more pleasing vnto God or more cōmodious to men then that whē hee hath executed iudgement it should be seene and wondred at for therefore he strikes some that he may warne all Aaron and Miriam THe Israelites are staied seuen daies in the station of Hazzeroth for the punishment of Miriam The sinnes of the Gouernors are a iust stop to the people all of them smart in one all must stay the leasure of Miriams recouery Whosoeuer seeks the Land of Promise shall finde many lets Amalek Og Sehon the Kings of Canaan meet with Israel these resisted but hindred not their passage their sinnes only staie them from remoouing Afflictions are not crosses to vs in the way to heauen in comparison to our sinnes What is this I see Is not this Aaron that was brother in nature and by office ioynt-commissioner with Moses Is not this Aaron that made his brother an intercessor for him to God in the case of his Idolatry Is not this Aaron that climbd vp the hill of Sinai with Moses Is not this Aaron whom the mouth and hand of Moses consecrated an high Priest vnto GOD Is not this Miriam the elder sister of Moses Is not this Miriam that ledde the triumph of the vvomen sung gloriously to the Lord Is not this Miriam which laid her brother Moses in the Reedes and fetcht her Mother to bee his Nurse Both Prophets of GOD both the flesh and bloud of Moses And dooth this Aaron repine at the honour of him which gaue himselfe that honour and saued his life Dooth this Miriam repine at the prosperitie of him vvhose life shee saued Who vvould not haue thought this should haue beene their glorie to haue seene the glorie of their owne Brother What could haue bin a greater comfort to Miriam then to think How happily doth hee now sit at the steine of Israel vvhom I saued from perishing in aboat of bulrushes It is to mee that Israel owes this commander But now enuy hath so blinded their eyes that they can neither see this priuiledge of nature nor the honour of Gods choice Miriam and Aaron are in mutiny against Moses Who is so holy that sinnes not what sinne is so vnnaturall that the best can avoide without God But what weaknes soeuer may pleade for Miriam who can but grieue to see Aaron at the end of so many sinnes Of late I saw him caruing the molten Image and consecrating an altar to a false GOD now I see him seconding an vnkinde mutinie against his brother Both sinnes finde him accessarie neither principall It was not in the power of the legall priesthood to perform or promise innocencie to her ministers It was necessary we shold haue another high Priest vvhich could not be tainted That King of righteousnes was of another order Hee being without sinne hath fully satisfied for the sins of men Whom can it now offend to see the blemishes of the Euangelical priesthood when Gods fyrst high priest is thus miscaried Who can looke for loue prosperity at once when holy and meeke Moses finds enmity in his own flesh bloud Rather then we shall want A mans enemies shal be those of his own house Authoritie cannot faile of opposition if it be neuer so mildly swayed that common make-bate will rather raise it out of our owne bosome To doe well and heare ill is princely The Midianitish wife of Moses cost him deare Before shee hazarded his life now the fauour of his people Vnequall matches are sildom prosperous Although now this scandall was only taken Enuy was not wife enough to chuse a ground of the quarrell Whether some secret emulatorie brawles passed between Zipporah and Miriam as many times these sparks of priuate brawles grow into a perilous common flame or whether now that Iethro his family was ioyned with Israel there vvere surmises of transporting the gouernment to strangers or whether this vnfit choice of Moses is now raised vp to disparage Gods gifts in him Euen in sight the exceptions were friuolous Emulation is curious and out of the best person or act will raise something to cauil at Seditions do not euer look the same way they mooue Wise men can easily distinguish betwixt the visor of actions and the face The wife of Moses is mentioned his superiority is shot at Pride is lightly the ground of all sedition Which of their faces shined like Moses Yea let him but haue drawen his vaile which of them durst look on his face Which of them had fasted twise 40. dayes Which of them ascended vp to the roppe of Sinai and vvas hid with smoake and fire Which of them receiued the Law twise in two seuerall tables from Gods own hand And yet they dare say Hath God spoken onely by Moses They do not deny Moses his honour but they challenge a part with him and as they were the elder in nature so they would be equall in dignity equall in administration According to her name Miriam would bee exalted And yet how vnfit were they One a woman whom her sex debarred from rule the other a Priest whom his office sequestred from earthly gouernment Selfe-loue makes men vnreasonable and teaches them to turne the glasse to see themselues bigger others lesse then they are It is an hard thing for a man willingly and gladly to see his equalls lifted ouer his head in worth and opinion Nothing wil more try a mans grace then questions of emulation That man hath true light which can be content to be a candle before the sun of others As no wrong can escape God so least of all those which are offred to Princes He that made the eare needs no intelligence of our tongues Wee haue to doe with a GOD that is light of hearing wee cannot whisper any euill so secretly that hee should not cry out of noyse and what need wee any further euidence vvhen our Iudge is our witnesse Without any delation of Moses GOD heares and challenges them Because he was meek therfore he complained not Because he was meek complained not therefore the Lord struck in for him the more The lesse a man striues for himselfe the more is GOD his Champion It is the honour of great persons to vndertake the patronage of their clients How much more vvill GOD reuenge his Elect which cry to him day and night Hee that said I seeke not mine owne glorie addes But there is one that seekes it and iudges GOD takes his part euer that fights not for himselfe No man could haue giuen more proofes of his courage then Moses Hee slew the Egyptian Hee confronted Pharaoh in his ovvne Court Hee beat the Midianite Shepheards Hee feared not the troopes of Egypt Hee durst looke GOD in the face amiddst all the terrours of Sinai and yet that Spirit vvhich made and knevv his heart sayes Hee vvas the mildest man vpon earth Mildnesse and Fortitude may vvell lodge together in one breast to correct the misconceits of those men
hee diets them Neuer any haue had so bitter draughts vpon earth as those hee loues best The palate is an ill iudge of the fauours of God O my Sauiour thou didst drinke a more bitter cup from the hands of thy Father then that which thou refusedst of the Iewes or then that which I can drinke from thee Before they could not drinke if they would now they might and would not God can giue vs blessings with such a tang that the fruition shall not much differ from the want So many a one hath riches not grace to vse them many haue children but such as they preferre barrennes They had said before Oh that we had any water now Oh that wee had good water It is good so to desire blessings from God that wee may be the better for inioying them so to craue water that it may not be sauced w th bitternes Now these fond Israelites in steed of praying murmur in steed of praying to God murmur against Moses What hath the righteous done He made not either the Wildernesse dry or the waters bitter Yea if his conduct were the matter what one foot went hee before them without God The piller led them and not hee yet Moses is murmur'd at It is the hard condition of authoritie that when the multitude fare well they applaud themselues when ill they repine against their gouernours Who can hope to be free if Moses escape not Neuer any Prince so merited of a people He thrust himselfe vpon the pikes of Pharaohs tyranny He brought them from a bondage worse then death His rod diuided the Sea and shared life to them death to their pursuers VVho vvould not haue thought these men so obliged to Moses that no death could haue opened their mouthes or raised their hands against him Yet now the first occasion of want makes them rebell No benefit can stop the mouth of Impatience If our turne be not serued for the present former fauours are either forgotten or contemned No maruell if we deale so with men when God receiues this measure from vs. One yeare of famine One summer of pestilence One moone of vnseasonable weather makes vs ouer-look all the blessings of God more to mutine at the sense of our euill then to praise him for our varieties of good whereas fauours well bestowed leaue vs both mindfull and confident and will not suffer vs either to forget or distrust O God I haue made an ill vse of thy mercies if I haue not learned to be content with thy corrections Moses was in the same want of water with them in the same disâ—aste of bitternes and yet they say to Moses What shal we drink If they had seene him furnished with full vessels of sweete water and themselues put ouer to this vnsauory liquor enuy might haue giuen some colour to this mutinie but now their leaders common misery might haue freed him from their murmurs They helde it one peece of the late Egyptian tyranny that a task was required of them which the imposers knew they could not performe to make brick when they had no strawâ— Yet they say to Moses what shall wee drink Themselues are grown exactors and are ready to menace more then stripes if they haue not their ends without means Moses took not vpon him their prouision but their deliuerance and yet as if he had been the common victualer of the Camp they aske what shall we drink When want meets with impatient mindes it transports them to fury Euery thing disquiets and nothing satisfies them What course doth Moses now take That which they should haue done and did not They cryed not more feruently to him then he to God If he were their leader God was his That which they vniustly required of him he iustly requires of God that could doe it He knew whence to look for redresse of all complaints this was not his charge but his Makers which was able to maintaine his owne act I see and acknowledge the harbour that we must put into in all our ill weather It is to thee O God that we must poure out our hearts which onely canst make our bitter waters sweet Might not that rod which took away the liquid nature from the waters and made them solid haue also taken away the bitter quality from these waters and made them sweet since to flowe is naturall vnto the water to be bitter is but accidentall Moses durst not imploy his rod without a precept hee knew the power came from the commandement Wee may not presume on likelyhoods but depend vpon warrants therefore Moses doth not lift vp his rodde to the waters but his hand and voyce to GOD. The hand of faith neuer knocked at heauen in vaine No sooner hath Moses shewd his grieuance then God shews him the remedie yet an vnlikely one that it might be miraculous He that made the waters could haue giuen them any sauor How easie is it for him that made the matter to alter the quality It is not more hard to take away then to giue Who doubts but the same hand that created them might haue immediatly changed them Yet that almighty power will doe it by meanes A peece of wood must sweeten the waters What relation hath wood to water or that which hath no sauour to the redresse of bitternes Yet here is no more possibility of failing then proportion to the successe All things are subiect to the commaund of their Maker He that made all of nothing can make euery thing of any thing There is so much power in euery creature as he wil please to giue It is the praise of omnipotencie to work by improbabilities Elisha with salt Moses with wood shall sweeten the bitter waters Let no man despise the meanes when he knowes the author God taught his people by actions as well as words This entrance shewd them their whole iourney wherein they should taste of much bitternesse but at last through the mercy of GOD sweetned with comfort Or did it not represent themselues rather in the iourney in the fountaines of whose hearts were the bitter waters of manifold corruptions yet their vnsauory soules are sweetned by the graces of his Spirite O blessed Sauiour the wood of thy Crosse that is the application of thy sufferings is enough to sweeten a whole sea of bitternesse I care not how vnpleasant a potion I finde in this wildernesse if the power and benefit of thy precious death may season it to my soule The Quayles and Manna THe thirst of Israel is wel quenched for besides the change of the wateâ—s of Marah their station is changed to Elim where were twelue fountaines for their twelue Tribes and now they complaine as fast of hunger Contentation is a rare blessing because it arises either froÌ„ a fruition of all comforts or a not desiring of some which wee haue not Now we are neuer so bare as not to haue some benefits neuer so full as not to want something
before vvould haue beene at the Egyptian flesh-pots would now be at their deuotions How many haue falne into a fashion of swearing scoffing drinking out of the vsuall practise of others as those that liue in an ill aire are infected with diseases A man may passe through Aethiopia vnchaunged but hee cannot dwell there and not be discoloured Their sinne was bad enough let not our vncharitablenes make it worse No man may think they haue so put off humanity and sense with their religion as to thinke that Calfe a God or that this Idoll which they saw yesterday made did bring them out of Egypt three moneths agoe This were to make them more beasts then that Calfe which this image represented Or if they should haue been so insensate can wee thinke that Aaron could be thus desperately mad The image and the holy-day were both to one Deity Tomorrow is the holy-day of the Lord your God It was the true God they meant to worship in the Calfe and yet at best this Idolatry is shamefull It is no maruell if this foule sinne seeke pretences yet no excuse can hide the shame of such a face Gods iealousie is not stirred onely by the riuality of a false God but of a false worship Nothing is more dangerous then to mint Gods seruices in our owne braine God sends downe Moses to remedy this sinne He could as easily haue preuented as redressed it He knew ere Moses came vp what Israel would doe ere hee came downe like as he knew the two Tables would be broken ere he gaue them God most wisely permits and ordinates sinne to his owne ends without our excuse And though he could easily by his owne hands remedy euills yet he will doe it by means both ordinary and subordinate It is not for vs to looke for an immediate redresse from GOD when we haue a Moses by whom it may be wrought Since God himselfe expects this from man why should man expect it from God Now might Moses haue found a time to haue been eeuen with Israell for all their vnthankfulnes and mutinous insurrections Let me alone I will consume them and make thee a mighty Nation Moses should not need to solicite God for reuenge God solicites him in a sort for leaue to reuenge Who would look for such a word frō god to man Let me alone As yet Moses had said nothing Before he opens his mouth God preuents his importunity as foreseeing that holy violence which the requests of Moses would offer to him Moses stood trembling before the maiesty of his Maker yet heares him say Let me alones The mercy of our God hath 〈◊〉 were obliged his power to the faith of men The feruent prayers of the faithfull hold the hands of the Almightie As I finde it said afterwardes of Christ that hee could doe no miracles there because of their vnbeliefe So now I heare GOD as if hee could not doe execution vppon Israel because of Moseses faith say Let mee alone that I may consume them Wee all naturally affect proprietie and like our owne so much better as it is freer from partners Euery one would be glad to say with that proud one I am and there is none beside me So much the more sweetly would this message haue sounded to nature I will consume them and make of thee a mighty Nation How many indeuour that not without danger of curses and vprore which vvas voluntarily tendred vnto Moses Whence are our depopulations and inclosures but for that men cannot abide either fellowes or neighbours But how gratiously doth Moses striue with GOD against his owne preferment If God had threatned I will consume thee and make of them a mighty Nation I doubt whether he could haue beene more moued The more a man can leaue himselfe behinde him and aspire to a care of community the more spirituall he is Nothing makes a man so good a patriot as religion Oh the sweet disposition of Moses fit for him that should bee familiar with God! hee saw they could be content to be merry and happy without him he would not bee happy vvithout them They had professed to haue forgotten him hee slacks not to sue for them He that will euer hope for good himselfe must returne good for euill vnto others Yet was it not Israel so much that Moses respected as God in Israell He was thrifty and iealous for his Maker and would not haue him lose the glory of his mighty deliuerances nor would abide a pretence for any Egyptian dogge to barke against the powerfull worke of God Wherefore shall the Egyptians say If Israell could haue perished without dishonour to God perhaps his hatred to their Idolatry would haue ouercome his naturall loue and he had let God alone Now so tender is hee ouer the name of God that hee would rather haue Israel scape with a sin then Gods glory should be blemished in the opinions of men by a iust iudgement He saw that the eyes and tongues of all the world were intent vppon Israel a people so miraculously fetcht from Egypt vvhome the Sea gaue vvay too whom heauen fedde whom the rock watred whom the fire and cloud garded which heard the audible voyce of God He knew vvithall how ready the vvorld would bee to misconstrue and how the heathens would be readie to cast imputations of leuity or impotence vpon GOD and therefore saies What will the Egyptians say Happy is that man which can make Gods glory the scope of all his actions and desires neither cares for his owne welfare nor fears the miseries of others but with respect to God in both If God had not giuen Moses this care of his glory hee could not haue had it And now his goodnes takes it so kindly as if himselfe had receiued a fauour from his creature and for a rewarde of the grace hee hadde wrought promises not to doe that which he threatned But what needs God to care for the speech of the Egyptians men infidels And if they had beene good yet their censure should haue beene vniust Shall God care for the tongues of men the holy God for the tongues of infidels The very Israelites now they were from vnder the hands of Egypt car'd not for their words and shall the GOD of heauen regard that which is not worth the regard of men Their tongues could not walke against God but from himselfe and if it could haue beene the worse for him would he haue permitted it But O God how dainty art thou of thine honour that thou canst not indure the vvorst of men should haue any colour to taint it What doe we men stand vpon our iustice and innocence with neglect of all vniust censures when that infinite God whom no censures can reach wil not abide that the very Egyptians should falsly taxe his power and mercy Wise men must care not onely to deserue well but to heare well and to wipe off not onely crimes but censures There was neuer
drinkes to the kingdome of God vvhich is like himselfe spirituall But it prepares best for good dutyes Full bellies are fitter for rest not the body so much as the soule is more actiue with emptines Hence solemne prayer takes euer fasting to attend it and so much the rather speeds in heauen when it is so accompanied It is good so to diet the body that the soule may be fatned When Moses came downe before his eyes sparkled with anger and his face was beth interchangeably pale and red with indignation now it is bright with glorie Before there were the flames of fury in it now the beames of Maiestie Moses had before spoken with GOD why did not his face shine before I cannot lay the cause vpon the inward trouble of his passions for this brightnes was externall Whither shall we impute it but to his more intirenesse with God The more familiar acquaintance wee haue with GOD the more doe wee partake of him Hee that passes by the fire may haue some gleames of heat but hee that stands by it hath his colour chaunged It is not possible a man should haue any long conference with GOD and bee no whit affected Wee are strangers from GOD it is no woonder if our faces bee earthlie but hee that settes himselfe apart to GOD shall finde a kinde of maiestie and awfull respect put vpon him in the minds of others How did the heart of Moses shine with illumination when his face was thus lightsome And if the flesh of Moses in this base composition so shined by conuersing with GOD fortie dayes in Sinai What shall our glory bee when clothed with incorruptible bodies we shall conuerse with him for euer in the highest heauen Now his face onely shone afterwardes the three disciples saw all his bodie shining The nature of a glorified body the clearer vision the immediate presence of that fountaine of glory challenge a farre greater resplendence to our faces then his O GOD wee are content that our faces bee blemished awhile vvith contempt and blubbred vvith teares how can wee but shine vvith Moses vvhen wee shall see thee more then Moses The brightnesse of Moseses face reflected not vpon his owne eyes Hee shone bright and knew not of it Hee saw Gods face glorious hee did not thinke others had so seene his How manie haue excellent graces and perceiue them not Our owne sense is an ill iudge of GODs fauours to vs Those that stand by can conuince vs in that which vvee denie to our selues Heere belowe it is enough if wee can shine in the eyes of others aboue wee shall shine and knowe it At this instant Moses sees himselfe shine then hee needed not GOD meant not that hee should more esteeme himselfe but that hee should be more honoured of the Israelites That other glorie shall be for our owne happinesse and therefore requires our knowledge They that did but stand still to see anger in his face ranne away to see glory in it Before they had desired that God would not speake to them any more but by Moses and now that GOD doth but looke vpon them in Moses they are afraide and yet there was not more difference betwixt the voyces then the faces of GOD and Moses This should haue drawen Israel to Moses so much the more to haue seene this impression of Diuinity in his face That which should haue comforted affrights them Yea Aaron himselfe that before went vppe into the mount to see and speake with God now is afraide to see him that had seene GOD Such a feare there is in guiltinesse such confidence in innocencie When the soule is once cleared from sinne it shall runne to that glorie with ioy the least glimpse whereof now appalles it and sends it awaie in terrour Howe could the Israelites now choose but thinke How shall vvee abide to looke GOD in the face since our eyes are dazeled with the face of Moses And well may wee still argue If the image of GOD which hee hath sette in the fleshy forehead of authoritie daunt vs how shall wee stand before the dreadful tribunall of heauen Moses maruels to see Israell runne away from their guide as from their enemy and lookes backe to see if hee could discerne anie new cause of feare not conceiuing how his milde face could affray them calls them to stay and retire Oh my people vvhome doo you flee It is for your sakes that I ascended stayd came downe Behold here are no armed Leuites to strike you no Amalekites no Egyptians to pursue you no fires and thunders to dismay you I haue not that rodde of GOD in my hand which you haue seen to command the Elements or if I had so farre am I from purposing any rigour against you that I now lately haue appeased God towards you and lo heere the pledges of his reconciliation God sends me to you for good doe you runne from your best friend Whither will ye goe from me or without mee Stay and hear the charge of that God from whom ye cannot flee They perceiue his voyce the same though his face were changed and are perswaded to stay and returne and heare him vvhome they dare not see and now after manie doubtfull pases approching nearer dare tell him hee was growne too glorious Good Moses finding that they durst not looke vpon the sunne of his face cloudes it vvith a vayle Choosing rather to hide the worke of God in him then to want opportunitie of reuealing GODs will to his people I doe not heare him stand vppon tearmes of reputation If there be glorie in my face God put it there hee would not haue placed it so conspicuously if hee had meant it should be hid Hide yee your faces rather which are blemished with your sin and look not that I should wrong God and my selfe to seeme lesse happy in fauour of your weakenesse But without all selfe-respects he modestly hides his glorified face and cares not their eyes should pierce so farre as to his skin on condition that his wordes may pierce into their eares It is good for a man sometimes to hide his graces Some talents are best improued by being laid vp Moses had more glory by his vayle then by his face Christian modesty teaches a wise man not to expose himselfe to the fayrest show and to liue at the vtmost pitch of his strength There is many a rich stone laide vp in the bowels of earth many a faire pearle laide vp in the bosome of the Sea that neuer was seene nor neuer shal be There is many a goodly starre which because of height comes not within our account How did out true Moses with the vayle of his flesh hide the glorie of his Deity and put on vilenesse besides the laying aside of Maiesty and shut vp his great and Diuine Miracles with See you tell no man How farre are those spirits from this which care onely to be seene and wish onely to dazle
to reuenge this impietie because the sons of Aaron did it God had both pardoned graced their father he had honored thē of the thousands of Israel culling them out for his altar and now as their father set vp a false God so they bring false fire vnto the true God If the sonnes of Infidels liue godlesly they doe their kinde their punishment shall be though iust yet lesse but if the children of religious parents after all Christian nourture shall shame their Education GOD takes it more haynously and reuenges it more sharply The more bonds of duty the more plagues of neglect If from the agents we looke to the act it selfe set aside the originall descent vvhat difference vvas there betwixt these fyres Both lookt alike heated alike ascended alike consumed alike Both were fedde with the same materiall wood both vanished into smoake There was no difference but in the commandement of God If God had inioyned ordinary fyre they had sinned to look for celestiall now he commaunded onely the fire which hee sent they sinned in sending vp incense in that fire which he commaunded not It is a dangerous thing in the seruice of God to decline from his owne institutions vvee haue to do with a power which is wise to prescribe his own worship iust to require what he hath prescribed powerfull to reuenge that which he hath not required If God had strooke them with some leprosie in their forehead as he did their Aunt Miriam soon after or with some palsy or lingering consumption the punishment had been grieuous but he whose iudgments are euer iust sometimes secret saw fire the fittest reuenge for a sin of fire his owne fire fittest to punish strange fire A suddaine iudgement fitte for a present and exemplary sin Hee saw that if hee had winkt at this his seruice had been exposed to profanation It is wisedome in Gouernours to take sinne at the first bound and so to reuenge it that their punishments may bee preuentions Speed of death is not alwaies a iudgement suddennes as it is euer iustly suspicable so then certainely argues anger when it findes vs in an act of sin Leasure of repentance is an argument of fauour when God giues a man lawe it implyes that hee would not haue iudgement surprise him Doubtlesse Aaron lookt somewhat heauily on this sad spectacle It could not but appall him to see his two sonnes dead before him dead in displeasure dead suddenly dead by the immediat hand of God And now hee could repent him of his new honor to see it succeed so ill with the sonnes of his loines neither could he chuse but see himself striken in them But his brother Moses that had learned not to knowe either nephews or brother when they stood in his way to God wisely turned his eies from the dead carcasses of his sonnes to his respect of the liuing GOD My Brother this euent is fearefull but iust These vvere thy sonnes but they sinned it vvas not for GOD it is not for thee to looke so much who they were as what they did It was their honor and thine that they were chosen to minister before the Lord Hee that called them iustly required their sanctification and obedience If they haue profaned God and themselues can thy naturall affection so miscary thee that thou couldest wish their impunity with the blemish of thy Maker Our sons are not ours if they disobey our Father to pitty their misery is to partake of their sinne If thou grudge at their iudgement take heed least the same fyre of GOD come forth vpon this strange fyre of nature Showe now whether thou more louest GOD or thy sonnes Show whether thou be a better father or a sonne Aaron weighing these things holds his peace not out of an amazement or fullennesse but out of patient and humble submission and seeing Gods pleasure their desert is content to forget that he had sons He might haue had a silent tongue and a clamorous hart There is no voice lowder in the eares of GOD then a a speechless repining of the soule Heat is more intended with keeping in but Aarons silence was no lesse inward Hee knew how little hee should get by brauling with GOD. If hee breathed out discontentment hee saw GOD could speake fire to him againe And therefore he quietly submits to the will of God and held his peace because the Lord had done it There is no greater proofe of grace then to smart patiently humbly and contentedly to rest the hart in the iustice wisdome of Gods proceeding and to be so far from chiding that we dispute not Nature is froward and tho she well knowes wee meddle not with our match when wee striue with our Maker yet she pricks vs forward to this idle quarrell and bids vs with Iobs wife Curse and die If God either chide or smite as seruants are charged to their Maisters we may not answere againe when Gods hand is on our backe our hand must bee on our mouth else as mothers do their children God shall whippe vs so much the more for crying It is hard for a stander by in this case to distinguish betwixt hard-hartednes and pietie There Aaron sees his sons ly hee may neither put his hand to them to bury them nor shed a teare for theyr death Neuer parent can haue iuster cause of mourning then to see his sons dead in their sinne if prepared and penitent yet vvho can but sorrow for their end but to part with children to the danger of a second death is woorthy of more then teares Yet Aaron must learne so farre to denie nature that hee must more magnify the iustice of GOD then lament the iudgement Those vvhom GOD hath called to his immediat seruice must knowe that hee will not allow them the common passions and cares of others Nothing is more naturall then sorrow for the death of our owne if euer griefe bee seasonable it becoms a funerall And if Nadab Abihu had died in their beds this fauour had been allowed them the sorow of their father and brethren for when GOD forbids solemne mourning to his Priests ouer the dead he excepts the cases of this neerenesse of bloud Now all Israel may mourne for these two onely the father and brethren may not God is iealous least their sorow should seeme to countenance the sinne which he had punished euen the fearfullest acts of GOD must bee applauded by the heauiest hearts of the faithfull That which the father brother may not doe the cozens are commanded Dead carcasses are not for the presence of GOD His iustice was showne sufficiently in killing them They are now fit for the graue not the sanctuarie Neither are they carried out naked but in their coats It was an vnusuall sight for Israell to see a linnen Ephod vpon the beere The iudgement vvas so much more remarkable because they had the badge of their calling vpon their backs Nothing is either
lesse is the danger of seducement The errour of the mighty is armed with authority and in a sort commaunds assent whether in good or euill greatnes hath euer a traine to followe it at the heeles Forty dayes they spent in this search and this cowardly vnbeleefe in the search shall cost them forty yeeres delay of the fruition Who can abide to see the rulers of Israel so basely timorous They commend the Land the fruit commends it selfe and yet they plead difficulty Wee be not able to goe vp Their shoulders are laden with the grapes and yet their hearts are ouerlaid with vnbeliefe It is an vnwoorthy thing to plead hardnes of atchieuing where the benefit will more then requite the indeuour Our Land of Promise is aboue we knowe the fruit therof is sweet and glorious the passage difficult The giantly sonnes of Anak the powers of darknesse stand in our way If wee sit downe and complaine we shall once knowe that without shall be the fearefull See the idle pleas of distrust We are not able They are stronger Could not God inable them was he not stronger then their giants Had he not promised to displace the Canaanites to settle them in their stead How much more easie is it for vs to spy their weaknes then for them to espy the strength of their aduersaries When wee measure our spirituall successe by our owne power we are vanquished before we fight Hee that would ouercome must neither look vpon his owne arme nor the arme of his enemy but the mouth and hand of him that hath promised and can performe Who are we flesh and blood with our breath in our nostrills that we should fight with Principalities powers spirituall wickednesses in heauenly places The match is too vnequall wee are not like grashoppers to these giants when we compare our selues with them how can we but despaire when wee compare them with God how can we be discouraged Hee that hath brought vs into this fielde hath promised vs victory GOD knew their strength ere hee offered to commit vs. Well might they haue thought Were not the Amalekites stronger then we were not they armed we naked Did not the only hand of Moses by lifting vp beat them downe were not the Egyptians no lesse our maisters Did not Death come running after vs in their chariots Did wee not leaue these buryed in the sea the other vnburied in the Wildernesse Whence had the Anakims their strength but from him that bids vs goe vp against them Why haue the bodies of our forefathers taken possession of their Hebron but for vs But now their feare hath not left them so much reason as to compare their aduersaries with others but onely with themselues Doubtlesse these giants were mighty but their feare hath stretched them out some cubits beyond their stature Distrust makes our dangers greater and our helps lesse then they are and forecasts euer woorse then shall be and if euills be possible it makes them certaine Amongst those twelue messengers whom our second Moses sent through the Land of Promise there was but one Iudas But amongst those twelue which the former Moses addressed through the same Land there is but one Caleb and yet those were chosen out of the meanest these out of the heads of Israel As there is no societie free from some corruption so it is hard if in a community of men there be not some faithfulnesse We shall wrong GOD if we feare least good causes shall bee quite forsaken He knowes how to serue himselfe of the best if the fewest And could as easily be attended with a multitude if he did not seeke his owne glory in vnlikelihoods Ioshua was silent and wisely spared his tongue for a further aduantage Onely Caleb spake I doe not heare him say Who am I to striue with a multitude What can Ioshua and I doe against ten rulers It is better to sit stil then to rise fal But he resolues to swim against this streame and will either drawe friends to the truth or enemies vpon himselfe True Christian fortitude teaches vs not to regard the number or quality of the opponents but the equitie of the cause and cares not to stand alone challenge all commers and if it could be opposed by as many worlds as men it may be ouerborne but it cannot be daunted Whereas popularitie carryes weak minds and teaches them the safety of erring with a multitude Caleb saw the giantly Anakims and the walled citties as well as the rest and yet he saies Let vs go vp and possesse it As if it were no more but to go and see and conquer Faith is couragious and makes nothing of those dangers wherewith others are quayled It is very materiall with what eyes we looke vpon all obiects Feare doth not more multiply euills then faith diminisheth them which is therefore bold because either it sees not or contemnes that terrour which feare represents to the weake There is none so valiant as the beleeuer It had beene happy for Israel if Calebs counsell had beene as effectuall as good But how easily haue these rulers discouraged a faint-hearted people In stead of lifting vp their ensignes and marching towards Canaan They sit them down lift vp their voice and cry The roddes of their Egyptian task-maisters had neuer beene so fit for them as now for crying They had cause indeed to weep for the sinne of their infidelity but now they weep forfeare of those enemies they saw not I feare if there had beene ten Calebs to perswade and but two faint spies to discourage them those two cowards would haue preuailed against those tenne solicitors How much more now ten oppose but two incourage An easie Rhetorick drawes vs to the worse part yea it is hard not to runne downe the hill The faction of euill is so much stronger in our nature then that of Good that euery least motion preuailes for the one scarce any suite for the other Now is Moses in danger of losing all the cost and care that euer he bestowed vpon Israel His people are already gone backe to Egypt in their hearts and their bodies are returning Oh yee rebellious Hebrewes where shall GOD haue you at last Did euer Moses promise to bring you to a fruitfull Land without inhabitants To giue you a rich country without resistance Are not the graues of Canaan as good as those of Egypt What can ye but die at the hands of the Anakims Can yee hope for lesse from the Egyptians What madnes is this to wish to die for feare of death Is there lesse hope from your enemies that shall be when ye goe vnder strong and expert leaders then from the enemies that were when yee shall returne maisterlesse Can those cruell Egyptians so soone haue forgotten the blood of their fathers children brothers husbands which perished in pursuing you Had ye rather trust the mercy of knowne enemies then the promise of a faithfull GOD Which way will yee
a feare least the two brethren should cunningly ingrosse the gouernment to themselues If they hadde done so what wise men would haue enuied them an office so little worth so dearely purchased But because this conceit was euer apt to stirre them to rebellion and to hinder the benefit of this holy soueraintie therefore God hath indeuor'd nothing more then to let them see that these officers whom they so much enuied were of his owne proper institution They hadde scarce shut their eyes since they saw the confusion of those two hundred and fifty vsurping sacrificers and Aarons effectuall intercession for staying the plague of Israell In the one the execution of GODs vengeance vpon the competitors of Aaron for his sake In the other the forbearance of vengeance vpon the people for Aarons mediation might haue challenged their voluntary acknowledgement of his iust calling from God If there had been in them either awe or thankfulnes they could not haue doubted of his lawfull supremacy How could they choose but argue thus Why would God so fearefully haue destroyed the riualls that durst contest with Aaron if hee would haue allowed him any equall Wherefore serue those plates of the Altar which wee see made of those vsurped Censers but to warne all posteritie of such presumption Why should God cease striking whiles Aaron interposed betwixt the liuing and the dead if he were but as one of vs Which of vs if wee had stood in the plague had not added to the heap Incredulous mindes will not bee perswaded with any euidence These two brothers had liued asunder forty yeers GOD makes them both meet in one office of deliuering Israel One halfe of the miracles were wrought by Aaron he stroke with the rodde whiles it brought those plagues on Egypt The Israelites heard GOD call him vppe by name to mount Sinai They saw him anointed from GOD and least they should thinke this a set match betwixt the brethren they saw the earth opening the fire issuing from GOD vpon their emulous opposites they saw his smoke a sufficient antidote for the plague of GOD and yet still Aarons calling is questioned Nothing is more naturall to euery man then vnbeleefe but the earth neuer yeelded a people so strongly incredulous as these and after so many thousand generations their children doe inherit their obstinacy still doe they oppose the true high-priest the anointed of GOD sixteene hundred yeers desolation hath not drawen from them to confesse him whom God hath chosen How desirous was GOD to giue satisfaction euen to the obstinate There is nothing more materiall then that men should be assured their spirituall guides haue their commission and calling from GOD The vvant whereof is a preiudice to our successe It should not be so but the corruption of men will not not receiue good but from due messengers Before GOD wrought miracles in the rod of Moses now in the rodde of Aaron As Pharaoh might see himselfe in Moseses rod who of a rodde of defence and protection was turned into a venomous serpent So Israel might see themselues in the rod of Aaron Euery Tribe and euery Israelite was of himselfe as a sere stick without life without sap and if any one of them had power to liue and flourish he must acknowledge it from the immediate power and gift of God Before Gods calling all men are alike Euery name is alike written in their rod there is no difference in the letters in the wood neither the characters of Aaron are fayrer nor the staffe more precious It is the choise of God that makes the distinction So it is in our calling of Christianity All are equally deuoid of the possibility of grace all equally liuelesse by nature we all are sonnes of wrath If we be now better then others who separated vs We are all crab-stocks in this orchard of God hee may graffe what fruit he pleases vpon vs onely the grace and effectuall calling of God makes the difference These twelue heads of Israel would neuer haue written their names in their rods but in hope they might be chosen to this dignitie What an honour was this Priesthood whereof all the Princes of Israel are ambitious If they had not thought it an high preferment they had neuer so much enuyed the office of Aaron What shall wee thinke of this change Is the Euangelicall ministration of lesse worth then the Leuiticall Whiles the Testament is better is the seruice worse How is it that the great thinke themselues too good for this imployment How is it that vnder the Gospell men are disparaged with that which honoured them vnder the Law that their ambition and our scorne meete in one subiect These twelue rods are not laid vp in the seuerall cabinets of their owners but are brought forth layd before the Lord. It is fitte God should make choyce of his owne attendants Euen wee men hold it iniurious to haue seruants obtruded vpon vs by others neuer shall that man haue comfort in his ministery whom God hath not chosen The great Commander of the world hath set euerie man in his station To one hee hath said Stand thou in this tower and watch To another Make thou good these Trenches To a third Digge thou in this Mine Hee that giues and knowes our abilities can best sette vs on worke This rod was the pastorall staffe of Aaron the great Shepheard of Israel God testifies his approbation of his charge by the fruit That a rod cut off from the tree should blossome it was strange but that in one night it should beare buds blossoms fruit that both ripe and hard it was highlie miraculous The same power that reuiues the dead plants of winter in the Spring doth it heere without earth without time without sunne that Israel might see and grant it was no reason his choyce should be limited whose power is vnlimited Fruitfulnesse is the best argument of the calling of GOD Not only all the plants of his setting but the very boughes cut off from the body of them will flourish And that there may not want a succession of increase heere are fruite blossoms buds both proofe and hope inseparably mixed It could not but bee a great comfort vnto Aaron to see his rodde thus miraculously flourishing to see this wonderfull Testimony of Gods fauour and Election Sure hee could not but thinke Who am I O GOD that thou shouldest thus choose mee out of all the Tribes of Israel My weakenesse hath been more worthy of thy rodde of correction then my rod hath beene worthy of these blossoms How hast thou magnified mee in the sight of all thy people How able art thou to vphold my imbecillitie with the rodde of thy support how able to defend me with the rodde of thy power who hast thus brought fruite out of the saplesse rod of my profession That seruant of GOD is worthy to faint that holds it not a sufficient encouragement to see the euident proofes of his Maisters
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