some Clients after him It hath bin euer a dangerous policy of Satan To assault the best hee knowes that the multitude as we say of Bees wil follow their maister Nothing can bee more pleasing to the vulgar sort then to heare their gouernours taxed and themselues flattered All the Congregation is holy Euery one of them Wherefore lift yee vp your selues Euery word is a falshood For Moses deiected himself Who am I GOD lifted him vp ouer Israel And so was Israel holy as Moses was ambitious What holinesse was there in so much infidelity feare Idolatry mutinie disobedience What could make them vncleane if this were holinesse They had scarce wip't their mouthes or washt their hands since their last obstinacy and yet these pick-thanks say All Israell is holy I would neuer desire a better proofe of a false teacher then flattery True meaning neede not vphold it selfe by soothing There is nothing easier then to perswade men well of themselues when a mans self-loue meets with anothers flattery it is an hy praise that will not be belieued It was more out of opposition then beliefe that these men plead the holines of Israel Violent aduersaries to vphold a side will mainetaine those things they belieue not Moses argues not for himselfe but appeales to GOD neither speakes for his owne right but his brother Aarons He knew that Gods immediate seruice vvas woorthy to bee more precious then his gouernment That his Princedome serued but to the glory of his Maister Good Magistrates are more tender ouer Gods honour then their owne and are more sensible of the wrongs offred to religion then to themselues It is safest to trust God with his owne causes If Aaron had beene chosen by Israel Moses would haue sheltred him vnder their authoritie Now that GOD did immediatly appoint him his patronage is sought whose the election was We may easily fault in the menaging of diuine affaires and so our want of successe cannot want sin He knowes how to vse how to blesse his own meanes As there was a difference betwixt the people and Leuites so betwixt the Leuites and Priests The GOD of order loues to haue our degrees kept Whiles the Leuites would be looking vp to the Priests Moses sends downe their eyes to the people The way not to repine at those aboue vs is to looke at those below vs. There is no better remedy for ambition then to cast vp our former receyts and to compare them with our deseruings and to conferre our owne estate with inferiours So shall wee finde cause to be thankfull that wee are aboue any rather then of enuie that any is aboue vs. Moses hath chid the sonnes of Leui for mutining against Aaron and so much the more because they were of his own Tribe now hee sends for the Reubenites vvhich rose against himselfe They come not and their message is worse then their absence Moses is accused of iniustice crueltie falshood treacherie vsurpation and Egypt it selfe must bee commended rather then Moses shall vvant reproche Innocencie is no shelter from ill tongues Malice neuer regards hovv true any accusation is but hovv spightfull Now it was time for Moses to be angry They durst not haue been thus bold if they had not seen his mildnesse Lenity is ill bestowed vpon stubburne natures It is an iniurious senselesnesse not to feel the wounds of our reputation It well appeares he is angry when he prayes against them He was displeased before but when he was most bitter against them hee still pray'd for them but now hee bends his very prayers against them Looke not to their offering There can be no greater reuenge then the imprecation of the righteous There can bee no greater iudgement then Gods reiection of our seruices With vs men what more argues dislike of the person then the turning back of his present What will GOD accept from vs if not prayers The innocence of Moses calls for reuenge on his Aduersaries If hee had wronged them in his gouernment in vaine should hee haue looked to Gods hand for right Our sinnes exclude vs from Gods protection whereas vprightnesse challenges and findes his patronage An asse taken had made him vncapable of fauour Corrupt Gouernours lose the comfort of their owne brest and the tuition of God The same tongue that prayed against the Conspirators prayes for the people As lewd men thinke to carry it with number Corah had so farre preuailed that hee had drawne the multitude to his side GOD the auenger of treasons would haue consumed them all at once Moses and Aaron pray for their rebels Although they were vvoorthy of death and nothing but death could stoppe their mouthes yet their mercifull Leaders vvill not buy their owne peace with the losse of such enemies Oh rare and imitable mercy The people rise vp against their Gouernors Their Gouernours fall on their faces to God for the people So far are they from plotting reuenge that they will not indure God should reuenge for them Moses knew wel enough that all those Israelites must perish in the Wildernesse GOD had vow'd it for their former insurrection yet how earnestly doth hee sue to GOD not to consume them at once The very respite of euills is a fauour next to the remoueall Corah kindled the fire the two hundred and fiftie Captaines brought sticks to it All Israel warm'd thēselues by it onely the incendiaries perish Now doe the Israelites owe their life to them whose death they intended God Moses knowe to distinguish betwixt the heads of a faction the train though neither be faultless yet the one is plagued the other forgiuen Gods vengeance when it is at the hotest makes differēces of men Get you away from about the Tabernacles of Corah Euer before common iudgements there is a separation In the vniuersall iudgement of all the earth the Iudge himselfe will separate in these particular executions wee must separate our selues The societie of wicked men especially in their sinnes is mortally dangerous whiles wee will not be parted how can we complaine if we be enwrapped in their condemnation Our very company sins with them why should wee not smart with them also Moses had well hoped that when these rebels should see all the Israelites runne from them as from monsters and looking affrightedly vpon their Tents and should heare that fearfull proclaclamation of vengeance against them howsoeuer they did before set a face on their conspiracie yet now their hearts would haue misgiuen But loe these bold Traytors stand impudently staring in the doore of their tents as if they would out-face the reuenge of GOD As if Moses had neuer wrought miracle before them As if no one Israelite had euer bledde for rebelling Those that shall perish are blinded Pride and infidelity obdures the hart and makes euen cowards fearelesse So soone as the innocent are seuered the guilty perish the earth cleaues and swallowes vp the rebels This element was not vsed to such morsels
It deuoures the carcasses of men but bodies informed with liuing soules neuer before To haue seene them struck dead vpon the earth had been fearfull but to see the earth at once their executioner and graue was more horrible Neyther the Sea nor the Earth are fit to giue passage The sea is moist and flowing and will not be diuided for the continuitie of it The earth is dry and massie and will neither yeeld naturally nor meet againe when it hath yeelded yet the waters did cleaue to giue way vnto Israel for their preseruation the earth did cleaue to giue vvay to the Conspirators in iudgement Both Sea and Earth did shut their iawes againe vpon the aduersaries of GOD. There vvas more vvonder in this latter It was a maruell that the vvaters opened it vvas no wonder that they shutte againe for the retyring and flowing was naturall It was no lesse maruell that the earth opened but more maruell that it did shutte againe because it had no naturall disposition to meet when it vvas diuided Now might Israel see they had to doe with a GOD that could reuenge with ease There were two sorts of Traytors the earth swallowed vp the one the fire the other All the elements agree to serue the vengeance of their Maker Nadab and Abihu brought fit persons but vnfit fire to GOD These Leuites bring the right fire but vnwarranted persons before him Fire from GOD consumes both It is a dangerous thing to vsurpe sacred functions The ministery will not grace the man The man may disgrace the ministery The common people were not so fast gathered to Corahs flattering perswasion before as now they ran from the sight and feare of his iudgment I maruell not if they could not trust that earth whereon they stood whiles they knew their harts had bin false It is a madnesse to runne away from punishment and not from sin The end of the sixt Booke Contemplations THE SEVENTH BOOKE Aarons Censer and Rod. The Brasen Serpent Balaa◠Phinehas The death of Moses At London printed by H. L. for Samuel Macham are to be sold at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Bull-head 1614. TO MY RIGHT HONOVRABLE RELIGIOVS AND BOVNTIFVL PATRON EDVVARD Lord DENNY BARON of WALTHAM The chiefe comfort of my labours I. H. wisheth all true happines and Dedicates this part of his Meditations CONTEMPLATIONS THE SEVENTH BOOKE Aarons Censer and Rod. WHen shall we see an end of these murmurings these iudgmēts Because these men rose vp against Moses and Aaron therefore GOD consumed them and because God consumed them therfore the people rise vp against Moses and Aaron and now because the people thus murmur God hath againe begun to consume them What a circle is here of sinnes and iudgements Wrath is gone out from God Moses is quick-sighted and spies it at the setting out By how much more faithfull and familiar we are with God so much earlier doe we discerne his iudgements As those which are well acquainted with men knowe by their lookes and gestures that which strangers vnderstand but by their actions As finer tempers are more sensible of the changes of weather Hence the Seers of God haue euer from their watch-tower descryed the iudgements of God afarre off If another man had seene from Carmel a cloud of a hand breadth he could not haue tolde Ahab he should be wet It is enough for Gods messengers out of their acquaintance with their maisters proceedings to foresee punishment No maruell if those see it not which are wilfully sinfull wee men reueale not our secret purposes either to enemies or strangers all their fauour is to feele the plague ere they can espie it Moses though hee were great with God yet he takes not vpon him this reconciliation he may aduise Aaron what to doe himselfe vndertakes not to act it It is the worke of the Priesthood to make an atonement for the people Aaron was first his brothers tongue to Pharaoh now he is the peoples tongue to God He only must offer vp the incense of the publique prayers to God Who would not thinke it a small thing to hold a Censer in his hand yet if any other had done it hee had fallen with the dead and not stood betwixt the liuing and dead in stead of the smoke ascending the fire had descended vppon him And shall there be lesse vse or lesse regard of the Euangelicall ministery then the Legall When the world hath powred out all his contempt we are they that must reconcile men to God and without vs they perish I knowe not whether more to maruell at the courage or mercy of Aaron His mercy that hee vvould yet saue so rebellious a people his courage that hee would saue them with so great a danger of himselfe For as one that would part a fray he thrusts himselfe vnder the strokes of God and puts it to the choise of the reuenger whether hee will smite him or forbeare the rest He stands boldly betwixt the liuing and the dead as one that wil eyther die vvith them or haue them liue vvith him the sight of fourteene hundred carcasses dismayd him not hee that before feared the threats of the people novv feares not the strokes of GOD It is not for Gods ministers to stand vpon their owne perils in the common causes of the Church Their prayers must oppose the iudgements of the Almighty When the fire of Gods anger is kindled their Censers must smoke with fire frō the altar Euery Christian must pray for the remouall of vengeance how much more they whom God hath appointed to mediate for his people Euerie mans mouth is his owne but they are the mouthes of all Had Aaron thrust in himselfe with empty hands I doubt whether he hadde preuailed now his Censer was his protection When wee come vvith supplications in our handes vvee neede not feare the strokes of GOD. We haue leaue to resist the diuine iudgements by our prayers with fauour and successe So soone as the incense of Aaron ascended vp vnto God he smelt a sauour of rest hee will rather spare the offenders then strike their intercessor How hardly can any people miscarry that haue faithfull ministers to sue for their safetie Nothing but the smoke of heartie prayers can cleanse the ayre from the plagues of God If Aarons sacrifice were thus accepted how much more shall the hy-priest of the new Testament by interposing himselfe to the wrath of his father deliuer the offenders from death The plague was entred vpon all the sonnes of men O Sauiour thou stood'st betwixt the liuing and the dead that all which beleeue in thee should not perish Aaron offered and was not striken but thou O Redeemer wouldst offer and be strooke that by thy stripes wee might be healed So stood'st thou betwixt the dead and liuing that thou wert both aliue and dead and all this that wee when wee were dead might liue for euer Nothing more troubled Israell then
out of dislike They haue so oft thought and resolued of the necessity of the issue of their dissolution that they cannot holde it either strange or vnwelcome Hee that hath hadde such entire conuersation vvith GOD cannot feare to goe to him Those that knowe him not or knowe that hee will not knowe them no maruell if they tremble This is no small fauour that God warnes Moses of his end He that hadde so oft made Moses of counsell what hee meant to doe with Israel would not now doe ought with himselfe without his knowledge Expectation of any maine euent is a great aduantage to a wise heart If the fiery chariot had fetcht away Elias vnlookt for we shold haue doubted of the fauor of his transportation It is a tokeÌ„ of iudgemeÌ„t to come as a theef in the night God forewarns one by sicknes another by age another by his secret instincts to prepare for their end If our hearts be not now in a readinesse we are worthy to be surprized But what is this I heare Displeasure mixed with loue that to so faithfull a seruant as Moses He must but see the Land of Promise he shall not tread vpon it because he once long agoe sinned in distrusting Death tho it were to him an entrance into glory yet shal be also a chastisement of his infidelity How many noble proofes had Moses giuen of his courage strength of faith How many gracious seruices had hee done to his Maister Yet for one act of distrust he must be gathered to his Fathers All our obediences cannot beare out one sin against God How vainely shall we hope to make amends to God for our former trespasses by our better behauior when Moses hath this one sin laid in his dish after so many and worthy testimonies of his fidelity When wee haue forgotten our sinnes yet GOD remembers them and altho not in anger yet he calls for our arerages Alas what shall become of them with whom God hath tenne thousand greater quarrels That amongst many millions of sinnes haue scattered some fewe acts of formal seruices If Moses must die â—he first death for one fault how â—hall they escape the second for â—inning alwayes Euen where God loues hee will not winke at sinne and if he do not punish yet he wil chastice How much lesse can it stand with that eternall iustice to let wilfull sinners escape iudgement It might haue beene iust vvith God to haue reserued the cause to himselfe and in a generality to haue tolde Moses that his sin must shorten his iourney but it is more of mercy then iustice that his children shall knowe why they smart That GOD may at once both iustifie himselfe and humble them for their particular offences Those to whom hee meanes vengeance haue not the sight of their sinnes till they be past repentance Complaine not that God vpbraides thee with thy old sins whosoeuer thou art but knowe it is an argument of loue whereas concealement is a fearful signe of a secret dislike froÌ„ God But what was that noted sinne vvhich deserues this late exprobration and shall carry so sharpe a chastisement Israel murmur'd for water God bids Moses take the rod in his hand and speake to the rock to giue water Moses in stead of speaking and striking the rock with his voyce strikes it with the rod Heere was his sinne An ouer-reaching of his commission A fearefulnes and distrust of the effect The rod hee knew was approued for miracles hee knew not how powerful his voice might be therfore he did not speak but strike and he stroke twise for failing And now after these many yeeres he is striken for it of God It is a dangerous thing in diuine matters to goe beyond our warrant Those sinnes which seeme triuiall to men are hainous in the account of God Any thing that sauors of infidelity displeases him more then some other crimes of morality Yet the mouing of the rod was but a diuerse thing from the moouing of the tongue it was not contrary He did not forbid the one but hee commanded the other This was but acrosse the streame not against it where shal they appeare whose whole courses are quite contrary to the commandements of God Vpon the act done God passed the sentence of restrayning Moses with the rest from the promised Land now he performes it Since that time Moses had many fauors from God All which could not reuerse this decreed castigation That euerlasting rule is grounded vpon the very essence of God I am Iehouah I change not Our purposes are as our selues fickle incertaine His are certain and immutable some things which he reueales he alters nothing that he hath decreed Besides the soule of Moses to the glory whereof God principally intended this change I finde him carefull of two things His Successor and his Body Moses moues for the one the other God doth vnasked Hee was so tender ouer the welfare of Israel in his life would not slaken his care in death Hee takes no thought for himself for he knew how gainfull an exchange he must make All his care is for his charge Some enuious natures desire to be missed when they must goe and wish that the weaknes or want of a successour may be the foyle of their memory honor Moses is in a contrary disposition It sufficeth him not to finde contentment in his owne happinesse vnlesse he may haue an assurance that Israel shall prosper after him Carnall mindes are all for themselues and make vse of gouernment only for their owne aduantages But good hearts look euer to the future good of the Church aboue their own against their own Moses did well to show his good affection to his people but in his silence God wold haue prouided for his owne Hee that call'd him from the sheep of Iethro will not want a gouernour for his chosen to succeed him God hath fitted him whom he will choose Who can be more meet then he whose name whose experience whose graces might supply yea reuiue Moses to the people He that searched the Land before was fittest to guide Israel into it Hee that vvas indued vvith the spirite of GOD was the fittest deputie for GOD He that abode still in the Tabernacle of Ohel-moed as Gods attendant was fittest to be sent forth from him as his lieutenant But oh the vnsearchable counsell of the Almighty Aged Caleb and all the Princes of Israel are past ouer and Ioshua the seruant of Moses is chosen to succeed his maister The eye of God is not blinded either with gifts or with blood or with beauty or with strength but as in his eternall elections so in his temporary hee will haue mercie on vvhom hee will And well doth Ioshua succeed Moses The very acts of God of olde were allegories where the Law ends there the Sauiour begins we may see the Land of Pâ—omise in the Law Onely Iesus the mediatour of the new Testament can bring