly was never served with such uncouth service as now What strange wayes of drinking that were never heard of in the time of our forefathers the dayes then were more modest and free from that foule abominable corruption What strange unknown fashions in apparrell how