the destruction of their eldest children their might the beginning of their strength the excellency of their powers Could the Lord doe a more notable worke theÌ„ fight for theÌ„ froÌ„ heauen by the hand of his angel What then meaneth the Prophet to remeÌ„ber this of the spoile of their goods omitting other such fearful wonderful tokens as we see we shal see in the next peece of the verse a sufficient reason But yet in the very miracle and wonder it selfe sufficient cause why to remember it omittinge the rest For if we waye examine this spoile pray that the Lord gaue his childreÌ„ with the circuÌ„tances of the same we shall find that great and mighty power to haue wrought herein more theÌ„ in the rest For remeÌ„ber the hate the tyraÌ„nous hate that they beare vnto Israell all the iniuries and wrongs which they did vnto them First their counsell taking for the destroying of their men childreÌ„ priuily by the midwiues then their open cruelty in destroying them their exactions their greeuous exactions their anger their fierce anger their crueltye their vnnaturall crueltie which all in a moment the mighty hand of God turned to kindnes 〈◊〉 loue to gentlenes euen kindnes gentlenes and loue supernaturall For at a word and request of the Israelites all the Egyptian gaue vnto them their gold and siluer ther iewells and ornaments and whatsoeuer they had deare and precious Yea I think if they had asked they would not haue denyed them their owne eyes so mighty and aboue nature the hande of God wrought that he turned in a moment euen in thâ— twinckling of an eye their harts their stoâ— adamant harts into fleshly waxeÌ„ harts their eies their Crocadiles eies that wâ—â— sight would haue destroyed them into teâ—der womanish eies their hands eueÌ„ ther armed wat like haÌ„ds into liberal peace able hands in a word he made of wolues lambs of cruel Tigres fawning doggs an meeke doues of fiery and flying serpent which worke in my iudgemeÌ„t so notableâ— so wonderfull as you may perceaue passeâ— al thother miracles For by our own sinne 〈◊〉 cruell affections which neuerthelesse aâ— staied by the spirit of God in his childreÌ„ 〈◊〉 may well perceaue what strength poweâ— it needeth to resist ouercome them Thâ— sea â—ageth not with such rage nor Behemoth is not so stronge as the rage power of sinne is which dwelleth in vs so that maruel it is that it caÌ„ be staied Here in therfore appeared the mighty hand of God eueÌ„ of that God that is able to stay the raging of the seas fiercenes of cruel beasts that he not only staied their hatred but also turned it into loue and kindnes Wherefore let vs serue God be not carefull what man can thinke and imagine against vs Their harts are no lesse in the hand of God to moue theÌ„ to loue vs than to hate vs but he leadeth euen the kings hart as easily to his purpose as the water So Ioseph feared God and he gaue him grace with Pharao and al his nobles although they knew not god And Dauid often times in a moment perceaued Saules loue deare affection although other times he was purposed to kill him And to Daniell in the carying into captiuitie into Babel the Lord gaue not only in the eies of Nebuchadneser and Baltasar his sonne loue and fauour but also with the Persian kings Darius and Cyrus although a poore prisoner And the same Cyrus an other Darius and Artashasta were bended by the haÌ„d of God to loue further the interprise of Zorobabell Nehemias Esia and the rest that returned to the building of the temple of god Seeing then the Lord hath shewed suche light to them that serue him where they sawe nothing but darkenes desperation of all good things what shame sinne yea how great iust shall the condemnation of our fearfulnes be if in the Church of God amongest them that professe godlines with vs who are also appoynted for theâ—â— praise reward that do well if I say we dâ— not loue embrace and follow after godâ—â—nes Well here appeareth then first in thâ— miracle the hande power of God for oâ—r comfort calling forward to the seruice of god Here appeareth also a notable exaÌ„ple for the profe of the doctrine of the iustice of God who will not alwayes winke at the prosperitie of the wicked For although the Egyptians had heaped riches gold ieâ—els and ornaments of pearles and precioâ— stones which they had gotten by extorsioâ— exaction of the Israelits or els by otheâ— couetous crafty waies yet the pacient â—biding of the Lord as it were the holdinâ— of his peace as Dauid sayth in the 50. Psalâ— shall not continue for euer but some tiâ—â— he draweth the wicked vpon the high staâ—â— to be seene bothe of them that feare thâ— Lorde and also that follow the like wickednes and plucketh the praye out of their teeth and giueth it to his children Fâ—â— God comforteth his childreÌ„ by such iudgementes and feareth other by their examples So in the seconde of the Kinges seuenth Chapter the Aramites left their tentes beside Samaria and the children of God had a pray vessells and clothes siluer and golde corne and vittells as it is spoken by the mouth of the seruauntes of God. For Iob sayth though the wicked shoulde heape vp siluer as the dust and prepare rayment as clay he may prepare but the iust shall put it on and the innocent shall deuide the siluer And Salomon sayeth a good man shall geue inheritaunce vnto his children but the riches of the sinner are layed vppe for the iust And although this alway appeare not yet many such notable and excellent examples are in the Scriptures of Gods iust iudgementes whereby he vpholdeth the faith of his children that there feete slippe not and those wicked ones and sinners whom the Lorde lifteth vp all their life higher and higher and are not in this sorte spoyled are also lifted vppe that the triall of our faith in suche tentations may be more precious and theyr ruyne and fall the greater and more horrible Yet as in the punishment of other sinnes sometime the Lord exerciseth his iudgementes vpon thâ— earth so here also and leaueth other for the last iudgement as S. Paule declareth some meÌ„s sinnes are manifest before iudgement and some follow And this as the Apostle hath in an other place is a demonstration of his iustice to be reueiled in the last day Nowe let vs consider the epitheâ— or title which he geueth to them on whoâ— he bestowed this pray The Prophet sayâ—â— He gaue a pray to them that feare him He geueth this title to all the children of Israel as though their name were the fearers of God. So we see in the first verse that Dauid would praise the Lord
lesse earnest to sing this thankes giuing vnto him than Dauid was and seeing the benefites be common to ioyne with him praysing God for them Further we may learne here what lyeth vppon it if we take vppon vs to call other to the prayse of God it is that we our selues first giue example euen as Dauid who as he called others so he leadeth first and sheweth the way to them For if we call others and are deafe our selues if we bid other goe and we siâ—â— still if we pipe and singe to our neighbours and we be not our selues therewith delighted what doe woe but mocke God and condemne our selues Therefore in the 12. of Esaye the faythefull doe not onely exhorte other but they beginne the songe of prayse and thankes giuing them selues I will prayse the Lorde with my whole harte c. Here the Prophet teachethe vs a notable doctrine if we ascribe not to nature as the prophane Philosophers or to starres as vayne men or to fortune as the blinde and couetous or to any other thinge then to the Lorde alone this excellent order which we see in all the worlde or that redemption and these benefites which were bestowed vppon Israell at his departinge out of Egypt but that in bothe we acknowledge onely the wisedome and mercye of our God whose hande and power brought all these thinges to passe Yea let other prayse their Idolls which they fayne vnto them selues with the dishonour of God we will O Lorde acknowledge thee and make mention onely of thy wisedome and louing kindnes and truth that hath wrought this goodly order in all the worlde suche mercies and benefites for thy Churche and suche iudgementes againste the wicked and them that knowe not thy name I will prayse the Lorde with my whole harte Here the Prophet declareth what kinde of thankes giuing and songe this shall be that he purposeth to singe vnto the Lorde not an outwarde and hipocriticall prayse not in wordes onely to come neare vnto him not onely in tongue and mouthe but an hartie an earnest a true songe a songe and Psalme wherein all the partes and powers of his minde and vnderstandinge shall bee ioyned together in as muche as a man is able For he meaneth not that thiâ— songe of prayse shall aunswer to the exactnes of the Lawe wherein we are commaunded with all our harte and soule to serue the Lorde But the whole harte in this place is opposed to a dissembling and hipocriticall harte and as he speaketh in an other place to a harte and a harte that is a double harte So that here is no holde for anye to take that man is able to fulfill the Lawe if we admitte the Holye Ghoste Interpreter of him selfe But alas what should I dispute that man is not able to fulfill that commaundement of the full loue of God which is required whâ— is he that dare dispute for it I aske no other witnesse agaynst himselfe then his owne conscience if he vouchsafe to looke into it Shall he not there see a sea of wicked thoughtes a world of vayne deuises a hell of blasphemies and foule imaginations shall he not see a slaue and seruaunt of the body or rather an infinite number euen so many bonde men to sinne and ministers to Satan as he hath partes and members O the depth length and breadth of that wickednesse that remayneth and dwelleth in vs Well the Prophet teacheth vs that knowe our selues that we come not before the Lorde before whose eyes all our hartes are open and manifest with a face only and shew of godlines but that together with our tongue our spirite and soule be ioyned and so to come to sing or pray vnto the Lorde For if we come before the Lorde eyther hipocritically or negligently let vs be assured that he whose honor we staine by our boldnesse and impudencie will require it of vs to the vttermost It followeth In the congregation and assembly of the iust that is openly and in the face of the Church For that inwarde and darke godlinesse that yet men loue so muche that they will prayse God in their chambers in their studies in their hartes that can not suffice Naye that is no godlinesse whiche in tyme and place will not openly shewe it selfe to the prayse and glory of god But yet this profession and declaration of our seruice that is required of vs is not so muche for the Lordes cause as for our owne certayntie touching our election and for the furtheraunce of the children of God to the lyke by our example And if we consider who this is and what a man he was that speaketh this we will easilye graunte that I woulde proue For who was more diligent earnest and often in priuate prayers then Dauid Howe many nightes are witnesses of his godlynesse in the wildernesse in the mountaynes and caues of the earth in his priuie chamber and in his bedde howe was he accustomed to powre out his spirite before the Lorde Yet we seâ— this godly and great Prophet exempteth not him selfe from publike and common assemblies where the children of God were according to the appoyntmente of God gathered to prayse him and confesse vnto him their sinnes and to heare his worde with other exercises for the encrease of hys fayth and godlynesse But what do I saye that he did not exempt him selfe whiche thought it the greatest benefite vnder heauen to haue a parte and portion in the Churche and communion of Sainctes Therefore in banishment he so be wayleth and lamenteth his state being as it were by tyrannie excommunicated from that Paradise from that earthly heauen I meane the temple when were manyfest signes of the presence of god Not that Dauid knewe not but that he moued and liued and had his beeing in God or that the Lorde would not heare his prayers out of the temple but for the same causes that euery one of vs ought to be so affected to the common places of prayer and hearing the worde and receyuing the Sacramentes was this earnest desire in Dauids heart because there the Lorde had appoynted to be worshipped there the sacrifices to be offred there the ministerie of the Priestes there was the fellowship of Gods children there was a Sacrament of the presence of God which all more fully and clearely and liuely now in euery faythfull congregation gathered according to the worde of God do appeare to vs then they did in the temple And yet who accompteth it as the least parte of his crosse when he is sicke or otherwise hindered from the seruice of God who considereth the happinesse of their feete that treade in the temple of God Who wisheth for his appearance before the Lorde as the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water in the congregation O the wonderfull contempt of the benefites of God and the singuler patience of the Lorde Moyses when the people were kepte with Pharaos hande as with a chayne
be vnpunished what is this but euen to giue a reede into thâ— hande of Iesus Christ and to mocke hâ—â— kingdom What crowning of him is it 〈◊〉 this vayne mirthe and wantonnesse bâ— with bryers and thornes to pricke his head Is this the ioye spoken of by the Angel that came to declare his birthe tolde 〈◊〉 tydinges of this gladnes Is this the benefite that thou hast purchased to vs by the wonderful misterie of thyne incarnation of Emmanuel oh I am ashamed that it should euer be hearde of amongest the Iewes anâ— Turks that the ChristiaÌ„s at that time of the yere wheÌ„ their Sauiour was borne giue theâ— selues for many daies froÌ„ their ordinary â—dest shamefaced behauiour from walkiâ—â— ordinarily in their vocatioÌ„ studies to vâ— modest shameful practises to watching 〈◊〉 waking al for vaine vnfruteful works 〈◊〉 darknes Wherin differeth our celebratioÌ„ 〈◊〉 the natiuity of Christ froÌ„ the popish Christmas that it ought to differ as farre as heaâ— euen the highest heauens from the nether most hel Howe doe we looke to call Papiâ—â— from their vaine conuersation when we aâ— not our selues a foote froÌ„ them Is this thâ— conuersation that shall strike men with aâ— admiration and loue of vertue If it be required of women so to behaue them selueâ— that other may be wonne thereby to God doth it not more appertaine to men who were first made to Gods glory but ought it not yet more to appeare in schollers those which are called schollers of the holy Trinity I thinke if but thus much were spoken amongst the Heathen against so great an abuse they would repeÌ„t in sackcloth ashes And yet I know that this people will not be brought from this vaine conuersation for they loue it delight in it wil hide it and keepe it as a iewel For without these things they complaine that it is but a dead Christmas These men will neuer confesse the truth of this doctrine till God haue sealed it with some plague or other Well thus we ought not to remember the benefit of that vnspeakeable misterye by the which we are ioyned to God and God to vs but in ioy of the spirit that vttereth forth Psalmes and Hymnes spiritual songs and such l ke We ought also to keepe in mind not this onely but all the other miracles which the Lorde wrought for the defeÌ„ce safgard benefit of his Church so that our harts should be like the arke of witnes wherin as ther was coÌ„tayned for a perpetuall remembrauÌ„ce a pot or cruse of manna Arons rod for an euerlastig witnes of the care of G d for the prouision of his Church miracles whereby 〈◊〉 testified his election of Arons posteritie 〈◊〉 to haue in our harts all those thinges which the Lord either worketh for all the church or particularly for any part thereof In the rest of the verse he rendreth a reason oâ— these so great mercies euen the Lords pâ—â— not desert but as he sayth to Moyses I wiâ— haue mercy on whoÌ„ I will haue mercy making his mercy the cause of mercy So here his pity is made the cause and he vseth twâ— wordes doubling it because his mercye 〈◊〉 manifold toward his Ezechiel in his 16. cap doth notably set out this pitie free gracâ— of the Lorde toward this people in comparing him selfe to a man that seeing a pooâ— helples child new borne without any helpâ— of midwife or other wallowing in her bloâ—â— of very pitie and compassion washeth as clenseth her doth all thinges needefull seâ— the succour of it in such a case he then aâ—ter bringeth her vp feeding and cherishinâ— her til the be mariageable he then clotheâ— her with all costly aray and setteth her oâ— with all precious iewells and casting hiâ— loue vppon her taketh her to be his wâ—â—â— as more at large is to be seen in that place It followeth He hath giuen a praye c In the verse going before we haue seeâ— the exceeding loue of God towardes his Church testified by so many and such notable seales as he declared in the land of Egypt Where for the deliueraunce of the Church he chaunged the whole course of nature as it were in the bringing forth of a more excellent precious thing then the whole world which was at a worde made furnished he did as it were many dayes in paynes trauels labour before the birth of the Church so great a thing was it to make vnto him a Church We haue also seene his onely pitie compassion to haue bene the cause thereof Nowe it followeth in the fift verse He gaue a pray c. For although in the scripture somtime this word signifieth a portion or a part as in the 31. of the Prouerbs yet properly it signifieth a spoile which a lion getteth for him self the circuÌ„stance of this place needes forceth this sense For he remeÌ„breth the notable benefit of the spoile of Egypt what time they weÌ„t out of the laÌ„d which although it may seeme at the first not to be so excelleÌ„t or notable not to be spokeÌ„ of particularly wheÌ„ the other are not seuerally reckened but together as it were in one word bouÌ„d vp yet we shal see this although not the only cause why the prophet namely remeÌ„breth it passing thother briefly yet a sufficieÌ„t iust cause True it is that 〈◊〉 miracle of turning the waters of Epypt 〈◊〉 blod was woÌ„derful a maruelous work Foâ— if we maruel at the turning of six great poâ— of water into wine in the 2. of Iohn what shâ—â— we say at the turning of whole riuers foâ—taines from their nature And if we see in a few quarts of water the finger of God shaâ—â— not the haÌ„d arme of the Lord appeare 〈◊〉 turning the great riuer that great riuer Nâ—lus all the waters besides of Egypt not 〈◊〉 fix earthen pots but in sixteene tymes 〈◊〉 thousaÌ„d pots of wood stone And if in the destructioÌ„ of one maÌ„ by lice or wormes the woÌ„derful power of God appeared what and how maruelous is the power that made sâ— many as were able to destroy a mighty kingdoÌ„ innumerable people for if the striking with botches sores of one man destrâ—ction of his catle astonisheth vs in the 1. 〈◊〉 Iob at the striking of all Egypt both man 〈◊〉 beast how shall we be affected or if in the blinding of one citye of Sodom the maruelous hand of God shewed it selfe what is 〈◊〉 be thought in the blindnes of al Egypt The rest of the miracles may also in like maner be set out by comparing other iudgementâ— of God with them But I let them passe CoÌ„sider only the destruction of the first borne both of man beast Could the Lord doe a more maruelous worke for the benefite of his Church that would so pearce the hart of them as