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
behold this blessed light that shines to us much more unworthy to enjoy these conveniences and opportunities of meeting in thy house to know the way and means to a better life But most worthy of all thy plagues to be powred down upon us both in this life and that which is to come For besides that originall corruption wherein wee were borne and conceived and which like a leprosie hath over spread all the powers faculties both of soul and body we have heaped up a numberles number of actuall transgressions There is not any of thy holy Commandements but in thought word and deed most grievously and frequently we have violated And which advanceth our iniquity and heightens our rebellion these evills have not only escaped us in the times of ignorance but even since it hath pleased thee to inlighten us with the knowledge of thy truth so that notwithstanding thy mercies thy judgements the motions of thy good Spirit the blessed light of thy Gospell afforded to us we have continued the course of our rebellion against thee yea that we may be yet more vile in thy presence even at this time when we come before thee we are clogged with so many imperfections that if thou shouldest be extreame to marke what is done amisse how mightest thou plague us in our bodies in our goods in our good names how mightest thou fill us with the fury of an unpacified conscience and write bitter things against us and a wounded spirit who can beare How mightest thou give us up to a reprobate sence to commit sinne with greedinesse and punish one evill with another and after all this cast us into that place of torment to sucke out the dregs of thy vialls O God in all this thou shouldest be justified and clear when thou are judged and we deservedly punished Our sinnes our sinnes O Lord call to heaven for vengeance the pit is ready to shut her mouth upon us if thou wert not the Lord of mercies But thou hast opened a way for poore distressed sinners to come to thee through thy Son We flye to the horns of the Altar and intreat thee for Jesus Christ sake to be mercifull to us And thou sweet Saviour of the world whose name imports mercy and whose worke brought salvation for the sons of men thou knowest that we are but flesh and remembrest that we are but dust Thou that art a High Priest touched with our infirmities that knowest the power strength of old Adam how it leads us captive to sin and wickednes stand between us the wrath of thy offended Father mediate our cause with thy Father that all our iniquities may be done away by thy sufferings that we may ever finde to our comfort that though we have done ill we have an advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous And doe thou dear Father every day more and more assure and perswade our souls that thou art reconciled to us in thy Son by sending his Spirit into our hearts to renue us to that glorious Image of thine from whence wee are fallen and which may enable us to performe every good duty that as heretofore we have given our bodies and soules to be weapons of unrighteousnesse so in every part and power of them we may glorifie thee our God and Saviour and as much time as remains in the flesh worke out our salvation with feare and trembling And be cause thou of thine infinite wisdome hast set apart the Ministery of thy Word for this purpose good Lord blesse it to us at all times and at this time Enable me that am to speake the most unworthy of all the sons of Levi Lord cover all my sins and manifold imperfections in that mercy of thine that hath no measure and be pleased so to assist me by thy more particular helpe that I may deliver thy word boldly truly feelingly and sincerely Circumcise the hearts and eares of this thy people that they may heare attentively treasure it up in their hearts carefully and bring it forth in their lives and conversations conscionably to thy glory and assurance of their owne salvation in the day of Jesus Christ to whom with thee O Father and thy blessed Spirit be ascribed as is most due all honour and glory both now and for evermore Prayer after Sermon VVEE returne unto thy Majesty O Lord our God most humble and hearty thankes for all thy mercies most plentifully bestowed upon us as election creation redemption preservation vocation for the time and means thou hast given us of repentance whereas thou mightest have took us away in the middest of our sins O God what are we or what is our fathers house that thou shouldest bee thus mercifull to us to prevent and to follow us with thy kindnesse we are lesse then the least of thy mercies yet suffer us to take the cup of salvation and to praise thy Name accept of our poor acknowledgement adde one mercy more deare God to the common heap grant that we may expresse our thankfulnesse in a godly care of all holy obedience Blesse that part of thy word that we have heard delivered at this time Good Lord make it effectuall to our souls to salvation grant that it may bring forth fruit in some twenty in some thirty in some sixty in some a hundred fold though in some more and in some lesse yet in all some to the henour of thy Name Blesse with us thy whole Church wheresoever dispersed or howsoever distressed on the face of the earth and prosper O God the cause of the same where ever it is maintained in all the world as may be for the confounding of the Kingdom of Sin and antichrist and for the encouragement of all such as professe thy Gospel in sincerity Blesse us in these Kingdomes continue to us our liberty forgive our crying sinnes turne away thy judgements open our eyes at last to see the day of our visitation Blesse thy servant our Sovereigne Charles by thy Grace King of England Scotland France and Ireland in all causes and over all persons as well Ecclesiasticall as Civill next and immediately under thy Son supreme governour Blesse the Queens most excellent Majesty Prince Charles the Princesse Palatine and her issue The Lords of his Majesties most honourable Privy Councell The whole Nobility Blesse thine owne inheritance the Tribe of Levi by what names or titles soever they be called And for a supply of Davids Towers with Worthies blesse all Schooles of Learning the two Vniversities of this Land Cambridge and Oxford Blesse all Congregations this committed to my charge Remember all that are in affliction in mercy whether outwardly in body or inwardly in minde or for the testimony of a good conscience Lord draw neare to every of them according to their desires Receive us Deare God and all ours and all thine into thy love and favour and protection therest of this day and for ever Let thy holy hand protect us let thy blessed
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
whole world Well may we incline his mercy by our repentance but certainly we can never doe our selves good by resisting Secondly never measure the worke of God by any distance It was a fault in Naaman the Assyrian when he was to be cured of his leprosie Elisha said Goe wash in Iordan saith he I thought he would have come out and have laid his hand upon the sore as if it could not be wrought without touching So it was some infirmity in the Ruler Goe downe before my sonne dye As if Christ could doe nothing without he were present So Ioh. 11. saith Martha Lord if thou hadst beene here my brother had not dyed As if God could not have prevented it at a great distance The Lord is able to shew mercy from heaven and to execute wrath as farre Why doe we speake of distance when the Lord is every where and fills all places No man is able to get out of the circumference where God is not The Lord is present in all places and doth what he will in heaven and earth where and how he will there is no flying from his presence if a man goe to heaven or to hell or to the utmost parts of the sea there shall the hand of God finde him out We come to another thing And the frogs came up and covered all the land of Egypt Mark how God inlargeth the judgement not one part of the land but all the land was covered with these vermin God sometimes smites a whole family as we see in the family of Abimelech Gen. 12. And God threatneth to smite whole families head and foot Deut. 28. God smites sometimes whole Cities as we see Samaria had a famine a fearfull one and Ierusalem was vexed by famine that as Iosephus saith The children were taught a new way into their mothers wombe againe they were faine to eat them for hunger I God smites divers Cities together as the sisters of Sodome Nay God sometimes proceeds to smite a whole Country The sinne of Saul was punished in the dayes of Ahab for three years the heavens were shut up till the bridle of heaven Eliah unloosed them So God visited the whole world I will not speake of that great plague that Evagrius saith in his time there was a plague that continued in the world fifty yeares together though it possessed not all the world at one time yet successively it went over all We have examples in Scripture God overthrew the whole world by water and will he not when he shall bring a deluge of fire at the last The reason why God makes his judgements so generall is the generality of sinne Looke in all the instances I mentioned Pharaoh and Abimelech So in the City of Samaria that was punished it was full of sinne the greatest sinnes of all Israel were in that Metropolis The sinne of Israel is Samaria The Prophet makes a sad complaint against Ierusalem being the worst So that City of Sodome you may easily see how ill they were that solicited God for vengeance that there were not ten righteous men found there if there had they had secured all It was an epidemicall complaint a generall disease So we may say of the dayes of Saul when there was such a generall famine it was for a foule sinne Nay all the whole land was tainted So in the dayes of Ahab they were full of Idolatry and wickednesse Eliah complained that there was such a generall defection that he saw none besides himselfe to serve God though God told him of seven thousand that bowed not their knees to Baal yet what were these to all Israel And in the dayes of the Prophets and in the old world the bloud and stain of sinne was so bad that God knew not else how to wash out that staine So at the last day Iniquity shall abound therefore God will bring fire to consume them For the Use of this Solomon saith He went by the field of the sluggard and received instruction Let us see how Gods judgements have spread The destroying Angell hath been in all places he hath not stricken all places at once but he goeth further and extends himselfe Surely there is a generality of sinne I would God I had nothing to accuse mine owne Nation of as Paul saith But why should I hold my peace when the sinnes of the land proclaime themselves as the sinnes of Sodome Who shall censure me or any Minister for laying downe the cause of the plague Looke on some sinnes how generall is the sinne of pride A common sinne that fills the land from Dan to Beersheba in every corner even to her that grindes at the mill Nothing will keepe people from vanity this way How common is the sinne of excesse The sinne of the Court of the City of the Country and among the base Gadarens this Devill is entred into a herd of swine It is come into the Country and every roome smells of it Nay how doth this sinne reigne in this City that the Lords day is divided betweene the Tavernes and the Church Nay will you not say that the Devill goes with the better part So for swearing for oaths the land mournes A common generall sinne that unnecessary vaine sinne The oaths of men are like Ioabs sword ever drawne out men can scarcely speake but they must sweare A man can come into no company or place but his righteous soule will be vexed with this blasphemy against God Nay I would to God we could say that perjurie were not growne to a great height men have no care of oaths though it were held sacred among the heathen What shall I say of uncharitablenesse It is a crying grosse common sinne and a great number that seem to professe Religion that are most forward and zealous this way The truth is they are brinish salt lights that spit and burne and scald they care not what dead flyes they cast into this oyntment It is far from the power of Religion and the holy fire of charity I could instance in a great number but what should I trouble you By these you may gather that God hath a just controversie with this Nation of ours and the sin being so generall these frogs creeping in every corner and croaking in every nooke when God sends his judgements in every coast we must not but say He his righteous The last thing which I will conclude with is this This judgement as it was the second so it seemes to be much greater then the former for in the former judgement there was but the turning of the nature of a thing the turning the water into bloud but here there is a creating of an innumerable company of frogs Againe there some might escape there is no other likelihood but the Noble-men and the King himselfe and many of ability might have wine and other juices and waters to satisfie their thirst but here there was not a man in the Kingdome but had frogs leaping upon him and
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
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
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