good when hee might haue punished vs for our sinnes will not hée now doo vs good when through his grace we hate sinne in some measure sanctified by his holy Spirit Hee will he will and neuer feare therefore but cleaue fast Thinke with your selfe how the Fathers before the floud eating nothing but hearbes yet liued some seuen hundred some eight hundred some nine hundred yeares know by it that man liueth not by these meanes but if neither grasse nor corne nor any vsuall foode now amongest vs were in the earth yet could God Preserue vs and keepe vs both aliue and in health and in good liking But much more now by flesh and fish and his other good blessings can he do it Moses Elias liued forty daies without meate and the Israelites walked as I noted forty yeares in the wildernesse with the same apparrell not waxen olde By which and many such things mo in the Scriptures you see that the blessing of God is all in all and that these earthly meanes are but things giuen of GOD for our vse which yet he can want when hee will notwithstanding preserue vs. Up with your hart then how hard soeuer the world goeth with you and fix both heart and eies vpon GOD beléeue his Scriptures and reade them for your comfort all shal be well assure your selfe in his time 10 The Lord by Moses commaundeth a pot of this Manna to be kept in the Arke for a remembrance euer of this great miracle and so it was which very notably may teach vs euer to be carefull to keepe in minde the gracious fauoures of our good God shewed vnto vs and not to suffer them to be forgotten The Scripture often layeth this point before our eies if you remember As in Deut. Take heede to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the things which thine eies haue seene and that they depart not out of thine heart all the daies of thy life but teach them thy sonnes and thy sons sonnes So in the sixt Chapter againe These wordes which I commaund thee this day shal be in thy heart And thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children shalt talke of them when thou tariest in thine house as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp And thou shall binde them for a signe vpon thy hand and they shall be as frontlets betweene thine eyes Also thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thine house and vppon the gates c. When they passed ouer Iordā on dry land presently twelue stones were set vp for a remembrance Dauid in his Psalme Prayse the Lord O my Soule and forget not forget not all his benefits So the Fathers haue many good Sayings to this end As Saint Gregorie So much shall thy Soule finde more sweet rest in Heauen by how much thou giuest thy minde lesse rest in this Worlde from the continuall remembrance of GOD and his Workes If thy Corne lay in a low moiste and dankishe vault where it might putrifie and corrupt Wouldest thou not speedelie and carefully raise it vp to a higher and sweeter Place that so it might continue sweete Why then dooest thou suffer thy Minde to lye so lowe among the rotten thinges of this World that also will corrupt it with a grieuous corruption and dooest not spéedely and carefullie also raise it vp to a sweete remembrance of GODS fauoures and great workes for thee for thy Neighboures for thy Countrie for his Church and Children in all ages Here here is the sweete beeing of the Minde and not below Againe marke how the eyes of thy bodie if they bée in a smokie place are vered and grieued with that foule smoake and shedde out their teares to bee deliuered there hence So thinke of the light of thy minde that with vile thinges it is much offended but with remembrance of good things much pleased and bettered Euer therefore let it haue his comfort and looke vpon that pot of Manna which God hath giuen thee from heauen that is vpon his mercies and fauoures vouchsafed vnto thée many waies in thy life time which to thée are the Testimonies of his loue and gracious prouidence as this Manna here was to the Israelites Another saith Will the young Lamb be drawne from his damme or the young kid the young calfe the little chickens and such like will not they still kéepe with their kinde not stray away farre but run to the damme againe So certainely should our mindes not stray from our God and the thankfull remembrance of his mercies but euer kéepe here and tarie here and ioy here as in our swéete and quiet comfort A good carefull seruant is still in his Maisters eye and cannot abide to be farre off No more can the seruant of God assuredly bée pleased in the forgetfulnesse of his God and his great workes The fire of the Altar went not out either by night or by day No more should the fire within you that is the heate of thankfull féeling and due remembrance of Grace receiued from a swéete God The Priests did bring wood to that fire vppon the Altar and still nourish it that it might euer burne so will the zealous Preacher to thy inward Soule giue a holy heate continually kéepe in that blessed fire of loue of zeale of thankfulnesse and so foorth to Almightie God if thou diligently frequent his company and heare his words For the Lord hath appointed him to this end to kéep this fire within his people and his ordinance shall not be in vaine vnlesse the fault be yours What a heate will the fire giue to the coldest water if it be set to it But remooue the same water from the fire againe and it returneth to his former coldnesse So so is it in the matter we speake of and forget it not The preserued fruite that is bailed in sugar looseth his owne tartnesse and taketh a swéeter taste from the sugar that all men may know where it hath béen And euen so assuredly wil a minde much meditating on Gods benefits and to the end it may the better doo it much frequenting the reading and hearing of the Word tast most swéetly both with God and Man Wherefore follow this aduise of Scripture and Fathers and learne by this reseruing of Manna for a remembrance what an acceptable thing to God and what a fit dutie for his seruant this carefull remembrance of his works is 11. Now as by this Figure of the kept Manna men were taught to remember all Gods mercies in generall So in particular it did lay before the Israelites the promised séede Christ Iesus of when it was a very notable Type and therefore may likewise teach vs as to remember all Gods mercies so by name this great mercie aboue all the gift of his deare and blessed Sonne our Sauiour for vs. The type is resembled by learned men in
Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things 17. Then after thus thou hast acquainted the Heads of the people of Israell with it and they by my working in-wardely with them willing to obey both thou and they shall go to Pharaoh the king and say c. Sée againe and still still most carefully note it how God regardeth Gouernment For now Pharaoh must bée vsed as was fit for his Place He being the king of the lande in which they were wicked Pharaoh I say must not be disorderly dealt with by such as liue vnder his gouernment within his Territories although strangers and not his naturall Subiects how much lesse then by naturall Subiects But hee must be gone vnto with all dutie and acquainted with all reuerence with their desire that neither themselues may be iudged factious neither others by their examples moued to any disorder They must acquaint him with the Author of this desire not their owne heads lusting after liberty or nouelitie but the Lord God that is that Lord which is God and that GOD which is Lord and Lord of Lords to worke some touch in Pharaoh of feare Secondly the Lord God of the Hebrewes that is that hath euer had care of them and dealt for them as séemed good to his Wisedome Thirdly that their scope was Religion not rebellion nor any vndutifull practise against the state Shall not this moue vs to reuerence authoritie when God thus notablie sheweth his liking of it It is enough in this place if God be with vs. Lastly obserue the long sufferance of God who though by this Pharaoh verie much offended yet before hee will smite he will admonish and doe all things so as his owne hart shall testifie his owne inexcusable wickednes Certainly euen thus the Lord dealeth with our selues if wee had eyes to sée it still forewarning and calling to a touch before hee determine Judgement and iust destruction His Preachers and Prophets his rods and his crosses his fauours and bounties be all Admonishers of vs to auoide his wrath 18. But I knowe that the King of Egypt will not let you goe but by strong hand Therefore will I sttetch out my hand and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will doe in the midst thereof and after that shall hee let you goe How well doth the Lord sée what the wicked thinke is secret and hidden to wit their thoughts and purposes their dispositions and nature yea before themselues knowe what they will doe he knoweth and shall not this moue them Their stubborne and stiffe harts contemning admonitions and all meanes of their reformation the Lord knoweth and séeth before How may this comfort the zealous Minister that is wearied and wasted with longing after the life of them that wish his death with praying entreating and crying vpon men for their good that they would hearken and consider that they would be reconciled to God and saue their soules I say how may this comfort him that this blockishnes and hardnes this ingratitude and vnkindnes of theirs was knowne to the Lord euer And therefore to content himselfe that he hath giuen warning like a faithfull Watchman that hee hath loued like a faithfull Pastor and endeauoured their good as a true Minister leauing the Lord now to his further pleasure euen to stretch out his hand and to smite such Pharaohs with their Land that is their possessions and goods their friends and associates as héere hee did for till Pharaoh féele it hee will not thinke of His might The Preacher speaketh in the aire the friend priuately looseth his labour and honest aduise Pharaoh féeleth not but thinketh himselfe wise and them fooles Their loue returneth therefore into their owne bosome being noted in Gods Booke for a Witnes against them and that swéete comfort sheweth it selfe to be taken hold of Wée are a swéete sauour to the Lord in them that perish After this consider with your selfe héere againe in that it is saide Pharaoh will not let them goe but by strong hand How far more easie it is to come into Egypt than to get out So it is assuredlie a smooth way to Hell by many pleasant delights but to returne and giue ouer the sinne once entred into to forsake that pleasant way This is a worke This is a labour nay This is a Grace indéede Any man may leape into a pit at his pleasure but hee must come out with more difficultie if euer hee come out Therefore in my conceite the good woman dealt wisely with the Frier that solicited her to sinne and told her hée would sing and say prayers for her that should cleanse her from all her offence and deliuer her presently out of Purgatorie if shee should happen to die whilest hee was aliue when shee appointed a pit to be digged in the way where the Fryer should come in the night and to be couered with some grasse that it might not appeare into which as soone as euer the Fryer came he fell and not able any way to get out againe Anon when hée had cooled himselfe well the woman came also as though shée had come to méete him to whom the poore Fryer pittifully complaineth that hee was fallen into that pit there and could not get out praying her to vse some meanes for his deliuerance But shee wisely tolde him hee should remember what hee said vnto her to wit that out of the pit of Purgatorie hee could sing her or any that should offend with him and now there was a good place to trie the power of his Musicke and Songs that shée and others might beléeue him the better If hee would haue his Portesse sent for shée said shée would but other helpe hee should get none of her And so shee left him to sing himselfe out if hee could So sleight a matter made those Hypocrites then of fearefull sinne easily purged and easilie pardoned were it neuer so wittingly and wilfully committed But this Figure of the hardnes to get out of Egypt when once they were in may shew vs as I say apparantly the contrarie and giue vs iust and good cause to beware of sinne The deuill is not such a foolish Fowler to let slip easely the bird he hath caught Euery mans owne experience telleth him how hard it is to leaue a wonted wrying from the right way and God graunt wee may thinke of it 19. Lastly the Lord addeth that Hee would make them fauoured of the Egyptians so that when they departed they should not goe emptie c. Where to our comfort wée sée that all harts are in the hands of God euen as the riuers of water and that hee turneth them hither and thither at his pleasure Hée can make them loue hate they neuer so much and they shall not bee able to withstand his will Yea hee can make them so loue that fruites from thence shall flowe to his people of their loue euen as hee best liketh Be they Jewels of siluer or Jewels of
Thus saith the Lord that cretaed thee O Iacob and he that formed thee O Israel Feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the floudes that thy doo not ouerflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee For I am the Lord thy God the Holy One of Israel thy Sauiour I gaue Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Seba for thee c. reade the Chap. your selfe and I stay héere 10. Now sée an Accident in the way When Moses was in his Inne the Lord met him and would haue killed him That is by either a sore sickenesse or some other way the Lord made him know his wrath conceined against him as also the cause to wit the omitting of the circumsicion of his Sonne as by the euent wée may sée although it bee not expresly named Where to our profit let vs stay a while and consider diuers things First why Moses so well acquainted with the law of God in this behalfe should omit or neglect to do it And for answere herevnto marke with your selfe how of two sonnes which Moses had and carried with him the circumcision of one is onely here mentioned whereby you may well see the other was before and alreadie circumcised or else Gods wrath would not haue stayed in this place vpon performance of dutie onely to one Now the one hauing before beene circumcised why should he not haue done the like to the other but that out of all question his wife béeing not sonndly perswaded in this point tooke offence at the first grew vnquiet offered vnfit speathes and happely stirred vp her father also Iethro to ioine with her to rattle Moses for such crueltie as they estéemed it to his sonne Wherupon the good man milde soft of spirit in humane frailety chose rather to forbeare the second son to haue his peace than to circumcise also him and please God A notable example to teach vs this doctrine how néedefull it is euen to the great Doctours and Diuines to the great Masters and Teachers and rulers and leaders of others still and continualy to be vnderpropped and held-vp by Gods powrefull ayde and blessed Spirit in their duties when as otherwise euen they they I say that seeme so strong play Moses part here and faint in the way to the offence of God and danger of themselues Nay if Moses faint how much more fall they flat downe that neuer had such measure of grace as Moses had Pray therefore and pray continually for increase of strength for courage and fortitude for constancy and power to repell al the darts that Sathan shall throw at vs and prepare we to buckle with men and women and Diuels that shal assay to quench or to coole our zeale in our places and to bring vs to omit this and that and euerie day somewhat which God expresly requireth and will not abide to be omitted See you Discouragers and discomforters of Gods seruants in necessarie duties what venome is in your darts and poyson in yonr doings Moses this great man is ouercome and brought into daunger by them and O how shal athousand others of farre weaker strength be turned out of the way by you Will God be angry with Moses for yéelding and shall you safely escape that are the causes of his sinne the cut-throates of his zeale and the ouer-turners of his well doing No no assure your selues the wrath of the Lord shal consume you when it hath profitably corrected his childe vnlesse you repent and leaue-off such Deuillish dealing Sée you also you brawling and vnquiet women what your ignorance and obstinacie bringeth your husbands vnto though they be as Moses holy and vertuous they cannot serue God a-right for you they cannot doe what God requireth but you breake their hearts you coole their zeale you turne them out of the way and in the end you bring them to a fearefull danger of Gods destroying of them For the Lord met Moses héere and would haue killed him saith the Text. Shall this euer be vnpunished in you no your Husbands shall bee schooled for their frailtie and you shall be consumed for your arrogancie so proudly and so disobediently contemning both their religious instructions and holy actions If God be in you this will be a warning 11. Then Zipporah tooke a sharpe knife cut away the fore-skin of her Sonne The two things that héere might be considered namely that doctrine of Poperie concerning the danger of children dying vnbaptized and secondlie of such an absolute necessitie of Baptisme as that women must administer it in time of supposed néede I forbeare to stand vpon now I haue sufficiently touched them in my Notes vpon Genesis Therefore doo but remember with your selfe touching the first that wee make a great difference betwixt want of the Sacrament and contempt of the same contempt damning and want not through the strength of Gods promise meaning by want when God so preuenteth by death that it cannot be had according to the manner allowed in the word And touching the second obserue that this act of Zipporah here in circumcising her childe was méerely extraordinarie and doth no way warrant women to baptize now-a-daies Her bitter words to her husband that hee was a bloodie husband to her shewe but what spéeches are often giuen by women that haue their tongues a little too much at liberty His wisedome in not answering her is to this day his praise and her fact her fault in so vndutifully speaking Let this suffice of this Chapter and nowe reade the Text ouer in your Bible and sée how these Notes haue helped you My drift you sée and I leaue it to God I would haue all men encouraged to reade CHAP. 5. The chiefe Heads of this Chapter are these The comming of Moses Aaron to the King The greeuanees of the people Their impatiencie 1. TOuching the first héere wee sée that although Moses was very backward a-while to obey God and goe to this King vpon this errand yet at last hee yéelded faith ouercame feare and all conceits steeped to the obedience of God A happie thing and happie is that man and woman euer which can likewise say truly I haue had my feares and fancies my errors and mine ignorances my pride and my preiudice against that which was good and right but they are all gone I thanke God and I much ioy that they are gone as likewise that I am now sincerely his whose I ought to be and in this obedience doe not doubt but shall end my dayes by his grace 2. Wée may againe thinke héere why God should thus send Moses and Aaron to pray deliuerance for his people when hee was able without stretched arme to haue deliuered them at his pleasure And wee may aunswere our selues in this sort euen for the reasons
Ver. 8. vnto the 13. you sée the sixth plague of Egypt euen a foule scab breaking out into blisters vpon man and beast Whereof Iosephus saith no small number died yet could not this moue them to sée the hand of God Such vglie sores and maladies our age also hath and as far from leading to true repentance as these héere That gréeuous Disease began in Spaine but afterward crept into Fraunce and there so abounded as euer since it hath caried the name of that Country not of Spaine Be it that by diuers meanes it may happen as by a cup a combe a stoole and such like so that euery one is not guiltie of lewde life who happily is spotted with it yet which way so euer it commeth the Lord toucheth and it is euer good to sée his hand distinguished from other causes and to fall downe before him in humble acknowledgement of our sinne making our peace by true submission and beséeching him either to remoue such punishment frō vs or to seale vp our hearts in the assurance of his loue notwithstanding all earthly trials Let vs also in this place marke how the Sorcerers were smitten with this plague so that they could not stand before Moses They had séene many things before to make them giue place the deuouring of their roddes their inhabilitie to make that base vermine spoken of before yea their owne mouthes then said it was Gods Finger yet they will not giue ouer their gaine-saying and crossing of Gods Ministers till the Plague of God light vpon their owne persons in these vglie soares which surely is a very effectuall warning to all Kebellers against good things that they giue ouer betimes and yéeld to God so auoiding his wrathfull stripes either vpon themselues or their goods God is the same as iust as euer as strong as euer and will flesh and blood prouoke him A better course shal be our wisedome 6 This seuenth Plague now following ver thirtéenth hath also his Denunciation his Execution and his Effect Which in order obserued will yéelde vs sundry Meditations And first the Denunciation will more and more beate into vs the wonderfull hardnesse of Pharaoh and his People who neither by any nor all the Plagues before mentioned of Blood of Frogges of Lice of Flyes of Moraine of Botch could be mooued and turned to the obedience due from man to God Can we wonder at waywarde creatures in our times when wée sée this No no the heart of man Woman is a most wonderfull peruerse thing whē God worketh not these often Repetitions are made by Gods Spirite that we should marke it know it and continually pray against it 7 You sée God willeth Moses to Rise vp early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh Let the vse of it be to teach with what diligence and care God would euer haue his businesse how he hateth negligence and loose slubbering ouer what belongeth to our charge saying in plaine tearmes Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently Ministers then forasmuch as their calling is to doo the worke of God and to stand before Pharaoh they must be diligent zealous carefull and painfull doing what lieth in them euer Magistrates also must doo the like for they execute not the iudgments of man but of the Lord and he will be with them in the cause and iudgment For there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God neither respect of persons nor receauinge of reward Parents and Maisters doo the worke of God and therefore they must be diligent calling vpon their children and families with blessed Abraham to feare the Lord. There bee also in Parishes Church-Officers Sworne-men with such like who for their yéere haue Gods worke in hand and therefore they should haue a great conscience to doo their duties diligently for feare of the curse aboue mentioned But surely their grosse dulnes crieth for great vengeance and I pray God it reach not to their posteritie also and to all that they haue gathered together for them For so good Offices to so good vse both of the Church and Common-wealth cannot be so wilfully and wittingly so careleslie and presumptuouslie neglected as they are but it will smart one day When thou seest a thiefe saith God in the Psalme thou runnest with him and thou art a pertaker with the Adulterers When thou seest a thiefe that is an euill doer any way thou consentest vnto him that is either thou doest as he doth or at least doest ouerlooke him and conceale him not bringing him by thine Office vnto the ordinarie correction of his fault and hast beene pertaker with the Adulterers in not presenting them and following the presentment with zeale vntill there were Justice had These things saith God hast thou done and I held my tongue and thou thoughtest wickedly that I am euen such a one as thy selfe but I will reprooue thee and set before thee the things which thou hast done That is I will make thée knowe and the world also shall know by my dealings with thée that thou hast not risen vp earlie in the morning as Moses did héere that is thou hast not had care and conscience to doo the dutie of thy Place zealouslie and carefullie as thou oughtst for his sake whose worke it is and who hath raised thée to credite and accompt for thy Prince his sake who watcheth ouer thée for thy peace and is greatly abused by thée for thy Countrie sake which by thy negligence becommeth wicked and sinfull hastening to destruction most due and deserued Oh consider this better you that feare God saith the place lest I PLVCKE YOV AVVAY or teare you in peeces and there be none that can deliuer you 8 Obserue againe the word All in the 14. verse when God saith I will at this time send all my plagues vppon thine heart meaning many sundry and seuerall plagues for God did not bring All according to y◠Letter diuers others following after as the 8. 9. 10. Plague The vse is this that wee consider the perill of rebellious obstinacy against God For first he wil punish it with one rodde then with another happely with a thirde and if these single chastisements will not serue then will he go to many plagues heaping wrath vpon wrath and woe vppon woe with a fierce hand yea he will lay euen All his plagues vpon vs at once as he here speaketh to our greatfall and confusion Add vnto this proofe here those wordes in Deut. But if thou wilt not obey the voice of THE LORD THY GOD to keepe and to doe all his Commaundements and his Ordinances which I commaund thee this daie then all these curses not one or two but All these curses shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the towne and cursed in the field Cursed shall thy basket be and thy dough Cursed shall be the fruite of thy body and the fruite
away and their Deliuerance be wrought by a gracious GOD. Thus comforted Paule the Church in his time saying As Iannes and Iambres withstoode Moses so doo these also resist the truth But now marke they shall preuaile no longer for their madnes shall be euident vnto all men as theirs also was An end therefore will be of all troubles which these Locusts shall worke vnto the Church and Elect of God Fiue moneths is not long in respect of that eternitie which followeth and therefore in comfort be wee patient their time is set and they shall haue an end Againe this place may notably assure you and euery one that all which died in the time of Poperie were not cast-away but that at one time or other by one way or other the Lord gaue them light a holy departure in his truth and Stories tell vs how still in the time of darknes God raised vp some zealous and able Teachers of their brethren by whose ministerie and helpe many receaued light and ouercame the power of error Whereunto agrée the words of Primatius Illi hic intelliguntur qui licet falsis fuerunt irretiti doctrinis circa finem tamen vitae compuncti diuinam recipiunt veritatem They heere are vnderstoode who though they haue beene abused by false Doctrine yet in the end of their life hauing remorse they entertained the Heauenly truth The words following that in those dayes men shall seeke death and shall not finde it and shall desire to die and death shall flie from them verie effectually shew forth the tortures of conscience which Popish Doctrine casteth men into so well knowne by fearefull Examples as I néede not to stand vpon it Also the misteries of the Time wherein the Locusts should swarme fully expressed in Stories which indéede made many a man and woman wearie of life The little short time of Quéene Marie her Reigne how full it was of vexation and griefe is not nor cannot be forgotten Thirdly in the place of the Reuelation it is saide The forme of the Locusts was like vnto horses prepared vnto battell And sée how it resembleth Romish Locusts Horses are proud so are they Horses are bolde and sturdie fierce and cruell not turning backe but rushing forward so are they bold and bloodie sturdie and mercilesse not looking backe by repentance but rushing forward in hardnes of heart Horses are fat and faire and full of neighing so are they And for being prepared to battell all Histories shew what warres they haue caused and still doo in the world themselues being Leaders Captaines and Generals in them whereas wee knowe that the true Church of God by the Rule and Example of the Gospell ought to be a Daughter of peace not a Mother of debate A forgiuer of iniuries not a renenger of her selfe or a séeker of warres The Tragicall Storie betwixt Frederick the 2 and Gregorie the 9 may serue in steade of many to prooue what warres and treacheries come from Rome That horrible slaughter betwixt both sides of thirtie thousand the most Citizens of Rome whom will it not moue that readeth it This Pope was in the daies of Henry the 3 King of England The open warres proclaimed against the Gréeke Church shewe much But I will lay downe the very words of Pandolphus who wrote in Italian the life of this Frederick the 2 that such as haue not the Storie may sée this point fully and I pray you marke them well Truly saith He when I consider with my selfe that Christ whose Vicar the Romaine Bishops boast themselues to be said vnto his Disciples that they should follow him and imitate his Example as of their Maister and Teacher and commaunded them farther that they should not draw the sword but put the same into the scabbard and gaue them in precept that they should not onely forgiue iniuries 7. times but 70. times 7. times to those that offended them And when I now compare the liues of the Bishops of Rome how neere they follow him whose Vicars they say they are and consider so many and so great conspiracies treasons rebellions disloyalties lyings in waite and treacherous deuises so many Legates of the Popes being Ecclesiasticall persons which will needes be called the Sheepheards of Christ his Flocke to be such Warriours and Captaines of Souldiers in all the parts of Italy Campania Apulia Calabria being the Emperours Dominions in Picenum Aemilia Flaminia and Lumbardie to be sent against him Also when with my selfe I meditate the destruction of so many great and famous Cities the subuersion of such CoÌ„mon-weales the slaughter of so many men and the effusion of such Christian blood Lastly when I behold so victorious prosperous and fortunate Emperours to be and so many miserable infortunate vanquished Popes to be put to flight I am perswaded with my selfe to thinke and beleeue that the Iudgements of God are secret and marueilous and That to be true that Aeneas Siluius writeth in his Historie of Austria That there is no great and marueilous clade no notorious and speciall calamitie that hath hapned either to the Publique-weale or else to the Church of GOD whereof the Bishops of Rome haue not beene the Authors Add vnto this that Notable place in the Prophet Micah where speaking of Gods true Church it is saide they shall breake their swords into Mattocks and their speares into â—ithes that is their fierce affections shall by the power of the word be mortified and brotherly loue encreased with desire of peace and quietnes But these men euen contrarie breake their Mattocks into swords and their â—ithes into speares being so great so fierce so ambitions and common Warriours as they are The strange cruelties of Vrban the 5. making bloodie great warres vpon many and bringing them by force in subiection to him I omit These things shew how truly this Prophecie of the Apocalyps concerning Locusts like vnto horses prepared to battell agréeth to these Romish Locusts Popes Cardinals Legats Monkes Fryers Priests Iesuites and such like Nicholas Machiauel saith all the ruinous calamities and miserable clades that either Italy or whole Christendome hath suffered haue béene brought in by the Popes of Rome A faire warning to all Gods people to know them and auoide them Fourthly on their heads were as it were crownes like vnto gold And these haue Shauen Crownes tokens as they say of their Priestly and Kingly dignity Such Crownes are rightly said by S. Iohn to be like Crownes not Crownes indeede Surely right Notes they are of Romish Locusts and that may suffice as many as will be warned by any thing Fiftly And their faces were like the faces of men So are these not terrible in shew but curteous kinde fawning flattering watching catching with smooth wiles to effect their purpose They pretend all good making men beléeue that they can bring them to true Blessednes that they will teach them true Religion true Deuotion and giue them Pardon for
further successe according to the promise he held it most fit to behaue himselfe in such sort So was the case altered by an Omnipotent God striking euen that Lyon with a reuerence of his Minister and after great gifts giuen to the Colledge he departed peaceably into Aegypt Not an vnlike reuerence did God strike into the heart of Herode of Iohn Baptist the Text saying Herod feared Iohn knowing that he was a iust man a holy and reuerenced him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly Surely the Lord is the same both in power and mercie if we will be true Pastors and Ministers to him and his people Well may the mountaines be moued and the lesser hilles tremble but his mercie shall neuer depart from his Ministers nor the Couenant of his peace be altered Onely onely let vs looke to our part of the Couenant and performe it not loytering but labouring and that in such sort as maketh most for the edifying of our flocke Let not them gape vpon vs and catch nothing our words passing like a streame for our praise not for their profit c. 2 The bloud was to be put vpon the hornes of the Altar saith the 12. verse that so might bee shadowed how the preaching of the Gospell concerning the blood and passion of Christ should be published and sounded through the foure corners of the world euen ouer the whole earth And all the rest of the bloud thou shalt powre at the foote of the Altar So noting againe how the bloud of Christ though in it selfe sufficient for all yet becommeth not helpfull to all but is vnprofitably powred out for many as this héere was at the foot of the Altar through their owne vnbeleefe and wicked hardnes of heart treading vnder their féete that holy atonement Hebrewes 10. The fat was to be offered vnto the Lord euen the fat that couered the inwardes and the kall that is on the liuer and the two kidneyes c. That so men mightlearne to giue vnto God their best seruice duetie most thankfully euer confessing that all fatnes that is all comfort and prosperitie and ioy commeth from him as from the fountaine and it is due to him as his owne from all men But O change of mens hearts in these daies from this perswasion and duetie When the verie worst is thought good inough for God our worst corne our worst Calfe our worst Lambe and too often neyther good nor bad shall God haue of vs. Is this to burne the fatte vpon the Altar vnto the Lord Then for thankefull feeling as giuen of GOD it is also farre from vs many I meane as we are néere to consuming vengeance for the same We sacrifice prayse to our purses to our wits to our friends and to any thing rather than to God So that I feare the prophane Atheisme wickednesse of Aiax Timotheus two Captaines of Athens stealeth into the hearts of men in these daies Of which Aiax it is written that when he went to the Troian warre his carefull father Telamon aduised him to behaue himselfe manfully and to be valiant in attempting great things honourable and praise-worthie adiutore Deo God being his helper But Aiax like a mad Athiest answered Timidis ignauis opus esse auxilio Diuino That feareful and cowardly men had need of Gods help he would attaine to victorie without God Which odious and damnable Speach of an arrogant wretch Sophocles saith was punished with burning torches of Furies whereby he was bereaued of his wits and so madde slew himselfe A fit end for such a monster Of Timotheus the other Athiest thus we read That when certayne enuious persons spiting his successe made and spread abroade certayne pictures or fables wherein they portrayed Fortune hanging nets about such Cities as he had subdued he sléeping fast and dooing nothing whereby they maliciously sought to rob him of his due prayse and to giue it to Fortune hee vnadvisedly out of a proud and prophane heart brake out into these wordes Ego feci non Fortuua These thinges I tell you my selfe haue done not Fortune After which wordes hee neuer had successe in any seruice more Understand by Fortune GOD as the better Heathens did and the wickednes will appeare better of this Speach Let vs then learne to burne the fat vnto God that is euer and euer to acknowledge that all our prosperitie and successe all our comfort and good is from him and him onely without whom we can do nothing 3 But the flesh of the Calfe and his skinne and his doung shalt thou burne with fire without the host It is a sinne offering By these things was represented the Olde man subiect to sinne and curse which hath no place in the Church but must be carried out of the host flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of God Others apply it to Christ as a figure of him and aleadge the Apostles words to the Hebrewes where he saith The bodies of those beastes whose bloud is brought into the Holy place by the High-Priest for sinne are burnt without the campe Therefore euen Iesus that he might sanctifie the people with his owne bloud suffered without the gate As if he should haue said the carrying out of these things out of the host and burning of them there was a notable figure how Christ should suffer being an offering for sinne without the gate not in the Citie The vse whereof followeth in the same place Let vs therefore goe foorth to him out of the campe bearing his reproach Sée your Marginall Note in your Bible vpon the words 4 Going from this sacrifice to the next of the Ramme vers 17. he saith Thou shalt cut the Ramme in peeces c. It was not lawfull to teare and rend the sacrifices but there was vsed a cunning right cutting of euerie part whole vp as it grew vpon the bodie both for reuerence of the sacrifice and to the end euery part appointed by GOD to an vse might truely and rightly and wholly be so vsed From this cutting and diuiding the Apostle drewe his word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 2. 15 To deuide the word aright Not to rend and teare not to wring wrest to our fancies the holy Sayings of God not to bring a sense but to take a sense and to kéepe the puritie of doctrine the soundnes of truth the proportion of Faith teaching conuincing correcting and instructing in righteousnes rightly that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect to all good workes How men haue fayled in this who so readeth the Monuments of times may sée to his griefe In Tertullian and others how the Valentinian Heretikes and many moe abused the holy Scriptures by their interpretations euerie man may read Origen was learned yet how ill he diuided holy Writ by forced and conceyted allegories it is pitifull to see Thus may
the Lord in great mercie and wisedome that so his people fully busied and pleased with such varietie might haue neither cause nor leasure to looke vnto the wicked Idolatries of the Heathens according to the seuerall charges giuen them of God To beware lest they were taken in a snare to aske after their Gods saying how did these Nations serue their Gods that I may doe so likewise c. Séeing all the abhomination that God hateth they did vnto their Gods burning both their Sonnes and Daughters with fire to their Gods and the Lord would haue them doe onely what he commanded putting nothing vnto it neither taking any thing from it Secondly although Christ be but one and his Sacrifice but one yet great is the fruit and many seuerall mercies flow from him and his death vnto vs. By him our sinnes are dashed and washed out by him Gods wrath against vs is appeased by him we are adopted and taken for the Sonnes of God and Fellow-heires with him by him we are iustified and indued with the holy Ghost inabled thereby to die vnto sinne and to liue vnto righteousnesse walking in his holy Commaundements with comfort and longing for our deliuerance out of this vale of miserie That we may bee cloathed with our house which is from Heauen c. Diuers sorts of Sacrifices therefore were appointed to note by that varietie the varietie of these fruites of Christ to all beléeuers though he be but one Thirdly and lastly there were many sorts of Sacrifices that so plainely the Church might sée that these kinde of Sacrifices were not the true Sacrifices for sinnes For if any one had béen able to take away sinne the other had béen in vain added as the Epistle sayth to the Hebrews Those sacrifices which by the Law were yeerely offered could not sanctifie the commers thereunto For then would they haue ceased to haue been offered because the offerers once purged should haue had no more conscience of sinnes c. Therefore as I say the varietie and multitude of them was of purpose to shew amongst other things the insufficiencie and weakenesse of them In the second and 14. verses of this Chapter you may sée and note of what things they might offer sacrifice lawfully Namely Of Cattell Beefes and Sheepe vers 2 and of foules Turtle Doues or young Pigeons verse 14. For what God commanded that only might they lawfully doe neither adding nor diminishing Therefore detestable before God was that offering of men and children that we read of both amongst Jewes and Gentiles Of the Jewes the Psalme sayth They offred their Sonnes and Daughters vnto Diuels And againe They shed innocent blood the blood of their Sonnes and Daughters which they offred vp to the Idols of Canaan Of the Heathens read how the King of Moab in his distresse tooke his Sonne and offered him c. 2. Kings 3. 27 Happily these Heathens had it from the Patriarches that a man should come by whose Sacrifice Gods wrath should be appeased and they not vnderstanding how that should be namely by Christ founded therevpon this bloody cruelty to offer vp men and children in sacrifice Or else in their reason they framed this argument that if Sacrifices of Béefes shéepe and foules were acceptable to God much more must néeds be offerings of men But it was not so the Lord commaunding the one and abhorring the other Concerning these lawfull Sacrifices a good Note is giuen that forasmuch as God is pleased to receiue his Sacrifices of such thinges as man hath for his common meat béefe and shéepe c. Why should vile earth and ashes so hunt for delicacies to pamper vp their sinfull bodies as they doe neuer thinking any thing daintie ynough that may be gotten for the things sacrificed Ea sibi sacrificari iussit Deus quae ab Egyptijs pro Deo coluntur nempe de numero quadrupeduÌ„ Vitulum Capram Ouem é volatilibus Tuâ—turem pullos Columbarum c. vt sacrificijs destinata ne Deos putarent sedeum solum adorarent cui conuenit ista offerri Sic de immundis c. God would haue these things sacrificed vnto him which the Egyptians worshipped for Gods to wit of foure footed creatures the Calfe the Goat the Shéepe of soules the Turtle Doue young Pigeons c. that being thus appointed for sacrifice the Israelites might well know and sée that they were no Gods but that they ought to worship him onely to whom all these things were offered So of vncleane things c. If his Sacrifice be a whole burnt offering of the heard hee shall offer a Male without blemish c. Here begin the seuerall sorts and kindes of Sacrifices and first is named the burnt Offering and 3. sorts thereof One of the heard in this verse A second of the Flocke verse 10. and the third of foules verse 14. Concerning the first kinde you may obserue first in what case it was vsed and secondly with what rites and after what sort It was vsed both by the ancient Patriarkes their succéeding posteritie cheefely in the agonies of their consciences in their worldly distresses and their greatest feares to confirme their faith in God his assured assistance when and how his good pleasure should be that he would not forget them forsake them and leaue them but surely and mercifully he present with them looke vpon them and helpe them to their contentment and comfort When the Floud was ceased and Noah should enter out of the Arke to comfort his heart after such a great danger and heauy iudgement of an angry God vpon all flesh and to assure his soule of Gods gracious fauour to continue towards him for future times as it had mightily shewed it selfe for the time passed He built an Altar to the Lord and tooke of euerie cleane beast and of euerie cleane foule and offered a whole Burnt Offering vpon the Altar The Lord pleased therewith gaue him comfort accordingly and promised no more so to curse the ground againe for mans cause neither any more to smite all thinges liuing as he had done From thence forth there should be againe seede-time haruest cold and heat Summer and Winter day and night should not cease so long as the earth remayned When the Israelites endeauouring to reuenge that great wickednesse of the Beniamites to the Leuites wife and were twise fearefully ouerthrowne by the Beniamites then they went vp to the house of God and wept and fasted and offered Burnt Offerings c. When the Philistines came vp against Israel to fight with them and the Israelites were sore affraide then Samuel offered a Burnt Offering to confirme and comfort them and behold the effect the Lord thundred with great thunder vpon the Philistines and scattered them so that they were slaine before Israel When that great plague was amongst the people for Dauids sinne in numbring the people then in that griefe
of minde and woe of heart for his owne fault and the peoples death Dauid bought the threshing floore of Aranah c. And offered Burnt Offerings vnto the Lord wherevpon his comfort followed The Lord was appeased towards the Land and the plague ceased from Israel Thus might I wearie you with Examples but I will adde but one more the example of Salomon who béeing brought of God to the Kingdome of his father Dauid and wisely weighing the great charge and burthen of it as also his owne want of experience and skill to guide so great a ship troubled and perplexed in his heart betwixt a desire to doe well and a feare to light short of what he desired through his owne weakenesse got him in this agonie to his God and offered Burnt Offerings which likewise had effect to his ioy the Lord saw him and heard him and gaue him both wisedome for his charge which he onely begged and riches and honour which he begged not so that before him was neuer such a one neither after him should euer be the like Sée then as I said the vse of this kinde of Sacrifice in all feares and troubles when comfort was wished and a strong stable heart in Gods promises till the time of the same co 〈…〉 for t came without fainting or falling away Secondly after obseruation in what case the burnt Offering was vsed let vs consider the maner and circumstances of it which likewise you sée in this third Uerse c. First it must bee of the Herde or flockes if it were a beast not a wild Hart Bore Beare Woolf c. For these kinde of creatures being fierce sauage cruell and by force brought to death not otherwise could not be figures and shadowes of a méeke milde swéete and gracious Sauiour who willingly and louingly should euen lay downe his life for vs that wée by his death might be saued Secondly it was required to be a Male. The Male is stronger and perfecter than the Female and therefore fitter to shadowe and shew the strength and perfection of Christ in vanquishing sinne death druill and hell which the mightiest Monarche the earth euer had could neuer doe Thirdly it was required that it should be without blemish that is not blind not lame nor broken and so foorth as you may read Leuit. 22. ver 22. which when the Iewes obserued not sée how the Lord complaineth Malachie 1. 8. If any man thinke these bodily imperfections small things to be regarded of God it is very true but for an expresse commandement of God to stubbornely broken by dust and ashes that should obey is no small matter If we looke at the Apple eaten by our first Parents it was but an Apple a matter of small moment but when the Commandement saide no and yet they did it their fault was not small and so the punishment shewed Therefore euer in the Commandements of God we must not regard so much the thing as his Will who being our maker may command what he will and his will being euer iust holy wise and for our good if we haue grace ought to be obeyed precisely carefully and chearfully This condition of the burnt Sacrifice figured out the puritie of that Lambe that indéede had no blemish any way no guile found in his mouth but so cleane as by his cleannesse his righteousnesse béeing imputed vnto vs his Spirit dayly worketh our Sanctification and newnesse of life from sinne and vncleanesse Fourthly your Chapter saith it must be presented of voluntary will so to figure out that Christ should willingly not constrainedly giue himselfe to death for mankinde and peraduenture also to shew that God neuer liketh of constreyned seruice but will haue men doe their duties to him voluntarily as indéed is fit of the creature to the Creator euer Fiftly it must be presented at the doore of the Tabernacle God tying them to a place appointed by him and not suffering them to sacrifice where they listed themselues in euery place Deut. 12. 13. 14. as in the Margin the places are noted If this thought come in your minde why God should thus tye them to a place when as for the shadowing of Christ and confirming the faith of the Godly it seemeth rather it should haue béene lawfull euery where to sacrifice because euery where Christ is a comfort to all beléeuers and Faith in al places should receiue her appointed helpes to make strong and stable from despaire or doubt You againe may remember that there were two reasons chiefly of this Commandement The first is expressed in Leuit. Chap. 17. ver 3. c. Namely that by this meanes they might be stayed from vsing any vnlawfull maner in their Sacrifices and from following the fashions of their adioyning neighbours the Heathens which happily they might haue done if in euery place at their pleasure they might haue sacrificed The second reason was to signifie by this means that he only was the true Sacrifice for sin whom that Mercie seat there in the Tabernacle did represent which in that place where after the Temple should be built to wit in Ierusalem should offer himself for our sinnes If you aske whether by this example at this day a certaine place be requisite you may remember that euen by this example and true experience wisely our Elders haue both thought of prouided that in every Parish there should be a publike place euen a Church or Chappell whither except in case of necessitie all people of that Limyt should come to performe their duties to God publiquely after one maner not allowed at their wil euery one to haue a seuerall place lest priuate places should bréede priuate fancies errors and heresies schismes and deuisions in the Church Sixtly vpon the Burnt Offering you read here they must lay their hand euen vpon the head of it vers 4. And diuers good things were taught hereby to them that vnderstood rightly those Ceremonies then vsed For first the partie bringing that Sacrifice did by this means acknowledge that he himselfe deserued to dye but by the mercy of God he was spared and his desert laid vpon the beast for which he ought to be thankfull Secondly as that beast then was to die for him and to be offered in Sacrifice so did he beléeue Christ should come and die for him Thirdly that it is not enough to beléeue that Christ should come and die for sinne but he must put his hand vpon Christ that is lay vpon him all his iniquities by the hand of his Faith apply Christ to himselfe and beléeue that hée must die then and wée now that he hath dyed for his sinnes my sinnes your sinnes c Being the onely propitiation for sinne The Iewes put their hand vpon the workes of the Law the Heathens vpon their deuised worships Hypocrites vpon their almes fasts prayers c Making these things satiffactorie to God for them and so wronging the Lord Jesus
therefore that all Sacrifices had either all or part burned with fire c. We know not saith the Apostle what to pray as we ought but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities c. The Spirite beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the children of God If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his The Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake The Spirit shal quicken your mortall bodies and so foorth This fire therefore the Lord euer vouchsafe vnto vs and we shall doe well Lastly when it is sayd the wood must be layd in order the peeces in order and all in order well might they then and we now obserue and learne how highly God is pleased with order and how much he abhorreth confusion Wherefore the Apostle giueth it for a Rule Let all things be done decently and in order And the more we frame our selues vnto good order the more assurance we euer haue the Spirit gouerneth vs. But the Inwards the Legges thereof shall ye wash in water sayth your Chapter The eleuenth Circumstaunce in this kinde of Sacrifice notably shadowing how Christ our Sauiour brought nothing impure or vncleane vnto his Passion as all other men doe when they suffer For although they suffer willingly ioyfully yet doe what they can they shall euer finde a law in their members rebelling against the law of their minde and leading them captiue vnto the law of sinne which is in their members No man therefore can offer a perfect offering to his God for his sinnes Onely Christ hath whose Inwards and Legges were washed that is who wholly was pure and immaculate within and without euery way This This is my wel-beloued Sonne in whom I and in whom onely I am well pleased Lastly this burnt Offering in this sort vsed and offered was a sweet sauour vnto the Lord sayth the Text. Not that God is delighted as man with any outward sauour but because first being done according to his prescript he accepted it and liked it and secondly he saw in it his slaine Sonne and smelled as it were his obedience which though it was fulfilled in time yet was with God from the beginning as hee was also slaine from the beginning Thus haue you viewed the Ceremonies of the first kinde of Burnt Sacrifices taken from the Herd Consider of them againe and often the Lord being intreated shal make them profitable to you The second kinde of Burnt-offerings ANd if his Sacrifice for the Burnt-offering be of the Flockes as of the Sheepe or of the Goates he shall offer a Male without a blemish c. The first kinde was of the Herde as you haue séene now the second is of the Flockes where againe you may note the Ceremonies before in the other kinde obserued and let that Exposition serue here without any repetition againe of the same things One thing here is which was not before touched namely how they shall kill it on the North-side of the Altar not on any side indifferently but on the North-side onely which was done assuredly to draw this his people from the idolatrie of the Gentiles who worshipped the Sunne in many places and therefore euer in their seruices turned them towards the place where the Sunne was as in the morning to the East at mid-day to the South at night to the West And matters of great moment they would referre to the iudgement of the Sunne The Persians in choise of a King agréed that all should méete at a place on Horsebacke betimes and whose Horse first neighed before the rising of the Sunne he should be King For they tooke the Sun for a God and Horses with them were consecrated to the Sunne as things pleasing to him In Tyrus when seruants and slaues had cruelly slaine by treachery and villanie their Masters and all Freemen they forsooth would make a King of themselues and how Euen thus they would all assemble before the Sunne and he that could first sée the Sunne arise he should be King as chosen out by that their God the Sunne These toyes lest the Israelites should learne of their neighbours the Heathens God not onely by words expresse prohibitions but also by such signes as this would teach and instruct them On the North-side therefore must this Burnt-offering be killed 2 This Ceremonie might admonish them that the full Sunne Christ Iesus was not yet risen vnto them but in time he should come and shine in his strength For these Sacrifices and Legall Rites were but as litle candels that gaue some small light and a farre more excellent Light should they expect that beléeued in due time And now I pray you hath it not appeared and with his glory put out all these dimme Lights of the Law We know it and find it with thankefulnesse euer may we thinke of it For he that reserued vs for these times and these times for vs could haue made vs be borne and to haue our being in the darkest times But now this Ceremonie of turning to the North is gone and we may turne any way and please God The time is come when the true worshippers shall worship in Spirit and trueth euery where and euery way lifting vp pure hands vnto God Thus much would our old Fathers signifie by the placing of the vpper ende of our Churches East-ward not North-ward which they would not haue done if they had thought this Ceremonie had bound men still Let vs then vse things indifferent indifferently and not vnto any superstition or sinne The third kinde of Burnt-offering 1 ANd if his Sacrifice be a Burnt-offering to the Lord of Fowles then he shall offer his Sacrifice of the Turtle-Doues or of the yong Pigeons Behold the third sort of burnt Offerings taken neither of the Herde nor of the Flocks but of the Fowles wherein first the Lorde by varietie did méete with the variable and mutable nature of man and so kept that people from lusting after the fashions of the wicked Secondly he mercifully regarded and prouided for the poore that should not be able to offer the former sorts and so might haue béene discomforted with it This appeareth Chap. 5. vers 7. 11. 14. 21. 22. 2 But of Fowles you sée héere not all sorts might be offered as Géese Cockes and vncleane Fowles whereof you read els-where but Turtles and Pigeons Which Fowles long before this time God appointed Abraham to offer Gen. 15 Happily because these most aptly figured Christ In whom was all holy simplicitie pacience innocencie c. 3 Concerning the Rytes your Chapter specifieth them in this sort The Priest shall wring the necke of it a sunder or pinch it with his nayle so as not the head should be quite plucked of but wounded that the blood might goe out and the creature die Thus was the Passion of Christ shadowed out whose blood was shed and he dyed yet his head not plucked
righteousnesse Christ helpeth this hunger being made righteousnesse and wisedome and sanctification and redemption vnto vs. Am I afraid to die and hunger for comfort Christ is my helpe for this hunger and telleth me that blessed are the dead which die in him He that beleeueth in him shall not die eternally But though he be dead yet shall he liue Death is swallowed vp in victorie O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victorie Thankes Thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs Victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ 5 He shall powre Oyle vpon it and put Incence thereon saith the Text Oyle delighteth the taste and Incense the smelling Neither of them careth God for we know But thus it pleased him to shadow-out vnto his people that they should euer serue him according to his owne presciption which is acceptable as a good taste or smell is and not with the vnsauourie inuentions of their owne braine as hatefull vnto him as the other is pleasing Againe the Oyle noted Christ his kindnesse and mercie which he should euer shewe to poore penitent sinners wounded and smitten with woe for their manifold frailties and sinnes He should not be rough vnto them sterne and cruell but soft as Oyle gracious and kinde swéete and comfortable ready to receiue them and pardon them Learne of mee I am meeke and lowly in heart take my yoke vpon you and you shall finde rest vnto your soules For my Yoke is easie and my burden is light Come vnto me all yee that are wearie and laden and I will ease you 6 Incense againe figured out the prayers of Christ for his Church so powerfull with God his Father that not onely he was heard himselfe but thereby he obteyned that whatsoeuer we should aske in his Name and for him we should receiue also The vaine vse of Frankincense in Popish Churches as an imitation of the Law is still to loue darkenesse when God vouch safeth light still to continue abolished Ceremonies and still to be stubborne against God with a will-worship of our owne neglecting his Will And shall bring it vnto Aarons sonnes the Priests and he shall take c. Whatsoeuer was offered to God must be giuen into the hand of the Priest still representing vnto men this Doctrine That onely by Christ there was accesse to God and no way els According to that plainer Reuelation in the Gospel by himselfe No man commeth to the father but by me I am the way And let vs therefore by him offer the Sacrifice of praise to God c. Heb. 13. verse 15. 2 A handfull of the Flowre and of the Oyle with all the Incense and the Priest shall burne it for a memoriall vpon the Altar for it is an offering made by fire for a sweet sauour vnto the Lord. Not all the Flowre but a handfull not all the Cakes but one not all was burned but onely a little part of one the rest went to the Priests and none could eate of it but the Priests It was a Memoriall to them to assure them that God did respect the partie Offering and would be mercifull vnto him And because it so pleased God it should be to him also it was a Memoriall to extend his swéete goodnesse to his penitent seruant 3 This Meat-offering you sée in your Chapter was either baked vers 4. or fryed in the Frying-panne vers 5. or sodden in the Caldron vers 7 And which way so-euer it was thrée Rules were to be obserued specified in the Text. First It must be without Leauen vers 11. In the 7. Chapter vers 13. and in the 22. Chap. verse 20. You may read of a lawfull vse of Leauen but it was neuer lawfull by the Law to offer vnto GOD for a Sacrifice any Leauened bread Leauen being a Figure both of corrupt Doctrine and bad life Beware of the Leauen of the Scribes and Pharisees that is of their corrupt Doctrine Mat. 16. And let vs keepe the feast not with old Leauen neither in the Leauen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse but with the vnleauened bread of sinceritie and truth 1. Cor. 5. 8. Leauen noted bad life Christ thē being shadowed in al these burnt Offerings by this Rule of hauing no Leauen they were taught the puritie of Christ his Doctrine and the holinesse of his life His Doctrine so pure that it maketh others pure Ye are cleane through the Word which I haue spoken vnto you And Verily verily I say vnto you if any man keepe my Word he shall not see death Then you sée it maketh cleane His life also so pure that not onely his false accusers could fasten no fault vpon him but by his innocencie he appeased Gods wrath for our impuritie Againe it taught the Church in that Legall fashion by darke figure that after Christ his example they ought also to be frée from both these to wit false doctrine and ill manes Not teaching if they be Teachers any corrupt matter not beléeuing and holding if they be no Teachers and absurd vntrueths Neither Teachers nor People leading a wicked life but in holinesse and righteousnesse as the Lord shall inable spending all their dayes The second Rule is That there he no hony in his Meat-offering made by fire vnto the Lord. Of Hony we read many things as that the nature of it is to preserue bodyes not suffering them to rot and putrifie That many by the vse of it liue vnto a great age as namely in the I le of Corsica by Plinies Testemonie who calleth them long-liuers onely by the dayly vse of Hony Hony hath a swéete and pleasing taste not sharpe Whereupon Salomon saith Faire words are as a hony combe sweetnes to the soule and health to the bones My Sonne eate Hony for it is good and the hony-combe for it is sweet vnto the mouth What might be the reason then that God did forbid any hony to be vsed in this Offering Answere is made that hony although it be swéet in taste yet it is bitter by effect For it greatly increaseth choler which is as bitter as the hony is swéet Secondly although hony be good to eate yet a man may eate too much of it Prou. 25. 26. Thirdly euen in taste it will not séeme swéete if you eate much but very bitter or sowre Lastly it hath the very nature of Leauen béeing boyled and so hauing gotten a little sharpenesse Nowe forasmuch as none of these things are in Christ who was shadowed by this Sacrifice therefore is hony forbidden to be vsed in it as you read here in your Chapter aswell as Leauen vers 11. First in Christ there is no such swéetnesse as ingendreth bitternesse or any euill to the true Cater of him by Faith Secondly Christ cannot be receiued or eaten too much but the more we féede on him the better Thirdly Christ is not swéet at the beginning and bitter at the
to Corne which except it fall into the ground and dye it abideth alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruite And the Apostle calleth Christ the first-fruites The beating also of the Corne out of the husks shadowed the bitter Passion of our Sauiour 2 The remainder a memoriall being burned to God did remaine to the Priests so shadowing out that Christ should not obtaine Heauen for himselfe but for his Church which was represented in the Priest all being a royall Priest-hood Againe it taught how carefull God would haue his seruants for the maintenance of the Ministrie when they sée him so carefull of them and for them From which care how farre they are that spoyle them and all manner of wayes abus◠them let their owne soules witnesse vnto them before the smarting day come And thus doe you profit by this Chapter CHAP. III. THE Burnt-offering and the Meat-offering thus passed ouer this Chapter returning againe to the Sacrifices of liuing creatures speaketh of the Peace-offering that is a Sacrfice of thanksgiuing offered for peace and prosperitie either generally or particularly For who sayth Iob hath beene fierce against him and hath prospered He remoueth the Mountaines and they feele not when he ouer-throweth them in his wrath He remoueth the Earth out of her place and the pillars thereof do shake c. That men therefore might know their peace and safetie both of their persons and goods to procéede only from this Almightie GOD therefore would he haue a set kinde of Sacrifice to be offered of them for the same and called a Peace-offering This kinde of Sacrifice hath something like and something vnlike to the Burnt-offering described in the first Chapter Like were these It was brought to the doore of the Tabernacle as that was the Offerers hand layd vpon the head killed and the blood sprinckled about the Altar as there c. Vnlike were these In that onely a Male might be offered in this either Male or female in that the whole was burnt in this onely a part namely the fat and as you sée vers 4. c in that no part went to any man but the skinne this was deuided into 3. parts one to the Lord one to the Priest and one to the Offerer as you see in the 7. Chapter of this Booke and Deut. 18. in that foules might bee offered in this not c. Of the former nothing néeds to be sayd againe because in the first Chapter they were sufficiently opened but of the latter a little 1 First then what might it meane that in the Burnt-Offering onely a Male might be offered and in this Peace-offering both Male and Female Answere may be made that first the Lord in this would drawe the Israelites from the manner and fashion of the idolatrous Egyptians who in their Sacrifices as Herodotus noteth vsed to offer no Female And secondly hée would herein yéeld a comfort to all women that for them Christ should die aswell as for men and they should be heires of his Kingdome by Faith in Christ aswell as men For there is neither Iewe nor Graecian saith the Apostle there is neither bound nor free there is neither Male nor Female but we are all one in Christ Iesus And ye husbands saith S. Peter dwell with your wiues as men of knowledge giuing honour vnto the women as vnto the weaker vessell Now marke euen as they which are heires together of the grace of Life that your prayers be not interrupted A swéet Sauiour then is the Lord Iesus you sée to women aswell as to men if they haue grace to beléeue and in token here of GOD would haue the Female offered aswell as the Male. It was a blessed Woman that sayd My spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour And so may euery true-beléeuing woman say with comfort 2 In the Offering of the fat that couereth the Inwards and all the far that is vpon the Inwards c. vers 3. 4. Some haue iudged the delights and pleasures of the flesh to be shadowed which of a true childe of God are to be killed and slaine as Sacrifices were and mortified Others looking at the phrase of the Scripture which vsually noteth by the word fat the best things haue thought that herein was figured taught how men ought to offer to God euer of their best and not as we now a dayes doe of our worst For the phrase you haue it often in Scripture as when God saith All the fat of the Oyle all the fat of the wine haue I giuen thee that is the chiefest or the best Numb 18. In the Psalme God would haue fed them with the fat of the Wheat your vulgar Translation expresseth what that is euen with the finest Wheat-flower In another Psalme My soule shall be satified as it were with marow and fatnesse That is euen as it were with the best things and so in many places more For the matter who in right should haue the best if God should not of whom we haue the best and all whatsoeuer we haue Thinke then of this many wayes by your selfe andaamend what is amisse In your Tythes and Duties do you giue the best Do you offer the fat No no your conscience accuseth you fearefully I feare in this behalfe He that sweareth swaggereth all his youth and intendeth to offer vnto God his old age when for debilitie of body he can doe no more harme doth he offer to GOD the fat or the leane the best or the worst He that hath many sonnes and can indure none to serue God in his Temple but onely one that is lame and full of imperfections doth hée offer willingly the fat vnto his God Who gaue him all these branches of his body and must giue him comfort of them or else he shall neuer haue any but vnspeakable woe and griefe in stéed of it Thus may you go further in this Meditation and be the better by it in many particulars Againe because this fat appoynted to be offered was an inward thing and not an outward Others haue thought that thereby was figured how carefull we must euer be to offer vnto God our inwards without which no eternall dutie can or will please God Hypocrites are full of out-ward holinesse make cleane diligently the out-side of the platter but God abhorreth them and their painted shewes The true worshippers of God take an other course and looke that all be well within The Lord saith Dauid loueth truth in the inward parts and his Sacrifice is a troubled spirit a broken and a contrite heart within not a pale face a downe looke many out-ward sighes that are heard of men vaine fasting from flesh and surfeting vpon Fish c. Enter into thy Chamber and shut the doore to thee and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Still still offer to God thy in-wards Moses prayed within Anna prayed within that her chéeke quiuered with the vehemencie
Catechisme among them you will be found an vnprofitable seruant in the Reckoning-day one that hath gayned nothing to his Lord but hid his talent in the fowle Napkin of fruitlesse matter and idle figures of affected spéech Are you a hearer and no teacher Looke at your Leauen doth it heaue you vp in thankes for the Gospell vouchsafed vnto you in loue to them that truely preach it in honest life to them that looke at our example Doe you season your children seruants familie as you are able This is new leauen then in you and good leauen accepted of GOD and profitable to your selfe be thankefull for it and God increase the measure of it 4 In the 14. verse you read thus Of all the Sacrifice hee shall offer one Cake for an heaue-offering vnto the Lord c. And bui one Cake saith a Writer vpon this Booke was appointed that it might shadow out one Holy Communion to be celebrated in time to come of the Church and not so many Masses euen Masses vpon Masses c. 5 In the 15. verse c. A Law is made that the Flesh of the Peace-offerings for thankesgiuing shall bee eaten the same day that it is offered and nothing thereof left vntill the Morning A Ceremonie vsed saith One to signifie that publike Feasts should not be superfluously continued and kept long vnder the colour of Religion For GOD loueth not idle banquetting and prodigall spending although hée alow graciously what is fit for the occasion Mariage-Feasts therefore in some Places according to the equitie of this Law are restrayned to one day or two dayes and not more So of other lawfull occasions of méetings A Ceremonie sayth Another made in wisedome by God lest if the Flesh should haue smelled by longer kéeping Religion might so haue béene vile in the eyes of tickle persons Happily also saith the same Person to restraine vaine glory which some would haue shewed in sacrificing often with small charge if the meat might haue béene kept salted and so offered againe for a glorie 6 But if the Sacrifice of his Offering be a Vow or a Free-offering it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his Sacrifice and so in the Morning the residue thereof shall be eaten But as much of the offered flesh as remayneth vnto the third day shall be burned with fire For if any of the Flesh of his Peace-offerings bee eaten in the third day he shall not be accepted that offereth it neither shall it be reckoned vnto him but shall be an abhomination therefore the person that eateth of it shall beare his iniquitie That is the Sinne for which he offered shall still remayne and not be forgiuen The Flesh then of the first sort must be eaten the same day and this of the second sort in two dayes none might be eaten the third day but if any remained burned A Ceremony say some fore-telling and fore-shewing that this out-ward worship of God by Sacrifices and such Ceremonies should haue his being no longer than vnto the Resurrection of the Messiah which was on the third day Others make vse of this Ceremonie thus eueÌ„ to learne thereby that the taking hold of Christ and his benefits is not to be deferred and put off but spedily and quickly to be done whilest time serueth oportunitie is offered for behold saith Christ to day and to morrow I cast out Deuils and the third day c. Luke 13. 32. that is a short time I haue yet to go on with my Ministerie and then I shall be slaine So the Phrases to day and to Morrow signifie a short time and therefore when this Law alotteth but one day to eat the one sort and but two at the vttermost for the second well may we learne by it that whilest by the Preaching of the Word the fruite and benefit of Christ is offered we spéedily take hold and deferre not lest the time elaspe and we finde the doore shut against vs. This poynt hath bene handled before 7 Others deuide all time into three dayes as it were and the first day they make from Adam to Christ The second from Christ to the Iudgement and The third euer after In these two first dayes the Gate is open to true penitent sinners that come when they are called without putting-off from day to day but these two dayes neglected and ended there is no more sacrifice for â—â—nne no more mercie no Christ nor Comfort any longer but a fearefull expectation of iudgement and eternall death for euer More particularly euery man and woman may be said to haue three dayes The first of Youth till Age come The second of Age till death come and in these two dayes there is mercie offered but the 3. day is after death and then no helpe As here on the 3. day no Offering was accepted but the sinne remayned vnpardoned and not forgiuen All these applications by Godly men tending to our good are agreable to the proportion of Faith we may be bettered by them 8 In the 19. verse c. You haue another Law of vncleannesse growing by touching For the Flesh sayth your Chapter that toucheth any vncleane thing shall not be eaten but burnt with fire c. Againe If any eate of the Flesh of the Peace-offerings that pertayne to the Lord hauing his vncleannesse vpon him euen the same person shall bee cut-off from his people Moreouer when any toucheth any vncleane thing as the vncleannesse of man or of an vncleane beast or of any filthy abhomination and eate of the Flesh of the Peace-offerings which pertayneth vnto the Lord euen that person shall bee cut-off from his people A man would thinke that rather this Flesh of the Sacrifice representing Christ shonld sanctifie all things that it touched than be defiled by any thing so that it might not be eaten But the Ceremonie aptly teacheth what it was intended for if you marke it For as it was meant it sheweth that Christ sanctifieth and bettereth none but such as take hold of him by a true Faith To others if they touch him hée is vncleane not in himselfe who euer is holy and pure the immaculate Lambe of God but accidentally he is hurtfull by reason of their want of Faith and prophanesse according to the Scripture We preach Christ Crucified to the Iewes a stumbling-blocke to the Graecians foolishnesse but to them that are called of both sorts wee preach Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God And that the vncleane Toucher of this Sacrifice was to be cut-off it taught them the punishment of vnreformed Hypocrites and still doth shew what shall bée the ende of those that touch Christ that is beare his Name and are called Christians vse his Word come to his Sacraments and yet as the Psalme saith Hate to bee amended surely they shall be cut-off their ende shall be destruction and they shall perish eternally Euer
whereby this Leprosie was discerned of the Priest you haue in the Text deepe spots greenish or reddish which séeme to belower than the wall Also how the Priest might not rashly condemne the house but must shut it vp a time and then loke vpon it again and yet we can hastily and rashly condemne our brethren our equals our betters that they are thus and so There was an easier clensing by scraping and changing the infected stones and a harder clensing by quite pulling it downe God gently dealeth with sinners if it may serue and quite ouer-throweth the incurable The expiation sheweth we ought to haue cleane houses and the Offering noteth from whom all health is euen from God CHAP. XV. SOme other vncleanes incident to man and woman is mentioned in this Chapter whereof modestly you may thinke as you read it Unto the 9. verse he speaketh of man and then verse 19. of the woman For vse vnto your selfe first consider by occasion of these things that originall corruption which is gotten into our nature by the fall of our first Parents through which we are most vncleane many wayes in the eyes of God The Lord hath a great care to worke this meditation in vs strongly when hée so amplifieth these natural vncleanesses in vs as that euery thing is made vncleane which toucheth him in that case Euery bed whereon hee lyeth euery thing whereon hee sitteth whosoeuer toucheth the bed shall wash his clothes c. He that sitteth vpon the seate where hee sate The saddle that hee rideth on yea the vessell that hee toucheth and so foorth So also of the woman in the latter part of the Chapter modestly read and be edified Thinke of the Scriptures that note this corruption in vs telling vs that all the imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts are onely euill continually That in vs that is in our flesh dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with some as with the Apostle that spake it and yet he found no meanes to performe that which is good For hee could not doe the good which he would but the euill that he would not that did hee And so foorth as followeth in that Chapter most notably That they which are in the flesh sauour the things of the flesh That the naturall man perceiueth not the things which are of God but they are foolishnesse to him c. Thinke what particular parts of vs are charged with this corruption sée if they be not the very chiefest as the vnderstanding the will the heart the eyes the eares and so foorth Be mooued with it and renouncing your selfe séeke for remedie where it onely is and not in your selfe Follow the Counsaile of the Apostle take his words as an explication of the end of this Ceremonie Namely that wée indeauour to cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and Spirit and that wee finish our Sanctification in the feare of GOD. To this end the Lord hath ordained holy Matrimonie and taught that it is honourable among all men To this end hée hath forbidden all vncleane lusts and taught vs that Whoremongers and Adulterers hee will iudge For this is the Will of GOD saith the Apostle Euen your sanctification and that yee should abstaine from Fornication That euery one should know to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour And not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles which know not God And blessed are the cleane in heart saith our Sauiour Christ for they shall see God Strengthen your selfe therefore in this holy course by these Scriptures and the like Consider often the Commandement of God in whose hand is death if you disobey Consider his nature that hée is puritie and cleanenes it selfe and as hée is our heauenly Father so should wée bée his children and seruants Consider how it is impossible to pray to him aright with an vncleane minde for any want wée haue Consider what hope wée can haue of eternall life if we loue vncleanenes when the Rule is thus Follow holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Consider the hurt of example The danger that groweth to a Common-wealth when for such filthinesse the Lord often ouer-throweth a whole state as the licentious life of one Paris did Troy And finally thinke what vgly diseases and maladies what rotting and burning what shame and confusion the Lord layeth euen in this life vpon vncleane persons besides the fearefull fall eternâ—ll that is assured afterward when this life is ended Meditate I say of these things and pray continually for grace and strength Say with the good old Father when any wicked motion péepeth vp O Lord helpe O Lord strengthen for I suffer violence and am assaulted c. 2 In the washing here mentioned and in the Atonement note the mercie of God towardes all miserable sinners and sée with comfort that although the fall of our first Parents hath thus blotted vs and spotted vs that indéede we are most vncleane yet ought wée not to despaire but take hold of him by a liuely Faith Who will not the death of a sinner but rather that hee should repent and liue disliking himselfe for his manifold sins and cleaning to his God for his manifold mercies And when you read thus often of water cleane not in the clement or creature of water but remember Saint Iohn that Iesus Christ came by water and blood and it is hee onely that washeth away our spots and saueth vs from our sinnes Water cannot do it nor any worke of ours but if wee wash our selues with snow water as Iob saith and purge our hands most cleane Yet shall he plunge vs in the pit and our owne clothes shall make vs filthy And by the Offering of the Turtles it was playnly figured that not in themselues but in some other they must bée made cleane from all their impurities I remember the Speach of a good Writer yet a Fryer and I pray you marke it There are some saith Hee That thinke themselues by and by made cleane if they shed a few teares and bewayle their sinnes Multiply their fasts and giue Almes c. But my Brethren although these bee good things yet they are not equiualent to our sinnes Thus breaketh trueth out of them that otherwise affected Rome Sée then how Poperie wrongeth the soules of men in sending them to the things that cannot helpe and drawing them deceitfull from the true and perfect sanctification and satisfaction of Christ Remember the words of One of theirs We runne with great boldnes to the Saintes that by their merites and prayers wee may come to immortalitie Come vnto her all ye that trauell and are heauie laden meaning the Virgin Marie and shee shall refresh and comfort your soules What is it to leaue the fountaines and springs of God and to digge vnto our selues Cisternes that can hold no water if
indeauour the supplanting of both Trueth and Peace vnder the colour of policie and safetie c. The cutting and marking of their flesh was also Heathenish 15 Thou shalt not make thy daughter common to cause her to be a whore least the land also fall to whoredome and the Land bee full of wickednesse This is a Branche of the Commandement against Adulterie admonishing Parents to looke to their houses and Magistrates to looke to the Land that there be no Stewes nor places of sinne suffered for any colour whatsoeuer as is in Rome for gaine euen an yearely Reuenue The power of Satan ouer Heathens in this matter was fearfull and therefore the Lord admonisheth his people to beware of their fashions and sinnes The Cyprij say our Bookes before the marriage of their daughters maydens appointed certaine dayes places when where they were to come together so to rayse a dowrie marriage portion for them The Locrenses thought it was a way to please their gods to prostitute their Uirgins and therefore in any distresse and danger of warre and the like they would make vowes that if they might haue victorie and bée deliuered so and so many maydens vpon a solemne Feast appointed for that purpose should bee prostituted These horrible things serue to shew vs the corruption of our nature and the blindnes entred into our vnderstanding by the first fall till God renue vs by his holy Spirit and giue vs the light of his Word as also to stirre vs vp to thankfulnesse to our most gracious God for better knowledge vouchsafed to vs whereby wée are kept from being such beasts and monsters as these Heathens were and men still are without him 16 You shall not regard them that worke with spirits neither Southsayers you shall not seeke to them to be difiled by them I am the Lord your God Conferre this with Deut. 18. and with that which hath béen sayd in the Commandement against Witches c. 17 Thou shalt rise vp before the hore-head and honour the person of the olde man and dread thy GOD I am the LORD A branch of the Commandement for these olde men are in stead of Fathers And therefore the Apostle willeth them to bée exhorted a◠Fathers Againe olde Age is a blessing of God and therefore it should bee reuerenced The contempt of it is the contempt of God and so taken by him as these wordes shewe héere and dread thy God This honour to bée done to them must also teach them so to liue and behaue themselues as they may bee worthy of all honour and reuerence 18 And if a stranger soiourne with you in your land you shall not vexe him But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be as one of your selues and thou shalt loue him as thy selfe For yee were Strangers in the land of Aegypt c. A gratious God thus euery way to méete with our corruption and to restraine it by his wise and holy lawes Hee knoweth and wee should learne to féele the aking heart in a stranger that is out of his Countrey and farre from his frindes wanting many things that he is ashamed to speake of and knoweth not how to get them Therefore not further to be verid with our churlish and vnkinde words or déeds But we to remember the olde saying Aut sumus aut fuimus possumus esse quod hic est Either wee are or haue been or may be that which hee is God make vs thankefull for his comforts 19 Yee shall not doe vniustly in Iudgement in Lyne Weight or Measure You shall haue iust Ballances true Weights c. God is truth and requireth truth in vs. Againe euill gotten goods the third heire shall not enioy and therefore truth is best These are the Lawes of a righteous God and wée must regard them if euer we meane to be regarded of him Happie shall wée be if we doe it And let this suffice of this Chapter CHAP. XX. THis Chapter repeateth Lawes mentioned before adding punishments to the breakers of them which before was not done It shall not therefore be néedfull to goe ouer them all againe particularly but leaue you to conferre them your self which you may doe by helpe of the quotations in the Margent of your Bible referring you to the former places where the same Lawes were mentioned without addition of that punishment which here now is layd downe Onely for order sake I will giue you these few obseruations 1 In laying downe seuerall paynes and punishments for the breakers of his Lawes the Lord teacheth that Common-wealths and gouernments doe stand and are preserued aswell by punishments of the euill as by rewards of the good and that as néedfull therefore is the one as the other If either reward or good examples of such as loue obedience would serue it were best but it neuer would nor wil the lesser part being euer so led and the greater by feare of paynes The saying is olde and true It is as great a vertue to keepe what is gotten as first to get it and euen so is it as good a dutie in a Magistrate to sée Lawes kept as at first to make them And since they will not be kept of all without punishments therefore punishments are most necessarie Idle then and absurde was it in those Heretickes that argued God not to be Author of the Olde Testament because there are so many punishments mentioned and executed For is it a fault in a Chirurgion to cut of a corrupt part for the sauing of the whole So in the Magistrate it is no crueltie but vertue to preferre the safetie of many before the will and liking of one 2 The punishments héere threatned and appointed for Idolatrie and Idolaters is very worthy noting Whosoeuer sayth GOD shall giue his children to Molech an Idoll of the Ammonites as you sawe before vnto whom they burned and sacrificed their children 2. Kin. 23. Verse 10. and by this one kinde the Lord vnderstandeth all kindes of Idolatrie that person shall the people of the land stone to death But what if they bée negligent sée the seueritie of God against this sinne Then will I saith God set my face against that man and cut him off from among his people Yea I say againe If the people of the Land hide their eyes and winke at that offender and kill him not then will I set my face against that man and against his familie and will cut him off and all that goe a whoring after him c. Why Lord why so Because hee hath defiled my Sanctuarie and polluted my holy Name See in these tearmes the nature of Idolatrie yet there is mercie with the Lord and great patience Tempt him not therefore but meditate of these Examples Salomon fell to Idolatrie and what a iudgement did God shew vpon his house in his sonnes entrance Rehoboam by cutting off for euer from him ten of the Tribes Manasses