Christs one Oblation and that there is now remission of sinnes séeing the Scripture saith Where there is remission of sinnes there is no more offering for sinnes c. Heb. 10. 18. 2 So Moses did as the Lord God commanded him and the companie was assembled at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Obedience in Moses the Head and chief obedience also in the People vnder him do offer vs here a good Example Such mutuall agréement in great litle to come together to the Tabernacle to vnderstand further of Gods Wil O how commendable in it self how acceptable to God how profitable for others that shall behold sée it Would God any thing might smite our hearts to come to Gods House diligently Certainly the praise of it wil endure wheÌ„ we are dead and the blessing of such zeale vpon our childreÌ„s children Banish then vngodly whisperers to the contrary with all their deceitfull and damnable perswasions and he that hath an eare let him heare what God will say to his soule Let him speake as that good Samuel was taught to speake Say on Lord forthy Seruant heareth 3 Then Moses said vnto the company This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded to doe Nothing but Gods Commandement doth Moses offer vnto them For he well knew Gods will onely in his owne House must be the Rule Our own heads were neuer the best heads to follow and for God he knoweth our mould too well to giue that swinge vnto vs. If we will preach his will he hath a blessing and if we teach our owne fancies he will with his breath blowe away both vs and our idle fancies We offering then but his will to his people and by a plaine course of teaching according to their capacities making that appeare to them as many as are ordayned to eternall life shall beleeue in time to our vnspeakable comfort and their eternall goodâ— and such as must perish if any such be in our flock eâ—â— in those also we shal be a sweet sauour to God because we haue only deliuered to them what we receiued of God not abused theÌ„ with any mans Traditions that cannot saue 4 And Moses brought Aaron his sonnes and washed them with water And put vpon him the coate and girded him with the girdle c. Of all these Ceremonies reade what hath bene noted in the 29. Chap. of Exod. The Tabernacle a type of heauen Heb. 8. 2. cha 9 11 12 24. anoynted to signifie that Heauen is the sanctified Place for perpetuall and eternall rest vnto all the Sonnes of God his Elect before the foundations of the world were laid He powred the Oyle vpon Aarons head so in him who was a Figure of Christ shadowing out the fullnes of the Spirit vpon Christ Psal 44. and Esay 61. He put also coates vpon Aarons sonnes c. They were a Figure of the Church which by Faith eateth also of the Sacrifice of Christ being made partakers of his merit aswell as the Priests Their garments figured out the Graces and gifts wherewith the beleeuers in Christ are adorned beautified Casting away the works of darknes and putting on dayly more and more the deeds of light The Lap of Aarons right eare and his sonnes thumbes of their right handes and the great toes of their feete are anoynted to represent that in Christ there is no left but all right To shew that that his blood should make blessed them on his right-hand and to teach that such as bée his Chosen haue their eares touched and made right hearing with profit good things and sincerely abhorring to heare euill Their workes also shadowed by their right thumbe are holy honest good and in their seuerall vocations they paynfully and carefully walke shadowed by their right toes anoynted with the blood 5 Upon Aarons sonnes Moses did but sprinckle the anoynting oyle which before was said he powred vpon Aaron vers 12. so plainly shewing that in Christ the spirit should be without measure and vpon his seruants in measure wée all receyuing of his fulnesse according to his good pleasure some more some lesse 6 That which is said of abiding at the doore of the Tabernacle day and night seuen dayes and ye shall keepe the watch of the Lord that ye die not is thought to haue shadowed that watch which all our life long noted by the seuen dayes wée kéepe in auoyding sinne and working righteousnesse as the Lord shall inable Which indéede may be called the wrath of the Lord being a holy Christian and happy watch The seuenth day wée shall bée frée fully sanctified and deliuered from this vale of misery to kéepe an eternall Sabaoth in Heauen to our endlesse comfort Thus bréefly for order sake of this Chapter the chiefe points as I said hauing béene touched in the 29. of Exodus CHAP. IX THe Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes being fully ended in this Chap is shewed how they entred vpon their Office began to doe the duties thereof Aaron offering the foure principall Sacrifices to witte the Burnt-offering the Sin-offering the Peace-offering the Meat-offering And for vse vnto vs. First it may be obserued that Moses who was neuer consecrated himselfe doth consecrate and inuest Aaron into his Office that so men might learne to ascribe all to God the authoritie I meane and effect of the outward signe 2 In that Aaron is commanded to offer aswell for himselfe as his people verse 7. The Apostle to the Hebr. reasoneth that the Leuiticall Priest-hood was weake but a shadow of a stronger namely of Christs For such an High-Priest saith he it became vs to haue as needeth not dayly like those in the Law to offer vp sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for his peoples c. Read the 7. Chap. verse 26 27. Also the 5. Chap. Verse 3. Hée was also herein a Figure of Christ not that Christ had any sins of his owne but that ours were so layd vpon him and he so made satisfaction to God for them as if they had bene his owne Surely saith the Prophet He hath borne Our infirmities and caryed Our sorrowes yet We did iudge him as plagued and smitten of GOD and humbled That is wée iudged euill as though hée were punished for his owne sinnes and not for ours But hee was wounded for Our transgressions he was broken for Our iniquites the chastesment of Our peace was vpon him and with his stripes We are healed 3 When it is said Aaron lift vp his hand and blessed the people vers 22. Wée must consider that héerein hée was plainly a Figure of Christ who onely can blesse béeing onely the séede of Abraham In whom all the Nations of the world are blessed and in whom saith S. Paul The Father hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenly things As with the blessing
now Moses yon sée tasteth of them Who is hée or shée that haue not some way by these walking tongues béen wounded I leaue you to your owne experience of this venome 8. Whither flyeth Moses then from this raging storme of Pharaohs displeasure raised vp against him by these pratlers Into the land of Midian saith the text where the Lord prouided for him Then marke with your selfe how alwaies one place or other the Lord hath for his seruants If Iudaea be dangerous for the childe Iesus in Egypt he shal find safetie til the time appointed so forth read 2. Cor. 4. 8. 9. Whē he was come thither He sate him down by a wel a place most like to bring some to him of whom he might inquire how he might bestow himselfe But God knoweth what thoughts the circumstances of his case procured vnto him His calling he saw not acknowledged of his country-men but in steade thereof his life brought in question and therefore might fall into some doubt of it himselfe All his worldly comforts were now departed from him and he a poore exile in a strange country not knowing which waie to turne him A great change from so high a place as Moses had in Egypt béeing estéemed the Sonne of Pharoahs daughter and lesser alterations than this wée well know haue giuen good men shrewd plucks yet reade wée of no discomfort in Moses which wée must obserue and be bettered by it GOD humbleth him in his worldly estate and bringeth him to this lowe ebbe yet forsaketh him not but déerelie loueth him and hath great honours in store for him againe when time commeth We are likewise the Lords and wee must bee content that hee doe with vs his owne good pleasure euer The third part 1. THe thirde part of the chapter followeth concerning his mariage in that land the manner wherof you may reade in your chapter verse 16. c. Some blame him as matching with the vnbeléeuing others excuse him saying they were not vnbeléeuers The scripture is silent and therefore we neede not to be curious To excuse the godlie Fathers euer is more than can be to make Iethro and his houshold such beléeuers as they ought to be with whom wée ioine in mariage How beit happily he was better than thousands there Theoderet saith Typus erat Christi domini qui cum ex Iudeis secundum carnem natus esset ecclesiam Gentium appelauit sponsam suam Moses herein was a type of Christ who béeing borne of the Jewes according to the flesh married himselfe to the Gentiles and ralled them his spouse But leaue we it as not profitable to vs to scanne what God hath pleased to conceale And marke the hart of Iethro when he vnderstood how Moses had helped his daughters at the well very kindly he conceiued of that fauour and chid them for so leauing him not bringing him home to eatebread Surely the Spirit of God dooth not so still in euery place note this kindnesse of hart in requiting loue but that he excéedingly liketh it and would haue all his euer to follow it 2 Of his wife the Lord gaue him a sonne whose name he called Gershom adding the reason because saith hée I haue bene a stranger in a strange land So then that which many obiect oftentimes to Gods children by way of reproach that they are strangers exiles and so forth that Moses taketh to be no reproach and therefore giueth the title of it to his sonne for his name An example to teach vs neuer to bée ashamed either of banishment or any hard estate wherewith God shall exercise vs for his glory but rather to reioyce in it and comfortably to thinke of it as Moses doth here The shame is theirs that reproach vs the glorie is ours if we rightly endure it 3. In processe of time this blody Pharaoh dyeth saith the Storie and this is a comfort to the godly as likewise it should be a warning to all oppressors of them they shall die and be packing and shall not continue to deale cruelly Then shall they receiue the wages of their wickednesse and they whom they haue wronged shall bée comforted The rod of the vngodlie lighteth vpon the faithful as God shall please but the Lord hath said it shall not carry vpon them And what swéeter comfort but the rod of Gods iustice shall both light lie vnremooueable vpon the vngodly that repent not of their euil and what greater woe Let them beware then whiles there is time 4. But when was it that he dyed Surely forty yéeres after Moses fled thence Moses was fortie when hée fled and eighty when he came as their Deliuerer Let it thus profit vs. You remember before how Moses began to exercise that Office towards their reliefe which he was certified God had appointed him vnto and thought that they would haue acknowledged it with thanks to God for him But they most vnkindely requited him and so endangered him that he was fame to fly to saue his life When he so began God offered them mercy when they so rewarded him what followed Surely fortie yéeres more the continuance of their bondage and miserie A singular warning to all féeling hearts to beware the reiection of Gods mercy when it is offered For it euer hath a sure punishment and well worthy Consider you particularly Gods dealing with your selfe what hath he offered what dooth he yet offer you what haue you done or what yet doo you Be wise and ponder Surelie God is kinde to offer but he is iust to reuēge any wilful contempt of his Offers with continuance of bitter woe héere or foreuer 5. When he was dead the people cryed to the Lord and sighed saith the text Such sobbes in sorrow were due to them that reiected and would not sée what God offered them of ease But O comfort yet what sée wée againe Surely saith the text God heard them remembred his couenant looked vnto them respected them Swéet Father so is it euer with thee iust to correct but gratious to giue ouer not euer offended but in due time intreated pitifull louing and of endlesse mercie Many things more might this Chapter yéelde vs most worthy noting but I remember for whom I write I would not make the volume great that I wish bought vsed of poore ones the abler persons may haue many better helpes A taste of the comfort of Gods word and the vse thereof to incourage to the buying of Bibles and reading of them is the thing I desire to giue and that is done by something vpon euery Chapter though it be not much fitted as God inhableth mée for the féeling and comfort of them for whom I labour Let this much therefore suiffice vpon this Chapter CHAP. 3. The cheife Heads of this Chapter be these The calling of Moses His speech with God 1. MOses kept the sheepe of Iethro and is not this a great change from an adopted son of a kings
Thus saith the Lord that cretaed thee O Iacob and he that formed thee O Israel Feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the floudes that thy doo not ouerflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee For I am the Lord thy God the Holy One of Israel thy Sauiour I gaue Egypt for thy ransome Ethiopia and Seba for thee c. reade the Chap. your selfe and I stay héere 10. Now sée an Accident in the way When Moses was in his Inne the Lord met him and would haue killed him That is by either a sore sickenesse or some other way the Lord made him know his wrath conceined against him as also the cause to wit the omitting of the circumsicion of his Sonne as by the euent wée may sée although it bee not expresly named Where to our profit let vs stay a while and consider diuers things First why Moses so well acquainted with the law of God in this behalfe should omit or neglect to do it And for answere herevnto marke with your selfe how of two sonnes which Moses had and carried with him the circumcision of one is onely here mentioned whereby you may well see the other was before and alreadie circumcised or else Gods wrath would not haue stayed in this place vpon performance of dutie onely to one Now the one hauing before beene circumcised why should he not haue done the like to the other but that out of all question his wife béeing not sonndly perswaded in this point tooke offence at the first grew vnquiet offered vnfit speathes and happely stirred vp her father also Iethro to ioine with her to rattle Moses for such crueltie as they estéemed it to his sonne Wherupon the good man milde soft of spirit in humane frailety chose rather to forbeare the second son to haue his peace than to circumcise also him and please God A notable example to teach vs this doctrine how néedefull it is euen to the great Doctours and Diuines to the great Masters and Teachers and rulers and leaders of others still and continualy to be vnderpropped and held-vp by Gods powrefull ayde and blessed Spirit in their duties when as otherwise euen they they I say that seeme so strong play Moses part here and faint in the way to the offence of God and danger of themselues Nay if Moses faint how much more fall they flat downe that neuer had such measure of grace as Moses had Pray therefore and pray continually for increase of strength for courage and fortitude for constancy and power to repell al the darts that Sathan shall throw at vs and prepare we to buckle with men and women and Diuels that shal assay to quench or to coole our zeale in our places and to bring vs to omit this and that and euerie day somewhat which God expresly requireth and will not abide to be omitted See you Discouragers and discomforters of Gods seruants in necessarie duties what venome is in your darts and poyson in yonr doings Moses this great man is ouercome and brought into daunger by them and O how shal athousand others of farre weaker strength be turned out of the way by you Will God be angry with Moses for yéelding and shall you safely escape that are the causes of his sinne the cut-throates of his zeale and the ouer-turners of his well doing No no assure your selues the wrath of the Lord shal consume you when it hath profitably corrected his childe vnlesse you repent and leaue-off such Deuillish dealing Sée you also you brawling and vnquiet women what your ignorance and obstinacie bringeth your husbands vnto though they be as Moses holy and vertuous they cannot serue God a-right for you they cannot doe what God requireth but you breake their hearts you coole their zeale you turne them out of the way and in the end you bring them to a fearefull danger of Gods destroying of them For the Lord met Moses héere and would haue killed him saith the Text. Shall this euer be vnpunished in you no your Husbands shall bee schooled for their frailtie and you shall be consumed for your arrogancie so proudly and so disobediently contemning both their religious instructions and holy actions If God be in you this will be a warning 11. Then Zipporah tooke a sharpe knife cut away the fore-skin of her Sonne The two things that héere might be considered namely that doctrine of Poperie concerning the danger of children dying vnbaptized and secondlie of such an absolute necessitie of Baptisme as that women must administer it in time of supposed néede I forbeare to stand vpon now I haue sufficiently touched them in my Notes vpon Genesis Therefore doo but remember with your selfe touching the first that wee make a great difference betwixt want of the Sacrament and contempt of the same contempt damning and want not through the strength of Gods promise meaning by want when God so preuenteth by death that it cannot be had according to the manner allowed in the word And touching the second obserue that this act of Zipporah here in circumcising her childe was méerely extraordinarie and doth no way warrant women to baptize now-a-daies Her bitter words to her husband that hee was a bloodie husband to her shewe but what spéeches are often giuen by women that haue their tongues a little too much at liberty His wisedome in not answering her is to this day his praise and her fact her fault in so vndutifully speaking Let this suffice of this Chapter and nowe reade the Text ouer in your Bible and sée how these Notes haue helped you My drift you sée and I leaue it to God I would haue all men encouraged to reade CHAP. 5. The chiefe Heads of this Chapter are these The comming of Moses Aaron to the King The greeuanees of the people Their impatiencie 1. TOuching the first héere wee sée that although Moses was very backward a-while to obey God and goe to this King vpon this errand yet at last hee yéelded faith ouercame feare and all conceits steeped to the obedience of God A happie thing and happie is that man and woman euer which can likewise say truly I haue had my feares and fancies my errors and mine ignorances my pride and my preiudice against that which was good and right but they are all gone I thanke God and I much ioy that they are gone as likewise that I am now sincerely his whose I ought to be and in this obedience doe not doubt but shall end my dayes by his grace 2. Wée may againe thinke héere why God should thus send Moses and Aaron to pray deliuerance for his people when hee was able without stretched arme to haue deliuered them at his pleasure And wee may aunswere our selues in this sort euen for the reasons
knowest that victorie is gotten rather by the faith of the Emperour than by the valour of the Souldiers Both together fight strongly against all foes and forces as you sée And in this place I pray you well note what followeth 5. And when Moses helde vp his hand Israel preuailed but when hee let his hands goe downe Amalech preuailed Thus shewed the Lord to all posteritie and succéeding ages the force of holy prayer in battell or else-where Surely surely it is euer with the Lord a preuailing power as shall be good for the parties vsing it Is any sicke amongst you saith S. Iames let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him c. And the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp and if he hath cōmitted sinnes they shall be forgiuen him For the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent Elias was a man subiect to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not raine it rayned not on the earth for three yeeres and six moneths And he prayed againe and the Heauens gaue raine the earth brought forth her fruit Agréeable héereunto is that great commendation of prayer in Sirach Hee heareth the prayer of the oppressed He despiseth not the desire of the fatherlesse nor the widowe when shee poureth out her prayer Doo not the teares runne downe the widowes cheekes and her crie is against him that causeth them for from her cheeks they goe vp to Heauen the Lord which heareth them doth accept them He that serueth the Lord shall be accepted with fauour and his prayer shall reach vnto the clouds The prayer of him that humbleth himselfe goeth through the clouds and ceaseth not till it come neere and will not depart till the most High haue respect thereunto to iudge righteouslie and execute iudgement c. As Dauids Harpe wrought when the euill spirit vexed Saul saith a learned man so shall thy hartie and zealous prayer quiet thy troubled minde in all distresses and comfort thy heart in all assaulting feares Wilt thou be raysed vp saith Another then first cast thy selfe downe in feruent and humble prayer For no man is raysed that first is not downe Ioshua by prayer obtained to haue the Sunne stand still that hee might haue day enough to slay the enemies of the Lord. In the host of M. Aurelius a companie of Christian Souldiers by prayer obtained rayne when all the host was like to perish for want of water They also obtained thunderbolts to bee throwne from Heauen in the faces of their foes and thereon had a name giuen them of the same Oratio oranti subsidium Deo sacrificium Diabolo flagellum Prayer therefore to him that prayeth is a helpe to God a sacrifice and to the Deuill a whippe But sée our corruption If wee receaue not what wee pray for at the first asking wee faint and cease our praying streight not remembring how often wee vse a medicine for the body before wee can bee whole how manie strokes an Oake must haue before it will fall and how we ouer and ouer againe and againe plough our land and delue our Gardens to reape and gather fruite from them Let vs then amend this fault in our prayer héereafter and neuer forget the force of true and godlie prayer in time Whilest Moses held vp his hands that is continued praying so long Ioshua and the Israelites whō he prayed for preuailed But when he gaue ouer the enemie preuailed Thus shall it be in your case and in my case and all others that be troubled 6. But Moses hands were heauie therefore they tooke astone and put vnder him and hee sate vpon it And Aaron and Hur stayed vp his hands the one on the one side and the other on the other side so his handes were steadie vnto the going downe of the Sunne And Ioshua discomfited Amalech with the edge of the sworde This heauinesse of Moses handes may teach vs the weakenes of all flesh in Christian exercises Wee cannot holde out and continue as we ought but heauines and dulnesse will steale vpon vs and séeke to coole vs and hinder vs. The helpe that Aaron and Hur performed vnto him may teach us the benefit of Christian companie in such holy exercises and the néedefull dutie of praying for him that prayeth for vs that God would be with his spirit that is strengthen him and quicken him and ayde him so to pray so to continue his prayers as the end may be to his glorie and our comfort In regard whereofour Booke of Common prayer hath that answere And with thy spirit The outward gesture may héere also be noted which you shall finde in the Scriptures to be diuers Salomon knéeled Ezekias turned to the wall Christ fell prone vpon his face the Publican knocked vpon his breast and héere Moses lifteth vp his hands All which gestures please God as long as they arise from zeale and truth within and are not hypocriticall And what the Custome of the Church wherein we liue establisheth and vseth wise peaceable persons will kéepe and follow 7. Lastly the Lord commaundeth them to write this for a remembrance in a Booke And Moses built an Altar c. All this hath vse to tell vs howe carefull wee must be in keeping a Register in our hearts of Gods mercies and fauours towards vs in our selues in our friends in our Countrie in our Magistrates and Ministers or any way The point hath béene touched héeretofore when we spake of Manna and therefore I passe it ouer nowe but I pray you remember Examples in this case and followe them Deborah Iudith Hester Anna Mary Toby the one cleansed Leaper that returned to giue thanks the Israelites when they passed ouer the Red Sea c for all these built Altars in their hearts for Gods fauours by being truly and feruently thankfull The earth rendreth the Husbandman her fruite for his paines bestowed on her so doth the Horse and Oxe their labour for the meate which they haue giuen them How much more should man remember what he receaueth and be thankfull to his good God But I stay héere These thinges may yéeld you a taste of the vse of this Chapter if you will now reade ouer the Text againe and obserue the particulars for what is my desire but to worke a liking of reading the Text by shewing some fruite which we may receaue when we are destitute of better teaching CHAP. 18. In this Chapter we haue two generall Heads The comming of Iethro to his sonne in law Moses And the appointing of more Iudges to heare causes 1. COncerning the first the Text saith When Iethro the Priest of Midian Moses Father in law heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people and howe the Lord had brought Israel out of
Tertulliā saith they daily light Candles who haue no light in themselues to whom agree both the Testimonies of darknesse and the reward of punishment But by way of figure these lights shadowed the light of Gods Word which ought euer to shine in his Church as hath bene saide and oyle vsuallie in the Scriptures noteth the Holy-Ghost As in the Psalme He hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes And that anointing which he receiued of him dwelleth in you and ye neede not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things c. This Holy Spirit Christ giueth to his Church and therefore saide It is good for you that I go way For if I go not away that Comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will send him vnto you And this Spirit maketh the light of the Word in the heart as that oyle made the light of the lampe in the Church But the lampes were attended and fed euer with more and more oyle and so God by his Ministers dealeth still They attend vpon this light and read and interpret this word vnto Gods people that they may haue light which holy worke and profitable seruice should yéelde them all comfort and fauoure from the people againe if it were well considered as of some blessed be God it is These lampes and lights were not in the holy place of all but in the Sanctuarie and so in the Church militant the light of teaching and preaching is onely necessarie in Heauen which was resembled by the most holy place no such matter shall be requisite I am shorter in these things because I trust the long and happy vse of the Gospell hath remooued such errors out of our hearts we are not now to be perswaded in these matters The truth is manifest and we are grounded Popish foilyes may deceiue and carry away such as refuse knowledge not any others Blessed be God for his mercies and euer so establish and strengthen vs with his gratious Spirit as wée may not looke back to Aegypt any more but still still take comfort in the light of his Word which is light indéed and leaue Romish tapers and trinkets to the abusers of God his offered grace praying yet for them that if it may stand with his blessed will he would vouchsafe to open their eyes and to touch their hearts that at last they may thinke What the whole World will profit a Man if hee loose his Soule and what an horrible sinne it is to pinne that Soule for which the Lorde Iesus suffered such things vpon any mans sléeue that refuseth to shew the ground of his doctrine out of God his written word as all true Teachers euer did CHAP. 28. 1 AFter God hath spoken of the Tabernacle and the seuerall things to be placed and set in the same now he commeth to the persons that shoulde gouerne and as it were be the masters in the same namely the Priests And first hee calleth chooseth the men which he will haue then he adorneth them with fit and decent apparrell for so high a calling Concerning the first Cause thou saith God to Moses thy brother Aaron to come vnto thee and his sonnes with him from among the children of Israel that he may serue me in the Priests office I meane Aaron Nadab and Abihu Eleazar and Ithamar Aarons Sonnes No reasons God here alleageth why he woulde haue these to bee his Priestes rather than any others but simply commandeth to choose them thereby plainly teaching vs that out of his own will and pleasure he euer maketh choise of his Ministers not regarding any dignitie or excellencie in man but only mooued with his owne mercie and fauour first to choose him and separate him euen from the wombe to such seruice and after in time by degrées as he will to fit him and frame him to performe it The inward calling hereunto euery man rightly entring into the Ministerie féeleth in his hart and conscience within which maketh him a true Minister to God and his conscience The outwarde is not now by voice as here it was and after in the new Testament but by the approbatiō of such as in the Church where we liue haue authoritie cōmitted to them so to approoue which maketh him a Minister be fore men not to be refused vpō euery priuate mans fancie before authoritie haue heard the reasons and allowed them well knowing that his insufficiencie or fault maketh not the ordinances of God voyde to them that rightlie vse them but that so to thinke is altogether Anabaptisticall I referre the willing Reader to my Treatise vpon the Lords prayer the last Petition for more in this matter in the temptation that ariseth vpon conceiued wants in Ministers 2 In this choise againe of his Priests you may note the words from among the children of Israel which are all one as if he had saide men as you are and of your acquaintance not my selfe or my Angels who might feare you with Maiestie and excellencie and surelie this both then was and still is a great fauour For you remember before how when God shewed himself in the mount by those fearefull signes the people cryed to Moses Talke thou with vs and we will heare but let not God talke with vs lest we dye so vnable is man to indure the voice of God How Angels also haue feared men the Scripture is ful of testimonies Wherefore in great mercie was Moses thē still are the Ministers now vsed as meanes betwixt God his people to speake from him to them without any terrifiyng feare a thing to make vs more careful to heare thē to vse them wel thankfully acknowledging both that blessing to our weakenesse and the honor done vnto our nature when our owne flesh is in the stead of God vnto vs c. 3 When God had made thus choise of the persons he pleaseth to prescribe them a kind of apparell differing frō others teaching them and that people figuratiuelie many things wherof stil vnto the end of the world there may be vse for profitable instruction Also thou shalt make saith the Text holy garments for Aaron thy brother glorious and beautifull so to shew as the marginall Note saith his office and function to be glorious and excellent so to shew the Maiestie glorie of the true High Priest Christ Iesus of whom Aaron was a figure so to teach with what excellent vertues the Priestes of God as with garments ought to be adorned and beautified The shadowes of the lawe I confesse are gone and Ministers of the word are not now figures of an other Christ to come yet still is it both lawfull and commendable that they should be distinguished from other men by a decent and fit at tyre c. 4 But who shal make these glorious garmēts for Aaron the Priest The Text
answereth Thou shalt speak to all cuÌ„ning men or men wise in hart whom I haue filled with the Spirit of wisdome that they may make Aarons garmeÌ„ts to consecrate him c. By which words two things are taught vs. First that in the seruice of God nothing ought to be done but what procéedeth from the directioÌ„ of God his Wisdome Will that being the Rule and only Rule of his owne worship Mens inuentions without warrant from him haue no place be they neuer so gloriously coloured painted with good intents and meanings Secondly that mechanicall Arts Trades OccupatioÌ„s haÌ„dy-crafts are not fouÌ„d out by men without directioÌ„ of Gods Spirit but God is the Author of them as here appeareth to the great coÌ„fort of the vsers of them well Many men otherwise good men do coÌ„demn Gold smithes Iewellers perfumemakers Imbroiderers Arace-weauers such like as though they serued onely for vanitie excesse when indéede they be the workes of God I meane their seuerall skils and fruits of his Spirit as héere we sée If any man abuse them it is the fault of man not of the skill and what may not be abused The verie Heathens haue acknowledged these things Inuenta Deorum the Inuentions of God Our Bookes mention strange garments the workes of mens handes Yet none like vnto this haue béene described being Exquisitioris artificii diuinioris inuenti vtpote à Spiritu sapientiae coelestis dignioribus sanctioribusque hominibus tributus Of a more exquisite workmanship and of a more diuine inuention giuen by the spirit of heauenly wisedome to more worthie and more holy men Let vs giue God the glorie and make right vse of the skill of men 5 The seuerall sorts are laid downe in the 4. verse are Six in number A Brestplate an Ephod a Robe a Broidred coat a Miter a girdle The matter is specified of all these garments namely gold blewsilke purple and scarlet fine linneÌ„ He beginneth with the Ephod v. 6. sheweth how that should be made vnto the 15. ver Where you are to remember that there were two sorts of Ephods one of this sort that is here described rich precious vsed only of the High-priest and an other of plaine linnen which was common to others whereupon it was said that Saule caused foure-score and fiue persons that did weare a linnen Ephod to be slaine that is so many Priestes Little Samuel also being a childe is said to minister before the Lord girded with a linnen Ephod And his mother made him a little coat that is say some a little Ephod and brought it to him from yeare to yeare when she came vp with her husband to offer the yearely sacrifice Dauid againe danced before the Arke girded with a linnen Ephod Touching the first kinde of Ephod you sée here it is said that in two Onix stones the Names of the children of Israell were to be grauen Six Names of them in one stone and sixe in the other And these stones to be put vpon the shoulders of this Ephod that Aaron might beare their Names before the Lord c. Whereupon Beda thus noteth lib. 3. de Tabernac cap. 4. Tres ob causas Aaron nomina Patriarcharum in humeris portasse sicut in pectore Primò vt ipse fidem vitamque Patriarcharum meminisset imitari Secundò vt 12. tribuum quae de his natae sunt in orationibus sacrificijs memor existeret Tertiò vt idem Pop. scripta in veste Praesulis sui patrum nomina videns curaret sedulo ne ab illorum meritis desciscens ad errorum contagia declinaret For three causes Aaron did beare the names of the Patriarches vpon his shoulders as vpon his breast First that he might remember to imitate the faith and life of the Patriarkes Secondly that he might remember both in his prayers and sacrifices the twelue Tribes whereof the Patriarches sprang Thirdly that the people seeing the Names of their Fathers written in the garment of their high Priest might diligently take heed that they fell not from the vertue which was in them vnto vice and error Mysticus vsus vt signaret Christum humeris suis portantem instar Pastoris oues perditas c. A mysticall vse of this Ephod with these Names to represent or shadow Christ like a Shepeheard bearing his sheepe vpon his shoulders c. The second is the Breastplate froÌ„ the fifteenth verse to the thirtie one In which brestplate was Vrim Thummim Vnde certior factus est Sacerdos de Dei erga se populuÌ„ voluntate quoties de iure consulentibus responsa erant danda Num. 27. vers 21. Esdr 2. vers 63. Nehem. 7. vers 65. By which the priest was informed of Gods wil toward himselfe the people as often as counsaile was sought and an answere to be giuen How this was done seuerall men are of seuerall mindes Iosephus saith Tantus erat splendor in 12. lapidibus quos suprapectus Pontifex portabat vt omni fieret multitudini manifestum Eorum auxilâ—is adesse Deum li. 13. Antiq cap. 12. The twelue stones which the Priest did beare vpon his breast did so shine and glister that the whole multitude might obserue Gods fauour to them Suidas in the word Ephod if I forget not hauing not the booke now with me maketh mention of an Adamant in the Ephod which the priest putting on when he sought counsell of God and putting his hands vnder it Cum detraheret depreheÌ„debat eas quasi colore quodaÌ„ infectas When he drewe them out he did finde them as it were stayned and coloured with a certaine colour Et si Deus petitioni annuebat confestim micabat lapis Adamas sin negabat nihil ad proprium pristinum lapidis fulgoreÌ„ accedebat quod si Deus voluit pop obijcere gladio lapis reddebatur cruentus si autem imminebat mors lapis fiebat niger And if God would graunt the petition presently the Adamant stone would glister extraordinarily but if God denied it then the Adamant remained still without any change in his colour and shining if God would deliuer the people to the sword then the stone was made bloodie and in case of death it would shew blacke The like things Epiphanius hath speaking of the Adamant which the High-priest did beare and weare August was of an other minde and beléeued not those things Quest 117. in Exod. And so you sée in a matter obscure mens guesses Diuers others I might repeat but let it be a vertue sometimes to professe ignorance The third is the Robe from the 31. verse to the 36. The fourth is the golden plate vpon his forhead or miter whereon was grauen HOLINES TO THE LORD from the 36. vers to the 39. The fift is the broidred coate verse 39. And the sixt the girdle in the same verse Of euerie parcell to stand and search out particular significations
in this matter The third part 1 THen Moses prayed and said O Lord c. Heere héere then sée A faithful Magistrate A faithfull Minister A true Shepeheard ouer his people coÌ„mitted to him of God Who knoweth what iudgements godly Gouernours turne away by their earnest intercession to God for their people We sée this place we read what Hester did and the mercie of God is plaine for their sakes It should worke in vs all loue and obedience and dutie to them and make vs day and night pray for the continuance of them Treasons and treacheries raylings and reuilings slaunders and defamations wrongs and iniuries any way are not fit requitals of such good receiued by them and for them This prayer of Moses if you marke it is most vehement as comming from a mooued heart and vseth vehement and vrging arguments vnto God As first of his fauour all waies extended to them vers 11. Secondly of his glorie which would be obscured by the Aâ—gyptians lewd speaches if he destroyed them ver 12. Thirdly of his promises made vnto their fathers Abraham Isaac and Israel the trueth whereof might not be violated vers 13. with which the Lord moued in mercie stayeth as you see Such Reasons serue euen at this day and may be vsed to the Lord in our prayers Hee hath béene good to vs infinite waies and we may intreat him by these passed fauours to vouchsafe future and to stay his wrath which we haue deserued Nothing more commonâ—with Dauid in euerie Psalme if you marke it Againe euen by our punishment the enemie will be proud and speake euill they will call both himselfe and his truth into question and ecclipse his glorie to the vttermost His promises also we haue most richly and therefore in all these respects we may craue pardon and doing of it heartely with true repentance and purpose to amend he is the same God still and we shall finde fauour 2 Upon this earnest praier the Lord saith the text v. 14. changed his minde from the euill which he threatned to doe vnto his people with which comfort Moses came away and drawing neere the host he first heard the noyce of singing vers 18. for they were making merrie about their new God then comming nearer he saw the Calfe and the dancing vers 19. But then although he were the meekest man in the world yet his wrath waxed hote and he cast the Tables out of his hands and brake them in peeces beneath the mountaine Which breaking of the first Tables allegorically shewed that the law of God lighting vpon our vnregenerated nature is brokeÌ„ as it were and by the meanes of our inabilitie cannot iustifie vs. But the second written tables are put in the Arke that is when God by his Spirit worketh in vs we are regenerated and the law is obeyed of vs though not fully yet in measure this imperfect obedience is made perfect by Christ Aug. Magno etiam mysteris figurata est iteratio Testamenti noui qucniam vetus erat abolendum constituendum nouum Quaest 144. By a great mysterie the abrogating of the olde Testament by the comming of the new was figured But vnderstand Augustine rightly Then he tooke the Calfe which they had made and burned it in the fire and ground it to powder and strowed it vpon the water and made the children of Israel drinke of it vers 20. Partly to despight them and partly that they should haue no occasion to remember it After he rebuked Aaron vers 21. And if Aaron now elect High priest a Figure of Christ be so sharply rebuked of Moses surely great men must be reprooued and it is a cursed doctrine that though the Pope should carrie thousands of soules to hell yet no man may say Sir why do you thus Secondly in matters concerning the glorie of God we must rebuke euen our néere ones as others no place for affection After that he called for such as would reuenge this wrong done to the Lord vers 26. and the sonnes of Leui gathering to him he bad euerie man put his sword by his side goe to and fro from gate to gate through the host slay euerie man his brother euerie man his companioÌ„ euerie man his neighbour vers 27. so that there fell of the people the same day about three thousand men vers 28. This was the zeale of his heart to the glorie of God it must be a glasse for vs to look in whilst we liue in this world The Lord hath placed the commaundements in the Decalogue the petitions in the Lords prayer which concern his honor before those which coÌ„cerne our selues to teach vs that we ought to prefer his glorie before all worldly things yea euen life it selfe if they come in Question together Thus did Shadrach Meshach and Abednego thus did Daniel when he he opened his window and made his prayer to God notwithstanding that cruell law thus did the Mother and her seuen sonnes in the Machabees thus did Elias Phinees Dauid and others Thus did not olde Heli and therefore the Lord smote him Mine eyes gush out with teares saith the holy Prophet because men keepe not thy law And doe not I hate them that hate thee and am grieued with them that rise against thee Yea I hate them right sore euen as though they were mine enemies He that loueth Father or mother more than mee is not worthie of mee And he that loueth Sonne or Daughter more than mee is not worthie of mee c. 3 And when the Morning came Moses said vnto the people yee haue committed a grieuous crime but now I will goe vp to the Lord if I may pacifie him for your sinne Moses therefore went againe vnto the Lord and said Oh this people haue sinned a great sinne and haue made them gods of Gold Therefore now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercie shall appeare but if thou wilt not I pray thee rase me out of the booke which thou hast written When Moses had fought on Gods part with the sword now he striueth for the people with his prayer so both true to God in a holy zeale and carefull of his people in the bowels of loue was this holy man this faithfull Gouernour and leader of this multitude Anotable example for all Magistrates and all Ministers euer to follow But heere is more than I said in the former Note For here is a preferring of Gods Glorie before euen life and comfort eternall which is farre more than this temporall life and all the ioyes of it So shall you sée in Saint Paule to the Romanes and what a measure of Gods holy Spirit it was consider you Farre are we from this that preferre euerie small profit and pleasure before this glorie of God and yet say we hope to be saued as well as they A true féeling of our owne iniquitie herein may much amend vs hereafter and God for
his Sonnes sake giue it vs. Againe you may note here how Moses doubleth ouer and ouer in this Chapter the foulenesse of their fault calling it a great sinne a grieuous sinne c. so learning you not to extenuate faultes before God if you sue for mercie but to set them out in their true colours that mercie may the more appeare 4 Touching this Booke of life you must know it to be a figuratiue Spéech borrowed from the manners of men who vse Bookes and writings for their memorie and not conceiue that God hath or néedeth any such things It is therefore in sense as if Moses had said O Lord pardon them or depriue me of that saluation which is as sure before thee as if it were registred and written in a book Such borrowed speeches you haue more in Scriptures as you may remember In the Psalme you read of a Booke wherein Dauid saith Were all his members written which day by day were fashioned when as yet there were none of them In the Reuelation you read of bookes againe when he saith I sawe the dead both great and small stand before God and the Bookes were opened c. And for the Booke of life you read persons written in it of two sortes one as it seemed the other true indeed Of the first speaketh the Psalme Let them be wiped out of the Booke of the liuing and not be written among the righteous meaning wherein they séemed to be written or might perswade themselues they were written but indêed were not For then they could not be wiped out Of the later you read here and in other places Where though Moses speake of rasing out yet indéede there is no such matter being nothing but the eternall election of God which neuer can be altered This is more plaine in the words following when God answered Moses that Whosoeuer sinned against him he would put him out of the Booke meaning hee would make it appeare that he neuer was written in it For the house built vpon the Rocke can neuer fall They should deceiue the verie Elect if it were possible as if he should say but it is impossible Hee that commeth to mee I neuer cast away No man taketh my sheepe out of my hand and many such other places Lastly consider and note here how he biddeth Moses go on with his charge but for the people he wil visit them vers 34. And so the Lord plagued the people because they caused Aaron to make the Calfe which he made vers 35. It telleth Magistrates and Ministers that they may not desist from their dueties for the peoples frowardnes but indeuouring to their vttermost to reforme them they must go on though they perish and euen in them so perishing they shall be a sweet sauour to the Lord. That Aaron thus escaped among them if you thinke of it Answere your selfe The Lord knoweth whom to spare for their amendment and whom for a time to spare though he know they will neuer amend O how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past all finding out Grieuous and thrise grieuous is the sinne of Idolatrie that not for Moses his so earnest prayer may be fréed wholy from all further punishment though in part the Lord yéeldeth as vers 14. you saw God make it sinke where it is so much vsed by deceiued Romish Recusants CHAP. 33. 1 GReat was the sinne which this people had committed mentioned in the former Chapter and therefore the Lord whose mercie hath neither bottome nor measure not willing the death of any sinner much lesse of so many thousands but rather that by repentance pardon may be procured in this Chapter gratiously vseth the meanes that their hearts may smite them with true féeling of their fault and so they turne and be spared Their sinne I say was great and great sinnes are not so easily repented of as they ought to be Againe in sinnes of this kinde namely when they are coloured and couered ouer with a good intention by them to serue to GOD most hardly are men and women drawen to acknowledge an errour and mistaking Matters of the second Table committed against our neighbour we much better discerne than matters of the first Table concerning the worship of God For here we thinke wholy our meaning should be accepted which was to worship God be the thing we do eyther neuer so void of warrant in the word or neuer so contrarie to the word The meanes that God vseth here is by letting them know that he will be no more with thē as he hath beene nor trauell with them as he hath done Moses shall goe on with them to the land which God had promised to giue thē And to send his Angell to driue out the Canaanites But himself would not go for they were a stif-necked people lest he should consume thē in the way The Lord noteth a maner of repentāce namely to put away their costly rayment frō thē not that this is a necessarie part of Repentance alwaies but that at this time by this outward signe the Lord would haue them testifie that which is néedfull indéed the true remorse and sorrow of their harts And vpon the hearing of this fearefull newes that indéed the Lord would thus deale with them they cast from them accordingly their best attire and sorrowed for their fault 2 For further working of this sauing sorrow in them the Tabernacle wherein the Lord will conferre with his seruant Moses vntill the other now so much spoken of was readie is by the appointment of God to Moses pitched without the host farre of from the host that by this signe also it might be shewed how God was estranged from them for their sinne who earst so comfortably and so powerfully had shewed himselfe for them and amongst them All which things religiously considered manifest vnto our soules what a sweete God the Lord whom we serue is who thus séeketh his lost people euen a father ful of all pittie compassion that they may returne to him againe and haue that which so ill they haue deserued his fauour and loue for euer Will this God can you thinke in your conscience euer cast away the poore sinner that commeth in sorrow when he worketh thus to draw men to sorrow Féele and be comforted with it 3 And when Moses went out vnto the Tabernacle all the people rose vp now reuerencing him whom before they spake verie lightly of saying This Moses we know not what is become of him What caused this but that still he was in fauour with God and they out So so shall a sound and vpright heart to God euer in the end procure honor howsoeuer for a time contēpt may be shewed for God will honour them that honour him it is his Word and it shall neuer fayle That vnion that was betwixt God and his seruant Iohn Baptist when he was true to God and