trueth is first and that which was first is truth and yet they fayle and still will fayle to graunt and make the conclusion Their handes are red in their poore brethrens bloud who haue auowed trueth and chosen rather to loose life than to forsake trueth what remaines but searefull confusion without repentance God giue them eyes 10 Now if ought of the flesh of the consecration or of the bread remayne vnto the morning then thou shalt burne the rest with fire It shall not be eaten because it is an holy thing First this was done for more reuerence of those holy Sacrifices lest by reseruation eyther any loathing might haue growen from wormes and such like or neglect and contempt by casting it away or loosing it Secondly by this shadowed that God will haue no part of his worship put ouer till an other day but cheerefully euer will hee be serued without delayes Cras Cras To morow to morow is the noice of a Crow not the voyce of a Christian But To day if you will heare his voyce hearden not your hearts And while it is called To day exhort one another with many other such Speaches in the Scripture are we stirred vp to take present time and not to delay Thirdly by this denying them to keepe any the Lord would preuent superstition by abusing those parts kept contrarie to Gods will as to heale diseases to keepe away ill Spirits to hang them about their necke to sweare by them and such like as at this day is to be seene in the Popish Church by reseruation of the Sacrament Sathan was readie then had not this lawe preuented him but after in the time of the Gospell hee preuailed and euen in Tertulians time were crept in foule abuses growing to adoration of the bread 11 These things thus passed ouer belonging to the consecration of the Priestes your Chapter commeth to the Sacrifice which was continuall A Lambe in the Morning and a Lambe at Euen with what further is specified in the Text. By which kinde of Sacrifice notably the Lambe Christ Iesus was figured which taketh away sinnes of the world The manner how the Lambe resembled Christ you may read in the 12. Chapter of this Booke where Speach was of the Paschall Lambe thither I referre you Oyle and Wine were added to this sacrifice to signifie that vnto these holy exercises of the lawe they should bring with them faith and repentance which should make the tast of them good as oyle and wine doth the Sacrifice For without these two what sauour or relish could God haue of them Sorrow for my sinne and faith in him that hath redeemed mee from my sinne is all the camfort God can conceiue in me and therefore beware of dooing any dutie to him without these two lest the Lord say I haue no pleasure in them Oyle and wine then with that Legall Sacrifice and faith and repentance with our spirituall duties and Sacrifices agrée well As all Sacrifices then led vnto Christ so did this daily Sacrifice of the two Lambes Morning and Euening most plainely and therefore after Christ was exhibited in the flesh accordingly these legall Sacrifices had their end all and by name this whereof read the praediction of Daniel in his ninth Chapter Yet neuerthelesse the Synagogue of Antichrist is not ashamed hereupon to build that filthie Idol of their Masse saying that all they are Antichristes which take away their daily Sacrifice of their Masse But their mouthes are no slaunder The trueth we holde and GOD euer make vs holde it both in this point and the rest In this point we say thus that this daily sactifice of the Lambes figured Christ he is come and therefore no longer to be figured as to come But these Lambes are gone and he the true Lambe remayneth once offered vpon the crosse but daily sauing vs from our sinnes vpon our true repentance and faith in him He is our daily sacrifice and continuall Mediator And who so taketh him away hee is Antichrist ware he thrice three Crownes vpon his head But that doth the Man of Rome and his Succession who teach that remission of sinnes may bee obteyned by other meanes than by him onely Wee haue none but him yesterday and to day and the same for euer His blessed Sacrament he hath left vs to remember vs of his worke wrought for vs and wee so vse it to thankesgiuing and not as a sacrifice for quicke and deade as they doe Judge betwixt vs good Christian Reader and the Lord giue thee wisedome in all thinges 13 Finally the Lord promiseth they vsing these his appointments rightly he will dwell among them and will be their God It is not hard in prosperitie to thinke God is present and careth for vs béeing indéed as Philosophers could say the Cause of all good things in Nature But when the cloudie day of aduersitie commeth and wée are ouerwhelmed as it were with perilles and crosses then is it a gratious strength to thinke and beléeue so stedfastly Cato a Wise-man as long as Pompei stood and flourished defended stoutlye a Prouidence but when he fled into Egipt was slaine of a base fellow lay vpon the shore without any honor of buriall when Cato himself also was beset with Caesars army then in this mist of miserie he fell from his former doctrine turning his tale as if there were no Prouidence at all but euery thing went by Hap and saying There was a great darknesse in Diuine things seeing Pompei who had many times prospered and had good successe in ill causes now was ouerthrowen in a good cause most misearably namely in the defence of his countrey Too many taste of this weakenesse which know more than Cato knew and therefore in the day of comfort and faire Sunneshine it is good to gather strength against a change And to remember such Spéeches as this of God to his Church and to his people I WILL DVVELL AMONG YOV AND WILL BE YOVR GOD. Hee is true in this promise aswell in foule weather as in faire and we must be assured of it Other like Spéeches there are many If any man loue me saith Christ He will keepe my word and my Father will loue him and wee will come to him and dwell with him The Psalmes are full of such comforts The Lord is neere vnto all them that are of atroubled spirit the LORD is neere to all them that call vpon him faithfully It is a memorable place where Esay the Prophet bringeth-in GOD saying Ego DEVS habito cum contrito et humili SPIRITV vt erigam SPIRITVM humilium et viuificem CORDA contritorum I the Lord will dwell with the contrite and humble spirit that I may raise vp the spirit of the humble and reuiue the hearts of them that are contrite It is the manner of sinfull men to insult ouer them that are in affliction and to go ouer where the wall is broken but
c. 6. Then he saide Come not hither put thy shooes of thy feet for the place where thou standest is holy ground First the Lord hath a care of mans infirmity and is willing to reueale himselfe as that may indure to behold not further lest man by His Maiesty should bée oppressed when in His mercy he wisheth him profited Therefore Come not hither saith Hée respecting his weakenesse Secondlie he endeuoureth to worke in Moses that reuerence and feare which beséemeth Gods children when they approach vnto God which although no doubt it was in Moses much yet more and more is it euer necessarie for all men if they will in déede bee touched effectuallie with that which is spoken and done and be truly humbled to attend and remember To the same purpose is that of putting-off his shooes for Quare iussus est Moses calceamenta soluere Certe vt religiosiorem hac ratione illum redderet Why was hee bidden to put-off his shooes saith Theodoret Euen that he might make him thereby more religiouslie affected It is also noted how néedefull it is if euer we will performe vnto GOD that reuerence that is due to put-off that corruption and sinne wherewith in this life wee are clogged Which as the dust to the shooe and the shooe to the foote cleaueth to vs. For the place where thou standest saith he is holy ground not that the place of it selfe was better than others but that reuerence and a holy feare was due vnto God in that place both in regard of his incomprehensible Glory and of Moses owne naturall infirmitie Holy I say in respect of Gods Presence not otherwise and therefore nothing héere fauoureth any Popish superstition falselie ascribing to places what is not in them The like you reade in Iosua and Ruth which by this may be vnderstoode euen to put away all hindering affections and to resigne our selues wholely vp vnto God to heare and doe his will This is to put-off our shooes 7. Then Moses hid his face for hee was afraid to looke vpon God At the first hee was bolde and went towards the bush to behold this matter but now hearing that God is there he couereth his face and is afraide plainly shewing that the more God openeth himselfe to man and the néerer man draweth vnto God the more hee feareth in a holy reuerence as more féeling and finding his owne wants and vnworthinesse to behold such glory For whilest wee are far from God wee can say and thinke with those Laodiceans I am rich and encreased with goods haue neede of nothing but if the Lord annoynt our eyes with his eye-salue then wee change our copie and sée as there is said that wee are wretched and poore and blinde and naked then wee pray that wee may haue of Gods golde to make vs rich and white rayment that wee may bee cloathed and that our filthie nakednes doe not appeare Then wee couer our face as Moses did héere and wee humbly and modestly come to heare him trembling at his words with a contrite spirit well vnderstanding that they are iustlie ouerthrowne in their owne pride who rashlie presume they can conceiue Gods mysteries with their owne wits 8. Hauing then thus prepared his Seruant to humble attention the Lord beginneth his tale and saith I haue surely seene the trouble of my people c. Where euerie word hath vehemencie and matter worthie noting Hee saith hee hath séene hee hath heard and hee knoweth and how hath hee séene Videndo vidi séeing I haue séene that is vidi certó et serió I haue séene certainly and seriouslie verborum enim geminatione vehementia certitudo et celeritas significatur by the doubling of the word vehemencie certaintie and celeritie is signified saith a Diuine I haue séene and so séene as that I can no longer hold my peace yea I haue so séene as that I will helpe and endure no longer Vidisse enim dicitur compassionis oculo et miserationis aspectu For hee is said to haue séene with eie of compassion and with a mercifull beholding saith Beda And what hast thou thus séene Lord Euen the trouble of my people which are in Egypt First then trouble and anguish is knowne to thée there is no sorrowe hid from thine eyes be it neuer so secret and hidden in the heart enclosed in the breast and bowels of man or woman not daring to péepe out for feare of some circumstance that might encrease our paine but yet thou séest it not so that thou wilt redresse it except they bee thy people For so thou speakest in this place that thou hast seene the trouble of thy people If then wee would haue griefe séene and helped wee must endeauour with all godly care to be thine Which if wee doe then sighing and groaning in our seuerall occasions as these did wee may be sure in due time to finde our comfort as they found Affliction also wee may héere learne doth not shewe that the partie is disliked of God as Sathan often will suggest to men and women that are in trouble for God calleth these Israelites his people which yet in most extraordinarie affliction were plunged Hée is not as the proud Peacocks of this world that knowe a man in a gay coate and an high Office but in pouertie and basenes knowe him not though hée bee most néere yea almost their owne father or mother sister or brother But in the poorest plight when the back is bare for want of cloathing the face leane with woe of heart and quite altered with brinish teares that gushed along it and haue worne furrowes in it in steade of former hue when the head hangeth for bitter cares and all the bones are in a manner out of ioynt with racking tortures of bloodie Tyrants Then euen then doth the Lord knowe his and as swéetly acknowledgeth them for his owne as euer in any prosperitie that they enioyed or the chiefest comforts they euer professed 9. From séeing then the Lord commeth to hearing and saith Hee hath heard their crie because of their Taskmaisters telling vs what the prayers of his children are in his eares euen loude cries and cries that are heard to their good in Gods due time and to their aduersaries woe that so spitefully wickedly haue oppressed them Which if thou wouldest in due time consider that wrongest anie man it would be good for thée and God is mercifull if not consider the vehemencie of his moane that thou so dealest withall how God calleth it a crie a crie that awaketh him vp vnto iudgement against thée and thou shalt be destroyed Thou art an oppressing vexing Taske-maister like these Egyptians and thou shalt be destroyed as God is God without amendment in the Red-sea or Black-sea of Hellish déepes where the torment is intollerable and from whence no man nor meanes can euer deliuer thée Thy will in this world to be gained and gotten with such a price thinke of it 10
procure one drop of water to coole his scalded tongue The gaine of Gold makes many loose their soules The gréedy wretch that for himselfe still spares doth hoord-up nothing but continuall cares Hermocrates lying at the point of death bequeathed his goods to none but himselfe The fire burneth â—â—ercer the more it hath and so the worlds wormes The Bées doo flocke to the hony dewe and so these wretches vnto gaine The greatest fish deuoure the smaller frie and so these wretches their weaker brethren In aworde as you neuer sée the Sea without waues so shall you neuer see these wretches without woes And as the cloudes doo hide the Sunnes light so their gréedie hearts repell Gods grace But let this suffice touching some vse of this Chapter ¶ â‹ CHAP. 9. The chiefe heades of this Chapter are these three plagues more The Fifth Plague The Sixth Plague The Seauenth Plague 1. WHereof that we may make like vse as before let vs first note froÌ„ whence any murren of cattell doth come when wee are that way punished in a countrie surely euen from the Lord as we sée héere Not simply froÌ„ Witches and Sorcerers set on by malicious neighbours as we vsually thinke for what can a whole Legion of Deuils doe to one swine without leaue graunted from the Lord you know the place and it ought to be thought vpon God sometimes trieth by this afflictioÌ„ and so teach the Scriptures Cursed shall be the increase of thy kine and the flocke of thy sheepe The beasts and the birdes are consumed for their sin that dwel in the land Euery way theÌ„ it is the Lord euery way therfore we ought to séeke to the Lord not to Witches and Sorcerers 2 But still the Lord spareth the Israelites True and sée the vse of it First God in his Justice this way more tormenteth the mindes of the wicked who for their rebellion against him deserue all punishment so saith the Psalme The wicked shall see this and consume away Secondly the Lord assureth his Chosen in all the world that albeit in lesser matters he trieth them or chasticeth them as hee dooth others yet when his great plagues come of Judgement vnto death and destruction eternall he will surely make a separation to the vnspeakeable Comfort of his owne and to the eternall praise of his mercie The wordes of the Prophet are plaine For a little while haue I forsaken thee but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Againe in the Psalme if his wrath be kindled but a little Blessed are they that put their trust in him Meaning because there is euer as I say a partition betwixt the Lords wrath and his Chosen Good therefore is that prayer of Dauid euer to be in our minde wheresoeuer we are O knit my heart vnto thee Lord that I may feare thy name that I may euer cleaue vnto thee euer be thine and neuer be drawne away from thee by any temptation whatsoeuer 3. And the Lord appointed a time saying To morrowe the Lord shall finish this thing in this Land So that not onely the Judgement and affliction which happeneth is of the Lord but the very time also when it shall begin and when it shall end before which time no malice of man or Deuill can bring it no power of any creature can take it away Tempus prâ—fixit vt non casu factum putent vt certitudinem Diuinâ— virtutis ostenderet cui nemo potest resistere Hee appointed the time saith Theodoret that they might not thinke these things came by chaunce likewise to shew the certaintie of Gods power which no creature can resist Againe the truth of his comminations and threatnings you sée héere when it is said So the Lord did this thing on the morrowe all the Cattell of Egypt died but of the Cattell of the children of Israel died not one Learne therefore to tremble when the Lord threatneth and to feare the Euent for as here so euer he will be true vnlesse heartie Repentance step in betwixt and turne away his wrath from vs. 4. Then Pharaoh sent to sée and found all as hath béene said yet saith the Text the heart of Pharaoh was obstinate and hee did not let the people goe Marke it well and thinke with your selfe whether any Preacher or Teacher can be plainer in words than GOD was héere by works or whether any man can euer bee made to sée a truth by teaching more euidently and manifestly than Pharaoh héere sawe this hand of God smiting Egypt and sparing Israel yet though GOD be the Teacher himselfe and the matter subiect to his eyes without deniall Pharaoh still is obstinate still the same still a striuer against God and his grace How then doo wee wonder that where the Word is preached truth soundly and plainly taught yet all be not reformed and reclaimed froÌ„ their errors Is there any fault in the Word or Teacher are not things plaine how then commeth this to passe but euen as héere it did from the fearefull wrath of GOD hardning such hearts and closing such eyes that they can neither sée féele or vnderstand to saluation All because they haue not a loue to the truth but are hypocrites scorners deriders and such as heare onely for fashion thinking themselues abundantly skilfull when indéede they are most ignorant and when as they may sée the Lord by his Prophet affirming that he will looke vnto none but such as are poore of a contrite spirit and tremble at his words That is humble in their owne eyes receauing the Word with reuerence hungring and thirsting after the same as the Spirituall foode of their soules saying in their hearts as Samuel did Speake on Lord thy seruant heareth Surelie neither true matter nor plaine manner will serue vnlesse God strike a holy stroke within vs by his powerfull Spirit that wee may be moued Therefore as it is a blessing to haue truth tolde vs so is it a double blessing to haue a soft heart giuen vs moued yéelding to the truth Otherwise as you sée in the Smiths shop as many hard blowes laide vpon his Anuile as vpon the Iron hee worketh and yet the Anuile remaineth all one and the Iron turneth to the Smithes desire because in the one there is heate in the other none So in the same Auditorie as manie proofes and reasons are laid open to one as to another and yet one moued and not another S. Augustine saith Non verbis hominis fit vt intelligatur verbum Dei facit Deus vt intelligatis The words of man cannot make man vnderstand God his word but it is God that maketh them to vnderstand Joy therefore in the Lord his mercie towards you when you haue féeling knowe that it is a grace not giuen to all you sée Pharaoh héere and such hath the world many whom no preaching can reforme c. 5.
in his life hee be truly humbled You remember the Fable of the wise Foxe who would not visite the sicke Lion because he saw not any come out that went in Let it profit you much to beware of Hell from whence you knew neuer any returne that went thither Now is the time to thinke of these thinges the continuance in Hell is for euer and the paine there is without measure Better late than neuer to thinke of it Our Bookes tell vs of a light woman who spending her time in sinne desired her wicked Associate to bestowe on her a new Gowne which when hee did sticke at shee instantlie answered Doo I desperately cast away both body and soule for euer to content thée and doest thou miserably denie so small a request to me I will looke to my selfe héereafter better and auoide thée and this wicked life which if she did it was a happy deniall made vnto her But certaine it is that God hath many wayes to pull such out of the fire as hee will haue saued The like wee reade of a Couetous Father who raking vp riches very disorderly suddainly God purposing mercie towards him called for his eldest Sonne and for a Chafing-dish of coales requiring his Sonne to put his finger in and to burne it off At the first he thought his Father had but iested but perceauing in the end his setled resolution he prayed to be excused hee might not doo it To whom then earnestly his Father answered and shal I to make thée a Great man in the world so heape vp riches by all vnlawfull meanes that Jam sure eternally to burne both body and soule and thou not endure the losse of one finger for mee I will alter my Course in time and consider of that which héereafter cannot be redressed Were it true or were it a fiction to a wise man it carieth a Morrall with it Swéete is our God if we will returne and as yet it is day that wee may returne Were thy sinnes as red as scarlet saith Hee I will make them as white as snow The sacrifice of God is a troubled Spirit A broken and contrite heart hee shall neuer despise Iosia his heart melted and hee found it so Ezechias sorrowed and hee found it so Peter wept bitterly and he found it so Neuer any sorrowing sinner but he found it so God then in mercie so stoope vs by his Spirit that his outward Stoopings may euer be far from vs. This example of Pharaoh preacheth vnto vs to be wise 2. Secondly consider these words When hee letteth you goe he shall at once chase you hence That is hee shall hast you away without any condition stop or stay at all It is euer swéete to the seruants of God to obserue this mighty power and out-stretched arme ouer all his Enemies when once he setteth on to doo a thing As here how he was able not onely to giue his people passage but to make Pharaoh as glad to rid them away as euer hee was desirous to hold them So in Genesis when Abimelech had taken Abrahams wife supposing shee had béene but his sister God caused him not onely to restore her without any iniurie but he was vp very early in the morning saith the Storie to see it to be done that is hee hasted to doo it and had no rest in his minde till it was done What comfort then in this God euer what rest and peace in relying vpon him what assurance of that end issue victorie and deliuerance that he in his wisedome shall knowe to be best for vs séeing he is thus able Lord make vs patient then willing to tarie thy leasure and euer contented with thy pleasure For thou canst doo for vs what thou wilt and when thou wilt all earthly pride must stoope to thée and if Ieroboam stretch out his hand against thy Prophet thou canst make him neuer plucke it backe againe till thy Prophet pray for him Who hath resisted him and had peace saith Iob The Lord of Hosts hath decreed it and who can disappoint it saith the Prophet God would haue Ioseph exalted his Brethren storme at it and practise against it but all in vaine when time commeth it must bee so Saul grieueth that Dauid is likely to succéede him but all in vaine it must be so The Iewes work against Christ yet to no end for the Lords purpose must come topasse The farther you go in this Meditation the swéeter shall you finde it The 2. part 1. THe second generall Head of this Chapter I saide was an Admonition to the Israelites what to doo betwéene the Denunciation of another plague and the Execution of the same Euen euery man to require of his neighbour and euery woman of her neighbour Iewels of siluer and Iewels of gold Which they did and were greatly enriched by them Concerning which matter remember with your selfe what was fore-tolde foure hundred yeeres agoe to Abraham namely That his seede should be strangers in a strange Land so many yeeres but in the end should come forth with great substance Now was it fulfilled as you may sée in the next Chapter So they spoiled the Egyptians Noting by the word of spoiling a verie great measure of riches in thinges desired Wee may rightly ground this Comfort vpon it That be the time neuer so long before he doo it yet euer in the end GOD will performe what hee hath promised and neuer faile Foure hundred yeeres space shall not hinder but that at last his Truth shall appeare Applie it then to what most may ease you and be assured hee is the same In matter of sinne you haue his promise As I liue I will not the death of a sinner c. Hee shall neuer breake it and therefore bee comforted In matter of want you haue his promise All these thinges shall be ministred vnto you And you are better than many Sparrowes c. Rest vpon it Hee is euer true In matter of triall you haue his promise Hee will neuer lay more vpon you than he will make you able to beare Joy in it and know that he cannot lye his word shall stand and you shall finde it 2. But a Question is mooued whether it was lawfull for the Israelites thus to doo or no And whether wee may imitate them and doo the like whereunto diuers men make diuers Answeres and wee may take profit by them all Basill saith Haebrei honesta astutia ab Egyptijs mercedem operarum suarum receperunt qua hactenus defraudati fuerunt The Hebrewes by an honest craft receaued of the Egyptians recompence for their labours whereof hitherto they had beene defrauded Which Spéech without reference to the Commaundement of GOD cannot well stand For the Apostles Rule is plaine That no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter for the Lord is an Auenger of all such things To lend is a dutie necessarie when wee can doo it and not arbitrarie as