béene noted before this meditation may arise how Gods aduersaries séeke often to oppugne the truth by the selfe same meanes whereby he doth teach it As if Scripture be alleaged Sathan will doe the like if the true Prophets vse a signe then will Zidkia make him hornes to and say when went the spirit from me to thée All which God doth suffer to draw vs forward to true and sound knowledge without which wee cannot stand but shal be shaken to and fro with doubts and feares and wauering conceipts most vnfit for beléeuers The wordes of the Apostle calling vpon vs to be stedfast vnmoueable abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord. Not to he caried about with euery blast of vaine doctrine but to continue grounded and stablished in the saith not moued away from the hope of the Gospell c Saint Peter in like manner admonisheth to beware of being plucked away with the error of the wicked and of falling from stedfastnesse noting those that forsook the right way and followed the way of Balaam Labour we therefore to know how we stand and building vpon the rocke indéede though such iugâ—ing Sorcerers as these arise in the world and Apishly follow that course to subuert which Gods Ministers follow to strengthen yet they shall not shake vs but we patiently abiding a time setled vpon our true grounds the falshood shall appeare at last and all their follies be discouered in the end to the honour of God the glorie of his truth the comfort of his children and the confusion of such Egyptian Jugglers for euer Gamaliel could note it that Theudas had his time yet in the end fell with all his followers That Iudas of Galilie had his time and drew away much people after him but at last hee perished and the people were scattered Let not Gamaliel be wiser than we to obserue good things for his instruction 7 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said pray ye vnto the Lord that he may take away the frogges from me and from my people and I will let the people goe c. Why doth he not make his Wisemen take them away his Inchaunters and Sorcerers that could set a shew of making the like Could they cause frogges to come and not goe Or why doth he not call to his gods and Idols to helpe him to take them away Can none helpe him but Moses and Aaron by praying for him See then how the Lord when he pleaseth is able to force the wicked to the acknowledgment of him and his true Ministers and let it comfort vs in the middest of all contempts either of our God of our faith and religion or of our persons He can bring them downe that looke so coy by touches of bodie pinches in minde losses in goods and infinite waies And if therefore it please him a while to indure their pride we also must endure it and not grieue at it These exampels must be readie in our mindes euer when we sée such things Not long since this proud Pharaoh said WHO IS THE LORD But now he séeth and must confesse that there is no helpe but in this Lord. His Gods are weake and the frogs crawled in despight of them Moses therefore must pray to his God to helpe and take them away And who now but Moses Aaron with Pharaoh Ah wée despised Ministers by the proude worldlings let vs marke it and beare their coÌ„tempts In their extremities they shall acknowledge our callings iustifie our loue and wishe our prayers They shall stoupe they shall stoupe when our God pleaseth and it is inough Remember that great Nabuchadnezar how the Lord stouped him till hée should know that the Lord ruleth Pray pray for vs O Samuel said the stobborne Israelites when God would and so they came to him whom they erst neglected Men and brethren what shall we doe said they béeing touched that before thought much to be aduised by such men Ieroboam sendeth to the Prophet whose doctrine he would not follow and no worse a messenger than his owne wife and in his heart he acknowledgeth that truth is with him The great Turke in these daies will séeke the prayers of Christian-men when yet he fighteth against the truth that they embrace And many which at other times regard them not either going to sea or to battaile or béeing sicke and vexed at home will send and séeke for the prayers and comfort of Gods Ministers And what is this but a signe of Gods Omnipotent hand ouer all Pharaohs whatsoeuer and that he can reuenge our contempts and giue our truth and carefull walking in our places a due regarde and reuerence when he will with them and in them Let the swéetenesse of it ioy vs and make vs possesse our soules in patience Diues that rich glutton shal sée Lazarus right himselfe wrong one day 8 But why dooth Pharaoh now call rather than in the former plague for Moses and Aaron to pray Surely because this plague more nipped him than the former For when the riuers were blood he might haue wine to drinke and by that meanes not finde the smart so much See wee then howbeit other mens harmes should affect vs yet vnlesse the Lord touch our selues we are dull and dead without sense Which certainly maketh God reach vs a blowe many times when otherwise he would spare vs did we make good vse of our Brethrens harmes Applie therefore euer to your selfe Gods doings saying in your heart and why Lord am I not so also Doo not I also offend thée Father of Heauen and God of all mercie make me wise by other mens harmes and thankfull vnto thée that I am so schooled rather than with mine owne woe 9. Sée how readie Moses is to pray for Pharaoh when he biddeth him to appoint the time himselfe of his prayer and let it make vs thinke with our selues whether wee be thus harted to pray readily and willingly for Prince for Country for friends and familie yea let it open vnto vs what I feare is too true that in our liues scarce once we haue béene vpon our knées for any of these but euen goe on in a common course haling and pulling with the world all the wéeke long and on the Holiday goe to the Church rather for fashion than deuotion praying with lips not with heart a fewe words and then spending all the rest of the time either in sléeping or gazing or thinking of matters little belonging to God O that wee may profit by this readines in Moses to pray for such a wicked king Remember the Scriptures where you see how fathers and mothers haue gone to Christ for their children Maisters for their seruants and neighbours for their friends Christ is th 〈…〉 me and why should not we also be the same and Morning and Euening goe vnto God for our selues and ours as héere did Moses for Pharaoh 10. It may be moued for a question why
when GOD is mercifull to his Church or to any member therefore hee enuieth not hee grudgeth not much lesse speaketh ill but with a very louing ioy hee is glad and blesseth the Name of the Lord for it A thing I feare me much wanting now a-daies not onely in Country Christians and men as wee say of the Laitie endued with lesse knowledge but euen in such as be Great men in the Church and of the Clergie The olde Saying was Laici infesti Clericis But in our daies I feare a Clergie mans chiefe enemies are they of his owne coate Such is the rancour and poysoned enuie of these times God in mercie alter it and make our hearts like Iethro his heart heere Gratitude againe to God for his mercies is heere taught by Iethro which is euer a dutie due from man and which being performed moueth him to giue more For as Ambrose saith Gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum inuitatio Thanksgiuing is a mouing of the Lord to bestowe more As ingratitude out of doubt worketh the taking away of thinges giuen It is written of one Timotheus the sonne of Conon a verie good Father a Citizen of Athens that after hee had proudly said in a great assemblie Haec Ego feci non Fortuna This I haue done and not Fortune hee neuer after prospered in any thing but daily lost that glorie which before he had gotten Much more faultie are they that at least in heart though by mouth they dare not openly say so thinke that this or that they haue gotten or done and not God You may thinke of that in Daniel 4. 27. and euer pray against such pride 7. Then Iethro Moses father in lawe tooke burnt offerings and sacrifices to offer vnto God And Aaron and all the Elders of Israel came to eate bread with Moses father in lawe before God Hauing béene thankfull in wordes now he addeth deedes that both wordes and déedes may goe together in honouring God For A dead faith saith S. Iames is that where workes want And as with the heart we beleeue vnto righteousnes so with the mouth we confesse vnto saluation saith S. Paul If wee learne of Iethro euer to ioyne these together as the Lord shall enable vs wée shall rightlie and fully giue assurance both to our selues and others of our true faith This shewed againe that Iethro worshipped the true God otherwise in likelihoode Moses would not haue married his daughter And if Iethro here and Melchisedek and Naaman and Cornelius with others mentioned elsewhere in the Scriptures did so hauing for any thing wée know small preaching or meanes of true knowledge besides the working Spirit of a gratious GOD that mercifully pulled them out of the fire Let vs comfortably hope of our Forefathers liuing in the time of ignorance that they found mercie with God And yet beware that wée reason not from thence to any contempt or neglect of that blessed light which God vouchsafeth now aboue those times But euer remēber that singular Spéech of Saint Cyprian Ignosci potuit simpliciter errantibus post inspirationem vero et reuelationem factam qui in eo quo errauerat perseuerat sine venia ignorantiae peccat praesumptione enim et obstinatione superatur Mercy might be shewed to them that erred of simplicitie but after light graunted who shall so continue in his error he sinneth without hope of pardon beeing ouercome with presumption and obstinacie The kinde comming of the Elders with Aaron to eate and bée merrie with Moses Father in law sheweth their loue to Moses and was a great comfort Alike custome we haue to giue a man his welcome as we call it with wine or meate as wée thinke good which you sée is commendable béeing vsed rightly For most good and ioyful it euer was when men togeather agrée in loue and vnitie Many sharp showers Moses was vnder with these Israelites yet here is loue and kindnesse which telleth vs GOD will not euer grieue his seruants Magistrates or Ministers or others faithfull but hath his times to comfort them also and mingle sweete with their sowre that they may be able to beare and to go along with their vocation A swéete goodnesse in him so to consider our weakenesse so to temper things to our strength and let it worke a loue in vs of so deare a Father and to a godly carriage in all stormes For cloudes will blow ouer and after a foule day commeth a fayre Sorrow at night ioye ere day saith the experienced Prophet Dauid and the Lord in mercy giue vs the vse of all his swéete comforts The 2. part 1. NOw on the morrow when Moses sate to iudge the people the people stood about Moses from Morning to Euen c. Amongest the infinite mercies of God vouchsafed to mankind this is one great one that he hath appointed Gouernment Gouernours Iudgment Iudges Iustice and Lawes to defend the good and represse the euill and vnruly In the 11. Chapter of the Prophet Zacharie he calleth it a Staffe and a Staffe of beautie for the excellencie of it I tooke vnto me saith the Lord two Staues the one I called Beautie the other I called Bands and I fed the sheepe The first staffe was the Gouernment Ecclesiasticall and ciuill which hee esiablished amongst them called I say Beautie for the profit comfort good that commeth euer by Gouernment His second Staffe was peace vnitie and concord most mercifully also vouchsafed vnto them which béeing indéede a notable holdfast of happinesse in any state he calleth it by the name of Bands And both these excellent mercies he calleth by the name of Staues because they haue fit resemblances with those Shepeheard Staues that are vsed in féeding and tending the flockes of men For to speake of Gouernmēt wherto the Text leadeth me the Shepeheards Staffe is said to be a Staffe of directiō a staffe of correction a Staffe of defence a staffe of support or ease Euen so is good iust Gouernment if you marke it For it directeth a man willing to liue in order what he shal doo what hée shall not doo as the Staffe guideth the sheepe in the right way kéepeth him from the wrong It correcteth him that will not be ruled It defendeth the oppressed and wronged it is a sure stay to leane and rest vpon when we are toyled with heard dealings of men as the staffe is for the shepeheard to support him when hée is wearie Uery fitlie therefore resembled to a staffe and for the excellencie tearmed not beautifull in the concrete but verie beautie it selfe in the abstract Which Beautie that it may the more appeare vnto you thinke with your selfe of these points or heads First what Names are giuen to Gouernours in the holy Scriptures holy writings of wise men They are called you know Gods Nursing-fathers Nursing-mothers the Ministers of God Shepheards such like they are called
of the sacrament not to be reserued 423. Breast-plate 410. how it informed the priest of God his will 411. the twelue stones in it with names signified that God cared for euery particuler man 412. Bush burning and not consumed 33. Buriall Pompei was without the honour of it 425. C. Calling Moses was called being forty yeeres old 22. we must answere readily when God calleth 34 52 53. our calling is not to bee misliked for some defects 51. in performance of duties we must looke not to our selues but to our calling 78. and both to God and our calling 264. we must vse warinesse in it reckoning of enemies 207. in it wee must bee stronge and cheerefull 214. Hinderers thereof to bee remooued 301 we may not passe the limits of it 322. those that rush into a calling rashly are confounded 39. Calling of Ministers see Ministers Golden Calfe 439. euerie error in Religion is as it were a Calfe 442. Canaan is ours but in the way thither we must reckon of enemies 207. and looke for lets 212. for wee must passe by Marah 238. and fight with Amalech 290 291. we are directed to the true Canaan by Gods word 207 466 in trauailing thither we must not looke backe to Egypt 209. Candlesticke 393. Catechising 127 333 370 196. Cattell die when God is displeased 109. Cato denied diuine prouidence 425. Ceremoniall law the diuision thereof 358. a shadow of Christ and ended in Christ 376 377 402 187. Change of Prince dangerous 6. Change of estate not â—o be feared 25 29 30. No change in God 42 38 426 72 210. Childrens dutie 54 they should not be brought vp in ignorance 196. their differences are known to god who is first who is secoÌ„d 198 Cheerefulnesse in our calling 214. and in Gods seruice 364. Cherubins 387. the stretching of their wings signifieth the protection of Christ 388. their faces one towards another signifieth the consent of the old new Testament 389. God spake from betwixt them ibid. c. Christ his death brought encrease of Christians 4. hee was called an Angell because sent to be our deliuerer 31. 32 hee vniteth diuers houses and Nations 186. he wholely freed vs both from originall and actuall sins 191. he is not to be found out of the church 202 370. he cooleth enlightneth his Church as the cloud and pillar did the Israelites 208. he was the Angell that went before the Israelites 216. his loue to his Church 412. his blood though sufficie at for all yet not helpfull to all 416. hee maketh our prayers acceptable 427 428 how hee now speaketh to his Church 390. Christ was prefigured by Ioseph 4. by Moses 26. by the Lambe in the Passouer 186 187. 188 189 190. c. by the tree that made the bitter waters sweet 237. by Manna 275 383. by the Rock 287 by the blood of the couenant 356. by the Ceremonies of the law 376 377. by the Arke 382 by the Mercie-seat 386. by the table of shew-bred 391. by the candlestick 393. by the most holy place 400. by the altar of burnt-offering 403. by the high Priests Ephod 410 412. Christ his humanitie prefigured by the cloud 357. in the Altar of incense the wood signified his Humanitie the gold his Deitie 428. the vniting of his diuine nature to his manhood 382. the Lambe being without blemish did signifie his puritie 186. being a Male did signifie his spirituall strength 187. being of a yeere old did signifie his experience of infirmities 187. his annointing presigured by the oyle 414. his righteousnesse by the Priests garment 421. his protection of his Seruaunts by the stretching of the wings of the Cherubins 388 his eternall Priesthood by the budding of Aarons rod 383. the Maiestie of his Kingdome by the crowne of gold about the â—rke 382. and about the Altar of sweete perfume 428. His comming in the flesh prefigured to be in the Euening of the world 189. that hee should bee taken from amongest sinfull men 188. his humiliation by the brasen Altar 428. his suffering without the Citie 418. that hee shold not die by by after he was borne 188. that he shold die but once in one place 404. that he shold not putrifie in the graue 382. that he should rise againe by the budding of Aaronsâ—od â—od 383. that he should haue glorie in heauen after his ascention 428. Church of God compared to a Shippe 219. 220 221. True Church and false Church 220. The true Church shall haue Victorie ouer her enemies 227. there is an Vnion betwixt God and it 232. when God will 242. we must reioyce at the welfare of it 302. it is where Christ is 383. it was prefigured by the Arke 384. it is the keeper of the Scriptures 385 by the Tabernacle 400. the puritie of it 401 the rich grace of it ibid. it neuer quite fayleth 33. 414. God his loue to it 55 56 61. Christ his protection of it 206. 388. it is neuer forsaken but her enemies cursed and fauourers blessed 218 219. it increaseth in persecution 10 201. Our Church was before Luther 137 219. Churches built 365 366. Church-robbers 204 430. Liberalitie to the Church 464. Church-Officers Sworne-men c. 114. Church-meetings loued of God 374 403. Church is Gods house 367 it is graced by God 465 reuerence is due to it 371 372. it must be repaired 373. the outward glorie and glistering of it 378 392. the true beautie of it 394. refusall to goe to the Church will bee punished 64. reasons why we should not refuse 316. we must come to the Church cheerefully 365. exaÌ„ples 368 369. 370 we must not go out of the Church before the end of prayers sermoÌ„ 375. The distinct places in our churches coÌ„pared with the roomes of the tabernacle 400. Cloud did guide and protect the Israelites 207 208 216 465. Cloud that couered Moses a figure of the humanitie of Christ 357. Clergie men 303. Colledges built 367. Colours of sinne 9. Communion tables 326. 403. they are more ancient than stone Altars 404. Consecration of the Priests 413. it sealed to their consciences their vocation 414. Condemning must not goe before hearing 12. Conscience tortured by Popish doctrine 139. Good conscience is the preseruer of faith 396. Conscience is as the face of the inward man 461. Remorse of Conscience 170 105. Conuenticles of the wicked 8 371. Constancie in suffering affliction 226 227. Constancie in loue where we once haue loued 286. Constancie a vertue in a Iudge 349. Constancie in Religion ibid. CoÌ„tentation 167 243 268 279 293 361 362. Courtiers should not be drawne from Gods seruice by pleasure profit c. 23 98. Couetousnesse 108 150. 170 265 292 it is a blot in a Iudge 315. Counsaile if good to be receiued from an Inferiour 313. Councellors are Kings eyes and eares 311. Cookes must so dresse meate for other mens bodies that there bee care had of their owne soules 193 194. Courage is a propertie of a
The Lord is not satisfied to haue saide Hee seeth and Hee heareth but hee addeth the third Hee knoweth For I knowe their sorrowes saith hee It is our comfort that Hee knoweth and it may be the wickeds terror that Hee knoweth Enough being saide of it I add but this he that then sawe heard and knewe is the same still No changeling in Loue to his deare Chosen no changeling in Justice to the stubborne sinner and be instructed by it Our heauenly Father knoweth what wee haue neede of Héere they had néede of Deliuerance and hee therefore knowing as well as they commeth downe to giue it them according to his swéete mercy Descendere dicitur Deus per affectū loco enim nō descendit quando fauet nobis et auxiliatur c. Vel descendere dicitur inquit Eusebius quando aliquid novum quod antea non fuerat in creatura humana operatur God is said to come downe by his affection or loue for touching place he descendeth not when he fauoureth helpeth vs or God is said to come down saith Eusebius when he doth any new thing which before was not done among men 11. Come now therefore and I will send thee vnto Pharaoh saith God to Moses c. God was able to haue done it himselfe without Moses or any man but hee will vse meanes commonly to effect his will that his mercie and goodnes may be séene in his Creatures as likewise his power and wisedome to his great glory Hée might also haue vsed a far more excellent meanes than Moses as fome King or great Prince in earth or some of his glorious Angels in Heauen for so he did when by Cyrus hée wrought their Deliuerance out of the Captiuitie and when by an Angell hée brought Peter out of prison but his purpose was in their Deliuerie to make knowne his incomprehensible Power to Pharaoh many more vnto the worlds end And therefore he would choose no stronger a meanes now than Moses Iethro his Shéepe-kéeper knowing how apt man is to obscure Gods glory with the quality of the meanes and to ascribe vnto the second cause what onely hath béene wrought by the first cause Againe this was a Figure that from the spirituall thraldome and bondage of death sinne and the Deuill he should deliuer his people vnder the Gospell not by the helpe of learned Philosophers or any glorious worldly Potentates but by a company of poore Fisher-men vnlettered and vnthought vpon in the world 12. But Moses saide vnto God who am I that I should goe vnto Pharaoh and bring the Children of Israell out of Egypt Smitten with a sense and féeling of his owne weakenesse to doe such a seruice which indéede is the very true and right way to make vs fit in Gods eies For then wée slie to him and by faithfull prayer beg and craue what in our selues wée sée not till hée giue it Such as are not thus touched and humbled but rush into Callings rashly presuming on their owne strength and abilities dayly Experiences shew how often God confoundeth them and throweth them downe to their great shame Who am I Lord therefore let vs euer say that thou shouldest thus and thus thinke of me choose mee and take me to that place that I haue no strength to manage and which thousands of my brethren are fitter for by super-excellency of gifts than I am thus said the Kingly Prophet Dauid you know when hée looked vpon Gods fauours towards him O what am I and my fathers house that thou shouldest doo thus vnto mee Now as this is most commendable humility in Gods seruant so is it true and sound wisedome not to looke at the honour and forget the burden but to sée the one as wel as the other It was a great honor to be sent for such a seruice but it was a weighty Charge and a heauie care aswell as an honour What shall I go to Pharaoh Shall I deliuer Israel And shall I haue the leading and gouernement of such a mightie multitude till God hath disposed of them Why it is a thing that requireth great strength and many parts that I haue not O LORD who am I May not this then a little occasion vs to thinke of spirituall gouernment for is it such a matter to striue with Pharaoh for bodies and temporall seruitude and is it nothing to fight with Sathan and the power of Hell for soules and fréedome from eternall bondage Is it not fearefull I will require the blood at thy hand c. As Salomon therefore in the temporall charge saw a weighty burden and thereupon craued wisedome to bée able to goe in and out as he ought before that multitude so saw Ieremie and Ionas a great matter when the one said Alas I am achilde cannot speake and the other flatly fled and refused to goe Others haue done the like yet Ambition pricketh forwarde for al this many a man Simon Magus would haue béene an Apostle in power for respects be the charge what it may be that troubleth not him Saint Peter iumpeth into danger presuming of strength but he faileth and falleth he lyeth and denieth and discouereth his weakenesse greatly Once againe therfore looke we at Moses modesty humilitie in this place saying Lord who am I 13. Now see what this lowly conceit worketh It getteth him comfort and strength from God for streightway God answered him saide I will be with thee as if he should say looke not thou at thy selfe and thy power but looke at me and my power And though thou art weake yet know me to be strong and euer able to strengthen them whom I call to a seruice to performe the same And I do not say to thee that I will helpe thee now and then but I will be with thee that is euer and continually I will aid thee in this worke euen I not any Angels of mine but I my selfe and therefore feare not What greater comfort might he wish And who would not throw himselfe down thus to bee raised vp or who would not see his owne wants thus to receiue grace Remēber how in like sort he comforted Ieremie and Ezechiel with others of the Prophets also his Apostles after in their time saying Be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world and I will be with you till the end of the world With God al things are possible c. 4. It contenteth not the Lord to make this mercifull promise of his presence with Moses but he further asisteth his weakenesse with a Signe saying This shal be a token vnto thee c. Where we may remember that Signes vsed of God to confirm his childrens faith sometimes go before and sometimes follow after Gedeon had a Signe going-before namelie the fléece of wooll first wet and then drie Ezechias had the like in the shadow of the diall going ten degrées backe But in another place the same Ezechias had a Signe
righteous dealing be the armour of the godly and withall how many of such vglie creatures this world hath let it be considered that therevpon may arise this fruitfull Meditation how little cause good men and women haue to be in loue with this world to build tabernacles in it and to say and thinke it is good being heere but rather to sigh and wish to be loosed and to liue there where the Elect of God hauing the Harpes of God sing the song of Moses where they crie Hallelu-iah saluation and glory and honour and power be to the Lord c. O difference of places if we had eyes or heads or hearts God God for his Christ sake giue vs féeling Amen The 3. plague of Lice THis is the 3. plague which the Lord by his mightie power brought vpon this hard hearted King and his people sée king thereby their good but preuailed not In which also for our instruction wee may obserue diuers things As first why the Lord did not bring againe vpon them his former plagues either of Frogges or bloodie water letting them rest vpon them till they were stouped but still bringeth new others than the former Wherevnto wee may answere that the Lord did this to shewe that his power was not tyed to any one thing but by infinite wayes able to punish sinners if they will be stubborne more and more so to feare them and by them vs to the worlds end Which happie we if it doo to amendment that his many and strange and dreadfull plagues may be euer and euer far from vs. 2. We may note that as easie it had béene for the Lord to haue turned the dust into Lyons and Beares and Wolues both of strange greatnes and cruell fiercenes but that rather hee chose to confound pride by weakenes and a rebelling humour by so base a creature as at other times often hee vsed to doo And more it fretteth a high minde as you may note in Abimelech who sought of his seruant to slay him rather than it should be saide that a woman had ouercome him In vs let it worke thus much that if such a vile creature may by God be made too strong for a Kingdome what resistance can I one man or one woman make against the Lords wrath if I pull it vpon me by my sinnes by my proude haughtie and carelesse heart His wrath can arme all the creatures in Heauen Earth against me and yet the least of them is thus farre aboue my power as you sée héere Wicked are the words of some prophane mouthes at times saying Let vs haue our will now and wee will shift then O vaine heart what shift can it thinke of against such a GOD Shake and tremble at this dulnes betimes lest the plague of it shiuer thée in péeces for euermore The water crusheth Pharaoh and all his people in the Kingdome the Earth now also sendeth vermine vpon him and hee cannot shift against such a vile and contemptible creature Followe this Meditation in your minde and let it profit you for before the face of his wrath who can stand 3. Novve the Enchaunters assayed likewise vvith theyr Enchauntments to bring foorth Lice but they could not Powerfull then is the Deuill when God will suffer him but when God will restraine him what can he doo And this to the Storie of Iob to the Storie of the heard of Swine in the Gospel such other places grow we in cōfort against this deadly foe of ours For we sée his weaknesse and the bridling hand of God at all times ouer him when God pleaseth Feare God and feare not Sathan but contemne God and then shake to thinke of Sathans fierce rage when once he hath leaue giuen to torment thee 4. Behold againe a good thing before the Inchanters did the like but here now they cannot for their liues As then a time there is of triall betwixt contrary opinions and crossing miracles that they which are of God may bee knowne so is there a time euen a ioyful happy time when the Lord will cut of that difference and mismaze that doubting that iuggling and deceiptful working and giue his truth victorie ouer all Inchanters Iames and Iambres witstood Moses saith the Apostle and so did some then and yet now with vs resist the truth Men of corrupt mindes and reprobat concerning the faith But Moses had victory ouer those of his time the Apostle saith the other of his time shal no longer preuaile their madnes being manifest to all men Therefore for them of our time we may not doubt of like successe against them onely let vs haue patience as I often say till the time come Waies can he nener want to ouerthrow them when in such weake creatures as these were he is so strong A séely simple man in the famous Counsel of Nice without Logicke or Rhetoricke or any helpe of the Arts gaue that vaunting Philosopher an ouerthrowe and gained him from his vanity vnto God the Storie is knowne and I passe it ouer In our times women and children haue foiled Doctors that euen out of babes sucklings mouthes the praise of God might be ordained In some thing or other shall falshood stil faile that such as haue eies may sée the truth Amplify it further as you please for God be thanked there be manie proofes 5. Then said the Inchanters to Pharaoh This is the finger of God Wherein obserue how the wicked who for a time make shew as though God were on their side in Gods good time shall be forced to acknowledge the contrarie to his glorie and the great comfort of his Church and children For what are these wordes other in sence than as if they should haue saide we haue hitherto deluded the eies and senses of the beholders by our inchantments but now we are no more able to doo so This which is now done passeth our skill and albeit the creature be vile and base yet is the power of God such ouer vs and our Art that wee cannot doo the like but giue him the victorie and acknowledge our selues sinfull weake and wicked men Thus were Nabuchadnezzar in Daniel and Antiochus in the Maccabies drawn to confesse Gods power ouer them and all their greatnesse Which certainly is an vnspeakeable comfort to all that depend vppon him in their troubles For what can any man doo against you against me or any other more than this God so potent and puisant will giue him leaue to doo and what leaue will he giue him more than in the end shall turne to our good for whom he hath not spared to giue his dearest son to death that euer we might be assured of him 6. Yet Pharaohs heart saith the Text remained still obstinate and he hearkened not vnto them c. So laying before vs a notable example of the rooted wickednesse in mans heart béeing left of God vnto itselfe For as now you sée not
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
by reason knowledge so differeth one man from another by more more knowledge in this Booke Woe to those Teachers then that lull vs a sléepe and tell vs that Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion that giue vs not leaue either to reade or pray or doo any duty in a tongue that we know but like those cursed Scribes and Pharises those hypocrites shut vp the Kingdome of Heauen before men neither going in themselues nor suffering others that would enter to come in Let this now spoken make vs sée their fault and that miserie so to liue as also this most swéet blessing of knowledge now vouchsafed to vs by the mercie of God through the happy gouernment of his Annointed seruant our déere and dread Souereigne and sending vp to God our thankfull thoughts both for it and him and begging the continuance of both long and long vnto vs. 2. It followeth in your Chapter But all the children of Israel had light where they dwelt Which surely was a very admirable thing the houses of Egyptians and Israelites ioyning as it should séeme one close to another as ours in these daies doo For else why should the blood be striked vpon the doore posts of the Israelites for a signe to the destroying Angell where to kill and where to passe ouer if all the Israelites had dwelt by themselues and had not béene mingled with the Egyptians This minde was Gregory Nyssen of and therefore hee saith Nontantum in Gosen vbi cōmuniter morabantur sed cum inter Aegyptios promiscue etiam habitarent in hoc maximum miraculum Not onely in Gosen where onely Israelites for the most part dwelled but among the Egyptians being mingled and dwelling together the Israelites had light and the Egyptian darknes And heerein was the greatest miracle The good wee may take by this strange worke of GOD is first to learne how able our Heauenly Father is to make a separation betwixt his Children and the Wicked when he executeth wrath and Justice if his good pleasure be so to doo though they be in one field together in one house together and in one bed together yet can bee choose the one and refuse the other Wherefore true is that Saying of the Psalme If his wrath be kindled but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him Feare wee not then in the time of Plague of Warre or other Publique calamitie least we should perish with the wicked hand ouer head but remember this Place and say in your heart with comfort and faith O Lord my GOD and gracious Father I knowe thine able hand to make a separation if thou please in this calamitie betwixt thy poore Lambes and the Goates as thon diddest in that darknes betwixt the Israelites and Egyptians therefore I flie vnto thee in humble acknowledgement of my sinne and for him that had no sinne I begge that if thy good pleasure may bee so thou wouldest vouchsafe to saue mee from this Sword of thine to let the light of thy mercie and louing countenance shine about my dwelling as thy chéerefull light did about the Israelites So shall my soule and heart euer praise Thee and thanke Thee But if otherwise LORD and Father thy Will bee done and not mine onely in the world to come acknowledge mee as I doo not doubt but thou wilt and it shall suffice Secondly let this place be obserued as a very plaine Figure of that which wee sée amongst vs euery day At one house dwelt an Egyptian and it was all darke at the next an Israelite and it was all light so nowe at one house dwelleth a superstitious Recusant or a prophane Atheist and all is darke At the verie next house dwelleth a zealous Professour of the truth who readeth the Scriptures heareth them preached frequenteth the Sacraments and faithfully laboureth that himselfe with his whole Familie may liue according to the Word and héere is all light which shall leade to the light eternall with God and all his hoste when the good houre commeth God strengthen our hearts euermore in the loue of this light and make vs truly thankfull for these lightsome daies Amen 3. The couetousnes of this great Tyrant verse 24 shadowing the greedie mindes of all Persecutors The stoute care of godlie Moses to haue the Lords whole Will performed and not to rest in a part verse 25. 26. The fearefull driuing away of Moses from his presence shewing the rags of Tyrants towardes their end to bee greater and so comforting the godlie that when they sée the like they may knowe the time is not long and remembring vs what a dangerous thing it is to driue away Gods Ministers from vs with diuers other things in the ver 28. and 29. because I haue béeste too long in this Chapttrr I will leaue to your owne Meditation and so end héere CHAP. 11. There is nothing more common both in these Bookes of Moses and other Bookes of Scripture than to set that after which in precise order was to goe before so is it in this Place For what now is said in these first Eight verses of this Chapter by due order should be put before the 28. verse of the former Chapter which if you doo and bring in the 28. verse after those words in the 8. verse And after this I will depart then the 29. verse of the former Chapter will followe well and after that the end of the 8. verse of this Chapter to wit So he went out from Pharaoh very angry c. The chiefe Heads of this Chapter are these three 1. A Denuntiation of a new plague 2. An Admonition to the Israelites what to do 3. The Plague it selfe 1. COncerning the first it is contained as you sée in these wordes Yet will I bring one plague more vpon Pharaoh and Egypt And to make vse to our selues of it you that are acquainted by your priuate reading with the Course of the Scriptures very well knowe the manner of Gods dealing in this matter from the beginning to the end First how milde it was then how by degrées it encreased to sharper and sharper till the deliuerance of his Church and people were effected At the first he appointed Moses and Aaron with the Elders of Israel to goe to Pharaoh and to entreate him mildly and dutifullie saying The Lord God of the Hebrewes hath met with vs WEE PRAY THEE therefore let vs goe three daies iourney into the Wildernes that we may sacrifice vnto the Lord our God But this praying would not serue wherefore the Lord went néerer them by great and powerfull wonders yet by degrées touching them and not with the greatest at the first He caused Moses rod to be turned to a Serpent c. A thing that hurt them not yet in all reason should haue moued them Then he turned their waters into blood which did somewhat touch them After when that preuailed not hee annoyed them
and potentates of the earth beleeued in Christ and were sub dued to him Who whilst they raged against the poore ship were so farre from sinking her as they desired to doo Vt plané illis persimiles inuenti sint c. That altogether saith Theodoret they became like vnto those that seeking to quench the flame fondly poure oyle in and so make it greater And euen as the bush that Moses sawe was not consumed with fire no more could the enemies with their warres and weapons ouerthrowe it Simones Marciones Valentini c. The Simoncans the Marcionits the Valentinians and a number more saith Greg. Nazianz. they are all drowned in their owne déepes and the Church is deliuered Euer therefore as the Israelites héere against Pharaoh and his heast so shall Gods Church haue victorie against her enemies but in Gods time not at her owne will Till then constant Faith and painfull rowing be graces becomming the Church and euery member of it I am Ioseph your brother was a word of great comfort you knowe in the Figure and It is I it is I be not afraide is a farre greater comfort in Christ who was figured blotting all feares whatsoeuer out of our hearts Lastly Thus Israel sawe the mightie power which the Lord shewed vpon the Egyptians so the people feared the Lord and beleeued the Lord and his seruant Moses This is the end of Gods mercies to his Children and of his iudgement vpon their foes To encrease all good duties in them towards him and by name a reuerend feare of his Maiestie and a faithfull assurance in his loue They beléeued before in some measure but now in a greater measure as may bee saide of the Disciples where the like Spéech is vsed Iohn 2. 11. They beleeued also his seruant Moses that is they nowe plainly sée that God was with him whom they so wickedly had abused Let it profit vs to beware by them either to distrust God or to wrong his Ministers appointed ouer vs and let vs learne that although Faith respect GOD onely yet is there such an vnion betwixt him and his Ministers as in déede and truth we cannot beléeue him vnlesse we also beléeue his Ministers speaking from him And therefore whō God hath ioyned euen in this sense also let no man seuer but beleeue the Lord and his seruant Moses What is past of vnkindnes towards your faithfull Minister caring for you praying for you and wéeping for you when you are fast on sléepe in your bed Let it grieue your heart in your secret chamber and doo so no more the Lord is with him his service is Gods mercie to you the abuse or contempt of him will so grieue the Lord that you are sure to féele his heauie hand for it Be wise therefore let both this particular and the whole Chapter profit you in Gods blessing CHAP. 15. Consider in this Chapter these two generall Heads 〈◊〉 The thanksgiuing both of men and women 2. The fall againe of these Israelites at Marah 1. TOuching the first obserue the antiquitie of writing in verse and the reason why Moses vsed verse here euen to continue a longer and better remembrance of so famous a worke of God for his Church for we all sée by experience that what is written in verse both more affecteth and more sticketh in the memorie than what is written in prose We must learne also by this Example euer after mercies and comforts to giue thanks For the Custome of the Church is the instruction of euery particular man and woman in the Church The custome wee sée héere and in other places What Melchisedech did after Abrahams victorie wee reade in Genesis What Deborah and Barak did wee reade in Iudges What the women sang to Saul and Dauid we reade in that Storie as also what was carefully done after that great victorie and deliuerance vouchsafed to Iehosaphat A feast was kept euery yéere to remember thankfully Hamans destruction and the Iewes ioyfull deliuerance Iudeths seruice and blessing with God is not forgotten And if you goe to Dauids Psalmes how many of them are Psalmes of thanksgiuing after benefits Of the cleansed Leapers though nine forget yet one is thankfull The man healed of the palsie taketh vp his bed praiseth God The Creeple healed entred into the Temple walking and leaping and praising God God and man abhorre the contrarie and when thou art truly said to be vnthankfull but euen to man there is in that one word all euill contained and affirmed of thée Now if priuate benefites should be remembred much more publique which touch so many Whereforefor both be euer thanksfull to God as the fountaine and to man as his meanes Imperfection in this dutie beséech him to pardon c. 2. When was this thanksgiuing made The Text telleth you in this word THEN Then sang Moses the children of Israel That is euen presently as soone as they could gather all their companie together on the other side of the sea whither so happily they were brought on drie foote by a mighty God In the 5 of Iudges you may note it also THEN sang Deborah Barak euen the same day And surely to defer it is alwaies dangerous so soone are we cooled and become dull and heauie after the greatest mercies Doo it therefore whilest thy heart is hot thy féeling swéete of his fouour found Doo it quickly hartily and so thou mouest the Lord to more mercy For gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum inuitatio Thankfulnes is an inuiting of God to giue more saith S. Ambrose Doo what wee can wee shal be weake and our best duties be full of wants but yet spéede will helpe somewhat and our care in making spéede shall finde mercie for such wants When dulnesse crept in by carelesse delay shall be punished 3. Note with your self again the maner of their Song namely how they being many yet vse the singular number say I will sing When in a right phrase of spéech they should haue said we will sing This plainely teacheth vs that a good forme of giuing thanks is euery particular person out of his owne feeling to say I I good Lord doo yéeld vnto thy Maiestie my bounden thankes for my selfe and for my brethren for my selfe and for thy whole Church And so euery one féeling and euery one thanking the Lord is praised of all as his mercie and goodnes reach To all A contrarie course it is to trust to other mens giuing of thanks for me and to be dull and dumbe my selfe Dauids words haue another touch Thou art My God and I I will praise thee euen My God therefore I will exalt thee I I againe in mine owne person and with mine owne heart and with mine owne tongue c. 4. I will sing that is not onely in heart will I féele and thinke but with my voice will I expresse and publish the due praises of
degrée of sinne in them Which all men doo when they doubt of his power his will and his truth when they take vpon them to prescribe waies meanes how they wil be helped and doo not patiently expect his comfort by such waies and meanes and in such time as to him shall séeme good That thus they tempted him the 7. ver sheweth where they say Is the Lord among vs making that a Question which was so manifest vnlesse they might haue what they would when they would and as they would Had euer people greater Testimonies of Gods presence amōg them than they Did not they euen at this time receiue euery morning a tokē of it whē they gathered Manna O impatiece then whither wilt thou carry our corrupt nature if God stay thée not far otherwise did that Saint of God Dauid when in as great a distresse as this hee said Carry the Arke of God againe into the City if I shal finde fauour in the eies of God he will bring me againe and shew me both it and the Tabernacle thereof But if he thus say I haue no delight in thee hehold here am I let him doo to me as seemeth good in his eies Here is patience and contentment in Gods holy wil whatsoeuer it is bée it to weale or be it to Woe bee it to Life or be it to Death And what Man or Woman euer loste by carying themselues thus towardes their GOD Dauid founde a blessing of this course and returned in safetie to his house The Rebelles against him beeing confounded and scatered in GODS powerfull iustice Pray it therefore with your heart as you doo with tongue and pray it often both with Heart and Tongue Thy will be done Thy will bee done O my Father with me euer In it will I rest in it will I ioye by thy helping grace and bee alwaies assured of thy true Worde All thinges euen all thinges worke for the best to them that loue thee I could note by these mutinies and stirres the difficultie of gouernment the nature of the multitude the lot of Gods Ministers and such like but before they haue béene touched vpon diuers the like occasions nothing must discourage a man in that calling that God hath placed him in Vae tibi si praes non prodes sed vae grauius si quiapraeesse metuis prodesse refugis Woe be to thee if thou gouerne and doest not profit but more woe be vnto thee if because thou art afraide to gouerne thou refuse to profit saith S. Bernard 4. Then Moses cried vnto the Lord saying what shall I doo to this people for they bee almost readie to stone me The true refuge of Magistrate Minister and all godlie is euer to flie vnto the Lord by hearty and earnest prayer as héere you sée Moses doth Thus againe when Pharaoh pursued to the red Sea and in bath places his prayer is called a crying for the earnestnes of it in his heart although he spake neuer a word with his mouth So saith Dauid in his Psalme Thus and thus they abused me but I gaue my selfe to prayer It is a blessed course and neuer faileth them that vse it But stand you not amazed at the other part of the verse namely that they were readie almost to stone Moses such a man such a Magistrate so déere to God so profitable to them so famous in all Egypt and almost ouer the world for those great works wherewith it had pleased God to grace him O turba quám semper es turbulenta O world world what trust is to be reposed in thee this is the constancie of thy fauour euer The Multitude is thus to be reckoned of be a mans deserts neuer so good and yet how hunt many after this breath howe spend they how spoile they themselues and all theirs to be great with the people and to be spoken of by the multitude neuer thinking in due time of the nature of this greatnes and what all monuments of learning haue saide of it Doo not the Scriptures shew vs how reuerently the Pharisies sent vnto Iohn and yet after affirmed him to haue the Deuill Whereupon our Sauiour Christ vttereth a Sentence worthie to bee written in a wise mans heart for euer Iohn was a burning and shining candle and yee would for a season haue reioyced in his light Marke these wordes for a season and settle them soundly in your heart that they may euer shewe you that were you as great as Iohn Baptist who had not a greater amongst them that were begotten of women yet your credite is but for a season with worldly men and with the common multitude To day a man to morrowe a beast to day none better to morrowe none worse to day a God to morrowe a Deuill The Lord Iesus himselfe found this measure and all his Disciples and Seruants after him Absalon would write kindly to Ioab to day and tomorrowe set his corne on fire The world weigheth without Ballance numbreth without Counters and measureth without Rule The Ballance Counters and Rule of the world is a fickle fading hote and hastie humour for a time Howe close and fast will the Quicke-filuer cleaue vnto the gold you would thinke it could neuer be gotten away yet as soone as the fire commeth it is gone and no signe to be séene of it Euen so is the liking of the world not louing in GOD and for GOD. They that runne at Tilt looke to the Iudges what they say and not what the vulgar people say So must a wise man euer looke what his Iudge in Heauen alloweth and not what inconstant men on earth praise If anie-man would warne you of the fall of the house wherein you are you would soone bee gone and shall no warning serue to make you auoyde the tottering applause of the worlde Glorious Haman howe soone is hee downe and his glorie gone as if it had neuer beene Great Holophernes that was so fearefull with his power falleth and vanisheth in a moment Mightie Antiochus the King of Syria what a change found hee in an instant Hee that hangeth vpon the worlds opinion shal to day bee great to morrow little and the third day no body In one day and almost in one houre Ioram the King of Israel Ochozias the King of Iuda and wicked Iezabel all secure in peace and worldly comfort are slaine by Iehu and their pompe gone That potent Monarch Alexander after such glory and fame dieth in his flower and lieth 30 daies vnburied his friends being busie in sharing his Kingdomes Valerian the Emperour taken of the Persian King is made a footestoole for him to tread vpon in going to his horse Such Stories manie our Bookes haue but these suffice for a tast If God and man haue found the worlds loue fickle shal you onely finde it fast beléeue it not But remember worthie Moses héere readie to be stoned by those that euen now
Egypt Then hee tooke Zipporah Moses wife c and went vnto him Thereby noting that the hearing of Gods great and wonderfull workes done for his people mooued his heart to come and ioyne himselfe to them so entereth God to the heart by the eare vsuallie And therefore the vse of the eare to heare of God and his workes out of his word euer cried for in the Scriptures and the stopping of the same euer condemned as to GOD rebellions and to the soule most hurtfull and pernitious O that it might sinke and settle in all men for their amendment and encrease of care and conscience to heare 2. What is Iethro A Gentile Where dwelt hee In Midian a good way of Gentiles then heare and Iewes will not they that dwell farre of come and they that are néere will not He that but heareth is much mooued they that sée with their eyes and féele with their hands Gods works and mercies murmure repine sinfully Doo not things fall out thus in our dayes and finde wee not by erperience to the griefe of all good mindes that plentie is no daintie would GOD wee did not But let vs in time remember what is spoken for our admonition if wee haue grace Manie shall come from the East and West and shall sitte downe with Abraham Isaack and Iacob in the Kingdome of Heauen And the Children of the Kingdome shall be cast out into vtter darknes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Woe be to thee Chorazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes which were done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agone in sackcloath and ashes The Queene of the South shall rise in iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it for she came from the vttermost parts of the earth to heare the wisedome of Salomon and beholde a greater than Salomon is heere Then Christ in his person now Christ in his word the same Christ God and man euer aboue Salomon who was his creature 3. Iethro brought with him Moses wife whom he had sent away and her two sonnes ver 3. The time when hee sent her away I doo not remember to be expressed in the Scripture But of like it was when shee shewed her selfe so crosse and weyward about the circumcision of her sonne to the hazard of Moses owne life whom the Lord would haue killed for neglect of the Sacrament Happily he thought shee would be crosse and headie in other things as well as in that and therefore for feare lest shee should hinder him in his vocation now imposed by God he sent her for a time back with his Children to Iethro her father Whereof we may make me thinks these two vses first that it is a gréeuous offence for either wiues or others to be an hinderance to men in their duties enioyned them by God for this is euen to striue against God and to set our will against his will to the great perill both of the men so called and of the parties that so hinder them if they persist Secondly that it is the dutie of all so called to remoue from them in a lawfull sort those hinderers preferring the Lords worke before their owne affection and remembring zealouslie their Maisters wordes Hee that loueth Father or Mother more than mee is not worthie of mee And hee that loueth Sonne or Daughter more than me is not worthie of me But whosoeuer shall forsake houses or Bretheren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my names sake he shall receaue an hundreth fold more and shall inherite eternall life This forsaking for a time of Moses was a holie resistance of his owne affections and a zealous care of his imposed office 4. And Iethro saide to Moses that is hee sent messengers to say I thy Father in lawe Iethro am come to thee and thy Wife and thy two Sonnes with her A singular modestie in Iethro and reuerence to his Sonne in lawe Moses his place when albeit hee had with him those guests that hee knew in nature must néedes be welcome besides his owne due who was come so farre in loue and kindnes yet hee would not come to him without this reuerent sending before to acquaint him Such reuerence to mens places in our daies is much wanting in those that chiefely should performe it and familiaritie breedeth contempt But behold Iethro héere and know that God hath Chronicled this for his praise and our profit Reuerence to Magistrates reuerence to Ministers reuerence to all authoritie and superioritie certainly it pleaseth God and commendeth vs. The contrarie is immodestie yea impietie and as a great contempt of the Author of that authoritie as of the partie contemned vsuallie punished of God either with want of euer hauing authoritie or with such contempt if they haue authoritie as erst they measured vnto others 5. Howe requiteth Moses this kinde respect The Text saith Hee went out to meete his Father in lawe and did obeysance and kissed him and each asked other of his welfare and they came into the Tent. No authoritie and greatnes maketh him proude or vnmindfull of an olde friend who had shewed him kindnes when he was in a lower estate but with a singular humilitie he receaueth reuerence in his place and with like respect againe boweth himselfe and reuerenceth Iethro Such mutuall loue and reciprocall offices of complement and order shall you euer sée in wise men what difference soeuer is in their places And there is no greater pride than where least worth is Pride maketh rude and rudenes getteth little loue wee all knowe Such an Example as this is in steade of an hundred to a wise heart and yet you may ioyne Dauids protestation to it be much profited Lord I am not high minded I haue no proud lookes c. 6. Then Moses told his Father in law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians c. Being met together after ordinarie salutations and kinde enquiring one of anothers health they fall to religious and godlie talke Moses taking pleasure to speake Iethro to heare of such gracious fauours as the Lord had shewed to his people and of such powerfull iudgements as he had laide vpon their enemies Which may serue for a good motiue in our daies to cut off idle if not very prophane conference when wee méete and to leade vs this good way remembring euer that of idle words wee must giue an accompt Woe be to the world because of offences for it must needes be that offences must come but woe bee to that man by whom the offence commeth c. If any man among you seeme religious refraineth not his tongue but deceaueth his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine The hartie ioy also that was in Iethro when hee heard these thinges notablie telleth vs the right affection of a Childe of GOD
the Fathers of the Countrie Fathers of the people the Presidents of Iustice the manteiners of innocencie the preseruers of peace and such like al to make vs see the Beautie of this staffe Secondly obserue with your selfe the course of God setled in all his creatures for in the starres in the beastes in the birdes in the fishes in the trees c the Lord hath made some chiefer than others that we might rise vp therby into a profitable Meditation how beautiful a thing order degrees and gouernment is among men and especiallie a monarchie when one ruleth ouer all for as Saint Hierom well noteth among the Bees there is one chiefe the Cranes in flying follow one Rome when it was built could not indure two to rule as chiefe although they were brethren and therfore had her beginning in brothers blood In Rebeccas womb euen two brethren twins did striue Adam but one to gouern Paradise Noah only Gouernour of the Arke Moses alone chiefe in that gouernmeÌ„t and coÌ„duction of that people one Dauid one Salomon so forth Thirdly thinke of the commandements giuen in the word to obey Gouernment and to honour with all dutie reuerence men placed ouer vs in authoritie and sée in them plainely how beautiful God esteemeth them than whose iudgment and wisedome there is no greater Fourthly duly consider that Note which the Scripture giueth often of all wickednesse and mischiefe abounding because there was no King in Israel and of that in Esay 3. 5. 2. so fearefull Fiftly meditate of that resemblance that is vsually made of Gouernment to a Ioyners instrumeÌ„t whereby if a boord be warped and cast a side or a wrie adding heat to it he can make it streight againe and fit for his vse To a wrest of a musicall Instrument bringing the strings that are out of tune into tune againe Doo not these things shew the necessity vse and comfort of it Lastly the resemblance to the state of our bodies wherein the first qualities of heat colde drinesse and moisture being contraries and disagreeing one with another yet by order preportion and a due temperature they are so agréed as they make an excellent creature So doth Gouernment compose things most crosse make a swéete harmonie in loue and peace In déede therefore a Staffe of beautie is Gouernment either in publique or priuate as in Salomons house and they vnworthie of life among men that will not stoope to it be ruled by it blesse God for it euermore The vse of Gouernment is more than of bread water sunne ayre c. of which yet what vse haue we for the benefit of Gouernment is not to make vs breathe onely and to eate drinke and be nourished which all yet it doth in that it maketh vs liue together sociablie but it farther prouideth that Idolatry sacriledgies blasphemies other offences against GOD doo not spread themselues among the people that publique peace be not broken that euery man enioy his owne in safety that trade and traficke be preserued among men honestie vertue be defended c. They that say vnder the olde Testament it was néedfull but not for the perfection of the Gospel shew no such perfection but that Magistrates are néedefull to make them better forget that the Psalme doth not bid Rulers lay away their offices but to kisse the Sonne that is to be subiect to Christ that he may rule ouer them and be aboue all as he ought to be And the Prophet Esay dooth not say that in the time of the Gospell there must be no Kings or Quéenes but plainely otherwise that they both shal be and to the Church they shal be profitable and comfortable euen Nurcing-Fathers and Nurcing-mothers Esay 49. 23. And the holy Apostle expresly coÌ„mandeth that praiers and supplications be made for them that we may by the blessing of their gouernment lead a godlie quiet life vnder them Wherefore you sée the grosnesse of this error andhow bound we are to God for Magistracie euen now in the time of the new TestameÌ„t aswel as others were that liued in the time of the Old Now this meditatioÌ„ that they are Gods Deputies UicegereÌ„ts Gods Ministers Substitutes héere on earth how many good things dooth it teach Magistrates Gouernours It cheereth them vp against all the difficulties of their places which surely are many so many as he said wel that said it Who so knew the cares annexed to a Kings Crowne would scarce take it vp if it lay before him They are euen like goodly trees vnder which in the time of a storme euery man will runne with hast to be shielded shadowed from the tempest but as soone as the storme is past cast stones at it breake the boughes of it at their pleasure It stirreth them vp most effectutally to integritie wisdome méekenesse continencie and innocencie For vpon what hope shall they admit iniquitie into their Tribunall-seat which they learne and know to be the Throne of God How shall they dare to pronounce a wrong sentence with that mouth which they learne and know to bée appointed Gods instrument for truth How shall they subscribe wicked acts with that hand which God hath appointed to write his acts No no it wil and ought as I say stir-vp to good euen by al means to indeauoure to shew some resemblance in their place of heauenly prouidence watchfulnesse goodnesse loue iustice c. This did Moses and Iehoshaphat think when they mooued the Iudges with this Admonition That they executed not the iudgments of man but of God and therefore should take héed c. Read the places your selfe I pray you Deut. 1. 16. 2. Chron. 19. 6. Whosoeuer therefore reiect Gouernours it may truly be said of them as was said of such as refused Samuel and would haue a King They haue not cast thee away but they haue cast Mee away For by Meâ— Kings reigne c. Prou. 8. 15. 1. Pet. 2. 17. The obiection against gouernment that a Christian may not kill and that in his holy mountaine there may be no slaying c we easilie answere and say that the â—aw of God forbiddeth to kill and yet to punish killers the Lord putteth the sword into the Magistrates hand Afflict and hurt the godly wée may not but this is neither to afflict nor hurt to punish by the Lords commandement those that doo afflict and hurt For Magistrates saith the Apostle beare not the sword in vaine Rom. 13. Non est crudelis qui crudeles iugulat licet patientibus talis videatur sed qui malos percutit in eo quod mali sunt minister Dei est Hee is not cruell that killeth theÌ„ which are cruel although he seeme so to them that suffer but who so striketh the euill for that they bee euill meaning by lawfull authority He is the Minister of God saith S. Hierom. And againe Homicidas sacrilegos et
in this matter The third part 1 THen Moses prayed and said O Lord c. Heere héere then sée A faithful Magistrate A faithfull Minister A true Shepeheard ouer his people coÌ„mitted to him of God Who knoweth what iudgements godly Gouernours turne away by their earnest intercession to God for their people We sée this place we read what Hester did and the mercie of God is plaine for their sakes It should worke in vs all loue and obedience and dutie to them and make vs day and night pray for the continuance of them Treasons and treacheries raylings and reuilings slaunders and defamations wrongs and iniuries any way are not fit requitals of such good receiued by them and for them This prayer of Moses if you marke it is most vehement as comming from a mooued heart and vseth vehement and vrging arguments vnto God As first of his fauour all waies extended to them vers 11. Secondly of his glorie which would be obscured by the Aâ—gyptians lewd speaches if he destroyed them ver 12. Thirdly of his promises made vnto their fathers Abraham Isaac and Israel the trueth whereof might not be violated vers 13. with which the Lord moued in mercie stayeth as you see Such Reasons serue euen at this day and may be vsed to the Lord in our prayers Hee hath béene good to vs infinite waies and we may intreat him by these passed fauours to vouchsafe future and to stay his wrath which we haue deserued Nothing more commonâ—with Dauid in euerie Psalme if you marke it Againe euen by our punishment the enemie will be proud and speake euill they will call both himselfe and his truth into question and ecclipse his glorie to the vttermost His promises also we haue most richly and therefore in all these respects we may craue pardon and doing of it heartely with true repentance and purpose to amend he is the same God still and we shall finde fauour 2 Upon this earnest praier the Lord saith the text v. 14. changed his minde from the euill which he threatned to doe vnto his people with which comfort Moses came away and drawing neere the host he first heard the noyce of singing vers 18. for they were making merrie about their new God then comming nearer he saw the Calfe and the dancing vers 19. But then although he were the meekest man in the world yet his wrath waxed hote and he cast the Tables out of his hands and brake them in peeces beneath the mountaine Which breaking of the first Tables allegorically shewed that the law of God lighting vpon our vnregenerated nature is brokeÌ„ as it were and by the meanes of our inabilitie cannot iustifie vs. But the second written tables are put in the Arke that is when God by his Spirit worketh in vs we are regenerated and the law is obeyed of vs though not fully yet in measure this imperfect obedience is made perfect by Christ Aug. Magno etiam mysteris figurata est iteratio Testamenti noui qucniam vetus erat abolendum constituendum nouum Quaest 144. By a great mysterie the abrogating of the olde Testament by the comming of the new was figured But vnderstand Augustine rightly Then he tooke the Calfe which they had made and burned it in the fire and ground it to powder and strowed it vpon the water and made the children of Israel drinke of it vers 20. Partly to despight them and partly that they should haue no occasion to remember it After he rebuked Aaron vers 21. And if Aaron now elect High priest a Figure of Christ be so sharply rebuked of Moses surely great men must be reprooued and it is a cursed doctrine that though the Pope should carrie thousands of soules to hell yet no man may say Sir why do you thus Secondly in matters concerning the glorie of God we must rebuke euen our néere ones as others no place for affection After that he called for such as would reuenge this wrong done to the Lord vers 26. and the sonnes of Leui gathering to him he bad euerie man put his sword by his side goe to and fro from gate to gate through the host slay euerie man his brother euerie man his companioÌ„ euerie man his neighbour vers 27. so that there fell of the people the same day about three thousand men vers 28. This was the zeale of his heart to the glorie of God it must be a glasse for vs to look in whilst we liue in this world The Lord hath placed the commaundements in the Decalogue the petitions in the Lords prayer which concern his honor before those which coÌ„cerne our selues to teach vs that we ought to prefer his glorie before all worldly things yea euen life it selfe if they come in Question together Thus did Shadrach Meshach and Abednego thus did Daniel when he he opened his window and made his prayer to God notwithstanding that cruell law thus did the Mother and her seuen sonnes in the Machabees thus did Elias Phinees Dauid and others Thus did not olde Heli and therefore the Lord smote him Mine eyes gush out with teares saith the holy Prophet because men keepe not thy law And doe not I hate them that hate thee and am grieued with them that rise against thee Yea I hate them right sore euen as though they were mine enemies He that loueth Father or mother more than mee is not worthie of mee And he that loueth Sonne or Daughter more than mee is not worthie of mee c. 3 And when the Morning came Moses said vnto the people yee haue committed a grieuous crime but now I will goe vp to the Lord if I may pacifie him for your sinne Moses therefore went againe vnto the Lord and said Oh this people haue sinned a great sinne and haue made them gods of Gold Therefore now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercie shall appeare but if thou wilt not I pray thee rase me out of the booke which thou hast written When Moses had fought on Gods part with the sword now he striueth for the people with his prayer so both true to God in a holy zeale and carefull of his people in the bowels of loue was this holy man this faithfull Gouernour and leader of this multitude Anotable example for all Magistrates and all Ministers euer to follow But heere is more than I said in the former Note For here is a preferring of Gods Glorie before euen life and comfort eternall which is farre more than this temporall life and all the ioyes of it So shall you sée in Saint Paule to the Romanes and what a measure of Gods holy Spirit it was consider you Farre are we from this that preferre euerie small profit and pleasure before this glorie of God and yet say we hope to be saued as well as they A true féeling of our owne iniquitie herein may much amend vs hereafter and God for
his Sonnes sake giue it vs. Againe you may note here how Moses doubleth ouer and ouer in this Chapter the foulenesse of their fault calling it a great sinne a grieuous sinne c. so learning you not to extenuate faultes before God if you sue for mercie but to set them out in their true colours that mercie may the more appeare 4 Touching this Booke of life you must know it to be a figuratiue Spéech borrowed from the manners of men who vse Bookes and writings for their memorie and not conceiue that God hath or néedeth any such things It is therefore in sense as if Moses had said O Lord pardon them or depriue me of that saluation which is as sure before thee as if it were registred and written in a book Such borrowed speeches you haue more in Scriptures as you may remember In the Psalme you read of a Booke wherein Dauid saith Were all his members written which day by day were fashioned when as yet there were none of them In the Reuelation you read of bookes againe when he saith I sawe the dead both great and small stand before God and the Bookes were opened c. And for the Booke of life you read persons written in it of two sortes one as it seemed the other true indeed Of the first speaketh the Psalme Let them be wiped out of the Booke of the liuing and not be written among the righteous meaning wherein they séemed to be written or might perswade themselues they were written but indêed were not For then they could not be wiped out Of the later you read here and in other places Where though Moses speake of rasing out yet indéede there is no such matter being nothing but the eternall election of God which neuer can be altered This is more plaine in the words following when God answered Moses that Whosoeuer sinned against him he would put him out of the Booke meaning hee would make it appeare that he neuer was written in it For the house built vpon the Rocke can neuer fall They should deceiue the verie Elect if it were possible as if he should say but it is impossible Hee that commeth to mee I neuer cast away No man taketh my sheepe out of my hand and many such other places Lastly consider and note here how he biddeth Moses go on with his charge but for the people he wil visit them vers 34. And so the Lord plagued the people because they caused Aaron to make the Calfe which he made vers 35. It telleth Magistrates and Ministers that they may not desist from their dueties for the peoples frowardnes but indeuouring to their vttermost to reforme them they must go on though they perish and euen in them so perishing they shall be a sweet sauour to the Lord. That Aaron thus escaped among them if you thinke of it Answere your selfe The Lord knoweth whom to spare for their amendment and whom for a time to spare though he know they will neuer amend O how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past all finding out Grieuous and thrise grieuous is the sinne of Idolatrie that not for Moses his so earnest prayer may be fréed wholy from all further punishment though in part the Lord yéeldeth as vers 14. you saw God make it sinke where it is so much vsed by deceiued Romish Recusants CHAP. 33. 1 GReat was the sinne which this people had committed mentioned in the former Chapter and therefore the Lord whose mercie hath neither bottome nor measure not willing the death of any sinner much lesse of so many thousands but rather that by repentance pardon may be procured in this Chapter gratiously vseth the meanes that their hearts may smite them with true féeling of their fault and so they turne and be spared Their sinne I say was great and great sinnes are not so easily repented of as they ought to be Againe in sinnes of this kinde namely when they are coloured and couered ouer with a good intention by them to serue to GOD most hardly are men and women drawen to acknowledge an errour and mistaking Matters of the second Table committed against our neighbour we much better discerne than matters of the first Table concerning the worship of God For here we thinke wholy our meaning should be accepted which was to worship God be the thing we do eyther neuer so void of warrant in the word or neuer so contrarie to the word The meanes that God vseth here is by letting them know that he will be no more with thē as he hath beene nor trauell with them as he hath done Moses shall goe on with them to the land which God had promised to giue thē And to send his Angell to driue out the Canaanites But himself would not go for they were a stif-necked people lest he should consume thē in the way The Lord noteth a maner of repentāce namely to put away their costly rayment frō thē not that this is a necessarie part of Repentance alwaies but that at this time by this outward signe the Lord would haue them testifie that which is néedfull indéed the true remorse and sorrow of their harts And vpon the hearing of this fearefull newes that indéed the Lord would thus deale with them they cast from them accordingly their best attire and sorrowed for their fault 2 For further working of this sauing sorrow in them the Tabernacle wherein the Lord will conferre with his seruant Moses vntill the other now so much spoken of was readie is by the appointment of God to Moses pitched without the host farre of from the host that by this signe also it might be shewed how God was estranged from them for their sinne who earst so comfortably and so powerfully had shewed himselfe for them and amongst them All which things religiously considered manifest vnto our soules what a sweete God the Lord whom we serue is who thus séeketh his lost people euen a father ful of all pittie compassion that they may returne to him againe and haue that which so ill they haue deserued his fauour and loue for euer Will this God can you thinke in your conscience euer cast away the poore sinner that commeth in sorrow when he worketh thus to draw men to sorrow Féele and be comforted with it 3 And when Moses went out vnto the Tabernacle all the people rose vp now reuerencing him whom before they spake verie lightly of saying This Moses we know not what is become of him What caused this but that still he was in fauour with God and they out So so shall a sound and vpright heart to God euer in the end procure honor howsoeuer for a time contēpt may be shewed for God will honour them that honour him it is his Word and it shall neuer fayle That vnion that was betwixt God and his seruant Iohn Baptist when he was true to God and
wayes to worke anger answered Castitatem meam accuratè tuendo quicquid ille vult alacriter faciendo nullas res eius curiose vestigando c. By preseruing mine owne câ—â—stitie carefully by doing whatsoeuer he willeth cheerefully and by not prying into or medling with any matters of his curiously or busily c. Three notable vertues in a wise woman to continue loue and peace betwixt her and her Husband the contraries whereof are causes of many fires and flames where they should not be For these points of rare wisedome and for that she had béen a meanes to preserue many a Senators life and others that were questioned and in danger in her time had not she graciously wrought for them and for that she had brought vp many a mans child by her charity and married many a poore Mayden by her liberalitie she was mourned for a whole yéere by all the Matrons and women in Rome when she was dead by a speciall decree of the Senat. So will vertue priuate and publique haue his due honour with thankefull hearts at last Chast she was you sée and no enuie or malice of man or Diuell can burie that vertue so but that it will rise and liue with renowne in despight of all Diuels Matronis dos pulcherima vita pudica O! it is a dowrie of dowries to a woman a chast and vertuous carriage of her selfe If she be hard of fauour yet when she looketh in a glasse she may chéerefully say to her selfe Woman comfort thy selfe for thy beautie is inward thou art honest and it is a great and an approoued beautie of all men If she be faire and not chast she may sigh and say O how faire shouldest thou haue beene if honest Nulla reparabilis arte lapsa pudicitia No art of man wit can make whole againe decayed and broken vertue in this point therefore with all power and strength of will wit prayer preserue it and leaue the report of it to the comfort of your posteritie and friends Obedient also you see was this worthy Liuia to her husband not onely doing but doing cheerefully that is without any maner of crossing or stopping grudging or grieuing whatsoeuer hée required A vertue againe that will not die but force-foorth praise euen froÌ„ very enemies Vir a vi dictus mulier a mollitie A man hath his name of strength and force a woman of softnesse because in all things towards her husband shée is soft and gentle and most readily obedient and tractable Gods lawe hath so appointed that they should obey and all vertuous woman deepely regard it Uery Aristotle an Heathen man could write and teach that a good woman taketh her husbands will to bee a Lawe to her which she will obserue and not violate The starres all haue their light from the Sunne and if you aske them they will very thankfully acknowledge it The bodie hath his grace from the head and will be ruled by the head in all things without gain-saying The man you know is the womans head Ephesians 5. Women had their vâ—â—les and still haue their long haire to note this holy order of obdience and subiection to their husbands and therefore it was saide Etiam Anathema sit mulier quae comam sibi amputat quam Deus ad memoriam subiectionis illi dedit Euen accursed let that woman bee which cutteth of her haire giuen her of God to remember her of obedience and subiection to her husband Vashti her refusall to come when the King sent for her turned to her hurt you knowe and the example of such disorder is desired by all the Wise to bée preuented Sara is proposed to all vertuous women to bée followed in her ready louing and constant obedience to her husband Abraham calling him Lord c. The third Vertue of renowned Liuia was you saw that shee busily pryed not into her husbands actions neither medled with his matters but left his place and the workes of it vnto him herselfe dealing with her owne duties And what a thing is this to preserue loue and peace euer betwixt couples Iezabels such medling with the matter of Naboth wounted Ahab ouerthrew herselfe and the ignominie of it liueth and will neuer dye Stories doe yéeld vs many other examples and I would our owne times yéelded vs none I speake of vnfit curiositie and not of any good concurrence in well-doing For wee all know Pilate had been happie if in that matter of his Office and of Iustice hee had hearkened to his Wiues dutifull wish and not proocéeded as hée did against the Lord Jesus Thus remayneth honourable Liuia the Empresse a worthy Example to all of her Sexe how to liue in Loue and Peace with their husbandes so that no diuorce shall bée either spoken or thought of during life but longing wishes for contynuance many yeares and euen to bée the later of the two that goeth to the earth For such Wiues as they were worthy ones whiles they liued so will they bée missed and many times thought of when they bée gone Héere might I stay but since I am entred into this matter giue mée leaue to adde two or three things more beeing euer-shining Vertues in Women and great meanes of Loue Amitie and Vnitie betwixt married couples Faithfulnesse to their Husbands is one I meane a true constancie of heart preferring their wel-doing before all men and matters whatsoeuer worldly Such as was in Zipporah Moses his Wife who most tenderly louing her Childe and therefore very loath to shedde any of his blood yet when shée saw her Husband in danger for omitting that Circumcision rather than hee shall miscarrie shee addresseth her-selfe and that spéedily to doe that dutie whereby her Husband might liue although her childe smarted And shee did it not in a furie as some haue taken the place but in a most faithfull affection to the preseruation of her husband like a louing wife Neither doe her wordes Sponsus tu mihi es sanguinum Thou art a husband of blood vnto me sound foorth anger and choler but sweetnesse and loue as if shée had said My loue to thee hath been such deere husband as that it hath made me forget woman-hood to lay aside all motherly affection and to redéeme thy life and contynuance to mée with the blood of my childe c. Such againe was that in Michal to Dauid her husband when she let him downe at the window to escape from her fathers furie and layd an Image in the bed as if hée had béene there sicke Such the care of Abigael when shée heard her husband had ouer-shot himselfe toward Dauids messengers rather than any hurt should come to him for such vnaduised speaches shée prepared a very honourable Present and goeth her selfe to preuent anger which shée did indéede to the safetie of her husband and all his Such the loue of Theopompus his wife who when her husband was taken and put
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
following and such like First that these sundry bickerings with this Tyrant for his Church might notablie shewe his loue and affection to his Church which is euery mans great and speciall comfort Secondly that patience might be taught by this Example to all Gods children if their troubles and oppressions receaue not an end by and by Thirdly hee thus taketh all excuse from this obstinate enemie a thing of good vse if wee obserue it For euen as héere by Moses and Aaron the Lord dealt wich Pharaoh so by his Ministers still the Lord dealeth with vs leauing vs as naked without excuse if wee continue disobedient as euer hee did Pharaoh Fourthly hee thus discouered the great darknes of our vnderstanding vntill it be lightned and the damnable waywardnes of our will till it be changed by him Fiftly and lastly by this manifesting of the enemies malice he openeth to our vnspeakeable comfort and so of his Church vnto the end what a victorious hand hee hath to saue and deliuer when and whom hee shall euer please be the rage neuer so strong and great For Pharaoh cannot hold out but whilest God will we sée héere no more shall any Tyrant to the worlds end Thus you sée why God vsed this way by message and entreatie rather than the other by his power and might Let it profit you and so I leaue it 3. You sée also héere againe how God calleth them his people although oppressed and in miserie vnder a wicked wayward and prophane Gouernour It is a swéete comfort to those that tast of like griefe and sheweth as I haue noted before that affliction seperateth not from God but in the midst of all woe hee regardeth and saith mine mine although instantly hee rebuke not either winde or weather c. 4. Pharaoh his proude answere saying Who is the Lord that I should heare him pictureth out the hardnes of an vnregenerate hart and biddeth all beholders to pray against it O dust and ashes darest thou say thou knowest not him that made thée and not tremble for thy ignorance This vnféelingnes was in Pilate when hee said what is truth And what is that which some amongst vs vtter euery day what new doctrine is this Sed non impunè recusat Pharaoh quod scienter ignorat But to his woe doth Pharaoh refuse what wittingly and willingly he knoweth not And so shall all that delight in ignorance Hence commeth waywardnes and wilfulnes obstinacie and frowardnes rage and madnes that men will not heare and know But in Pharaoh sée what will followe one day when by voice and words no good is done Hée in the Sea thou in the lake that euer burneth shalt perish and sinke to eternall confusion 5. I will not let them goe saith hee Then his reason is his Will euer the refuge of the Reprobate I will not I will not and still in the end I will not A short resolution but as dangerous a resolution as man can make against his owne soule many times In the 6. of Ieremie sée the like answere Wee will not walke therein Againe in the 44. Chap. The word that thou hast spoken to vs in the name of the Lord wee will not heare it of thee c. And many moe like answeres there be in the Scriptures but whose bee they euen such I say as rebell against God and his good motiues made to them by his Ministers and meanes wishing them well Wherefore the end is Gods wrath vpon them and fearefull destruction Such answeres wee heare too often amongst our selues saying I am setled c. and I wil not heare you God graunt in any due time wee may learne by other mens harmes and leaue them For true and true shall wee finde that S. Augustine saith Religio stulta non prodest sed obest A foolish Religion doth not profit but hurt and God is iust to all men in his time I meane in punishing their proude disobedience This is confirmed euen in that which followeth in the next verse in these words Lest hee bring vpon vs the pestilence or sword Noting that this is euer the end of the contempt of diuine worship according to the prescript of God some fearefull plague and iudgement Surely this one place would suffice to many to awake them and shall no places profit vs Were this people of Israel in danger and wee in none haue wee the Lord bound that wee may doe what wee list and yet be safe If they goe not out to sacrifice to the Lord that is to serue and worship him in that sort and manner that then hee commaunded the Lord will bring vpon them the pestilence or sword and if wee stiflie and stubbornly proudly and presumptuouslie refuse to goe out but of our doores to the Church by vs to serue him as now hée commaundeth shal nothing followe God touch vs and moue vs the knife is vpon our throates and wee feare not Whole houses and Manors are rooted out and ruinated not only abroade in the Land but euen in the Country peraduenture where wee dwell for this rebellion and yet wee thinke our posteritie shall abide and nothing happen vpon our heapings for them when hee is despised that doth but blowe vpon lands and liuings and they are gone Cathedram in Coelo habet qui corda mouet His chaire is in Heauen that moueth harts and hee for his mercie sake I say againe moue vs that wee may enquire séeke and sée whether wee doo well or wrong and doo as wee ought when wee sée it The Lord hath promised to take away the stonie hart and to giue a fleshie in the place if wee will vrge him with his promise by humble hartie and earnest prayer So did Dauid when hee cried O let mee feele let mee feele knowing euen then that this Gods mercie if it were sought should be graunted 6. Then said the King of Egypt vnto them Moses and Aaron why cause yee the people to cease frō their workes c Sée the lot of the Just to be quarrelled with nipped quipped slaundred and euen laden many times with false and most iniurious imputations To Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Iesus Christ himselfe this measure hath béene measured and they haue borne it Deus videt the Lord seeth and in his due time hee will make the truth appeare Fero spero I endure and hope let it bee thy Meditation when none séeth but hee that séeth in secret Againe marke héere how when God draweth néere to yéeld vs comfort then Sathan in his members rageth more and séeketh to encrease our troubles sorrowes and griefes but yet all in vaine God in the end will deliuer his Seruants in despite of all their enemies as here he did Be of good comfort and lay it vp in thy hart 7. They be idle therefore they crie saying Let vs goe to offer sacrifice c. A truth it is that nothing is worse than Idlenes the mother of all vice as discord