the Tabernacle by day and fire by night in the sight of Israel thorowout all their journies Then Moses consecrated Aaron and his sonnes and girded them with girdles clothed them with robes and put the Ephod upon them and the Brest-plate of Urim and the Thummim and put upon Aarons head the Mitre and the holy Crowne as the Lord commanded Moses and then sacrificed unto the Lord. And the Lord commanded Aaron and his sonnes not to drinke wine nor strong drinke when they shall come into the Tabernacle In the wildernesse of mount Sinai in the Tabernacle the Lord commanded Moses to take the number of the children of Israel their males by name every one by the poll from twenty yeares and upward fit for warre and the whole number was six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty besides the tribe of Levi who were appointed over the Tabernacle of the Testimony to bear the Tabernacle and the vessels thereof to minister unto it and encampe about it And Moses and Aaron did encampe before the Tabernacle towards the East and Moses numbred all the first borne among the children of Israel the males from a moneth old and upward and they were twenty two thousand two hundred threescore and thirteene And the Lord commanded Moses to make two silver Trumpets to call the people together and for their marches And the cloud being by God taken up from off the Tabernacle of the Testimony the children of Israel tooke their journeys out of the wildernesse of Sinai and the cloud rested in the wildernesse of Paran the Tribe of Judah marching first with their Standard and after them the Tribes in order And they departed from the mount of the Lord three dayes journey and the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord went before them to search out a resting place for them and when the Arke went forward then Moses said Rise up O Lord and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee and when it â—ested he said Returne O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel After this the children of Israel did murmur and long after the flesh pots of Egypt And Moses heard the people weepe every man in the doore of his tent and the anger of the Lord was greatly kindled and Moses was much grieved by reason of the great burthen that was upon him of so great a people Then the Lord commanded seventy of the Elders of Israel to assist him upon whom was the Spirit of the Lord and the people still murmuring and Moses with the Elders came into the Campe and there went forth a winde from the Lord which brought Quailes from the Sea which fell by the Campe in very great plenty and the people gathered abundantly of them and whiles the flesh was betweene their teeth the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them and smote them with a great plague And it came to passe that Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because he married an Ethiopian woman and the anger of the Lord was against them and Miriam became leprous Then Aaron said unto Moses Alas my lord I beseech thee lay not the sinne upon us wherein we have done foolishly And Moses cryed unto the Lord. Then Miriam was sent out of the Campe 7. dayes the people journeying not but after that time she returning the Campe removed and pitched in the wildernesse of Paran Then the Lord commanded Moses to send forth of every tribe one to search the land of Canaan and to know the strength and plenty thereof and they coming to the brook of Eshcoll cut off a cluster of grapes and they brought it upon a staffe by two men with some pomegarnets and figges and did give relation of the land and some of them spake very doubtfull of the land and put the people in feare Insomuch as the Congregation wept and murmured against Moses and Aaron and wished they had died in the land of Egypt or in the wildernesse and desired to returne into Egypt then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the Assembly of the Congregation of Israel and Joshua and Caleb who had searched the land rent their clothes and commended the land exceedingly to the people and advised them not to rebell against the Lord. But they bade stone them with stones and the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them But Moses prayed earnestly to the Lord for this people and he heard him and pardoned them But the Lord said Because all those men which have seene my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wildernesse and have tempted me now these ten times and have not hearkened to my voice they shall not see the land but my servants Caleb and Joshua because they have followed me them will I bring into the land whereinto they went and their seed shall possesse it and the children of Israel and the people murmured exceedingly and contrary to the command of Moses got up into the top of the mountaine repenting and being ready to goe to the place the Lord had promised but the Arke of the Covenant staid behinde in the Campe then the Amalekites and the Canaanites came downe and discomfited them It came to passe afterwards Korah Dathan and Abiram with certaine of the children of Israel with two hundred and fifty of the Princes of the assembly men of fame and renoune gathered themselves against Moses and Aaron saying unto them Ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation is holy wherefore then lift ye up your selves above the congregation of the Lord then Moses said unto them even to morrow the Lord will shew who are his and who are holy and Moses said unto Korah Heare I pray you ye sons of Levi. Seemeth it but a small thing unto you that the God of Israel hath brought you so neare himselfe to doe the service of the Tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them and seeke ye the Priesthood also And Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram but they would not come up but murmured against Moses for bringing them out of the land of Egypt And Moses was much troubled and said unto Korah Be thou and all thy company before the Lord with Aaron to morrow and bring each of you your Censer putting Incense therein and they did so putting fire in them and stood in the doore of the Tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them and the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron saying Separate your selves from among this congregation that I may consume them in a moment And they fell upon their faces and said O God of the spirits of all flesh shall one man sin and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation And God commanded Moses to bring the people from the Tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram and
the city of David but carried it into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite where it continued three months and the Lord blessed Obed and all his houshold and when David understood how God had blessed them because of the Ark of God David went and brought the Ark of the Lord from thence unto the city of David with much gladnesse and after they that bare the Ark had gone six paces he sacrificed Oxen and fatlings to the Lord and David danced before the Lord and was girded with a linnen Ephod and so it was brought by David and all the hoste of Israel with shoutings and with the sound of Trumpet into the city of David but Michall Sauls daughter looked through a window and seeing king David leaping and dancing before the Ark shee despised him and they brought the Ark of the Lord and set in the tabernacle that David had made for it and then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord and blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts and he gave to every man and woman of all Israel bread flesh and wine and so they departed every one to their house And David returning to blesse his house Michall the daughter of Saul came out to meet him said how glorious was the king of Israel this day who uncovered himself in the eys of the hand-maids of his servants as one of the vain fellowes shamelesly uncovereth himself and David said unto Michall it was before the Lord which chose me before thy father and before all his house to appoint me Ruler over the people of Israel therefore will I play before the Lord and I will be yet more vile then thus and will be base in my own sight and of the maid-servants which thou hast spoken of of them shall I be had in honour therefore had Michall the daughter of Saul no children untill the day of her death MEDITATIONS Vpon the Arke of the holy Covenant O Omnipotent God give unto me thy servant a venerable regard unto thine ordinances and to worship thee as I ought to do and not to encline to an unreverent serving of thee and selfe-conceit but let zeale possesse my soule and humble devotion dwell in my heart deliver me O Lord from the danger of these had and evill times for thine altars are prophaned and thy worship in thy holy places are wholy neglected and the glory seems to be departed out of this our Israel let me look back O Lord to the times of old how thy servants the children of Israel did worship towards thy holy temple and the Ark of thy holy Covenant placed between the Cherubins and how thou wast pleased therewith what blessings O Lord from time to time did goe along with this Ark of thy Covenant and what punishments did fall upon them that did prophane it O Lord give me humblenesse of heart to desire an humble knowledge of thee and not to be busie in prying into thy secrets to look into the Ark of thy Covenant least I be destroyed with them of Bethshemesh neither let me distrust thy power O Lord or intermedle with holy things but keep the right and lowly rule that thou hast commanded so shall I avoid and escape the punishment of Uzzah the sad experience of evill which curiosity and intrusion into Gods secrets and other mens callings ever brought unto the conscience Lord let me stand with perfect humility afarre off with the Publican and humbly without the bounds of the Sanctuary with thy people of Israel in their worship towards thee and not proudly to presume to come into the Sanctum Sanctorum the holy of holyes but venerably to worship towards it with lowlinesse of heart keep thy servant O Lord from the dangerous disease of these times let me not be wise in my own conceit nor busie and opinionated of my own Iudgement to disturb Church and State and to seare my own conscience but give me grace to be humble and meek and as the children of Israel did obey Moses by keeping without the limits of mount Sinai and must not touch the border of it whiles the law was delivered so keep me O Lord farre from presumption that neither eye nor hand out-compasse themselves to my destruction and this was by a most strict charge from thee O God and that only Moses and Aaron should come before thee upon the mount with great punishments threatned unto the breaker of this command By this restraint let thy servant tremble at thy Iudgements and feare with the children of Israel in the conservation of my spirit and obey thee with humility from the very bottome of my heart as the Israelites did at the bottome of mount Sinai and let me not O Lord follow the dangerous example of them that with so much presumption goe about to break the rules which thou hast commanded presuming to step before them whom thou hast appointed to be their guides to break with pride of spirit within the borders of mount Sinai contrary to thy commands good Lord let me leave my Iudgement in points of faith to the Priests that thou hast appointed to come into the inner Temple of thy holinesse where they doe receive the holy oracles of truth from thee to deliver unto us that doe humbly wait in the place and state which thou hast ordained For this boundlesse and unruly pride and groundlesse selfe-conceit as it brought the Angels from heaven so O Lord from time to time it hath disturbed the world and thy holy Church filling it full of hereticks and blasphemers who have been the fire-brands of thy wrath as plagues and punishments for the sins of the world preserve me therefore O Lord from this so dangerous a rock and let me not follow my own will and fancie and keep thy servant from rash and heady resolutions and not be too confident of my own opinion for what am I O Lord to build a Church to my own weak imagination to rend my selfe from the Elders and Congregation of Israel to go a gadding after my own inventions and to fall into the traps of innovations and the private opinions of these bad and dangerous times the Seminaries and seed-plots of sedition and tumults the ruine of Church and Common-wealth of all order government charity and brotherly love But let me keep O Lord that safe rule to walk in even the plain path of thy Church which thou hast appointed both in the old and the new law For O Lord the Church the Ark of thy Covenant was alwayes eminently to be seen and known to the Israelites in all their journies from Egypt to Jerusalem and towards it they did worship so after thy marvellous deliverances of them over the red Sea and the deserts of this world this Ark was placed in thy holy Temple at Jerusalem where all the Tribes of Israel came up to worship and towards which holy of holies they did worship wheresoever they were dispersed and in
that I have made them But Noah found grace in the eys of the Lord for he was a just man and perfect in his generations Noah had three sons Sem Ham and Japhet and the earth was corrupt before God and filled with violeÌ„ce And God said unto Noah The end of all flesh is come before me for the world is filled with iniquity violence Behold I wil destroy them with the Earth Make thee an Arke with roomes in it and pitch it within and without and fashion it as I direct thee a window and a doore shalt thou make in it make it with a lower a second and a third story For behold I wil bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh and every thing that is in the earth shall die But with thee will I establish my covenant thou shalt come into the Ark thou and thy sons and thy wife thy sons wives with thee And of every living thing of all flesh male female shalt thou bring into the Ark to keep them alive with thee and take in with thee food of all sorts for thee and for them And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him and when the Ark was finished the Lord said unto him Come thou and all thy house into the Arke for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation And bring into the Arke of every clean beast by sevens and of unclean by 2. male and female and of fowls by seven to keepe â—eede alive upon the face of the earth for after seven days I will cause it to raine upon the earth 40. days 40. nightsâ—and Noah did as the Lord commaÌ„ded him He was 600. years old when the flood was upon the earth and after he and his family were entered into the Arke and all other living creatures as 't was commanded the flood came upon the earth and the Ark was born above the waters and went upon the face of it and the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth and all the high hils that were under heaven were covered and all flesh dyed that moved upon the earth and the waters prevailed one hundred and fifty dayes upon the earth but after God made a winde to pass over the earth and the waters asswaged And after the hundred and fifty dayes the waters were abated and the Ark rested upon the mountaines of Ararat and after forty dayes Noah opened the window of the Ark and sent out a Raven which went forth too and fro untill the waters were dryed up from off the earth also he sent forth a Dove to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground but the Dove found no rest for the sole of her feet but returned to the Ark. But after seven days more he sent forth the Dove again the Dove came in to him in the evening and in her mouth was an Olive leafe so by that Noah knew the waters were abated upon the earth After that hee staid seven dayes more and sent the Dove out againe which returned no more unto him then Noah removed the covering of the Ark and looked behold the face of the earth was dry and God commanded Noah to come out of the Arke and all that was within it the which he did and after he built an Altar unto the Lord offered burnt offerings on the Altar which was pleasing to the Lord and the Lord blessed the earth again and promised never to destroy it by water any more and set the Rainbow as a signe thereof And the Lord blessed Noah and his sons and Noah began to be a Husbandman and he planted a Vineyard and he drank of the wine and was drunke and was uncovered within his tent And Ham the father of Canaan saw the nakednesse of his father and told his two brethren without then Sem and Japhet took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and went backwards and covered the nakedness of their father and would not look upon his nakednesâ— but when Noah did awake and knew what his younger son bad done he said Cursed be Canaan a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty yeares and all the dayes of Noah were nine hundred and fifty yeares and he dyed MEDITATIONS upon Noah O Lord make me sensible of the grievousnesse of sin aâ—d of the punishments that follow such transgressions let this example of the old world in the time of Noah teach me to looke into my selfe that I may see mine owne iniquities and the corruptions of my heart and give me O Lord true repentance and contrition that I be not drowned in the deluge of my sinfulness but receive me with thy servant Noah into the Ark of thy saving mercy and good Lord let me not be like those secure sinfull persons that built the Ark ' and they themselves perished to give instructions to others and my selfe to fall into impiety to be left out of thy holy Ark of thy saving grace or out of the blessings of thy holy Church and so come at last to perish in my sinnes O Lord whiles I am in this ark of materiall safety and refuge keep me thy servant safe from the danger of shipwrack and leaking in the faith and unity of the â—hurch not to distrust thy providence in this Ark though I live and subsist among the bruit beasts wild creatures of this world who be as the Psalmist speaketh like the horse mule that have no understaÌ„ding Send the Dove of thy holy spirit with the olive branch of thy strength and comfort unto me that may bring joyfull tidings unto my soul of that happinesse which I may expect when I shall be enlarged out of this flesh Bring thy Arke thy Church O Lord out of the troublesome waters of affliction persecution that now so grievously tosse and disturb that poor modell that it may rest upon the safe mountaines of Ararat in the full power of thy mercifull redemption In thy due time take from over my understanding the covering of the ark that I may discerne the pleasure of that heavenly habitation which thou hast prepared for my soule and that I may with a particular evidence of faith and piety passe out of this Ark thy Church militant to thy Church triumphant in heaven and let mee build here an altar of thanksgiving with the incense of zeale burning in my heart to praise thee for all thy mercies and goodness towards me And good Lord whiles I live here the small remainder of my dayes let me not he overcome with intemperate desires or sin in the wrong use of these thy creatures that thou hast ordained for my miserable life but to use them soberly without drunkennesse or any excesse that thereby I may be the better enabled by the comforts of them to serve thee in the moderate use thereof and all other thy
care for a Wife for his sonne Isaac hee then calling for his Steward making him put his hand under his thigh and causing him to sweare by the Lord God of Heaven and Earth that his sonne should not take a Canaanitish woman to Wife but to goe into his owne Countrey and Kindred and there to take a Wife for him Then said his servant what if the Woman will not come with me into this Land shall I bring back thy sonne To whom Abraham answered beware that thou bring not back my sonne thither againe The Lord God of Heaven who tooke me from my fathers house even from the Land where I was born that spake and sware unto me saying unto thy seed will I give this Land he shal send his Angell before thee and thou shalt take a Wife unto my sonne from thence Neverthelesse if the Woman will not follow thee then shalt thou be discharged of thy oath only bring not my son thither againe and the servant swore unto Abraham so he tooke tenne of his Masters Camels who went his journey obtained Rebecka to be his wife as in the story of Isaac is more at large exprest Now after the death of Sarah Abraham took another Wife called Keturah which bare him divers children and Ahraham gave all his goods unto Isaac but unto the sonnes of his Concubines he gave them gifts and sent them away from Isaac his son this he did in his life-time And Abraham being one hundred seventy and five years old hee yeelded up his Spirit dying in a good age and was gathered to his people and his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the Cave with Sarah in the field Ephron PRAYERS upon the History of ABRAHAM GIve mee obedience O Lord to follow the steps of my Governors and to bee guided by my Parents as Abraham was by Terah his Father who brought him to Haran So likewise let mee be obedient to thy blessed Inspirations which may bring me to the heavenly Canaan And as Abraham carried with him in his journey his wife Lot his Brother with his servants and substance grant that all my nearest affections my flesh blood may cheerfully goe along with mee in this my pilgrimage to my â—eavenly happinesse with the servants substanâ—e of piety and good workes to attend me And in this progresse in Moreh and in the middle of the worldly Canaan let thy blessed grace appeare unto mee and grant that I may build an Altar of thanksgiving in my heart unto thee and call upon thy Name Preserve me in the famine necessity and miseries of this world as thou diddest Abraham But above all worldly helps keepe me from the famine of thy favour and grace that in thee my soule may be safe from the spirituall danger of faith and a good conscience By thy good guidance remove me from danger as Abraham was by his going into Aegypt Let not the feare and jealousie of worldly respects make mee to dissemble before thee O Lord who knows 't the secrets of my heart as Abraham did by his Wife for his earthly safety and deliver mee from such bad intions of fleshly desires as was in Pharaoh King of Aegypt by detaining of Sarah lest I partake of such punishments as befell unto him And for such offences against thee as wrongs and bad intentions done to any man or woman grant thaâ— I may not continue in them but timely to repent and by leaving such sinnes give satisfaction for wrongs done as Pharoah did to Abraham at his departure And still to praise thee for thy mercies O Lord as Abraham did at his return to Bethel Give unto me the like charitable love as was between Abraham Lot in their parting yea in the middle of such worldly fortunes as they had that most dangerous rocke of ambition pride and Emulation and let mee not bee too much in love with the pleasant Plains of this worldly Jordan of earthly and vaine delight with Lot in his choise for then shal I not be so neare the like dangerâ— as he was at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah Good Lord give unto me continuall comforts and assurances unto my soule by thy mercies unto mee in the hope of that blessed eternity as thou diddest give unto Abraham his seede for their blessing in the earthly Canaan and in this Plain of Mamre the Hebron of this world still let me praise thee for all thy mercies with this father of the faithful Give unto me O my helper a helping hand unto my distressed Brethren and friends of this world as Abraham did to Lot in his captivity With such blessings and comforts as was given to Abraham by that King and Priest Melchisadech and not only to be humbly thankefull unto thee for the same but to pay that tithe of duty and obedience due unto thy Ministers as he did In the sadnesse of my dejected spirit and coldnesse of devotion towards thee be thou my strength and comfort as thou wast to Abraham in thy promise to his seede so shall not this my earthly Steward of vain and worldly suggestions possesse annoy and supplant my good thoughts intentions and hopes in thee but still I may be made happy by thy heavenly mercies In the barrennesse of my soule as it was in Sarah her body in such fruitfulnesse as was with Hagar let me not despair with the one nor presume with the other lest I be cast out of thy mercies but in my cries send mee thy good Inspirations to make me returne timely and humbly with Hagar and with leasure to receive thy promised blessing with Sarah So by the humiliation of Hagar and the hope of Sarah I shall by thy mercie with Abraham enjoy the Ishmael of worldly comfort here the Isaac of everlasting happinesse hereafter Grant O Lord that I may be courteous and charitable to all men as Abraham was to the three who came to his Tent doore with the like agility and alacrity to do good works as he did for their provision that aâ— hee in stead of men received Angelâ— so by thy promised mercie to wel doers shall I receive with Abraham thy comfort here and thy heavenly reward hereafter where the Angels waite at the doors of heaven to receive the righteous Take from me O Lord all distrusts of thy promises with Sarah's second doubt and with her wonder at thy mercies for by this faith and confidence in thee I shall by thy goodnesse and in good time with this hope and wel-doing enjoy the happinesse in heaven as she did after in earth in thy promise of Isaac O Lord keep me from the unrighteousnesse which was in Sodome lost by mine unworthinesse the mediations and prayers of the faithfull do not prevail for me before the Throne of mercy lest that for my sins I partake of their punishment from thy seate of justice O Lord how miserable and wretched are we even the best of us without thy continuall
requite us all the evill which we did to him and they sent a messenger unto Joseph saying Thy father did command before he died saying so shall ye say unto Joseph Forgive I pray thee now the trespasse of thy brethren and their sin for they did unto thee evil and now we pray thee forgive the trespasse of the servants of the God of thy father and Joseph wept when they spake unto him and his brethren also went and fell downe before his face and they said Behold we be thy servants and Joseph said unto them Feare not for I am in the place of God but as for you ye thought evill against me but God meant it unto good to bring to passe as it is this day to save much people alive Now therefore feare you not I will nourish you and your little ones and he comforted them And Joseph dwelt in Egypt he and his fathers house and lived one hundred and ten yeares and saw Ephraims children of the third generation and the children of Machir the sonne of Manasseh were brought up upon Josephs knees And Joseph said unto his brethren I die and God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel saying God will surely visit you and ye shall carry up my bones from hence So Joseph died being one hundred and ten years old and they embalmed him and he was put in a coffin in Egypt and after in the time of Joshua when the children of Israel came over Jordan they brought his bones out of Egypt and buried them in Shechem in a parcell of ground Jacob bought of the sonnes of Hamer the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver and it became the inheritance of the sonnes of Joseph MEDITATIONS Upon the History of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by his brethren O Lord God everlasting which out of thy great mercy to mankind sentest thy onely begotten Sonne Jesus Christ into this world for the redemption of me a sinner and who for my sake was sold unto the Jewes by Judas one of his disciples was crucified for my sinnes and is gone before to the heavenly Canaan to be a Mediator at thy right hand for my sinfull and famishing soule for his sake be thou mercifull unto me that am a sofourner here in this Egypt of the world that the vaine temptations of the flesh may not have power over me but give me the like Chastity that Joseph had Neither let me grow in love with the flesh-pots of voluptuousnesse nor be blinded with the Egyptian darknesse of this world But grant I doe most humbly beseech for his sake my Jesus that was sold and died for my sinnes that I may happily passe this pilgrimage here in this land of Egypt and use my stewardship like blessed Joseph by dealing honestly and truly with all men and where I finde favour and friends as he did make me ever thankfull unto thee for thy mercies therein and to be religiously carefull to discharge that trust which shall be committed unto me like Joseph that it may be with me at my accounting day as it was with the wise steward to know what to doe For blessed is that servant whom the Lord when he cometh shall finde so doing Good Lord give me charity towards my Christian brethren and as concerning them that have done me wrong as Joseph did Take revenge from the soule of thy servant O Lord I beseech thee and give me grace to doe good against evill and to forgive as I desire to be forgiven of thee And blessed Lord after aâ—â— thy blessings and mercies here in this Egypt that thou hast prepared as an earthly comfort for me a sinner make me ready and at thy call to take a happy passeover for my passage towards the celestiall Canaan and in the meane time give me grace to overcome all difficulties and to be obedient to my task-masters and superiours in this vale of triall where the enemies of my soule strive against my intended journey towards the Land of promise Good Lord keep me from hardnesse of heart and the Egyptian plagues and punishments my sinnes have so much deserved grant me O Lord a good and prosperous voyage thorough the Red sea of danger help my hungry and drooping soule feed and strengthen it with the Manna of thy blessed Spirit Good Lord give me grace to subject my selfe to follow and obey my Governours as the Israelites did submit to Moses and Aaron and not to follow mine owne devises and inventions But to obey them that thou hast appointed over me and not to be one of the murmuring Israelites neither Seditious and contentious against Order and Government with Corah Dathan and Abiram But in all things to submit my judgement in the way of my Pilgrimage to the Rules of Jesus Christ and the governors of his holy Church as thou O Lord hast commanded not following my owne fancies nor the suggestions of my spirituall enemy that cloaths himselfe like an Angel of light to deceive and fill my soule full of spirituall pride the sin that cast downe the Angels from heaven from which most dangerous rock O Lord deliver thy servant that puts his trust under the shadow of thy wings of mercy that at last I may come with humblenesse of heart and soule through the wildernesse of this world so full of cares troubles and temptations to the land of promise that heavenly Jerusalem which thou hast prepared for them that love and feare thee and fight a good fight through this desart of danger and diffidence let me not in this passage O Lord leane to the pleasures and plenty of Goshen but obey thy lawes delivered at Mount Sinai and chearfully goe on like a good Israelite in this my passage the which so much concerns my soule so that good Lord by a true faith and confidence in thee with a happy perseverance in the obedience of thy Commandements at last I may arrive amongst them that live and feare thee in that heavenly feast of tabernacles and receive the comfort of that blessed saying Come ye blessed of my Father and in that heavenly and eternal habitation where all teares shall be wiped away and all afflictions and temptations cease sing Halleluiah and praise and honour and glory and worship unto the Lambe that sits upon the throne for ever THE HISTORY of Moses AFter the death of Joseph the children of Israel did increase exceedingly in Egypt and grew very mightily and another King reigning after the death of Pharaoh he was jealous of their greatnesse and strength and therefore set task-masters over them to afflict them with their burdens and to keepe them under in so much as they made their lives bitter with hard bondage by work in morter and brick and all manner of service in the field with much rigour and the King in his jealousie
it may discerne thy wonderfull goodnesse and that I may have alwayes such a burning desire to serve thee as no overflowings of the waters of this world may quench it let me with Moses put off my shooes of worldly thoughts cares and sinfull imaginations when I shall presume to come before thee for the place where thou art is holy and places consecrated unto thee and thy service in the assembly of Saints are not to be prophaned by any kinde of unholy actions for we must worship towards thy holy temple and enter into it with reverence for so O Lord thou didst command all thy people in all nations of the world Give me grace to obey thy good inspirations as Moses did obey thee by going unto Pharaoh Lord let thy wonderfull works that thou hast done and that I daily see strengthen my faith and confidence in thee and not to distrust thy power and goodnesse but that I may resolutely goe on to serve thee with a blessed perseverance untill my soule shall be delivered out of this Egyptian bondage be freed from the taskmasters of afflictions and the fleshpots of the pleasures of this world Moses was slow in speech and doubtfull of himselfe yet God did worke mightily by him By his example let us master our fleshly opinions and know that God hath his owne work and not to judge of the defects of other men And good Lord teach me to looke into my selfe for if I have received that which others want it is thy meere mercy and goodnesse and as I ought alwayes to be thankfull for thy gifts yet let me not be proud of them for as thy goodnesse gives them so thou canst take them away as thou pleasest for the foot of pride brings downe thy wrath upon us the chiefe of men and though Moses had that defect yet by thy power he did greater matters then either Absolon or Achitophel could bring to passe for thou makest our speaking and hearing and all our senses to serve thy commands and my Reâ—eemer made the dumbe to speake and the lame to walke as by thy great mercy thou hast delivered me from the Egyptian plagues which the hardnes of my heart hath deserved so prepare me I do most humbly beseech thee and make me ready to goe out of this Egypt of the world and to be obedient unto my Leaders and Governours Moses and Aaron in the midst of all perversenesse and perverse men whomsoever In the darknesse of this world enlighten me and as thou diddest send a distinct light to the children of Israel in Goshen so enlighten O Lord my inward soule with the light of thy blessed spirit to discerne thy wonderfull mercies towards me and grant that I may praise thee for thy goodnesse and obey thee as a man separate from all the world prepare me O God to be ready for my passage to the Celestiall Countrey of eternitie as the Israelites were with my loines girt in câ—aritie my shooes on in mortification and my staffe in confidence sprinkle the posts and lintles of my heart with the hysope of thy grace and the precious bloud of thy salvation that I may be knowne to be thine and be received into thy mercy when thou shalt come to visit me and to bring me through the Red Sea of that dangerous passage to the heavenly Canaan of eternitie Keepe me at that time O Lord from distrust and diffidence strengthen me in the narrow passage betweene the two wals of that dangerous water of presumption and despaire that I be not drowned with the Egyptians of this world whose trust is in their chariots and not in thee and whose hardnesse of heart and contempt of thee brought them to destruction O Lord be mercifull to my thirsty soule and preserve me from murmuring against thee thou which diedst upon the tree of the Crosse take all bitternesse from my soule and quench my thirst with the holy water of thy grace and grant that I may cheerefully goe on towards the land of promise Without thy continuall helpe how fraile and perverse are we as the rebellious Israelites ever murmuring and repining against Moses and Aaron send therefore that heavenly Manna unto me that may strengthen my soule and preserve it unto thee in faith and obedience Thou knowest my frailty O God and how feeble I am as likewise my unruly and unbridled conditions my stubbornes and hardnesse of heart therefore I doe most humbly beseech thee for thy mercy sake in Jesus Christ with thy miraculous and mercifull Rod of grace to strike upon my stony heart that from that rock may ascend unto mine eyes a fountaine of teares with such a true and perfect contrition as may come before thee and by thy mercy my sinnes may be washed away and that I may thirst no more after vanity O Lord how weake is the arme of the strongest man without thy help for Moses could not hold up his hand with the Rod without assistance from thee where Amalek fought with Israel but Aaron and Hur assisted him I do most humbly beseech thee in the fight that I have against the Amalek of sin and impiety give me thy Rod of grace and strengthen me and make me able to hold up my hands heart unto thee and in my weaknesse and distresse send me O Lord spirituall comforters which may assist and strengthen my faith that I may hold out untill the sunne of my age be set and obtain victory over all my spirituall enemies With what wonderfull feare diddest thou O Lord deliver thy holy Commandements unto Moses and with what reverence and feare did the children of Israel stand without the bounds of Mount Sinai and onely Moses Aaron Nadab Abihu and seventy Elders of Israel went into the mountaine who worshipped a far off onely Moses came neare the Lord. Good Lord make me to feare and tremble to break these thy holy commandements which thou diddest deliver with such circumstances of glory and terrour and with thy children of Israel let me keepe without the bounds of mount Sinai as thou appointedst them and out of all humane curiosity humbly waite to receive thy lawes from the hands of Moses and the Prophets and Ministers of thy Church Keepe rash presumption from the soule of thy servant for though Aaron Nadab and Abihu and the seventy Elders were good and holy men yet they kept their distance in their worship towards thee O God and at the writing of the Law So good Lord give me lowlinesse to stand before thee without the bounds of Sinai with such as are humble of heart and there worship and waite thy leisure for what thou shalt command me by Moses my spirituall guide by whom I must be directed for I must not be my owne director Without this continuall helpe of thine O Lord and by thy Ministers and Shepherds thou appointest over us how dangerously doth that Wolfe the devil assault and prevaile against this britle and corrupt flesh of ours
for Moses being absent but for a few daies the people went a whoring after their owne inventions Into what extreme folly did they runne headlong even to worship a calfe and to give that which was most precious unto them to make an idol and their jewels to make a calfe O Lord Jesus looke upon me and helpe me in this time of danger to my soule how at this time doe the most of this world wherein I live go a whoring after their owne waies as though neither Moses nor any Prophet were amongst thē how have they consumed the land given their jewels to raise up the idol of arrogancy and pride and what doe we else but sit downe to eate and drink and rise up to play and no man mournes for the misery of the land O Lord Jesus strengthen my faith and beliefe in this dangerous Sea wherein are so many rocks and quicksands of Error and Innovations Be thou my Pilot and grant that I may steere a right course towards thee in this sea so covered with the mists and fogges of Heresie and Schisme that by a true faith I may arrive unto the harbour of my hoped for happinesse and with speed send some in the spirit of Moses to us againe and deliver us from the like punishment that fell upon the Israelites for that their sinne and that peace may be in our Land that thy Tabernacle O Lord may be raised up and that we may worship towards it every man with humilitie at the doore of his tent with the children of Israel so humbled and prostrate and that we may doe as they did give our selves to adorne the Ark of the Church wherein is the Arke of the Covenant and reare it up with Moses in the solemnitie of spirituall and divine worship for there is the glory of the Lord and of all God people O Lord let me know that Aarons worship before thee in his robes of holinesse the ornaments of honour the mitre and crowne upon his knees humbly before thy Altar in the Sanctuary being according unto thine owne holy order was more pleasing unto thee then the confusion of such who step up without order or ornament spirituall or corporall into the Church not so much as looking with reverence towards thy place of worship For doubtlesse O Lord thy Sonne and our Saviour the great example of humility did come into this world to teach us humilitie and that by his grace working in us humilitie lowlinesse and devotion should encrease and continue in this world Therefore let me not O Lord with the proud spirituall Pharisees of these times being blasted with boldnesse presume to step into thy house the place of worship but with reverence and in imitation of thy children of Israel who worshipped and wept at the doore of the Sanctuary O Lord the children of Israel though they provoked thee unto anger by their murmuring distrusts and iniquities in their journeys even ten times when I looke into my selfe O Lord I finde and must needs confesse to my owne shame and confusion that in this my pilgrimage I have exceeded them in impietie both in number and degree for indeed my sinnes are numberlesse having murmured exceedingly in my journeys at the crosses of this world as never considering from what hand they came nor how justly I have deserved them I have for most part of my time eaten drunk and rose up to play and thirsted after the flesh-pots and pleasures of this world I have neglected thy service and have not humbled my selfe before the doore of thy Sanctuarie to bewaile my sinnes as I ought to have done the due obedience that I owe to my Superiours and Pastours of thy Church have I neglected following mine owne inventions and opinions and have wandered like a sheepe out of the fold whereby I have fallen into by pathes and crooked waies leaving that good way thou hast appointed and thereby have drawne thy just displeasure upon me O Lord my God standing in this sad and dangerous condition give me grace truely to humble my selfe before thee and as thou didst heare the prayers of Moses thy servant who mediated for thy children of Israel and was mercifull unto them So I doe most humbly beseech thee by the merits of thy Sonne and my Saviour Jesus Christ my Mediatour for his sake be thou mercifull to me and deliver me from finall destruction denounced against me How endlesse O Lord are our impieties when we grow proud and stiffe-necked and how rebellious then doe we grow against thee and thy Ministers whom under thee we should obey O Lord deliver me thy servant from a rebellious spirit and teach me not to spurne against them that thou hast appointed over me with Korah Dathan and Abiram so spitefull against Moses and Aaron thy Ministers nor to cover my rebellious impietie with the specious cloake of holinesse as they did when nothing was in their heart but ambition and desire to rule and to bring that out of order which thou O Lord hadst established in Moses and Aaron How wonderfull are thy judgements O Lord and how unsearchable are thy wayes Let the example of these men and the just and terrible punishment that fell upon them make me feare to breake thy Ordinances or disobey my Governours that thou hast appointed for what are we O Lord in a headlesse government and what mischiefe shall not betide us O Lord preserve me from the fiery stings and punishments of that old serpent which mine iniquities deserve and in these afflictions that I may suffer for my sinnes give me grace to look up towards him that died for me upon the Crosse that by his merits I may be healed and praise thee for thy mercies and live to goe in my pilgrimage by a true obedience unto thee and that I may no more murmur against thee nor be weary of the Manna of thy blessings and O Lord as Moses saw the Land of promise before his death upon the top of the mountaine so good Lord raise up my thoughts before I dye from these earthly things to contemplate the eternity hereafter and give me a taste and faithfull apprehension of that heavenly Countrey which I doe expect that with joy of heart and comfort to my soule I may leave this earthly tabernacle and ascend unto that place of happinesse where Moses and other thy Prophets Apostles Saints and Martyrs sing praise unto thee that sits upon the throne for ever THE HISTORY of Joshua AFter the death of Moses God made choice of Joshua the son of Nun to be his Champion and to goe before the children of Israel and Joshua commanded the Officers to goe unto the Hoste amongst the people and command them to prepare victuals and provision within three dayes to passe over the river Jordane towards the land of Canaan and Joshua spake to the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the halfe tribe of Manasseh saying You and yours are to possesse the land
was lest I dye there then the King commanded he should be committed into another prison and that he should have given him daily a piece of bread out of the Bakers street whiles the bread lasted but still the Prophet persisted and told them Thus saith the Lord This city shall surely be given into the hand of the King of Babylons army therefore the Princes were incensed against him and said unto the King We beseech thee let this man be put to death for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of warre and all the people in this city in speaking thus unto them And the King said He is in your hands doe with him what you please and they tooke Jeremiah and cast him in a dungeon and they let him downe by a rope and in the dungeon was no water but myre that he sunke in and some men complained of this cruelty done to Jeremiah unto the King who commanded thirty men to goe and take up Jeremiah out of the dungeon and they tooke old rags and cast them downe into the dungeon the which Jeremiah put under his arme pits and so they drew him up and Zedekiah the King sent for Jeremiah and said unto him I will aske thee a thing hide nothing from me and Jeremiah said unto the King If I declare it unto thee wilt thou not put me to death and if I give thee counsell wilt thou hearken to mee so the king sware secretly unto Jeremiah saying as the Lord liveth that made us this soule I will not put thee to death nor give thee into the hands of these men that seek thy life Then he said unto the king thus saith the Lord God of hosts the God of Israel if thou wilt goe forth to the Princes of the king of Babylon then thy soule shall live and this city shall not be burnt with fire and thou and thy house shall live But if thou wilt not goe forth unto them then shall this city be given to the Chaldeans and they shall burn it and thou shalt not escape out of their hands and the king said unto Jeremiah I am afraid of the Jewes that are fallen to the Chaldeans least they deliver me to their hands and they mock me But the Prophet said they shall not deliver thee obey I beseech thee the voice of the Lord so shall it bee well with thee But if thou refuse to goe forth this is the word that the Lord hath shewed me Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah let no man know of these words and thou shalt not die the which he did so Jeremiah after abode in the Court of the prison untill the day that Ierusalem was taken And it came to passe on the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Iudah Nebuchadnezzer king of Babilon and his army came before Ierusalem and besieged it and in the eleventh yeare of Zedekiah the city was taken and all the Princes of the king of Babilon entered the city at which time Zedekiah and all his men of warre fled out of the city by night by the way of the kings gardens but the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them and overtook Zedekiah in the plaines of Iericho and took him brought him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babilon who gave judgement upon him and caused his sonnes to be slaine before his face and all the Nobles of Judah and he put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chaines to carry him to Babilon and they burnt Ierusalem and brake down the walls thereof and carried captive to Babilon all the remainder of the people that were within the city but left the poorer sort that had nothing and gave them vineyards and fields and the king of Babilon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to take him and doe him no harm but use him with all kindnesse so they took Jeremiah out of the Court of the prison and sent him home so he dwelt among the people MEDITATIONS upon the History of king Hezekiah EVerlasting God whilst we live here in this earthly Jerusalem nothing is to be expected but continuall conflicts in our spirituall warfare between the world the flesh and the spirit how bitterly O Lord and vehemently doth the enemy of my soule like Rabshekah suggest into me distrusts and feares to make mee doubtfull of thy promises and providence endeavouring to weaken my faith and confidence in thee by putting great feares doubts and troubles to my inward and fraile senses In this affliction and trouble to my soule O Lord I beseech thee from time to time to give me grace with good Hezekiah to come unto thee with my heart rent and continually to implore thy blessed help and assistance and that I may obtain the like mercy that he did receive from thee and let not that hellish blasphemer prevail over me but put thou a hook in his nose a bridle in his lips and send a blast upon him that he may be driven away and have no more power to disturb and oppres my weak feeble soul by his threatnings and suggestions and good Lord in all thy conflicts batteries and oppressions that hereafter I may meet withall by this my spirituall and dangerous enemy to my soule give me grace most humbly to come unto thee my hope and helper and to thy house where thou dwellest between the Cherubins and there as Hezekiah in his trouble and distresse did spread out the letter of Zenacherib before thee and humbled himselfe before thee with much sorrow so good Lord in all my troubles grant that I may spread before thee with true and perfect humility of heart the troubles and afflictions of my soule and then O Lord heare me and in pitty look upon my danger and deliver me from the power of the Zenacherib of this world and his instruments the disturbers of my pilgrimage to my heavenly happinesse and the quiet of a good conscience in this Jerusalem strengthen O Lord my outward walls of flesh and blood enable me with obedience and patience quietly to beare the reproaches and threatnings of this my spirituall enemy which in a kind of proportion the Children of Israel did endure upon the walls of Ierusalem deliver me from the danger of their deadly arrows O Lord and grant they may not entrench about my soule to endanger it And O Lord as for thy servant Davids sake thou diddest look favourably upon Jerusalem so I doe most humbly beseech thee for thy son Jesus Christ his sake to be mercifull unto me to defend and keep me thy servant that putteth his trust in thee from the danger of al my spiritual enemies whensoever it shall please thee to visit me by the bed of sicknesse be thou then mercyfull unto me a sinner O Lord and with Hezekiah let me turn unto thee with true and perfect contrition of heart and grant that then I may receive mercy and comfort from thee thou God of mercy and compassion and as thou sent'st thy Prophet Isaiah
their captivities and the sacrifices there was more acceptable to thee then the Adorations that were at Bethel framed by Ieroboam that made Israel to sinne by a worship of his own invention for vain glory the true type of heresie and innovations By this O Lord let thy servant to see that there was alwayes a knowne and certain way of worship and a visible Church to thy children of Israel even in the middle of the red Sea and Jordan of danger and drowning being pursued by the Egypt of this world and still from time to time this people of thine and in thy Church there were guides and governours for them to follow to preserve them from by-paths and in the right rule of thy Church and saving truth which Church and worship was hid from the Gentiles for their great abominations and by thy secret judgements yet out of thy great and wonderfull mercy to mankind according to thy promise and prophesies a Messias did come to redeeme the Gentiles and to bring them unto thee and that great mercy of his Redemption which wonderfull mercy was by my blessed Redeemer and Saviour Iesus Christ the long hoped for Messias descended from the roote of Jesse the great deliverer of the Gentiles from the thraldome and bondage of sinne whom no creature could redeeme but that immaculate lamb the sonne of God descended from that blessed root of whom all the Prophets have so much prophesied and above all the Prophet Esaiah of the calling of the Gentiles and the great visibility of the Church that should be at his coming for all the world to see and follow and by which they should learn to leave all blind corners and crooked by-paths of ignorance and wilfulnesse and all good and humble soules thither to repaire both Jewes and Gentiles even to this Church placed upon an open mountain that every one might see the light thereof thither repaire for the comfort and care of their soules for there are the true Physitians and the wholesome balsames to cure the festred sores of sin and there is safety for the humble of heart and there is ever light prepared for them Thus with humility of heart ascend up into that mountain of the Lord and Thus O Lord by thy incomprehensible mercy thou hast given us a way to follow confirmed to us and the truth thereof by the great example of thy servants in the primitive Church the Apostles Martyrs Confessors and Virgins and other thy Saints by their great sufferings and persecutions in the spirituall progresse of this world before the Ark thy Church could come to rest from that deluge and troublesome waters of afflictions In all their sufferings and persecutions following the Example of their Pilot and Redeemer being humble and meek and obedient to their temporall Lords and giving unto Caesar that was Caesars onely their faith and a good conscience they preserved unspotted before thee O Lord desiring rather to submit their lives then hold up their hands and prayed for their persecutors rather then they would shed the blood of any man that had the least stamp of Gods Image upon him Let me not therefore O Lord spurne against authority nor laugh at devotion as Michall that proud Dame did scoffe at David for dancing before the Ark nor think it superstition to follow thy holy Ark seven times about Jericho if it be commanded by Scripture or men of divine authority have so determined for there is a blessing goes along with this Ark of thy Covenant and happines is a reward to the humble and devout soule that attendeth without reluctation upon thy ordinances and the discipliue of thee O God whiles this Ark of truth stood with Dagon that Idoll fell down and was brossen for truth and falshood cannot stand together let the soule of thy fervant know this O Lord and let mee not think to serve thee but with a single sincere and an humble heart and not to mix it with my own foolish fancy but to serve thee by that rule as thou hast appointed and good Lord let the Dagon of sinfulnesse that is raised up in my corrupt heart fall downe and be broken in peices and place in steed thereof thy holy Covenant and truth Lord cleanse and purge me and make me worthy to receive the Arke of thy Covenant thy saving truth and holy spirit that by my corruptions and wickednesse of life it may not he with mee as it was with them of Ashdod and Ekron whiles the Arke was amongst them to bring punishments and plagues upon me for my iniquity and prophanesse and inordination But sanctifie my soule O Lord and give the blessing unto me that thou diddest give unto Abinadab and Obed-Edom with whom the Ark did rest and make me a happy vessell to receive thy holy spirit and then will all things be happinesses and blessings unto me both in this life and in the life to come O Lord though Eli and his sonnes did unrighteously before thee to the bad example of the Israelites yet let not the bad example that I may see by some bad members in thy Church make me to stumble in my way but still to follow the Ark of thy Covenant and mourn after it as the children of Israel did mourn and rejoyce in the prosperity of thy Church when there shall be any joyfull remembrance of any kinde of mercy or deliverance O Lord bring me thy servant into the sanctuary of thy saving grace and thy holy Ark the Church in safety unto the city of David in despight of all mocking Michals that all the world may praise thee for all thy mercies as David did magnifie thy mercy in the presence of all the congregation with a kind of spirituall joy beyond the limits of all humane conceit or the capacity of a proud Naturalist and place it there O Lord in the Tabernacle of peace and quietnesse that all the world may see thy mercy and know the way to their salvation leaving all blind by-paths and distracted wayes that tend and bend to destruction For thou O Lord hast shewed us a way and left us unexcusable if wee follow it not without unsound and deceitfull reasoning and our destruction is of our selves But let all praise and glory be given to thee O Lord for thy goodnesse and truth Thou O Lord art the way the truth and the life Lord lead us all by that way which thou hast shewn unto that truth which hath promised that life then shall all doubtfull errors be removed from our soules and we shall live in that Ark where is the light and glory of thy presence for ever FINIS Gen. 1. Gen. 2. Gen. 3. Joh. 1. 1. 10. 11. 14. Gen. 4. Heb. 12. 24. Gen. 5. Gen. 6. 6. Gen. 7. Vers. 8. Gen. 11. Gen. 13. Gen. 14. Gen. 15. Gen. 16. Gen. 17. Gen. 18. Gen. 20. Gen. 21. Gen. 22. Gen. 23. Gen. 24. Gen. 25. Gen. 24. Gen. â—â— Gen. 27. Gen. â—8 â— Gen. 28. 〈◊〉 31. Gen. 43. Gen. 35. Gen. 37. Gen. 40. Gen. 41. Gen. 4â— Gen. 43. Gen. 44. Gen. 46. Gen. 47. Gen. 48. Gen. 49. Exod. 1. Exod. 2. Exod. 3. Exod. 4. Exod. 6. Exod. 8. Exod. 9. Exod. 10. Exod. 12. Exod. 14. Exod. 15. Exod. 18. Exod. 19. Exod. 20. Exod. 24. Exod. 32. 33. 34. 35. 40. Levit. 8. 10. Numb 1. 10. 11. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Num. 17. 18. 20. 21. 21. â—â— 25. 27. Deut. 31. 32. 34. Josh. 1. 6. 7. Josh. 8. Josh. 9. Josh. 10. Josh. 11. Josh. 13. Josh. 15. Josh. 22. Josh. 23. Josh. 24. Judg. 4. Judg. 5. Ruth 3. Ruth 4. Isa. 36. Isa. 37. Jer. 37. Isa. 38. Isa. 39. Isa. 37. Jer. 38. 17. 1 Sam. 2. 12. 2. Sam. 6.