Abraham and his seed to give the land of Canaan and of the bondage of Israel in Egypt and his Covenant and sent him againe to Pharaoh to let the children of Israel goe out of his land but all this while the children of Israel did mightily murmur against Moses and Aaron Moses was then fourescore yeares old and Aaron fourescore and three And they went both unto Pharaoh againe and Aaron cast down his Rod before Pharaoh and it became a serpent and the sorcerers of Pharaoh did the like with their inchantments But Aarons Rod swallowed up all theirs And as God commanded Moses and Aaron in the morning they met Pharaoh at the water and at the Rivers side and desired that the people of Israel might goe and worship God in the wildernesse But he refused then he smote the waters in the sight of Pharaoh and they were turned into blood and the fish died and the river stanke yet Pharaohs heart was hardened this continued for seven dayes in which time they digged for water to drinke And the Lord commanded Moses to goe againe unto Pharaoh to let the people of Israel goe and still his heart was hardened and Aaron stretched forth his hand with the Rod over the ponds and caused frogs to come over the land of Egypt and the Magicians did thâ— like then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the Lord that he may take away the frogs from me and my people and I will let the people goe that they may doe service unto the Lord. And Moses said That thou mayst know that there is none like the Lord our God the frogs shall depart but onely they shall remaine in the rivers and the Lord did according to the word of Moses And the Lord commanded to say unto Aaron to stretch out his Rod and smite the dust of the land that it may be lice thorowout all Egypt and it was so and the Magicians attempted to doe the like but could not And they told the King it was the finger of God yet he hearkened not unto them Then the Lord commanded Moses to goe early in the morning unto Pharaoh as he came forth and speak to him that the people of Israel might goe to serve him and to tell him what plagues otherwise would follow but still his heart was hardened then there came a grievous swarme of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into all the land of Egypt and the land was corrupted by reason of the flies Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Goe ye sacrifice to your God in the land But Moses said they desired to go three dayes journey for it was an abomination to the Egyptians to sacrifice in their land and Pharaoh let them goe desiring Moses to intreat the Lord for him the which he did and the flies departed out of the land of Egypt Yet againe Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let them goe then all the cattell of the land of Egypt died but of the cattell of the children of Israel died not one yet was Pharaohs heart hardened and would not let them goe Then as the Lord commanded Moses took ashes of the furnace and stood before Pharaoh and sprinkled it up towards heaven and there became boiles and blames upon man and beast and upon the Magicians And stil was the heart of Pharaoh hardened and would not let the children of Israel goe and Moses stretched forth his Rod and the Lord sent thunder and haile and the fire ran along upon the ground so there was fire and haile mingled together such as was not since the land of Egypt became a nation and it smote both man and beast and every herbe and brake downe the trees onely in the land of Goshen where the children of Israel were was none Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and said unto them I have sinned the Lord is righteous I and my people are wicked Intreat the Lord for me and I will let ye goe And Moses went out of the city and spread his hands unto the Lord and the thunder and haile ceased yet neverthelesse Pharaohs heart was again hardened neither would he let the children of Israel goe And Moses and Aaron came againe unto Pharaoh and said thus unto him Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy selfe before me let my people goe that they may serve me and his servants perswaded him to let them goe but he refused to heare them Then Moses stretcht forth his Rod over the land of Egypt and there came an East winde which brought in Locusts which went over the land of Egypt and the land was darkened and they left no greene thing upon the land Then Pharaoh called againe for Moses and Aaron in haste and said I have sinned against the Lord your God and you forgive my sinne and entreat the Lord for me The which Moses did and the Lord sent a mighty West winde which did drive the locusts into the Red Sea but yet would not Pharaoh let the children of Israel goe Then the Lord commanded Moses to stretch forth his hand towards heaven and there was a thick darknesse throughout the land of Egypt three dayes but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings Then Pharaoh called unto Moses and said to him Goe ye and serve the Lord onely let your flocks and herds stay here but Moses refused that and said they must have sacrifices for the Lord and all their cattell then Pharaoh would not let them goe but bid Moses to see his face no more And the Lord commanded Moses to speake to all the children of Israel upon the tenth day of the moneth to take every house a lambe a male lambe without blemish and to keep it untill the fourteenth day and then kill it in the evening and to take the blood with a bunch of hyssop and strike it on the two side posts and upon the upper post of the doore and that they shall eat the flesh that night rosted with unleavened bread and bitter herbs That they shall eat it with their loins girded shooes on their feet and staves in their hands and in haste for it is the Lords Passeover For the blood upon the posts shall be a token that the Lord would passe in mercy by them when the Egyptians should be destroyed And after the performance of many other ceremonies before the eating of the Passeover it came to passe that at midnight the Lord smote all the first-borne of Egypt and Pharaoh rose up in the night and all the Egyptians and there was a great cry then the children of Israel according as they were commanded departed taking their dough before it was levened and the kneading troughes upon their shoulders with great store of Jewels they had from the Egyptians And they journied towards Succoth being in number about six hundred thousand on foot besides children after they had beene
God and they stood at the bottome of it and the mountaine was altogether on a smoke for the Lord descended upon it in fire and the whole mount quaked greatly and the Lord called Moses unto him to the top of the mount and the Lord said unto Moses Goe downe charge the people lest they breake thorough to gaze and perish so Moses did as the Lord commanded and then God commanded Moses and Aaron to come up then was delivered unto them by word from God the Ten Commandements And the people being much afraid of the thundrings lightnings and sound of trumpet and smoking of the mountaine they removed and stood afarre off and they said unto Moses Speake thou unto us and we will heare but let not God speake with us lest we die And Moses said unto the people Feare not for God is come to prove you and that his feare may be before your faces that ye sinne not and the people stood afarre off and Moses drew neare unto the thick darknesse where God was and there the Lord taught unto Moses his lawes and ordinances to deliver to the people After this the Lord commanded Moses with Aaron Nadab and Abihu and seventy Elders of Israel to come up who were commanded to worship a farre off and Moses above came neare the Lord. And returning from the Lord Moses wrote all the words of the Lord and rose up early in the morning and built an Altar under the hill and twelve pillars according to the twelve Tribes of Israel And he sent young men of the children of Israel which offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord and the Lord again said unto Moses Come up to me into the mount and I will give thee Tables of stone and the Law and Commandements which I have written that thou mayest teach them and Moses with Joshua his minister went up to the mount of God and said unto the Elders Tarry ye here for us untill we returne Aaron and Hur are with you If any man have any matters to doe let him come unto them Thē Moses went up into the mount and a cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai and the cloud covered it six dayes and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the middest of the cloud and the sight of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of all the children of Israel And Moses was in the mount fourty dayes and fourty nights And after his returne he by Gods appointment set downe Lawes and Ordinances and Ceremonies for the people of Israel to keepe Now whilest Moses was in the mount the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said Make us gods to goe before us for as for this Moses that brought us out of Egypt we wot not what is become of him and Aaron to please them bade them breake off their eare-rings which they did and of them did make a Calfe and did worship it and the people sate downe to eate and to drinke and rose up to play And the Lord said unto Moses Goe get thee downe for the people thou broughtest out of Egypt have corrupted themselves and are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded they are a stiffe-necked people and the Lords wrath was growing hot against them to consume them But Moses besought the Lord his God to spare this people whom he had brought out of the land of Egypt with such power and might and to be mercifull unto them for Abraham Isaac and Jacobs sake and the Lord heard the prayers of Moses for them And Moses coming downe from the mount with the two Tables of the Law the worke and writings of God Joshuah hearing the noise of the people as they shouted he said unto Moses There is a noise of warre in the Campe but Moses said No it is the noise of them that sing and as hee came neare the Campe he saw the Calfe and the dancing and Moses anger waxed hot and he cast the Tables out of his hands and brake them beneath the mount and he took the Calfe which they had made and burnt it in the fire and ground it to powder and strewed it upon the water and made the children of Israel drinke of it And Moses said unto Aaron What did this people unto thee that thou hast brought so great a sinne upon them and Aaron answered Let not the anger of my lord waxe hott thou knowest the people that they are set on mischiefe Then Moses stood in the gate of the Campe and said Who is on the Lords side and goe in and out from gate to gate thorough the Campe and slay every man his brother and every man his companion and every man his neighbour and the children of Levi who were consecrated did according to the word of Moses and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men And on the morrow Moses said unto the people You have sinned a great sinne and now I will goe up unto the Lord peradventure I shall make an attonement for your sinne and Moses went up and prayed for the people and the Lord commanded Moses to leade the people forth and sent his Angel with him Then Moses tooke the Tabernacle and pitched it without the Campe a farre off and every one that sought the Lord went out unto the Tabernacle and when Moses went unto the Tabernacle the people rose up and stood at their tent doores looking after Moses untill he went into the Tabernacle and the cloudy pillar descended and stood at the doore of the Tabernacle whiles the Lord talked with Moses then every man rose up and worshipped in his tent doore The Lord commanded Moses to he we two Tables of stone like to the first and to be ready in the morning to come unto mount Sinai but not any man to come up with him neither any man to be seene thorowout all the mount neither that the flocks or herds should feed before the mount the which was done and Moses went up unto the Lord and it came to passe when Moses came down from the mount with the two Tables of the Testimony his face shone and and Aaron and the children of Israel were affraid to come near him but he put a vaile over his head and told them what the Lord had commanded Then the children of Israel mightily gave themselves to the adoring of the Tabernacle wherein was the Arke of the Covenant which being finished Moses reared up and put the Testimony into the Arke and put the Mercy-seat above upon the Arke and he set a Laver betweene the Tent of the Congregation and the Altar and Moses and Aaron and his sonnes washed their hands and their feete thereat when they came neare the Altar and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle and the cloud of the Lord was upon
he did so And all the Elders of Israel followed him and he spake unto them saying Depart I pray you from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed And so they departed and stood in the doores of their Tents their wives and their children and Moses said Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to doe all those workes for I have not done them of my owne minde if these men die the common death of all men or if they be visited after the visitation of all men then the Lord hath not sent me but if the Lord make a new thing and the earth open her mouth and swallow them up with all that appertaine to them and they goe downe quicke into the pit then shall ye understand that these men have provoked the â—ord And it came to passe as he had made an end of speaking all these words that the ground clave asunder that was under them and swallowed them up their houses and their goods and the earth closed upon them and they perished from among the congregation and there came a fire out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense and as God commanded Eleazer the sonne of Aaron tooke the censers out of the fire and made of them broad plates to cover the Altar because they were formerly hallowed and to be a memoriall to all the children of Israel that no stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron come neare to offer incense before the Lord that he be not as Korah and as his company But on the morrow after this great judgement fell upon Korah the congregation murmured against Moses and Aaron saying They had killed the people of the Lord. And they being gathered together Moses and Aaron looked towards the Tabernacle and the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared And Moses and Aaron came before the Tabernacle of the congregation and the Lord spake unto Moses saying Get you up from among this congregation that I may consume them in a moment and they fell upon their faces and Moses bade Aaron to take a Censer and put fire therein from of the Altar and put on incense and go quickly unto the congregation and make an attonement for them for that wrath was gone out from the Lord and the plague was begun and Aaron did as Moses commanded and ran into the middest of the congregation but the plague was begun among the people and then he put on incense and made an attonement for the people and stood betweene the dead and the living and the plague ceased Now they that died of the plague were foureteene thousand and seven hundred besides them that died about the matter of Korah and Aaron returned unto Moses to the doore of the Tabernacle and the plague stayed And the Lord commanded Moses to speake unto the children of Israel to bring twelve rods for every Tribe one and thereon to write their names and to write Aarons name upon the rod of Levi and to lay them up in the Tabernacle before the Testimony and the Lord said That the mans rod whom he shall chuse shall be the chiefe and shall blossome thereby to make the children of Israel cease from murmuring against Moses and Aaron and Moses did as the Lord commanded and every one of the Princes gave him a rod according to their fathers houses Aarons rod being amongst them and Moses laid the rods before the Lord in the Tabernacle of witnesse and going on the morrow into the Tabernacle the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded brought forth buds bloomed and yielded Almonds and Moses brought them forth and they tooke every man his rod but the Lord bade Moses to bring back Aarons rod before the Testimony to be kept for a token against the Rebels and take away their murmurings lest they die and Moses did so as God commanded and the children of Israel spake unto Moses saying Behold we dye we perish we all perish Shall we be consumed with dying And the Lord commanded the Tribe of Levi to be joyned unto Aaron to minister unto him and onely that Aaron and his sonnes should minister before the Tabernacle of the witnesse and that the Levites should keepe the charge of the Tabernacle but they should not come nigh the vessels of the Sanctuary and the Altar lest Aaron and they should die and that no stranger should come near them and gave them many other Ordinances to observe Then came the children of Israel unto Zin and abode in Kadesh where Miriam died and was there buried and in that place was no water in so much as they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron and the people did chide with Moses and wished they had died with their brethren Then Moses and Aaron went from them unto the doore of the Tabernacle and fell upon their faces and the Lord bade Moses and Aaron take the Rod and assemble the people together and speake unto the Rock before them and it should give forth water and they gathered the congregation together before the Rock and Moses said unto them Heare now ye Rebels must we fetch you water out of this Rock Then Moses lift up his hand and with his Rod he smote the Rock twice and the water came out abundantly and the congregation dranke and their beasts also And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron Because ye beleeve me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them After this Moses sent messengers to Kadesh to the King of Edom letting him know of all their passages in Egypt and of the wonders that God had done desiring to passe through his Countrey onely to goe by the Kings high way and pay for what they tooke but the King of Edom refused it wherefore Israel turned another way and came to mouÌ„t Hor where the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron saying Aaron shall be gathered to hâ— people for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah take Aaron and his sonne Eleazar and bring them up unto mount Hor and Moses brought them up and as the Lord commanded Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them upon Eleazar his sonne and Aaron died there in the top of the mount and Moses and Eleazar came downe from thence and when the congregation of Israel saw that Aaron was dead even all the house of Israel mourned for him thirty dayes And they journied from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea and compassed the land of Edom but they were much discouraged because of the way and the people spake against God and Moses then the Lord sent fiery serpents amongst the people who bit them whereof many died
for Moses being absent but for a few daies the people went a whoring after their owne inventions Into what extreme folly did they runne headlong even to worship a calfe and to give that which was most precious unto them to make an idol and their jewels to make a calfe O Lord Jesus looke upon me and helpe me in this time of danger to my soule how at this time doe the most of this world wherein I live go a whoring after their owne waies as though neither Moses nor any Prophet were amongst thē how have they consumed the land given their jewels to raise up the idol of arrogancy and pride and what doe we else but sit downe to eate and drink and rise up to play and no man mournes for the misery of the land O Lord Jesus strengthen my faith and beliefe in this dangerous Sea wherein are so many rocks and quicksands of Error and Innovations Be thou my Pilot and grant that I may steere a right course towards thee in this sea so covered with the mists and fogges of Heresie and Schisme that by a true faith I may arrive unto the harbour of my hoped for happinesse and with speed send some in the spirit of Moses to us againe and deliver us from the like punishment that fell upon the Israelites for that their sinne and that peace may be in our Land that thy Tabernacle O Lord may be raised up and that we may worship towards it every man with humilitie at the doore of his tent with the children of Israel so humbled and prostrate and that we may doe as they did give our selves to adorne the Ark of the Church wherein is the Arke of the Covenant and reare it up with Moses in the solemnitie of spirituall and divine worship for there is the glory of the Lord and of all God people O Lord let me know that Aarons worship before thee in his robes of holinesse the ornaments of honour the mitre and crowne upon his knees humbly before thy Altar in the Sanctuary being according unto thine owne holy order was more pleasing unto thee then the confusion of such who step up without order or ornament spirituall or corporall into the Church not so much as looking with reverence towards thy place of worship For doubtlesse O Lord thy Sonne and our Saviour the great example of humility did come into this world to teach us humilitie and that by his grace working in us humilitie lowlinesse and devotion should encrease and continue in this world Therefore let me not O Lord with the proud spirituall Pharisees of these times being blasted with boldnesse presume to step into thy house the place of worship but with reverence and in imitation of thy children of Israel who worshipped and wept at the doore of the Sanctuary O Lord the children of Israel though they provoked thee unto anger by their murmuring distrusts and iniquities in their journeys even ten times when I looke into my selfe O Lord I finde and must needs confesse to my owne shame and confusion that in this my pilgrimage I have exceeded them in impietie both in number and degree for indeed my sinnes are numberlesse having murmured exceedingly in my journeys at the crosses of this world as never considering from what hand they came nor how justly I have deserved them I have for most part of my time eaten drunk and rose up to play and thirsted after the flesh-pots and pleasures of this world I have neglected thy service and have not humbled my selfe before the doore of thy Sanctuarie to bewaile my sinnes as I ought to have done the due obedience that I owe to my Superiours and Pastours of thy Church have I neglected following mine owne inventions and opinions and have wandered like a sheepe out of the fold whereby I have fallen into by pathes and crooked waies leaving that good way thou hast appointed and thereby have drawne thy just displeasure upon me O Lord my God standing in this sad and dangerous condition give me grace truely to humble my selfe before thee and as thou didst heare the prayers of Moses thy servant who mediated for thy children of Israel and was mercifull unto them So I doe most humbly beseech thee by the merits of thy Sonne and my Saviour Jesus Christ my Mediatour for his sake be thou mercifull to me and deliver me from finall destruction denounced against me How endlesse O Lord are our impieties when we grow proud and stiffe-necked and how rebellious then doe we grow against thee and thy Ministers whom under thee we should obey O Lord deliver me thy servant from a rebellious spirit and teach me not to spurne against them that thou hast appointed over me with Korah Dathan and Abiram so spitefull against Moses and Aaron thy Ministers nor to cover my rebellious impietie with the specious cloake of holinesse as they did when nothing was in their heart but ambition and desire to rule and to bring that out of order which thou O Lord hadst established in Moses and Aaron How wonderfull are thy judgements O Lord and how unsearchable are thy wayes Let the example of these men and the just and terrible punishment that fell upon them make me feare to breake thy Ordinances or disobey my Governours that thou hast appointed for what are we O Lord in a headlesse government and what mischiefe shall not betide us O Lord preserve me from the fiery stings and punishments of that old serpent which mine iniquities deserve and in these afflictions that I may suffer for my sinnes give me grace to look up towards him that died for me upon the Crosse that by his merits I may be healed and praise thee for thy mercies and live to goe in my pilgrimage by a true obedience unto thee and that I may no more murmur against thee nor be weary of the Manna of thy blessings and O Lord as Moses saw the Land of promise before his death upon the top of the mountaine so good Lord raise up my thoughts before I dye from these earthly things to contemplate the eternity hereafter and give me a taste and faithfull apprehension of that heavenly Countrey which I doe expect that with joy of heart and comfort to my soule I may leave this earthly tabernacle and ascend unto that place of happinesse where Moses and other thy Prophets Apostles Saints and Martyrs sing praise unto thee that sits upon the throne for ever THE HISTORY of Joshua AFter the death of Moses God made choice of Joshua the son of Nun to be his Champion and to goe before the children of Israel and Joshua commanded the Officers to goe unto the Hoste amongst the people and command them to prepare victuals and provision within three dayes to passe over the river Jordane towards the land of Canaan and Joshua spake to the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the halfe tribe of Manasseh saying You and yours are to possesse the land
of them commanded the Midwives to kil the male children and to save the daughters that should be borne of the Israelites but the midwives feared God and would not doe his commands but excused it to the King And there was a man of the house of Levi that took to him a wife of his owne tribe who conceived and bare him a sonne being a goodly childe whom for fear she hid three moneths but when she could not longer hide him she made for him an arke of bulrushes daubing it with slime and pitch putting the childe therein and laid it amongst the flags by the rivers side And his sister stood a farre off to see what would become of the childe And Pharaohs daughter coming downe the river with her maides to wash her selfe found the arke and sent her maids to fetch it and opening of it found the childe who wept and she had compassion on him and said This is one of the Hebrews children and Pharaohs daughter commanded the sister that watcht the childe to call an Hebrew woman to nurse it and she went and called the childes mother and Pharaohs daughter said unto her Take this childe and nurse it for me and I will give thee thy wages and the woman tooke the childe and nursed it and the childe grew and she brought him to Pharaohs daughter who took him for her son and called his name Moses because she drew him out of the water Now after he grew to yeares when the Israelites had hard burthens upon them he went out amongst them and seeing an Egyptian strike an Hebrew one of his brethren who warily looking about him and seeing no body he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand And the second day going abroad he saw two Hebrews at strif and he said to him that had done the wrong Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow who answered Who made thee a Judge over us Intendest thou to kill me as thou didst the Egyptian then Moses was afraid and when Pharaoh heard of it he sought to kill Moses but he fled from Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian and there sitting downe by a well came seven daughters of the Midian Priest who drew water into troughs to water their fathers flock but there came other shepherds and drave them away But Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flockâ— who returning to their father he asked the reason they came so soone back and they told him that a certaine Egyptian had helped them and he commanded to call him to his house to eate bread who came and dwelt with him and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter to wife by whom he had a sonne called Gershom Now after this Pharaoh died and the children of Israel were exceedingly grieved by reason of their great bondage and they cryed unto the Lord who heard them and remembred his covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Now Moses keeping the flock of his father in law and leading them to the back side of the desert he came to Horeb the mountaine of God where appeared unto him an Angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in the middle of a bush and Moses turned towards it to see why the bush was not burnt then God called unto him out of the middest of the bush and said Moses Moses draw not nigh hither put off thy shooes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground and told him I am the God of thy father the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Then Moses hid his face for he was afraid to looke upon God and God said unto him I have seene the afflictions of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their task-masters and told Moses that he would send him to Pharaoh and to bring his people of Israel out of Egypt and Moses said unto God Who am I that I should goe unto Pharaoh and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt and God told him he would be with him and that for a token thereof after he had brought them out of Egypt they should serve God upon that mountaine and Moses said unto God When I come unto the children of Israel how shall they beleeve me then said the Lord Say unto them I am hath sent me unto you But Moses answered and said Behold they will not beleeve me nor hearken unto my voyce and Moses having a Rod in his hand the Lord commanded him to cast it upon the ground and it became a serpent and Moses went from it And the Lord said unto him Put forth thy hand and take it by the taile the which he did and it became a Rod againe And the Lord said more to him Put thy hand into thy bosome the which he did and when he tooke it out his hand was leprous as snow and he said put thy hand into thy bosome againe the which he did and it became as it was before yet neverthelesse Moses was very scrupulous to goe Excusing himselfe that he wanted eloquence and was slow of tongue and the Lord said unto him Who hath made mans mouth who maketh the dumbe or deafe the seeing or the blind but I the Lord and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and then he appointed Aaron to joyne with him and to assist him in this great worke for the deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt And so Moses returned to Jethro his father in law to desire leave to go into Egypt to see his brethren who bid him goe in peace And Moses returned towards Egypt with his wife and children and the Rod in his hand with command from God to doe wonders before the King of Egypt And Aaron met Moses in the mount of God and kissed him Moses telling him all the words of the Lord who had sent him and all the signes he had commanded him And then they two gathered all the Elders of Israel together and did the signes in sight of all the people who beleeved them and worshipped God for his goodnesse After that they went to Pharaoh desiring they and the children of Israel might hold a Fast unto the Lord in the wildernesse But he would not obey the message and voice of the Lord. And they said againe The God of the Hebrews hath met with us let us go we pray thee three dayes journey into the Desert to sacrifice unto our God lest he lay his plagues upon us of pestilence and sword but Pharaohs heart was hardned and would not let them goe and added more to their work whereof they complained mightily to Pharaoh But he said Ye are now idle therefore ye say Let us goe and doe sacrifice to the Lord and the people murmured at Moses because their task was greater since his coming to them and Moses was much troubled thereat Then the Lord spake unto Moses and told him of all his promises unto
in Egypt foure hundred and thirty yeares But they went not the nearest way by the land of the Philistines but about through the wildernesse of the Red Sea And Moses took the bones of Joseph along with him and they came from Succoth in Ethem in the edge of the wildernesse and there encamped and the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud and by night in a pillar of fire And when King Pharaoh heard they were gone he made ready six hundred chosen Chariots all the Chariots of Egypt and Captains over them and a great army and the children of Israel coming neare the Red Sea the Egyptians overtooke them and they were afraid and cryed unto the Lord and did murmur against Moses exceedingly thinking it better to have staid in Egypt but Moses comforted them then the Lord commanded them to march and Moses to lift up his Rod and to stretch out his hand over the Sea and the Angel and the pillar of the Cloud which went before removed and stood behinde them and the Lord caused the Sea to go back by a strong East winde and it was dry land and the waters were divided and the children of Israel went into the middest of it upon the dry ground and the waters were as a wal on every side and the Egyptians followed them but by Gods will when they were in the middle of the water their Chariot wheels fell off in the morning when all Israel was over Moses stretched forth his hand and the waters closed up and Pharaoh and all his Army were drowned and when Israel saw this great worke they feared the Lord and beleeved him and his servant Moses and Moses and the children of Israel sang praises unto the Lord. After which Moses brought the children of Israel three dayes into the wildernesse and found no water and when they came to Marah the water was bitter and the people murmured against Moses and hee prayed unto the Lord and the Lord shewed him a tree the which he cast into the water and they were made sweet And then they came to Elim where were twelve wells of water and seventy Palme trees and there incamped from thence they came to the wildernesse of Sin which is betweene Elim and Sinai being the fifteenth day of the second moneth there the people of Israel did murmur at Moses and Aaron repenting they came from the flesh pots of Egypt then Moses and Aaron said unto them At even ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt and what are we that ye murmur thus against us And as Aaron was speaking to them they looking towards the wildernesse the glory of the Lord did appeare in the cloud and it came to passe that in the evening the Quailes came up and covered the Campe and in the morning the dew lay round about the host And after the dew was gone there lay a small round thing like the frost of the ground and they said one to another It is Manna And Moses said unto them This is the bread the Lord hath given you to eat gather thereof and he that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no want Moses commanded them to leave none untill the morning but some of them did not hearken to him but kept of it till morning and it bred wormes and stanke and this Manna was not to be found upon the seventh day It tasted like wafers made with hony And Moses spake unto Aaron to keep in a pot an Omer full of it therein and lay it before the Lord to be kept for their generations So Aaron laid it up before the Testimony to be kept the children of Israel did eat Manna fourty years untill they came to the borders of Canaan And the children of Israel journied from Sin and came to Rephidim and there was no water to drinke wherefore the people did chide with Moses and murmured against him And Moses cried unto the Lord saying What shall I doe with this people they be almost ready to stone me and the Lord commanded him to call the Elders of Israel and goe to the Rock in Horeb and smite the Rock and there shall come water out of it for the people to drink and Moses did so in the sight of the Elders of Israel Then Amalek came to fight with Israel and Moses bade Joshua goe and meet them with a chosen company and Joshua did so and fought with him and Moses stood upon an hill with Aaron and Hur and had his Rod in his hand and in the fight whiles he held up his hand the men of Israel prevailed but when he let it downe Amalek prevailed But Moses hands being heavy they took a stone and put it under him and he sate thereon and Aaron and Hur staid up his hands of each side and they were steady untill the going down of the Sunne and Joshua discomfited Amalek There Moses built an Altar and called it Joshua Nissi And Jethro father in law to Moses his wife with his two sonnes came unto Moses into the wildernesse where he encamped at the mount of God where they received one another with great love Moses telling him of all what God had done for Israel by delivering them from the hands of Pharaoh and Jethro sacrificed to the Lord and blessed the Lord God of Israel and Aaron came and all the Elders of Israel to eate bread with Jethro but Jethro seeing Moses sit in judgement amongst the people from morning to evening he perswaded Moses to take some helpers and not to weare himselfe out which counsell he followed onely when matters of great difficulty came to be heard Moses heard them and Jethro departed from Moses and went into his owne land After this the children of Israel removed and came to the desart of Sinai and encamped before the mount and Moses went up unto God who spake unto him and bad him tell the sonnes of Jacob what he had done for them and if they served him he would continue his mercies exceedingly unto them and Moses told the people what the Lord said and all the people answered together We will obey the Lord. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord then he commanded him to sanctifie the people unto the Lord and to be ready against the third day for then he would come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai but commanded bounds to be set about the mountaine that the people should not come upon the Mount nor touch the borders of it lest they be destroyed onely Moses and Aaron were to goe up and Moses sanctiâ—ied the people and bid them be ready the third day and that day in the morning was thundering and lightning and a thick cloud upon the mount and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people trembled And Moses brought forth the people to meet with
the Tabernacle by day and fire by night in the sight of Israel thorowout all their journies Then Moses consecrated Aaron and his sonnes and girded them with girdles clothed them with robes and put the Ephod upon them and the Brest-plate of Urim and the Thummim and put upon Aarons head the Mitre and the holy Crowne as the Lord commanded Moses and then sacrificed unto the Lord. And the Lord commanded Aaron and his sonnes not to drinke wine nor strong drinke when they shall come into the Tabernacle In the wildernesse of mount Sinai in the Tabernacle the Lord commanded Moses to take the number of the children of Israel their males by name every one by the poll from twenty yeares and upward fit for warre and the whole number was six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty besides the tribe of Levi who were appointed over the Tabernacle of the Testimony to bear the Tabernacle and the vessels thereof to minister unto it and encampe about it And Moses and Aaron did encampe before the Tabernacle towards the East and Moses numbred all the first borne among the children of Israel the males from a moneth old and upward and they were twenty two thousand two hundred threescore and thirteene And the Lord commanded Moses to make two silver Trumpets to call the people together and for their marches And the cloud being by God taken up from off the Tabernacle of the Testimony the children of Israel tooke their journeys out of the wildernesse of Sinai and the cloud rested in the wildernesse of Paran the Tribe of Judah marching first with their Standard and after them the Tribes in order And they departed from the mount of the Lord three dayes journey and the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord went before them to search out a resting place for them and when the Arke went forward then Moses said Rise up O Lord and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee and when it â—ested he said Returne O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel After this the children of Israel did murmur and long after the flesh pots of Egypt And Moses heard the people weepe every man in the doore of his tent and the anger of the Lord was greatly kindled and Moses was much grieved by reason of the great burthen that was upon him of so great a people Then the Lord commanded seventy of the Elders of Israel to assist him upon whom was the Spirit of the Lord and the people still murmuring and Moses with the Elders came into the Campe and there went forth a winde from the Lord which brought Quailes from the Sea which fell by the Campe in very great plenty and the people gathered abundantly of them and whiles the flesh was betweene their teeth the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them and smote them with a great plague And it came to passe that Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because he married an Ethiopian woman and the anger of the Lord was against them and Miriam became leprous Then Aaron said unto Moses Alas my lord I beseech thee lay not the sinne upon us wherein we have done foolishly And Moses cryed unto the Lord. Then Miriam was sent out of the Campe 7. dayes the people journeying not but after that time she returning the Campe removed and pitched in the wildernesse of Paran Then the Lord commanded Moses to send forth of every tribe one to search the land of Canaan and to know the strength and plenty thereof and they coming to the brook of Eshcoll cut off a cluster of grapes and they brought it upon a staffe by two men with some pomegarnets and figges and did give relation of the land and some of them spake very doubtfull of the land and put the people in feare Insomuch as the Congregation wept and murmured against Moses and Aaron and wished they had died in the land of Egypt or in the wildernesse and desired to returne into Egypt then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the Assembly of the Congregation of Israel and Joshua and Caleb who had searched the land rent their clothes and commended the land exceedingly to the people and advised them not to rebell against the Lord. But they bade stone them with stones and the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them But Moses prayed earnestly to the Lord for this people and he heard him and pardoned them But the Lord said Because all those men which have seene my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wildernesse and have tempted me now these ten times and have not hearkened to my voice they shall not see the land but my servants Caleb and Joshua because they have followed me them will I bring into the land whereinto they went and their seed shall possesse it and the children of Israel and the people murmured exceedingly and contrary to the command of Moses got up into the top of the mountaine repenting and being ready to goe to the place the Lord had promised but the Arke of the Covenant staid behinde in the Campe then the Amalekites and the Canaanites came downe and discomfited them It came to passe afterwards Korah Dathan and Abiram with certaine of the children of Israel with two hundred and fifty of the Princes of the assembly men of fame and renoune gathered themselves against Moses and Aaron saying unto them Ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation is holy wherefore then lift ye up your selves above the congregation of the Lord then Moses said unto them even to morrow the Lord will shew who are his and who are holy and Moses said unto Korah Heare I pray you ye sons of Levi. Seemeth it but a small thing unto you that the God of Israel hath brought you so neare himselfe to doe the service of the Tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them and seeke ye the Priesthood also And Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram but they would not come up but murmured against Moses for bringing them out of the land of Egypt And Moses was much troubled and said unto Korah Be thou and all thy company before the Lord with Aaron to morrow and bring each of you your Censer putting Incense therein and they did so putting fire in them and stood in the doore of the Tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them and the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron saying Separate your selves from among this congregation that I may consume them in a moment And they fell upon their faces and said O God of the spirits of all flesh shall one man sin and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation And God commanded Moses to bring the people from the Tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram and
it may discerne thy wonderfull goodnesse and that I may have alwayes such a burning desire to serve thee as no overflowings of the waters of this world may quench it let me with Moses put off my shooes of worldly thoughts cares and sinfull imaginations when I shall presume to come before thee for the place where thou art is holy and places consecrated unto thee and thy service in the assembly of Saints are not to be prophaned by any kinde of unholy actions for we must worship towards thy holy temple and enter into it with reverence for so O Lord thou didst command all thy people in all nations of the world Give me grace to obey thy good inspirations as Moses did obey thee by going unto Pharaoh Lord let thy wonderfull works that thou hast done and that I daily see strengthen my faith and confidence in thee and not to distrust thy power and goodnesse but that I may resolutely goe on to serve thee with a blessed perseverance untill my soule shall be delivered out of this Egyptian bondage be freed from the taskmasters of afflictions and the fleshpots of the pleasures of this world Moses was slow in speech and doubtfull of himselfe yet God did worke mightily by him By his example let us master our fleshly opinions and know that God hath his owne work and not to judge of the defects of other men And good Lord teach me to looke into my selfe for if I have received that which others want it is thy meere mercy and goodnesse and as I ought alwayes to be thankfull for thy gifts yet let me not be proud of them for as thy goodnesse gives them so thou canst take them away as thou pleasest for the foot of pride brings downe thy wrath upon us the chiefe of men and though Moses had that defect yet by thy power he did greater matters then either Absolon or Achitophel could bring to passe for thou makest our speaking and hearing and all our senses to serve thy commands and my Reâ—eemer made the dumbe to speake and the lame to walke as by thy great mercy thou hast delivered me from the Egyptian plagues which the hardnes of my heart hath deserved so prepare me I do most humbly beseech thee and make me ready to goe out of this Egypt of the world and to be obedient unto my Leaders and Governours Moses and Aaron in the midst of all perversenesse and perverse men whomsoever In the darknesse of this world enlighten me and as thou diddest send a distinct light to the children of Israel in Goshen so enlighten O Lord my inward soule with the light of thy blessed spirit to discerne thy wonderfull mercies towards me and grant that I may praise thee for thy goodnesse and obey thee as a man separate from all the world prepare me O God to be ready for my passage to the Celestiall Countrey of eternitie as the Israelites were with my loines girt in câ—aritie my shooes on in mortification and my staffe in confidence sprinkle the posts and lintles of my heart with the hysope of thy grace and the precious bloud of thy salvation that I may be knowne to be thine and be received into thy mercy when thou shalt come to visit me and to bring me through the Red Sea of that dangerous passage to the heavenly Canaan of eternitie Keepe me at that time O Lord from distrust and diffidence strengthen me in the narrow passage betweene the two wals of that dangerous water of presumption and despaire that I be not drowned with the Egyptians of this world whose trust is in their chariots and not in thee and whose hardnesse of heart and contempt of thee brought them to destruction O Lord be mercifull to my thirsty soule and preserve me from murmuring against thee thou which diedst upon the tree of the Crosse take all bitternesse from my soule and quench my thirst with the holy water of thy grace and grant that I may cheerefully goe on towards the land of promise Without thy continuall helpe how fraile and perverse are we as the rebellious Israelites ever murmuring and repining against Moses and Aaron send therefore that heavenly Manna unto me that may strengthen my soule and preserve it unto thee in faith and obedience Thou knowest my frailty O God and how feeble I am as likewise my unruly and unbridled conditions my stubbornes and hardnesse of heart therefore I doe most humbly beseech thee for thy mercy sake in Jesus Christ with thy miraculous and mercifull Rod of grace to strike upon my stony heart that from that rock may ascend unto mine eyes a fountaine of teares with such a true and perfect contrition as may come before thee and by thy mercy my sinnes may be washed away and that I may thirst no more after vanity O Lord how weake is the arme of the strongest man without thy help for Moses could not hold up his hand with the Rod without assistance from thee where Amalek fought with Israel but Aaron and Hur assisted him I do most humbly beseech thee in the fight that I have against the Amalek of sin and impiety give me thy Rod of grace and strengthen me and make me able to hold up my hands heart unto thee and in my weaknesse and distresse send me O Lord spirituall comforters which may assist and strengthen my faith that I may hold out untill the sunne of my age be set and obtain victory over all my spirituall enemies With what wonderfull feare diddest thou O Lord deliver thy holy Commandements unto Moses and with what reverence and feare did the children of Israel stand without the bounds of Mount Sinai and onely Moses Aaron Nadab Abihu and seventy Elders of Israel went into the mountaine who worshipped a far off onely Moses came neare the Lord. Good Lord make me to feare and tremble to break these thy holy commandements which thou diddest deliver with such circumstances of glory and terrour and with thy children of Israel let me keepe without the bounds of mount Sinai as thou appointedst them and out of all humane curiosity humbly waite to receive thy lawes from the hands of Moses and the Prophets and Ministers of thy Church Keepe rash presumption from the soule of thy servant for though Aaron Nadab and Abihu and the seventy Elders were good and holy men yet they kept their distance in their worship towards thee O God and at the writing of the Law So good Lord give me lowlinesse to stand before thee without the bounds of Sinai with such as are humble of heart and there worship and waite thy leisure for what thou shalt command me by Moses my spirituall guide by whom I must be directed for I must not be my owne director Without this continuall helpe of thine O Lord and by thy Ministers and Shepherds thou appointest over us how dangerously doth that Wolfe the devil assault and prevaile against this britle and corrupt flesh of ours
blessings And good Lord give me grace to cover the infirmities of such fatherâ— and others of the world which I shall see to fall by weakenesse into these or the like offences charitably to judg of them and to judge of my own ways looking into my own actions with a single eye to judge my selfe before others then shall not I cast a stone at another but reflect the worst thought upon my selfe so shall the soule of thy servant O Lord avoid all active scandall and black reproach that curse which Cham received from Noah his father standing upon record for ever THE HISTORY of Abraham ABraham was the son of Terah who descended from Sem the eldest sonne of Noah and Abraham married Sarah who was barren and it came to pass that Terah brought Abraham with Sarah Lot and others from Ur in Caldea to goe into the Land of Canaan And they came to Haran where Terah dyed hee being then two hundred and five years old who being dead by Gods command Abraham departed from Haran being then 75. yeares old with Sarah his Wife and Lot his brothers son with their substance servants and took their journey towards Canaan In this his journey he came to Sheshem and to the Plain of Morah the Canaanites being then in the Land There the Lord appeared to him promising to give his seede that Land and in that place did Abraham build an Altar unto the Lord. From thence hee removed Eastward from Bethel where he likewise built an Altar unto the Lord and there called upon his Name Then hee after travailing further South a great Famine comming upon that Land he went into Aegypt there to sojourn and when hee drew neare that Land he began to be fearfull of himselfe by reason of the beauty of his Wife and desired her to say she was his Sister Now after his comming there the Aegyptians were much taken with her beauty the Princes of Pharoah's Court acquainted the King therewith So shee was brought into his Palace and for her sake Abraham was kindely used but the Lord plagued the house of Pharoah for detaining of her then was Pharoah angry with Abraham for not telling him she was his wife and so hee delivered her backe and sent him friendly away with good rewards Then departed Abraham out of Aegypt with Sarah and Lot his brother with great wealth both in treasure and Cattell and travail'd towards the South to Bethel where formerly he had been even to the Altar he had made and there he worshipped at that time Abraham's Cattell were so many as Lot and he could not live together and striving there was betweene their Heards-men even amongst the Canaanites their enemies So Abraham spake to Lot and desired there might be no strife between them they being brethren and and left it in Lots choise whether to goe and Lot looking for his conveniency hee observed the Plain of Jordane was every way watered for before Sodome and Gomorrah were destroyed it was as the Garden of the Lord and thither did Lot goe according to his owne choise and so they parted one from the other Abraham continuing in the land of Canaan Then it was that the Lord againe did promise that Land to the seed of Abraham After this Abraham removed his Tent and dwelt in the Plaine of Mamre which is Hebron and built there an Altar unto the Lord. And it came to passe in some warres betweene the Kings of Sodome Gomorrah and other Kings that Lot was prisoner and his Cattell taken of which a message being brought to Abraham hee presently brought forth of his house that were born brought up there three hundred and eighteen persons and pursued them to Dan and Damascus brought backe Lot and all his substance with the women and his people Then brought forth Melchisadech King of Salem bread and wine unto him who was a Priest of the most high God and blessed Abraham saying Blessed art hou Abraham of God possessor of Heaven and Earth who hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand and then Abraham paid him tithe After this the Word of the Lord came to him in a vision giving him much comfort saying how he would defend and reward him but at that time Abraham was much troubled hee being childlesse resolving to make his Steward his Heir but the Lord promised him his owne seed should inherit and that he would multiply his generation upon Earth and how they should goe into Aegypt and sojourn there 40â— yeares and be hardly used but that they should be delivered and returne with great plenty Now Sarah Abraham's Wife continuing barren shee had a maid-servant whose name was Hagar an Aegyptian whom she desired Abraham to receive wherby he might have Issue the which hee did this was ten yeares after he came to Canaan and she conceived with childe whereupon she despised Sarah her Mistrisse of which her pride Sarah complained unto Abraham who leaving her to Sarah shee dealt roughly with her and thereupon shee fled but in her flying comming to a fountaine of water in the Wildernesse an Angel appeared unto her enquiring from whence shee came and whether she intended who by her being told the reasons of her journey he perswaded her to return to Sarah her Dame and to humble her selfe unto her Moreover the Angel told her he would increase her seed and that it should multiply exceedingly and that in regard of her tribulation shee should call her sonne Ishmael So when she was deliver'd of this child Abraham called it Ishmael himselfe being then fourescore and sixe yeares old And after Abraham being ninety and nine yeares old the Lord appeared againe unto him promising many blessings unto him so he would obey him and how he would multiply his seede exceedingly and he fell upon his face Then the Lord called his name Abraham promising hee should be a Father of many Nations that Kings should proceed from them and that hee would give them the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and to be their God they keeping his Covenant Then the Lord appointed Abraham that every man-childe of eight dayes olde should be circumcised as well of his house as of strangers that were bought that his Covenant might be in their flesh as an everlasting Covenant and the uncircumcised should be cut off from the people Then hee commanded his Wife should no more be called Sarai but Sarah and how he would give her a son and shee should be a Mother of many Nations then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed thinking it strange hee being an hundred years old and Sarah ninety then hee desired the Lord that Ishmael might live in his sight but the Lord said againe Sarah shall bear a sonne and thou shalt call his name Isaac with whom I will establish my Covenant and thy prayer for Ishmael I have heard and him will I blesse and make fruitfull twelve Princes shall he beget
and he shall be a great Nation and that Sarah shall beare Isaac the next yeare Then Abraham tooke Ishmael his son with all the men-children that were borne in his house 15. and that were bought with money and circumcised them the selfe-same day God had commanded him himselfe being ninety nine years old when hee was circumcised and Ishmael thirteen Now againe the Lord appeared unto Abraham in the Plain of Mamre about the heat of the day as he sate at his Tent doore and looking loe three men stood by him whom he ran to meet bowing himselfe to the ground saying Lord if I have found favour in thy sight goe not I pray thee from thy servant but wash your feet under this tree and I will bring you some bread to comfort your hearts and after you may goe and they answered doe as thou hast said Then Abraham made hast unto Sarah and bade her make some cakes upon the Hearth as likewise hee made his servant kill a Calfe aâ—d so with some butter and milke hee set before them standing himselfe by under the tree whiles they did eate Then they asked for Sarah his Wife whom hee said was in the Tent and he said I will certainly come again unto thee according to the time of life for Sarah shall have a sonne Sarah heard this being at the Tent door and laughed within her selfe because she and Abraham being olde And the Lord said wherefore doth Sarah thus laugh shall any thing bee too hard for the Lord to doe at the time appointed will I returne unto thee even according to the time of life and Sarah shal have a sonne then Sarah was affraid So the men did rise and went towards Sodome but Abraham stood yet before the Lord and knowing of the Lords anger he pleaded for that City desiring the Righteous might not be destroyed with the wicked and desired that if fifty righteous were therein it might not be destroyed for said hee unto the Lord shall not the Judge of the world doe right but Abraham's suite continued from fifty to five and forty so from forty to thirty and so to twenty and at last to ten which not being in that City the Lord went from Abraham and Abraham returned to his place After this Abraham went toward the South and sojourned at Gerar and once more said Sarah was his sister and Abimilech the King sent for her whom God before he toucht her in a dream threatned death unto him for taking another man's Wife so with many circumstances in the feare of God very religiously hee delivered her backe to Abraham blaming him for saying she was his Sister the which he excused by saying hee thought them to have been a wicked people and was affraid of his life pretending she was his sister having both one father but not of one mother Then Abimilech gave them great store of Cattell treasure reproving of Sarah for her dissembling he gave them leave to live in his Countrey where they pleased and by the prayer of Abraham Abimilech was heal'd of his Infirmity with his Wife and women-servants who before were barren and now brought forth children before they being accused for Sarah's cause After this according to Gods promise in due season Sarah conceived and bare Isaac whom Abraham circumcised at 8. dayes old and Sarah rejoyced in the Lord and wondred at his mercies And when he was weaned they made a great feast but Sarah seeing Ishmael mocking she said unto Abraham cast out this bond-woman and her sonne for hee shall not be heire with my sonne Isaac at which Abraham was troubled but the Lord comâ—orted him by telling him the comfort he should have by Isaac so in the morning early hee sent away Hagar and Ishmael who went to the Wildernesse of Beersheba and God was mercifull to them in their journey After this there was great friendship between Abraham and Abimilech and all differences being reconciled Abraham giving him Beeves and sheep After this Abraham planted a Grove in Beersheba and called there upon the name of the Lord the everlasting God Then the Lord to prove Abraham's faith said unto him take now thine only son Isaac whom thou lovest and goe to the Land of Moreah and there offer him a burnt-offering upon one of the mountaines I shall shew thee so Abraham went early away with Isaac his sonne two servants his Asses with cloven wood for the sacrifice and the third day spying the place he commanded his servants to stay behind himselfe and Isaac going on to the mountaine to worship Isaac carrying the wood himselfe the knife and the fire Then said Isaac Father here is the fire and the wood but where is the Lamb for the burnt-offring then his father answered that God would provide it and comming to the place Abraham built there an altar and couched the wood on it and bound Isaac his son and laid him like-wise on the Altar upon the wood and Abraham stretched out his hand and tooke the knife to kill his sonne but an Angell from Heaven called unto him saying Abraham Abâ—aham who answered here am I then he said lay not thy hand upon the child nor doe any thing unto him for now I know thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne Then Abraham lifting up his eyes behold there was a Ramme behind him caught by the hornes in a bush the which hee tooke and offered him a burnt-offering in stead of his so and he called the place Jehovah Jireth as it is said this day in the Mount will the Lord be seene and upon this by an Angell from heaven the secoÌ„d time a great blessing was promised unto Abraham and his seede and that in them should all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Then turned Abraham againe to his servants and so went to Beersheba where he dwelt Now after this when Sarah was one hundred twenty and seven yeares old she dyed at Kiriartharba in the Land of Canaaâ— and Abraham mourned for her but hee arising from the sight of the Corps talked with the Hittites about a place for the burying of Sarah hee being there a Stranger and they proffered him to bury her in the chiefest of their Sepulchres but with much respect he desired them to speak for him unto Ephron to give him a Cave called Maeh Pelah at the end of a field for so much money it was worth for a burying place Then Ephroa in the hearing of all the people said No my Lord the field I give thee and the cave that is therein even in the presence of the fons of my people Then Abraham bowed himself before the people saying Seeing thou wilt give it meâ— I will give thee the price of the field and so hee gave him 400. filver sheckles for it after which Abraham buryed Sarah in that cave it being against Mamre the same is Hebron in Canaan Now Abraham being growne old tooke
and provender enough room to lodge in and the man bowed himselfe and worshipped the Lord saying blessed be the Lord God of my Master Abraham which hath not with-drawne his mercie and his truth from him for when I was in the way the Lord hath brought mee to my masters brothers house She then hearing this ran straight home and told her brother Laban therof who came presently to the man and said unto him come in thou blessed of the Lord wherefore standest thou without seeing I have prepared the roome for thy selfe and thy Camels so he unsadled the Camels giving them litter and provender Then hee and the men that came with him washed their feet and meat was set before him but he would not eate untill he had delivered his message Then hee related how hee was servant to Abraham and how God had blessed him exceedingly in goods money servants and how he had a sonne by Sarah in her old age to whom his Master had given all his estate with all such Circumstances as Abraham had commanded him as aforesaid with such passages as was between Rebecka and him at the Well and how he then gave her the Abiloments and Bracelets Then hee said further unto them if you will deale mercifully and truly with my Master tell me if not tell me that I may turn me to the right hand or to the left Then answered Laban ct Bethuel that this thing is provided of the Lord wee cannot therefore say unto thee neither evill or good Behold she is before thee take her and goe that she may be thy Masters sons wife as the Lord hath said Then hee bowed himself towards the earth unto the Lord and gave unto Rebecka jewels of gold and Raiments as likewise gifts unto her Mother and her Brother and then did eate tarrying there all night Now in the morning when he was ready to depart they desired Rebecka might stay only ten days with them but he said in regard God had prospered his journey hee desired forth-with to goe to his Master Then they desired to know Rebecka's minde and have her consent whose answer was she would goe and so when they had blessed her they let her goe and her Nurse likewise So this servant with Rebecka and her maid-servants tooke their journey riding upon the Camels Now Isaac being walking abroad in the fields to pray in the evening and looking about him see these Camels comming toward him and so soon as Rebecka see him she lighted from her Camell and asking the servant who it was that was comming toward them he said it was his Master so she tooke a vaile and covered her selfe Then the servant telling him what he had Isaac took her to his Mother Sarah's Tent and she was his Wife whom he loved After this Abraham dying Isaac and Ishmael buryed him with Sarah his wife after whose death Isaac dwelt in Beerlahai Roy and Ishmael dying at the age of one hundred thirty and seven years was gathered unto his people Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebecka who continued for a while barren but hee prayed to the Lord who heard him and she conceived and at the time of birth being with child of two they did strive in her womb and she prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto her two Nations are in thy wombe and two manner of people shall bee divided out of thy bowels one people shal be mightier then the other and the elder shall serve the younger So at the time of the delivery the first that came out was red and all over rough him they called Esau and after came the other whose hand held Esau by the heele who was called Jacob and then was Isaac threescore years old Now these two growing into yeares Esau became a cunning Hunter and lived in the fields but Jacob was a plaine man and lived in Tents And Isaac loved Esau for Venison was his meate but Rebecka loved Jacob. Now Esau comming one day very hungry weary out of the fields Jacob had made some pottage of which Esau desired to eate for which Jacob desired Esau's birth-right who answered loe I am almost dead what is then this birth-right to mee so hee sware unto Jacob to give it him and contemning of it hee sold it then gave Jacob unto him some bread and Lentill Pottage and so went away And alter it came to pass that there was a Famine in the land and by the appointment of God Isaac he went to Gerar and there the Lord appeared unto him confirming his promise to Abraham his Father and to the seede of Isaac And being at Gerar Rebecka being very beautifull the men thereabouts did much look after her insomuch as Isaac being affraid he said she was his sister And it came to passe one day Isaac being sporting with her Abimilech King of the Philistines looking out of a window did espy it and called to Isaac said to him surely she is thy Wife and why dost thou say she is thy Sister to whom hee answered that he was affraid of his life Then said the King why hast thou done this If any one of my people had lyen with her thou shouldst have brought sin upon us Then Abimilech charged all his people saying he that toucheth this man or his Wife shall dye the death After this Isaac living in this Land and sowing Corne the encrease was a hundred fold and his Cattell did encrease exceedingly So having a mighty houshold and growing so great the Philistines did envy him insomuch as they filled up the wels which were digged in his Father Abraham's time And being grown so rich and potent Abimilech bade him be gone saying Thou art mightier then wee a great deal Therefore Isaac departed and pitched his Tent in the valley at Gerar and there dwelt and opened the Wells again that the Philistines had stopped calling them by the names that Abraham his Father had given them and his servants digging in the valley found there a Well of living water for which there was strife betweene them and the Herdmen of Gerer they saying it was theirs After this they digged another Well and there was strife for that likewise After this they digged another for which there was no strife So from thence hee went to Beersheba where the Lord appeared unto him the same night and confirmed unto him the blessings and promise to Abraham his Father and his seede and there he built an Altar calling upon the name of the Lord. Then came unto him Abimilech with his friend and a Captaine of his Army to whom Isaac said why come ye to me seeing you put mee out from you who answered him wee saw the Lord was with thee and we used thee kindly and sent thee away in peace and therefore let there be now a Covenant betweene us and let it be done the blessed of the Lord doe this Then hee feasted them and they arose betimes in the
unto me never to distrust thy mercies and deliverance And though things fall not according to my will and choise as it fell out with him about Rachels let me O 〈◊〉 with Jacob's other seven yeares â—â—tiently waite thy liesure and 〈◊〉 time So for thy heavenly mercies in 〈◊〉 drynesse and coldnesse of my resolâ—â—â—ons and devotions towards thee let mee with patience and prayer waite for that good time when thou shalt enlarge and deliver my soule from this thraldome and bondage of selfe-love and the snares of worldly slavery whereby I may be fitted for my journey to the heavenly Canaan there with joy to meete Isaac and all that rest in the happinesse to see thy presence O God Remove from mee all distrusts of thy promises and providence that common and dangerous rock whereupon this weake Vessell we saile in is so subject to fall upon by the crosse windes and troubled Seas of our unfaithfull constitutions for so it was with Rachel when in the bitterness of her anguish shee said to Jacob give me children or else I dye But O Lord so instruct my heart with such firme hope in thee as all doubts may depart from my weak and stupid sences and open thou the eyes of my understanding clearly to discerne how much thy mercy and goodnesse are unto me beyond my deservings and so by this pious patience I shall in thy good time enjoy the fruit of my hopes as Rachel after did by her issue in Joseph that happie sonne of so good a father the very comfort and preserver of the seed of Israel Good Lord let it enter into my heart to see with admiratioÌ„ wonder how thou diddest performe thy promises unto Abraham by this numerous generation of Jacob. After so many doubts by fleshly weakenesse barrennesse of constitutions and the great difficulties and dangers in the sâ—verall stations journeys perigrinatioÌ„s of Abraham and Isaac and the great opppession of the seed of Jacob in Aegypt and their long and dangerous perigrination to that land of promise how from them to come our Saviour O mercie beyond mans apprehension or deserving whereof they did only hope for and the which wee the sons of the bond-woman now see and so happily enjoy and by the enjoyment of which promise both the seed of Jacob and the Gentiles receive such an unvaluable blessing being such as all the hopes promises to Abraham Isaac and Jacob were but types and the tempoall plenty of the Patriarks in their land of milke and honey and all their deliverances were but shadowes in comparison of the fruits of this hope and the super-aboundant mercy of our redemption from sin and the fulnesse of heavenly grace bestowed upon us by this promised Messias in whom they in hope did rejoyce by whom they and we are made so happy in the enjoyment and fruition Oh the hidden treasure of happiness now so transparent glorious inlighten my soule O Lord that by this blessed enlightning I may see thy wonderfull mercy and my owne misery to put off all worldly love and vaine delight and make sale of all my earthly merchandise to purchase this jewell even the love of thee my Saviour farre more precious then that manna was to to the children of Israel for no earthly love is like in perfect happinesse to this of thine O thou Saviour of the world Good Lord let me continually obey blessed command and holy inspirations and as Jacob by thine appointment returned into Canaan and with expedition tooke his journey with his wives children family and goods So Lord let me breake from the love of this world wherein I am made a slave to sin and so subjected to uncertainties as Jacob was for twenty years with so many changes of his wages And let not the allurements and vain promises of this world detaine mee either for the enjoying the fading profits therein or to stay in the vanities thereof with such hopelesse and helplesse promises as Laban did intend to him But let me with resolution and sincerily follow thy good directions break from such things as may offend thee to the hurt of my soule Deliver me O Lord from the fears and jealousies so subject to the infirmities of flesh and blood from the danger of my enemies as thou did'st Jacob from his brother Esau let thy protection be with me and thy holy Angels to guard me And as Jacob sent his wives children servants and goods in order and came before him with such Presents and directions as might appease the fury of his brother Esau. So O Lord in my progres towards thee by a true faith and humble confidence give me a holy care prudence to send unto thee before-hand my heart and good intentions with my goods of piety and good workes that in mercy thou maist receive me so shall I escape thy judgements so justly due to me for my sins O Lord keep me from a wandring spirit and a loose condition so shall I avoid evill and all occasions of evill Let me not doe like Dinah who went a gadding to see the daughters of Shechem whereby she was entrap'd and brought to solly so shall I avoid sin to my selfe and the punishment of others as it befell to that unhappy Prince and Citie of Shechem And O Lord preserve mee from the like cruelty that was in Simeon and Levi whose revenge was implacable and transcendent being odious in the eyes of their Father and to all good people yet by this terrible judgement teach mee to know thy displeasure against sinne and leave such severe punishments to thy unsearchable judgements O thou my Creator Redeemer Preserver or wonderfull in my creation infinitely good in my redemption and most mercifull in my preservation the great strength guide and directer of Abraham Isaac Jacob in all their passages through the Desarts and Labyrinths of this crooked world which mercies of thine O Lord have beene most bountifully and mercifully extended unto me a most miserable sinner Therefore as they at all times and upon all occasions in their severall stations for thy mercies deliverances unto them did build Altars and offer Sacrifices of thankesgiving unto thee for thy goodnesse and Jacob according to his vow at the beginning of his perigrination where he set up that stone did now at his returne in that very place pay his vows even at Bethel with much solempnity and piety So O Lord let it enter into my heart duly to consider of thy great mercies unto me from time to time let me not cast them behind mee but call them to minde and as Jacob by finding thy mercies did not forget them when he came backe to Bethel but there did performe his duty and promise unto thee so let me alwayes remember thy deliverances unto me and how in my severall distresses I have so seen and found them as they having moved good thoughts and purposes in mee of better living good Lord let not
tooke Joshua and set him before Eleazar the Priest and the congregation and he laid his hands upon him and gave him a charge as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses After this the children of Israel warred against the Midianites and they slew the King of Midian and burnt their cities and their goodly castles and there Balaam was slaine they divided the spoyle of the Countrey And Moses growing old he called Joshuah unto him before the people giving him good counsell and bidding him to be valiant and encouraged the people and setteth forth a song of Gods mercies and vengeance After which the Lord spake unto Moses saying Get thee up into this mountain Abarim unto mount Nebo which is in the land of Moab that is over against Jericho and behold the land of Canaan which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession and dye in the mount whither thou goest up and be gathered unto thy people as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor and was gathered unto his people because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the wildernesse of Zin because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel yet thou shalt see the land but thou shalt not goe thither and after Moses had blessed the twelve Tribes of Israel he went up from the plaines of Moab unto the mountaine of Nebo and the Lord shewed him the land of promise which was promised to Abraham Isaac and Jacob so Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab according to the word of the Lord and he buryed him in a valley in the land of Moab over against Beth Peor but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day he was 120. yeares old when he died his eye was not dim nor his naturall force abated and the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plaines of Moab thirty dayes and there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face In all the signes and wonders which the Lord sent him to doe in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh to all his servants and to all his land and in all that mighty hand and in all that great terrour which Moses shewed in the sight of Israel MEDITATIONS Upon some parts of the History of Moses O Lord direct my meditations and assist me humbly and truely to contemplate this thy great work of the deliverance of thy children of Israel out of Egypt by Moses after they had sojourned there foure hundred and thirty yeares after which time according to thy promise thou diddest deliver them and brought them to the land of promise This great deliverance O Lord is the true type of a great mercy that did follow which was by our Moses Jesus Christ who redeemed and brought us that were Gentiles and under the bondage and slavery of sinne to serve and follow him out of the darknesse wherein we were inthraled being far worse then the Egyptian yoke O Lord my God let it enter into my heart most humbly and seriously to consider of this inestimable mercy of my redemption and of thy wonderfull and unvaluable goodnesse towards me a sinner by sending into this Egypt of the world such a guide such a deliverer and such a Redeemer as all the Angels and powers in heaven doe adore even thy onely Sonne Let me be astonished O Lord with wonder at this thy so great mercy and be confounded in my selfe for offending thee so glorious and so gracious a God And let my sinfull soule be converted unto thee to serve thee with all humblenesse of heart O Lord how sutable in mischiefe were Pharaoh and Herod by giving way to Ambition and Jealousie and the reignes to commit cruelty to an unlimited height for the murdering of innocent Infants Pharaohs ambition was to destroy the Hebrew children amongst whom was Moses which thou O God preservedst to deliver the people of Israel out of Egypt and Herods designe to destroy the children in Jury amongst whom was that immaculate Lambe Christ Jesus even to destroy him who delivered the Gentiles and was after crucified to deliver and redeeme both Jew and Gentile O Lord how wonderfull are thy workes and all thy goodnesse for flesh and blood could not prevaile against thy providence for the cruelty of Pharaoh could not prevent thy goodnesse for thou diddest multiply and blesse thy children of Israel and preservedst Moses in a poore basket of bulrushes to doe thy great worke to deliver thy people out of the thraldome of Egypt And O wonder of wonders and mercy of mercies out of the manger at Bethlehem came our blessed Saviour who redeemed the world and how wonderfully O Lord hast thou preserved thy Church for whom he died and multiplied thy servants through the persecutions of this world As it was thy great mercy and blessing O Lord to preserve Noah and his family in that great Arke whereby mankind was preserved upon earth So it was thy mercy to preserve thy servant Moses in that little arke amongst the watery flags of danger to preserve and bring thy children of Israel descended from Noah out of Egypt to the land of promise from which stock so preserved came my Saviour Jesus Christ as these have beene thy mercies O God to preserve thy people of Israel by thy Prophet Moses the type of Christ and to redeeme the world by thy Sonne my Saviour Jesus So O Lord many have beene thy mercies unto me a sinner by thy manifold mercies and deliverances even since my infancie hitherto both by sea and land Good Lord in thy mercy take from over me this thick and mysty cloud of stupidity that so much darkens my understanding that I may discerne these thy mercies and feare love and serve thee with all the faculties of soule and body and good Lord grant that I may love my kinred and neighbours as Moses did love his Nation the Hebrews with kindnesse and affability to all men as he used to the daughters of Jethro Let the soule of thy servant know that in the places of peace quietnesse and retirednesse from the eye of this world so full of vanity and pleasures there art thou to be found for in the desart behinde the mountain and neare Horeb thou wast with Moses O Lord bring my soule from these worldly cares afflictions and temptations amongst which I live and lead me with thy saving grace toward thy holy mountaine with contemplations of holinesse and penitency for my sins and there let me rest in thee and be freed from the thorny and scorching passages of this world As thou O God didst wonderfully appeare unto Moses in the Bush by a flame of fire which did not burne nor consume it so I doe most humbly beseech thee enter into the heart of thy servant and enflame it with holy love and zeale towards thee and enlighten it O Lord that
beyond Jordane but ye shall passe over before your brethren armed to helpe them until the Lord hath given your brethren rest as formerly he hath given you and they answered Joshua saying All that thou commandest us we will doe and obey thee as we have done Moses and whosoever shall not observe thy commands let him dye onely be thou valiant And Joshua sent out two men as Spies to view the land and they came unto Jericho and lodged in the house of Rahab the harlot which was told to the King of Jericho and he sent unto Rahab to bring forth the men but she hid them and answered they had been there but she knew not who they were And in the evening the King sent out Scouts to pursue them 〈◊〉 Rahab had hid them in the top of her house and covered them with the stalkes of flaxe after the Scouts were gone out she came unto the men and said unto them I know the Lord hath given you the land for terors are fallen upon us and the whole land are afraid of you for we have heard how the Lord dryed up the water of the red sea for you when you came out of Egypt and what you did to the two Kings of the Amorites Sihon and Og whom you vtterly destroyed and therefore your Lord is the true God of heaven therefore in regard of my kindnesse unto you shew kindnes unto my fathers house and give me a token to save alive my father and my mother and my brethren and sisters and all they have and they answered her giue ns safety and when the Lord gives vs this Land we will deale kindly and lovingly with thee and her house standing vpon the towne wall she let them down by a cord and bade them be gone to the mountaine and hide themselves three dayes vntill the scouts returne and then go their way they said vnto her that we may remember thy love and our promise when we come unto this place tye this scarlet cord thou letst us down withall vnto thy window and thou thy father thy mother brothers sisters and all they have shall be safe But if any goe out of thy house at that time let his bloud be vpon his owne head for all shall be safe within but if thou utter this to any we will be quit of our promise and oath and they departed and they did observe her counsell hiding themselves three dayes and after came to Joshua and told him the state of things and of the feare of the Inhabitants about Jericho And Joshua hastened and came to Jordan with the children of Israel and after three dayes the officers of the hoast commanded the people that when they see the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord remove the Priests and Levites bearing it they should remove and go after it and to keepe a distance from it to know the way they must goe and Joshua said unto the people sanctifie your selves for to morrow the â—ord will do wonders amongst you and Joshua spake vnto the Priests to take up the Arke and go before the people the which they did and the Lord said vnto Joshua this day will I begin to magnifie thee in the sight of Israel that they may know that as I was with Moses so will I be with thee Command the Preists that beare the Ark when they come to the brink of Iordan to stand still and he said to the children of Israel hereby ye shall know that the living God is amongst you to driue out the heathen before you behold the Arke of the Covenant even the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Iordan Then the people removed from their tents to passe over Iordan the Priests bearing the Ark of the covenant before them and when they dipped their feet in the river the water rose on a heap and the people passed over dry over against â—ericho and when all the people were over the Lord commanded Josua to take twelue men according to the tribes and command them to take out of the midst of Iordan where the Preists feet stood twelue stones and carry them ouer and leaue them where you shal lodge this night the which Joshua did accordingly and they brought theÌ„ upon their shoulders and left theÌ„ to be a sign to after ages that the water of Iordan was cut off before the Arke of the covenant of the Lord when it passed over and the Arke stayd in Jordan vntill the people were passed over and that Joshua had commanded twelve stones in the river of Jordan where the Priests had set their feet to be placed but the children of Reuben and Gad and halfe the tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the children of Israel unto the plaines of Jericho being about 40000. and the Priests that bare the Ark of the Covenant were come out of Jordan the water returned to his place and those stones which they tooke out of Jordan did Joshua pitch in Gilgal for a token unto their childrens children that they came on dry land over Jordan as he did the red sea that all the earth might know the power of God and feare him for ever And all the Kings of the Canaanites and the Amorites that dwelt thereabout when they heard of this wonderfull worke were astonished and their hearts failed them and the Lord commanded Joshua to make sharpe kniues to circumcise the Israelites the second time the which he did performe at the hill of foreskins now all the people that came first out of Egipt were circumcised but they that were borne by the way as they came out of Egipt them they had not circumcised vntill now and they continued in the campe untill they were whole and the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal and kept the Passeover in the evening in the plaines of Jericho and they did eate of the old corne of the land the morrow after the Passeover unleavened cakes and parched corne and the Manna ceased but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan And Joshua coming towards Jericho there stood a man over against him with his sword drawne in his hand and Joshua went unto him and said Art thou for us or for our enemies and he said Nay but as a Captaine of the hoste of the Lord am I now come and Joshua fell on his face to the earth and did worship saying unto him What saith my Lord unto his servant and the Captaine of the Lords hoste said unto Joshua Loose thy shooe from off thy foot for the place whereon thou standest is holy and Joshua did so Now Joshua straightly besieged Jericho so that none could goe out or come in and the Lord commanded Joshua with his army and 7. Priests to bear before the Ark 7. trumpets of Rams hornes and the seventh day to compasse the city 7. times and the Priests to blow the trumpets and the people to shout with a great shout and Joshua commanded them
so to doe and they did accordingly and the seventh day they rose up early and compassed the City seven times and at the seventh time when the Priests blew the trumpet Joshua commanded the people to shout for the Lord hath given you the City and it shall be accursed even it and all that is therein onely Rahab the harlot shall live she and all that are with her because she hid our messengers but let all the gold and silver and vessels of brasse and iron be consecrated to the Lord they shall come into the treasury of the Lord. So when the Priests sounded the trumpets the people shouted and the wals of Jericho fell flat downe and they tooke the City and they utterly destroyed the City and put them to the sword man and woman young and old oxe sheepe and asse but Joshua sent the two spies unto Rahabs house those men whom she had entertained and they brought her safe forth of her house with her father and mother her brethren and all she had and her kinred and left them in safety without the Campe of Israel and they burnt the City and Rahab lived long after amongst the Israelites and Joshua cursed the man that should build Jericho againe and Joshua was famous throughout the land But the children of Israel committed a trespasse in the accursed thing even Achan one of the tribe of Judah for which the anger of the Lord was kindled And Joshua sent spies from Jericho to Ai to view the Countrey and they viewed Ai and they returned to Joshua and told him that in Ai were but few people Joshua upon their report sent thither about three thousand men and they fled before the men of Ai being mightily discomfited the which did much dishearten the people of Israel and Joshua rent his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face before the Arke of the Lord untill the evening he and all the Elders of Israel and put dust upon their heads and they did grieve exceedingly And the Lord said unto Joshua Get thee up wherefore lyest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned and transgressed my Covenant for they have taken of the accursed thing they have stollen and dissembled therefore could not the children of Israel stand before their enemies neither will I be with you any more except ye destroy the accursed from you And the Lord commanded them to sanctifie the people against the next day that the accursed thing may be taken from amongst them and in the morning Joshua rose up early and brought Israel by their tribes and the tribe of Judah was taken by lot and every houshold of that tribe was examined and Achan was found to have stolne the accursed thing and Joshua coming to Achan said unto him Achan my sonne give I pray thee glory unto the Lord God of Israel and make confession unto him and tell me now what thou hast done hide it not from me And Achan confessed the fact saying I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel for when I saw amongst the spoiles a goodly Babylonish garment and two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight I tooke and hid them in my tent and Joshua presently sent for them and being brought unto him and before the children of Israel he laid them before the Lord and Joshua and all Israel with him brought Achan the silver and the gold and the Babylonish garment his sonnes and daughters his oxen and his asses his sheepe and his tent and all that he had unto the valley of Achor and all Israel stoned him with stones and after burnt them and raised over him a heape of stones so the Lord turned from his fierce anger And the Lord commanded Joshua to go a second time to Ai with a great army and he chose thirty thousand of the most valiant men giving them directions what to doe and sent them away by night commanding them to lye in ambush neare the City of Ai and they lay before Bethel and Ai and Joshua rose early in the morning and with all the Elders of Israel and a great strength he marched towards Ai and drew near the City and when the King of Ai saw it hastily came forth with his whole strength to give battell to Israel but he knew not of the ambush and Joshua and all Israel seemed to fly before them and the whole strength of Ai and Bethel pursued them towards the wildernesse then they which were in ambush speedily made towards the City and took it and instantly set it on fire The men of Ai looking back and seeing their City on fire they were astonished and disheartened and being scattered and in disorder Joshua and his army fell upon them one way and they that tooke Ai issued out another way and so cut them off every man and they took the King of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua and the Israelites returning to Ai put all within it to the sword so there fell that day of men and women twelve thousand And Joshua burnt Ai downe to the ground and the King of Ai he hanged upon a tree and after the Sunne was down commanded to take him downe and his carkasse to be cast at the entry of the gate of the City and raised thereon a great heape of stones And Joshua built an Altar unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Eball as Moses had commanded and there they offered sacrifice and writ the Law of Moses upon the stones and there the Arke of the covenant being brought all Israel and the Elders Officers and Judges stood before it and before the Priests and Levites that bare it and the whole Law was read unto them And when all the Kings on this side Jordane heard of these things they joyned together to fight with Joshua but the Gibeonites had heard what they had done to Jericho and Ai they cunningly came unto Joshua in poore habite and great humiliation unto the campe at Gilgal and there made their peace with Joshua and the Princes of the Congregation who sware unto them But after the Princes finding they had deceived them for their oath sake they would not destroy them and Joshua called them before him and said Wherefore have you beguiled us saying you dwelt a farre off when ye dwell among us for this deceit ye shall be bondmen and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God and they said It was told us that Moses commanded we should be wholly destroyed therefore we were afraid and did this thing and doe with us as thou pleasest and Joshua saved their lives and made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord and so they did continue to doe Now the King of Jerusalem and the other Kings understanding that the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel and Gibeon being a great City they feared greatly
therefore five Kings and all the strength they could make came and encamped before Gibeon they of the City having made their peace with Joshua sent presently for aid unto him then presently Joshua marched with a mighty army from Gilgal toward Gibeon all night and falling suddenly upon them gave them a great defeate and flying before Israel the Lord cast great stones from heaven upon them and kil'd more of them then the sword and the Sunne and Moone stood still that day untill the people had destroyed their enemies and Joshua and all Israel returned to Gilgal but the five Kings fled and hid them in a cave afterwards Joshua commanded they should bee brought forth then Joshua called for all the men of Israel and said unto the Captaines Come neare and put your feet upon the necks of these Kings and they did so and after Joshua commanded them to be hanged upon five trees and there they did hang untill the evening and being taken down Joshua commanded they should be cast into the cave where they were found and laid great stones to the caves mouth and Joshua conquered all the Countrey and put them to the sword for the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel and Joshua returned and all Israel with him unto the campe to Gilgal After this Jabin King of Hazar Jahab King of Madon and all the Kings north of the mountaines gathered themselves together and raised a marvellous great host and pitched themselves together by the waters of Merom to fight against Israel and Joshua came and all his people of war with him and came suddenly upon them by the waters of Merom and put them to a very great slaughter and chased them unto great Zidon and Mizpeh houghing their horses and burning their chariots and Joshua returned and took Hazor and kill'd the King thereof and did all things as the Lord commanded Moses his servant so did Moses command Joshua and so did Joshua So Joshua took the whole land according to all that the Lord said unto Moses and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes and the land rested from warre chap. 18. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there for the land was subdued before them And the Lord appointed them by Joshua Cities of refuge that he that killeth a man unawares and unwittingly may flee thither for refuge and coming to that Citie he shall stand at the entering of the gate of the Citie and declare his cause to the Elders of that Citie and they shall receive him in and if he be followed thither they shall not deliver him back because he did the act unwittingly and hated him not before time And they appointed Kedesh in Gallole in mount Nepthale and Shechem in mount Ephraim and Hebron in the mountaine of Judah and on the other side Jordan by Jericho Bezer in the wildernesse out of the tribe of Reuben and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad and Golon out of the tribe of Manasseh These were the Cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the strangers that sojourned among them that whosoever killeth any person at unawares may flee thither and not die by the avenger of blood untill â—e stand before the congregation Now after the land was conquered and every tribe settled in their severall divisions Joshua called for the Reubenites the Gadites and the halfe tribe of Manasseh and commended them for their valour and obedience to the Commandment of their Lord and said unto them Now the Lord hath given rest unto your brethren returne you unto the land of your possession which Moses the servant of God gave you on the other side of Jordane but be carefull to doe the commandements and the Law which Moses gave you and love the Lord your God and serve him with all your heart and with all your soules so Joshua blessed them and sent them away and they departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh to go unto Gilead the land of their possession formerly by the hand of Moses and when they came to the borders of Jordan there they built an altar by Jordan and when the children of Israel heard thereof they gathered themselves together at Shiloh to goe and warre against them and they sent unto them Phineas the sonne of Eleazar the Priest and with him ten Princes of each tribe of Israel one and coming unto the children of Reuben Gad and Manasseh unto Gilead and said unto them Thus saith the congregation of the Lord What trespasse is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel to turne away from following the Lord in that ye have built you an altar Is the iniquitie of Peor too little for us from which we are not cleansed untill this day although there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord if the Land you possesse be uncleane then come over to us where the tabernacle dwelleth and take possessions amongst us but rebell not against the Lord nor rebell against us in building you an altar beside the Altar of the Lord our God Did not Achan commit a sinne in the accursed thing and wrath fel on all the congegation of Israel and that man perished not alone in his iniquitie then the children of Reuben Gad and Manasseh answered them The Lord God of gods The Lord God of gods and Israel shall know that this is no rebellion in building this altar being not intended to offer thereon burnt offerings or meat offerings or peace offerings thereon but onely our reason was to set up a monument for feare of the time to come that your children might speake to our children What have you to do with the Lord God of Israel because the river Jordan hath divided us and so your children make our children cease from fearing the Lord and therefore we raised that altar not for burnt-of-ferings but that it may be a witnesse betweene us and you and our generations after us that we may doe the service of the Lord before him with our burnt offerings and with our sacrifices and with our peace offerings that your children may not say to our children in time to come Ye have no part in the Lord and therefore this altar we have made is a witnesse unto you and to your children hereafter God forbid that we should have any altar but that Altar of the Lord our God that is before the tabernacle and when Phineas the Priest the Princes of the congregation and the Elders of Israel heard this from them Phineas said unto them This day we perceive that the Lord is among us because ye have not committed this trespasse against the Lord and they returned unto the land of Canaan unto the children of Israel and they all rejoyced and blessed God and the children of Reuben Gad and Manasseh called the
altar Ed as a witnesse betweene the Lord and them and after that God gave rest unto Israel from their enemies round about And Joshua waxen old called for all Israel and for their Elders for their heads aâ—d for their Judges and told them of all things the Lord had done for them and what the Lord would doe if they served him counselling them to be valiant and couragious and to keepe the Law delivered by Moses and not to turne neither to the right hand nor to the left nor to leane to the gods of the heathens not to sweare by them or make mariages with them if they did so that they would be snares and traps unto them and thorns in their eyes untill they perished from off the good land the Lord had given them And he said I am going the way of all the earth and you know nothing hath failed you that the Lord promised you but if you transgresse the Covenant of the Lord your God and serve other gods and bow your selves to them then shall the anger of the Lord be kindled against you and ye shall perish from the land And Joshua againe gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shichem and called for all the Elders of Israel and they presented themselves before God and Joshua told them of all the good things that the Lord had done to the children of Israel from Abraham Isaac and Jacob to that time And the people said they would serve no other gods then the God that brought them and their fathers out the land of Egypt from the house of bondage and which did those great things in their sight and preserved them in all their waies and after much perswasions of Joshua unto the people to serve the Lord he made a covenant with them that day and set them a Statute and an Ordinance in Shechem Joshua wrote it in the book of the law of God and took a great stone and set it up there under an oke that was by the Sanctuary of the Lord so Joshua let the people depart every man to his inheritaece and after he departed to his fathers being one hundred and ten yeares old and they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnah-Serah which is in mount Ephraim MEDITATIONS upon the History of Joshua O Lord thou art gracious unto thine Inheritance for though thou diddest take thy servant Moses to his fathers yet thou diddest not leave thy children of Israel destitute and without a Leader to goe before them but sent them Joshua thy servant to be their captaine and defender This is thy goodnesse O Lord still from time to time to be a preserver of thy people whom thou hast chosen and this mercy of thy speciall providence and love extended it selfe O God not onely to thy children of Israel but to thy holy Church militant here upon earth and likewise to us most miserable sinners by thy continuall providence over us How often O Lord hast thou delivered me the sonne of thy handmaide from time to time and raised me helpers and preservers I have found these thy mercies and let the due consideration of them enter into the closet of my heart and there rest by a blessed remembrance of them never to be forgotten and grant that I may humble my selfe before thee with all due thankfulnesse and obedience to serve thee and thou O God which continuedst thy mercy unto thy servant Joshuah and the children of Israel continue thy good mercies unto me direct and guide me over this Jordan of danger that I be not drowned in sinne and grant that I may rightly and truly follow my guides and the Arke of thy holy Covenant by an humble and true distance directly to follow their feete lest I fall into the crooked by-pathes of my owne inventions and as thy children of Israel after their deliverance over Jordan did shew their thankfulnesse by picking up stones at Gilgall so fix and pitch in my heart O Lord some Sacred monuments of praise and thankesgiving for my redemption from the deep waters of pride and mischief and circumcise thou my corrupted heart and so cleanse and purge me that I may be made fit to fight against sinne and Satan and the Jericho of this inconstant world and grant that I may keepe a holy passeover here in the plaines of my pilgrimage before I approach before the wals of Jericho to conquer the lusts and vanities thereof let my soule know O Lord that the Princes of darknesse will rise up against me to destroy my soule as the Canaâ—nites and the Amorites did rise against Joshua and therefore arme me with thy shield of faith and strengthen me with the helmet of salvation and as the Reubenites the Gadites and the halfe tribe of Manasseh did goe before the children of Israel towards Jericho so let thy blessed Angels O Lord goe before me in this my passage of life and danger of sinne and let the enemies of my soule be astonished and in feare as they were before the children of Israel and as thy holy Army O Lord did goe by thy command seven times about Jericho with such solemnities as thou didst appoint and by thy wonderfull mercy the wals of Jericho fell downe and the city was destroyed by fire so give me thy servant grace to obey thee as thou commandest thought it please not my sense and to imitate thy holy Prophet David to worship thee seven times a day and to obey and serve thee in those things and in that way as thou by thy holy word and the Church of Christ commands me though it seeme contrary to mine owne unruly fancy conceit and opinion that by thy mercy and my obedience the stony wals of my wilfulnesse and iniquity may fall downe in me and thy divine fire may consume all the drosse of my inward and sinfull soule and as Rahab the harlot though a sinfull woman was the instrument of safety to the spies sent by Joshua to view Jericho and by her was discovered the fears of that countrey and people which charity and hospitality of hers proved afterwards the saving of her selfe her kinred and all that she had so by this example let me know O Lord that thou canst worke good out of evil for the good of thy servants and them that go forward to serve thee in the obedience of thy commands And good Lord by this let me know and discerne the great reward thou preparest for them that doe the workes of charity and what a buckler and defence it is unto them in the time of danger when the judgement and strength of man is feeble for O Lord it is thy promise to reward the works of mercy furthermore good Lord keepe covetousnesse pride and dissembling from the soule of thy servant let not the Babylonish garment of pride take hold on me nor let me encline to the wedge of gold to infatuate my understanding thereby to draw me from my obedience to
that which thou commandest then shall I avoid the punishment due unto disobedience the hurt danger which may redound unto thy Israel my brethren good Lord when I shall fall raise me up with true repentance and let me lie in wait by all prudent and carefull wayes in an holy ambush to destroy and entrap these men of Ai the enemies of my soule and after thy deliverance of me and the forgivenesse of my former offences build in my heart an altar of thankesgiving to sacrifice my soule unto thee and praise thee in the presence of the Ark of thy Covenant before all the Elders of thy Church and if in this my spirituall progresse I shall meete with any people of bad deservings give me grace to beare with their infirmities and to keep my Covenant and promise with them and to helpe them in their distresse as Joshua did deliver the Gibeonites because of his oath that he sware unto them and good Lord helpe and assist me in the continuall conflicts of this world of so much danger and trouble to my soule helpe me at the waters of Merom from the conflicts that there I may suffer by the grand opposers of my hoped for happinesse and for my deliverance I may give thankes unto thee and serve thee in that thy tabernacle of Shiloh which is the house of God Lord by thy mercy give me the benefit and comfort of thy Cities of refuge that by my sinnes of ignorance and weakenesse I may not fall into thy hands of Justice but may be received unto mercy and give me grace O Lord to be thankfull and well contented with that portion of livelihood which thou hast appointed for me amongst the tribes thy servants in this Israel wherein I live give me grace to follow and obey the counsels of my spirituall governours and have a venerable regard to their commands as the good Israelites had to the last counsels of Joshuah and so good Lord living in the true obedience of thee I may depart this transitory life in thy blessed feare and favour even for Jesus Christ his sake my onely hope my captain and deliverer Amen THE HISTORY of DEBORAH NOw after the death of Joshâ—â—h and Ehud the children of Israel did that which was evill in the fight of the Lord for which their sins the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin King of 〈◊〉 the Captaine of whose host was Sisera who oppressed them exceedingly even for tâ—â—eaty yeares At which time Deborah the Prophetesse Wife unto Lapidoth judged Israel who then dwelt under a Palme-tree between Ramah and Bethel in Mâ—â—nt-Ephraim to whom the people came up for judgement who in their distresse cryed unto the Lord and the people comming thus unto her she 〈…〉 Barak the sonne of Abinoâ—â— out of Kâ—desh-Nepthali who comming to her shee told how the Lord had commanded he should take with him ten thousand men of the children of Nepthali and Zebulon and goe towards mount-Tâ—bor saying to him likewise how the Lord would bring Softra with all his Army to the River Kishon and deliver them into his hands but he answered that except she would goe with him her self he would not goe to whom shee replyed I will surely goe with thee but the journey thou takest shall not bee to thire honour for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a Woman So she arose and went with Barak to Kaâ—esh they having with them ten thousand men of Zâ—â—â—lon and Nepthali who after 〈◊〉 to Mount 〈◊〉 Now it was that Heber the Kenite the father in law of Moses had sever'd himselfe from the Kenites and pitched his Tent neare Kadesh And they shewed Sisera how Barak was gone up to Mount-Tabor whereupon hee gathered all his strength together even nine hundred chariots of Iron and great store of people gathered from Harosheth unto the River Kishon of which Deborah hearing shee bade Barak to rise and goe against Sisera saying that the Lord was gone before and how Sisera should be destroyed So Barak marched down from Mount-tabor with the ten thousand men and by the help of the Lord hee discomfited Sisera and all his host pursuing and killing them leaving not a man at which time Sisera leaving his Chariot fled on his feete and came to the Tent of Iâ—â—l the Wife of Heber the Kenite for there was peace then between Jabin the house of Heber Now Sisera comming towards the Tent Jael came out to meete him who said unto him turn in my Lord turne in to me feare not So hee went in and she covered him with a mantle but he being athirst desired of her a little water but she having a bottle of milk gave him that to drink And then he said to her stand at the doore and if any enquire if any man be here say no so he lay down to sleep she covering of him Now whiles he was sleeping and weary she took a naile of the Tent and a hammer and comming softly unto him smote the naile into his Temples fastning of him to the ground and so he dyed At which instant Barak pursuing of Sisera and comming towards the Tent Jael came out to meet him saying come in and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest so hee came in and found Sisera dead the naile being in his Temples So God subdued on that day Jabin King of Canaan before the children of Israel PRAYERS upon the History of DEBORAH HOw unhappy are wee by our inbred corruption like these the children of Israel who still was relapsing from the service of their Creator and Preserver even before in and since their fourty yeares journey towards that land of Promise And now at this very time being growne so high in iniquity as for their due punishment the Lord sold them to the King of Canaan who pesecuted them for twenty yeares such is the reward of sin and so just is the Lord in his judgment against sinners O Lord let me to know that when we do wickedly that thy justice lies at our doors and how thy wrath will break in upon us And if with Judas we betray the sincerity of plainnesse in our heart towards thee with the deceitfull kisse of hypocrisie and sell thee and in thee our selves to commit wickednesse in thy sight Most justly maist thou deale with us as thou diddest with Israel when they were sold by the King of CanaaÌ„ Therefore O Lord deliver me from this most dangerous merchandizing with sin lest I become Bankrupt by mine iniquity and so come short of paying my duty and service unto thee thereby to be cast into the gaole of thy displeasure and by the losse of thy favour and grace be sold as a slave to sin partake with the punishment so due for such a dismall debt not only for twenty years with Israel but even for Eternity with such who have not known thee O Lord in the most dangerous distresse of my soule by reason of
sinne give mee grace to call timely unto thee yea to câ—me unto thee thou supream Judge of Israel even thou which dwelâ—est between the Cherubims and sits'â— under the Palm-tree thy blessed seate of mercie Look upon my distresse and deliver me from this sinne and that punishment that I so justly deserve for mine iniquity and deliver me from the powerfull enemy of my soul who seekes to corrupt destroy me either from the truth or power of thy word like Barak whose confidence was more in a fraile woman Deborah by her presence then in thy promises who art omnipotent Bring mee with the strength of thy grace to the holy mountaine of thy power and saving health strengthen my faith and confidence in thee to fight against this proud Sisera of sin my capitall enemie and send thy might from this thy holy mountaine of Tabor that by thy power graâ—â— I may be made able to overthrow and defeat all the disturbers of my soules health who lies so strongly in wait to destroy me with such worldly advantages by their River of Kishon Dissipate all the designes O Lord of all my spirituall enemies let them flie before thy wrath as Sisera did to the Tent of Jael and there let them perish in the snares of their own intended mischiefs to the innocent Retaine in mee a harmlesse and a pure conscience so shall I lie downe with safety and rest under thy happy protection with security to my soule and escape the like judgement that fâ—ll upon Sisera which is the reward of presumptuous and unrepentant sinners And for thy mercies let me praise thee in the innocency of a sincere soule for ever to serve and obey thee untill I shall be freed from this spirituall warfare here and be made happy to rejoyce with thee in that happinesse and bliss of eternity hereafter And let me magnifie thy Name with Deborah and Barak saying with them Praise yee the Lord for the avenging of Israel heare O ye Kings give eare O ye Princes I even I will sing unto the Lord I will sing praise unto the Lord God of Israel The mountaines melted from before the Lord even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel My heart is towards the Governours of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the people blesse ye the Lord. Awake awake Deborah awake awake utter a song Arise Barak and lead thy Captivity captive thou son of Abinoam The river of KishoÌ„ swept them way that ancient River that River of Kishon O my soule thou hast trodden down strength So let all thine enemies perish O Lord but let them that love him be as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might THE HISTORY OF RUTH IN the time that the Judges ruled in Israel there was a Dearth in the Land upon which Elimelech of Bethlehem Judah went to sojourn in the Countrie of Moah with his Wife Naomi with their two sonnes where continuing a while Elimelech died and she remained with her sonnes who tooke them Wives of the Moabites the one was named Orpah the other Ruth who lived thereabout ten yeares where both these sonnes died after whose death Naomi hearing the Lord had given them bread in her owne Countrie thither shee returned with her two Daughters in Law into the Land of Judah then Naomi perswaded these her two Daughters in Law to return to their own Motherâ— houses desiring the Lord would shew the like favour 〈◊〉 them as they had done to the Dead and to her wishing them comfort in the house of their husbands and when shee had kissed them they wept But they desired still to continue with her to whom shee answered turne again my daughters for I shall have no more sonnes to be your husbands and pleaded much with them to return so Orpâ—â— departed but Ruth staied with her but still Naomi perswaded Ruth to goe but Ruth told her whither she did goe she would goe and where she dwelt she would dwell saying moreover thy people shall be my people and thy God my God where thou diest I will die and there will I be buried the Lord doe so to me and more also if ought but death part thee and me So when Naomiâ—aw â—aw her love steadfastnesse she brought her along with her to Bethlehem and it was in the beginning of Barly Harvest where Naomies deceased husband had a Kinsman of great power whose name was Boaz. Now Ruth desired her Mother in Law that she might goe with others to gleane who giving of her leave she went and gleaned after the Reapers and it happened to be in the field of Boaz who coming from Bethlehem he said to the Reapers the Lord be with you and they bad the Lord blesse him and hee seeing Ruth he asked the servant that oversee the reapers who she was who told him she was the Moabitish Maide that came with Naomi and how shee desired to gleane there Then said Boaz unto Ruth my daughter goe not into any other field but abide by my Maides go after them I have charged the servants that they touch thee not when thou 〈◊〉 thirst drink such as the servants have then she fell on her face and bowed to the ground and said unto him how have I found favour in thine eyes that thou shouldest know me seeing I am a stranger But hee told heâ— he heard what shee was and what she had done for her Mother in Law having left her Father Mother and her Countrie to come amongst strangers so the Lord recompence thy worke and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel under whose wings thou art come to trust then she said let me finde favour in thy fight my Lord for thou hast comforted me Then Boaz bad her come at meal-times to eate bread and so shee sat by the Reapers and hee reached her parched Corne and she did eate and he commanded she should gleane amongst the sheaves and so returning in the Evening with plenty to her Mother in Law shee asked her with whome she did gleane who told her it was in the Field of Boaz then said Naomi blessed be the Lord for hee ceaseth not to doe good to the living and to the dead telling Ruth hee was of her husbaÌ„ds kindred did wish her not to gleane in any other place but with the Maides of Boaz. Now Naomi did love Ruth exceedingly she finding her goodnesse and constancy and said unto her shall not I seek rest for thee my Daughter that thou maiest prosper saying is not Boaz out Kinsman and this night hee winnoeth Barly wash and anoint thy selfe and put on thy Raiment and get thee down thither let him not know of thee untill hee have left eating and drinking and when he shall sleep mark where he lyeth downe and uncover the place of his feete lie thee down and hee shall tell thee what thou shalt doe And Ruth did according to her directions Now when Boaz
had eat drunk and cheared his heart he lay down by the heap of corn she came softly and uncovering his feet lay downe and he awaking about midnight and feeling one he was affraid Then he said who art thou she answered Ruth thy hand-maid spread therefore the wing of thy garment over me for thou art the Kinsman Then said hee Blessed be thou of the Lord my daughter thou hast shewed more goodnesse in the latter end then at the beginning inasmuch as thou followedst not young men were they poore or rich And now my daughter fear not I will doe what thou requirest for all the City of my people know thee that thou art a vertuous woman Telling her that true it was he was her kinsman but there was one nearer so bade her lye there all night and if in the morning hee would doe the duty of a Kinsman to marry her well and good but if he would not he would then doe the duty of a Kinsman himselfe So she lying at his feet untill the morning she arose early he desiring that none should know that any woman had been there so he calling for her sheet giving her fix measures of barley and returning to the Citie she came to her Mother in law and gave her the corne telling her all the passages betweene Boaz and her selfe So shee bade Ruth sit still untill shee heard further of the thing telling her how hee would not rest untill the thing were done Then without delay Boaz went up to the gate of the City to whom came this Kinsman named to Ruth Boaz desiring him to sit down likewise ten Elders of the City came and sate downe with them Then said Boaz to this Kinsman Naomi is come out of the country of Moab who will sell a parcell of land that was our brother Elemelicks and so proffered it unto him being of nearest in kindred to redeem it before them Elders If he would not that himselfe being the next he would Then he said he would redeem it Then said Boaz if thou buyest it of Naomi thou must also buy it of Ruth the Moabitis the wife of the dead to stirre up the name of the dead upon his inheritance the which this Kinsman refused saying if hee did so he should destroy his owne and so put off that his right to Boaz and to confirme it according to the custome then he put off his shooe and gave it to him which confirmed the agreement Then Boaz called them all to witnesse of this contract wherein he likewise did buy Ruth the Wife of Mahlon to be his Wife to stir up the name of the dead All which the Elders did witnes who prayed unto God that Ruth might be to him like Rachel and Leah which two did build the house of Israel and that he might be famous in Bethlehem and that by the seede of Ruth his house might be like Pharez whom Thamer bare unto Judah So Boaz took Ruth to his wife and the Lord gave her a son and the women said to Naomi blessed be the Lord which hath not lest thee this day without a kinsman And his name shall be continued in Israel and this shall bring thy life again and cherish thine old age for thy daughter in law which loveth thee hath born unto him she is better unto thee then seven sons And Naomi tooke the child and laid it in her lap and became nurse unto it and the women gave it a name calling it Obed which after was the father of Ishai the father of David the King PRAYERS UPON THE History of RUTH O Lord in the prosperities adversities of this world thou hast thy waies of mercie unto us as it befell unto the children of Israel even in their famines what blessings diddest thou give theÌ„ by their perigrinations into other Lands and how diddest thou from time to time not only provide for their bodily sustinance but likewise for their spirituall welfare both in Aegypt and other places And O Lord no less was thy extraordinary mercy unto Naomi by her journey in the time of famine unto Moab with her husband and children whom though by the course of nature death deprived her of theÌ„ yet thou diddest raise up unto her a most happy daughter in law even Ruth O Lord this is the generall current of thy continuall mercy unto us and nothing makes us so unhappy as the want of the fight consideration of that which daily befalls us through the course of our fraile life Therefore open thou mine eyes that I may see these thy mercies unto me for ever praise thee for thy goodness The constant resolution and charity of Ruth unto her Mother in law is for our imitation as the very true example of love and pitty it being the more full of goodness and rarity they being of two severall Nations and Religions O Lord give me such happy love and pitty as was in this thy servant Ruth with her resolution in the pursute of all good things which may tend to thy glory and worship let no worldly perswasions or reasons draw me from my way to Bethlehem in the land of thy promised happinesse but with the good and vertuous let me follow their steps as Ruth did Naomi that thou their God mayst be my God and that I may turne from my worldly and Moabitish affections attain to the happy serving of thee in Judah so shall I live and dye amongst the righteous by this thy mercie and help unto my weakenesse And as nothing but death could part Ruth from Naomi so good Lord let my soule so love and feare thee as to my last breath my hope comfort and confidence may rest in thee alone undividable O Lord furnish me with such happines as was in Ruth by her charity and humble deportment for which as thy blessing was upon this thy own gift of mercy unto her so she had the happinesse of a good esteem in the world shee being so full of modesty and vertue Give me O Lord such piety as may bee pleasing unto thee with such humility harmless courtesie as may gaine the love and good opinion of my neighbours O Lord grant unto mee such perfect frendship with my friend as was between Naomi Ruth with such loving and plain intentions so by thy goodnesse and mercie shall I enjoy such love comfort content as was between them to their dying daies O Lord all thy works are so full of wonder as wee cannot sufficiently admire them as it was by thy provideÌ„ce to bring Ruth unto Judah not only through so many stops by confirming her good purpose so now so strangely to bring her to glean in the field of Boaz whereby such a happiness did befall her not only for worldly respects â—ut likewise even in a heavenly happiness by the marriage and issue she had by Boaz. O Lord my God my ingratitude would cast me even into hell without recovery if I
King Eliakim and divers others and Rabshakeh said unto them Say ye unto Hezekiah Thus saith the great King of Assyria What confidence is this wherein thou trustest and spake other great words and blasphemed against the God of Israel and demanding pledges for his Master the King of Assyria Then said Eliakim unto him I pray thee speake unto thy servants in the Syrian tongue for we understand it and speake not to us in the Jewes language in the eares of the people that are upon the wall But Rabshakeh said Hath my Master sent me to thy Master and to thee to speake these words Hath not he sent me unto the men that sit upon the wall that they may eate their owne dung and drinke their owne pisse with you and he spake this with a loud voice in the Jewes language and said more Thus saith the King of Assyria Let not Hezekiah deceive you for he shall not be able to deliver you neither let him make you trust in the Lord or think he can deliver you hearken not to the King but come you out with a present and make your agreement that ye may eate under your owne vines and drink in your owne cisterns but the people held their peace answering him not a word for so the King commanded them then came Eliakim and the rest that were sent out to Hezekiah with their clothes rent and told him the words of Rabshakeh when the King heard it he rent his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the hose of the Lord and he sent Eliakim and the Elders of the Priests covered with sackcloth unto Isaiah the Prophet the sonne of Amos. And they told him of the blasphemy and threatening of Rabshakeh and the Prophet answered them Thus shall you say unto your Master Thus saith the Lord Be not afraid of the words wherewith Rabshakeh hath blasphemed me Behold I will send a blast upon him and he shall heare a rumour and returne to his owne land and there he shall fall by the sword and the King of Assyria being gone from Lachish to fight with the King of Ethiopia he sent messengers to Hezekiah to say unto him Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee saying Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the King of Assyria as well as other lands and Hezekiah received the Letter from the hand of the messengers and after he had read it he went into the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord and prayed unto him saying O Lord of hosts God of Israel that dwellest betweene the Cherubins thou art the God even thou alone of all the kingdoms of the earth thou hast made heaven and earth encline thine eare O Lord and heare open thine eyes O Lord and see and heare all the words of Senacherib which hath sent to reproach the living God Now therefore O Lord our God save us from his hand that all the kingdomes of the earth may know that thou art the Lord even thou onely Then Isaiah the sonne of Amos sent unto Hezekiah saying Whereas he had prayed unto the Lord against Senacherib the Lord would neare him and put a hooke in â—is nose and a bridle in his lips and turne him backe by the way he came and that he should not come into the city of Jerusalem nor shoot an arrow there nor cast a banke or trench against it but would defend and preserve the city for his owne sake and for his servant Davids sake and the Angel of the Lord went forth and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians one hundred foure score and five thousand so Senacherib King of Assyria departed and returned and dwelt at Niniveh and after it came to passe as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god that Adramelech and Sharezar his sons smote him with the sword and they escaped into the land of Armenia and Esarhaddon his sonne reigned in his steed And in those dayes was Hezekiah King of Israel sick unto the death and Isaiah the Prophet came unto him and said Thus saith the Lord Set thine house in order for thou shalt die then Hezekiah turned his face towards the wall prayed unto the Lord Saying Remember now O Lord I doe beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and he wept exceedingly then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah saying Goe and say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy father I have heard thy prayer and have seene thy teares Behold I will adde unto thy dayes fifteene yeares and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the King of Assyria And this shall be a signe unto thee from the Lord I will bring againe the shadow of the degrees which is gone downe in the Sunne-dyall of Ahaz ten degrees backward and Hezekiah praised the Lord for his mercy saying The Lord was ready to save me therefore will I sing my song to the stringed instruments all the daies of my life in the house of the Lord and Isaiah gave order to apply unto him a lump of figs and lay it as a plaster upon his boyle which did heale him About that time Merodach Baladan the sonne of Baladan King of Babylon sent a letter and presents unto Hezekiah hearing he had been sicke and the King was glad of their coming and entertained them with great courtesie and shewed them all his precious things the silver gold spices and the precious ointments his armour and all that could be seene in his house or his dominions Then came Isaiah the Prophet unto King Hezekiah and said unto him What said these men and from whence came they and Hezekiah said They came even from Babylon then said he What have they seene in thine house and Hezekiah answered I have shewed them all in my treasures and nothing have I hid from them then said Isaiah unto him Heare the word of the Lord of hosts Behold the dayes will come that all that is within thine house and that which thy fathers have laid up in store untill this day shall be carried to Babylon nothing shall be left saith the Lord and of thy sonnes which shall issue from thee shall they take away and they shall be Eunuches in the palace of the King of Babylon And according to this prophesie many yeares after it came to passe Jeremiah living at that time when Nebuchadnezar came to besiege Jerusalem he told them what would befall but the Princes were wroth with him and put him in prison after he had beene there many dayes Zedekiah the King sent and tooke him out and the King asked him secretly Is there any word from the Lord and Jeremiah said There is for thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the King of Babylon therefore heare me O my lord the king let my sute come unto thee that I may not returne to prison where I
was lest I dye there then the King commanded he should be committed into another prison and that he should have given him daily a piece of bread out of the Bakers street whiles the bread lasted but still the Prophet persisted and told them Thus saith the Lord This city shall surely be given into the hand of the King of Babylons army therefore the Princes were incensed against him and said unto the King We beseech thee let this man be put to death for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of warre and all the people in this city in speaking thus unto them And the King said He is in your hands doe with him what you please and they tooke Jeremiah and cast him in a dungeon and they let him downe by a rope and in the dungeon was no water but myre that he sunke in and some men complained of this cruelty done to Jeremiah unto the King who commanded thirty men to goe and take up Jeremiah out of the dungeon and they tooke old rags and cast them downe into the dungeon the which Jeremiah put under his arme pits and so they drew him up and Zedekiah the King sent for Jeremiah and said unto him I will aske thee a thing hide nothing from me and Jeremiah said unto the King If I declare it unto thee wilt thou not put me to death and if I give thee counsell wilt thou hearken to mee so the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah saying as the Lord liveth that made us this soule I will not put thee to death nor give thee into the hands of these men that seek thy life Then he said unto the king thus saith the Lord God of hosts the God of Israel if thou wilt goe forth to the Princes of the king of Babylon then thy soule shall live and this city shall not be burnt with fire and thou and thy house shall live But if thou wilt not goe forth unto them then shall this city be given to the Chaldeans and they shall burn it and thou shalt not escape out of their hands and the king said unto Jeremiah I am afraid of the Jewes that are fallen to the Chaldeans least they deliver me to their hands and they mock me But the Prophet said they shall not deliver thee obey I beseech thee the voice of the Lord so shall it bee well with thee But if thou refuse to goe forth this is the word that the Lord hath shewed me Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah let no man know of these words and thou shalt not die the which he did so Jeremiah after abode in the Court of the prison untill the day that Ierusalem was taken And it came to passe on the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Iudah Nebuchadnezzer king of Babilon and his army came before Ierusalem and besieged it and in the eleventh yeare of Zedekiah the city was taken and all the Princes of the king of Babilon entered the city at which time Zedekiah and all his men of warre fled out of the city by night by the way of the kings gardens but the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them and overtook Zedekiah in the plaines of Iericho and took him brought him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babilon who gave judgement upon him and caused his sonnes to be slaine before his face and all the Nobles of Judah and he put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chaines to carry him to Babilon and they burnt Ierusalem and brake down the walls thereof and carried captive to Babilon all the remainder of the people that were within the city but left the poorer sort that had nothing and gave them vineyards and fields and the king of Babilon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to take him and doe him no harm but use him with all kindnesse so they took Jeremiah out of the Court of the prison and sent him home so he dwelt among the people MEDITATIONS upon the History of king Hezekiah EVerlasting God whilst we live here in this earthly Jerusalem nothing is to be expected but continuall conflicts in our spirituall warfare between the world the flesh and the spirit how bitterly O Lord and vehemently doth the enemy of my soule like Rabshekah suggest into me distrusts and feares to make mee doubtfull of thy promises and providence endeavouring to weaken my faith and confidence in thee by putting great feares doubts and troubles to my inward and fraile senses In this affliction and trouble to my soule O Lord I beseech thee from time to time to give me grace with good Hezekiah to come unto thee with my heart rent and continually to implore thy blessed help and assistance and that I may obtain the like mercy that he did receive from thee and let not that hellish blasphemer prevail over me but put thou a hook in his nose a bridle in his lips and send a blast upon him that he may be driven away and have no more power to disturb and oppres my weak feeble soul by his threatnings and suggestions and good Lord in all thy conflicts batteries and oppressions that hereafter I may meet withall by this my spirituall and dangerous enemy to my soule give me grace most humbly to come unto thee my hope and helper and to thy house where thou dwellest between the Cherubins and there as Hezekiah in his trouble and distresse did spread out the letter of Zenacherib before thee and humbled himselfe before thee with much sorrow so good Lord in all my troubles grant that I may spread before thee with true and perfect humility of heart the troubles and afflictions of my soule and then O Lord heare me and in pitty look upon my danger and deliver me from the power of the Zenacherib of this world and his instruments the disturbers of my pilgrimage to my heavenly happinesse and the quiet of a good conscience in this Jerusalem strengthen O Lord my outward walls of flesh and blood enable me with obedience and patience quietly to beare the reproaches and threatnings of this my spirituall enemy which in a kind of proportion the Children of Israel did endure upon the walls of Ierusalem deliver me from the danger of their deadly arrows O Lord and grant they may not entrench about my soule to endanger it And O Lord as for thy servant Davids sake thou diddest look favourably upon Jerusalem so I doe most humbly beseech thee for thy son Jesus Christ his sake to be mercifull unto me to defend and keep me thy servant that putteth his trust in thee from the danger of al my spiritual enemies whensoever it shall please thee to visit me by the bed of sicknesse be thou then mercyfull unto me a sinner O Lord and with Hezekiah let me turn unto thee with true and perfect contrition of heart and grant that then I may receive mercy and comfort from thee thou God of mercy and compassion and as thou sent'st thy Prophet Isaiah
unto Hezekiah to comfort him in his sicknesse and who administred unto him help both for soule and body so be thou mercifull unto me a sinner and at the hour of distresse and danger send unto mee thy servant spirituall comforts to assist my feeble soule towards thee and good Lord let the lengthening of my dayes here upon earth and my health be sanctified unto me that thereby I may be strengthened to serve thee better and more carefully for thy goodnes and mercy and let me know and continually consider that the eternall life hereafter is the only true happinesse and let me so run my course here O Lord that at last I may attaine and come to that safe haven of felicity the only hope of my soules health and the hope of all them that put their trust in thee O Lord thou seest and knowest the great we aknesse and frailty of flesh and blood and that without thy continuall help we cannot stand but stil are subject to stumblings and falls by the traps of the old serpent and watchfull enemy when it shall please thee O Lord to hear my prayer and to deliver me thy servant from all those dangers and evils as thou didst Hezekiah and the which I have so humbly desired of thee Let me not fall I doe most humbly beseech thee into that great impiety and danger to forget thy mercies to grow proud and confident of my selfe and of my wealth and power and to expose my vanity to the Babilonian messengers and intelligencers the enemies of my soule But let me alwayes be watchfull over my selfe to avoid the danger of all wicked suggestions and still to humble my selfe before thee and truly to know and seriously consider that all things upon earth beauty wealth or whatsoever else that is most pleasing to our fond and unbridled fancy are as but dung even glistring and fading vanities and so shall they servant O Lord by avoiding these vanities continue in thy favour and befreed from the bondage and yoake of Babilon and all the just punishments of sin and be safe within the walls of Jerusalem and worship thee in thy holy Temple for ever MEDITATIONS Vpon the taking of Zedekiah and the captivity of the children of Israel O Lord when we are captived unto sin and drunk in our iniquities how blind doe we run head-strong to destruction neither Zedekiah nor his Princes would follow the counsels of the Prophet Jeremiah for the king was besotted and the Princes were infatuated in their understandings so destruction came upon them O Lord make my soule to know the great danger of sin and what effect it works where presumption fears no danger and hardnesse of heart shuts the gates of mercy Therefore O Lord remove from me thy servant this hardnesse of heart and presumptuous sining against the least I run by my corruption into this dangerous way of blindnesse and wilfulnesse to perdition make me capable and willing to receive good counsell and to obey the instructions and directions of my spirituall guides and not to follow my own dark obstinate mind and opinion that will lead me by a back way and a bad way towards Jericho where my spirituall enemy will entrap overthrow and triumph over me then shall I be captive to a mercilesse enemy and never see again the beauty of Jerusalem but live in chaines and Babilonish blindnesse with Zedekiah But open thou mine eyes O Lord that I may see the mysteries of thy lawes and obey them then shall I behold the beauty of thy holinesse for ever THE WICKEDNESSE Of the sonnes of Eli and the taking of the Ark of the Lord by the Philistines THE sins of the sons of Eli was very great before the Lord for by their bad carriage men abhorred the offering of the Lord and they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation Eli then being old and hearing all that his sonnes had done in Israel with too much mildnesse he said unto them why doe you such things I hear of your evill dealings by all the people it is no good report I hear of you my sonnes ye make the Lords people to transgresse but they hearkened not to the voice of their father and there came a man of God unto Eli and told him of all the mereies that God had done unto his house to sacrifice and wear an Ephod before him telling him of his too much adhering to his sonnes and threatned the judgement of God upon his house and that Hophni and Phineas his two sonnes should dye both in one day and that God would raise up another faithfull Priest to sacrifice before him and that the remainder of Elies house should come and crouch to him for a morsell of bread and shall say put me I pray thee into one of the Priests offices that I may eat a piece of bread And the Lord said to Samuel the Prophet I will doe a thing in Israel at which both the eares of every one that heareth it shall tingle for what I shall doe against Eli when I begin I will also make an end for his iniquity which he knoweth because his sonnes were wicked and he restreined them not Samuel feared to shew Eli that vision but Eli called Samuel and said my sonne what is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee I pray thee hide it not from me and Samuel told him every whit hiding nothing from him Now the Israelites went out against the Philistines to battell and pitched by Eben-ezer and the Philistines met them and they joyned in battell and Israel was smitten and 4000 of them was slain And the Elders of Israel coming into the Camp they said let us fetch the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us that when it cometh among us it may save us out of the hands of our enemies so the people sent to Shiloh to bring from thence the Ark of the Lord of hosts which dwelleth between the Cherubins and the two sonnes of Eli Hophni and Phineas were there with the Ark of God and when it was brought unto the Camp all Israel shouted with a great shout so that the earth rang againe When the Philistines heard thereof and that the Ark was come into the Camp they were afraid saying God is come into the Camp of Israel and woe unto us who shall deliver us from this mighty God this is the God that smote the Aegyptians with all the plagues but they neverthelesse encouraged one another to quit themselves like men that they might not be servants to the Hebrewes and after fighting with Israel they overthrew them and they fled every man to his own tent and there fell of Israel that day thirty thousand and the Ark of God was taken and the two sonnes of Eli Hophni and Phineas were slain and there ran a man of Benjamin out of the Army and came to Shilo the same day with his
clothes rent and with earth upon his head and when he came Eli sate upon a seat by the way side watching for his heart trembled for the Ark of God and when it was told unto the city they all cryed out and the man came to Eli telling him hee came out of the Army then said Eli what is done there my sonne the messenger answered Israel is fled before the Philistines and there hath been a great slaughter thy two sonnes Hophni and Phineas are dead and the Ark of God is taken and when Eli heard mention of the Ark of God he fell backward from his seat by the side of the gate and brake his neck and died he was then 98 yeares old and blind and heavy of body and he had judged Israel forty yeares and his daughter in law the wife of Phineas being with child and near her time hearing the Ark of God was taken fell into travaile and being delivered of a sonne a little before her death they would have comforted her herewith but she did not regard it but she named the child Jehabod saying the glory is departed from Israel for the Ark of God is taken And the Philistines took the Ark of God and brought it to Ashdod and set it in the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon and when they came in the morning into the house they found Dagon fallen uppon his face to the earth before the Ark of the Lord and they set him up in his place again coming the next morning early Dagon was fallen upon his face againe to the ground before the Arke of the Lord and was broken upon the threshold onely the stumpe of Dagon was left for which the Priests of Dagon nor the people ever after did tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod but the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod and all the coastes thereabout and they were destroyed and smote with Emrods and when they saw the judgement upon them they said the Ark of the God Israel shall not abide with us for his hand is sore upon us and upon Dagon our God and they assembled themselves together and concluded to carry the Ark of the Lord unto Gath and they carried it about thither and that city was likewise smitten with the hand of God with a great destruction and they had Emrods in their secret parts therefore they sent the Ark of God to Ekron and they cryed out saying you have brought the Ark of the God of Israel to us to destroy us and our people and all the Lords people of the Philistines gathered together said send away the Ark of the God of Israel and let it goe again to his own place that we be not utterly destoyed for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city and the men that died not were smitten with Emrods and the cry of the city went up to heaven and the Ark of the Lord was with the Philistines 7 months and they called their Priests and Divines together to conclude how they should send the Ark away and they said send it not empty but in any wise return unto the God of Israel a trespasse offering then yee shall be healed then said they what shall be the trespasse offering which we shall return to him they answered five golden Emrods and five golden mice according to the number of the Philistine Lords for one plague was on you all and on your Lords and you shall make Images of your Emrods and Images of the mice that hurt the land and give glory unto the God of Israel to take his hand off you your Gods and your land and doe not you harden your hearts as the Aegyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts when he wrought wonderfully among them did they not let the people goe and they departed Now therefore make a new cart and take two milch kine on which there hath come no yoke tye the kine to the cart and bring the claves home from them and take the Ark of the Lord and lay it upon the cart and put the jewels of gold which ye return for a trespasse offering in a coffer and tye by the side thereof and send it away and see if it goe by the way of his own coaste to Bethshemesh if so then he hath done us the great evill But if not and that it goe another way we will take it as a chance that happened to us and they did do what was commanded them and laid the Ark upon the cart and the coffer with the Jewels and the kine took the streight way of Bethshemesh and went lowing along the high way and turned not aside the Lords of the Philistines went after them and they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat and seeing the Ark they rejoyced to see it and the cart came into the field of Joshuah a Bethshemite and stood there where there was a great stone and they clave the wood of the cart and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the Lord and the Levites took downe the Ark of the Lord and the coffer with the Jewels and put them on a great stone and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed the same day unto the Lord. And when the Lords of the Philistines had seen those things they returned to Ekron and the stone whereon they set the Ark is called the great stone of Abell which is in the field of Joshuah the Bethshemite and the Lord smote the men of Bethshemesh because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord even fifty thousand men and the people lamented and they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim to fetch up the Ark unto them and they came and fetched the Ark of the Lord unto them and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hil and sanctified Eleazer his sonne to keep the Ark of the Lord and there it continued twenty yeares and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. And long after twenty yeares David gathered all the chosen men of Israel and went with them from Baal of Judah to bring up the Ark of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the Cherubins and they set the Ark of God upon a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab and Uzzah and Ahio the sonnes of Abinadab drove the cart and Ahio went before the Ark and David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of firre wood on Harps and Psalters Timbrels Cornets and Cimbals and when they came to Nachons threshing floore Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it for the Oxen shook it and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Vzzah and God smote him there for his error and he died by the Ark of God and David was afraid of the Lord upon the death of Uzzah and would not remove the Ark of the Lord unto
the city of David but carried it into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite where it continued three months and the Lord blessed Obed and all his houshold and when David understood how God had blessed them because of the Ark of God David went and brought the Ark of the Lord from thence unto the city of David with much gladnesse and after they that bare the Ark had gone six paces he sacrificed Oxen and fatlings to the Lord and David danced before the Lord and was girded with a linnen Ephod and so it was brought by David and all the hoste of Israel with shoutings and with the sound of Trumpet into the city of David but Michall Sauls daughter looked through a window and seeing king David leaping and dancing before the Ark shee despised him and they brought the Ark of the Lord and set in the tabernacle that David had made for it and then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord and blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts and he gave to every man and woman of all Israel bread flesh and wine and so they departed every one to their house And David returning to blesse his house Michall the daughter of Saul came out to meet him said how glorious was the king of Israel this day who uncovered himself in the eys of the hand-maids of his servants as one of the vain fellowes shamelesly uncovereth himself and David said unto Michall it was before the Lord which chose me before thy father and before all his house to appoint me Ruler over the people of Israel therefore will I play before the Lord and I will be yet more vile then thus and will be base in my own sight and of the maid-servants which thou hast spoken of of them shall I be had in honour therefore had Michall the daughter of Saul no children untill the day of her death MEDITATIONS Vpon the Arke of the holy Covenant O Omnipotent God give unto me thy servant a venerable regard unto thine ordinances and to worship thee as I ought to do and not to encline to an unreverent serving of thee and selfe-conceit but let zeale possesse my soule and humble devotion dwell in my heart deliver me O Lord from the danger of these had and evill times for thine altars are prophaned and thy worship in thy holy places are wholy neglected and the glory seems to be departed out of this our Israel let me look back O Lord to the times of old how thy servants the children of Israel did worship towards thy holy temple and the Ark of thy holy Covenant placed between the Cherubins and how thou wast pleased therewith what blessings O Lord from time to time did goe along with this Ark of thy Covenant and what punishments did fall upon them that did prophane it O Lord give me humblenesse of heart to desire an humble knowledge of thee and not to be busie in prying into thy secrets to look into the Ark of thy Covenant least I be destroyed with them of Bethshemesh neither let me distrust thy power O Lord or intermedle with holy things but keep the right and lowly rule that thou hast commanded so shall I avoid and escape the punishment of Uzzah the sad experience of evill which curiosity and intrusion into Gods secrets and other mens callings ever brought unto the conscience Lord let me stand with perfect humility afarre off with the Publican and humbly without the bounds of the Sanctuary with thy people of Israel in their worship towards thee and not proudly to presume to come into the Sanctum Sanctorum the holy of holyes but venerably to worship towards it with lowlinesse of heart keep thy servant O Lord from the dangerous disease of these times let me not be wise in my own conceit nor busie and opinionated of my own Iudgement to disturb Church and State and to seare my own conscience but give me grace to be humble and meek and as the children of Israel did obey Moses by keeping without the limits of mount Sinai and must not touch the border of it whiles the law was delivered so keep me O Lord farre from presumption that neither eye nor hand out-compasse themselves to my destruction and this was by a most strict charge from thee O God and that only Moses and Aaron should come before thee upon the mount with great punishments threatned unto the breaker of this command By this restraint let thy servant tremble at thy Iudgements and feare with the children of Israel in the conservation of my spirit and obey thee with humility from the very bottome of my heart as the Israelites did at the bottome of mount Sinai and let me not O Lord follow the dangerous example of them that with so much presumption goe about to break the rules which thou hast commanded presuming to step before them whom thou hast appointed to be their guides to break with pride of spirit within the borders of mount Sinai contrary to thy commands good Lord let me leave my Iudgement in points of faith to the Priests that thou hast appointed to come into the inner Temple of thy holinesse where they doe receive the holy oracles of truth from thee to deliver unto us that doe humbly wait in the place and state which thou hast ordained For this boundlesse and unruly pride and groundlesse selfe-conceit as it brought the Angels from heaven so O Lord from time to time it hath disturbed the world and thy holy Church filling it full of hereticks and blasphemers who have been the fire-brands of thy wrath as plagues and punishments for the sins of the world preserve me therefore O Lord from this so dangerous a rock and let me not follow my own will and fancie and keep thy servant from rash and heady resolutions and not be too confident of my own opinion for what am I O Lord to build a Church to my own weak imagination to rend my selfe from the Elders and Congregation of Israel to go a gadding after my own inventions and to fall into the traps of innovations and the private opinions of these bad and dangerous times the Seminaries and seed-plots of sedition and tumults the ruine of Church and Common-wealth of all order government charity and brotherly love But let me keep O Lord that safe rule to walk in even the plain path of thy Church which thou hast appointed both in the old and the new law For O Lord the Church the Ark of thy Covenant was alwayes eminently to be seen and known to the Israelites in all their journies from Egypt to Jerusalem and towards it they did worship so after thy marvellous deliverances of them over the red Sea and the deserts of this world this Ark was placed in thy holy Temple at Jerusalem where all the Tribes of Israel came up to worship and towards which holy of holies they did worship wheresoever they were dispersed and in