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
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
Spirit direct us vouchsafe good God to goe in and out before us Keepe in us a purpose never to sin confirm it more and more and upon every suggestion to sin let us call to minde our vowes and promises of better obedience and though we have dealt falsely before now make them more powerfull to restraine us If we fall by infirmity let our hearts smite us speedily restore us by repentance immediately evermore keep us from impenitencie hardnesse of heart and presumption the power of Satan and a downfall into sin Grant us all other things that thou in thy wisdome knowest better that we want then we to aske not for any merits of ours we disclaime them nothing belongs to us but shame and confusion but even for thy Names sake for thy promise sake for Iesus Christs sake the Sonne of thy love and our Saviour in whose Name we further call upon thee as he hath taught us saying Our Father which art c. THE FIRST SERMON Vpon EXOD. CHAP. 8. VERS 1.2 And the Lord spake unto Moses Go unto Pharaoh and say unto him Thus saith the Lord Let my people goe that they may serve me And if thou refuse to let them goe behold I will smite all thy borders with frogs THis Chapter hath three parts according to the three judgements here remembred The first judgement was the frogs from verse 1. to verse 16. The second was of lice from verse 16. to verse 20. The third of flies noysome flyes to the end of the Chapter In this first judgement which is of frogs we are to observe these three things First the denunciation of it Secondly the execution of it Thirdly the event of it The denunciation of it in the first 4 verses The execution in verse 5.6 The event of it is threefold First the Magicians doe the like verse 7. Secondly thence there is a remoovall of this judgement and the meanes of the same from the beginning of verse 8. to the end of verse 15. The third event is the obduration and further hardning of the heart of Pharaoh verse 16. Come again to the denunciation there are two things in it First Moses from God makes a motion to Pharaoh to dismisse his people verse 1. Secondly hee tells him upon his refusall of a judgement and there is First laid down what the judgement should be frogs Then the amplification of it from the generality in all his borders in his bedchamber in their troughs their baking-troughs and their ovens they shall be a vexation to them night and day And then for the noysomenesse of them that they should crawle about in all these places Now for the motion which is laid downe in verse 1. that I may not reciprocari serram as Tertullian speakes I will not draw my saw the same way againe I willingly omit many thinges that might bee observed in this verse First Gods manner of speaking to Moses Secondly Moses going in to Pharaoh Thirdly his manner of speaking to Pharaoh Thus saith the Lord Whereby hee would perswade him that hee was sent by God therefore he that sent him would not brooke a refusall Likewise in the fourth place how equall the motion of God was Let my people goe he requires his owne of Pharaoh And how they were said to be Gods people above all other people in the world To the end that they may goe and serve me The relation that is between God and his people it ties the people of God to serve him to observe him Againe how God would have them goe out of Egypt to serve him that is to offer sacrifice For hee would not have them serve him there where the Egyptians instead of joyning with them would deride them nay not only so but mischiefe them for such was the zeale of the Egyptians against sacrifice All these I willingly and purposely omit Now my beloved in this verse as it is a transition to that that followes I will onely remember you of three things The first is the obstinacie of Pharaoh The second is the longanimity and longsuffering of God The third is the piety and obedience of Moses all which are implied in this first verse First the obstinacie of Pharaoh hee had seene signes already the Rod turned into a Serpent and the rod of Moses devouring the Serpents of the Egyptians He had likewise seene that fearfull judgement the water turned into blood In which judgement both he and the prime of the land it may bee might escape more easily It is likely they might quench their thirst by wine or by some juyce or liquors but we must needs conceive that it went hard with the generality of the people that either must dye for thirst or drinke blood if they forbeare they dye if they drinke in probability they perish blood being so incongruous drinke for the body of man Besides this though he had seene the Magicians doe the like yet they could not remove the judgement the Lord in his meere mercy without any suit of Pharaoh or of his people put an end after seven dayes to that great affliction yet notwithstanding this see the obduration of the wicked mans heart he had need of a new judgement to rouze him My observation is this How many blowes a hard heart will indure before it breake or be mollified See it in Balaam he was not warned by the Asses turning out of the way nor yet by the Asses rushing against the wall to the bruising of his foot nor yet by the Asses lying downe under him and opening his mouth against him his heart was set he loved the wages of unrighteousnesse on he goes So with Balack the King of Moab whom he served The first time he builds seven Altars and sacrificeth on them and the second time seven and the third time seven with more opportunity and though he saw that every time it was like a piece charged against another that recoyled upon himselfe though hee saw how frustranious and empty all his intendments and purposes were yet for all that he goes on in the hardnes of his heart God sought meanes to reclaime him hee defeated his purposes but he would not yeeld as if hee had held it an honour to be tenacious of his resolution against God Thus it was with Saul what a number of blowes did God give that hard heart of his before it would melt Every time he disappointed him in his pursuit of David it was a blow given to molifie his heart if it might have beene yet he goes on to a greater degree of iniquity and impiety and he reinforceth and reneweth his cursed endeavours against an innocent man If the heart of man be but of a mettall that is hard enough God knowes yet it may be melted though it be iron as Gregory Nazianzen saith it will melt in the fire but if the heart of man be that heart of stone Ezek. 11.19 well may it be broken but melt it will not And it is not easily
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
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
day of slaughter because of successe Poore deluded soule that art conscious to thy self that thy wayes are naught and yet justifieth it because of successe God is a patient and long-suffering God and suffers people to goe on as he did Pharaoh into the middle of the sea and there cut off his chariots He suffers them to goe a while not that they shall alway prosper but to make the cup more bitter after long prosperity See it in all the examples before see if they did not repent themselves of that peace that they enjoyed Iosephs brethren carried it away smoothly but God comes to a sharpe reckoning in the conclusion they were in a great agony they knew not how to extricate themselves So David he went smoothly for a time but after it cost him many a teare he made his bed to swim So Ahab he wished a thousand times he had not meddled with the vineyard the sawce was so sharpe with the meat So Daniels accusers they reaped the judgement they intended against him the Lions had power over them they repented that ever they stirred that stone So many covetous men in the world that have gathered goods by oppression his line holds for a time it may be for his owne life but who hath not seen the judgement of God on his posterity that a man may read the fathers sin in the childes punishment So the revengefull the lustfull the ambitious man God comes home to them and so he will to others Men may laugh and rejoyce because of successe take heed when the reckoning is paid God will rise in judgement and then woe to those that thrive in wicked wayes It is the observation of a Father all things are said of the rich man Luke 16. in the time past There was a rich man and he fared deliciously every day and he was cloathed in purple and thou hast received all thy good So these people the time will come when they shall be forced to say they had their profit and their pleasure here according to their desire and so they have had all that good that ever they shall have they must be content with it there is no more now but an expectation of wrath and mischiefe the cup of the Lord is full it is mingled the wicked of the earth shall sucke the dregs of it In the second place censure not Gods providence nor justifie the wicked because they thrive and prosper in their wayes and courses and designes Fret not thy selfe for the wicked Psal 37. David was much taken with it Psal 73. he saith That his foot had nigh slipped when he saw the prosperity of the wicked Ieremiah desired to dispute with God upon this theame The broad spreading bay-tree of the wicked moves emulation in the children of God they thinke they have cleansed their hands in vaine But goe into the Sanctuary and there you shall see that God hath set them in slippery places Though their line hold here yet those lines tye them to judgement they shall be tyed as the vulture to the heart of Titius Pity them their woe is to come Where is the children of God having had hardship in this world shall have a blessed compensation in the world to come I should come to the second event the removall of this judgement I will only touch one thing in the front and so commit you to God It is like enough that Pharaoh sent to the Magicians to know if they could remove the judgement he found them unable or else he would not intreat Moses and Aaron to do it Here is that that will make Pharaoh unexcusable for it hath beene questioned whether Pharaoh were not excusable in holding out against the command of God and the commission of Moses because he was thus deluded by his Inchanters For say they how could he be perswaded that Moses came from God with a speciall command when his owne Inchanters did the like so they extenuate his sinne But suppose they did it by as great power and divine vertue as Moses and Aaron and he had no reason to think that Moses and Aaron were any better yet this is unexcusable that they could not remove the judgement So let men have never so many pretences there is somewhat that will hold conscience still that it will never give out of the hands of it The conscience will be hampered with something let the wicked man have ten thousand Apologies there is somewhat that will hold conscience whereby it will be snared to judgement Iosephs brethren can say much for themselves for the slaughter of the Sychemites that they did it in a way to vindicate the honour of their family Should he use our sister as a where but there is one thing that makes it hold sinne the abuse of the ordinance of God to make it a midwife to deliver them of their sinne So Saul may make a fair glosse that he had spared the goods of the Amalekites for sacrifice but there is one thing that holds him what is that that he had gone expressely against the command of God for he bad him spare none So Ahab had much to say for himselfe he came upon faire tearmes to Naboth for his vineyard he offered him money besides he knew what Ahab was But there is one thing that will have power over him what is that that his wife should have power over his seale to frame a letter to undoe the man So the Scribes and Pharisees they put it off Did we persecute this man Wilt thou bring this mans blood upon us we did it in zeale hee seemed to oppose the law of Moses but one thing will hold them to judgement because it was malice in them against Christ because he reproved them so plainly that they could never claw it off For the Use of it Never thinke when you come to Judgement of Apologies and fig-leaves that will be too narrow for your nakednesse away with these subterfuges and starting holes God never brings a man to judgement but he hath enough to judge him for by the testimony of his owne conscience as Pharaoh here that when he knew it must be of God yet he was hardened The conscience as it is a register in man at the day of Judgement it will be an accuser of man and justifie Gods most severe proceedings against him So much for this time THE SEVENTH SERMON Vpon EXOD. CHAP. 8. VERS 8. Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the Lord that he may take a way the frogs from me and from my people and I will let the people goe that they may doe sacrifice to the Lord. NOw we come to the second event that is the removall of the judgement Wee must consider First how it is motioned and intreated for in verse 8. Then how Moses engageth himselfe to performe it verse 9 10 11. Thirdly how he acts and performes it in deed and puts it in execution in verse 12 13 14. The first
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
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