which folowe the profession of God for the worldes sake Some of the children of Israel call vpon God as knowing in him to be their onely ayde Othersome and the more part forgetting Gods mightie workes so lately done for them repent them of their following of God and Raile at their guyde and leader Moyses with spiteful reproches But he as a good and mercifull Gouernour doth not storme with them nor requite them with that which in Iustice they might seeme to deserue but Comforteth them with the repeating of the promises of God and the assurance of his mightie helpe thereby teaching vs that in time of aduersitie their is no surer comfort then to call to our Remembrance the sweete promises of God made vnto his people and the example of such things as he hath done for them And the Lorde saide vnto Moyses wherfore criest thou vnto me c. The text saith not that Moyses Cried in his praier nor that any voyce was heard come from him But he cryeth in the eares of the Lord that Prayeth in fayth with a feruent and earnest minde though no voyce be harde to other in his prayer And such earnest * calling vpon God with hart and minde doth alwaye preuayle and taketh effect before God as we see here that Moyses prayer doth Speake vnto the children of Israel that they go forwarde c. Here now God ▪ sheweth his mightie arme stretched out to the deliuerance of his people and worketh 3. great and wonderfull Miracles The first that the Angell of God which directed the pyller of fyre and the clowde before the people of Israel doth nowe sodainely withdrawe himselfe backe and is placed betweene the Egiptians and the campe of Israel so that on the part of Israel in the night time there was a light and brightnesse that they might see to doe any thing that they thought good and on the part of the Egiptians was so great darknes that they did scant see one the other much lesse were hable to doe any thing against the Israelites The second Miracle was that by the stretching out of Moyses rodde there came such a strong winde as staied the waters of the Sea that the children of Israel might passe through vpon the dry lande The thirde is that when the Egiptians desperately as men blinded with the furie of their owne wickednesse did follow the Israelites to the Sea the Angell of God so abashed them that they were readie to flie from the face of Israel and then Moses at the appointment of God stretching out his rodde the waters returned vpon them in such sort that the Egiptians with all their power were drowned in the sea By these Miracles the name of God was glorified throughout the whole worlde and he knowne to be both a mightie and mercifull God in the defence of his people and also a seuere Lord in punishing such as did resist his holy will. The tone of which two things ought to strengthen our faith in time of aduersitie and to make vs to put our assured trust in God as one that by his mightie power Can and of his mercyfull goodnesse Will deliuer vs The tother shoulde stirre vp in vs the feare of God and cause vs in time to repent and to embrace his worde and calling least for our vnrepentant hartes he deale with vs as he did with Pharao and the Egiptians The first Sunday after Easter at Morning prayer Numeri 16. AND Corah the sonne of Isaar the sonne of Caath the sonne of Leui went apart with Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab and On the sonne of Peleth the sonne of Ruben 2 And they rose vp before Moses with certaine of the children of Israel two hundred and fiftie which which were capitaynes of the multitude famous in the congregation men of great renoume 3 And they gathered themselues togither against Moises Aaron and said vnto them Ye take to much vpon you séeing all the multitude are holy euery one of them and the Lorde is among them Why lift ye your selues vp aboue the congregation of the Lorde 4 And when Moises heard it he fell vpon his face 5 And spake vnto Corah and vnto all his companie saying To morow the Lorde will shewe who are his who is holy and who ought to approch me vnto him and whome he hath chosen he will cause to come neare vnto him 6 This doe therefore Take you fire pannes both Corah and all his compainie 7 And put fire therein and put incense in them before the Lorde to morowe And the man whom the Lorde doth choose the same shall be holy Ye take to much vpon you ye sonnes of Leui. 8 And Moyses sayde vnto Corah Heare I pray you ye sonnes of Leui. 9 Séemeth it but a small thing vnto you that the God of Israel hath separated you from the multitude of Israell and brought you to himselfe to doe the sceruice of the tabernacle of the Lorde and to stande before the multitude and to minister vnto them 10 He hath taken thée to him all thy brethren the sonnes of Leui with thée and séeke ye the office of the priest also 11 For which cause both thou and all thy companie are gathered together agaynst the Lorde And what is Aron that ye murmure agaynst him 12 And Moyses sent and called Dathan and Abiram the sonnes of Eliab which sayde We will not come vppe 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought vs out of the lande that floweth with milke and honie to kill vs in the wildernesse except thou make thy selfe Lord and ruler ouer vs also 14 Moreouer hast thou brought vs vnto a lande that floweth with Milke and honie and giuen vs inheritance of fieldes and vineyardes Wilt thou put out the eyes of these men We will not come vp 15 And Moyses waxed very angrie and sayde vnto the Lorde Turne not thou vnto their offering I haue not taken so much as an asse from them neyther haue I hurt any of them 16 And Moyses sayde vnto Corah Be thou and all thy company before the Lord both thou they and Aaron to morow 17 And take euery man his censer and put incense in them and bring ye before the Lorde euery man his censer two hundred and fiftie censers thou also and Aaron euery one his censer 18 And they tooke euery man his censer and put fire in them and layde incense thereon and stoode in the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moyses and Aaron 19 And Corah gathered all the congregation agaynst them vnto the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation and the glorie of the Lorde appeared vnto all the congregation 20 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses and Aaron saying 21 Seperate your selues from among this congregation that I may consume them at once 22 And they fell vpon their faces and sayde O God the God of Spirites of all fleshe hath not one man
2 Lyke as at an hote fyre and that the malicious might boyle avvay as the water doth vpon the fire whereby thy name might be knowne among thine enimies and that the Gentiles might tremble before thée 3 When thou wroughtest wonderous straunge workes we looked not for them thou camest downe and the hilles melted at thy presence 4 For â—ite the beginning of the worlde it hath not bene heard or perâ—â—yâ—ed neyther hath any eye séene another God 〈◊〉 thée which duest so much for them that put their trust in thée 5 Thou helpest him that doth right with chearefulnesse and them that thinke vpon thée in thy wayes but 〈◊〉 thou hast 〈◊〉 angrie for we offended and haue bene euer in sinne though the worlde haue cleaued to them yet shall we be saued 6 We are all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy ragges we fall euersecâ—â—â—â— as the leafe for our sinnes carie vs away lyke the winde 7 There is no man that calleth vpoÌ„ thy name that standeth vp to take holde by thâ—â— therefore hydest thou thy 〈◊〉 from vs and consumest vs because of our sinnes 8. But 〈◊〉 O Lorde thou father of oures we arâ— thy clay and thou act our potter and we all are the worke of thy I. Be not to sore displeased O Lord and kéepe not our offences to long in thy remembrance but consider that we all are thy people 10 The Cities of thy Sanctuarie lye waste Sion is a wildernesse and Hierusalem a desert 11 Our holy house which is our beautie where our fathers praised thée is brent vp yea all our commodities and pleasures are wasted away 12 Wilt thou not be intreated O Lorde for all this wilt thou holde thy peace scourge vs so sore The Exposition vpon the. 64. Chapter of Esay O that thou wouldest cleaue the heauens in sunder and come downe c. THis Chapiter is a parcell of that matter that was conteined in the former For from the seuenth verse of the .lxiij. Chapiter vnto the ende of this is a Prayer made by Esaias for the people to vse in time of their grieuous affliction in which they are taught with how great * humblenesse and sorrow of hart they should confesse their sinnes for which that Plague was seâ—t Secondly at whose handes they should looke for deliuerance that is * at Gods hande alone Thirdly how they should comfort themselues and * strengthen their faith with the Memory of those woÌ„derful actes that God had done for them and their fathers before time In this place they breake out to an earnest wishe Oh say they that thou wouldest cleaue the heauens in sunder and come downe when our fathers were oppressed in Aegipt though they looked for no such goodnesse at thy hande yet thou diddest vouchsafe to come * downe from heauen to delyuer them and that with so great Maiestie and Terrour through thy wonderfull works that thy name was known and dreadfull not only to thine own people * but also to thine enimies whom thou didst mightily consume In the * Desert also thou wast continually with them to defende them And when thou purposedst to publish thy law vnto vs thou camest downe from Heauen with so great Maiestie of thunder and lightning that as water boyleth and consumeth ouer the fyre so did the Mountaine * Sinai seeme to melt away being in a great smoke with thy presence O that thou wouldest now doe the like in working our deliuerance that thy name might be knowne and thy Maiestie feared euen among the myghtiest of thyne enimies c. The rest of the Chapiter folowing is plaine and easie to be vnderstanded The Sunday called Septuagesima at Morning prayer Genes 1. IN the beginning God created heauen and earth â— 2 And the earth was without fourme and 〈◊〉 boyde and darkenesse vvas vpon the face of the déepe and the spirite of God moued vpon the face of the waters 3 And God saide Let there be light and and there was light 4 And God saw the light that it was good and God deuided the light from the darknesse 5 And God called the light day and the darkenesse night and the euening and the morning were the first day 6 And God saide Let there be a Firmament betwéene the waters and let it make a deuision betwéene waters and waters 7 And God made the Firmament and set a deuision betwéene the waters which vvere vnder the firmament and the waters that vvere aboue the firmament and it was so 8 And God called the firmament heauen and the euening aud the morning were the second day 9 And God sayde Let the waters vnder the heauen be gathered togither into one place and let the drie lande appeare and it was so 10 And God called the drie lande the earth and the gathering togither of the waters called he the seas and God sawe that it was good 11. And God sayde Let the earth bring forth budde and gréene hearbe apt to séede and fruitfull trées yéelding fruite after his kinde which hath séede in it selfe vppon the earth and it was so 12 And the earth brought forth gréene herbe apt to séede after his kinde and trée yelding fruit which had séede it in selfe after his kinde 13 And God saw that it was good And the euening and the morning were the third day 14 And God sayde Let there be lights in the firmament of heauen that they may deuide the day and the night and let them be for signes and seasons and for dayes and yeares 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heauen that they may giue light vpon the earth and it was so 16 And God made two great lightes a greater light to rule the day and a lesse light to rule the night and he made starres also 17 And God set them in the Firmament of the heauen to shine vpon the earth 18 And to rule the day and night and to make difference betwéene the light and the darkenesse and God saw that it was good 19 And the euening and morning were the fourth day 20 And God sayde Let the waters bring forth moouing creature that hath life and foule that may flie vpon the earth in the open firmament of heauen 12 And God created great whales and euery liuing and mouing creature which the waters brought forth after their kind and euery fethered foule after their kind and God saw that it was good 22 And God blessed them saying Be fruitfull and multiplie and fill the waters of the sea and let foule multiplie in the earth 23 And the euening and morning were the fift day 24 And God sayde Let the earth bring forth liuing creature after his kinde cattell worme and beastes of the earth after his kind and it was so 25 God made the beast of the earth after his kinde and cattell after his kinde and euery thing that créepeth vpon
the earth after his kinde and God sawe that it was good 26 God sayde Let vs make man in our Image after our likenesse and let them haue rule of the fishe of the sea and of the foule of the ayre and of cattell and of all the earth and of euery créeping thing that créepeth vpon the earth 27 So God created man in his owne Image in the Image of God created he him male and female created hée them 28 And God blessed them and God sayd vnto them Be fruitfull and multiply and replenishe the earth and subdue it and haue dominion of the fishe of the sea and foule of the ayre and of euery liuing thing that mooueth vpon the earth 29 And God sayde Beholde I haue giuen you euery hearbe bearing séede which is in the vpper face of all the earth and euery trée in the which is the fruite of a trée bearing séede that they may be meate vnto you 30 To euery beast of the earth also and so euery birde of the ayre to euery such thing that créepeth vpon the earth which doth liue I haue giuen euery gréene herbe for meate and it was 31 And God sawe euerye thing that he had made and beholde it was excéeding good And the euening and the morning were the sixt day The Exposition vpon the first Chapter of Genesis In the beginning GOD created heauen and earth c. THis booke is called Genesis because in the very first entrāce therof by the course of sixe dayes worke is declared the Beginning Creation and as it were the first Natiuitie of heauen and earth and all thinges therein conteyned by the mightie worde and wisedome of God made and framed of Nothing Which the Spirite of God mooued his faythfull seruant Moyses to do thereby as well to refell that generall and grosse errour of the Idolatrous Gentiles throughout the whole worlde which gaue themselues ouer to the * worship and seruice eyther of common and base creatures either of false and vainely deuised Gods As also to * shew that the God of Israel was the Onely True and Almightie God maker of Heauen and of Earth and all the partes thereof In that he sayth In the beginning God made heauen and earth c. we haue to learne First that the worlde is * not of euerlasting Continuance as some vaine Philosophers haue taught but that being made by God certainely it had a beginning and euen as certainely shall in due time haue an ende As it is sayde Psal 102. In the beginning O Lorde thou lay dest the foundation of the earth and the heauens be the workes of thy fingers They shall perish but thou shalt continue for euer c. Secondly that it was not made of it Selfe by Chaunce or otherwise as Democritus dreamed but by the workemanship of some other beside it selfe Thirdly that it was made by God that therby we might be admonished of his great Wisedome Power and goodnesse towarde Mankinde to whose vse principally these things might seeme to be framed Fourthly that it was made of nothing and therefore we may not Imagine as some wickedly haue done that there was a Matter whereof the world was made coeternall with God himselfe before all Beginning And here it is to bee wished that all Christian heartes would enter into a perfect Consideration of this Worke of God in Creating of the world so that when they looked vp into heauen and sawe the Sunne the Moone the Planets the Starres and all the furniture thereof keeping their orders and courses they woulde thinke earnestly wyth themselues that they sawe the meruelous workemanship of God their heauenly Father Maker and Creator of all things And when they consider the Ayre the Water the Earth and all things therein conteyned in their kindes and places and offices distincted that they woulde Remember the same was made by the same our God and gracious Lorde to the vse of vs mortall men By this meanes should they discende from the faith of their Creation to the fayth and beliefe of Gods diuine * Prouidence and tender Loue and care that hee beareth toward mankinde which in all afflictions is the most assured stay and comfort This did Dauid to his great consolation as well in the eight Psalme as in the. 104. and many other And the spirite of GOD mooued vpon the face of the earth c. The confused Heape of heauen and earth was without shape vnperfect and darke and yet not vtterly deade but was indued with the strength of Gods spirite and so made liuely to continue vnto the worldes ende And GOD sayde Let there be light and there was light We may not here conceyue that God hath any corporall Voyce or such maner of Speach as doth proceede by tongue and lippes from mortall men For to Speake in God is nothing but with an assured and effectuall will to determine with himselfe and to doe that he hath determined We haue here to learne also that all thinges were made by the mightie power of Gods worde that is to say by the Wisdome Purpose and Counsaile of God which was Christ Iesu the seconde person in Trinitie as saint Iohn doth expounde it in his Gospel In the beginning sayth he was the VVorde and the VVorde was with God and God was that VVorde The same was in the beginning with God and all things were made by it c. And God saw the light that it was good and God deuided the light c. This maner of Iudgement God giueth of all things that he made he sayth not God sawe that they were pleasant beautifull and faire but that they were * Good. Whereby we may learne that God did not so much respect his owne glorie in the fairenesse of his workes as he did the benefite and and Commoditie of Mankinde to whose vse he made them Let there be a Firmament betweene the waters and let it make a deuision c. Let there be a Firmament that is as the Hebrue speaketh A Stretching out or a Setting abroad betweene waters and waters Vnto thys maner of speaking the Scripture often alludeth as Esay 42. He that made the heauens and spreade them abroad c. And in the 40. Chapiter He spreadeth out the heauens as a couering he stretcheth them out as a Tent to dwell in c. And Psal 104. He stretcheth out the heauens as a Curtaine Wherefore it maye well be gathered that this Firmament is nothing but a large Stretched out space betweene waters and waters betweene waters aboue and waters beneath and such as we see betweene the clowdes which are the vpper waters and the Sea and Ryuers which are the neather waters by Gods ordinaunce gathered into their appointed places All that is aboue vs is deuyded into two partes the one called Aether which is the vpper part of the Firmament wherein the Starres Planets are the other called the Aire
not let the children of Israel go 21 And the Lord saide vnto Moyses Stretch out thy hand vnto heauen that there maye be vpon the lande of Egypt darkenesse which maye be felt 22 And Moyses stretched forth his hande vnto heauen and there was a thicke darkenesse vpon all the lande of Egypt thrée daies 23 No man saw another neyther rose vp from the place where he was by the space of thrée daies But all the children of Israel had light where they dwelled 24 And Pharao called for Moyses and â—ayde Go and serue the Lorde onely let your shéepe and your oxen abide and let your children go with you 25 And Moyses saide Thou must geue vs also sacrifice and whole burnt offerings for to doe sacrifice vnto the Lord our God. 26 Our cattell also shall go with vs and there shall not one hoofe be left behinde for thereof must we take to serue the Lorde our God neyther doe we knowe with what we must doe seruice vnto the Lorde vntill we come thither 27 But the Lorde hardened Pharaos heart and he would not let them go 28 And Pharao saide vnto hym Get thée from me take héede vnto thy selfe that thou séest my face no more for whensoeuer thou commest in my sight thou shalt die 29 And Moyses saide Let it be as thou hast saide I will sée thy face no more The Exposition vpon the .ix. and .x. Chapter of Exodus The Lorde saide vnto Moyses goe vnto Pharao for I haue hardened c. IN these two Chapiters read this day in the Church are recited sundrie of those plagues wherewyth God Punished Pharao and wrought the Deliuerie of the People out of Egipt And because God was determined to set his People at Freedome and was hable * with one Breath to haue confounded Pharao ouerthrown the Whole power of the Egiptians a man myght marueyle why he dyd Deferre the tyme so long and worke so many Meane miracles whereas he might haue brought it to passe with one Mightie and terrible worke Seing especially that God did know that Pharao would not repent and yeeld To this cogitation GOD himselfe answereth in the .13 14. 15. and 16. verses of thys nynth Chapiter Go thy wayes sayth God to Moyses and tell Pharao c. let my people goe serue me or else at this tyme I wil send al my plagues vpon thyne hart and vpon thy seruants and on thy people that thou may est know there is none like me in al the earth c. And in verye deede for this cause haue I kept thee to shewe thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the worlde Here haue we an euident cause why GOD did so long Suffer the wicked and obdurate hart of Pharao that is that God might * set forth his Glorie and by this terrible Example be knowne to the whole worlde That he was a Mightie God hable to breake the power of their Enimies were they neuer so Obstinate and Stiffe harted against hym That he was a Seuere God and * would terriblie punishe the Obdurate vnrepentant sinners Yea though they be neuer so great Kings Princes That he is a Wise God that can Turne the wicked Malice and Obstinacie of sinners to the Working of his greater glory That he is a Carefull and mercifull God towarde his people and for their defence and deliuerance will not sticke to Breake and Pull downe euen Mightie Princes and people There is also an other cause why God doth here Suffer Pharao at other times Beare with other Grieuous sinners and onely for the time punishe them with Light Meane plagues and this is By his great Lenitie Sufferance and Mildenesse if it might be to bring them to repentance or otherwise if they will not repent that they shall declare themselues to the worlde to bee Vnexcusable and God in his Iudgement when he doth confounde them to be a iuste god Of this Cause speaketh Paule Rom. 2. Eyther despisest thou the ryches of his goodnesse and long sufferance not knowing that the kindenesse of God leadeth thee to repentance c. When God is sayd To harden the hart of Pharao we maye not thinke that God doth Force and Compell Pharao to sinne or that the blame of his obstinacie and vnrepentant hart can iustly be laide vpon God * For God doth neyther worke Sinne himselfe nor would haue it to be Wrought of other But God by his seruantes Moyses Aaron offered to Pharao his holye worde and great miracles and he being of nature Wicked and waywarde from God and vtterly destitute of his holy Spirit of which al Inclination to goodnesse commeth did more and more Harden his harte and Withstande the will of god For the Corrupt nature of man without the singuler grace of God when he heareth Gods worde and will declared to him doth not only not yeelde vnto it but more and more stormeth against both the Worde it selfe and the Messengers that bring it For naturall man vnderstandeth not those things that are of God no nor cannot Wherefore when we see in these Chapiters that all endeuour is vsed both by God and by his seruauntes to perswade Pharao and yet that he is nothing Mooued eyther by his Worde or by his threatnings or by his Miracles or by the counsaile and aduertisement of Moyses and Aaron yea or of his owne subiectes we are taught that all the Workes endeuours of Man to bring sinners from their obstinacy vnto the Imbracing of Gods holy will is all Vaine vnlesse it please God also to worke by his holye spirite Wherefore we must submit our selues to the mightie hande of God in his secreat iudgementes and continually in our prayers * craue the assistance of his grace and good spirite which may so worke in vs that both we our selues may humbly Receiue the worde of GOD and that our endeuour to perswade other may by him be Effectuall Moreouer when there happeneth vnto vs vnseasonable Weathering Plagues and other sicknesses of sundrie sortes terrible Nayle Thunder and Lightning Murraine of cattaile Destruction of corne or fruites by blast Vermine or otherwise we must by these examples learne that they come not by Chaunce or by naturall causes onely but that they are Sent of God as Punishmentes of our Sinne and Disobedience to the will and worde of God and as * Meanes to bring vs to Repentance or else that God will lay on vs continually mo of his Plagues vntill he bring vs to Vtter confusion as hee did Pharao and the Egyptians All whose Disobedience sprange of this Roote that they Contemned the worde of God brought vnto them by his seruantes The Contempt whereof if repentaunce did not preuent it God hath alway punished with Induration and vtter Desolation When we reade that the Israelites were cleare from all those grieuous Plagues with which the Aegyptians were punished we muste to our comfort consider
sinned Wilt thou be wrath with all the multitude 23 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying 24 Speake vnto the Congregation and say Get you away from about the tabernacle of Corah Dathan and Abiram 25 And Moyses rose vp and went vnto Dathan and Abiram and the elders of Israell folowed him 26 And he spake vnto the congregation saying Depart I pray you from the tentes of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs least ye perish in all their sinnes 27 And so they gate them from the tabernacle of Corah Dathan and Abiram on euery side And Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the doore of their tentes with their wiues their sonnes and their little children 28 And Moyses sayd Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these workes for I haue not done them of mine owne minde 29 If these men die the coÌ„mon death of all men or if they be visited after the visitation of all men then the Lorde hath not sent me 30 But and if the Lorde make a newe thing and the earth open her mouth and swallowe them vp with all that they haue and they go downe quick into the pitte then ye shall vnderstand that these men haue prouoked the Lorde 31 And assoone as he had made an ende of speaking all these wordes the ground cloue asunder that was vnder them 32 And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them vp and their houses and all the men that were with Corah and all their goodes 33 And they and all that they had went downe aliue vnto the pitte and the earth closed vpon them and they perished from among the congregation 34 And all Israell that were about them fled at the crie of them and they sayd Least the earth swallowe vs vp also 35 And there came out a fire from the Lorde and consumed the two hundred and fiftie men that offered incense 36 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying 37 Speake vnto Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the priest that he take vp the censers out of the burning and scatter the fixe here and there for they are halowed 38 The censers of these sinners against their owne soules let them make of them broade plates for a couering of the aulter For they ffered them before the Lorde and therfore they are halowed and they shall be a signe vnto the children of Israell 39 And Eleazer the priest tooke the brasen censers which they that were burnt had offered and made brode plates for a couering of the aulter 40 To be a remembrance vnto the children of Israell that no straunger which is not of the séede of Aaron come néere to offer incense before the Lorde that he be not like vnto Corah and his companie as the Lorde sayde to him by the hande of Moyses 41 But on the morow all the multitude of the children of Israell murmured agaynst Moyses and Aaron saying Ye haue killed the people of the Lorde 42 And when the multitude was gathered against Moyses and Aaron they looked towarde the tabernacle of the congration and beholde the clowde couered it and the glorie of the Lorde appeared 43 And Moyses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation 44 And the Lorde spake vnto Moses saying 45 Get you from among this congregation that I may consume them quickly And they fell vpon theisr faces 46 And Moyses sayde vnto Aaron Take a censer and put fire therein out of the aulter and poure on incense and go quickly vnto the congregation and make an attonement for them For there is wrath gone out from the Lorde and there is a plague begunne 47 And Aaron toke as Moyses commaunded him and ranne into the middes of the congregation and behold the plague was begunne among the people and he put on incense and made an attonement for the people 48 And when he stoode betwéene the dead and them that were aliue the plague was stayed 49 They that died in the plague were fourtéene thousande and seuen hundred beside them that died about the conspiracie of Corah 50 And Aaron went againe vnto Moyses before the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation and the plague was stayed The Exposition vpon the .xvj. Chapter of Numbers And Corah the sonne of Isaar c. went apart with Dathan and Abiram c. THe Scripture in this place setteth forth vnto vs an example of repining Of the wicked and of rebelling against the good Magistrate and ordinance of god Wherein we haue to marke that no Prince or Magistrate can be so good and vpright but that wicked and lewde subiectes blinded with their priuate affections will rebell and * picke quarrels against him Moyses and Aaron were chosen and appointed by GOD himselfe they had the continual assistance of Gods holy Spirit and Angels guiding them and working with them They were painefull and diligent in their office verye carefull for the good estate of the people verieâ— milde and mercifull in their gouernment and Farre from all couetousnesse briberie and corruption And yet did Corah Dathan and Abiram with many other rebel agaynst them reprooued them and discredited them in all theyr doyngs as ambitious prowde cruell and false In this example we haue to obserue First that the * rootes of rebellion commonly are Pride and selfeliking Enuie and ambition For pride causeth men to haue a great liking of themselues and to thinke themselues more Worthie men to be in honour and dignitie than anye other And therefore mooueth them partly to Enuie partly to Disdaine other and ambitiously by sturre and rebellion to seeke that which by other quiet meanes they cannot get That this was the roote of this rebellion here mentioned it appeareth by that Moyses speaketh to them You take to much vpon you you sonnes of Leui. Seemeth it but a small thing vnto you that God hath seperated you and taken you to his owne seruice but that you must seeke the office of the priest also In these wordes he toucheth theyr Pride and Ambition Secondly wee haue to marke what Instruments Rebels commonly vse agaynst good Princes and Rulers that is to saye Lying and Dissimulation By Lying they spreade false and vnâ—eue reporrtes of the Prince that he is Prowde that he is Couetous that he is Cruell that he Oppresseth the commons c. Yea and depraue all his well doynges to bring him the sooner in Hatred with the people and to cause them to mislike him which commonly with euery apparant cause are easily caryed to the desire of alteration of Princes and Rulers especially if they vse seueritie of Iustice in punishing By Dissimulation they cloke their owne Ambitious purpose of aduauncing themselues and pretende forsooth that they doe all for the Loue and safegard of the common weale and for Pitie toward the poore commons and for their ease and reliefe when as in deed they seeke nothing but the setting vp of themselues or the wreaking of malice
as it were in iudgement cleareth him selfe that he neuer hurted them neuer wrought trouble griefe vnto them whereby they might pretende cause to reuolt from him but alway hath shewed him selfe their gracicious mercifull and bountifull Lord euer readye to assiste and helpe them and miraculously with mightie hande to deliuer them As for example out of Aegipt from the sterne Tirannie of Pharao and his people In the wildernesse from manye dangers by the meanes of Moyses Aaron Marie their sister indued with the spirite of prophecie From the wicked deuises of Balach at which time he turned the Cursing that was sought agaynst them into a notable blessing By this wee also haue to take heede that wee doe not contemne the worde of God and reiect the memorie of his exceeding benefits that he hath of late yeares done for vs least it be grieuously laide against vs as the like is here vnto the Iewes Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bowe my selfe to the hye God c. As the Prophet before made as it were God him selfe to accuse the Iewes euen so here doth he bring in the people of the Iewes cōsulting asking by what meanes by what sacrifices by what satisfactions they may please God and appease his wrath and displeasure Here is to be noted that as the faithfull when they perceiue God to be displeased resort to his holy worde and out of that learne what to doe to please God so other that are vnfaithfull when he hath beaten into their mindes some sense of his wrath as he had here done to the Iewes they cannot ascende to any higher consideration then the wisedome of the flesh and of the worlde And therefore giue themselues to worke reconsiliation by externall things as sacrifices outward kneelings fastings and tormentings of the bodie iudging that God also maketh great account of those outwarde thinges which they themselues greatly esteeme and wherein they iudge principall holinesse to consist But God being a spirite sheweth himselfe to delight in that holinesse only that is in spirite and in truth And therefore in the 8. verse the Prophete aunswering their question sayeth God hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thee c. Whereby he taketh from them their pretence of ignoraunce or rather reproueth their obstinate impudēcie wherby they moue such questions As though God had not by his seruant Moises and by his Prophetes declared oftentimes vnto them what true worship he looketh for at their handes and wherewith his anger will be appeased that is with repentaunce and the true fruites therof Such as are the doing of iustice when not onely the Magistrate dealeth vprightly in iudgement but also euerye priuate man according to his office and calling The loue of mercie and pitie consisting in all the workes of Charitie The humblenesse of our hartes submitting our selues to the will and pleasure of God declared in his worde For To walke with God is to walke before him according to the appointment of his holy will and worde The Lordes voyce cryeth vnto the Citie and the man that shal be saued c. In this part of the chapter the Prophete chargeth them with their sinnes wherewith they had displeased god The Lordes voyce is the preaching and teaching of his worde You haue heard sayth the Prophete what * dueties God requireth of you neyther can you in this pretende ignorance For the Lord doth his part diligently when he sendeth his Prophets to you that be of this Citie and to all other likewise that be in your case and by them crieth to you that you should repent and doe those fruites of repentaunce And therefore the faythfull and good man that hath care of his saluation doth consider it and feare the name of thee O Lorde But you O stiffe necked Ievves shewe your selues to contemne his voyce and to neglect his calling Therefore seeing you will not heare that voyce calling you to saluation hearken to this voyce that assureth you of your punishment rodde and destruction Then layeth he before them their grieuous faultes and offences that is Riches vniustly gotten False measures False waightes and balances Crueltie Lying Falsehoode and deceyte as well in their occupying and bargayning as in all other dealing and for these thinges sayth he the Lorde will take in hande to punish them Therefore I will take in hande to punishe thee and to make thee desolate c. This is vttered in the person of God I wyll therefore punish thee sayth the Lorde and take all those my good gifts frō thee which hath made thee so prowde and obstinate not ouely so but bicause thou wilt not repent and turn from thy sinnes O thou wicked Citie I will vtterly destroy thee and make thee desolate The first plague is famine and that in a strange maner that they should haue to eate and yet there meate not prosper with them The seconde plague that by inward mischiefe among themselues that is by discorde discention or other like meanes by giuing credite to the false Prophetes that were among them they shoulde worke their owne ouerthrowe The thirde is that all meanes of help succour and refuge should be taken from them and that those whome they would seeke to saue the Lorde would deliuer to the sworde The fourth is that their goodes and the fruites of the grounde shoulde be spoyled and taken from them and that they shoulde enioy no part of their labours therein The last is that they should be vtterly wasted caried away captiue and be a scorne and reproch to all people The. 21. Sunday after Trinitie at Morning prayer Habacuc 2. I Will stande vpon my watch and set me vpon the tower and will looke and sée what he will say vnto me and what I shall answere to him that rebuketh me 2 And the Lorde answered me and sayde Write the vision and make it plaine vpon tables that hée may runne that readeth it 3 For the vision is yet for an appoynted time but at the last it shall speaks and not lye though it tarie waite for it shall surely come and shall not stay 4 Beholde he that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright in him but the iust shall liue by his fayth 5 Yea in déede the prowde man is as he that transgresseth by wine therefore shall he not endure because he hath enlarged his desire as the hell and is as death and cannot be satisfied but gathereth vnto him all nations and heapeth vnto him all people 6 Shal not all these take vp a parable agaynst him and a taunting prouerbe agaynst him and say Wo to him that increaseth that which is not his howe long and he that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay 7 Shall they not rise vp sodenly that shall bite thée and awake that shall stirre thée and thou shalt be their pray 8 Because thou hast spoyled