sinned Wilt thou be wrath with all the multitude 23 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying 24 Speake vnto the Congregation and say Get you away from about the tabernacle of Corah Dathan and Abiram 25 And Moyses rose vp and went vnto Dathan and Abiram and the elders of Israell folowed him 26 And he spake vnto the congregation saying Depart I pray you from the tentes of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs least ye perish in all their sinnes 27 And so they gate them from the tabernacle of Corah Dathan and Abiram on euery side And Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the doore of their tentes with their wiues their sonnes and their little children 28 And Moyses sayd Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these workes for I haue not done them of mine owne minde 29 If these men die the coÌ„mon death of all men or if they be visited after the visitation of all men then the Lorde hath not sent me 30 But and if the Lorde make a newe thing and the earth open her mouth and swallowe them vp with all that they haue and they go downe quick into the pitte then ye shall vnderstand that these men haue prouoked the Lorde 31 And assoone as he had made an ende of speaking all these wordes the ground cloue asunder that was vnder them 32 And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them vp and their houses and all the men that were with Corah and all their goodes 33 And they and all that they had went downe aliue vnto the pitte and the earth closed vpon them and they perished from among the congregation 34 And all Israell that were about them fled at the crie of them and they sayd Least the earth swallowe vs vp also 35 And there came out a fire from the Lorde and consumed the two hundred and fiftie men that offered incense 36 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying 37 Speake vnto Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the priest that he take vp the censers out of the burning and scatter the fixe here and there for they are halowed 38 The censers of these sinners against their owne soules let them make of them broade plates for a couering of the aulter For they ffered them before the Lorde and therfore they are halowed and they shall be a signe vnto the children of Israell 39 And Eleazer the priest tooke the brasen censers which they that were burnt had offered and made brode plates for a couering of the aulter 40 To be a remembrance vnto the children of Israell that no straunger which is not of the séede of Aaron come néere to offer incense before the Lorde that he be not like vnto Corah and his companie as the Lorde sayde to him by the hande of Moyses 41 But on the morow all the multitude of the children of Israell murmured agaynst Moyses and Aaron saying Ye haue killed the people of the Lorde 42 And when the multitude was gathered against Moyses and Aaron they looked towarde the tabernacle of the congration and beholde the clowde couered it and the glorie of the Lorde appeared 43 And Moyses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation 44 And the Lorde spake vnto Moses saying 45 Get you from among this congregation that I may consume them quickly And they fell vpon theisr faces 46 And Moyses sayde vnto Aaron Take a censer and put fire therein out of the aulter and poure on incense and go quickly vnto the congregation and make an attonement for them For there is wrath gone out from the Lorde and there is a plague begunne 47 And Aaron toke as Moyses commaunded him and ranne into the middes of the congregation and behold the plague was begunne among the people and he put on incense and made an attonement for the people 48 And when he stoode betwéene the dead and them that were aliue the plague was stayed 49 They that died in the plague were fourtéene thousande and seuen hundred beside them that died about the conspiracie of Corah 50 And Aaron went againe vnto Moyses before the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation and the plague was stayed The Exposition vpon the .xvj. Chapter of Numbers And Corah the sonne of Isaar c. went apart with Dathan and Abiram c. THe Scripture in this place setteth forth vnto vs an example of repining Of the wicked and of rebelling against the good Magistrate and ordinance of god Wherein we haue to marke that no Prince or Magistrate can be so good and vpright but that wicked and lewde subiectes blinded with their priuate affections will rebell and * picke quarrels against him Moyses and Aaron were chosen and appointed by GOD himselfe they had the continual assistance of Gods holy Spirit and Angels guiding them and working with them They were painefull and diligent in their office verye carefull for the good estate of the people verieâ— milde and mercifull in their gouernment and Farre from all couetousnesse briberie and corruption And yet did Corah Dathan and Abiram with many other rebel agaynst them reprooued them and discredited them in all theyr doyngs as ambitious prowde cruell and false In this example we haue to obserue First that the * rootes of rebellion commonly are Pride and selfeliking Enuie and ambition For pride causeth men to haue a great liking of themselues and to thinke themselues more Worthie men to be in honour and dignitie than anye other And therefore mooueth them partly to Enuie partly to Disdaine other and ambitiously by sturre and rebellion to seeke that which by other quiet meanes they cannot get That this was the roote of this rebellion here mentioned it appeareth by that Moyses speaketh to them You take to much vpon you you sonnes of Leui. Seemeth it but a small thing vnto you that God hath seperated you and taken you to his owne seruice but that you must seeke the office of the priest also In these wordes he toucheth theyr Pride and Ambition Secondly wee haue to marke what Instruments Rebels commonly vse agaynst good Princes and Rulers that is to saye Lying and Dissimulation By Lying they spreade false and vnâ—eue reporrtes of the Prince that he is Prowde that he is Couetous that he is Cruell that he Oppresseth the commons c. Yea and depraue all his well doynges to bring him the sooner in Hatred with the people and to cause them to mislike him which commonly with euery apparant cause are easily caryed to the desire of alteration of Princes and Rulers especially if they vse seueritie of Iustice in punishing By Dissimulation they cloke their owne Ambitious purpose of aduauncing themselues and pretende forsooth that they doe all for the Loue and safegard of the common weale and for Pitie toward the poore commons and for their ease and reliefe when as in deed they seeke nothing but the setting vp of themselues or the wreaking of malice
before his comming These things we haue seene in these latter dayes meruelously fulfilled in all the elements In the Sunne and Moone often Eclipses In the vpper parte of the aire blasing Starres Swoordes Pillars of fire fire Drakes flying in the Aire and other like impressions In the Earth Earthquakes and other straunge alterations In the Water many and exceding great floudes risings and swellings to the great griefe and annoyance of Mankinde And as there hath bene in all times some of those signes so in no age so manye as hath bene within these fewe yeares Whereby we must needes gather that we are fallen into those latter troublesome and perilous dayes thathere the Prophete speaketh of But whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lorde shall be saued for c. The whole summe of our* saluation consisteth in * calling vpon the name of the Lord and in putting our* confidence and trust in his mercy and deliueraunce wrought for vs by the Sauiour of the worlde Christ Iesu Who suffred and dyed for vs by his resurrection made perfect the misterie of our Redemption At Mount Sion and in Hierusalem according to the vnfallible Promises of Almightie God. The. 20. Sunday after Trinitie at Euening prayer Micheas 6. HEarken ye nowe what the Lorde sayth Aryse thou and contende with the mountaynes and let the hilles heare thy voyce 2 Heare O ye mountaynes the Lordes quarrell and ye mightie foundations of the earth for the Lorde hath a quarrell agaynst his people and will pleade with Israell 3 O my people what haue I done vnto thée or wherein haue I grieued thée giue me answere 4 I haue brought thée out of the lande of Egypt and deliuered thée out of the house of bondage and I made Moises Aaron and Miriam to lead thée 5 Remember O my people what Balach the king of Moab had deuised against thée and what answere that Balaam the sonne of Beor gaue him from Sethin vnto Galgal that ye may knowe the righteousnesse of the Lorde 6 Wherewith shall I come before the Lorde and bowe my selfe to the hie God Shall I come before him with burnt offerings and with calues of a yeare olde 7 Hath the Lord a pleasure in many thousandes of rammes or innumerable streames of oyle shall I giue my first borne for mine offences and the fruite of my bodie for the sinne of my soule 8 He hath shewed thée O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thée namely to do iustly to loue mercie and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God. 9 The Lordes voyce cryeth vnto the citie and the man that shall be saued considereth thy name hearken what is your rod and heare him that warneth you 10 Are not yet the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and the scant measure which is abhominable 11 Shoulde I iustifie the false balances and the bagge of deceytfull weightes 12 For the rich men thereof are full of crueltie and thâ— inhabitants thereof haue spoken lies and haue deceytfull tongues in their mouthes 13 Therefore I will take in hande to punishe thée and to make thée desolate because of thy sinnes 14 Thou shalt eate and not haue inough yea thou shalt bring thy selfe downe in the middes of thée thou shalt flée but not escape and those that thou wouldest saue will I deliuer to the sword 15 Thou shalt sowe but not reape thou shalt presse out Oliues but Oyle shalt thou not haue to annoynt thy selfe with Oyle thou shalt treade out must but thou shalt drinke no wine 16 Ye kéepe the ordinances of Amri and all the customes of the house of Ahab ye walke in their counsels therefore will I make thée waste and cause thy inhabiters to be hissed at and ye shall beare the reproche of my people The Exposition vpon the sixt Chapter of Micheas Hearken you now what the Lorde sayth Arise thou and contende with c. THe Prophet Micheas blameth the Iewes for their wickednesse and declareth to them their punishment for y same 1 First he noteth their vnthankefulnesse for the great benefites that they haue receyued at his hande 2 Then he taketh from them al the confidence that they might haue had to please God with their Sacrifices and external Hypocrisie and sheweth what they should doe to please God rightly 3 Thirdly he sharpely rebuketh their obstinacie in contemâ—ing the worde of God and refusing to heare him 4 Lastly he openeth some of their particular faultes and denounceth their punishment that God will bring vpon them And all this doth he in maner of a pleading of Gods cause before Iudges which * maner the Prophetes diuerse times doe vse thereby to set out the Iustice of God and more euidently to declare that his people euen by the Iudgement of men or other common creatures are vnexcusable and by their owne wickednesse to pull vpon themselues iust and grieuous punishments In this place the Prophete by appointment of God taketh Mountaynes and Hilles and the verie Foundations of the earth to heare the cause and complaint of Almightie God agaynst his people of Israel And that is it that the Prophete vttereth in the person of God saying Arise thou and contende with the mountaynes c. And then he Obeying the appoyntment of God sayth Heare O you mountaynes the Lordes quarell c. As if he had sayde Forsomuch as the heartes of this people are so farre from God that not so much as one of them will consider and vnbe â—stande his cause I appeale to you hilles and mountaynes and make the vnsensible Creatures Iudges agaynst them In this the Prophet both noteth the hard hearts and the obstinate contempt of the Iewes particularly and also generally teacheth all then which in like maner contemne the worde of god that they shal by no meanes be hable to escape iust iudgement and condemnation For because the * who le world was made by God for vs and in all poyntes seruing to our vse perfourmeth that ende to the which it was made though all other Iudges and witnesses would fayle the very partes of the world and the coÌ„mon creatures will pronounce sentence against vs if we in our calling doe shewe our selues vnthankefull disobedient and rebellious agaynst God. O my people what haue I done vnto thee or wherein haue I grieued thee c. There is no one thing that in the Prophetes causeth more difficultie then the often and the sodaine chaunging of the Person wherefore that is here also to be obserued The second verse was vttered in the person of the Prophet these three verses God himselfe speaketh Although God were grieuously displeased with them yet he calleth them His people therby * shewing that he would be readie to receiue them to Mercie if they would turne vnto him and repente Then he lamentably vpbraideth them with the vnthankefull receiuing of his great benefites that he had done for them Whereby hee
heauenly foode of Christ himselfe * Iohn 6. Remission of sinne * Reconciliation Acceptation * Iustification before God The assured gift of euerlasting * life and The inheritance of the kingdome of God. In this Mountaine therefore was the table as it were first spredde for this heauenly banquet and from thence were the messengers sent into all partes of the worlde to bid the ghestes as Christ signifieth by a parable Math. 22. and Luke 14 â–ª And in this Monntaine shall the Lorde destroy the couering c. The couering and hanging or the mourning garment wherin all men are wrapped is Corruption and Sinne whereby sorrow daunger shame and reproch is come vnto them by which death also hath inuaded them * For death is the rewarde of sinne But the daunger both of the one and of the other and the sorrowe weeping and heauinesse that commeth by them is cleane taken awaye by Christ Iesu as S. Paule sayth 1. Cor. 15. * VVhere is thy sting O death O hell where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne the power of sinne is the lawe but thankes be to God that hath giuen vs victorie by Christ Iesu Therefore with glad and thankfull heartes the Prophete maketh the people of God and subiectes of the kingdome of Christ to reioyce and triumph for the same saying Lo this is our God wee haue wayted for him and he shall deliuer vs c. Here the Prophete noteth the three sacrifices wherewith the Church of Christ and his people do worship him 1 The first is Fayth and Beleefe of hart noted in this word VVe haue wayted for him that is with constant fayth we haue abidden hys comming being assured that he would deliuer vs. 2 The second is Confession with the mouth For we must not onely beleeue in heart that Christ Iesu is the sauiour of the worlde as S. Paule sayth but also confesse with mouth and therefore sayth the Prophete here Lo this is our God c. 3 The thirde is Triumphant gladnesse in heart and conscience for the saluation happened by christ our Sauiour which is vttered in these wordes VVe will reioyce and be mery in the saluation c. For in this Mountaine the hande of the Lorde shall abide c. By the hande of the Lorde he vnderstandeth the power and maiestie of Christ that shal remaine alway in his Church For I am with you sayth he to the ende of the worlde that is in vertue power and maiestie of his Godhead though as touching his humanitie he be absent in heauen on the right hande of God the father By the name of Moab that shoulde be threshed and troden vnder lyke a dunghill he meaneth all the enimies and aduersaryes of Christ and his Gospell vpon whom our Sauiour Christ shal stretch out his hande like one that swimmeth that he may thresh them and beate them as it were to dust and bring to confusion all their glorie and great strength The Moabites were the sworne and perpetual enimies to the Israelites and therefore by that name doth he note all the aduersaryes of the people of God. The thirde Sunday in Aduent at Euening prayer Esay 26. IN that day shall this song be sung in the land of Iuda We haue a strong Citie saluation shall God appoynt in steade of walles and bulwarkes 2 Open ye the gates that the righteous people which kéepeth the truth may enter in 3 By an assured purpose wilt thou preserue perfect peace bicause they put their trust in thée 4 Put ye your trust alway in the Lorde for in the Lorde God there is strength for euermore 5 For he hath brought downe the high minded Citizens as for the proude citie he hate brought it lowe euen to the grounde shall he cast it downe and bring it vnto dust 6 The foote euen the foote of the poore and the steps of such as be in necessitie shall treade it downe 7 The path of equitie wilt thou graunt vnto the full O thou most righteous thou shalt order the path of him that is righteous 8 Yea in the way of thy iudgements O lord haue we put our trust in thée thy name also and the remembraunce of thée is the thing that our soule longeth for 9 My soule hath longed for thée al the night and with my spirit which is within me will I séeke thée earely in the morning for when thy iudgements are in the earth the inhabitours of the worlde shall learne righteousnesse 10 Shall the vngodly man be fauoured which hath not learned righteousnesse but â—â—th wickedly in â—he earth where nothing ought to be done but that which is righteous he shall not sée the glorie of the Lorde 11 Lorde when thy hande is lift vp to strike they sée it not but they shall sée it and be confounded with the zeale of the people and the fyre that consumeth thine enimies shall douour them 12 Lorde vnto vs thou shalt prouide peace for thou also â–ª hast wrought all our workes in vs. 13 O Lorde our God other Lordes besides thée hath subdued vs but we will be mindefull onely of thée and of thy name 14 The deade will 〈…〉 they that be out of life wyll not rise againe therefore hast thou visited and rooted them out and destroyed all the memorie of them 15 Thou hast increased the people O Lorde thou hast increased the people thou art glorious thou hast sent them far of vnto all the costes of the earth 16 Lord in trouble haue they visited thée they poured out their prayer when thy chastening was vpon them 17 Like as a woman with childe that draweth nie towardes hir trauayle is sorie and cryeth in hir paynes euen so haue we béene in thy sight O Lorde 18 We haue bene with childe and suffered paine as though we had brought forth winde for there is no saluation in the earth neyther doe the inhabiters of the worlde submit themselues 19 Thy deade men shall liue euen as my body shall they rise againe awake and sing ye that dwel in dust for thy deawe is euen as the deawe of hearbes and the earth shall cast out them that be vnder her 20 Come my people enter thou into thy chambers shut thy doores about thée hyde thy selfe for a little while vntill the indignation he ouerpast 21 For beholde the Lorde is comming out of his place to visite the wickednesse of such as dwell vpon earth the earth also shall disclose her bloudes and shall no more hide them that are slaine in her The exposition vpon the .26 Chapter of Esay In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Iuda We haue a strong citie c. AFter that the Prophete in the former Chapter hath recyted the benefites that câ—me to them that acknowledge â–ª Christ the true Messias and sauiour he nowe maketh a song or psalme in meeter wherewith
myrth and comfort Yea that he will repayre the ruine and decaye of his Church and make their desert and wildernesse a Paradise and garden of pleasure The ruine and decay of Sion are the lost sheepe of the house of Israell which Christ and his Apostles restored The Desert and VVildernesse are the Gentiles which of olde had refused the true knowledge of God and therefore were as straungers to the promise of saluation But the se deserts God made pleasant Gardens by the teaching and publishing of his Gospell This is it that he promiseth when he sayth A lawe and ordinance shall go forth from him to lighten the Gentiles The time is euen at hande that my health and righteousnesse shall go forth c. Be of good cheere my people sayth God and be not ouerwhelmed with the heauinesse of your affliction It is euen at hande that not onely my sauing health shall go forth to preserue you but the might and strength of mine arme also by the preaching of the Gospell to gouerne and guide all other Nations Inso much that the * inhabitantes of the Islandes and other countryes shall beleeue in me and put their trust in my name And do you not mistrust this health and saluation that shall come to you by the Messias For * heauen and earth with all the inhabitours thereof shal vanish away as smoke but the iustice and saluation wrought by the sonne of God shall be most certaine and continue for euer Therefore my people that vuderstand righteousnesse feare not the * reuilings raylinges and reproches of men that shall fall vpon you for the profession of my name and truth For your enemyes shall be consumed as a garment with mothes and my sauing health that you trust in shall stande stedfast for euer and euer Wake vp wake vp and be strong O thou arme of the Lorde c. In these three verses next following God comforteth his people with the example of their deliuerance out of Egypt But his maner of vtterance is with great maiestie figuratiuely turning hys speech to his owne diuine power the sense whereof is this Thou mightie power of God that manye tymes since the beginning of the worlde hast shewed thy selfe rayse thy selfe now in this great anguishe and care that his people are nowe in Is not that mightie arme hable to deliuer his seruāts now in this miserie which before time did * wound the pride of Aegypt and wyth thy woonderous workes hew in peeces that dreadful Dragon Pharao and dryed vp the sea and made it to stande as * walles on eche side of thy people passing through and resolued the same againe to the confusion of thy enimies Therefore let not the Redéemed of the Lord feare but that they shal with ioy returne againe to Sion and there remaine with muche myrth and gladnesse It is I it is I that in all things giueth you consolation what art thou then c. God sharply rebuketh his people for Timorousnesse and continuall mistruste in all their aduersities It is I sayth he it is not Abraham nor Moyses nor Aaron nor any of my Saynts your Predecessours but euen I my selfe the mightye God your Lorde that doth alwaye * comfort and helpe you Seeing then the Idols that your enimies trust in are so Vaine as I haue tolde you and they themselues so Fraile and mortall and on the contrary part I your Lord your assured God so mightie and of so great force as I haue alway declared my selfe aswell in the creation of the worlde as in the preseruation of you and delyuerance out of Aegypt from your prowde oppressour whome I then brought full lowe and made him glad to hasten you away out of the Exile that you then were in and gaue you the * treasures of hys people that you might not want breade and sustenance by the way seeing I say all this is so why doe you still mistruste and feare the power of vain men seeme they in the worlde neuer so terrible Remember therefore my promises whereby I haue assured you that I will deliuer you and acknowledge you for my people Awake awake and stande vp O Hierusalem thou that from the hande c. The Lorde here comforteth his people in telling them that he wil take the scourge of his wrath from them and lay it vpon their enimies By the Cuppe and by drinking it is vsuall both in the olde testament and newe to vnderstande Affliction as in Hier. 25. Take this cup of wine of my furie at my hand c. And Christ himself in his agonie Mat. 26. Let this cuppe passe from me c. that is this scourge of my Crosse and passion The plaine sense of thys place is O my Church be of good comfort for albeit thou hast for a time through my wrath for thy sinnes beene grieuously afflicted and no man either would or coulde comfort and helpe thee yet after I shall come through thy repentance of my mercie pardoning thy sinnes this my bitter Cup of affliction shall be taken from thee and * poured vpon the heades of those that haue oppressed thee to their vtter confusion By the Slumbring or poisoned cuppe he meaneth the grieuous aduersities that hath so touched and weakened them as they are not almost hable to stande but stagger and reele as they go as it were men halfe deade Thy sonnes lye comfortlesse at the heade of euery streate like a taken venison c. In these verses he describeth the great miserie that the Iewes were in at theyr captiuitie in Babilon not onely cruelly murdered in all Cities but pyning for hunger and dying in the streetes as it appeareth by the hystorie of Tobie The. 2. Sunday after the Epiphanie at Euening prayer Esay 53. BUt who hath gyuen credence vnto our preaching or to whome is the arme of the Lorde knowne 2 For he did growe before the Lorde like as a branche and as a roote in a drye grounde he hath neyther beautie nor fauour when we looke vpon him there shall be no fayrenesse we shall haue no lust vnto hym 3 He is despised and abhorred of men he is such a man as hath good experience of sorrowes and infirmities We haue reckened him so vile that we hid our faces from him 4 Howbeit he onely hath taken on him our infirmitie and borne our paines yet we did iudge him as though he were plagued and cast downe of God. 5 Whereas he notvvithstanding was wounded for our offences and smitten for our wickednesse for the paine of our punishment was layde vpon him and with his stripes are we healed 6 As for vs we are all gone astraye lyke shéepe euery one hath turned his owne way but the Lorde hath throwne vpon him all our sinnes 7 He suffered violence and was euill intreated and did not open his mouth he shal be led as a shéepe to be slaine
was in the earth and euery herbe of the fielde before it grewe For the Lorde God had not yet caused it to raine vpon the earth neyther vvas there a man to till the grounde 6 But there went vp a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground 7 The Lorde God also dyd shape man of the dust of the ground and breathed into hys nosethrilles the breath of life and man was a liuing soule 8 And the Lorde God planted a Garden eastwarde in Eden and there he put the man whome he had shapen 9 Moreouer out of the ground made the Lorde God to growe euery trée that was fayre to sight and pleasant to eat The trée of life in the middest of the Garden and the trée of knowledge of good and euill 10 And out of Eden there went forth a ryuer to water the Garden and from thence it was deuided and became into foure heades 11 The name of the first is Pison the same is it that compasseâ—h the whole lande of Hauilab where there is golde 12 And the golde of the lande is very good There is also Bdellium and the Onix stone 13 The name of the second riuer is Gihon the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia 14 The name of the thirde Ryuer is Hidekel and it goeth towarde the east side of Assyrta and the fourth ryuer is Euphrates 15 And the Lorde God tooke the man and put him into the gardeÌ„ of Eden that be might worke it and kéepe it 16 And the Lorde God commaunded the man saying Eating thou shalt eate of euery trée of the garden 17 But as touching the trée of knowledge of good And euill thou shalt not eate of it For in what daye so euer thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death 18 And the Lorde God sayde It is not good that the man should be alone I will make him an helpe lyke vnto hym 19 And so out of the grounde the Lorde God had shapen euery beast of the fielde and euery foule of the ayre and brought them vnto man that he might sée howe he woulde call them For likewise as man named euery lyuing thing so was the name thereof 20 And the man gaue names to all cattell and foule of the ayre and to euery beast of the fielde but for man founde he not an helpe like vnto him 21 The Lorde God caused a déepe sléepe to fall vpon Adam and he slept and he tooke one of his ribbes and closed vp the place with fleshe in steade thereof 22 And the ribbe which the Lorde God hath taken from man made he a woman and brought her vnto the man. 23 And man sayde This is nowe bone of my bones and fleshe of my flesh she shall be called woman bicause she was taken out of man. 24 For this cause shall man leaue his father and his mother and shall be ioyned with his wyfe and they shall become one fleshe 25 And they were both naked the man and his wyfe and were not ashamed The Exposition vpon the .ij. Chapter of Genesis Thus the heauens and earth was finished and all the hoast of them c. SEing that when Man was made the whole worlde had his perfection and ending it maye appeare that all thinges by Gods goodnesse were made for man and to his vse which consideration oâ—â—ght to moue men to bee thankefull vnto God for so great and vnestimable Benefites and to * doe all things to his Honour and glorie according to the ende of their Creation For as the world was made for Man So Man was created to set forth the praise and glorie of god By this worde Hoste he meaneth the Furniture of heauen and Earth and the Multitude of all Gods creatures belonging to them both And therfore when God is often in Scripture called* The Lorde of Hostes it is ment he is the Lord and maker of all Creatures and hath them all at hys commaundement eyther to defende his people or to worke punishment vpon his Enimies And the seauenth daye he rested from all the workes that he made c. Verie well saith Augustine God rested the seauenth day from the worke of Creation but he neuer Ceaseth from the rule of his gouernance For the same God that in the beginning made Heauen and Earth and all Creatures contayned in them doth now also continually Preserue Maintaine and gouerne the same Therefore we are no 〈◊〉 nowe daylie bounde to thanke God for the Preseruation of his Creatures to our vse then we were at the beginning for Making of them We maye not thinke that Creatures once made doe preserue and prosper themselues by a course of Nature oâ—ely but that it is the finger of God and his gratious Prouidence that woâ—â—eth coÌ„tinually in them By him saith Saint Paule wee haue our Being we Liue and we Mooue And to the Hebr. Sustayning all things by the worde of his power And God blessed the seauenth day and sanctified it because c. There are 4. causes why God sanctified the seuenth day 1 The first because he ceased from the making of any mo new Creatures 2 The second for the Worthynesse of mankinde whose creation and making was the Ende of the whole worlde 3 The thirde that it might be an institution and ordinance of a worship due vnto God on the behalf of Man wherby he should set forth his prayse and Glory and acknowledge his vnestimable goodnesse towarde him 4 The fourth that it might be a Figure of Immortality and of our eternal Rest with God in heauen after the ende of the worlde For the Lord God had not yet caused it to raine vpon the earth c. At the beginning thinges that grewe on the Earth were brought forth by God without raine and without labour of mans hande but afterward God giueth in commaundement that Man should Manure the Earth and God did sende Raine to season and moyst it Wherefore Men must Laboure and traueile Plant and Sowe and not looke to eate the fruites of the Earth * in Idlenesse And yet must he not so trust in his worke and labour as though it coulde be of any force or worke benefite vnto him without the goodnesse of God in Seasoning the Earth and prospering his labors and traualles The prouidence of God will haue both to go togither Mans painefull labour and Gods gracious working The Lord also did shape man of the dust of the Grounde c. Here Moyses returneth againe to the worke of the sixt day and expoundeth nowe that he left vnspoken before that is that God made the body of Man of the dust of the Earth He had before sayde that God did make Man according to his owne Image which was the greatest Dignitie that could be giuen vnto Man But nowe least by that pretence he should be puffed vp with Pride he setteth before his eyes his Base
is a difference betweene Lying and Dissimuling A godly and wise Man in time and place may Dissemble and not vtter his Purpose But none sauing wicked and vaine persons doe Lie. As touching the Lande of Chanaan promised * to them by God what did it appertaine to Pharao to knowe In that Moyses is taught to say they should goe three dayes iourney into the wildernesse to Sacrifice to God it was no Vntruth For in Exod. 24. it is declared they did so And I am sure the king of Egipt will not let them go no not in a mightie c. God telleth Moyses of this before least when it shoulde so fall out hereafter it myght shake Moyses his fayth and make him to Doubt of his calling So God vseth often to Forewarne his Elect of such Stormes as are to come least in the time of their troubles they should Faint and Mistrust his gracious Promises of comfort and blessing So our Sauiour Christ tolde his Apostles when he sent them to preach They shall delyuer you vp sayth he vnto their counsailes and shal whip you And againe Ioh. 15. If they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also And Ioh. 16. The tyme shall come when they that kill you shall thinke them selues to doe acceptable service to God. These things haue I tolde you sayth Christ that when they come to passe you maye not be offended therwith but remember that I haue forewarned you And I will stretch out my hand and smite Egipt with all my wonders c â–ª He doth againe Comforte Moyses with the promise of his Mightie assistance and the great Successe that he wyll worke for hym and hys people But this may seeme straunge that God sayth he will helpe the Israelites to Spoyle and Robbe the Egiptians We must learne that the Eternall God and Lorde of Heauen and Earth that made the Lawe is not bounde and tyed by his owne law Therfore that the Israelites do by the appointment of God is no Breach of his law but a work of Obedience to his holy will. * GOD is Lorde of all things neyther hath any Man any thing but that he hath at Gods hande and that not in perpetuall Possession but so of Loan for the time that he may without vniustice take it away from any It was Iustice also before God that they which had beene Enriched by the Oppression and iniurie of the people of God should also by the appointment of God haue their Iniurious gotten Goodes taken from them by the same People But I must often repeate this that such Extraordinarie Acts done by the especiall Commaundement of God are not to be drawne into the Example of common life The fift Sunday in Lent at Euening prayer Exod. 5. MOyses and Aaron went in afterwarde and folde Pharao Thus sayth the Lord God of Israel Let my people go that they may holde a feast vnto me in the wildernesse 2 And Pharao saide Who is the Lorde that I should heare his voyce and let Israell go I knowe not the Lorde neyther will I let Israell go 3 And they sayde The God of the Hebrues hath called vs let vs go we pray thée thrée daies iourney into the desert and doe sacrifice vnto the Lorde our God least he smite vs with pestilence or with the sworde 4 Then sayde the King of Egypt vnto them Wherfore doe ye Moyses and Aaron let the people from their workes get you vnto your burdens 5 And Pharao saide furthermore Beholde there is much people nowe in the lande and you make them leaue their burdens 6 And Pharao commaunded the same day the taskmaysters which were amongst the people and the officers saying 7 Ye shall geue the people no more strawe to make bricke withall as ye did in time past let them go and gather them strawe themselues 8 And the number of brick which they were wont to make in tyme past lay vnto their charges also and minishe nothing thereof for they be Idle and therefore crye saying We will go and doe sacrifice vnto our God. 9 They must haue more worke laide vpon them that they may labour therein and not regarde vaine wordes 10 Then went the taskemasters of the people and the officers out and tolde the people saying Thus sayth Pharao I will giue you no more straw 11 Go your selues and gather you strawe where yée can finde it yet shall none of your labour be minished 12 And so were the people scattred abrode throughout all the lande of Egypt for to gather stubble in steade of straw 13 And the taskemaisters hasted them forwarde saying Fulfill your worke your daylie taskes in their due tyme as if you had strawe 14 And the officers of the children of Israel which Pharaos taskemaisters had set ouer them were beaten And they saide vnto them Wherfore haue ye not fulfilled your taske in making of bricke both yesterday and to day as well as in times past 15 The officers also of the children of Israel came and complayned vnto Pharao saying Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy seruants 16 There is no straw giuen vnto thy seruantes and they say vnto vs Make bricke and thy seruants are beaten and there is wrong done to thine owne people 17 He sayde Ye are Idle Idle are ye and therefore ye say We will go and doe sacrifice vnto the Lorde 18 Go therfore nowe and worke and there shall no straw be geuen you and yet shall you deliuer the whole tale of bricke 19. And the officers of the children of Israel dyd sée that they were in worsâ— caâ—e after it was sayde Ye shall minishe nothing of your bricke of your daylie taske in due tyme. 20 And they met Moyses and Aaron which stoode in their way as they came out from Pharao 21 And saide vnto them The Lorde looke vpon you and iudge you which hath made the sauour of vs to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharao and in the eyes of his seruants and haue put a sworde in their hande to sâ—ay vs. 22 Moyses returned vnto the Lorde and sayde Lorde wherefore hast thou so euil entreated this people And wherfore hast thou sent me 23 For since I came to Pharao to speake in thy name he hath fared foule with this folke and yet thou hast not deliuered thy people at all The Exposition vpon the .v. Chapter of Exodus Moyses and Aaron went in afterwarde and tolde Pharao Thus saith c. AFter Moyses and Aaron had nowe purchased Credite with the Israelites as is mentioned in the * former Chapiter they enter nowe into the execution of their office for the deliuerance of the people of God and speake vnto Pharao for them This was in them a great Obedience vnto God in a matter verie vnlike for them to bring to passe in the sight of the worlde and ioyned with their great perill and daunger in dealing with so sterne and Obstinate a Tyranne Their obedience to
smite thée and thy people with pestilence and thou shalt perishe from the earth 16 And in verse déede for this cause haue I kept thée â–ª for to shew thée my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the worlde 17 Yet exaltest thou thy selfe against my people that thou wilt not let them go 18 Beholde to morowe this time I will sende downe a mightie great hayle such a one as was not in Egypt since the foundation thereof was layde vnto this time 19 Send therefore now and gather thy beastes and all that thou hast in the fielde for vpon all the men and the beastes which are founde in the fielde and not brought home shall the hayle fall and they shall die 20 And as many as feared the worde of the Lord amongst the seruants of Pharao made their seruants and their beasts â—lee â—â—to the houses 21 But he that regarded not the worde of she Lorde left his seruants and his beastes in the field 22 And the Lord sayd vnto Moses Stretch forth thy hand vnto heauen that there may be hayle in all the lande of Egypt vpon man and vpon beastes and vpon all the hearbes of the fielde throughout the lande of Egypt 23 And Moyses stretched forth his rod vnto heauen and the Lord thundred and hayled and the fire ranne along vppon the grounde and the Lord hayled in the lande of Egypt 24 So there was hayle and fire mingled with the hâ—â—le so grieuous and such as there was none throughout all the lanâ—â— of Egypt since people inhabited it 25 And the hayle smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field â–ª both man and beast and the hayle smote all the hearbes of the fielde and broke all the trées of the fielde 26 Onely in the lande of Gosen where the children of Israell were was there no hayle 27. And Pharao sent and called for Moses and Aaron and saide vnto them I haue now sinned the Lorde is righteous 〈◊〉 I and my people are vngodly 28 Praye ye vnto the Lorde that these thunderings of God and hayle may be 〈…〉 and I will let you go and ye shall â—arâ—e no longer 29 â—â—yses layde vnto him Assoone as I am out of the Citie I will spread abroade my handes vnto the Lorde and the thunder shal ceasse neither shall there be any more haile that thou mayst know howe that the earth is the Lordes 30 But I know that thou and thy seruants yet feare not the face of the Lorde God. 31 And so the flaxe and the barlie were smitten for the barly was shot vp and the flaxe was boulled 32 But the wheate and the rie were not smitten for they were late sowne 33 And Moises went out of the Citie from Pharao and spred abroade his handes vnto the Lorde and the thunder and hayle ceassed neyther rayned it vpon the earth 34 And when Pharao â—awe that the raine and the haile and thunder were ceassed he sinned yet more and hardened his hart he and his seruants 35 And the hart of Pharao was hardened neyther would he let the children of Israell go as the Lord had sayde by the hand of Moises The .6 Sunday in Lent at Euening prayer Exod. 10. ANd the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses Go into Pharao for I haue hardened his heart and the heart of his seruantes that I might shewe these my signes before him 2 And that thou tell in the audience of thy sonne and of thy sonnes sonne what things I haue done in Egypt and the miracles which I haue done amongst them that ye maye knowe howe that I am the Lorde 3 And so Moyses and Aaron came into Pharao and said vnto him Thus sayth the Lord God of the Hebrewes How long wilt thou refuse to submit thy selfe vnto me Let my people go that they may serue me 4 Or else if thou refuse to let my people go beholde to morrowe will I bring Grashoppers into thy coastes 5 And they shall couer the face of the earth that it can not be séene and they shall eate the residue which remayneth vnto you and is escaped from the hayle and they shall eate euery gréene trée that beareth you fruite in the fielde 6 And they shall fill thy houses and all thy seruaents houses and the houses of all the Egiptians after such a maner as neyther thy fathers nor thy fathers fathers haue séene since the time they were vpon the earth vnto this day And he turned himselfe about and went out from Pharao 7 And Pharaos seruantes sayd vnto him Howe long shall he be hurtfull vnto vs Let the men go that they may serue the Lorde their God knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed 8 And Moyses and Aaron were brought againe vnto Pharao and he sayde vnto them Go and serue the Lorde your God but who are they that shall go 9 And Moyses answered We will go with our yong and with our olde and with our sonnes and with our daughters and with our shéepe and with our Oxen we must go for we must holde a feast vnto the Lorde 10 And he saide vnto them Let the Lorde be so with you as I will let you go and your children take héede for ye haue some mischiefe in hande 11 Nay not so but go ye men and serue the Lorde for that was your desire And they were thrust out of Pharaos presence 12 And the Lorde saide vnto Moyses Stretch out thine hande ouer the lande of Egipt for Grashoppers that they may come vpon the lande of Egipt and eate all the hearbes of the lande and all that the hayle left behinde 13 And Moyses stretched forth his rod ouer the lande of Egipt and the Lorde brought an east winde vpon the lande all that day and all that night and in the morning the east winde brought the grashoppers 14 And the grashoppers went vp ouer all the lande of Egipt and remained in all quarters of Egypt verie grieuously before them were there no such grashoppers neyther after them shall be 15 For they couered all the face of the earth so that the lande was darke and they did eate all the hearbes of the lande and all the fruites of the trées whatsoeuer the hayle had left there was no greene thing left in the trées and hearbes of the fielde through all the lande of Egipt 16 Therefore Pharao called for Moyses and Aaron in haste and saide I haue sinned against the Lorde your God and against you 17 And nowe forgiue me my sinne onely this once and pray vnto the Lorde your God that he may take away from me this death onely 18 And Moyses went out from Pharao and prayed vnto the Lorde 19 And the Lorde turned a mightie strong west winde and it tooke away the grashoppers cast them into the red sea so that there was not one grashopper in all the coastes of Egipt 20 And the Lord hardened Pharaos heart so that he woulde
that GOD oftentimes Preserueth his people from those Miseries that he casteth vpon others And yet if we looke into the common course of the worlde we shall see that the * Wicked are in more Felicitie and more Free from punishment then the good and godly And this tentation hath often * shaken the mindes of the Saintes of God as it appeareth in sundrie Psalmes What then shall we say to this Surely the Common ordinance of GDD is that the Godly should be in Happinesse and escape Plagues and the Wicked onely be Punished And if this common ordinance of God be altered It is eyther because they that professe the name of God be* Sinfull and Liue not according to theyr Calling or else that Gods good and fatherly will is by suche Chasticing and Affliction of this life to keepe his seruants in Obedience to Quicken their Fayth and put them in minde of the Heauenly felicitie and life euerlasting The Care and Cogitation whereof in time of * Prosperitie is more Cold and Slacke in vs then our duetie requireth Easter daye at Morning prayer Exodus 12. AND the Lord spake vnto Moyses and Aaron in the lande of Egypt saying 2 This moneth shall bée vnto you the beginning of Monethes and the first moneth of the yeare shall it be vnto you 3 Speake ye vnto all the congregation of Israell saying In the tenth day of this moneth euery man take vnto him a lambe according to the house of the fathers a lambe thorowout euery house 4. If the householde be to little for the lambe let him take his neighbour which is next vnto hys house according to the number of the sâ—â—les euery one of you according to his eating shall make your count for a lambe 5. And let your lambe be without â—â—â—mish a male of a yeare olde vvhich ye shal take out from among the shepe and from among the goates 6 And ye shall kéepe him in vntill the fourâ—enth day of the same moneth and euery assemble of the congregation of Israell shall kill him about euen 7 And they shall take of the bloud and strike it 〈◊〉 two side postes and on the vpper doore post in the houses where they shall eate him 8 And they shall eate the fleshe the same night rost with fire and with vnleauened breade and with sowre hearbes they shall eate it 9 See that ye eate not there of rawe nor sodden with water but rost with fire the head feete and purtenance thereof 10 And ye shall 〈◊〉 nothing of it remaine vnto the morning That which remayneth of it vntill the morow shal ye burnâ— with fire 11 Of this maner shall ye eate it Wyth your loynes gâ—rded and your shooes on your feete and your staffe in your hande and ye shall eate it in haste for it as the Lordes Passouer 12 For I will passe thorow the lande of Egypt this same night and will smite all the first borne of Egipt from man to beast and vpon all the Gods of Egypt I will execute iudgement I am the Lorde 13 And the bloud shall be vnto you 〈◊〉 token in the houses wherein you are and when I see the blood I will passe ouer you and the plague shalâ— not be vpon you to destroy you when I smite the lande of Egypt 14 And this day shall be vnto you a remembrance and you shall kéepe it an holy feast vnto the Lorde throughout your generations ye shall kéepe 〈◊〉 holy for an ordinance for euer 15 Seuen dayes shall ye eate vnleaue ned bread so that the first day ye put away leaueÌ„ out of your houses For whosoeuer eateth leauened bread from the first day vnto the seuenth day that soule shall be rooted out of Israell 16 The first day shall be an holy conuocation vnto you and the seuenth day shall be an holy conuocation vnto you and there shall be no maner of worke done in them saue about that onely which euery man must eate that onely may ye â—oe 17 And ye shall obserue the feast of vnleauened bread for this same day haue I brought your armies out of the lande of Egypt therefore ye shall obserue this day and all your children after you by an euerlasting decrée 18 The first moneth and the fourtenth day of the moneth at euen ye shall eate vnleauened bread vnto the one and twentie day of the same moneth at euen againe 19 Seuen dayes shall there be no leaneued bread founde in your houses and who soeuer eateth leauened bread that soule shall be rooted out from the congregation of Israell whether he be a straunger or â—orne in the lande 20 Ye shall eate no leauened breade but in all your habitations shall ye eate vnleauened breade 21 Then Moyses called for all the elders of Israell and sayde vnto them Choose out and taâ—â— you to euery houshold of you a lâ—mbe and kill the Passeouers 22 And take a 〈…〉 and dip it in the bloud that is in the bason and strike the vpper post of the doore and the two side postes with the bloud that is in the bason and none of you go out at the doore of his house vntill the morning 23 For the Lorde will passe ouer to smite the Egiptians and when he séeth the bloud vpon the vpper doore post and the two side postes he will passe ouer the doore and will not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses to plague you 24 Therefore shall ye obserue this thing for an ordinance to thée and to thy sonnes for euer 25 And when ye be come to the lande which the Lorde will giue you according as he hath promised ye shall kéepe this seruice 26 And when your children aske you What maner of seruice is this that ye doe 27 Ye shall say It is the sacrifice of the Lordes Passeouer which passed ouer the houses of the children of Israell in Egypt â–ª and he smote the Egiptians and saued our houses And the people bowed themselues and worshipped 28 And the children of Israell went and did as the Lorde had commaunded Moises and Aaron so did they 29 And at midnight the Lorde smote the first borne in the lande of Egypt from the first borne of Pharao that sate on his seate vntill the first borne of the captâ—â—e that was in prison and all the first borne of cattell 30 And Pharao rose in the night he and his seruantes and all the Egyptians and there was a great crie in Egypt â–ª for there was not a house where there was not one deade 31 And he called vnto Moyses and Aaron by night saying Rise vp and get you out from amongst my people both you and also the children of Israell and go and serue the Lorde as ye haue sayde 32 And take your shéepe and your droues with you as ye haue sayde and depart and blesse me 33 And the Egyptians forced the people that they might senâ—e them out of the lande in hast for they sayd
We be all but dead men 34 And the people tooke their dough before it was sowred which they had in store béeing bounde in clothes vpon their shoulders 35 And the children of Israel did according to the saying of Moises â–ª and they borowed of the Egyptians iewels of siluer and iewels of golde and rayment 36 And the Lord gaue the people fouour in the fight of the Egyptians so that they grâ—â—nted such things as they had reâ—â—red and they robbed the Egyptians 37 And the children of Israel tooke their iourney from Ramesis to Suchoth sixe hundred thousand men of foote beside children 38 And a great multitude of sundrie other nations went also with them and shéepe and oxen and excéeding much cattell 39 And they baked vnleauened cakes of the dough which they brought out of Egypt for it was not sowred For they were thrust out of Egypt and could not tary neither had they prepared for themselues any prouision of meate 40 The dwelling of the children of Israell which they dwelled in Egypt was foure hundred thirtie yeares 41 And when the foure hundred and thirtie yeares were expyred euen the selfe same day departed all the hostes of the Lorde out of the lande of Egypt 42 It is a night to bée obserued vnto the Lorde in the which he brought them out of the lande of Egypt This is that night of the Lord which all the children of Israell must kéepe throughout their generations 43 And the Lorde sayde vnto Moises and Aaron This is the law of Passeouer there shall no straunger eate thereof 44 But euery seruant that is bought for money after that thou hast circumcised him shall eate thereof 45 A straunger and an hyred seruant shall not eate therof 46 In one house shall it be eateâ— thou shalt 〈◊〉 none of the fleshe out of the house neither shall ye breake a boâ—e thereof 47 All he congregation of Israell shall obserue it 48 If a straunger also dwell 〈◊〉 you and will helde passeouer vnto the Lord let him circumcise all that be â—â—les and then let him come and obserue it and he shall be as one that is borne in the lande for no vncircumcised person shall eate thereof 49 One maner of lawe shall be vnto him that is borne in the lande and vnto the straunger that dwelleth among you 50 And all the children of Israel did as the Lorde commaunded Moyses and Aaron so did they 51 And the selfe same day did the Lorde bring the children of Israell out of the lande of Egypt with their 〈◊〉 The Exposition vpon the .xij. Chapter of Exodus And the Lord spake vnto Moises c. Saying this Moneth c. THe Historie of the oppression of the children of Israell in Aegypt and their maruelous deliuerance from the tyrannie of Pharao described in the former Chapters doth as it were in a liuely Image set before our eyes our spirituall deliuerance from the tyrannie of Pharao the deuill and from the heauie burthens of Sinne and Wickednesse wherwith we were ouerwhelmed in the Aegypt of this worlde Our Pharao is the Deuill our Aegypt is this worlde our bondage is the subiection to Satan and his kingdome our taskes of Bricke are the grieuous burthens of our sinnes our Moises is Christ our Deliuerance is the Conquest that our Sauiour Christ made of Sin Satan Hell and Death by the merite of his passion And as the night before the Israelites were Deliuered it pleased God to ordeyne them a Sacrament whereby they should from time to time call into theyr remembrance the great benefite of God shewed vnto them and yeeld most heartie thankes to him for the same Euen so our sauiour Christ the night before he went to his passion thereby to worke our deliuerance * ordeyned the holye Sacrament of his last supper wherby we might confirme in our memorie the worke of our redemption and set forth his death vntill his last comming This Sacrament of the Iewes now here discribed in this Chapter is called the Passeouer because by the sprinkling of the doore postes with the bloud of the lambe God willed his Angell to Passeouer the houses of the Israelites and not to strike them with that punishment wherewith he plagued the Aegyptians In like maner when Almightie God seeth the bloud of the Innocent Lambe his deere sonne Christ Iesu sprinckled vpon the doore postes of our Consciences by Fayth in his Passion the execution of his wrath due for sinne doth passe and not light vpon vs as it doth vpon the Reprobate and Wicked that haue not Fayth nor Beleeue his Gospel But forsomuch as this whole Sacrament of the Iewes Passeouer is nothing but a comfortable sweete preaching to vs of the death of Christ and the mysterie of our redemption I thinke it good to note some chiefe and particuler poyntes thereof vnto you The Pascall lambe as I haue sayde is Christ Iesu for so sayth saint Paule Our Passeouer is offered Christ Iesu And for this cause also Iohn the Baptist poynting vnto him sayde Beholde the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the VVorlde This Lambe must be without spot to note therby the innocencie of our Sauiour Christ who therefore of saint Peter is called The Immaculate and vndefiled Lambe For in him there was no sinne although he tooke vpon hym the Burthen of all our sinnes This lambe was taken From among the sheepe to declare the humanitie of Christ who was taken out of the flocke of that breede that God before had blessed in Abraham And therefore sayth saint Paule to the Hebrewes He tooke not the nature of Angels vpon him but the seede of Abraham The Passeouer was killed in the euening and latter part of the day and so Christ came to redeeme and deliuer Mankinde towarde the latter ende of the worlde The bloud of the Lambe Sprinckled vpon the doore postes as is before sayde is the bloud of Christ by fayth sprinckled in our consciences As the flesh of the Lambe might not bee eaten raw so must not Christ be receyued as a raw an vnperfite or an vnsufficient Sacrifice only for originall sinne or for our sinnes before Baptisme onely or for the sinnes of some and not of other But for a sufficient Sacrifice and ful Satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole worlde that eyther hath bene or hereafter shall be For as Paule saith to the Hebrewes VVith one oblation once made he made perfite all that be sanctified The Lambe must be eaten with bitter herbes in signification that the receyuing of Christ by fayth in this worlde is ioyned with the bitternesse of Affliction and Trouble For whosoeuer will liue holily in Christ Iesu shall suffer persecution Nothing must be left of the lambe vntill the morning to note that we must repent and beleeue in Christ while we be in this life and not deferre the matter to another time For Christ can
which folowe the profession of God for the worldes sake Some of the children of Israel call vpon God as knowing in him to be their onely ayde Othersome and the more part forgetting Gods mightie workes so lately done for them repent them of their following of God and Raile at their guyde and leader Moyses with spiteful reproches But he as a good and mercifull Gouernour doth not storme with them nor requite them with that which in Iustice they might seeme to deserue but Comforteth them with the repeating of the promises of God and the assurance of his mightie helpe thereby teaching vs that in time of aduersitie their is no surer comfort then to call to our Remembrance the sweete promises of God made vnto his people and the example of such things as he hath done for them And the Lorde saide vnto Moyses wherfore criest thou vnto me c. The text saith not that Moyses Cried in his praier nor that any voyce was heard come from him But he cryeth in the eares of the Lord that Prayeth in fayth with a feruent and earnest minde though no voyce be harde to other in his prayer And such earnest * calling vpon God with hart and minde doth alwaye preuayle and taketh effect before God as we see here that Moyses prayer doth Speake vnto the children of Israel that they go forwarde c. Here now God ▪ sheweth his mightie arme stretched out to the deliuerance of his people and worketh 3. great and wonderfull Miracles The first that the Angell of God which directed the pyller of fyre and the clowde before the people of Israel doth nowe sodainely withdrawe himselfe backe and is placed betweene the Egiptians and the campe of Israel so that on the part of Israel in the night time there was a light and brightnesse that they might see to doe any thing that they thought good and on the part of the Egiptians was so great darknes that they did scant see one the other much lesse were hable to doe any thing against the Israelites The second Miracle was that by the stretching out of Moyses rodde there came such a strong winde as staied the waters of the Sea that the children of Israel might passe through vpon the dry lande The thirde is that when the Egiptians desperately as men blinded with the furie of their owne wickednesse did follow the Israelites to the Sea the Angell of God so abashed them that they were readie to flie from the face of Israel and then Moses at the appointment of God stretching out his rodde the waters returned vpon them in such sort that the Egiptians with all their power were drowned in the sea By these Miracles the name of God was glorified throughout the whole worlde and he knowne to be both a mightie and mercifull God in the defence of his people and also a seuere Lord in punishing such as did resist his holy will. The tone of which two things ought to strengthen our faith in time of aduersitie and to make vs to put our assured trust in God as one that by his mightie power Can and of his mercyfull goodnesse Will deliuer vs The tother shoulde stirre vp in vs the feare of God and cause vs in time to repent and to embrace his worde and calling least for our vnrepentant hartes he deale with vs as he did with Pharao and the Egiptians The first Sunday after Easter at Morning prayer Numeri 16. AND Corah the sonne of Isaar the sonne of Caath the sonne of Leui went apart with Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab and On the sonne of Peleth the sonne of Ruben 2 And they rose vp before Moses with certaine of the children of Israel two hundred and fiftie which which were capitaynes of the multitude famous in the congregation men of great renoume 3 And they gathered themselues togither against Moises Aaron and said vnto them Ye take to much vpon you séeing all the multitude are holy euery one of them and the Lorde is among them Why lift ye your selues vp aboue the congregation of the Lorde 4 And when Moises heard it he fell vpon his face 5 And spake vnto Corah and vnto all his companie saying To morow the Lorde will shewe who are his who is holy and who ought to approch me vnto him and whome he hath chosen he will cause to come neare vnto him 6 This doe therefore Take you fire pannes both Corah and all his compainie 7 And put fire therein and put incense in them before the Lorde to morowe And the man whom the Lorde doth choose the same shall be holy Ye take to much vpon you ye sonnes of Leui. 8 And Moyses sayde vnto Corah Heare I pray you ye sonnes of Leui. 9 Séemeth it but a small thing vnto you that the God of Israel hath separated you from the multitude of Israell and brought you to himselfe to doe the sceruice of the tabernacle of the Lorde and to stande before the multitude and to minister vnto them 10 He hath taken thée to him all thy brethren the sonnes of Leui with thée and séeke ye the office of the priest also 11 For which cause both thou and all thy companie are gathered together agaynst the Lorde And what is Aron that ye murmure agaynst him 12 And Moyses sent and called Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab which sayde We will not come vppe 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought vs out of the lande that floweth with milke and honie to kill vs in the wildernesse except thou make thy selfe Lord and ruler ouer vs also 14 Moreouer hast thou brought vs vnto a lande that floweth with Milke and honie and giuen vs inheritance of fieldes and vineyardes Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men We will not come vp 15 And Moyses waxed very angrie and sayde vnto the Lorde Turne not thou vnto their offering I haue not taken so much as an asse from them neyther haue I hurt any of them 16 And Moyses sayde vnto Corah Be thou and all thy company before the Lord both thou they and Aaron to morow 17 And take euery man his censer and put incense in them and bring ye before the Lorde euery man his censer two hundred and fiftie censers thou also and Aaron euery one his censer 18 And they tooke euery man his censer and put fire in them and layde incense thereon and stoode in the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moyses and Aaron 19 And Corah gathered all the congregation agaynst them vnto the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation and the glorie of the Lorde appeared vnto all the congregation 20 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses and Aaron saying 21 Seperate your selues from among this congregation that I may consume them at once 22 And they fell vpon their faces and sayde O God the God of Spirites of all fleshe hath not one man
your trayterous and rebellious deuise of your heartes to reuolt wholye from my seruice to the Idoles of the Gentiles among whom you are But surely I will ouershwart you and though you doe make the Babilonians more fauourable to you I my selfe will bee your Aduersarie and by mightie hande and extremitie of punishment will force you whether you or no to acknowledge me your Lorde and god It shall not come to passe as you thinke that you shall * quietly serue stocks and stones with Idolators I wil not neglect fugitiue seruants as slacke maysters are woont to doe Seeing that I haue once taken you into my couenant I will by sharpe punishment And by my indignation powred out vpon you make you desirous and glad to come againe vnder my obedience I will bring you from the people and gather you out of the countrie c. God signifieth that he will not breake couenant with them but as he had promised by his Prophets so would he doe in deede that is he would bring them from among those Countries wherin they are scattred but in such sort as the godly only should haue comfort thereby and the wicked no cause at all to reioyce He threatneth to deale with them as he did with their fathers in the wildernesse of Egipt For in Egipt he declared his iustice by sundrie kindes of punishment When they murmured against God in the wyldernesse manye of them he consumed with fyre Num. 11. When Dathan and Abyram rose against Moses 250. perished with fyre and the residue the earth swalowed vp yea and the next day again 14000. and 700. were destroyed Num. 16. When they spake against Moyses at an other time a great nūber were slaine by Serpentes Num. 21. In this sort of iudgement God here Protesteth that he will deale with the wicked Israelites and by such meanes as it were cull out and purge away the obstinate and rebellious transgressours from the other so that they shall neuer enioy the lande of Israel agayne wyth comfort and quietnesse As their fathers which God brought out of Egipt because of their often Disobedience * neuer came into the lande of promise euen so the Prophet sayth those euill children that without repentance continued in their abhominations should neuer haue the quiet fruition of their Countrie againe Notwithstanding that for his promise sake he would deliuer bring home the Residue which eyther by teaching of his Prophets or by punishment or any other meanes did forsake their wycked wayes and turne againe to the obedience of his lawe As for you O house of Israel c. Go you and serue euery man his Idoles c. Forsomuch as they would not yeelde to obey God and to follow his law with scornefull reproch he biddeth them go on according to their owne fantasies wholy to serue euery man his Idoles and not to mixt withall the Title of his name and so distaine it By which wordes we may perceiue that God will not be matched with other but haue worship done wholy to himselfe Hovv long sayth Elias halte you on both sides If the Lorde be God follovv him If Baal go after him VVhat agreement can there be betvveene Christ and Belial saith Saint Paule And our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs That vve cannot serue tvvo maysters We must therefore learne also to serue Christ wholy and not to mixt Idolatrous Superstition wyth the truth of his Gospell For vpon my holy hill euen vpon the high hill of Israel sayth the Lorde c. These wordes that follow may be literally vnderstanded of such of the Israelites brought out of Captiuitie as by manifold plages did repent and learne to worship God sincerely not after their owne deuises as they dyd before in their highe places but according to the prescript of Goddes worde And therefore being restored into their Countrie God signifieth their deuotion should be acceptable vnto him and all their Sacrifices pleasant And for somuch as the Prophets doe oftentymes breake out from thinges of present state in the worlde vnto the blessing to come in the promised seede and Sauiour this place maye also verye well be interpreted of the spirituall Israel that is the Church and people of God vnder Christ For by the Holy hill and highe mountayne of Israel or Sion is vnderstanded the Church because the Apostles were first sent from thence to preache the Gospell in all the worlde Of this hill speaketh Esay 2. cap. and Micheas 4 cap. The hill of the Lords house shall be prepared in the height of the mountaines and all Nations shall presse vnto him The * Sacrifices of Christians which are acceptable vnto God the * sacrifices which he wil require of them are earnest prayer thankesgyuing for his benefites the sacrifice memorial of the Lords supper * charitable reliefe of their poore brethren and their owne soules and bodies consecrated to his seruice In these will he delight and these shall be to him as A svvete sauour There shall you call to remembrance your owne wayes and all your workes c. The Repentant Iewes after Captiuitie shall call to remembrāce sayth the Prophet their owne naughtie wayes and workes against the lawe of God and with heauie harts being sorie and * ashamed of them shall acknowledge and * confesse that euen by their owne iudgements they were worthy by Gods iustice to haue bene cleane cut of from him and that it is of his onely mercie and goodnesse that he hath wrought otherwise And that for his owne names sake and for his owne glorie in performing his couenant he hath restored them into their Countrie againe In like maner christian men by the free mercies of God being deliuered from the captiuitie of Sinne Satan and Death and broughte home into holye Mount Sion the Church of God and heauenly Hierusalem doe call to remembrance their olde wickednesse and abhominations wherein they lyued to the dishonour of God and reproch of the worlde and therefore are * ashamed of them and * confesse in their harts that they were worthie of the wrath of God by perpetuall damnation to be cut from his presence And in that it is otherwise done that it proceedeth of the Riches of his goodnesse towarde mankynde layde out aboundantly vnto them in Christ Iesu our Sauiour The 18. Sunday after Trinitie at Euening prayer Ezech. 24. IN the ninth yeare in the tenth Moneth the tenth day of the Moneth came the worde of the Lorde vnto me saying 2 O thou sonne of man wryte thée the name of this daye yea euen of this present day for the king of Babylon set himselfe against Ierusalem this selfe same day 3 And shewe the rebellious house a Parable and speake vnto them thus sayth the Lord God Prepare a pot set it on and powre water into it 4 Gather the péeces thereof into it euery good péece the thigh and the shoulder