of Reconciliation to himselfe reputing vs now iust for his Sonne Christ and Sonnes and Heires of all heauenly benefits with the blessing of his Spirit whereby wée walke in his calling béeing guided and gouerned therby in the same with the blessing of acceptance of all our workes though full of imperfection and weaknesse and with this great blessing That all aduersitie becommeth a helpe to vs to draw vs to Heauen and eternall rest c. How are wée bound to loue such a GOD Let vs often fall into the reckoning of it and rise vp in thankefull speaches and thoughts as others of his seruants haue done before vs vpon the same cause Namely Saint Augustin whose wordes are these Minus te amat O Deus qui aliquid tecum amat quod non propter te amat O GOD hee loueth thee not as much as hee should who loueth any thing els but thee which he loueth not for thee Saint Cyprian Disce nihil Deo praeponere quia Deus nihiltibi praeposuit Learne O man to prefer nothing in thy loue before God because he hath preferred nothing before thee in his loue No no not the life and blood of his owne deare and onely Sonne Saint Bernard Quando ignorabam me instruxit quando errabam me reduxit quando steti me tenuit quando cecidi me erexit quando veni me suscepit c O quid retribuam When I was ignorant he instructed mee when I erred he reclaymed mee when I stood hee held me vp when I fell he raysed me when I came to him he receiued me c O what should I giue to the Lord for these fauours c. 4 And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people And there came a fire out from the Lord and consumed vpon the Altar the Burnt-offering and the fat which when all the people sawe they gaue thankes and fell on their faces or they gaue a shoute for ioy Thus did the Lord please to confirme both that maner of worshipping him by such Sacrifices and the Ministerie of Aaron and his sonnes now chosen and consecrated to that Office The like credite he gaue to Elias his Prophet When fire from Heauen came downe and consumed the Burnt-offering and the wood and the stones and the dust licked vp the water that was in the ditch Which the people also sawe and there fell againe vpon their faces and sayd The Lord He is GOD The Lord Hee is GOD. Againe When Salomon had made an ende of praying fire came downe from Heauen and consumed the Burnt-offering and the Sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the House Such mercie in the Lord to méete with mans weakenesse is duely and carefully to bée thought of all péeuish frowardnesse to bée instructed and to beléeue as a most vnfit thing for any that looke for Heauen to be abandoned and cast away Left after all meanes in mercie offered to winne vs and saue vs wée be destroyed with some fearefull iudgement that all the world may talke of vs for our obstinacie This I say because euen this gracious God is the same to man by his Holy-word and infinite fauours séeking vs as lost Shéepe to be wonne vnto him Let vs read let vs search let vs day and night indeuoure to know his holy Will and then constantly and faithfully walke in the same whilest we haue a day to liue This fire from Heauen did not plainlier confirme them than the euidence of his Word doth all those at this day that will looke into it And aswell may we at this day fall vpon our faces and giue a shoute in thankefulnesse for the great glory of the same in the Ministerie of his Seruants indued with great gifts of knowledge and power to expound open the same vnto vs as they did héere or in other places for such visible Lestimonies of his approbation God strike vs and worke with vs for his mercies sake that wée may liue and not die praysing and blessing his Name for euer for his Godnesse Amen Amen CHAP. X. IN the former Chapter hauing shewed by that miracle of fire frō heauen how he accepteth of worship done according to his will now in this by a dreadfull iudgement vpon the two sonnes of Aaron he sheweth how he abhorreth all presumption of man to serue him any other way The sinne and death of the young men for their sinne is layd-downe in these words But Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron tooke either of them his Censar and put fire therein and put incense thereupon and offered strange fire before the Lord which he had not commaunded them Therefore a fire went out from the Lord and deuoured them so they dyed before the Lord. Their sinne was then that to burne incense withall they tooke not the fire from the Altar of that which came downe from Heauen and was preserued by the diligence of the Priests till the Captiuitie of Babilon but other fire which therefore is called strange fire because it was not fire appointed and commaunded Which fault in mans eyes may séeme to haue excuse ann not to deserue so fearefull a punishment For they were but yet gréene in their office and so of ignorance might offend being not yet well acquainted with the nature of their Office Againe of forgetfulnesse they might offend not remembring or thinking of the matter as they ought Thirdly there was no malice in them or purpose to doe euill but wholly they aymed at Gods seruice with a true meaning although in the manner they missed somewhat But all these and whatsoeuer like excuses were as figge-leaues before God vaine and weake to defend them from guiltinesse in the breach of his commaundement and not withstanding any such they are thus fearefully and dreadfully deuoured with fire from God that they then we no◠and all flesh to the worlds end might learne and settle in our hearts two thinges First with what seueritie the Lord challengeth defendeth his authoritie in laying-downe the way and manner of his worship not leauing it to any creature to meddle with but according to prescription and appointment from him Content he is that men shall make lawes for humane matters concerning their worldly estate in this earth as shal be fittest for the place where they liue lawes against murder theft oppression c. but for his diuine worship he onlywill prescribe it himselfe and what he appoynteth that must be done and that onely or else Nadab and Abihu their punishment expected that is Gods wrath expected in such manner as he shall please The Poynt is good to be carefully marked and would god it might take full place in all hearts The Scriptures are plaine and they would be seriously thought of you shall not doe euery man what seemeth good in his owne eies but what I cōmaund what I I command that that shall yee doe c. 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For as high as the Heauen is aboue the Earth so great is his mercie toward them that feare him As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath hee remooued our sinnes from vs. As a Father hath compassion on his Children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made hee remembreth that we are but dust Therefore he admonisheth as wee sée in this place againe and againe before hee will let his rod fall vpon very Pharaoh Who will not hearken then vnto his swéete Uoice and bee admonished by so louing a Father so mercifull a God and so powerfull a Creator Surely if wee smart wee must néedes approoue his Justice for his Mercie is manifest wee cannot denie it Yet yet saith this gracious God goe to Pharaoh and warne him againe that hee may be wise and let my people goe 2. And if thou wilt not let them goe saith the Lord behold I will smite thy Country with Frogges Giuing vs héerein againe to obserue that if Mercie be refused hee is also iust and the rod shall fall with stripe after stripe till either we crie penitently Peccaui I haue sinned or be consumed in his wrath from the face of the earth Remember that Place of places in Deut. And if this people will rise vp and goe a whoring after the Gods of a strange Land and will forsake me and breake my couenant which I haue made with them my wrath will waxe hote against them at that day O note and I will forsake them and will hide my face from them then they shall be consumed and many aduersities and tribula 〈…〉 on s shall come vpon them so then they will say Are â—â—t these troubles come vpon me because God is not wâ—â—h me but I will surely hide my face c. A Place neâ—er to be forgotten if we desire to feare God Remember â—lso among many moe the fit Example of Haman that proude enemie to Gods truth and people to whom it was thus saide If thou begin to fall thou shalt surely fall As if they should say fall vpon fall and still more and more falling will followe when God is once angry Happie happy then is the heart that féeleth yéeldeth turneth and cleaueth fast vnto the Lord. 3. Marke also and consider in this place how the case is altered with Gods people and their enemies For till now we haue heard but of the Israelites afflictions how still they suffered and were ill entreated hauing sore burthens laid vpon them and most bitter griefes daily heaped vnto their hearts But now we sée a change they are spared they are comforted and they are defended when these dreadfull plagues light vpon their enemies one after another So so shall the sorrowes of the godly be euer turned into ioy when the Lord séeth his time and the fading comforts of the wicked turned into wéeping and wofull lamentation Your sorrowe saith our Sauiour Christ shall be turned into ioy and woe be to them that laugh now for they shall waile and weepe Be of good comfort then in your selfe when you reade this and profit your heart with this Note or Meditation The changes of this world are many but with Gods faithfull people it shall euer be well in the end 4. It is further to bee obserued in this your Chapter how the Lord with varietie and vehemencie of words doth amplifie this plague not onely saying He will send Frogs which yet had béene fearefull but that the riuers should scrawle full of Frogs that they should goe vp and come into the Kings house and into his bed-chamber where hee slept and vpon his bed and into the house of his seruants and vpon his people and into his ouens and into his kneading troughes yea saith he the frogges shall climbe vp vpon thee and on thy people and vpon all thy seruants The like vehemencie doth he vse in that notable chapter the 28. of Deut. amplifying both sides with many words and great variety of phrase full of force and edge all assuredly to mooue and pierce but it would not be Thus dealeth hée at this day with his people he giueth vnto them sometimes Pastors and Teachers who rightly may bée called Sonnes of thunder in regard of their â—arnest and vehement exhortations threatning and denouncing Gods wrath and iudgments due to disobedience and stâ—bbornesse and euen as Pharaoh here could not be touched no more will many at this day no vehemency moueth but al is one If the feruent spirite of the Preacher should breake and â—eare his inwards in péeces all is one men snort and fléepe and goe on in a most damnable dulnesse of minde till the Lord himselfe start vp and reuenge his owne contempt vpon them and their posteritie The old world would not beléeue the threatned Floud neither the stobborne Jewes that the Chaldean King should come vppon them But when they cryed to their soules pax pax peace peace for all this earnestnesse of the Preacher then came sodaine and fearefull destruction vpon them as they deserued So euer so euer let vs be sure first or last And therefore make vse of vehemency when God directeth his Preacher to it 5. But what an armie is this against such a Prince Had God neither men nor Angels to commaund Yes yes it néedeth no proofe wée know both men and Angels commaunded by him at his pleasure But here he would vse neither déeming it fit to confound the pride of such a conceited king by an host of frogges rather than by either of the other So shall the Lord by contemptible and base things cast down our high lookes if we swel against him Hée would also haue Pharaoh hereby sée how easily hée could destroy him if he lâ—st when such heapes of loathsome creatures so soddainly could bee raised to torment him And the same he would haue all high mindes at this daie sée making vse thereof vnto humility before they finde it is too late For as easily can the Lord now raise vp strange plagues as then Varro writeth that a citie in Fraunce was driuen away with this very plague of frogges A town in Thessaly rooted vp and ouerthrown with moules A whole land forced to remoue with mice and many such things haue Stories left to our remembrance There was a time when the French disease was not so common nor our English sweat knowne That plague of the Philistines with the Emerods in their hinder parts is in Gods Cronicle That consumption of Herod with lice and that fearefull example of Antiochus they ought both to be marked but nothing shall profit except Grace be giuen from aboue And therefore a féeling heart of flesh the Lord for his mercy sake euer graunt vnto vs. 6. And the Sorcerers did likewise with their sorceries and brought frogges vp vpon the land of Egypt Out of which words besides that which hath
and fetch their Cattell in according to it Looke therefore euer at obedience and iudge thereby of your heart at the least looke at the willingnes of your hart to obey though humane frailety cause some imperfectioÌ„ When Iosiah his hart melted when those Iewes harts were pricked wheÌ„ those Trauellers harts burned in the way to EMMAVS then was it wel you know with al of them And such féeling must euer make vs well also For there be too many that say Moses what the can will fetch neither seruants nor cattell into the house to whoÌ„ it shal happen one day as suredly as here it did to the Egyptians Uengeance shal come down one way or other and light vpon them as here did thunder hayle and fire and lightning vpon the despisers of Moses warning For with an heard heart saith the Wise-man it shal neuer be well in the end If a condemned man should refuse his Prince his gratious pardon died he not iustly If a besieged Citie should refuse offered aide perished it not worthelie So standeth it with Contemners of the word which is a gratious pardon for all our offences and a sauing ayde to our besieged soules When a sicke man refuseth meate we doubt of his well-doing but if he féede well wee hope of life So is it with vs if we receiue the Word or refuse the Word For he that is of God saith our Sauiour heareth Gods word and who so will not as sure a signe it is on the other side For you therefore heare not because ye are not of GOD. A fish fresh and swéete is knowne by the eare being fresh and swéete and so is euer a good Christian Search then your selfe by this Rule and you shall profit either to prayer for what you misse or to thankes-giuing for what you finde In the eye of Christ it was so blessed a thing to heare obey the word that he pronounced happinesse rather to such than to the wombe that bare him and the paps that gaue him sucke A moouing spéech if we haue any life in vs. 13. Then Moses stretched out his rod towards Heauen and the Lord sent thunder and hayle and lightning vpon the ground and the Lord caused hayle to raine vppon the land of Egypt So there was hayle fire mingled with the hayle so grieuous as there was none throughout all the land of Egypt since it was a Nation Of which strange Plague many things are written which I will cut off séeking onely to make some profitable vse vnto vs of it Grandinem fulgura immisit illis ostendens quòd ipse sit Dominus omnium elementorum Et enim tam Aegyptij quaÌ„ Graeci existimabant quosdaÌ„ Deos esse coelestes alios subterraneos Et hos quideÌ„ imperare terrae illos vero mari alios in montes alios in agros imperiuÌ„ habere Quapropter etiam Syrus dicebat Deus mâ—ntiuÌ„ Deus Israel non conualliuÌ„ Ob id meri to Deus omniuÌ„ non soluÌ„ per fluuiuÌ„ terram sed per aërem mare castigauit eos flumina coelitùs illis immisit doceÌ„s quòd ipsesit Dominus Creator omnium quod beatus Moses dixit vt cognoscas quód Domini sit terra tu serui tui He sent vpon them Hayle and Lightning to shew that he was Lord of all the elements For both the Egyptians and Graecians had a conceipt that there were some Gods of the Heauens some of the earth and some vnder the earth that one sort ruleth the Earth an other sort the Sea one sort the Mountaines another sort the fields Wherefore that Syrian said the God of Israel is the God of mountaines not of vallies Wherefore God rightly heere chastised theÌ„ not only by the Waters and the Earth but by the Ayre also and the Sea and sent Thunder Lightning froÌ„ Heauen vpon them that so he might teach and shew that he is Lord and Creator of all things Which blessed Moses said in those words to Pharaoh that thou mightest know how the Earth and Thou and thy Seruants are in the Lords power Let it make vs soundly settle in our hearts euer both what héere we sée and what other Scriptures testifie of Him He raineth downe snares fire brimstone storme and tempest And it is the Lord that commaundeth the waters it is the glorious God that maketh the thunder Fire and hayle snow and vapours winde and storme fulfill his word Whether therefore wee be hindered or furthered by weather let vs euer cast vp our eyes to Heauen for it is the Lord still that ruleth these things and by his Will they come and goe Nature is His seruant and the Deuill is His rod neither of them working but as he appointeth The very Heathens had a glimpse of this truth when they taught Aeolus to be God of the winde and Neptune God of the Sea supposing that by some God these things must be gouerned Thinke then of the yéere 1588. and poure out his praise that so gouerned these things for our comfort On the other side when so euer they shall crosse our affaires either by Sea or Land stoope we to Him in humilitie search out our wayes what wee knowe amisse and amend it spéedily that the Lord may rebuke both winde and sea for our profit Furthermore in this that the Lord sent this plague of thunder and lightning vpon the Egyptians let vs learne how he commeth not stealing to wrath and iudgement against rebellious sinners but ratling and shaking both Heauen and Earth The fruite whereof should bee to make vs feare to offend For I will make the eares of whosoeuer heareth to tingle saith the Lord at that which I will doo so noting a fierce fearefull publique procéeding against sinne and sinners as it were vpon Stages house tops not in darknes and in secret Againe fire was mingled with hayle to teach that his Judgements shall not bee single but euen one vpon the necke of another vntill wee be either humbled or destroyed according vnto his will One Example of many that are in Gods Booke and other Histories may suffice Haman that wicked enemie of the Church true Religion was at length to taste of Gods Justice for his sinnes and how commeth the Lord against him closely couertly No but euen with thunder and lightning as héere against Pharaoh that is with open and great shew to all men of his wrath For first he is made to leade his horse in honour of him whom of all men he most maliced secondly hee falleth iustlie into his Princes heauie indignation and when hee humblie sued at the Quéenes féete for pardon hee was taken by the King as intending high villanie which encreased the Kings wrath mightily thirdly he is dispatched away to be hanged vpon that Gallowes which in his greatnes he had prepared for another fourthly his house and Land his honour and
extremity to make the waters sweere withall 4 There he made them an ordinance and a lawe and there he prouoked them and said If thou wilt diligently hearken O Israel vnto the voice of the Lord thy GOD and wilt doo that which is right in his fight and wilt giue eare vnto his Commaundements and keepe all his Ordinances then will I put none of these diseases vpon thee which I brought vpon the Egyptians for I am the Lord that healeth thee Where the Lord tryed them by want of water there he also admonished them by his Word declaring vnto them their inst deseruing of such Plagues and diseases as were inflicted vpon the Egyptians from which they had béene frée hitherto onely by his frée mercy and goodnesse and acquainting them that the only way for them so to continue still was to hearken to his Will and to obey the same otherwise he being the only Author of health it could not be so with them Which word of his let it informe vs what also is our defence from all euill certainely euen the same LORD and none but Hee The way also to obtaine it the very same that was then To hearken and to obey not our willes but his not our wisdomes but his 〈◊〉 our lawes but his This this shall abide and 〈◊〉 and only this All mans deuises and will worship shall varnth as vile from before him Consider well of the Psalme where first is put forgiuenesse of Sins and then the healing of all infirmities 5. Then came they to Elim where were twelue fountaines of water and seuenty Palme trees and they camped there by the waters So commeth comfort after sorrow and plenty after scarcety For now they haue 12. fountaines of water and goodlie trees to yéelde them cooling shadowes for their comfort And surely the trialls of the Church or of any particular member therein shall haue a ioyful end and though they be neuer so many yet the Lord deliuereth out of them all Who would not trust then in such a God and tarry his time that neuer faileth God for his mercy sake giue vs faith and constant patience Amen Amen CHAP. 16. The generall Heades of this Chapter are chiefely these The grieuous murmuring of these Israelites The gift of Manna from heauen The lawes and Orders concerning the same 1. BEfore their murmuring there is in the first verse mention made of another camping namely in the Wildernesse of Sin which was the 8. place they had pitched in since their comming out of Egypt And in the booke of Numbers a particular Record is made of all the places together as likewise in an other place of that Booke That at the commaundement of the Lord they iournied and at the commaundement of the Lord they pitched By all which wée comfortably may sée that the Tabernacles or Tents of the Church and euery particular member are pitched where the Lord will and taken-vp and remooued when hée will and whither hée will For hée it is that gouerneth and guideth all these things euen as hée dooth all other matters in this world nothing is done without his Will. The lot is fallen to me saith the Prophet Dauid in a faire place I haue a goodly heritage Thereby ascribing to the Lord this honour that by him euery mans portion and place in this world is appointed He diuided the Land of Canaan and gaue to euery Tribe that part which by his seruant Iacob he had foretoldlong before Whiâ—h doctrine may yéelde euery heart patience and peace to be quiet and contented with Gods Will howsoeuer it be For beggars may be no choosers and wée are all his beggars that ruleth these things Haue I little it is his Will and I ought to be pleased Haue I more it is more mercy and God make me thankfull Thankfull for the one and thankfull for the other and euer contented with his Will My pitching is here or there by his prouidence in a faire house or a foule in a rich liuing or a small in a good countrie or a bad in England or in Fraunce and wheresoeuer or howsoeuer it is aboue my merit and therefore I should bée pleased and thankfull 2 The time is named to wit the fifteenth daie to let vs all know that euen so much more detestable was their ingratitude by how much the remembrance of so great and wonderfull a deliuerance from their enemies was more fresh in me 〈…〉 rie béeing solate And will it not bée so in vs Therefore thus wâ—ulde I haue vs profit by it euen to thinke in the Morning of our safety by his mercy all the Night And at Night of our safety all the daye And still 〈◊〉 of freshe fauoures which vnlesse I bee thankefull for I must néeâ—â—s bée a great offender séeing it is not possible to pleade forgetfulnesse in such fresh and newe thinges Nay if it were a fault in these Israelites to forget or to be dull in a matter of fiftéene dayesolde how much greater a fault in the morning to forget to bée thankfull for the nights mercy last before and but euen now ended but you sée my drift follow it further by yourselfe Surely surely fresh fauours would haue fresh remembrances and zealous and hearty thankes for them 3. Their murmuring is next spoken of and next by vs to bée considered A foule and grieuious fault euer but in this people so blessed with happie experiences of care and loue of might and mercy in their Allsufficient GOD more 〈…〉 nable and more odious than in others Whereupon the Apostle giueth them for an example to all people in all ages to learne to auoide this wickednesse saying Murmure nor as some of them murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer Numb 14. 36. For all these things came vppon them for examples and were written to admonish vs vppon whom the ends of the worlde are come The whole course of Gods sacred Scriptures crieth out of this sin in men and Women chiefely professing God For doo al things saith the same Apostle without murmuring reasoning And S. Peter Beyâ— harbâ—â—durs one to an other without murmuring The care of Ielousie saith Wisdome heareth all things the noise of grudgings shall not be hid Therefore beware of Murmuring which profiteth nothing and refraine your â—onge from slaunder for there is no word so secret which shall got for nought and the mouth that speaketh lies flayeth the soule Caine murmured and the Scripture noteth it as his sinne These Israelites were grieuous murmurers sometimes for their labour sometimes for drink sometimes for flesh sometimes in distrust to obtaine the Cittie so strongly walled sometimes for feare to bée killed of their enemies sometimes at GODS iustice vpon their disobedient bretheren sometimes for want of dainties as Figges Pomegranats Uines c. sometimes for that they were ouerdoied with Manna 〈◊〉 and for other like causes vpon all which the
Holy-Ghost setteth a brand of dislike and so by their sinne admonisheth vs to beware Miriam murmureth against her brother Moses the Lords faithfull Seruant and how fearefully was she smitten with a Leprosie Let this sinite the heart of euery Christian Reader and make him consider what may quickly happen to himselfe if hée bée a murmurer From the Old Testament come to the New and obserue as much The Pharasies murmure at Christ his mercy to poore Publicans there is murmuring for good done on the Sabbath day For not washing before meate that such as came late had a penny as wel as those that had borne the heate of the day that the ointment was powred vpon Christ and not rather sold and giuen to the poore that the Widowes were neglected and that Mary doth not helpe Martha but sit and heare Christs words But still obserue how all these were sinfull and grieuous to God and what a diligent record is made of them and of the seuerall causes that wee might learne and see no cause to warrant this lewde behauiour For either all or most of these occasions might haue much saide in defence of them And therefore these Quotations of Scripture with that of Iude short and sharpe These are murmurers complainers walking after their owne lustes whose mouthes speake proude things hauing mens persons in admiration because of aduantage c. Murmurers and grudgers and complainers such as mutter murmure and grudge groan if all things fall not out to their contentment such as mislike their places callings Estats and conditions and are angrie with God if in all things hee please not their humors If they be restrained of liberty if they be touched with pouerty if they be pinched with penury if they be subiect to affliction and aduersitie if they be not in highest places eralted to greatest authority they â—ret they â—ume they are offended and discontented with the Highest These are the greedy dogs spoken of by Dauid which run about the Cittie and grudge if they bée not satisfied Irenaeus the auntient Father giueth them a fit name but a foule name calling them or a Piaboli the Deuils mouthes And the words of Plato are as fit of vnbridled mouths sending-out iniury both to Heauen and Earth The end of which mouthes Euripides by the light he had could well discern that it would be misery and woe as indeede it will trye who list Circumstances increase this sinne very much as Who numbreth against whom and in what matter who murmureth A subiect a sonne a friende to whom much fauour many waies hath béene shewed A professor of the Gospell well acquainted with the Word and vpon whom many eies are cast c. Against whom Against Prince against Parents against Friends to whom obedience duty and loue with al the Testimonies therof are due and most due against God whose Word is in our hands in our mouthes and whose seruants wée would gladly bée estéemed In what matter In a small matter in a trifle and wherein or for what we ought rather giue thankes in a matter lawfull tollerable good and no way to bée grudged at These and such like Circumstances I say make the fault much fouler and greater Old Writers haue vttered these kinds in these wordes Est murmuratio contra Deum per displicentiam contra Praelatumper inobedientiam contra proximuÌ„ per inuidentiam There is a murmuring against God by discontentment against our superior by disobedieÌ„ce against our Neighbour by enuie But from what fountaine floweth al this filthy water which so offendeth God so grieueth man and so infecteth the very aire Surely either from impatience or from pride both bad and very bad fountaines Of the first that was an example in the Acts of the Apostles about the Widowes of the Graecians For not able with patience to endure their conceited griefe till there might bée declaration made thereof and order taken accordingly they fell to secret carping and biting vnfit for the professors of the Worde and in that heat touched euen the Apostles themselues with want of care Of the later that is a most fearefull example in Numbers of proude Corah and his company whose pride enuie ambition brought them to so strange and dreadfull a death They grieued that Moses should haue such authority they thought them selues worthy of some of it and what they thought fit not what pleased him God must doo Of which kinde of Murmurers and enuiers Saint Gregorie hath a good saying in his Morales Qui contra suprapositam sibi potestatem murmurat liquet qúoaâ— umredarguit qui eandem potestatem dedit Who so murmereth against authority set ouer him it is manifest that he reproueth him who gaue the same authority And vpon the seuenth Psalme murmurantes dicuntur intrare in iudicium cum Deo Murmumurers are saide to enter into indgment with GOD They are like saith An other to a filthy sooyne who whether hee wake or sleepe is euer grunting Murmuratores similes sunt versantibus in gyrum donec capite sensibus perturbaris caetera omnia perturbari putant Murmurers are like vnto such as turn rouÌ„d about til their heads senses being turned they imagin al things to turne round Sednoli aduersus quemquam murmunare est enim abiectorum But be not thou a murmurer against any man for it is a base thing and the quality of a base person Erratapropria magis quam aliena reprehendito Rather reprooue thine owne faults than other mens Ediscat non murmurare qui mala patitur etiam si ignoret curmal patirur per hoc enim quisquis â—e iustepati arbitrari potest quia ab illo iudicatur cuius iudicia nunquaÌ„ sunt iniusta And let him that suffereth harme not murmur although he know not the cause why he suffereth it because euery man may thinke he suffereth iustly seeing he is iudged of him whose iudgments are neuer vniust A very notable sentence if you marke it not allowing this vice in our hardest estate and when we know not any reason of it Qui in poenis murmurat fertentis iustitiam accusat for hee that murmureth at Gods punishment or any iust punishment accuseth the iustice of him that punisheth But goe we forward Felicitie consisteth not in things of this life therefore wee should not murmure for the want of them Iob blesseth the Name of God in his greatest affliction and murmureth not Of the Godlie it is often saide The praise of GOD is euer in their mouthes Then not murmuring Murmurers want Dauids staffe so comfortable to him therefore we should auoid it No Artificer can like that his worke bee dispraised of one which hath lesse skill or euill will And shall God like to haue his predestination his prouidence his iustice and mercie and whatsoeuer is holy and good to be censured and grudged at by dust and ashes No no. The Wise mans Counsaile is excellent in
people were forced to make bread of Fearne rootes And to go no further of Acrone bread in Quéene Maries time Were there now so many egges a penny and all cheape cheap Yet Poperie swaied in blinded hearts too much No no The calamities which haue béene in places where this Ignorance ruled haue béene equall or greater than vnder the Gospell euer as all Stories tel vs. Hath Rome it selfe neuer béene affected hath the Pope himselfe neuer béene taken prisoner Haue Romish warres euerprospered or Popish conspiracies had their wished effects Blessed be the God of Heauen for it they know the contrary And that Spanish Romish and Diuelish attempt in the yéere 1588 yeildeth them matter of wisdome if God so please and vs eternall cause of thanks-giuing vnto God for it Euer praised from our heart roots be the glorious Name of him that so respected vs. But yet this is not the matter for if they had euer had plenty and euer scarcity true Religion is not measured by the belly by flesh-pots or great leaues or any outward prosperity or aduersity but by the Rule which God hath left vs in his holy Scriptures Therefore although wee could obiect vnto them the vnspeakeable blessings of God vpon this Land of ours and thereupon reason as Gamaliel did yet doo wee not but throwing our selues downe at his féete who gaue them all wée rest our selues vpon his Word and so both know truth and hate error as in mercie he enableth leauing flesh-pots and all fleshly reasons to such doughtie disputers as they are that stand vpon such arguments and to strengthen our hearts against this great sinne héere noted in the Israelites Weelooke vpon Demas whose shame liueth in Gods Booke for imbracing the world and forsaking Paule Wée thinke vpon that fearefull crie One drop of water to coole my tongue When all the pleasures of the world which eyther he had or we can haue coulde not helpe And as Elias couered his face with his mantle so do we hide our eies from beholding this world and the deceipts thereof Wée assure our selues Saint Hierom said true Difficile immo impossibile est vt praesentibus quis futuris fruatur bonis vt his ventrem ibi mentem impleat vt de delitijs transeat ad delitias vt invtroque seculo primus sit vt in coelo in terra appareat gloriosus It is hard yea it is impossible that one should enioy both present and future good things that heere he should fill his belly and there his minde that from pleasure he should passe to pleasure that in both worldes he should be chiefe and both in earth and heauen appeare glorious So wee leaue the fleshpots of Aegypt to all earthly Israelites and beséech the Lord to bring vs to his kingdome although it be through many tribulations 6. Then said the Lord to Moses behold I will cause bread to raine from heauen to you and the people shall goe out and gather that which is sufficient for euery day c. O Admirable Mercie and bottomlesse Fountaine of all comfort and pitie Will he now rayne bread from heauen to these vngratefull Murmurers who much rather should haue béene destroyed from the face of the earth Let neuer penitent sinner than despaire of mercie let neuer troubled spirit cast away comfort For how can the sighes of a groaning heart sorrowing for sinne bée neglected of so swéet a God when such proud offendours finde mercie neuer neuer can it be assure your selfe Therefore lay vp this place in your minde and féeling your selfe grieued either for things committed or omitted bée not too much shaken as one out of hope but with faithfull assurance say chéerefully O kinde Father and sweete GOD doo not cast away thy creature that crieth and flieth vnto thy mercy I am vnworthy full wel I know it but thy goodnesse hath no bottome and with ioye I remember it These murmurers and complainers against thy mercies thou yet shewedst more mercie vnto and thy poore seruant suing for grace wilt thou cleane reiect No deare father thy nature is not so and therefore by this fauour to thē I gather cōfort beseech thee to be as thou hast euer been my kinde my gratious and louing Lord. 7 And can God raine bread from heauen why then wée all sée that albeit the fields should faile and the whole earth grow barren yet can the Lord nourish his people and send foode to al those that trust in him It is most true and it is most comfortable leauing no cause why wée should in any distresse be cast downe too much seeing the Lord is not tyed to ordinarie meanes nor our maintenance to the fruites of the earth The Rauens shall both finde meate and bring meate to Elias if he commaund and a little oyle shall continue running till many vessels be full when he so pleaseth Infinite is his power and infinite are his waies to comfort them that cleaue to him Lift vp your thoughts therefore aboue the course of Nature when you thinke vpon GOD and although you haue neither bread nor money nor the whole land any corne yet past hope take hold on hope take hold on hope and leaue God to himselfe Iacob was prouided for in that extreme famine and Gold was brought to Mary and Ioseph from far when they thought not of it What the LORD will doo hee can doo and on our partes Faith onely is required that wee may see his Glory and incomprehensible mercy 8 But why did not God thus comfort his people before they murmurd Surely because he might open vnto them the hidden corruption of their nature and so make them sée all posterity also that not merit in them but mercy in him drew all the fauoures that were shewed to them And remember euer this vse of affliction how it is often sent of God to discouer vs not vnto him who knoweth vs well but to our selues who dote vpon our worth and thinke wée are farre otherwise than wee are yea and to the worlde also which many times is deceaued by our golden shew Stand wée therefore alwaies vpon our watch when the crosse knocketh at our doores and know there is a spic ētered a very tel-tale He wil looke into vs draw-out frō vs what is within our faire looks shal not deceiue him but as we are he wil make vs shew that we may be knowne How Iob and his Wife differ hée wil describe Sarais infirmitie and Zipporahs waspishnesse against their good husbands he will open and in one word hée will tell all Pray we therfore with Dauid euer O let my hart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Sound without glosing faining haulting sound without grudging and inward complainiug that from soundnesse within may flow holinesse without euen patient comfort in Gods Will and so no Shame grow where no shamelesse thing is done c. The Lord graunt
béene borne than without care so to sinne Now go we a little farther than this law expresly goeth and iudge in our owne heart if falshood in pledges committed to me by man be thus odious is not vnfaithfulnesse in Gods pledge much more odieus Remember the place to Timothie Custodi depositum That worthy thing which was coÌ„mitted to thee keep through the holy-ghost which dwelleth in vs. What worthy pledge is this but the pure and holy doctrine of the word which I must neuer mingle with mans traditions The manner of teaching it if I be a Teacher must be plaine profitable and to the most edification not to the greatest ostentation Be faithfull in these things therefore for they are pledges lest with vs by God which he wil aske for againe and require an accompt what we haue done with them c. 4 For wanton and licentious life the Lord prouideth saying If a man entice a maid that is not betrothed lie with her he shall endow her and take her to wife But if her father refuse to giue her to him he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins Where you may obserue the seuerity of God the remisnes of man in punishing matters of this kinde For man made his law disiunctiue he shall marry her or giue her dowry But God maketh a copulatiue he shall marrie her and giue her dowrie yet leauing frée the fathers authoritie whether he would so bestow her or no. If the father would bestow her then both must he marrie her and endowe her because he had thus offended with her So God euer regarded parents consents in the placing of their children Yea Nature it selfe saw this equitie in Hermione the maid in Euripides who answered Orestes the sought her to wife that the mariage of her belonged to her father He that will may read S. Ambrose vpon the storie of Rebecca and sée his iudgement of this thing But why was not the maid punished also aswel as the man partly because yeares and sex weaknes of iudgement might be occasion of fall in her but chiefly because such money imposed vpon her must haue come from the parents who were innocent and had griefe inough by the fall of their child Furthermore this is to be remembred here that if the parents would bestow her neuer might he that had abused her put her away by bill of diuorce as other might The Romans did not inforce marriage because the man might be noble the woman meane or contrariwise the woman noble the man mean Wheras the Israelites were all alike noble descended from one the same house the pedegree knowne but iâ— he were rich he lost halfe of his goods if worth little his bodie was punished and he banished which was sharper 5 Of witches your Chapter saith Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue which God would neuer haue laid downe if either there had béene no wiâ—ches or being yet they can do nothing as some haue to their blame affirmed The shiftes they vse to auoide this place are weake and by the best learned reiected God maketh no law in vaine but for more of this matter I refer you to the Commandement In this place saith One God ioyneth this law next after that of inticing young women because many times these witches are iustruments to work them to mens sinful desires The next law against vnnatural lustes with Beasts I passe ouer the fact being more filthy than to be spoken of Death it was by law and death eternall followeth the temporall God and Nature abhorre it and he tasteth neither of God nor Nature that committeth it The eyes of God sée all things and the Justice of God will finde out all things in time 6 He that offereth to any Gods saue vnto the Lord onely shal be slaine The like law you reade in Deut. If there bee found amongst you in any of thy Cities which the Lord thy God giueth the man or woman that hath wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord thy God in transgressing his couenants and hath gone and serued other Gods and worshiped them as the Sun or the Moone or any of the host of heauen which I haue not commanded and if it be told thee and so forth then stone that person to death c. In the 13. Chapter the like death is imposed vpon those that shall perswade draw to this sin So both worker and willer suffered death And indéede shoulde théeues dye for robbing man and not man dye for robbing God Can mans goods be compared with Gods honour No no. Againe if we smeare fealtie to the Prince his enemie Dye wée not worthely To sweare fealtie to the Diuell by Idolatrie is worse to God than that to man Happy were deceaued creatures if any thing would make them wise bring them backe againe to God only only and marke the word 7. Thou shalt not doo iniurie to a stranger neither opresse him forye were strangers in Egypt Ye shall not trouble any widowe nor fatherlesse childe For if thou vexe or trouble such and so he call and crie vnto mee I will surclie heare his crie Then shal my wrath be kindled and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shal be widowes and your children fatherlesse Our state in this world is not tyed to any place but God at his pleasure may remooue vs euen when we thinke least therefore the Lord would haue them then and all men still favourable to strangers Experiences of euill past and expectances of future if God so please to haue it must make men forbeare those discourtesies to strangers that otherwise mans corruption will offer By the law of Nations it was euer forbidden and sharpely punished to violate the trust that a poore stranger hath in vs when he liueth with vs and vnder vs. The Athenians were good the Lacedemonians were bad and so praised and dispraised in Bookes to this day The next Chapter verse 9. teacheth this matter againe and often is it beaten vpon by God that they may remember it Hippias in Plato saith By Nature euery like is cozen to his like and surely it is a great knot among men likenesse either of wit manners iudgment or fortune c. Which Plutarch also witnesseth when he saith Senis lingua suanissima est seni puer puero mulier mulieri iucunda est Et aegrotus afficitur calamitate aegrotantis aruÌ„nosus socio calamitatum suam sententiam a scribit The speech of an old man pleaseth an other old man a childe conteÌ„teth a childe and a woman a woman One sicke body feeleth the paine of an other and pittieth it So do fellowes in affliction talke together and expresse each to other their mindes Wherefore God vseth for his reason here that they also haue bene Strangers in Egypt It pleaseth the good Spirit of God to vse this
saith S. Augustine that no place priuiledgeth thée to breake Gods Lawe but as being a sinner wheresoeuer thou goest thou carriest the yoke of sinne so being the sernant of God in all places obey his will c. 4 When they are called holy Conuocations thinke in your conscience whether gadding and riotting and wanton dauncing with such like be holy exercises and méete for a holy conuocation 5 For the Feast of the Sabbath in the Commandement it is handled and thither I referre you It had vse to preserue the Doctrine of Creation against all idle Philosophers dreames of an Eternitie To confirme Faith in the Article Maker of Heauen and earth and to refute all hereticall assertions touching the same To be a refreshing to the bodyes both of man and beast which without rest cannot indure To giue time for men to serue God who all the wéeke-long and euer doth serue them Finally to prefigure and in some sort to lay before vs our assured eternall rest in Heauen when the sixe dayes of this life shall end and that ioyfull seuenth day shall come 6 The Feast of the Passeouer or Easter you know was kéept in remembrance of their diliuerance out of Aegypt And it was a Figure to foretell them their deliuerance from sinne by the death of the true Lambe c. Sée Exod. Chap. 12. and 13. 7 The Offering of a sheafe with the Ceremonies mentioned taught them to acknowledge that the blessing of New corne euery yeare commeth neither from the fertilitie of the ground nor the labour and industry of man but from the Lord. Secondly this Feast hauing his time assigned they could not enter vpon their haruest before it was full readie which by this time it would bée vnlesse they would either reape before they offered this first sheafe or offer it before the day appoynted And so you sée it had an vse to restraine ill husbands and to make them more carefull that old corne might be gouerned to bring in new A gracious God that will so care for sinfull man Thirdly it serued to direct them to the time of Pentecost for from this day they reckoned seauen Sabbaths c. as you read verse 15. Lastly béeing but one sheafe it might strike their hearts with a fit féeling of his goodnesse that giueth so much and taketh so little that giueth without measure and taketh by measure yea by a very small measure So let it still profit vs to this day for euen now also wereceyne much and giue little would wée giue that thankefully and cherefully what a comsort would God take in it Though he néed none of our goods only séeking to exercise our obedience and loue 8 And they might not eat till they had brought an offering vnto God ver 14. Then God was first but now is last with vs yet as good to vs as euer to them and we as déepely bound to him for infinite mercies Will not our sinfull hearts in making God last and giuing him the worst one day condemne vs 9 Till they haue brought are the wordes ver 14. and note them they then brought to shew their willingnes we will bring none but thinke we deale wel if our minister may haue it for fetching c. 10 The feast of Pentecost sometimes called the feast of Weekes was a remembrance of the Law giuen and so of their receyued libertie by Gods out-stretched arme hauing now a law and gouernment of their owne when before they were subiects and seruants to the Egyptians and their lawes So still you sée these holy daies were to remember mercies to giue thankes Againe this feast figuratiuely fore-tolde them there should come a Pentecost when the first fruits of the spirit should be giuen to men fulfilled when Christ sent the holy Ghost vpon his Disciples assembled at Ierusalem at the feast of Pentecost 11 The feast of Trumpets here also appointed had many vses as first in the opinion of some Hebrue Doctors for a remembrance of the deliuerance of yong Isaac from being sa 〈…〉 ed God giuing a Ramme fast in the bushes for him Secondly in the opinion of others for a remembrance of the creation of the world which in some probabilitie was about this time Thirdly for a remembrance saith one of the pardoning of that grieuous Idolatrie committed by erecting and worshipping the golden calfe which is thought was about this time Fourthly for a remembrance that this Moneth was once the first Moneth Fiftly that they might learne holy assemblies to bee appointed by the voyce of God And if they then when they heard these Trumpets blow might thinke God called for them to the meeting why should not we now hauing our Bels for their Trumpets thinke God calleth for vs to the Church and assemblie of the faithfull when we heare them ring in our eares Surely I know a feeling heart doth and thereupon cannot bee quiet without going Sixtly that they might learne their duties to be through their whole life to follow God when and whither so euer he should cal Lastly as our marginall note saith to put them in remembrance of the many feasts in this Moneth being the fittest time in déed after all fruits and blessings gotten in to meete and praise God for them praying also for grace soberly and orderly to vse them to his glory and their owne comfort with all theirs whom God would haue also cared for children feruants poore c. I forget to tell you that one saith this feast also was a figure shewing how Christ by the preaching of the Gospel as by a loud Trumpet should be spred oner the world and our saluation by him In regard whereof Iohn was called the voice of a crier and the Prophet biddeth other criers lift vp their voyces like Trumpets c. 12 In the 27 verse the feast of Reconciliation is mentioned of which more fully before in the xvi Chapter 13 Of the feast of Tabernacles ver 34. the vse was to remember them of their estate when they had no houses but liued in Tents or Tabernacles or Boothes made with laughes no fields nor lands but liued in the wildernes and so to stirre vp a thankfulnes for their happie change Secondly to remēber them of the Lords great workes in driuing out the Cananites and giuing that fruitfull land vnto them Then they were a pray to all men but now a terror to all men wheresoeuer the same of them came Thirdly it serued to preach vnto them the doctrine afterward deliuered by the Apostle to wit that here we haue no abiding citie but should reckon of our houses as but of Tabernacles for the time our true hope being for houses and dwellings and euerlasting Tabernacles not made with hands in heauen c. And may not wee consider on our feast dayes all these things although we haue not now the same ceremonies May not we remember our state past vnder superstition crueltie