command them to ascend So the Septuagint is Fetch thou them forth We must acknowledge the power of God to be infinite Yet observe The workes that are his owne he attributes to men Aaron is said to bring them The bringing of Israel out of Egypt it was the worke of God with a mighty Arme none but God could doe it He assumes it oft-times I am the Lord that brought thee out of the land of Egypt So those holy people acknowledged Nehemiah and Daniel O God that broughtest us out of Egypt Yet this act is attributed to Moses and Aaron So God saith to Gedeon Iud. 6. Goe and deliver Israel yet it was God that must doe it So it is said of Samson and Shamger and Othoneele and Samuel that they delivered Israel And God saith to Moses Sanctifie to me the people against the third day yet God must sanctifie them So we see in the New Testament that conversion is attributed to Ministers and remission of sinnes Whose sinnes ye remit are remitted Nay and the saving of men 1 Tim. 4.11 This is the honour of Gods Saints God not only useth them but attributes to them what is done To arm them against discouragements though many things obstaculous to them lye in the way and confront them and be impediments to them yet let them be comforted in this the issue and effect that is wrought God will please to honour them with it he will part with some of his owne to give them he will put a splendour on Moses and make him glorious in the eyes of all the people God is content to give Iehu honour The sword of the Lord and of Gedeon Though indeed we must take heed if we be sensible of the honour that God puts upon men when he imployes them that we doe nothing to diminish the glory of God The Devill is so subtle and the corruption of mans heart is so great that he desires praise to himselfe So that oft-times the chiefe Lord suffers by the unfaithfulnesse of his Steward Let us take heed if God honour us for doing good things by him assume not so much to our selves whereby Gods glory may be diminished Let me apply it to those of the Church God hath honoured them exceedingly that he hath made them fellow workers with himselfe to dispense the great mysteries of the Kingdome And it is the observation of Chrysostome when the Prodigall returned the father doth not bid him goe to the wardrobe and take the best robe but he said to the servants Goe and fetch it He would have the servants imployed for the benefit of the sonne that the meanes might be brought in credit That shewes how much the world is beholding to the Ministers of the Word We are co-workers with God which as it may comfort us for the present so it shall adde to our crowne afterward But let us take heed that we give the glory to God and not take to our selves any thing that may diminish Gods honour Let us be of the spirit of Paul I laboured more then all yet not I but the grace of God in me Saith Austen Nos mandamus c. we do not give the increase we doe but helpe and this that we can helpe is not of our selves but the grace of God Paul may plant and Apollo may water but it is God that must give the increase Not unto us not unto us but to thy Name be the praise given So should be the speech of every one We are Stars but we are Stars in the right hand of our Blessed Lord and he is the Sun of righteousnesse So we have it by derivation from him we shine in a borrowed light Secondly for people since God hath advanced Ministers know the necessity of their calling though God made you without them he will not save you without them Know that you must reverence them for their workes sake Shew your respect by doing that which is commanded for therein lyes the especiall respect to a Minister when that is practised that he teacheth In the last place since God reckons things done by his servants as theirs when he doth it Let all people that doe any thing for God take heed of stroaking their owne heads It is the errour of Rome in doctrine and in practise they make mens good works meritorious and make themselves saviours When we have done all we can we are unprofitable and God workes all good things in us and all our works for us That as Austen saith It is certaine O God he that reckons up his owne merits what doth he reckon but thy gifts We may have comfort and contentment in our consciences and may glory in those things that God hath given us in the temptations of Satan but let us not ascribe that to our selves that belongs to God for God begins the worke and perfects it to his owne praise So much for that Now we come to the execution Aaron did so and upon the doing of it there came an innumerable company of frogs that covered Egypt here observe The wonderfull power of God how speedily and easily and at what a distance he can worke Aaron no sooner stretcheth forth his rod but this was done he doth it speedily And hee doth but stretch out the rod and all these creatures come abundantly And he doth but put forth the rod toward the river Saith Tostatus he was now in the Court of Pharaoh yet all this was done therefore he workes at a great distance Thus is the power of God remarkable in working quickly and easily and at a great distance I will not stand long on these things because in many passages we meet with it God at the first made the world and with a word He spake the word and all was made Therefore those Epicures and Atheists that aske what ladder and engine he had to raise this goodly frame they may be answered by that in the Psalme He made them by his word For as he speakes in his workes The heavens declare the glory of God so he works in his speeches Nay the very will of God not only his word but his will I will be thou cleane not only speake the word and my servant shall be whole but I will How soone and how easily and at what a distance did the Lord destroy the Army of Pharaoh in the red Sea Exod. 14. So I might tell you of Sodome Saith Tully the heathen God can doe all things without labour and defatigation Saith the old Poet All things are easie to God he knowes how to worke when he sits still Therefore for the Use of it in a word Let us stand in awe of God if the Lord can so easily and quickly and speedily and at such a distance worke it is in vaine to contend and strive against his power God doth not need to fetch an Army of men to overthrow poore sinners he can doe it by frogs by the least creatures by his word he can drowne the
day of slaughter because of successe Poore deluded soule that art conscious to thy self that thy wayes are naught and yet justifieth it because of successe God is a patient and long-suffering God and suffers people to goe on as he did Pharaoh into the middle of the sea and there cut off his chariots He suffers them to goe a while not that they shall alway prosper but to make the cup more bitter after long prosperity See it in all the examples before see if they did not repent themselves of that peace that they enjoyed Iosephs brethren carried it away smoothly but God comes to a sharpe reckoning in the conclusion they were in a great agony they knew not how to extricate themselves So David he went smoothly for a time but after it cost him many a teare he made his bed to swim So Ahab he wished a thousand times he had not meddled with the vineyard the sawce was so sharpe with the meat So Daniels accusers they reaped the judgement they intended against him the Lions had power over them they repented that ever they stirred that stone So many covetous men in the world that have gathered goods by oppression his line holds for a time it may be for his owne life but who hath not seen the judgement of God on his posterity that a man may read the fathers sin in the childes punishment So the revengefull the lustfull the ambitious man God comes home to them and so he will to others Men may laugh and rejoyce because of successe take heed when the reckoning is paid God will rise in judgement and then woe to those that thrive in wicked wayes It is the observation of a Father all things are said of the rich man Luke 16. in the time past There was a rich man and he fared deliciously every day and he was cloathed in purple and thou hast received all thy good So these people the time will come when they shall be forced to say they had their profit and their pleasure here according to their desire and so they have had all that good that ever they shall have they must be content with it there is no more now but an expectation of wrath and mischiefe the cup of the Lord is full it is mingled the wicked of the earth shall sucke the dregs of it In the second place censure not Gods providence nor justifie the wicked because they thrive and prosper in their wayes and courses and designes Fret not thy selfe for the wicked Psal 37. David was much taken with it Psal 73. he saith That his foot had nigh slipped when he saw the prosperity of the wicked Ieremiah desired to dispute with God upon this theame The broad spreading bay-tree of the wicked moves emulation in the children of God they thinke they have cleansed their hands in vaine But goe into the Sanctuary and there you shall see that God hath set them in slippery places Though their line hold here yet those lines tye them to judgement they shall be tyed as the vulture to the heart of Titius Pity them their woe is to come Where is the children of God having had hardship in this world shall have a blessed compensation in the world to come I should come to the second event the removall of this judgement I will only touch one thing in the front and so commit you to God It is like enough that Pharaoh sent to the Magicians to know if they could remove the judgement he found them unable or else he would not intreat Moses and Aaron to do it Here is that that will make Pharaoh unexcusable for it hath beene questioned whether Pharaoh were not excusable in holding out against the command of God and the commission of Moses because he was thus deluded by his Inchanters For say they how could he be perswaded that Moses came from God with a speciall command when his owne Inchanters did the like so they extenuate his sinne But suppose they did it by as great power and divine vertue as Moses and Aaron and he had no reason to think that Moses and Aaron were any better yet this is unexcusable that they could not remove the judgement So let men have never so many pretences there is somewhat that will hold conscience still that it will never give out of the hands of it The conscience will be hampered with something let the wicked man have ten thousand Apologies there is somewhat that will hold conscience whereby it will be snared to judgement Iosephs brethren can say much for themselves for the slaughter of the Sychemites that they did it in a way to vindicate the honour of their family Should he use our sister as a where but there is one thing that makes it hold sinne the abuse of the ordinance of God to make it a midwife to deliver them of their sinne So Saul may make a fair glosse that he had spared the goods of the Amalekites for sacrifice but there is one thing that holds him what is that that he had gone expressely against the command of God for he bad him spare none So Ahab had much to say for himselfe he came upon faire tearmes to Naboth for his vineyard he offered him money besides he knew what Ahab was But there is one thing that will have power over him what is that that his wife should have power over his seale to frame a letter to undoe the man So the Scribes and Pharisees they put it off Did we persecute this man Wilt thou bring this mans blood upon us we did it in zeale hee seemed to oppose the law of Moses but one thing will hold them to judgement because it was malice in them against Christ because he reproved them so plainly that they could never claw it off For the Use of it Never thinke when you come to Judgement of Apologies and fig-leaves that will be too narrow for your nakednesse away with these subterfuges and starting holes God never brings a man to judgement but he hath enough to judge him for by the testimony of his owne conscience as Pharaoh here that when he knew it must be of God yet he was hardened The conscience as it is a register in man at the day of Judgement it will be an accuser of man and justifie Gods most severe proceedings against him So much for this time THE SEVENTH SERMON Vpon EXOD. CHAP. 8. VERS 8. Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the Lord that he may take a way the frogs from me and from my people and I will let the people goe that they may doe sacrifice to the Lord. NOw we come to the second event that is the removall of the judgement Wee must consider First how it is motioned and intreated for in verse 8. Then how Moses engageth himselfe to performe it verse 9 10 11. Thirdly how he acts and performes it in deed and puts it in execution in verse 12 13 14. The first
Spirit direct us vouchsafe good God to goe in and out before us Keepe in us a purpose never to sin confirm it more and more and upon every suggestion to sin let us call to minde our vowes and promises of better obedience and though we have dealt falsely before now make them more powerfull to restraine us If we fall by infirmity let our hearts smite us speedily restore us by repentance immediately evermore keep us from impenitencie hardnesse of heart and presumption the power of Satan and a downfall into sin Grant us all other things that thou in thy wisdome knowest better that we want then we to aske not for any merits of ours we disclaime them nothing belongs to us but shame and confusion but even for thy Names sake for thy promise sake for Iesus Christs sake the Sonne of thy love and our Saviour in whose Name we further call upon thee as he hath taught us saying Our Father which art c. THE FIRST SERMON Vpon EXOD. CHAP. 8. VERS 1.2 And the Lord spake unto Moses Go unto Pharaoh and say unto him Thus saith the Lord Let my people goe that they may serve me And if thou refuse to let them goe behold I will smite all thy borders with frogs THis Chapter hath three parts according to the three judgements here remembred The first judgement was the frogs from verse 1. to verse 16. The second was of lice from verse 16. to verse 20. The third of flies noysome flyes to the end of the Chapter In this first judgement which is of frogs we are to observe these three things First the denunciation of it Secondly the execution of it Thirdly the event of it The denunciation of it in the first 4 verses The execution in verse 5.6 The event of it is threefold First the Magicians doe the like verse 7. Secondly thence there is a remoovall of this judgement and the meanes of the same from the beginning of verse 8. to the end of verse 15. The third event is the obduration and further hardning of the heart of Pharaoh verse 16. Come again to the denunciation there are two things in it First Moses from God makes a motion to Pharaoh to dismisse his people verse 1. Secondly hee tells him upon his refusall of a judgement and there is First laid down what the judgement should be frogs Then the amplification of it from the generality in all his borders in his bedchamber in their troughs their baking-troughs and their ovens they shall be a vexation to them night and day And then for the noysomenesse of them that they should crawle about in all these places Now for the motion which is laid downe in verse 1. that I may not reciprocari serram as Tertullian speakes I will not draw my saw the same way againe I willingly omit many thinges that might bee observed in this verse First Gods manner of speaking to Moses Secondly Moses going in to Pharaoh Thirdly his manner of speaking to Pharaoh Thus saith the Lord Whereby hee would perswade him that hee was sent by God therefore he that sent him would not brooke a refusall Likewise in the fourth place how equall the motion of God was Let my people goe he requires his owne of Pharaoh And how they were said to be Gods people above all other people in the world To the end that they may goe and serve me The relation that is between God and his people it ties the people of God to serve him to observe him Againe how God would have them goe out of Egypt to serve him that is to offer sacrifice For hee would not have them serve him there where the Egyptians instead of joyning with them would deride them nay not only so but mischiefe them for such was the zeale of the Egyptians against sacrifice All these I willingly and purposely omit Now my beloved in this verse as it is a transition to that that followes I will onely remember you of three things The first is the obstinacie of Pharaoh The second is the longanimity and longsuffering of God The third is the piety and obedience of Moses all which are implied in this first verse First the obstinacie of Pharaoh hee had seene signes already the Rod turned into a Serpent and the rod of Moses devouring the Serpents of the Egyptians He had likewise seene that fearfull judgement the water turned into blood In which judgement both he and the prime of the land it may bee might escape more easily It is likely they might quench their thirst by wine or by some juyce or liquors but we must needs conceive that it went hard with the generality of the people that either must dye for thirst or drinke blood if they forbeare they dye if they drinke in probability they perish blood being so incongruous drinke for the body of man Besides this though he had seene the Magicians doe the like yet they could not remove the judgement the Lord in his meere mercy without any suit of Pharaoh or of his people put an end after seven dayes to that great affliction yet notwithstanding this see the obduration of the wicked mans heart he had need of a new judgement to rouze him My observation is this How many blowes a hard heart will indure before it breake or be mollified See it in Balaam he was not warned by the Asses turning out of the way nor yet by the Asses rushing against the wall to the bruising of his foot nor yet by the Asses lying downe under him and opening his mouth against him his heart was set he loved the wages of unrighteousnesse on he goes So with Balack the King of Moab whom he served The first time he builds seven Altars and sacrificeth on them and the second time seven and the third time seven with more opportunity and though he saw that every time it was like a piece charged against another that recoyled upon himselfe though hee saw how frustranious and empty all his intendments and purposes were yet for all that he goes on in the hardnes of his heart God sought meanes to reclaime him hee defeated his purposes but he would not yeeld as if hee had held it an honour to be tenacious of his resolution against God Thus it was with Saul what a number of blowes did God give that hard heart of his before it would melt Every time he disappointed him in his pursuit of David it was a blow given to molifie his heart if it might have beene yet he goes on to a greater degree of iniquity and impiety and he reinforceth and reneweth his cursed endeavours against an innocent man If the heart of man be but of a mettall that is hard enough God knowes yet it may be melted though it be iron as Gregory Nazianzen saith it will melt in the fire but if the heart of man be that heart of stone Ezek. 11.19 well may it be broken but melt it will not And it is not easily
thistles or are we conceited as some that Austen speaks of in his time that God punished the murthers of Troy but loved those of Rome That God punished the distempers of former times but will not now That there shall be no fregs in our dishes though Pharaoh had them Is not he the same God and our sinnes as foule as theirs and doe they not provoke God to wrath Wee have found it by some experience if we goe backe a little way What spued out those Abbey-lubbers but gluttony What hath beene the ruine of many great families but this What was the cause that God punished us the last yeare with famine Many sins we have but I cannot ascribe it to any more properly then to gluttony God punisheth such licentiousnesse with penury and scarcity And if we goe on and provoke God as we have hitherto God will plague us in our basket and in our store and that that before was but a rod he can whip us with scorpions God be thanked though we had it deare we had it for money but God will cause the earth to denie her strength that it shall not be to be had then we may eat our flesh for bread and our bowells shall sound as a shalme And this may be the cause of the plague for famine and the plague goe together Thus the Lord can curse us in our basket and in our store and send frogs into our kneading troughs and into our chambers Therefore in the fear of God let us be ashamed of our former intemperance and let us now labour to honour God I bridle not men up to necessity only Religion gives a faire way as any reasonable man in the world can desire but take heed that we dishonour not God abuse them not if we doe penury will be the reward of abused plenty THE FOVRTH SERMON Vpon EXOD. CHAP. 8. VERS 4. And the frogs shall come up both on thee and upon thy people and upon all thy servants And the Lord spake unto Moses say unto Aaron stretch forth thine hand c. IN this fourth Verse there is yet a further amplification of the judgement These frogs should not onely bee in the high waies but in the houses not only in the common roomes but in the bedchambers And they should not stay here neither but should crawle upon the bodies of men they should get up upon them and there should be no possibility to brush them off Galerius upon this place observes That the Egyptians were punished in this plague upon all the five senses The sight was punished that was offended with the multitude with the greatnesse with the hideous forme and colour of these frogs Their hearing was offended with the croaking of them for it was but harsh musicke to dainty eares Their smell was offended with the stench of them Their taste was offended that they came into their troughs the places of their dough and so hindred them of the food that was provided for their nourishment And for their feeling that certainly was exercised for not only he but Tostatus upon the place saith That many of these frogs were poysonfull such as we call toads and they afflicted and oppressed the Egyptians when they lighted on them But I stand not upon this but content my selfe with the words of the Text They shall come up and crawle upon thee and upon thy servants So that thou shalt not rid thy selfe of this annoyance What! in their meat and drinke and upon their bodies Then observe with me Beloved God can lay judgements upon people that shall not be more painfull and troublesome then odious loathsome and noysome This you shall see in sundry respects That of Iob Iob 7.5 he complaines that his skin was broken and he was become loathsome I will not follow Pineds the Jesuit that reckons up scores of diseases that this poore man was afflicted with and all of them as the Physitian speakes of the worst kinde and quality The Scripture saith enough and tells us that he was stricken with boyles from the top of the head to the sole of the foot and was faine to retire himselfe from the company of men and to sit upon a heap of ashes that they might receive the corruption from his wounds and to get a piece of a potsheard to scrape himselfe with Iob 2.7.8 Such a noysome disease had David whatsoever it was as hee complaines Psal 38.7 Thou hast filled my loynes with a loathsome disease The Septuagint and the Latine translation read it Thou hast filled my loynes with delusion and mocking but the Chalde paraphrase renders it better Thou hast filled me with burning paine and noysome So the Hebrew word there used will beare it out which comes from a word to roast a thing and it signifies to be made vile So that it seems it was a burning furious disease and that also that made him odious and loathsome to the people and to himselfe a burthen What a loathsome judgement did the Lord send upon Iehoram 2 Chron. 21. ult by which he rotted as it were piece-meale he was wondrously afflicted and troubled and tormented and the Text saith there Ragelat bele Kemdar he departed without being desired Some understand it he was so wicked that every body desired his death he went away and was not missed every one was glad But it may be understood also he was so loathsome by his disease that people were-glad he was gone he was so troublesome and he tooke no pleasure in himselfe by the noysomenesse of his disease In 2 Macab 9.9 we read of Antiochus a great persecuter of Gods people God smote him with a loathsome noysome judgement having received a bruise by a fall from his chariot for very torment and paine saith the Text his flesh fell piece meale from him and the stench of him was grievous to the whole Army every one wished him gone he was such a trouble to them And was it not a noysome loathsome judgement that was sent upon Herod to be eaten up of wormes Act. 12.23 Iosephus saith That the Great Herod the Askalonite was eaten up of wormes also But after him it is certaine that Maximinus as Eusebius tells us had a fearfull loathsome disease upon him and he sent out a filthy smell he saith he was a fearfull spectacle to looke upon Nay the very Physitians saith the Story that came neare him were killed with the stench of his infirmity So we read of Scilla that he had a loathsome fearfull judgement sent upon him And Pliny in his Naturall history saith that he died a more grievous death then ever he inflicted upon any other And was it not an odious loathsome judgement that was sent upon Arrius that scoured out his bowells upon the stoole So Evagrius speakes of Montanus that he had his tongue rotted in his mouth and he dyed miserably I could reckon more examples but these are sufficient in the proofe of this I would not be mistaken because I
so let it urge us to prepare and if we be prepared either we shall be hid in the evill day or the affliction shall be so sanctified that we shall finde honey in that Lion Another thing I would commend to your consideration something of kin to this point in hand Pharaoh holds out God sends a message it will not be God now executes Where words will not serve blows must I shall not need to give instances of this there are enow in Scripture And there is great reason that God should doe it For if he should only content himselfe with words his truth would be called in question as if he had said that that he meant not to performe if that word that he hath spoken shall not take effect Secondly his Justice would be questioned that hee hates not sinne with that hatred that the world is perswaded of Thirdly his Power would be questioned that though he hate sin and threaten it yet he were not able to punish it Lastly his Wisdome and Providence would be questioned for it is not the part of a wise man where there is desert for blowes to content himselfe only with words for this makes reproofe contemptible and all speeches ridiculous and turne againe upon him with disgrace For the Use of it it should teach us to justifie God in all his proceedings ever give glory to God whatsoever falls for certainly God for the contempt of ordinary proceedings is faine to goe to a more severe reckoning with men they justly deserve it therefore God is to be justified Secondly since God is so leasurely and treatable in his pace to vengeance Let us all make use of the deliberate proceedings of God feare Gods word and wee shall never feare his blowes that is true It is a speech of Chrysostome to good purpose Let a man feare Gods word and he shall never need to feare those acts of vengeance Let them feare in Egypt and Rome let him feare and stand in awe that offends If a man be carefull to lead a holy life he need not be afraid though the hills tumble into the sea and the foundations of the earth be rased he shall stand unappaled in the middest of all dangers So that speech of Gregory and it is good counsell that he gives Let us feare when we heare lest we come to feare when we feele which is worst of all For beloved it is hard to be put to the tutorage of that School-mistris experience If a man feare not till hee feele then wrath will fall the heavier The Wise man takes another course Solomon saith A wise man seeth the plague and hideth himselfe but a foole goeth on and is punished he will not be warned and admonished God comes to many men nay to all by the dispensation of his word he tells us what is due to sinne what he will inflict he sometimes by lesse chastisements as his lesser ordnance playes upon us doth not God expect profit by this If we doe not he will inlarge punishments upon people and so much more the blows shal be because of the contempt of his gracious proceedings and then men shall have no body to complaine of but themselves and curse the time a thousand fold that they did not obey the word of God but would needs stand it out till it came to blowes now the fearfull hand of God is fallen upon them It was the complaint of Daniel Dan. 9. We hearkned not to the voyce of thy Prophets now therefore thy wrath is stretched upon us to the full As he saith there Therefore my counsell shall be to feare the word of God and we shall not need to feare his judgements tremble at his threatnings Get the heart of Iosiah to melt when he read the Law of God he had respect to the Word that he trembled at his word and was contrite in that manner that he was deeply cast downe with the consideration of his menacies and threatnings God will be mercifull to such a one and he shall escape in the day of vengeance whereas those that are refractory and contumacious that care not for words till it come to blowes they shall be sure to sucke the dregs of Gods vialls THE FIFTH SERMON Vpon EXOD. CHAP. 8. VERS 5. And the Lord spake unto Moses say unto Aaron Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streames over the rivers over the ponds and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt c. HAving spoken of the denunciation of this judgement I come now to the second thing The execution of it which is laid downe in vers 5.6 where there is First the injunction And then the performance of that injunction The injunction verse 5. God said to Moses say to Aaron stretch forth thine hand with thy rod c. The performance of this verse 6. Aaron did so In the former of these the injunction God spake to Moses say unto Aaron A man might say Why did not Moses take the rod as well as Aaron There are divers reasons given why Moses did not doe it but Aaron rather The Hebrewes they according to their fabulous manner say it was not fit for Moses to smite the river because he was preserved in the water when time was as we read in the story Exod. 2. when he floated in an arke of bulrushes Pharaohs daughter tooke him up Hee should have beene ungratefull to those streames to have smitten them with a plague that were the meanes of his preservation It is true beloved that gratitude works not only towards men but toward the brute creatures even to the place where and instruments by which a man is benefited but this is no solid reason Suppose Moses received never so much good there thankfulnesse to the creature would not beare him out in disobedience to the Creator Another saith that Moses was not to doe it because the Egyptians then would have beene perswaded that he had done it by sorcery and so they would have beene lesse moved and perswaded by it They were so unjust that they conceived of Moses that he was a sorcerer The truth is that he had all the learning of the Egyptians and it is likely that many of them used that Art yet we know nothing of Moses but that he was exercised in those sciences that were justifiable Againe if this were the reason Aaron might have beene suspected for he lived among them a great age and without doubt Pharaoh would have brought it out Calvin gives a third reason God would not have Moses strike the streames and bring the frogs but Aaron that Pharaoh in regard of his pride and insolencie might be handled more contemptibly As if Moses would let him see that be would not trouble himselfe but his servant that was to officiate for him he should doe it There is a fourth reason God hath set downe an order he gives Moses direction what to doe and from him Moses directs Aaron and he executes it
with their inchantments and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the Lord that he may take away the frogs from me c. WEE come now to the event of this judgement The event is threefold First here is the like done by the Magicians verse 7. Secondly the removall of this judgement to the end of verse 14. Thirdly the further obduration of Pharaohs heart verse 15. that determines this judgement In the first of these the practice of the Magicians we may observe here The work men the Magicians And their instrument as I may so call it their incantations and inchantments And then the effect of their worke and operation They did so they brought frogs But concerning these Magicians and their inchantments I spake somewhat formerly therefore I shall say the lesse now I shewed then how the Devill hath made use of Magicians and inchanters in all times of the world and that for his owne mischievous respects For first hereby he hath perverted many noble and worthy Sciences such as Naturall Philosophy Astronomy Astrology Arithmaticke and Musique and turned the edge of them against God that founded and ordered them for his glory Secondly the Devill hath wronged hereby that that is the Queene of Sciences Theology while he hath diverted mens mindes from necesary truths and lead them captive to foule errours Thirdly the Devill by meanes of magicke and inchantments hath fomented heresies in the world Therefore it is no vaine observation that the great heretiques of the primitive times they were most of them Magicians upon search it will prove so Simon of Samaria called Niger he was held to bee the great power of God he made the people believe he could flye in the aire and that no army of men could apprehend him and hee could make trees grow on the sudden After him came one Menander that Iustin Martyr speakes of he profest great matters When he came to Antioch he gave out that he and his disciples should never dye he had power to preserve himselfe from mortality Ireneus speakes of a foule hereticke that was a Magician that would shew tricks that would turne the wine in the Eucharist when it was white he would make it red and fill a greater vessell with a lesser divers of those pranks he played So the History saith concerning Basilidas and Martion he was a Magician Eusebius speakes the like of Montanus in whose heresie Tertullian though else a good man was tardie The people when they saw such great works as these they thought the doctrine must needs be of God Fourthly the Devill hath gained much by this practise in the world for he not only got admiration but adoration When such kinde of workes as these have been admired in a wondrous and unlimited manner adoration hath followed to the person The Devill would give all the world to Christ to fall down and worship him Mat. 4. And he prevailed so farre with people as to sacrifice their children to Devils Psal 106.37 And it is well knowne by stories of the Indian parts that most of those people sacrifice to the Devill and worship him Lastly the Devill by magicke and sorcery and witchcraft hath not only begotten but nourished and perfected many foule sinnes in the world in practise As lust hath beene perfected through magicke spells inchantments have beene used for the abusing of poore people Revenge hath been perfected through magick I thinke you will say by your owne experience that most of the witches that ever have beene discovered have beene so by malice So sometime it hath served as a bawd to covetousnesse to bring wealth All that I will say because I will not draw my Saw the same way againe is to advise you in all things to keepe moderation for it is easie for a man to goe too farre Even in naturall Philosophie some people have so pored on the creature that they have turned Atheists And in Astrologie men have so oversotted themselves that judiciously and conclusively they have turned the courses of men calculated their nativity and they will tell what death a man shall dye as if they were of Gods privie Councell Nay Beloved in Divinity it is possible for a man to transgresse his bounds if he be not wise to sobriety Therefore it is good advice let there be humility and sobriety A man may easily in the great deepe of Divinity passe beyond his depth his feet being carried away by the streame It is easie for the flye that flutters about the candle to burne her wings Saith Nazianzen in his sixteenth Oration It were better for a man to bee sluggish a little then too curious to seeke into those retired secrets that God hath kept secret So much for that I will say no more of the persons and of their inchantments but only one thing It seemes that Pharaoh soon sent for these people when the judgement was on him These were the men that he trusted in and he thinks to have ease by them he will see what can be done A man would have thought he should goe to God and make his peace with him to take off the edge of the judgement that way But will you have it Carnall mindes in distresse when the judgements of God are upon them their first course is to seek carnall meanes and comforts That is the first thing God is sought in the last place When Cain received his judgement from God to be a runnagate over the face of the earth to finde consistence in no corner he will see if he can disappoint the judgement by building of Cities as if he could lenifie his inward torment by his outward imployment So we see it was with Saul when he was troubled with an evill spirit those that were about him suggested that it was fit for him to seeke a man that was excellent in musique that he by his skill that way might helpe to condole his disturbed thoughts There was no looking up to God to make his peace with him that sent that judgement on him So in 1 Sam. 28. when he was in distresse he runs to the witch at Endor and she must tell him the successe of the battell Thus it was with Ahaziah he sends to Baalzebub the god of Ekron to consult if he should recover of his sicknesse Thus it was with those people in Ieremiah when they were told that the Caldeans should invade them they cast themselves upon the hope of Ethiopia and Egypt and made account that they should sustaine them in their adversity and raise the siege of the other Army So we see in the New Testament when Iudas was stricken with horrour of soule he comes back to the high Priests thinking to finde some comfort there Like to Belteshazer when he saw the hand-writing upon the wall he sends for his Astrologians and other people that he put confidence in and thinkes that they could helpe him out of the brakes
of them is in verse 8. And there are two things in it briefly A petition and A promise Pharaohs request is That they would intreat God that he might be freed from these noysome fearfull frogs His promise is That he will let the people goe and sacrifice to the Lord. But first I will speake of that that leads them in that is Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron It is like enough that when the Inchanters had to his apprehension brought forth frogs that he sleighted Moses and Aaron and dismissed them as if they were not the servants of a greater God then he worshipped for sure he thought that these people that brought frogs to his appearance could also remove them But now he begins to feele the smart of the judgement it is likely having consulted with these Sorcerers they cannot fit him this way Now he cannot get from under the wrath of God he calls for them Our observation shall be this that The time will come that godly men shall be in request with those that despised them God will bring it about that good and godly people shall be in request with those that formerly despised and sleighted them Thus it was with Abimelech and his Philistines Gen. 20.29 they vilified Isaac they hated him and maligned him and the wrath of them was so fierce that they drave him out of their Country yet he was no sooner gone but the King and his Courtiers they come after him and desire to make a league with him and that he would be pleased to sweare to them that he would doe them no harme for they saw that he feared God and that the hand of God was with him The like we see in Iosephs brethren how did they contemne and despise Ioseph and called him in scorne The dreamer as if he had befooled himselfe in those presages of his advancement yet God brings it about that this man that they had so scorned they were faine to sue to him forgive the trespasse of the servants of thy fathers God in that we have done foolishly Gen. 50.17 The like we see in Moses Exod. 32. how he was sleighted and contemned by the Israelites As for this Moses we know not what is become of him But they spake of him in a low stile yet after a while when the judgement of God was upon them they were faine to flye to him as their best refuge on earth and desire him to mediate a peace So in Exo. 12. Aaron joynes with Miriam in emulation against Moses and speake of their brother in diminution but after Aaron intreats him not to lay that sinne to their charge that they had committed foolishly and suffered his sister to be a reproach to the world The like we see in Iephtah he was put out of his fathers house and contemned because he was the sonne of an harlot Iudg. 11. yet when they were infested by their enemies they were faine to seeke to him and intreat him to be their Captaine So we see in Saul you see how he scorned David he would not so much as call him by his right name Where is the sonne of Isha that he doth not come to meat And will none of you tell me that my sonne and the sonne of Isha have conspired against me Yet he that he contemned he bowed to when he had him in the cave and gave pregnant proof of his loyalty he desired him that he would be good to his posterity and not cut them off So it was with Ieroboam 1 King 13. he stretched forth his hand in contempt and hatred I joyne them together against the Prophet and that hand that he stretched out he could not draw in againe and then he was faine to intreat the Prophet that he would intreat the face of God that his arme might be restored So we see in Hester Haman put her in the same Barke with all the Jewes and it is like enough in that respect and name because she was a Jew he disesteemed her after he was faine to sue to her for his life that she would mediate with the King that the edge of his wrath might be taken off Hest 7. And Ieremiah that was so much despised by Zedechiah and his Princes that Zedechiah was faine to sue to him that he would pray for him Ier. 37.3 And not to multiply more you know how much the rich man scorned the poore beggar yet the time came that being in hell in torments he begged a boone of him that is that he might be sent with a little water to coole his tongue Luke 16.24 And this is that Solomon hath Prov. 14.19 The bad shall how before the good and the wicked at the doore of the righteous There is a bowing that wicked men make sometimes to the good that David speakes off Psal 10. they crouch and creep and humble themselves and all to impose upon the credulity of the righteous and the sooner to insnare them But Solomon his sonne speakes of another bowing when the wicked are forced by Gods overruling providence to supplicate and sue to the children of God to desire their friendship and mediation and intercession that they despised and maligned before What may be the ground of this First God hath planted an awfulnesse and majesty in his children that makes them venerable to the wicked sometimes I speak not of such a splendor as Moses had that the Jews could not look on for the glory of his countenance I speak not of such a glory as Christ had that Hierome saith was starre-like that drew the people to see him Nor such as hee speaks of Julian that had such a splendor that Maximianus was afraid to look on him lest hee should make him turn Christian Nor such as Steven had God made that Diamond so sparkle in the dark that they beheld his face as the face of an Angel But I meane there is an awfull authority that God hath put upon his children that makes the wickeds eyes dazzle Solomon saith Eccles 8.1 Wisedome makes the face of a man to shine Cajetan understands it of that authority that God hath planted in his Children that makes them awfull to those that are wicked All the people feared Samuel exceedingly 1 Sam. 12.18 and it is said that wicked Herod feared John because he was a holy and a just man Mark 6.14 Againe secondly God doth this to make his word true for hee hath said Hee that humbleth himselfe shall bee exalted and hee that exalteth himselfe shall bee humbled Now the children of God oft put their mouthes in the dust they are low and humble therefore God will take a time to exalt them As David hee carryed himself humbly and how ever some detracters dis-figured him to his Prince he never spake of him without reverence therefore God exalted him and so exalted him that hee did bring the proud spirit of Saul to sue to him So Mordecat hee was a humble man he sate in the gate he
was content with his condition God exalted him and how did hee make that proud spirited Haman to stoope so low as to advance him Thirdly God thinks fit to make his Children a compensation in the sight of men They are brought to that straite sometimes that they are faine to sue to the wicked Jacob was so perplexed for want of bread that hee was faine to send to Aegypt for corn and was faine to pacifie his brother and to send present before him to humble himself and to fall to the ground so many times before hee came at him And in Lam. 5.6 they gave their hands to Assyria and Egypt for bread those that were their mortall enemies they were fain to comply with them for bread As I said of Hester before shee sued for her life Now then the good God that they serve to make them cōpensation brings the wicked to sue to them As they are forced to sue to the wicked sometimes for reliefe in their necessities so the wicked shall sue to them It may be shewed in all the examples before alledged And likewise in Jobs kinsmen though they insulted over the miserable poore man and censured him at their pleasure yet after they were faine to sue to Job and God would not bee reconciled to them till hee had sued for them For the use of this First me thinks it might take off the edge of wicked men in regard of the persecution of those that feare God For a man hath so much understanding that hee will not irritate and provoke such as hee thinks hee shall bee beholden to after for feare the suite of his need bee repelled with the errour of his prosperity yet such is the madnesse of the wicked to bee discourteous and injurious most to those that they are like most to bee beholden to I know their proud spirits scorne the thought of ever being beholden to the children of God Yet so God brings it about though it may bee they will not sue to them yet though their blindnesse will not let them see or their unthankfulnesse to acknowledge it yet they bee beholden to them For Lot bayled Sodome while hee was with them If Moses stand not in the gap fierce judgements come among the proud people If these pillars beare not up the house it will fall about their eares If these stakes doe not hold the hedg they are laid open to all misery Augustin in lib. de Civ Dei Hee wonders that a company of people that escaped in the sacking of a City by professing themselves to bee Christians that they should persecute Christians afterward when they had been beholden to the name of Christ for their escape And who would not wonder at the madnesse of the world that persecute those that they may bee and are beholden to daily and those bee the people of God by whose intercession they escape judgements Secondly it should teach the people of God First Direction and Then Comfort First Direction let them make much of goodnesse and love it with the inside of their hearts for this is that that will not only commend them to God but make them awfull to the wicked This is that that will make one of the Children of God weigh down a thousand of the sons of Beliall This is that that will make them gold when the wicked shall bee accounted drosse It will make them good Come when the wicked of the earth shall bee chaffe it will make them herbes and flowers when the wicked shall be weeds fit for nothing but to be burned Secondly for their comfort though they be contemned by a great number of prophane ones the time will come that God will exalt them hee will make the wicked to blesse their condition and it may bee seeke to them For if ever God bring a wicked man to terrours of soule he magnifies the estate of a good man and thinks he is the happiest man in the world he wisheth a thousand times that he were in his estate and when the Angel of God meets him as he did Balaam betweene two walls that hee can goe no way from him I meane when death comes hee desires to die the death of the righteous and that his last end may be like his And then he sues to the righteous man to pray for him and intercede at the throne of grace If this be not enough for comfort know that you shall judge these wicked ones 1 Cor. 6.2 Doe yee not know that the Saints shall judge the world If that bee not enough the wicked shall see the Children of God exalted and shall gnash their teeth and consume away and shall speak as they in Wisdome We tho ught his life madnesse and his end horrour and loe he is preferred before us Lastly to spread it further let it be a comfort to all ministers that are to the people as Moses and Aaron here were messengers to Pharaoh It is likely they may receive disgrace and disparagement as if the worke were but an unjust worke Who is so forward to persecute the sonnes of God as the sonnes of Belial Let this comfort them for if they continue in their course and preach sound doctrine and live an unblameable life God will make these stoope one day The people for all their contempt of Samuel they were faine to intreate him to pray for them 1 Sam. 12. And those that flouted them in Act. 2. they were faine to come for direction Men and Brethren what shall wee doe And the Gaoler that clapt the Apostles in Irons when there was an earthquake and the doores of the prison flew open and every mans bonds did flie from him he comes trembling and will doe any thing And as Theodoret reports of Ambrose his passage to Theodotius though the Courtiers bad him slight that hee did hee could not put it off hee was faine to send he was faine to submit to the penance So the world let them slight the Ministers of God as they will the houre will come they will be caught in their moneth and then it may be they will desire direction and their prayers At the last Pharaoh must call for Moses and Aaron So much for that Now I come to his Petition Intreat the Lord that he may take away the Frogs from me and from my people It seemeth then that Pharaoh was enlightned to know these three things First that God must remove the judgement Secondly that he must be intreated for the removing of it Thirdly that he must be intreated by his servants these are but ordinary points therefore I will passe them over the more briefly First he understood that God must remove this plague the Lord Jehovah must doe it indeed it is his worke For as no judgement can seize on men without a commission from him Thou couldest have no power saith Christ to Pilate unlesse it were given thee from above So it is not in the power of flesh to move the least Flie from a
submit to the government of the Shepherd That as Justinian the Emperour saith there may be a sweet harmonie between Prince and people that no string may be too high or too low that is the best musique in the eares of God If Pharaoh desire for his people how should they beg of God in the behalfe of their Soverain Paul when he wisheth that Prayers should be made for all men in the first place he puts Kings And it was the practise of holy people of God in former time Cyprian when they were charged with some rebellion We are far from that we wish well to the King saith he And his Master before him for so he calls Tertullian he professeth concerning the Christians that they begged of God in the behalfe of the Emperour they desired long life a secure regiment and reigne a safe house worthy Counsellors strong and valiant Souldiers c. Let not this be forgotten by us we are too defective in this many of us pray in private for our selves but when doe we remember our Governours O the light of our eyes and the breath of ournostrills is deprived of our prayers If it be a sin to forget a naturall father certainly it is no lesse to forget our politicall father The next thing to be observed which is the second generall is the promise that he makes I will let the people goe I will but touch one thing and so conclude you see here that now he cannot get from under the judgement what evapourates from him he will let the people goe that they may sacrifice If god reserve us God willing we shall observe that he did flie off from this But in the meane time somewhat he saith and promiseth and It is no strange thing that the worst of men have good motions sometimes This Pharaoh saith another time I have sinned And the sorcerers say after It is the finger of God And Balaam saith Let me die the death of the righteous Num. 23. And Saul may say he hath sinned and Ahab may humble himselfe and Felix may sometimes tremble and Agrippa will cry out he is almost made a Christian by Paul And it was never known of the most desperate adulterers the most bloudy men or oppressors or excessive persons but some time or other they did thinke ill of their own courses and did think that another way was better and it may be have had motions and resolutions tending to reformation The ground is the light that God puts into the consciences and the power that he hath indued it with that will sometimes put a man in minde of his abberations from the right way that this is not the course hee should take Again there is a generall illumination in the world that enlightens every man by this they come to have some notions But as Bernard saith in another case they come in frequently and passe away as speedily They are like the morning dew or the morning cloud soon dissipated not so good as Ephraims cake that was halfe baked they are soon gone as Tertullian saith of the flower it is a thing to look on and breath on and smell to and it is gone So it is with these motions of the wicked they passe away as smoke Therefore for the use of it Let us not be confident of the motions and flashes of the wicked unlesse they persist and continue in them there is little hope Nay let us not please our selves for motions that are like flashings of lightning in the soule they are not worth the talking of When motions come that are good cherish them keep them on foot that they may be actuated and perfected Thus God would have us to doe it is a sparke of the divine fire therefore the Lord would have it blown till it come to a flame If at any time we finde it dying as like enough the dear Saints of God may doe we must stir it up and excite the grace of God by the use of the Ordinances of God as the Apostle speaks And likewife by reflecting upon our many omissions and neglects and it may be suppression of motions by the consâ—â—â—â—â—tion of the fearfull account we must give one day for these neglects stir it up and keep it fresh and by the blessing of God there may come great matters That that is now a sparke may be a flame that that is like a cloud no bigger then a hand it may after mask the whole heavens That that is now as a grain of mustard seed it may be a great tree wherein the fowles of the air may make their nests Of all take heed of quenching and suppressing this Spirit of puting it out and that is done by wilfull grosse sins When God gives good motions if men would cherish them and keep them alive there might be much good in them but when they run into foul sins that waste conscience the graces of God die and all good motions are as far to seek as if they never had been This will add to a mans judgment when God shall put these things in his heart and he by untimely frosts nipps them in the bud whereas if he would cherish them they would come to great perfection and improvement THE EIGHTH SERMON Vpon EXOD. CHAP. 8. VERS 8.9 And I will let the people goe that they may doe sacrifice unto the Lord. And Moses said unto Pharaoh Glory over me when shall I intreat for thee and for thy servants and for thy people c. THere is one thing that remaines of the eighth Verse remaining that I will speedily dispatch and so go on Pharaoh saith here I will let them goe that they may sacrifice to the Lord. Ubi potentiae Ubi superbiae saith one upon my Text. How now Pharaoh what is become of thy power what is become of thy pride not long since thou wast in thy ruffe and said Who is the Lord that I should seare him or let Israel goe Thou wert so farre from dismissing them that thou eldst more intensively hate them and multiply their sorrowes Thou didst contemne Moses and Aaron that came with a Commission from God and now behold thou art under a judgement and knowest not how to extricate thy selfe from this perplexitie now thou wilt let the people goe now thou acknowledgest God now thou suest to Moses and Aaron now thou art glad to dismisse the people Even thus it was and in that it was thus my observation must bee concerning The necessitie of afflictions All faire meanes would do no good with this man God was faine to take the rod in his hand and then wee see the issue so great is the necessitie of afflictions And it drives at divers things First afflictions make a man see his sinnes as wee see in the brethren of Joseph Gen. 41.21 In their trouble in Egypt they reflect upon their unnaturalnesse to their brother they confesse that the cause of this trouble and distresse was because they did not hearken to
horrour and to tempt him after forty dayes fast and when he was an hungry and to tempt him with that that might soonest move a hungry stomach with provision of bread all these advantages God gratified the devill with that his glory might be the greater and the confusion of the devill more So afterward he suffered himselfe to be apprehended and nayled to the crosse and then they thought they had advantage enough nay to give up the ghost and to die and to grapple with death in his owne trenches yet his glory was greater by giving the devill that great advantage It was a great advantage the Philosopher had against that poore man in the Counsell of Nice the cunning Sophister came upon him with many arguments The other man in the plainnesse of his spirit so answered him for all his advantage in learning the poore man bunged up his mouth and converted him to the Christian faith What an advantage had the Pope against Luther when he rose up What an unequall combate was between them The one a poore Monk and against him all of the Church of Rome Lather had temporall and spirituall authoritie all against him to bury him under yet the worke of God was made more glorious by this and he lighted a candleithat by Gods blessing shall never be put out Well for the use of this Let us not bee too much dejected when God gives some advantage to the wicked though they have advantage of number and provision There is not the greatest man in the world but God hath a hooke for his nostrills It may bee God gives them these advantages for their greater ruines he racks them high that they may fall into the greater mischiefe God is able to send an Angell that in one night shall kill so many in the Host of Senacherib God is able to send a Panick feare among the Assyrians that shall make them run away as if they were mad men and leave their furnished tents to their enemies God is able to make the Midianites turne their of words into each others sides God is able by looking our of the pillar to confound the Egyptians in that manner that there shall not be one man left to earry the newes of the oyer throw And give me lewe to tell you we of the protestant faith have occasion to glorifie God God of late hath abated the pride and pulled down the insolencie and presumption met with the mighty in their devises and left those to losse that were proud of their owne number and provision Blessed be the Lord for his goodnesse It is the Lords doing and it ought to be mervaitous in our eyes and that heart that is not affected with it I dare say it hath not the power of Religion in it And that is the second Reason A third reason may bee this Moses gives leave to Pharaoh to pitch his time Why It may be Pharaoh would have held it some disparagement and dishonour if he should not have constituted his own time therefore Moses doth not stand with him in this but gratifies him he could as easily do it in his time as if he himself had appointed it Though he were a man of great command he will not vie with Pharaoh now but if he thinke it an honour to appoint the time he shall Indeed the children of God so God may bee glorified they do not greatly stand upon preheminence He will not vie with Pharaoh now for matter of appointing a day Gods Children so God may be glorified stand not upon termes of dignitie or preheminence The Lord saith to Cain in the case of Abel if it be preheminence that thou lookest for his desire shall bee subject to thee he shall not stand with thee for it Aaron though he were the elder he doth not stand upon it but is willing that Moses should have the preheminence And David though he were anoynted King in reversion after Saul yet he used Saul with all respect he would not invade any of his honours he would not envie him the glory that God had put upon him he would stay the time and tarry the opportunitie that God was pleased to accommodate for his advancement and when he was moved with the taking of the daughter of Saul in marriage he was not greatly moved with that So our blessed Lord himself did not stand upon titles of the world when he might have beene made a King he would not he fled away Why The Fathers give divers reasons Chrysostome saith that same humour of the people for the making him a King it grew from their gluttony they thought he was a fit man to be their King that could fit their Epicurious palate he goes away rather Saith the same Father he would give us an example to despise the dignities of the world and the honours of the same So Gregory to the same purpose he fled to give us an example of contemning the honours of the world Cyrill saith he did go away because he would shew that his Kingdome was not of this world But Austin in his 25. tract upon John hits upon this reason he would not be made a King that hee might give no way to any sedition or rebellion against the Romans as if he should have said I live under authority I content my selfe to be as I am I desire not to invade the priviledges of Princes in the name of God let them enjoy them you shall not oppose me to their power to contradict their greatnesse I will not do it So hee alwayes carried himself as one that cared not for the dignities of the world and was willing to leave them to those they belonged to So he counselled his Disciples Matth. 23. The Rulers of the Gentiles rule over you leave those authorities to them it is not fit for you to exercise them And Paul was not much moved with the great breadth and traine that the false Apostles carried though they exalted themselves by great titles He grieved for the dispersing of their leaven but for himself he was content to be accounted as nothing so God might be glorified For the use of it It should teach us all as Moses here to be indifferent in matters of honour and preheminence so we may alway preserve Gods glory that that be not impeached leave them to those that desire them and hunt after them as Haman that could indure none at the banquet but himself As Pompey and Cesar the one would not indure an equall the other not a superiouâ— As the Pharisees that did all to bee seene of men â—â—ery creatures of vaine glory And Diotrephes a man that loved preheminence 3 Joh. 9. Let us in the feare of God approve our selves to God to have our consciences upright to him And if once we know Gods favour towards us we will slight all the dignities of the world and leave them to those Camelions that live by that ayre And to come to the point intended they are
not commended that men commend but that God commendeth One word of approbation from him is worth a thousand Encomiums and large panegyricks of men Surely God will honour those that honour him And such honour have all his Saints When shall I pray for thee Some out of this clause of Moses observe these three things First Moses fitnesse to pray if he will have it done presently hee is content to doe it instantly if hee will Secondly Moses confidence in prayer any time when he will he makes no doubt but God will heare him Thirdly Moses charity when shall I pray for thee and thy people and thy servants Though hee were an enemy to him and used him discourteously yet hee would pray for him First when shall I pray as if he were ready to pray alway Godly people are alway in a good disposition for prayer They keep in themselves a readinesse for the performance of that dutie We have a rule in divinitie that affirmative precepts bind semper but not ad semper that is a man is not tied to the continuall performance of them to doe nothing else A man is not tied all day to pray and continually to give almes or to heare the word of God But he is bound semper that is to have alway a readinesse of disposition to holy duties so here it was in Moses It is fitly said by our blessed Saviour pray alway and by the Apostle pray continually 1 Thes 5.17 There were those that grossely understood this for they thought the strength of that counsell and admonition was that a man should wave preaching and receiving of the Sacrament and all parts of Gods worship meerely for that dutie of prayer Nay they thought a man should intermit the works of his ordinary calling and vocation meerely to be given to prayer Therefore those Euchites those men that pervert this place of whom Austin and others speake they imployed all the time they could gaine from their sleepe and meate to pray It would but squander away the time and ravell it out unprofitably to bestow a large confutation of these people For certainly God never intended that one of his ordinances should justle out another There must be a time for hearing and for praying and for working in a mans calling That Apostle that saith pray continually saith be instant in season and out of season to preach and heare the word and wisheth them to give to the poore and to worke in their callings God never intended his ordinances should enterfere or exclude each other but they must be sorted out in due time and in fit opportunitie But others have not well agreed about these words for praying continually Some understand that this consists in a mans good life he that lives a holy life prayes continually Truely as the Greek father saith good works have a loud voyce in the eares of God and that man prayes still that is doing good still Chrysostome sticks not to say that good works have the place of prayer with God and impetrate But I think not that that is the meaning of the Apostle If therefore we understand it pray continually that is at set times and observe them with a non obstante So Austin understands it Others understand it Pray continually that is upon all fit occasions lift up your soules to God though but in short ejaculations Others understand it pray continually that is without fainting though you have not the returne of your petitions presently yet pray without wearinesse Lastly Austin lights upon another for our purpose Pray continually that is ever be disposed and fit to pray That wee may say as David O God my heart is ready Surely that David that could pray seven times a day and that Daniel that could pray three times a day in a solemne manner retiring themselves from all occasions to performe that dutie to God wee may well thinke that these people kept themselves in a fit disposition in a readinesse to performe that dutie they were ready upon all occasions that God offered to turne themselves to God I desire for the use of it that according to the example of Moses and of these people wee would be alway ready There is a great defect and it is the worse because it is so necessary a practise for us There be some that are so buried in the cares of the world and so taken up with worldly occasions like Martha they are busie about many things that they have no time with Mary to intend the best things They are so unsetled by worldly occasions that it is a long time before they can put themselves into a course to pray their hearts are untuned they can hardly put them into a way of prayer and supplication And when they come to it as that old father said their bodies are at Church and their minds are at home Others are so taken up with pleasures and recreations that they have no mind to pray There are other Epicurious filthy people that outslip the morning prayer and before the evening sacrifice comes they drown their devotion in drinke that they have more need of sleep then mind to pray There are others that put themselves from a preparation and readinesse to prayer by malice they are so soure of that leaven that they know not how to pray It is not fit they should come to God for peace without peace They make God bind their sinnes because they will not forgive their brethren We should so live as they that looke daily to die and if so then we should be alway fit to pray It is the best preparation for death O there is none like that A spirit full of supplication a soule that is still sending holy ejaculations to God Almighty and that keeps it selfe in a fitnesse for holy duties that soule is fit to be a sacrifice to God that soule can say So come Lord Jesus Therefore I beseech you in the name of God take heed of worldlinesse of Epicurianisme of wantonnesse of gluttony and surfeiting of malice and all grosse sinnes For these grosse sinnes that men accustome themselves to fall into hurt the foot of prayer and lame it that it cannot goe to God keepe your selves from these be ever carefull in holy wayes to walke in the presence of God and then you shall have encouragment to goe to the throne of grace and that with boldnesse and confidence which is the next thing in Moses prayer he comes to God with confidence but so much for this time THE NINTH SERMON Vpon EXOD. CHAP. 8. VERS 10. Be it according to thy Word that thou mayest know that there is none like the Lord our God PHaraoh having pitched on the morrow saith Moses according to thy word be it In the first place he yeelds then hee gives the reason why he so yeelds He yeelds Bee it according to thy Word that is I will observe thine owne time Then he gives the reason why he doth so that thou
mayst know that there is none like the Lord. It shall appeare in the removall of this judgement thou shalt see all the Frogs confined to their proper element of water For the first the yeelding Be it according to thy word Some man may think it would have been more fit for Moses to expostulate then to yeeld to Pharaoh he might thus have said Dost thou request a courtesie at my hands and limit me my time surely if I doe the favour I will observe my own season Beggers must be no choosers if a man give freely all circumstances are left in his discretion to his owne libertie But to answer these people surely Moses had much disparaged himself if having once yeelded to Pharaoh the power of prescribing the time he should have eaten his word First it had been unworthy of Moses to have gone back Pharaoh might have replyed and said what inconstancy is this to give with one hand and to take away with the other thou either distrustest the cause or art diffident of the power of thy God that thou wouldest feare me with Secondly it would have appeared a great neglect in Moses of Pharaoh he had given libertie to Pharaoh to prescribe the time Princes are not to bee dallied with if he should have fallen off now and not have observed the time when Pharaoh had set it certainly he had provoked Pharaoh he had done wrong to the cause the usage of Pharaoh had been course and unworthy of so great a Majestie But to come to the observation it is this It hath ever been the manner of Gods people in all times fairely to intreat and easily to deale with and respectively to use and not to irritate others that have been of place and qualitie though they have been strangers to them both in judgment and affections In Gen. 4.7 saith God to Cain in the behalf of Abel his desire shall be to thee and thou shalt rule over him As if he should say if thou think that my acceptation of his sacrifice will puffe him up feare not that it shall not swell him so as that he shall forget that respect that is due to thee as the elder brother and the first borne God will provide that his desire shall be subject to his brother in all things that are lawfull and he shall rule over him as the Elder In Gen. 33.3 when Esau met Jacob he bowed seven times to the ground and in the course of his speech calls himself his servant which was not a vaine light complement but seriously spoken yet farre was it from betraying of his birthright as some have thought by giving that away but he did it shewing respect to him as hee was a great Prince for so was Esau at this time For the promise he knew should be performed to his posteritie the Idumeans served Israel from David to Joash 120. yeares but the Israelites served not the Idumeans he respected him though as a great Prince The like we see in the carriage of Moses towards Edom in Num. 20. when the Israelites passed through their country Moses sent a faire ambassage and desired a peaceable and free way and urgeth him by many arguments and moves it the second time when he found him so stiffe that he would not encline to the motion they turned another way so respective was he to that great man though he were averse in his affections So in David towards Saul when he hath him at a great advantage as may be there is not one unrespective word comes from him if hee have occasion to speake to him himselfe or to speak of him to others his words and carriage were ever loyall and faithfull and full of reverence How ever some people disfigured him to him certainly there was no passage of his life that had the least touch of disloyaltie to him He knew he was the Lords anointed and it was not a private injury that could wash off his dutie that he ought him as his Prince The like we see in our blessed Lord how respective he was in all his carriage towards those in authoritie how fairely he speaks in regard of Caesar as unwilling to infringe any right or priviledg of that Prince nay paying tribute that he need not because he would not give offence And how soon did Paul retract that word that he sent out hastily and sharply against Ananias God shall smite thee thou whited wall Act. 23. he ingenuously professed that he did not know him to bee the ruler of the people And Cyprian taking occasion to speak of that place saith he they were Sacerdotes c. men unworthy of the place that they held yet Paul was of that mind that the very shadow of that honour he would not neglect he would doe that that was due to the place they maintained As our blessed Saviour himself for all the priesthood was so depraved in his time he diminished none of the right and due of it but when he had healed the man he bid him goe away and shew himselfe to the Priest The use of it meets with such in these times that spie imperfections in the practises of men to dispense with themselves in the duties due to their places Moses could have so reasoned here Pharaoh was a wicked man and a persecutor of Gods people and Moses had a great commission himself but he loved not to irritate and provoke him and use him unbefitting a Magistrate no more should other men Let me tell you Religion and pietie eate not out good manners and Civilitie It is not the greatest zeale of a man against sinne that will beare him out in rude unmannerlinesse Even men that are wicked are to be used according to their place they maintaine if they be never so prophane if they have dignitie it must bee reverenced and their persons respected Moses kindly condescends to Pharaoh But some may say Did not Elisha the prophet forbid his man to salute any Therefore there is a time when men may let downe these actions of common courtesie Let not that be pretended The meaning is hee should make such expedition that he should not delay as men in complements for that would hinder the worke And although Saint John say that there are some men that we should not bid God speed It intimates onely an intimate familiaritie that is forbidden Or else secondly such salutations as carry approbation of the evill wayes that a man is found in But for common offices of humanitie and kindnesse they are not forbidden Christ would have his Apostles when they came to any place to salute the house If a man bee never so flagiciously wicked nay if he bee excommunicated which is the highest curse that can light on him for all that civill courtesies must not be denied Ambrose used Theodosius with all respect though he were excommunicated And he that is excommunicated is not more then a heathen but as a heathen and if so the heathen must be
used fairely and kindly and not irritated and provoked contrary to the dignitie they maintaine Therefore whatsoever men except against the persons of men give the place the honour that is due So did Moses with Pharaoh he would not goe back from that hee had said lest he should impaire the honour of so great a Magistrate So much for that Be it according to thy Word A second thing I observe that is the cheerfulnesse of Moses undertaking this businesse for marke in common speech when we yeeld to a mans motion what say we Be it so I am content your word shall stand I will do as you have said this argueth a cheerfull and willing performance And Moses being about a worke of mercy to remove a judgement this cheerfulnesse sets out the worke Paul saith if a man shew mercy he should doe it cheerfully with hilaritie with a kind of pleasantnesse The same Apostle he forbids the contrary for he would not have men doe it out of sorrow or grudgingly inforcedly 2 Cor. 9.2 and he gives a very good reason for God loves a cheerfull giver If it be in that service that God requires for himself if it be an office of love to our brethren cheerfulnesse hath ever a speciall commendation 1 Tim. 6. rich men are wished to be ready to distribute That is the cheerfull affection that is spoken of And works of mercy are compared to sowing in the Scriptures Every man desires a faire seed-time so every man should give chearefully for the more cheerfull the seed-time the more expectation there is of the harvest It is said in Psal 112. The good man is mercifull the old translation reads it the pleasant the merry man is mercifull And Austin reads it the sweet man And why he gives a very good reason for it for saith he it maks a man sweet in the nostrills of God when hee is cheerfull in doing that that is good Whereas on the other side if it be necessitated and extorted from him saith Austin God will poure him out of his mouth as a man doth that that is unsavory and unsweet that troubles his tongue that is fit for nothing but ejection Now this cheerfulnesse when a man is to doe good should appeare three wayes First a man should find in his heart Deut. 15.10 saith the Lord thou shalt give him in his need and thou shalt not find thine heart grieved when thou givest Thou shalt not find thy bowels locked up so the word signifieth in the Epistle of John the locking up of a mans bowels A man must not find his heart straitned but be so cheerfull in his disposition for this purpose as if he rejoyced in the opportunities that God offers for the exercise of his charitie Secondly there must be cheerfulnesse in a mans countenance for if a man do a work of mercy with an austere look and a clouded brow he puts gravell into that bread he gives and soures the favour hee would bestow so as it is unacceptable Therefore Solomon speaks of a man with an evill eye and bids eate not his bread that when he sees a man eate his meat wisheth him choak't that when he gives a penny he casts an eye after it as if he wished it in his purse againe such a mans charitie would not be had if a man could be without it Thirdly there must be cheerfulnesse in a mans words Thus it is said that Joseph spake comfortably to his brethren And so Boaz to Ruth and David to the poore Egyptian servant And so our blessed Lord to the woman that came trembling before him and was afraid of being checked he did not onely comfort her but perfect the worke of mercy on her For the use of it it meets with many in these dayes there be those that their hearts are dead in them as Naballs like a stone there is no cheerfulnesse in their inward man they will doe but so much as the Law compells them and there is an end Or it may be when it is racked out with importunity and extreame solicitation that is done and nothing else which as Ambrose saith is to give not out of judgement but out of a desire to be free from importunity there are a number of these sponges in the world that suck a great deale but you must squeeze them before you can get any thing from them How do these ever think to have thanks of God he loves a cheerfull giver or of men when Seneca saith a man that receives a benefit from him he doth not receive it but it is wrung from him therefore he thinks not himself so obliged to requitall or to be responsary for such a favour Secondly you have those that if they enlarge themselves to any matter of bountie and charitie they brow-beate the poore those that need them they look so austerely and sullenly and superciliously as if they would eate them as if as the Baziliske they would kill them with their looks Thirdly you have those that if they do any thing they do it with such language and so rate the poore man as if he were a dog rather then a man and bore Gods Image as well as he The sonne of Syrack gives better counsell Blemish not thy good deeds with evill words for sometimes a good word is better then the gift and so it is Therefore in the second place it is a use of instruction to us all to find our hearts cheerfull upon the occasions that God ministreth for the exercise of our charitie We are about to commemorate the greatest favour that God ever did in sending his Sonne to take our nature and to die If our hearts be open it is well O let us blesse God for the opportunities he ministreth to us for the abilitie he hath given to us to refresh the bowels of those that are necessitated And let us thank God that wee are not in a condition of want but that God hath given us some abilitie to give Secondly let us be cheerfull in our countenance And thirdly in our words let us speake Gnaleb to the hearts of those that are in necessitie as the Hebrew is give them the comfort that is fit for them for with such sacrifice God is pleased So much for the yeelding of Moses Now he comes to the reason That thou mayst know that there is none like the Lord our God And now beloved while Moses assigneth this reason let all men be satisfied that thought Moses indiscreet in yeelding to the motion Now you see his ayme he intends the glory of God he intends to teach Pharaoh such a lesson as he never learned before If he had done it in his owne time he had not promoted the glory of God so much therefore now it makes him justifiable and makes him an example to us which shall be the observation In all our actions to ayme at the glory of God It is the Queene of all causes the end of all things the glory of
about it so the people cry out The Lord he is God not Baal but Jehovah for he exceeds all But this is not a thing that we need stand on we must come nearer For surely Moses intended that Pharaoh must know God to be the onely Lord. How could this be Moses no doubt understood that by this judgement on him and by the removing of it his eyes would be so in lightned that he should see there is none like God God is known in afflicting of judgments And that especially first when it is a strange judgement when it is a fearefull judgment As that judgment of Sodome when there came fire from heaven Saith Salvianus when God sent hell out of heaven fire and brimstone So when the earth swallowed Corah and his company it was a strange and fearefull judgement Secondly sometime a judgment is remarkable when it is unseasonable in regard of the time as the eclipse and darknesse at Christs suffering for it was not a naturall Eclipse God shewed his power he made the Sun withdraw his light and left the earth wrapped in obscuritie Thirdly Gods power is more remarkable when it is sudden such as that that Samuel brought upon the people that in the middest of harvest at his word there came thunder and lightning and abundance of raine that spoyled their indeavours For as Tostatus saith upon the place he looked not Astronomically he stayed not till there was a meete time of bringing things about but presently and that made it more fearfull to the people And as in the inflicting of judgments Gods hand may easily be seen and is remarkable so in the removing of it and that I thinke Moses intends For when a judgment hath been long upon a people and they have smarted soundly and have used all meanes they can devise and yet it is not removed in the end turning themselves to God and he removing it this makes them know the Lord to be God This was Pharaohs case to which Moses had respect when he said this That thou mayst know that there is none like the Lord. For you know the hand of God was heavy upon him by the Frogs they were such annoyance to him and his servants that they could have no meat dressed or be quiet in their beds it was a terrible incumbrance no question he consulted with the Magicians to remove them They could not do it God gave them leave to bring them but they had neither leave nor power to take them away God useth the devill sometimes in the execution of justice but never to doe a worke of mercy The bringing of the Frogs was a judgment the taking of them away was a mercy It was not for the devill to do that It is like enough that Pharaoh supplicated God all will not doe till Pharaoh desire Moses So that now when all is gone by the prayer of Moses he must needs know the Lord to be the God that there is none like him When Eliah told Ahab that there should be no raine in Israel but according to his word and that the drought should continue three years and six moneths you may thinke this that Ahab sought meanes for the preservation of the Cattell and consulted with his great God that he worshipped to remove this judgement it would not doe it must be the God of Elias that must doe it and that Elias that was the bridle of heaven as Basill calls him he must unlock heaven and poure out raine abundantly So the obduracie of the Philistims was so great that having took the Arke of God among them they indured seven moneths vexation of hemeroids and many people died yet they held out till at last they saw no time could cure it They consulted with their Priest and hee said go and make such an offering and saith he give glory to the God of Israel as if he had said it is not your Dagon nor all the means you can use that can free you from this judgement but acknowledg that it is Gods judgment that there is none like him Ionas râ—ns away from his commission and a whirlwind followes him and seizeth upon the whole ship they were all in danger through him They were not wanting to use all meanes to secure themselves every man called upon his God they unladed the ship and cast away whatsoever might be an incumbrance and hurt to them they left nothing unattempted they rowed with all sedulitie to bring it to land All would not doe it must be the God of Jonas that must doe it all their Gods could not do it There is none like the God of Israel So it was with Paul Act. 27. hee was in a great storme for three dayes they never saw Sun nor Star at the last Paul having revealed from God that they should all be safe he bids them take a good heart to themselves for none of them should perish but it was the God that Paul served that must do it and must help them in this extremitie and so he did Eusebius in the fifth book of his history Chap. 5. tells that under Marcus Aurelius the Emperour there was a Legion of Christian Souldiers The army was in great distresse for the enemy came close to them and they were exceedingly pinched for water The company of Christians betooke themselves to prayer thereupon the Lord sent such a thunder and lightning as discomfited the enemy and such abundance of raine that satisfied their thirst so that Army was after called the thundering Legion All that the Pagan Gods cannot doe the God of the Christians must do it there is none like him Therefore for the use of it Let this teach us when it pleaseth the Lord to send us deliverance to acknowledge his power to see Gods hand in it Though there may bee some subordinate meanes used give God the praise let him have all the glory I will but turne any of you back to some extremitie you have beene in by sicknesse of body some desperate case you have been drawn to was it thy wealth that would abate thy paine was it thy friends that could keep off thy fit was it thy former pleasures could give thee comfort Nay did it not increase thy vexation thy guiltinesse in the misusing of them and in the distempered abuse of them did it not increase thy dollour could the Physitians helpe thee did not they give thee for lost thy case was to be deplored till it pleased this God to whom none is like to rescue thee from the jawes of death Hast thou been left to tempests of mind to terrours of soule then tell mee and speake true from thy heart did all those carnall receipts of gaming drinking and businesse and whatsoever did all help were they not miserable comforters Physitians of no value till God spake to thy conscience peace and said to thy soule I am thy salvation thou hadst no comfort nor joy It is impossible it should be otherwise There is no
for him to leap out of his calling he may well mourne for it and as occasion serves and his calling will afford he may advise and pray to God to incline the hearts of those that have power to redresse these things let him not thinke he shall suffer for other mens defects for every man stands or falls to his owne master So much for that The next thing I note Say unto Aaron take thy rod c. Some may say What needs this when God with a word could have done this what need he stretch out his rod It is true there is none that doubts of the power of God what God could have done But the point is this Where God hath appointed meanes he will have them used and not have miracles expected He stretched out the rod. It was that that God had sanctified for this purpose God will have the meanes used All the world knowes God could have preserved Noah without an Arke He meant to drowne the world beside and he had fixed this way Noah must work in this meanes Every man will conceive that easily God could have preserved Lot in the middest of Sodome though all the City were burned about him but since he had appointed Zear for a refuge there he must flye and take the course that he had appointed There is no doubt but God could have recovered Hezechiah to health by a word but since God said a bunch of figs should be used that must be applied or else he could not amend Doe you thinke that God was impotent and unable to cure Naaman of his leprosie with a word he could have done it but having appointed Iordan the place to wash him and to wash seven times except he had gone and performed it whatsoever hee did thinke of Pharphar and the rivers of Damascus unlesse he had washed there he had not beene cleane God could have hid the Virgin Mary in Iudea maugre the malice of Herod but having appointed Egypt to be the place thither they must flye Musculus upon Iohn saith that Christ caused the stone to be taken away he that could raise his body why would he not raise the stone God will not worke miracles for ordinary things where the labour of man will serve For the Use of this I desire you to remember it for your spirituall and corporall condition For the bodily condition it is well knowne that God hath appointed labour to be the means of sustentation of these tabernacles of ours yet this meanes is not used There are a great number of men that looke to be fed as Eliah was by the ravens by miracle they thinke to lye and have the meat fall into their mouths no paines will they take These kinde of people that will be idle and like the doore on the hinges that will not use the meanes they will not put their soules a foot out as it is in the fable they sinne against the generall order of things The heavens stand not still but by miracle And they sinne against pure nature when man was in his innecency God provided him labour Thou shalt dresse the garden Surely that God that appointed a Sabbath intended not man to be idle They sinne against corrupted nature since the fall Man is borne to labour as the sparkes flye upward And man must eat his bread with sweat And the Heathen had this light to call them flow bellies Lastly they sinne against the store of nature It lyes on Christians mainly they are so farre from the using the meanes of labour to effect that that God hath appointed that they must withdraw themselves from men that live inordinatly He that will not labour must not eat Therefore let no man love his ease so well that hee refuse labour that his sides should ake as that man in Seneca because he sees another man take paines this is odious And let not men be carried away with a private spirit as a great number are that except their imployment bee generous they will rather doe nothing If the imployment be never so poore if it be honest it is better then to be idle ten thousand times The idle man dishonours God he transgresseth his commandements he wrongs many besides himselfe his Country the Church his family and the poore all challenge a part in him When a man shall aske his conscience what profit hath the Church or thy family or the poore or the State by thee If he say nothing it is a pitifull thing Againe when a man doth nothing he is exposed to all temptations The Devill entred when he found none at home The Iron rusts with lying The Field unplowed overgrowes with weeds Standing puddles stinke therefore it was Ieromes counsell to Rusticut Alway to be imployed Againe it is a reproach to the world there is never a generous man if he see another that labours not but he accounts him an unprofitable burthen to the earth Lastly it drawes upon a man the misery of another world Shall such a man live If he doe he hath but his soule to keep him out of hell and St. Paul saith such people are dead while they live How shall they live when they be dead that are dead while they live What saith God Binde him hand and foot and cast him into utter darknesse to the unprofitable servant Therefore hearken to God take paines in that course that God hath appointed in his word let us rather eat our owne bread then to live at another mans finding If this seeme a digression I desire you to pardon it for it may be of purpose I turned out of my way to turne some idle ones into it In the second place for our spirituall estate God will have meanes used there The Kingdome of Heaven comes not with observation as it is said in the Gospell Many prophane men say What! cannot God save us without all this preaching What! nothing without that rod that Scepter of God his Word the rod of Aaron It is dangerous to dispute what God can doe farre be it from us But when God hath appointed meanes ordinary he shewes that he will not save without them The Evnuch might have said to Philip and Paul to Ananias and Lidia to Paul God can doe this without you but God must be served that way that he hath appointed Therefore if a man thinke to be saved by a miracle he shall fall short of salvation The rich man in hell had a strange desire to save his brethren by one that rose from the dead but saith Abraham If they will not heare Moses and the Prophets they will not heare them So much for that Saith he Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod and cause the frogs to ascend What! must Aaron bring frogs out of the river What man hath power to make one haire of his head white or blacke Who can adde one cubite to his stature Must Aaron bring these frogs So in the originall it is an imparative Make or