aduantage Fauours had bin more binding then cruelties yet the foolish Aegyptian had rather haue impotent seruants then able friends For their welfare alone Pharaoh owes Israel a mischiefe and how wil he pay it Come let vs worke wisely Lewd men call wicked policies wisdome and their successe happinesse Herein Satan is wiser then they who both layes the plot and makes them such fooles as to mistake villany and madnesse for the best vertue Iniustice is vpheld by violence whereas iust gouernments are maintained by loue Taske-masters must be set ouer Israel they should not be the true Seed of Israel if they were not still set to wrestle with God in afflictions Heauy burdens must bee laid vpon them Israel is neuer but loaded the destiny of one of Iacobs sonnes is common to all To lye downe betwixt their burdens If they had seemed to breathe them in Goshen sometimes yet euen there it was no small miserie to be forainers and to liue among Idolaters but now the name of a slaue is added to the name of a stranger Israel had gathered some rust in idolatrous Aegypt and now he must be scowred they had borne the burden of Gods anger if they had not borne the burdens of the Aegyptians As God afflicted them with another minde then the Aegyptians God to exercise them the Aegyptians to suppresse them so causes he the euent to differ Who would not haue thought with these Aegyptians that so extreme misery should not haue made the Israelites vnfit both for generation and resistance Moderate exercise strengthens extreame destroyes nature That God which many times workes by contrary means caused them to grow with depression with persecution to multiply How can Gods Church but fare well since the very malice of their enemies benefits them Oh the Soueraigne goodnes of our God that turnes all our poisons into cordials Gods Vine beares the better with bleeding And now the Aegyptians could be angry with their owne maliciousnesse that this was the occasion of multiplying them whom they hated and feared to see that this seruice gained more to the workmen then to their Masters The stronger therefore the Israelites grew the more impotent grew the malice of their persecutors And since their owne labour strengthens them now tyrannie will try what can be done by the violence of others since the present strength cannot bee subdued the hopes of succession must be preuented women must be suborned to bee murderers and those whose office is to helpe the birth must destroy it There was lesse suspition of crueltie in that sexe and more opportunitie of doing mischiefe The male children must be borne and die at once what can be more innocent then the childe that hath not liued so much as to cry or to see light It is fault enough to be the sonne of an Israelite the daughters may liue for bondage for lust a condition so much at the least worse then death as their sex was weaker O maruellous cruelty that a man should kill a man for his sexes sake Whosoeuer hath loosed the reynes vnto cruelty is easily caried into incredible extremities From burdens they proceed to bondage and from bondage to blood from an vniust vexation of their body to an inhumane destruction of the fruit of their body As the sinnes of the concupiscible part from slight motions grow on to foule executions so doe those of the irascible there is no sinne whose harbour is more vnsafe then of that of malice But oft-times the power of tyrants answers not their will euill commanders cannot alwayes meet with equally mischieuous agents The feare of God teaches the Midwiues to disobey an vniust command they well knew how no excuse it is for euill I was bidden God said to their hearts Thou shalt not kill This voice was lowder then Pharaohs I commend their obedience in disobeying I dare not commend their excuse there was as much weaknesse in their answer as strength in their practice as they feared God in not killing so they feared Pharaoh in dessembling oft-times those that make conscience of greater sinnes are ouertaken with lesse It is well and rare if we can come forth of a dangerous action without any foyle and if we haue escaped the storme that some after-drops wet vs not Who would not haue expected that the Midwiues should be murdered for not murthering Pharaoh could not be so simple to thinke these women a rusty yet his indignation had no power to reach to their punishment God prospered the Mid-wiues who can harme them Euen the not doing of euill is rewarded with good And why did they prosper Because they feared God Not for their dissimulation but their piety So did God regard their mercy that he regarded not their infirmity How fondly doe men lay the thanke vpon the sinne which is due to the vertue true wisedome teaches to distinguish Gods actions and to ascribe them to the right causes Pardon belongs to the lye of the Mid-wiues and remuneration to their goodnesse prosperity to their feare of God But that which the Mid-wiues will not the multitudes shall doe It were strange if wicked Rulers should not find some or other instruments of violence all the people must drowne whom the women saued Cruelty hath but smoked before now it â—ames vp secret practising hath made it shamelesse that now it dare proclaime tyranny It is a miserable state where euery man is made an executioner there can be no greater argument of an ill cause then a bloody persecution whereas Truth vpholds her selfe by mildnesse and is promoted by patience This is their act what was their issue The people must drowne their males themselues are drowned they died by the same meanes by which they caused the poore Israelitish infants to dye that law of retaliation which God will not allow to vs because we are fellow-creatures he iustly pactiseth in vs. God would haue vs reade our sinnes in our iudgements that we might both repent of our sins and giue glory to his iustice Pharaoh raged before much more now that he receiued a message of dismission the monitions of God make ill men worse the waues doe not beat nor roare any where so much as at the banke which restraines them Corruption when it is checked growes mad with rage as the vapour in a cloud would not make that fearfull report if it met not with opposition A good heart yeelds at the stillest voice of God but the most gracious motions of God harden the wicked Many would not be so desperately setled in their sinnes if the world had not controuled them How mild a message was this to Pharaoh and yet how galling We pray thee let vs goe God commands him that which he feared He tooke pleasure in the present seruitude of Israel God cals for a release If the sute had been for mitigation of labour for preseruation of their children it might haue caried some hope and haue found some fauour but now God requires that
as to giue vs all lookes for a returne of some offering from vs If we present him with nothing but our sins how can wee looke to bee accepted The sacrifices vnder the Gospell are spirituall with these must we come into the presence of God if we desire to carie away remission and fauour The Philistims knew well that it were bootlesse for them to offer what they listed their next suit is to be directed in the matter of their oblation Pagans can teach vs how vnsafe it is to walke in the wayes of Religion without a guide yet here their best teachers can but guesse at their duty and must deuise for the people that which the people durst not impose vpon themselues The golden Emerods and Mise were but coniecturall prescripts With what security may we consult with them which haue their directions from the mouth and hand of the Almighty God strucke the Philistims at once in their god in their bodies it their land In their god by his ruine and dismembering In their bodies by the Emerods In their land by the Mise That base vermine did God send among them on purpose to shame their Dagon and them that they might see how vnable their god was which they thought the Victor of the Arke to subdue the least Mouse which the true God did create and command to plague them This plague vpon the fields beganne together with that vpon their bodies it was mentioned not complained of till they think of dismissing the Arke Greater crosses doe commonly swallow vp the lesse At least lesser euils are either silent or vnheard while the eare is filled with the clamor of the greater Their very Princes were punished with the Mise as well as with the Emerods God knowes no persons in the execution of iudgements the least and meanest of all Gods creatures is sufficient to be the reuenger of his Creator GOD sent them Mise and Emerods of flesh and blood they returne him both these of gold to imply both that these iudgements came out from God and that they did gladly giue him the glory of that whereof hee gaue them paine and sorrow and that they would willingly buy off their paine with the best of their substance The proportion betwixt the complaint and satisfaction is more precious to him then the Metall There was a publike confession in this resemblance which is so pleasing vnto God that he rewards it euen in wicked men with a relaxation of outward punishment The number was no lesse significant then the forme Fiue golden Emerods and Mise for the fiue Princes and diuisions of Philistims As GOD made no difference in punishing so they make none in their oblation The people are comprised in them in whom they are vnited their seuerall Princes They were one with their Prince their Offering is one with his as they were Ring-leaders in the sinne so they must be in the satisfaction In a multitude it is euer seene as in a beast that the body followes the head Of all others great men had need to looke to their wayes it is in them as in figures one stands for a thousand One Offering serues not all there must bee fiue according to the fiue heads of the offence Generalities will not content God euery man must make his seuerall peace if not in himselfe yet in his head Nature taught them a shadow of that the substance and perfection whereof is taught vs by the grace of the Gospell euery soule must satisfie God if not in it selfe yet in him in whom we are both one and absolute we are the body whereof Christ is the head our sinne is in our selues our satisfaction must be in him Samuel himselfe could not haue spoken more diuinely then these Priests of Dagon they doe not onely talke of giuing glory to the God of Israel but fall into an holy and graue expostulation wherefore then should ye harden your hearts as the Aegyptians and Pharaoh hardned their hearts when hee wrought wonderfully amongst them c. They confesse a supereminent and reuenging hand of God ouer their gods they parallell their plagues with the Aegyptian they make vse of Pharaohs sin and iudgement What could be better said All Religions haue afforded them that could speake well These good words left them still both Philistims and superstitious How should men be hypocrites if they had not good tongues yet as wickednesse can hardly hide it selfe these holy speeches are not without a tincture of that Idolatry wherewith the heart was infected For they professe care not onely of the persons and lands of the Philistims but of their gods that hee may take his hand from you and from your gods Who would thinke that wisedome and folly could lodge so neere together that the same men should haue care both of the glory of the true God and preseruation of the false That they should bee so vaine as to take thought for those gods which they granted to be obnoxious vnto an higher Deitie Oft times euen one word bewrayeth a whole packe of falshood and though Superstition be a cleanly counterfeit yet some one slip of the tongue discouers it as we say of deuils which though they put on faire formes yet are they knowne by their clouen feet What other warrant these superstitious Priests had for the maine substance of their aduice I know not sure I am the probability of the euent was faire that two Kine neuer vsed to any yoake should runne from their Calues which were newly 〈◊〉 vp from them to draw the Arke home into a contrary way must needs argue an hand aboue Nature What else should ouer-rule bruite creatures to preferre a forced cariage vnto a naturall burden What should cary them from their owne home towards the home of the Arke What else should guide an vntamed and vntaught Teame in as right a path toward Israel as their Teachers could haue gone What else could make very beasts more wise then their Masters There is a speciall prouidence of God in the very motions of bruit creatures Neither Philistims nor Israelites saw ought that droue them yet they saw them so runne as those that were led by a Diuine Conduct The reasonlesse creatures also doe the will of their Maker euery act that is done either be them or to them makes vp the decree of the Almighty and if in extraordinary actions and euents his hand is more visible yet it is no lesse certainly present in the common Little did the Israelites of Bethshemesh looke for such a fight whiles they were reaping their Wheat in the Valley as to see the Arke of God come running to them without a Conuoy neither can it be said whether they were more affected with ioy or with astonishment with ioy at the presence of the Arke with astonishment at the Miracle of the transportation Downe went their Sickles and now euery man runs to reap the comfort of this better haruest to meet that Bread of Angels to
of a nurse hath gained her both her son and his education and with both a recompence Religion doth not call vs to a weake simplicitie but allowes vs as much of the Serpent as of the Doue lawfull policies haue from God both liberty in the vse and blessing in the successe The good Lady did not breed him as some child of almes or as some wretched outcast for whom it might be fauour enough to liue but as her owne son in all the delicacies in all the learning of Aegypt Whatsoeuer the Court or the Schoole could put into him he wanted not yet all this could not make him forget that he was an Hebrew Education works wondrous changes and is of great force either way a little aduancement hath so puffed some vp aboue themselues that they haue not onely forgot their friends but scorned their parents All the honors of Aegypt could not win Moses not to call his nurse mother or weane him from a willing misery with the Israelites If we had Moses his faith we could not but make his choice It is only our infidelity that binds vs so to the world and makes vs preferre the momentany pleasures of sinne vnto that euerlasting recompence of reward He went forth and looked on the burdens of Israel What needed Moses to haue afflicted himselfe with the afflictions of others Himselfe was at ease and pleasure in the Court of Pharaoh A good heart cannot endure to be happy alone and must needs vnbidden share with others in their miseries He is no true Moses that is not moued with the calamities of Gods Church To see an Aegyptian smite an Hebrew it smote him and moued him to smite He hath no Israelitish blood in him that can endure to see an Israelite stricken either with hand or tongue Here was his zeale where was his authority Doubtlesse Moses had an instinct from God of his Magistracy else how should he thinke they would haue vnderstood what himselfe did not Oppressions may not be righted by violence but by law The redresse of euil by a person vnwarranted is euill Moses knew that God had called him he knew that Pharaoh knew it not therefore he hides the Aegyptian in the sand Those actions which may be approued vnto God are not alwayes safe with men as contrarily too many things goe currant with men which are not approued of God Another Hebrew is stricken but by an Hebrew the act is the same the agents differ neither doth their profession more differ then Moses his proceedings He giues blowes to the one to the other words The blowes to the Aegyptian were deadly the words to the Hebrew gentle and plausible As God makes a difference betwixt chastisements of his owne and punishments of strange children so must wise Gouernors learn to distinguish of sins and iudgements according to circumstances How mildly doth Moses admonish Sirs ye are brethren If there had beene but any dram of good nature in these Hebrewes they had relented now it is strange to see that being so vniuersally vexed with their common aduersary they should yet vexe one another One would haue thought that a common opposition should haue vnited them more yet now priuate grudges do thus dangerously diuide them Blowes enow were not dealt by the Aegyptians their owne must adde to the violence Still Satan is thus busie and Christians are thus malicious that as if they wanted enemies they flye in one anothers faces While we are in this Aegypt of the world all vnkind strifes would easily be composed if wee did not forget that we are brethren Behold an Aegyptian in the skin of an Hebrew how dogged an answer doth Moses receiue to so gentle a reproofe who would not haue expected that this Hebrew had bin enough deiected with the common affliction But vexations may make some more miserable not more humble as we see sicknesses make some tractable others more froward It is no easie matter to beare a reproofe well if neuer so well tempered no Sugar can bereaue a Pill of his bitternesse None but the gracious can say Let the righteous smite me Next to the not deseruing a reproofe is the well taking of it But who is so ready to except and exclaime as the wrong doer The patient replies not One iniury drawes on another first to his brother then to his reprouer Guiltinesse will make a man stir vpon euery touch he that was wronged could incline to reconciliation Malice makes men vncapable of good counsell and there are none so great enemies to Iustice as those which are enemies to peace With what impatience doth a galled heart receiue an admonition This vnworthy Israelite is the patterne of a stomackfull offender first hee is moued to choller in himselfe then he cals for the authority of the admonisher A small authority will serue for a louing admonition It is the duty of men much more of Christians to aduise against sin yet this man askes Who made thee a Iudge for but finding fault with his iniury Then he aggrauates and misconstrues Wilt thou kill me when Moses meant onely to saue both It was the death of his malice onely that was intended and the safety of his person And lastly he vpbraids him with former actions Thou killedst the Aegyptian What if he did What if vniustly What was this to the Hebrew Another mans sin is no excuse for ours A wicked heart neuer lookes inward to it selfe but outward to the quality of the reprouer if that afford exception it is enough as a dog runs first to reuenge on the stone What matter is it to me who he be that admonisheth me Let me looke home into my selfe let me looke to his aduice If that be good it is more shame to me to be reproued by an euill man As a good mans allowance cannot warrant euill so an euill mans reproofe may remedy euill If this Hebrew had beene well pleased Moses had not heard of his slaughter now in choller all will out and if this mans tongue had not thus cast him in the teeth with blood he had beene surprised by Pharaoh ere he could haue knowne that the fact was knowne Now he growes iealous flees and escapes No friend is so commodious in some cases as an aduersary This wound which the Hebrew thought to giue Moses saued his life As it is good for a man to haue an enemy so it shall be our wisedome to make vse of his most cholericke obiections The worst of an enemy may proue most soueraigne to our selues Moses flees It is no discomfort for a man to flee when his conscience pursues him not Where Gods warrant will not protect vs it is good for the heeles to supplie the place of the tongue Moses when he may not in Aegypt he will be doing iustice in Midian In Aegypt he deliuers the oppressed Israelite in Midian the wronged daughters of Iethro A good man wil be doing good wheresoeuer he is his Trade is a compound of Charity
Ioshua that succeeded Moses no lesse in the care of Gods glory then in his gouernment is much deiected with this euent Hee rends his clothes fals on his face casts dust vpon his head and as if he had learned of his Master how to expostulate with God sayes What wilt thou doe to thy mighty Name That Ioshua might see God tooke no pleasure to let the Israelites lye dead vpon the earth before their enemies himselfe is taxed for but lying all day vpon his face before the Arke All his expostulations are answered in one word Get thee vp Israel hath sinned I do not heare God say Lye still and mourne for the sin of Israel It is to no purpose to pray against punishment while the sinne continues And though God loues to be sued to yet he holds our requests vnseasonable till there bee care had of satisfaction When we haue risen and redressed sin then may we fall downe for pardon Victory is in the free hand of God to dispose where hee will and no man can maruell that the dice of Warre run euer with hazard on both sides so as God needed not to haue giuen any other reason of this discomfiture of Israel but his owne pleasure yet Ioshua must now know that Israel which before preuailed for their faith is beaten for their sin When we are crossed in iust and holy quarrels we may well thinke there is some secret euill vnrepented of which God would punish in vs which though we see not yet he so hates that he will rather bee wanting to his owne cause then not reuenge it When we goe about any enterprise of God it is good to see that our hearts be cleere from any pollution of sin and when wee are thwarted in our hopes it is our best course to ransack our selues and to search for some sin hid from vs in our bosome but open to the view of God The Oracle of God which told him a great offence was committed yet reueales not the person It had been as easie for him to haue named the man as the crime Neither doth Ioshua request it but refers that discouery to such a meanes as whereby the offender finding himselfe singled out by the lot might bee most conuinced Achan thought he might haue lyen as close in all that throng of Israel as the wedge of Gold lay in his Tent. The same hope of secresie which moued him to sinne moued him to confidence in his sinne but now when hee saw the lot fall vpon his Tribe hee began to start a little when vpon his family he began to change countenance when vpon his houshold to tremble and feare when vpon his person to be vtterly confounded in himselfe Foolish men thinke to runne away with their priuie sinnes and say Tush no eye shall see me but when they thinke themselues safest God puls them out with shame The man that hath escaped iustice and now is lying downe in death would thinke My shame shall neuer be disclosed but before Men and Angels shall he be brought on the scaffold and find confusion as sure as late What needed any other euidence when God had accused Achan Yet Ioshua will haue the sinne out of his mouth in whose heart it was hatched My sonne I beseech thee giue glory to God Whom God had conuinced as a malefactor Ioshua beseeches as a son Some hot spirit would haue said Thou wretched traitor how hast thou pilfred from thy God and shed the blood of so many Israelites and caused the Host of Israel to shew their backes with dishonour to the Heathen now shall we fetch this sin out of thee with tortures and plague thee with a condigne death But like the Disciple of him whose seruant he was he meekely intreats that which he might haue extorted by violence My son I beseech thee Sweetnesse of compellation is a great helpe towards the good entertainment of an admonition roughnesse and rigor many times hardens those hearts which meekenesse would haue melted to repentance whether we sue or conuince or reproue little good is gotten by bitternesse Detestation of the sin may well stand with fauour to the person and these two not distinguished cause great wrong either in our charity or iustice for either we vncharitably hate the creature of God or vniustly affect the euill of men Subiects are as they are called sonnes to the Magistrate All Israel was not onely of the family but as of the loynes of Ioshua such must be the corrections such the prouisions of Gouernorus as for their children as againe the obedience and loue of subiects must be filiall God had glorified himselfe sufficiently in finding out the wickednesse of Achan neither need he honour from men much lesse from sinners They can dishonour him by their iniquities but what recompence can they giue him for their wrongs yet Ioshua sayes My sonne giue glory to God Israel should now see that the tongue of Achan did iustifie God in his lot The confession of our sins doth no lesse honour God then his glory is blemished by their commission Who would not be glad to redeeme the honour of his Redemer with his owne shame The lot of God and the mild words of Ioshua wonne Achan to accuse himselfe ingenuously impartially a storme perhaps would not haue done that which a Sun-shine had done If Achan had come in vncalled and before any question made out of an honest remorse had brought in this sacrilegious booty and cast himselfe and it at the foot of Ioshua doubtlesse Israel had prospered and his sinne had caried away pardon now he hath gotten thus much thanke that he is not a desperate sinner God will once wring from the conscience of wicked men their owne inditements They haue not more carefully hid their sinne then they shall one day freely proclaime their owne shame Achans confession though it were late yet was it free and full For he doth not onely acknowledge the act but the ground of his sinne I saw and coueted and tooke The eye betrayed the heart and that the hand and now all conspire in the offence If wee list not to flatter our selues this hath beene the order of our crimes Euill is vniforme and beginning at the senses takes the inmost fort of the soule and then armes our own outward forces against vs This shall once be the lasciuious mans song I saw and coueted and tooke This the theeues this the Idolaters this the gluttons drunkards All these receiue their death by the eye But oh foolish Achan with what eyes didst thou looke vpon that spoile which thy fellowes saw and contemned Why couldest thou not before as well as now see shame hid vnder that gay Babylonish garment and an heape of stones couered with those shekels of siluer The ouer-prizing and ouer-desiring of these earthly things caries vs into all mischiefe and hides from vs the sight of Gods iudgements whosoeuer desires the glory of metals or of gay clothes or
the score and take vp the sweet and rich commodities of sinfull pleasure and when I haue done I can put my selfe vnder the protection of a Sauiour and escape the arrest Oh the world of soules that perish by this fraud fondly beguiling themselues whiles they would beguile the Tempter Yet higher Lastly as Satan went about to deceiue the Sonne of God so this foolish consort and client of his goes about to deceiue God himselfe The first paire of hearts that euer was were thus credulous to thinke they should now meet with a meanes of knowledge and Deifying which God either knew not of or grudged them and therefore they would bee stealing it out of the side of the apple without God yea against him Tush none eye shall see vs Is there knowledge in the most high saith the sottish Atheist Lord haue not wee heard thee preach in our streets haue not we cast out Deuils in thy Name sayes the smoothing hypocrite as if hee could fetch God ouer for an admission into heauen Thou hast not lied to man but to God saith S. Peter to Ananias And pettish Ionas after hee had beene cooled in the belly of the Whale and the Sea yet will be bearing God downe in an argument to the iustifying of his idle choler I doe well to be angry to the death But as the greatest Politicians are oft ouertaken with the grossest follies God owes proud wits a shame the heart of man could not possibly deuise how so much to befoole it selfe Psal 94.10 11. as by this wicked presumption Oh yee fooles when will ye vnderstand He that formed the eye shall he not see Hee that teacheth man knowledge shall not hee vnderstand The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanitie A rod for the backe of fooles yea a rod of iron for such presumptuous fooles to crush them in peeces like a Potters vessell Ye haue seene the fashion and the subiect of this deceit the sequell or effect followes euery way lamentable For hence it comes to passe that many a one hath had his heart in keeping fortie fiftie threescore yeeres and more and yet is not acquainted with it and all because this craft hath kept it at the Priscillianists locke Tu omnes te nemo It affects to be a searcher of all men no man is allowed to come aboard of it And if a man whether out of curiositie or conscience bee desirous to inquire into it as it is a shame for a man to be a stranger at home Know ye not your owne heart saith the Apostle it casts it selfe Proteus-like into so many formes that it is very hard to apprehend it One while the man hath no heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Salomon Psal 12. Then hee hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an heart and an heart saith Dauid and one of his hearts contradicts another and then how knowes he whether to beleeue And what certainty what safety can it bee for a man to liue vnacquainted with himselfe Of this vnacquaintance secondly arises a dangerous mesprison of a mans selfe in the nature and quantity of his sinne in the quality of his repentance in his peace and intirenesse with God in his right to heauen and in a word in his whole spirituall estate Of this mes-prison thirdly arises a fearefull disappointment of all his hopes and a plunging into vnauoidable torments Wherein it is miserable to see how cunningly the traiterous hearts of many men beare them in hand all their liues long soothing them in all their courses promising them successe in all their waies securing them from feare of euills assuring them of the fauour of God and possession of heauen as some fond Bigot would bragge of his Bull or Medall or Agnus Dei or as those Priests that Gerson * * Qui publicè volunt dogmatizare seu praedicare populo quod si quis audit missam in illo dâ—e non erit caecus nec morietur morte subitanea nec carebit sufficienti sustentatione c. taxes who made the people beleeue that the Masse was good for the eye-sight for the mawe for bodily health and preseruation till they come to their death-beds But then when they come to call forth the comforts they must trust to they finde them like to some vnfaithfull Captaine that hath all the while in Garrison filled his purse with dead paies and made vp the number of his companies with borrowed men and in time of ease shewed faire but when hee is called forth by a sudden alarum bewraies his shame and weaknesse and failes his Generall when hee hath most need of him right thus doe the perfidious hearts of many after all the glorious bragges of their security on the bed of their last reckoning finde nothing but a cold despaire and a wofull horror of conscience and therefore too iustly may their hearts say to them as the heart of Appollodorus the Tyrant seemed to say vnto him who dreamed one night that hee was fleaed by the Scythians and boyled in a Caldron and that his heart spake to him out of the kettle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is I that haue drawne thee to all this Certainly neuer man was or shall bee frying in hell but cries out of his owne heart and accuses that deceitfull peece as guilty of all his torment For let Satan be neuer so malicious and all the world neuer so parasiticall yet if his owne heart had beene true to him none of these could haue hurt him Let the rest of our enemies doe their worst onely from the euill of our owne hearts good Lord deliuer vs. It were now time for our thoughts to dwell a little vpon the meditation and deploration of our owne danger and misery who are euery way so inuironed with subtlety If we looke at Satan his old title is that old Serpent who must needs therefore now by so long time and experience bee both more old and more Serpent If we looke at sin it is as crafty as he Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne If at our owne hearts wee heare that which wee may feele that the heart is deceitfull aboue all things Oh wretched men that we are how are wee beset with Impostors on all hands If it were more seasonable for vs to bewaile our estate than to seeke the redresse of it But since it is not so much worth our labour to know how deepe the pit is into which wee are fallen as how to come out of it heare rather I beseech you for a conclusion how wee may auoid the danger of the deceit of our false heart euen iust so as wee would preuent the nimble feats of some cheating Iugler Search him watch him Trust him not Looke well into his hands pockets boxes sleeues yea vnder his very tongue it selfe There is no fraud so secret but may be descried were our hearts as crafty as the deuill himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
abound euerywhere and make no difference betwixt Beggers and Princes Though Pharaoh and his Courtiers abhorred to see themselues louzy yet they hoped this miracle would be more easily imitable but now the greater possibility the greater foyle How are the great wonder-mongers of Aegypt abashed that they can neither make Lice of their owne nor deliuer themselues from the Lice that are made Those that could make Serpent and Frogs could not either make or kill Lice to shew them that those Frogs and Serpents were not their own workmanship Now Pharaoh must needs see how impotent a deuil he serued that could not make that vermine which euery day rises voluntarily out of corruption Iannes and Iambres cannot now make those Lice so much as by delusion which at another time they cānot chuse but produce vnknowing which now they cannot auoid That spirit which is powerfull to execute the greatest things when he is bidden is vnable to doe the least when he is restrained Now these corriuals of Moses can say This is the finger of God Ye foolish inchanters was Gods finger in the Lice not in the Frogs not in the Blood not in the Serpent And why was it rather in the lesse then in the greater Because ye did imitate the other not these As if the same finger of God had not beene before in your imitation which was now in your restraint As if yee could haue failed in these if ye had not beene onely permitted the other Whiles wicked minds haue their full scope they neuer look vp aboue themselues but when once God crosses them in their proceedings their want of successe teaches them to giue God his owne All these plagues perhaps had more horror then paine in them The Frogs creep vpon their clothes the Lice vpon their skins but those stinging Hornets which succeed them shall wound and kill The water was anoyed with the first plague the earth with the second and third this fourth fils the ayre and besides corruption brings smart And that they may see this winged army comes from an angry God not either from nature or chance euen the very Flies shal make a difference betwixt Aegypt and Goshen He gaue them their being sets them their stint They can no more sting an Israelite then fauor an Aegyptian The very wings of Flies are directed by a prouidence and doe acknowledge their limits Now Pharaoh finds how impossible it is for him to stand out with God since all his power cannot rescue him from Lice and Flyes And now his heart begins to thaw a little Goe doe sacrifice to your God in this Land or since that will not be accepted Goe into the wildernesse but not far but how soone it knits againe Good thoughts make but a thorow fare of carnall hearts they can neuer settle there yea his very misgiuing hardens him the more that now neither the murren of his cattell nor the botches of his seruants can stir him a whit He saw his cattle strucke dead with a sudden contagion hee saw his Sorcerers after their contestation with Gods messengers strucke with a scab in their very faces and yet his heart is not strucke Who would thinke it possible that any soule could be secure in the middest of such variety and frequence of iudgements These very plagues haue not more wonder in them then their successe hath To what an height of obduration will sin lead a man and of all sins incredulity Amidst all these storms Pharaoh sleepeth till the voice of Gods mighty thunders and hayle mixed with fire rouzed him vp a little Now as betwixt sleeping and waking he starts vp and sayes God is righteous I am wicked Moses pray for vs and presently layes downe his head againe God hath no sooner done thundering then he hath done fearing Al this while you neuer find him carefull to preuent any one euill but desirous still to shift it off when hee feeles it neuer holds constant to any good motion neuer prayes for himselfe but carelesly wils Moses and Aaron to pray for him neuer yeelds God his whole demand but higgleth and dodgeth like some hard chapman that would get a release with the cheapest First They shal not goe then Goe and sacrifice but in Aegypt next Goe sacrifice in the wildernes but not far off after Goe ye that are men then Goe you and your children onely at last Goe all saue your sheepe and cattle Wheresoeuer meere Nature is she is still improuident of future good sensible of present euill inconstant in good purposes vnable through vnacquaintance and vnwilling to speake for her selfe niggardly in her grants and vncheerfull The plague of the Grashoppers startled him a little and the more through the importunity of his seruants for when hee considered the fish destroyed with the first blow the cattle with the fift the corne with the seuenth the fruit and leaues with this eighth and nothing now left him but a bare fruitlesse earth to liue vpon and that couered ouer with Locusts necessity droue him to relent for an aduantage Forgiue me this once take from me this death onely But as constrained repentance is euer short and vnsound the West wind together with the Grashoppers blowes away his remorse now is he ready for another iudgement As the Grashoppers tooke away the sight of the earth from him so now a grosse darknesse takes away the sight of heauen too other darknesses were but priuatiue this was reall and sensible The Aegyptians thought this night long how could they chuse when it was six in one and so much the more for that no man could rise to talk with other but was necessarily confined to his owne thoughts One thinkes the fault in his owne eyes which he rubs oftentimes in vaine Others think that the Sunne is lost out of the Firmament and is now withdrawn for euer Others that all things are returning to their first confusion all think themselues miserable past remedy and wish whatsoeuer had befalne them that they might haue had but light enough to see themselues die Now Pharaoh proues like to some beasts that grow mad with baiting grace often resisted turnes to desperatenesse Get thee from me looke thou see my face no more whensoeuer thou commest in my sight thou shalt dye As if Moses could not plague him as well in absence as if he that could not take away the Lice Flyes Frogs Grashoppers could at his pleasure take away the life of Moses that procured them What is this but to run vpon the iudgements and run away from the remedies Euermore when Gods messengers are abandoned destruction is neere Moses will see him no more till he see him dead vpon the sands but God will now visit him more then euer The fearfullest plagues God still reserues for the vpshot All the former do but make way for the last Pharaoh may exclude Moses and Aaron but Gods Angell hee cannot exclude In sensible messengers are vsed when the visible are
distinguish in the Sea but he cannot now either consider or feare it is his time to perish God makes him faire way and lets him run smoothly on till he be come to the midst of the Sea not one waue may rise vp against him to wet so much as the house of his horse Extraordinary fauours to wicked men are the forerunners of their ruine Now when God sees the Aegyptians too far to returne he finds time to strike them with their last terror they know not why but they would returne too late Those Chariots in which they trusted now faile them as hauing done seruice enough to carie them into perdition God pursues them and they cannot flye from him Wicked men make equall haste both to sin and from iudgement but they shall one day finde that it is not more easie to run into sin then impossible to run away from iudgement the sea will shew them that it regards the Rod of Moses not the Scepter of Pharaoh and now as glad to haue got the enemies of God at such an aduantage shuts her mouth vpon them and swallowes them vp in her waues and after shee hath made sport with them a while casts them vpon her sands for a spectacle of triumph to their aduersaries What a sight was this to the Israelites when they were now safe on the shore to see their enemies come floating after them vpon the billowes and to find among the carkasses vpon the sands their knowne oppressors which now they can tread vpon with insultation They did not cry more loud before then now they sing Not their faith but their sense teaches them now to magnifie that God after their deliuerance whom they hardly trusted for their deliuerance Contemplations VPON THE PRINCIPALL PASSAGES OF THE Holy Storie The second Volume IN FOVRE BOOKES By I.H. D.D. LONDON Printed for THO PAVIER MILES FLESHER and Iohn Haviland 1625. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES PRINCE OF GREAT BRITAINE Most excellent PRINCE ACcording to the true dutie of a seruant J entended all my Contemplations to your now-glorious Brother of sweet and sorrowfull memorie The first part whereof as it was the last Booke that euer was dedicated to that deare and immortall name of his so it was the last that was turned ouer by his gracious hand Now since it pleased the GOD of spirits to call him from these poore Contemplations of ours to the blessed Contemplation of himselfe to see him as Hee is to see as hee is seene to whom is this sequell of my labours due but to your Highnesse the heire of his Honor and Vertues Euery yeare of my short pilgrimage is like to adde something to this Worke which in regard of the subiect is scarce finite The whole doth not onely craue your Highnesses Patronage but promises to requite your Princely acceptation with many sacred examples and rules both for pietie and wisdome towards the decking vp of this flourishing spring of your Age in the hopes whereof not onely we liue but be that is dead liues still in you And if any piece of these endeuours come short of my desires J shall supply the rest with my prayers which shall neuer be wanting to the God of Princes that your happy proceedings may make glad the Church of God and your selfe in either World glorious Your Highnesses in all humble deuotion and faithfull obseruance IOS HALL Contemplations THE FIFTH BOOKE The Waters of Marah The Quailes and Manna The Rocke of Rephidim The Foyle of Amalek Or The hand of Moses lift vp The Law The Golden Calfe BY IOS HALL D. of Diuinitie and Deane of WORCESTER LONDON Printed for THOMAS PAVIER MILES FLESHER and John Haviland 1624. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE HENRY EARLE OF HVNTINGDON LORD HASTINGS BOTERAVX MOLINES MOILES HIS MAIESTIES LIEVTENANT IN THE COVNTY OF LEICESTER A BOVNTIFVLL FAVOVRER OF ALL GOOD LEARNING A NOBLE PRECEDENT OF VERTVE THE FIRST PATRONE OF MY POORE STVDIES J. H. DEDICATES THIS PIECE OF HIS LABORS AND WISHETH ALL HONOVR AND HAPPINESSE Contemplations THE FIFTH BOOKE The waters of Marah ISRAEL was not more loth to come to the Red Sea then to part from it How soone can God turne the horrour of any euill into pleasure One shore resounded with shriekes of feare the other with Timbrels and Dances and Songs of Deliuerance Euery maine affliction is our Red Sea which while it threats to swallow preserues vs At last our Songs shall be lowder then our cryes The Israelitish Dames whē they saw their danger thought they might haue left their Timbrels behinde them how vnprofitable a burden seemed those instruments of Musick yet now they liue to renue that forgotten Minstralsie and Dancing which their bondage had so long discontinued and well might those feet dance vpon the shore which had walked thorow the Sea The Land of Goshen was not so bountifull to them as these Waters That afforded them a seruile life This gaue them at once freedome victorie riches bestowing vpon them the remainder of that wealth which the Aegyptians had but lent It was a pleasure to see the floating carkases of their Aduersaries and euery day offers them new booties It is no maruell then if their hearts were tyed to these bankes If we finde but a little pleasure in our life wee are ready to dote vpon it Euery small contentment glues our affections to that we like And if here our imperfect delights hold vs so fast that we would not be loosed how forcible shall those infinite ioyes be aboue when our soules are once possessed of them Yet if the place had pleas'd them more it is no maruell they were willing to follow Moses that they durst follow him in the Wildernesse whom they followed through the Sea It is a great confirmation to any people when they haue seene the hand of God with their guide O Sauiour which hast vndertaken to cary me from the spirituall Aegypt to the Land of Promise How faithfull how powerfull haue I found thee How fearelesly should I trust thee how cheerefully should I follow thee through contempt pouerty death it selfe Master if it be thou bid vs come vnto thee Immediately before they had complained of too much water now they go three dayes without Thus God meant to punish their infidelitie with the defect of that whose abundance made them to distrust Before they saw all Water no Land now all dry and dustie Land and no Water Extremities are the best tryals of men As in bodies those that can beare sudden changes of heats and cold without complaint are the strongest So much as an euill touches vpon the meane so much help it yeelds towards patience Euery degree of sorrow is a preparation to the next but when we passe to extreames without the meane we want the benefit of recollection and must trust to our present strength To come from all things to nothing is not a descent but a downfall and it is a rare strength and constancy not to be maymed
no leisure to sinne The idle hath neither leisure nor power to auoide sinne Exercise is not more wholsome for the bodie than for the Soule the remission whereof breeds matter of disease in bothe The water that hath beene heated soonest freezeth the most actilie spirit soonest tyreth with slackning The Earth stande still and is all dregges the Heauens euer moue and are pure We haue no reason to complaine of the assiduitie of worke the toyle of action is answered by the benefit If wee did lesse we should suffer more Satan like an idle companion if hee finde vs busie flyes backe and sees it no time to entertayne vaine purposes with vs We cannot please him better than by casting away our worke to hold that with him wee cannot yeeld so farre and be guiltlesse Euen Dauids eyes haue no sooner the sleepe rubbed â—ut of them than they roue to wanton prospects Hee walkes vpon his roofe and sees Bathsheba washing her selfe inquires after her sends for her sollicits her to vncleanenesse The same spirit that shut vp his eyes in on vnseasonable sleepe opens them vpon an intising obiect whiles sinne hath such a Solliciter it cannot want either meanes or opportunitie I cannot thinke Bathsheba could bee so immodest as to wash her selfe openly especially from her naturall vncleannesse Lust is quick-sighted Dauid hath espied her where shee could espye no beholder His eyes recoyle vpon his heart and haue smitten him with sinfull desire There can be no safetie to that Soule where the senses are let loose Hee can neuer keepe his couenant with God that makes not a couenant with his eyes It is an idle presumption to thinke the outward man may bee free whiles the inward is safe He is more than a man whose heart is not led by his eyes hee is no regenerate man whose eyes are not restrained by his heart Oh Bathsheba how wert thou washed from thine vncleannesse when thou yeeldedst to goe into an adulterous bed neuer wert thou so foule as now when thou wert new washed The worst of Nature is cleanlinesse to the best of sinne thou hadst beene cleane if thou hadst not washed yet for thee I know how to plead infirmitie of sexe and the importunitie of a King But what shall I say for thee O thou royall Prophet and Propheticall King of Israel where shall I finde ought to extenuate that crime for which God himselfe hath noted thee Did not thine holy Profession teach thee to abhorre such a sinne more than death Was not thy Iustice woont to punish this sinne with no lesse than death Did not thy very calling call thee to a protection and preseruation of Iustice of Chastitie in thy subiects Didst thou want store of Wiues of thine owne wert thou restrayned from taking more Was there no beautie in Israel but in a Subiects Marriage-bed Wert thou ouercome by the vehement sollicitations of an Adulteresse Wert thou not the Tempter the Prosecutor of this vncleanenesse I should accuse thee deeply if thou hadst not accused thy selfe Nothing wanted to greaten thy sinne or our wonder and feare O God whither doe wee goe if thou stay vs not Who euer amongst the millions of thy Seruants could finde himselfe furnished with stronger preseruatiues against sinne Against whom could such a sinne finde lesse pretence of preuayling Oh keepe thou vs that presumptuous sinnes preuayle not ouer vs So only shall wee bee free from great offences The Suites of Kings are Imperatiue Ambition did now proue a Bawd to Lust Bathsheba yeeldeth to offend God to dishonour her Husband to clog and wound her owne Soule to abuse her bodie Dishonestie growes bold when it is countenanced with greatnesse Eminent persons had need be carefull of their demaunds they sinne by authoritie that are solicited by the mightie Had Bathsheba beene mindfull of her Matrimoniall fidelitie perhaps Dauid had beene soone checked in his inordinate desire her facilitie furthers the sinne The first motioner of euill is most faultie but as in quarrels so in offences the second blow which is the consent makes the fray Good Ioseph was moued to folly by his great and beautifull Mistris this fire fell vpon wet Tinder and therefore soone went out Sinne is not acted alone if but one partie be wise both escape It is no excuse to say I was tempted though by the great though by the holy and learned Almost all sinners are misse-led by that transformed Angell of light The action is that wee must regard not the person Let the mouer bee neuer so glorious if he stirre vs to euill he must be entertained with defiance The God that knowes how to rayse good out of euill blesses an adulterous copulation with that increase which he denyes to the chast imbracements of honest Wedlocke Bathsheba hath conceiued by Dauid and now at once conceiues a sorrow and care how to smother the shame of her Conception He that did the fact must hide it Oh Dauid where is thy Repentance Where is thy tendernesse and compunction of heart Where are those holy Meditations which had woont to take vp thy Soule Alas in steed of clearing thy sinne thou labourest to cloke it and spendest those thoughts in the concealing of thy wickednesse which thou shouldest rather haue bestowed in preuenting it The best of Gods Children may not onely bee drenched in the waues of sinne but lye in them for the time and perhaps sinke twice to the bottome what Hypocrite could haue done worse than studie how to couer the face of his sinne from the eyes of men whiles hee regarded not the sting of sinne in his Soule As there are some Acts wherein the Hypocrite is a Saint so there are some wherein the greatest Saint vpon Earth may bee an Hypocrite Saul did thus goe about to colour his sinne and is cursed The Vessels of Mercie and Wrath are not euer distinguishable by their actions Hee makes the difference that will haue mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth It is rare and hard to commit a single sinne Dauid hath abused the Wife of Vriah now hee would abuse his person in causing him to father a false seede That worthy Hittite is sent for from the Wars and now after some cunning and farre fetcht Questions is dismissed to his house not without a present of fauour Dauid could not but imagine that the beautie of his Bathsheba must needs bee attractiue enough to an Husband whom long absence in Warres had with-held all that while from so pleasing a Bed neyther could hee thinke that since that face and those brests had power to allure himselfe to an vnlawfull lust it could be possible that Vriah should not bee inuited by them to an allowed and warrantable fruition That Dauids heart might now the rather strike him in comparing the chaste resolutions of his Seruant with his owne light incontinence good Vriah sleepes at the doore of the Kings Palace making choice of a stonie Pillow vnder the Canopie of Heauen rather