should be more curious than profitable Diuers haue done so but with little contentment to their Reader because their assertions are but guesses and verie vncertaine The Names grauen in the Onix stones might teach both the Priest to remember the people and the people to rest in the iudgement of the priest The bearing of them vpon his shoulders shadowe how Christ the true High priest with his power and strength noted by the shoulders doth and euer will support his Church defend and preserue his little flocke Deutro 32. Esay 49. And therefore in all perils flie comfortably to this Meditation The Breastplaces twelue stones with particular names figure that God hath not onely a ioynt care and knowledge but euen a particular of one by one c. Sweete also against temptation c. The bearing of the names of the Tribes vpon Aarons brest being in grauen in the pretious stones which were vpon his breast may profitably remember a godly Minister how déere vnto him his flock and people committed vnto him should be euen grauen as it were in his breast euer in his mind to profit them by all the meanes he may that they may be saued Chiefly it noted the loue of Christ to his Church and euerie member of it who beareth vs not onely in his armes as a nurse or on his shoulders as a strong man but vpon his heart and in his heart as a most kinde God Esay 49. Can a mother forget c The Vrim noting knowledge and Thummim holines shew how fit for a Minister these vertues are The Bels about the garment how a Minister should not be dumbe but heard euer in his Church preaching and teaching the Gospell of GOD for woe be vnto mee saith the blessed Apostle if I preach not c. The Pomgranats good works with good words gold life with true doctrine From the 40. verse to the ende of the Chapter Apparell is appointed for the inferiour Priestes So both Superiour and Inferiour the Lord had a care to haue fitly attired for their holy Calling and it much should mooue all honest mindes to obey the lawefull Orders of a Christian Church wherein they liue The punishment of contempt in going in without these garments is death and shall contempt of Christian Magistrates in disobeying their good lawes be life Let it sinke and he religiously thought vpon CHAP. 29. 1 OBserue how the Lord procéedeth First hee will haue a Church Then Priestes to serue in the same Thirdly comely and fit apparrell for them and Now a verie reuerent and solemne consecration of them to for their holy office of which Consecration as before of the apparrell there is much good to be taken by due consideration of it For it serued greatly to the honouring and gracing of this high Function in the eyes of the people who are much mooued with outward Ceremonies It serued beeing no idle shew for the procuring of Gods blessing vpon them For the Lord gratiously wrought in their hearts by his holy Spirit what was outwardly shadowed by Ceremonie The anoynting oyle outwardly was powred vpon them and the Holy Ghost signified by the oyle was effectually giuen 2. Cor. 3. We are not the ministers of the letter but of the Spirit that is by our preaching the Holy Ghost is not onely effectuall but indeede truely giuen to them that beleeue By oyle the Holy Ghost was signifyed for the fitnesse of resemblance betwixt them For the oyle hath igneam vim a force of fire and so hath the Holye Ghost Oyle penetrateth and pearceth inwardly so doth the Holy Ghost Oyle cherisheth and comforteth so doth the Holy Ghost and Oyle confirmeth and strengthneth and so doth the Holy Ghost It serued to shadowe out the anoynting of Christ with the holy Spirit without measure The Spirit of the Lord hath anointed me to preach and so forth Esay 61. God euen thy God hath anoynted thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellowes Psalme 45. But to iustifie Popish oyling or necessarie vse of it now by this example were to reduce the Ceremoniall law againe and not to be Christians but Iewes Consecration againe in this sort notably serued to seale vp to their consciences their vocation to this office that in all troubles and afflictions they might be cheered with it they had not thrust themselues in but of God were appointed and that God neuer would forsake eyther them or his owne ordinance In the beléefe whereof let vs euer reuerence and defend the ministerie vse the blessing of it with true thankfulnesse to the Author and beséech him heartely that in his tender mercie to his poore lambes he would continually send faithfull labourers into his haruest In this faith againe let vs cheere vp our hearts when we sée the Church shaken with rage of worldly troubles so that many fall away in weaknesse For if the Lord will euer haue a ministerie greater or lesse surely he will also euer haue a flocke for those true Pastors to imploy their gifts vpon greater or lesse Thinke of the Speech in Amos often Behold the eyes of the Lord God are vpon the sinfull kingdome and I will destroy it cleane out of the earth Neuerthelesse I will not vtterly destroy the house of Iacob saith the Lord. And let faithfull Ministers of God lay vp in their hearts that example of Alexander the Great to Iaddus the High-priest and his companie at Ierusalem with other such like testimonies of Gods power when he pleaseth to vse it This Great conquerour of the world Alexander hauing besieged seuen monethes the strong Citie of Tyrus sent to his néere neighbours the lewes for some men and helpe to besent vnto him but they by pretense of gratitude to the kings of Persia who had euer béene kinde they said to them denied him any ayde Whereupon entering into a great rage against them assoone as hee had gotten the Citie be gathered all his forces to goe against Hierusalem to be auenged of them which when Iaddus the High priest vnderstood he put on all his Priestly attire and tooke the rest of his company also with him and went to méete Alexander in the way desiring peace at his hands Whom when Alexander saw now sée the finger of God with his Minister he presently alighted downe from his horse and falling vpon his knées to the High-priest granted him and all the Iewes their desired peace A most admitable sight in such a warriour such an Emperour such a powerfull Prince as made all the world to stoope himselfe so to humble his bodie to an vnarmed Priest vnknowne to him and neuer séene before His chiefe Counsellours Parmenio Clitus and others were amazed at it and asking a reason Alexander tolde them God had shewed him in a dreame the verie same man so attired and so accompanied and promised him victorie which now remembring and hauing preuailed against Tyrus in reuerence of that vision and hope of
shall heare God that deceiueth not speake vnto you knowing that as these people of the Iewes were tied to the Propitiatorie so are we now to Christ in his word The Table of the Shew bread 1 THou shalt also make a table of Shittim wood of two cubits long c. The building and parts you must read in your Bible This Table againe was a third figure of Christ who is propounded of God to his Church as a table furnished with all dainties and contents Nothing is wanting in him that we can want and is good for vs to haue but aske and you shall haue seeke and you shall finde He is the riches of God to all that beléeue in him The Shew bread vpon this Table represented the word and the preaching of the same whereby as by bread man is fed strengthened and continued aliue The one thus worketh to his bodie the other effecteth it to his soule A great blessing is the one a farre greater is the other And therefore labour not for the meat which perisheth saith our Sauiour Christ but for the meate which indureth to eternall life c. It was called Shew bread because it alwaies shewed it selfe before God For it was not lawfull to remooue the olde before they brought and placed their new and so it neuer wanted vers 30. In Hebrew the bread of faces because it euer stood before the face of God as a continuall remembrance of the twelue Tribes of Israell The being of it continually figured how preaching ought to be continuall 2 When as the Israelites did eate of the same wheate whereof the Shew bread was made the same being of the first fruites of their corne offered they were thereby admonished by type and sigure to eate and drinke euer as if they sate before God and were his guestes And that the bread meate whereon they fed was in some sort holy and consecrate to God to be vsed therefore soberly and reuerently The like good meditation may we haue at this day although we haue not the same Ceremonie For whose are all the creatures we vse for the refreshing of our bodies but the Lords And should we then abuse them riotously prophanely wastfully and wickedly as many do The fault is manifest the truth and right is as manifest Such as be Gods will note it and amend it if there be any fault giuing thanks both before and after for such goodnes as we little deserue and vse them well 3 Thou shalt also make dishes to set the bread vpon for it and incense-cups and couerings and goblets c. Deseruedly was that Bishop commended which solde the holy vessels in the time of famine to relieue the poore with the money and excused himselfe to the Church That because GOD neyther eateth nor drinketh therefore hee needeth no dishes nor cups But to haue said thus in the time of these Ceremonies and by that pretext to haue robbed the house of GOD of those things had not beene well For euerie thing hath his proper time As then to take them away being commaunded for Types and figures had béene euill so now to bring them in without commaundement and to kéepe figures when the truth and bodie is come is also vnlawfull Which might yéeld a sober minde due contentment against the idle and superfluous furniture of Popish Churches neither to desire it when it is wanting nor to like it whē it is present Neither is the Church now in her infancie nor true beléeuers in their minoritie but shadows are gone Christ is come his true worshippers worship him in spirit and truth Moses and the Prophets are read and preached mens hearts are opened by the holy Ghost in the ministerie of the word being powerfull and strong Good life is sought and sinne is reprooued Prayers are offered vp vnto God in a tongue vnderstood the Sacraments administred dulie according to their Institution this is a blessed beautie in a Church though there be neither Gold nor Siluer shining vpon the walles The truth and comfort of conscience shining within vs is far more excellent c. The Candlesticke ALso thou shalt make a Candlestick of pure gold of work beatē out with the hammer shal the Candlestick be made his shaft and his branches his bowles and his knops and his flowers shal be of the same Six branches shall come out of the sides of it c. A fourth figure of Christ is this Candlesticke and of other good things also taught by it mystically As first the whole Candlestick beeing an instrument of light noteth out fitly that euen so Christ is the light of his church which light of his in his holy Scriptures he proposech continuallie to Men Women that will reade them The Heathens Pagans had their Religion but because they had not this Candlesticke Christ therefore they had no light but were vaine in their thoughts and their foolish hart was ful of darknesse They turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and of birds and foure footed beastes and of creeping things They turned the truth of God into a lye and worshipped and serued the Creature forsaking the Creator c. The Faithfull haue this Candlesticke and therefore their Religion is true they haue light and know what they worship Their actions and manners also are directed aright for they are made to sée what truly pleaseth what truly displeaseth not following their owne imaginations and willes dooing what séemeth good in their owne eyes but what God hath commanded that doo they 2 The Candlesticke was in the Sanctuarie or Church and the light of the Word whereby Christ shineth should be in the Church that all the congregation thither comming might sée and receiue the comfort of it This is the true beautie of a Church indéede as hath bene saide and therefore either their ignorance or their malice was monstrous who set Candlestickes of Gold and Siluer and Shining brasse in their Churches but could not abide the word vnlesse it were in a strang tongue all light but that light was regarded banners and pictures and silkes and smelles and all beautie but not the Scriptures Therefore séeing they had not the true Candlesticke Christ in his Word giuing light their glorie was vanitie and their light was grosse and grieuous darknesse 3 The Candlesticke as you sée in the picture of your Bible had an vpright stemme and six branches issuing out three on either side of the stemme The stemme represēted Christ from whom all light groweth euen as the six brāches come from the stemme The branches are set in the stemme and so are all that giue light set in Christ The branche saith our Sauiour cannot beare fruite of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me I in him
withall or indure This fire comming first from Heauen and thus preserued still preached vnto them by figure that aswell did their Sacrifices and seruices duly performed according to the Law please God as that did when first God sent his fire from Heauen to consume it in token of approbation which surely was a great comfort to their consciences and a mightie proppe to fainting fearing weake Faith This fire thus mayntayned and kept with all care and not suffered euer to goe out taught them and still may teach vs to be carefull to kéepe in the fire of Gods holy spirit that it neuer die nor go out within vs. The fire is kept in with wood with breath or blowing and with ashes so is Gods Spirit kept in that holy and happy fire by honest life as by wood by true sighes of vnfained repentance as by breath or blowing and by méeke humilitie as by soft ashes O that we may haue care to kéepe it in what should I say This continued fire taught then and though it be now gone and abrogated may still teach vs now to be carefull to kéepe in amongst vs the fire of Gods Word the true preaching of his Truth to the saluation of our soules Foolish men foolishly will imitate this Law by maintening of lights and Lampes candels and tapers to burne continually but let vs care to preserue this Lampe and Light of Gods Gospell amongst vs that it goe not out and God shall be pleased We and ours bettered in his blessing It had bene a hainous sinne then to suffer the fire of the Altar to goe foorth and can wée thinke it is no sinne now by taking away the maintenance to serue our gréedy couetousnesse to put out this fire from amongst vs and all Gods people about vs GOD make Patrons thinke of it and giue them conscience before there be no more time for mercie Fitly is the Preaching of the Gospell shadowed by the fire vpon the Altar consuming the Burnt-offering For the fire hath these properties it shineth and giueth light it heateth it consumeth it tryeth so the Preaching of the Gospell Thy Word is a Lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my path S. Peter calleth it a Candle in a darke place and many Scriptures teach the shining light of it The heate in like sort Did not our hearts burne within vs whilest he talked with vs and opened the Scriptures The fire kindled and I spake with my tongue saith the Psalme and as fire it pleased the Holy Spirit to appeare at Pentecost to shew this fruite of effect of the Word preached by their mouthes it heateth the heart to all good life and maketh vs zealous of good workes The drosse of our corruption by degrées it washeth the stubble of our fancies it burneth-vp and consumeth so that we abhorre the sinnes we haue bene pleased with and hate the remembrance of euill passed Lastly it tryeth Doctrine and seuereth Truth from error it tryeth men and discouereth Hypocrites All worthy Motiues to make vs carefull to preserue this fire perpetually amongst vs whilest we liue and in a holy zeale to prouide for it also when we are dead So shall we liue béeing dead Nay so shall we assuredly neuer die but with immortall soules and neuer dying tongues praise his Name that liueth foreuer and will haue vs with him This is the Ceremonie of the fire 6 The next Ceremonie is concerning the Ashes of the Burnt-offering wherin your Chapter saith thus ver 10. And the Priest shal put on his linnen-garment shall put on his linnen breeches vpō his flesh take away the ashes when the fire hath consumed the Burnt-offering vpon the Altar he shall put them beside the Altar c to the 14. vers First concerning these linnen-breeches you sée the Law for them to be made Exod. 28. 42. with the Reason of the same modestie and comelinesse in their Ministrie This putting-off their garments figured that bareing of our Sauiour Christ when hée suffered from his Garments so that as the Priest héere layd aside the clothes he ware and put his linnen-breeches about his nakednesse euen so was the Lord Iesus stripped out of all his clothes and onely with his nakednesse couered nayled vpon the Crosse for our sake Some haue said also that this laying aside of their garments shadowedout that laying aside as it were of his Diuinitie whilest in his humanitie hée truely suffered vpon the Crosse Not that euer there was any reall seperation betwixt his Natures that being impossible but because his God-head did as it were hide it selfe by not shewing his Power that the decréed Saluation of man by the meanes also decréed might be effected The carying the ashes foorth without the Hoste notably figured-out the suffering and buriall of Christ with-out the Citie of Hierusalem which was performed The ashes were to be put in a cleane place not prophaned or abused or carelesly cast away so to note that although Christ his body should dye and be as ashes in the conceite of men yet should that body reuiue againe and must not be putrified but put in a cleane place euen a newe Tombe wherein neuer any man lay before c. 7 In the 14. verse and so to the 19. The Ceremonies of the Meat-offering are more fully set down thā they were before in the second Chapter That the remnant should be the Priests was before said but it was not layde-downe how Aaron and his sonnes should vse this remnant Wherefore now it is further added That they should eate it vers 16. But how It shall be eaten without Leauen in the holy Place in the court of the Tabernacle The Males onely might eat it and not women c. What Leauen vsually in Scripture signifieth you haue heard before Namely corrupt doctrine and bad life with either which the Lord would not haue his Priestes stained In the holy Place onely and not else-where must they eate it to signifie that onely in the Church is the benefit of Christ to be had and not out of the Church The branch beareth not fruite but in the Uine and the Uine is onely in the Uine-yard This Church is not a building of lyme and stone but a societie of Christian people among whom the Gospell is truly preached the Sacraments duely and rightly administred and who with one consent firmely beléeue that they haue remission of sinnes and life euerlasting not by the merits of mans righteousnesse but by and for the merites and righteousnes of the Lord Iesus onely To be in the Church therfore is not to be in the place of Lyme and stone built to méete in but to be one of this number that holdeth and beléeueth as all Patriarks and Prophets Apostles and Martyrs and all the faithfull Elect of God euer haue done from the beginning of man and hereafter shall doe to the ende of the world who all as
saith S. Augustine that no place priuiledgeth thée to breake Gods Lawe but as being a sinner wheresoeuer thou goest thou carriest the yoke of sinne so being the sernant of God in all places obey his will c. 4 When they are called holy Conuocations thinke in your conscience whether gadding and riotting and wanton dauncing with such like be holy exercises and méete for a holy conuocation 5 For the Feast of the Sabbath in the Commandement it is handled and thither I referre you It had vse to preserue the Doctrine of Creation against all idle Philosophers dreames of an Eternitie To confirme Faith in the Article Maker of Heauen and earth and to refute all hereticall assertions touching the same To be a refreshing to the bodyes both of man and beast which without rest cannot indure To giue time for men to serue God who all the wéeke-long and euer doth serue them Finally to prefigure and in some sort to lay before vs our assured eternall rest in Heauen when the sixe dayes of this life shall end and that ioyfull seuenth day shall come 6 The Feast of the Passeouer or Easter you know was kéept in remembrance of their diliuerance out of Aegypt And it was a Figure to foretell them their deliuerance from sinne by the death of the true Lambe c. Sée Exod. Chap. 12. and 13. 7 The Offering of a sheafe with the Ceremonies mentioned taught them to acknowledge that the blessing of New corne euery yeare commeth neither from the fertilitie of the ground nor the labour and industry of man but from the Lord. Secondly this Feast hauing his time assigned they could not enter vpon their haruest before it was full readie which by this time it would bée vnlesse they would either reape before they offered this first sheafe or offer it before the day appoynted And so you sée it had an vse to restraine ill husbands and to make them more carefull that old corne might be gouerned to bring in new A gracious God that will so care for sinfull man Thirdly it serued to direct them to the time of Pentecost for from this day they reckoned seauen Sabbaths c. as you read verse 15. Lastly béeing but one sheafe it might strike their hearts with a fit féeling of his goodnesse that giueth so much and taketh so little that giueth without measure and taketh by measure yea by a very small measure So let it still profit vs to this day for euen now also wereceyne much and giue little would wée giue that thankefully and cherefully what a comsort would God take in it Though he néed none of our goods only séeking to exercise our obedience and loue 8 And they might not eat till they had brought an offering vnto God ver 14. Then God was first but now is last with vs yet as good to vs as euer to them and we as déepely bound to him for infinite mercies Will not our sinfull hearts in making God last and giuing him the worst one day condemne vs 9 Till they haue brought are the wordes ver 14. and note them they then brought to shew their willingnes we will bring none but thinke we deale wel if our minister may haue it for fetching c. 10 The feast of Pentecost sometimes called the feast of Weekes was a remembrance of the Law giuen and so of their receyued libertie by Gods out-stretched arme hauing now a law and gouernment of their owne when before they were subiects and seruants to the Egyptians and their lawes So still you sée these holy daies were to remember mercies to giue thankes Againe this feast figuratiuely fore-tolde them there should come a Pentecost when the first fruits of the spirit should be giuen to men fulfilled when Christ sent the holy Ghost vpon his Disciples assembled at Ierusalem at the feast of Pentecost 11 The feast of Trumpets here also appointed had many vses as first in the opinion of some Hebrue Doctors for a remembrance of the deliuerance of yong Isaac from being sa 〈…〉 ed God giuing a Ramme fast in the bushes for him Secondly in the opinion of others for a remembrance of the creation of the world which in some probabilitie was about this time Thirdly for a remembrance saith one of the pardoning of that grieuous Idolatrie committed by erecting and worshipping the golden calfe which is thought was about this time Fourthly for a remembrance that this Moneth was once the first Moneth Fiftly that they might learne holy assemblies to bee appointed by the voyce of God And if they then when they heard these Trumpets blow might thinke God called for them to the meeting why should not we now hauing our Bels for their Trumpets thinke God calleth for vs to the Church and assemblie of the faithfull when we heare them ring in our eares Surely I know a feeling heart doth and thereupon cannot bee quiet without going Sixtly that they might learne their duties to be through their whole life to follow God when and whither so euer he should cal Lastly as our marginall note saith to put them in remembrance of the many feasts in this Moneth being the fittest time in déed after all fruits and blessings gotten in to meete and praise God for them praying also for grace soberly and orderly to vse them to his glory and their owne comfort with all theirs whom God would haue also cared for children feruants poore c. I forget to tell you that one saith this feast also was a figure shewing how Christ by the preaching of the Gospel as by a loud Trumpet should be spred oner the world and our saluation by him In regard whereof Iohn was called the voice of a crier and the Prophet biddeth other criers lift vp their voyces like Trumpets c. 12 In the 27 verse the feast of Reconciliation is mentioned of which more fully before in the xvi Chapter 13 Of the feast of Tabernacles ver 34. the vse was to remember them of their estate when they had no houses but liued in Tents or Tabernacles or Boothes made with laughes no fields nor lands but liued in the wildernes and so to stirre vp a thankfulnes for their happie change Secondly to remēber them of the Lords great workes in driuing out the Cananites and giuing that fruitfull land vnto them Then they were a pray to all men but now a terror to all men wheresoeuer the same of them came Thirdly it serued to preach vnto them the doctrine afterward deliuered by the Apostle to wit that here we haue no abiding citie but should reckon of our houses as but of Tabernacles for the time our true hope being for houses and dwellings and euerlasting Tabernacles not made with hands in heauen c. And may not wee consider on our feast dayes all these things although we haue not now the same ceremonies May not we remember our state past vnder superstition crueltie
daughter to become a shéepheard to a meane man From the rauishing pleasures of a Kings Court to come to lie vnder a bush and behold but shéepe To talke with his flocke and sport with his dogge instéede of all he inioied before To ruffle in his Russet sit for that office with adiu to garments of former honour O sweete experience if neede require of the estate of one most deere to God! Sinke not my heart so low in my body for feare of a change Feare not that fall that hurteth not with God These earthly shewes as the shining Sun flashe their beames abroad and flie vpon the soddaine into the cloude as if they had neuer bene But thy God is all one with them and without them nay often time more neere thee the further thon art from them as this very Example may assure thée if thou marke it For in all the glory of his earthlie honour Moses had not such a conference with his God as now that he is a poore sheepheard guiding and leading another mans flocke Dauid by cutting away a piece of Sauls garment made him remember himselfe a little better and God many times by cutting away some part of our former estate maketh vs profitably feele what wee felt not before of sweete consolation in him and his hea was some shadowe and figure Theoderet is of the same minde whose words are these Vniuersus locus demonstrat deum esse qui apparuit Dicitur Angelus vt cognoscamus quód is qui visus est non est Deus Pater cuius enim Angelus esset Pater sed vnigenitus Filius qui magni consilij est Angelus qui sacris discipulis dixit Omnia quaecunque audiui apatre meo nota fecivobis Quemadmodum autem Angeli nomen posuit non quidem volens ministrorum quempiam innuere sed personam vnigeniti demonstrare sic iterum ipsius tum naturam tum potentiam praedicat inquiens ipsum dixisse Ego sum qui sum et Ego Deus Abraham Deus Isaack Deus Iacob c. The whole place saith hee sheweth it was God but he is called an Angell that wee might knowe that hee which was séene was not God the father for whose Angell should the Father be but the onely begotten Sonne of God which is the Angell of the great Counsell which saide to his holie Apostles All thinges which I haue heard of my Father I haue declared vnto you And euen as hee gaue him the name of an Angell not meaning thereby to note anie other minister or messenger but to shewe the person of the onelie begotten Sonne so againe he setteth forth both his nature power saying he said I AM THAT I AM and I the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Iacob c. Hillarie also speaketh to this effect in his booke of the Trinitie Gregory thought it was an Angell in the person of God Augustine varieth in his opinion c. Touching this manner of appearing it may occasion vs to remember how God vseth to applie himselfe vnto the purpose and intent of his appearing whensoeuer it pleaseth him to manifest himselfe vnto men For in the Prophet Esay he is said to haue appeared like a Judge sitting vpon a high throne because as then the iudgement of Israel approached and drew néere At the Baptisme of Christ it pleaseth the holy Ghost to appeare like a Doue because that forme might shewe the innocencie and milde nature of our Sauiour In the Acts of the Apostles like Tongues because now the tongues of the Apostles were to bée framed as it were a new like clouen tongues because the benefit was to bée deuided vnto all Nations like firie tongues because their spéech by the gratious working of GOD his holy Spirit should héereafter kindle in the hearts of men as it were a fire that is an hot and burning hatred of sinne a loue of rightcousnesse and all holy obedience acceptable to God And now héere like a bush burning but not consumed that it might declare the state present of his people in Egypt and the condition of his Church vnto the end of the world His people in Egypt euen burning in the fornace of Pharaohs cruelty and oppression and yet not consumed for all that through the mightie power and gratious goodnesse of his swéete fauour that vpheld them yea multiplyed and increased them in the very flame of it His Church militant in like sort to expect trouble after trouble and one woe to another but not to bée ouerwhelmed and vtterly destroied by all the malice of Hel working in wicked instruments to the vttermost Quid sibi vult ardere rubum non exuri Nempe Israelem Aegyptiorū insidijs appetitū non esse subing andū sed aduer sarijs superiorem futurum What meaneth this saith Theodoret vpon this place that the bush burned was not consumed surelie that the Israelites be-set with the wrongs of the Egypptians should yet not be ouerthrowne but euen ouercome their aduersaries Philo the Jewe in the life of Moses saith there appeared in the middle of the flame a glorious Image as a manifest testimonie of the Presence of God c. 4. When Moses saw this strange sight hée said I will turne aside now and see why the bush burneth not where we may sée the good disposition of men minds gouerned with Gods feare They doo not contemne and lightly passe ouer such things as they sée but they obserue and marke searche and séeke what good they may possibly draw from them They are of a docile and apt nature to be instructed when as others like deafe and dead people are not profited by any thing but finally perish whatsoeuer hath béene shewed to them by God or man Learne wée by Moses to doo as hée did and by the other to beware of their dulnesse 5. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see Hee called him vnto Him c. No sooner then can wée shew willingnesse to learne but God is most readie to instruct and teach If wée will heare He wil speake and if wée will know Hée will declare A swéete incouragement euer to bée willing to bée informed And now He is called LORD and GOD as you sée who before is said to bée an Angell as before also you remember I noted Moses Moses saith Hée familiarly and kindely for it was euer a fauour to be called by our names of superior men much more of God Nathaniell maruelleth how Christ knew him when he spake of him as you reade in Iohn but Christ told him that before Philip called him he saw him vnder the fig-tree Our God to our comfort knoweth vs all and calleth his shéepe by their names Happy are wée if as Moses here we may euer be readie to answer and say I am here Lord or as another saith Speake-on Lord for thy seruant heareth or as Dauid the Propet saith my heart is readie my heart is ready
Deum appellatum It is well knowne that of the godly Prince Constantine the Pope was called God So in the Counsell of Lateran this proude Antichrist suffered one of his Parasites to say Tu es alter Deus in terris Thou art another God in earth Many other such Stories there are which I passe ouer wishing in my heart that men would obserue and sée what is so manifest before their eyes that although the Pope by their distinction be not an absolute God or an absolute Christ yet certainly hee is a very absolute Antichrist I end then this Note with that exposition of Alexander of Hales our wittie Country-man Scriptura non dicitde Mose constituite Deum sed Deum Pharaonis hoc est potentem super Pharaonem diuinitus The Scripture saith not of Moses I haue made thee God but I haue made thee Pharaohs God that is of power and strength aboue Pharaoh through the hand of God which is with thee Nothing therefore I say do Moses words helpe the Pope to iustifie his blasphemous pride and insolencie 2. And Aaron thy brother shal be thy Prophet That is as he said in the 4. Chapter thy mouth thy Interpreter thy Speaker to vtter that eloquently or in good words which thou shalt appoint him Thy Prophet saith Theodoret as if God should haue said looke how I speake to the Prophets the Prophets to the people so shalt thou speake to Aaron as to thy Prophet he vnto the people Where we sée the incōprehensible Counsell wisedom of God who though he could haue giuen to Moses as well a rowling tongue as a wise hart yet he would not but to the one brother giueth one gift to the other another that either might haue néede vse of another neither of them be exalted in contempt of the other This is that which the Apostle speaketh when he saith Now there are diuersities of gifts but the same Spirit For to one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome and to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit And to another faith by the same spirit to another the gifts of healing by the same spirit And to another the operations of great works and to another prophecie to another the discerning of Spirits and to another diuersities of tongues and to another the interpretation of tongues And al these worketh one and the selfe same Spirit distributing to euery man seuerally as he will The holy vse whereof wee shall take if reuerently we estéeme one anothers gifts enuying none despising none carping cutting nipping no man but with an humble heart glorifying God our selues and beséeching him that in all our brethren also together with their seuerall charges he would glorifie his great Name A Grace so much the more precious by how much it is rare too rare in these last daies wherein the Spirit hath foretold vs Men shall be louers of themselues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnthankfull vnholy Without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them that are good Traytours headie high minded louers of pleasures more than louers of God 3. Thou shalt speake all that I commaund thee So will God euer haue his Ministers faithfull to kéepe nothing backe of his will deliuered to them for feare or flatterie of any man but truly to discharge the credite reposed in them leauing the successe to him that sent them and disposeth of all hearts at his pleasure Thus protesteth the Apostle very carefully we sée when he tooke his leaue of the Elders of Ephesus saying I haue kept back nothing that was profitable but haue shewed you all the Counsell of God Thus running our race wee shall rest one day in eternall comfort deliuered from a bitter world from euill men and euil natures taking alwaies our best endeauours in the worst sense and rewarding true affection with black enuie most vnfit for Christians 4. But I will harden Pharaohs heart Heathens could say A Deo perfecto nihil malum nihil turpe est From a perfect God no euill nor foule thing commeth Againe Deus malorum causa non est cum bonus sit God is not the Author of euill when as he himselfe is good Therefore concerning this hardning of Pharaoh some vnderstand it by permission that is he suffered him to be hardned as wee say in the Lords Prayer Leade vs not into temptation that is suffer vs not to be led Gregory saith Non duritiem contulit sed exigentibus eius meritis nulla infusa timoris sensibilitate molliuit Hee did not impose hardnes but his merits so deseruing hee softned him not by any infused sense of feare Augustine saith God did it ratione poenae for a punishment And wee all knowe the Lord is not tyed to giue his grace to any man but it is his mercie it is his loue and most frée he is to doo with his owne what he will The consideration whereof should euer worke in vs care and zeale to craue at Gods hands fleshie hearts which may tremble at his Judgements and taste his mercy saying with Samuel Speake on Lord thy Seruant heareth and with Dauid O my God I am content to doo it yea thy lawe is within my heart Marke also héere how God fore-tolde them againe that Pharaoh would not heare them A thing so bitter to the faithfull Minister of God as many fore-warnings are néedefull vnto him to giue him strength against this temptation O therefore that wee may euer haue patience who labour in the word and doctrine God will doo his will God ought to doo his will our dutie is knowne wee may not prescribe to him if wee performe what is our part sweete is our sauour saith the blessed Apostle as well in them that perish as in those that are saued and it is enough O Lord let it be enough to euery groaning heart of thy true Ministers wishing and séeking to haue them saued whō thou hast created and bought with such a price Thou canst make it enough if it please thée to blesse with thy holy Spirit the remembrance of it to them that are sliding to impatiencie 5. Thus warned and thus armed these two brethren Moses and Aaron went vnto Pharaoh and did euen as the Lord had commaunded and Aaron casteth forth his rod before Pharaoh and it was turned into a Serpent The vse of which myracle hath béene tolde before euen to strike a feare into Pharaohs heart that hee might the better attend to what was spoken to giue him assurance that though with his eyes he sawe but the persons of two men neither glorious nor terrible in themselues yet with them was the power and strength of the Almightie God whose hand could shiuer him in pieces if hee rebelled So standeth it still with Gods Ministers that faithfully doo their dutie to the flockes committed vnto them and
children of Israel c. Secondly an argument drawne from the former benefits of God to them in these words Yee haue seene what I did to the Egyptians and how I caried you vpon Eagles wings and haue brought you vnto me Thirdly an Argument from future benefits If you will heare my voice indeede and keepe my couenant then you shall be my chiefe treasure aboue all people though all the earth be mine Yee shall be to me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation All which if you will applie vnto your selfe and make vse of them then may you in like sort euer stir vp your hart and prepare your minde to good things in this sort and by the selfe same Arguments As for Example to goe to the Church and to ioyne with the Congregation both in prayer hearing of the word preached First because it is not mans Cōmandement but God requireth the Minister to call speake to you for it as here he did Moses Secondly the fauours of God passed to you require it Thirdly future fauors if you do it shal be added vnto you It is also worthy marking still how he ioyneth here hearing keeping together saying If you will heare my voyce indeede and keepe my couenant Keepe without hearing you cannot hearing without keeping will neuer profit you or any Joyned therefore you sée they must néedes be as the Lord shall make vs able Moses doing as God bad him teacheth all Ministers to bee faithfull and to doo their Message Many are the Commaundements in Scripture to them to speake to crie to lift vp their voyces like trumpets and to tell their people what God requireth If they doo it great is their reward with God and if they bee false and idle and negligent men-pleasers and time-seruers as great againe is their iudgement Grandis est dignitas sacerdotum grandis est ruina si peccant Great is the dignitie of Priests by their office and as great is the fall of them if they offend It can neuer be too often repeated nor too much remembred The peoples aunswere to Moses what is it They answered all together and said all that the Lord hath commaunded wee will doo A most notable patterne for a Christian congregation to looke vpon and to followe Thus should it be betwixt Pastor and People euer Hee to speake what God commaundeth and they to heare answere zealously we will we will doo what God commandeth vs. O swéete ioy where this agreement is Such care and such conscience both in pastor and people will giue no place to iarres and contentions to sutes and vexations or to any thing that displeaseth God and is offensiue to the world c. 2. The particular preparation followeth frō the 9. verse to the end of the Chapter hauing 4 members First the maner of Gods Communicating of himselfe to Moses namely in a thick cloud together with the end thereof that the people may heare whilest I talke with thee and that they may beleeue thee for euer A singular instruction to all men in the world that desire to please God and especially to Great Ones shewing them how carefull they should be to grace and countenance the Ministers of the word before the people to the end their wordes may haue more weight with their hearers and their seruice and paines doo more good Would men doo thus O how comfortable to the painfull and faithfull Teacher and how profitable to the Church would it bee The Lord would sée it and acknowledge it done for him and with eternall comforts reward it for euer But now it is otherwise with too many For Great men must shewe their greatnes in disgracing the Lords Prophets and meaner men must shewe their malice in spreading false rumors of their spirituall Teachers in open assemblies and priuate conuenticles motes are made mountaines and spots surmised where none are Neuer I thinke since the world was did mens eares so itch and their hearts so boile in this sinne as at this day But what shall wee say Surely euen turne to the Lord in prayer and comfort our selues in this example of the Lords goodnes who as hee is not Moses his God alone nor Moses alone his messenger so will not he tye his countenance onlie to him but giue euery true labourer in his good time his due credite notwithstanding all the malice of man and Deuill O Lord doo it for thy Name sake and as thou gracedst héere Moses that hee might euer be beléeued so couuert or confound these Disgracers of thy Ministers whose iniquitie tendeth to hinder Beleefe and consequentlie to destroy the soules of thy poore people Encrease the number of them that followe thy example and labour by all meanes to further thy worke in the hands of thy workemen Set a Crowne of glory vpon their heads and dailie reward their loue into their bosomes with thy good blessings vnto them and theirs 3. The second branch of this particular preparation is laid downe in the 10. verse and the rest following to the 16. consisting in certaine outward matters vsed in those times among those people and figuratiuely teaching inward puritie and cleanenes of heart to come to God with all As washing of their cloathes not comming at their wiues and such like The Ceremonies are taken away but the truth remaineth namely that we are all by our corruption most vnfit profitably to heare the word of God vnlesse we be sanctified and prepared thereunto by the good Spirit of God And therefore we ought to make readie for so holy a worke by all due care before hand to purge our hearts from other cares troubles and impediments whatsoeuer The word of GOD is not to be handled with vncleane hands neither will enter into vncleane hearers It is a precious pearle it should not be cast before Swine For this cause assuredly many heare and reade without profit because they came without feare and reuerence in their mindes This abstaining from their wiues noteth no impuritie in holy Matrimonie but by this particular figuratiuely teacheth a godly abstinence from all worldly pleasures whatsoeuer in generall for a time that wee may more fully attend the seruice of God wee goe about vpon speciall occasion To which end the Apostle Paul also requireth the like by consent for a time to giue themselues to fasting and prayer and then to come together againe that they be not tempted of Sathan to incontinencie Thomas Aquinas himselfe could say thus of it Hoc ex sepeccatum non erat sed multa tunc ad carnis munditias exigebantur quae iam non sunt necessaria quia lex uostra spiritualem munditiam requirit non carnis This was not a sinne of it selfe but many things were then required to the outward clensing of the flesh which are not now necessarie because our lawe requireth spirituall cleanenes not an outward of the flesh onely c. 4. The markes that
say vnto them For their hearts he will touch their eares he will bore or open and they shall see with their eyes heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts to eternall life But how they must come to God in the Cloud couered with it c. that is in the humanitie of Christ whereof this Cloud was a figure For wâ—thout him there is no accesse to God and by him we come and that boldly He is become flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone Search without him be oppressed of Maiestie search by him be comforted with mercy Kisse the Sonne and feare not The sight of the glorie of the Lord was like consuming fire on the top of the mouÌ„taine in the eyes of the children of Israell saith your Chapter but to them whom he drew to him he appeared as a pleasant Saphir vers 10. Certainly euen so to carnal men and to such as are his called by his holy Spirit there is a great difference of him the one seeing but feare and trembling the other séeing féeling and tasting ioy swéetnes comfort and gladnes aboue that which mans pen can lay downe or his narrow heart once conceiue Lastly Moses was in the Mount fortie daies and fortie nights without meat or drinke when as God could haue dispatched him in a moment All to giue authoritie to him and his lawe as hath béene said that the people might sée in his long abstinence the diuine power of God and so euer estéeme of the thing wherein they saw no earthly course held Let it teach vs still and euer to reuerence Gods ministers to whom he hath reuealed his will for our good They are now his meanes as then Moses was and by his word he hath graced them as here he did Moses by these miracles He that heareth you saith hée heareth mee and he that despiseth you despiseth mee Thus much briefely of this Chapter CHAP. 25. GOds holy Spirit hauing from the beginning of this Booke vnto the twentie Chapter laid downe such things as went before the lawe in the twentie Chapter he entered to declare the lawes and first laid downe the Morall law theÌ„ the Iudiciall lawes Chapters 21. 22. and 23. Now by a transition and way made Chapter 24 in this 25. Chapter he beginneth with the Ceremoniall lawes and so continueth vnto the 31. Chapter Which Ceremoniall lawes were eyther common and touched all whereof hée speaketh in this Booke or particular concerning onely the Leuites whereof in the next Booke called Leuiticus by reason of those lawes In this Chapter first there is a preparation to the appointing of Ceremonies euen vnto the tenth verse and then a prescription of them thence forward to the thirtie Chapter In the preparation you may note these heads 1 A Commaundement that the people should offer 2 What they should offer 3 With what heart and minde 4 To what vse and purpose 5 To what vse should the Sanctuarie serue viz. that God might dwell there 6 Of what fashion it should be viz. Like the patterne that Moses saw c. 1 The commaundement to offer is expressed in these words Then the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Speake vnto the children of Israell that they receiue an offering for me of euery man c. The vse and profit whereof to vs may be this First to obserue how although the Lord haue no neede of any mans goods whatsoeuer it is that wée possesse in this world because the whole earth is his and all that is in it yet his pleasure is sometimes to séeke these things and so to make men as it were his helpers in such workes as he will haue done that thereby hee may euen honour his creature with a great fauour and take occasion vpon our readie willing performance of what he séeketh to heape more and more fauours vpon vs. Remember with your selfe the 50. Psalme I will take no Bullocke out of thine house nor Goates out of thy folds For all the beastes of the forrest are mine and so are the cattell vpon a thousand hilles I know all the fowles vpon the mountaines and the wilde beastes of the field are in mysight If I be hungrie I will not tell thee for the whole world is mine and all that is therein Remember the 16. Psalme My goods are nothing vnto thee c. Whensoeuer therefore He séeketh it it is for our good and not for his neede which being well weighed may make vs more quicke and readie to giue As for example could not he relieue a poore man himselfe or make of poore rich all the honors in the world being disposed by him yet you sée he will not but sendeth him to you and others for a morsell of bread and meat that you being his instruments he may take occasion to reward you So in all other workes of charitie and pietie wherein your purse is vsed surely if he had not a purpose to benefit you hee would passe you ouer and do the thing without you Hurt not your selfe then a pound by sparing a pennie A second profit may be this to note that as this material Sanctuary figured out the spirituall temple which the Lord hath in our bodies and mindes 1. Cor. 6. 19 so this offering to that noted what should be the dutie of Gods seruants euer to this euen to bestowe part of such thinges as God blesseth them withall of riches and goods towards the maintenance of this spirituall temple erected within vs and among vs by the preaching of his word the admininistration of his Sacraments all other offices of the Ministerie to the saluation of our soules and all our children seruants or neighbours that liue with vs and are by Almightie God committed to our charge For as then they had grieuously sinned if they denied God an offering to that so shall we if we be wanting to this Thirdly that our goods are not ours to wast at our wils but God looketh to bee honoured with them imployed to good purposes Lastly in séeking this offering to erect an externall worship of his holy Name among theÌ„ we sée learn that God will be worshipped outwardly also with our bodies aswel as inwardly with our spirits for they are both the Lords 2 Touching the things to be offered as Golde Siluer brasse Blew silke and purple skarlet fine linnen Goates haire c thus you profit by them First in the varietie and the seuerall kindes you sée shadowed out vnto you the difference of spirituall giftes and graces giuen by God to men for the building vp of his spirtual Temple or Sanctuarie in our hearts whereof remember the Apostles words in diuers places of his Epistles as to the Romanes when he saith Seeing then that we haue gifts which are diuers according to the grace which is giueÌ„ vnto vs whether we haue prophesie let vs prophesie according to the proportion of fayth Or an
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
aliam quamcumque causam Spiritus Sanctus appellatus est Digitus Dei For God is not limitted or cōcluded within any forme or shape of bodie neither are limmes and Fingers to be imagined so to be in him like as we see them in our selues but because by the Holy Ghost the gifts of God are so distributed vnto holy men that although they be able to doo differing things yet they do nothing cōtrary to the quietnesse of loue For in the Fingers most of all is seene some certaine separation howbeit no cutting off from vnitie among themselues Either for that cause or for some other cause whatsoeuer it be the Holy Ghost is tearmed the Finger of God Theophilact thinketh Spiritum Sanctum Dei apellari digitum propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sicut enim inquit Digitus toti corpori est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita Spiritus Patri filio That the holy Ghost is called the Finger of God because of the same substance For euen as saith hee the finger is of the same substance with the whole bodie so is the Holy Ghost with the Father and the Sonne Ambrose noteth that the naming of the Finger is to be referred ad formam vnitatis non ad distinctionem potestatis to the maner of vnitie in the Godhead not to the distinction of power But an Obiection is made how they were written with the Finger of God when Moses is saide to haue written them Exod 34 28 diuerse men answere diuersly S. Austine thinketh the first were written by God which béeing broken the second were written by Moses But Moses plainly affirmeth that both were written by God Exodus 31. 18. Deut. 10. 2. Lyra therefore saith Deum scripsisse authoritatiuè dictando Mosen ministerialiter figurando God wrote as the Author that prescribed but Moses as the Minister a figure Then not liking this so wel Fieri potuit ait vt Moses manū tabulae admouerit Deus autē miraculose litter as formauit It might be saith he the Moses hād was put to the table of God miraculosly framed the letters Hugo saith Moses wrot the Tables that is He receiued them writtē Later Writers make this answere that the words Exod. 34. 28. referred to Moses should be referred to God And for Moses writing it was that volume Exod. 17. ver 14. But let this much suffice of this Chapter CHAP. 27. I will shut vp these Chapters following as briefely as I can leaue the amplificatiōs of the Notes to the diligēt Readers owne meditatiōs In this Chap. we see 4. principall Heads The Idolatrie of the people The wrath of God The Intercession of Moses The fact of Moses 1. TOuching the first follow the words and note things as they lye The text saith whē the people saw that Moses taried long ere hee came downe from the mountaine c. The causes of Idolatrie are moe than can be reckoned vp but some you may here think of and first of this that appeareth in these words impatiencie to stay for Moses cōming down from the Mountaine Such impaciencie made Saul run to a Witch euen at these times many to doo the like God dooth deferre many times his helpe for the tryall of men and then hauing not his holy Spirit to make them patiēt they rashly and hastily flye to forbidden meanes for help It was truly said Feare maketh Gods to wit false Gods For in distresses agonies as I say men doe as here they did run to wicked deuises thinking so to comfort themselues A second cause of Idolatrie is often an ignorant imitation of things not rightly vnderstood as because Abraham was commanded to offer vp his sonne Isaack and his readinesse to doo it so wel taken therefore men would follow him herein and offer vp their sonnes and daughters with bloudy hands to their false Gods A third cause foolish doting loue and affection Thus was Salomon made an Idolater for his loue to his Wiues And it is written of Alexander that he so loued Ephestio as he decréed diuine honor to be done vnto him A drian the Emperour did the like to a most wicked and naughtie person whom he loued A fourth cause good hap or prospertie Thus did the Athenians who hauing but Ten Thousand in their armie against the Persians at Marathe the Lacedemonians being not yet come it is saide a certaine Spirit apeared in their armie in the likenesse of Pan and mightily daunted their aduersaries assuring them after of victorie in the same likenesse Whereupon in great kindnesse forsooth they would euer after worship Pan and built him a Chappell vnder the Temple of Pallas Thus is mans nature prone to Idolatrie and taketh very small occasions to fall from God The roote of this foule Idolatrie here was that foule and odious vice of ingratitude forgetting all the great works and wonders of God done and shewed for them and by name their so comfortable deliuerance from such thraldome and miserie in Aegypt Such vice and such effect of it ruleth still in too many whose eyes haue bene lightened and whose hearts haue béene comforted with truth of the Gospell and yet cursedly and damnably they fall from this kinde God and run a whoring after their owne inuentions whose wisdome herin is much like the Thracians that could not as Aristotle saith number aboue fiue Wherefore against this feareful inconstancie and mutabilitie of our natures let vs often vse from our harts the words of the Psalme Make me a cleane heart O God and renue a right spirit within me Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me Giue me the comfort of thy helpe againe and stablishe me with thy free Spirit I am thy seruant O giue me vnderstanding to learne thy Testimonies 2 They gathered themselues together against Aaron said vnto him vp and make vs Gods to go beforevs They neuer aske Aaron whether it might bee done lawfully or no but vp doo it most presumptuously directing him who should direct thē audatiously vrging him to approoue what they liked Think here of some people some parishes where if the minister will not doo as they fancie allowing their dācings drinkings their bowles their pastimes full of disorder and sin for orderly recreatiō is good they fall out with him they turne both hart hand from him he is now become their greatest enemy because he hartely wisheth their saluation But I said I would not amplifie much and therefore your selfe meditate of this hatefull and pernitious boldnesse in some Congregations 3 For this Moses the man that brought vs out of the lād of Aegypt we know not what is become of him And is this all the care of him if he be gone Such an instrumēt of God good to them such a deliuerer such a famous Gouernour so deare to God so familiar with God so graced honoured by
his All-powerfull blood Fourthly this laying on the hand shewed that men bringing Sacrifices to God should rather sacrifice themselues and all their exorbitant affections than that beast For manie are content to giue their goods to God but themselues to the deuill which God abhorreth Lastly this Ceremonie taught them of what minde they should be when they offered namely of this that they thought the fauours and mercies of God so great and gracious towards them that if they should euen offer themselues to the death for him and indéede dye as that beast must yet no recompence would that be worthy such a louing Lord and answerable to such his great kindnesse When it is said in the Text that such sacrifice should be axcepted to the Lord to be his atonement vers 4. and in the 9. vers for a sweet sauour vnto the Lord or a sauour of rest which pacifieth the anger of the Lord these promises being no deceiuings of men but true as the Promise-maker is euer true We must note and consider that there was a satisfying power in those Legall sacrifices whereby the right Offerer was loosed and clâ—ered from guilt in the sight of God not that brute creatures of theÌ„selues could doe thus but as they were true figures of Christ and grace by him to be obtained and had sacramentally Therefore they satisfied and helped or reconciled to God as at this day we are washed sacramentally by Baptisme Profitable then no further but as they were exercises to true repentance and faith that sinners might learne to feare the wrath of God and to séeke saluation in Christ and Christ onely Seuenthly the burnt Offering was slaine to fore shew the death of Christ O fooles and slowe of heart saith our Sauiour to beleeue all that the Prophets haue spoken Ought not Christ to haue suffered those things to enter into his glorie And he began at Moses all the Prophets throughly interpreted vnto them c. Now thinke with your self wherin Moses that is the Law did so shew the death of Christ as by these deathes and killings of the Sacrifices But who offred the slaine sacrifice any but the Priest No that so it might be shadowed how that there is no power in man to please God but by the chiefe and high Priest Christ Jesus of whom the Leuiticall Priest was a type and a figure Eightly the Priests sonnes offered the blood and sprinkled it round about vpon the Altar that is by the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation The blood noting the death of Christ and the sprinckling the preaching of it through the world Ninthly the burnt Offering was flayed and the skinne plucked off then was it cut in peeces vers 6. Hereby was noted the great and gréeuous bitternesse of Christ his Passion who should for maÌ„s sake be stripped-out of all humane helpe and made as bare and naked of all worldly glory shew credite and estimation with men as this Sacrifice was turned out of his skinne Remember what you read in the Psalme spoken of Christ in the person of Dauid I am a worme and no man a shame of men and the contempt of the people All they that see mee haue me in derision they make a mowe and nodde the head saying He trusted in the Lord let him deliuer him let him saue him seeing he loueth him And so foorth as followeth in the Psalme Adde vnto it what you read in Esay He hath neither forme nor beautie when wee shall see him there shall be no forme that we should desire him He is despised and reiected of men c we hid our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not Both which Prophecies are Expositions of this shadow may truly tell vs how his skinne was plucked of An other vse there might be to the partie that Offered the burnt Sacrifice euen to teach him to pull-off his skinne and to offer himselfe vp to the Lord flayed and without skinne that is without all counterfeit and bypocriticall shewes without all earthly vaine and proud confidence in himself or any workes or vertue or worth whatsoeuer in him but naked and bare to present himselfe to his God that is with a single a simple a true and a faithfull heart boasting of no desert but humbly crauing mercy and pardon and life for the true Sacrifice sake Christ Iesus who in time should come so suffer for mans sins to set him frée And surely thus still must wée be flayed skinned in all our prayers approachings to God or else we shall deceiue our selues be disappointed of our desire The proud Pharisce in the Gospell was not thus but came with his skinne on and let his example teach vs. The poore Publican was flayed and came with skinne off let it comfort and incourage vs. Tenthly your Chapter saith And the sonnes of Aaron the Priest shall put fire vpon the Altar and lay the wood in order vpon the fire Then the Priests Aarons sonnes shall lay the parts in order the head and the kall vpon the wood that is in the fire vpon the Altar In that body and head and all was laid in the fire it might note how whole Christ should suffer for vs that is Christ wholy both in body and soule for our bodies and soules that had sinned and so you know Christ did verifying and fulfilling the Figure Againe by the head might be vnderstood himselfe and by the parts his Church and members all in the fire all burnt together that it might be shewed the suffering of Christ to belong to his Chosen both in fruite and sense The fruite is his taking away of their sins The sense is their suffering also with him for him which is fit when it shall be his blessed pleasure and alotted to vs but in mercie that so suffering with him we might also reigne with him eternally in his Kingdome The Disciple is not greater than his Master c. Matth. 10. 24. And Blessed is the man whom God correcteth therefore refuse not thou the chastising of the Almightie For hee maketh the wound and bindeth it vp He smiteth and his handes make whole againe c. So saith S. Iames againe Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tryed hee shall receiue the crowne of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him Thirdly in the fire might be shadowed the power of the Spirit and this Lesson so learned that as the fire gaue those Legall Sacrifices their sauour was as it were the sawce that made them taste well so is the Spirit to all our duties the means to season them and giue them liking with the Lord. Pray then without Spirit and what is it Heare the Word preached without Spirit and what doe you Receiue the Sacrament without this working Spirit and how can you doe well Marke it
therefore that all Sacrifices had either all or part burned with fire c. We know not saith the Apostle what to pray as we ought but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities c. The Spirite beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the children of God If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his The Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake The Spirit shal quicken your mortall bodies and so foorth This fire therefore the Lord euer vouchsafe vnto vs and we shall doe well Lastly when it is sayd the wood must be layd in order the peeces in order and all in order well might they then and we now obserue and learne how highly God is pleased with order and how much he abhorreth confusion Wherefore the Apostle giueth it for a Rule Let all things be done decently and in order And the more we frame our selues vnto good order the more assurance we euer haue the Spirit gouerneth vs. But the Inwards the Legges thereof shall ye wash in water sayth your Chapter The eleuenth Circumstaunce in this kinde of Sacrifice notably shadowing how Christ our Sauiour brought nothing impure or vncleane vnto his Passion as all other men doe when they suffer For although they suffer willingly ioyfully yet doe what they can they shall euer finde a law in their members rebelling against the law of their minde and leading them captiue vnto the law of sinne which is in their members No man therefore can offer a perfect offering to his God for his sinnes Onely Christ hath whose Inwards and Legges were washed that is who wholly was pure and immaculate within and without euery way This This is my wel-beloued Sonne in whom I and in whom onely I am well pleased Lastly this burnt Offering in this sort vsed and offered was a sweet sauour vnto the Lord sayth the Text. Not that God is delighted as man with any outward sauour but because first being done according to his prescript he accepted it and liked it and secondly he saw in it his slaine Sonne and smelled as it were his obedience which though it was fulfilled in time yet was with God from the beginning as hee was also slaine from the beginning Thus haue you viewed the Ceremonies of the first kinde of Burnt Sacrifices taken from the Herd Consider of them againe and often the Lord being intreated shal make them profitable to you The second kinde of Burnt-offerings ANd if his Sacrifice for the Burnt-offering be of the Flockes as of the Sheepe or of the Goates he shall offer a Male without a blemish c. The first kinde was of the Herde as you haue séene now the second is of the Flockes where againe you may note the Ceremonies before in the other kinde obserued and let that Exposition serue here without any repetition againe of the same things One thing here is which was not before touched namely how they shall kill it on the North-side of the Altar not on any side indifferently but on the North-side onely which was done assuredly to draw this his people from the idolatrie of the Gentiles who worshipped the Sunne in many places and therefore euer in their seruices turned them towards the place where the Sunne was as in the morning to the East at mid-day to the South at night to the West And matters of great moment they would referre to the iudgement of the Sunne The Persians in choise of a King agréed that all should méete at a place on Horsebacke betimes and whose Horse first neighed before the rising of the Sunne he should be King For they tooke the Sun for a God and Horses with them were consecrated to the Sunne as things pleasing to him In Tyrus when seruants and slaues had cruelly slaine by treachery and villanie their Masters and all Freemen they forsooth would make a King of themselues and how Euen thus they would all assemble before the Sunne and he that could first sée the Sunne arise he should be King as chosen out by that their God the Sunne These toyes lest the Israelites should learne of their neighbours the Heathens God not onely by words expresse prohibitions but also by such signes as this would teach and instruct them On the North-side therefore must this Burnt-offering be killed 2 This Ceremonie might admonish them that the full Sunne Christ Iesus was not yet risen vnto them but in time he should come and shine in his strength For these Sacrifices and Legall Rites were but as litle candels that gaue some small light and a farre more excellent Light should they expect that beléeued in due time And now I pray you hath it not appeared and with his glory put out all these dimme Lights of the Law We know it and find it with thankefulnesse euer may we thinke of it For he that reserued vs for these times and these times for vs could haue made vs be borne and to haue our being in the darkest times But now this Ceremonie of turning to the North is gone and we may turne any way and please God The time is come when the true worshippers shall worship in Spirit and trueth euery where and euery way lifting vp pure hands vnto God Thus much would our old Fathers signifie by the placing of the vpper ende of our Churches East-ward not North-ward which they would not haue done if they had thought this Ceremonie had bound men still Let vs then vse things indifferent indifferently and not vnto any superstition or sinne The third kinde of Burnt-offering 1 ANd if his Sacrifice be a Burnt-offering to the Lord of Fowles then he shall offer his Sacrifice of the Turtle-Doues or of the yong Pigeons Behold the third sort of burnt Offerings taken neither of the Herde nor of the Flocks but of the Fowles wherein first the Lorde by varietie did méete with the variable and mutable nature of man and so kept that people from lusting after the fashions of the wicked Secondly he mercifully regarded and prouided for the poore that should not be able to offer the former sorts and so might haue béene discomforted with it This appeareth Chap. 5. vers 7. 11. 14. 21. 22. 2 But of Fowles you sée héere not all sorts might be offered as Géese Cockes and vncleane Fowles whereof you read els-where but Turtles and Pigeons Which Fowles long before this time God appointed Abraham to offer Gen. 15 Happily because these most aptly figured Christ In whom was all holy simplicitie pacience innocencie c. 3 Concerning the Rytes your Chapter specifieth them in this sort The Priest shall wring the necke of it a sunder or pinch it with his nayle so as not the head should be quite plucked of but wounded that the blood might goe out and the creature die Thus was the Passion of Christ shadowed out whose blood was shed and he dyed yet his head not plucked
whereby this Leprosie was discerned of the Priest you haue in the Text deepe spots greenish or reddish which séeme to belower than the wall Also how the Priest might not rashly condemne the house but must shut it vp a time and then loke vpon it again and yet we can hastily and rashly condemne our brethren our equals our betters that they are thus and so There was an easier clensing by scraping and changing the infected stones and a harder clensing by quite pulling it downe God gently dealeth with sinners if it may serue and quite ouer-throweth the incurable The expiation sheweth we ought to haue cleane houses and the Offering noteth from whom all health is euen from God CHAP. XV. SOme other vncleanes incident to man and woman is mentioned in this Chapter whereof modestly you may thinke as you read it Unto the 9. verse he speaketh of man and then verse 19. of the woman For vse vnto your selfe first consider by occasion of these things that originall corruption which is gotten into our nature by the fall of our first Parents through which we are most vncleane many wayes in the eyes of God The Lord hath a great care to worke this meditation in vs strongly when hée so amplifieth these natural vncleanesses in vs as that euery thing is made vncleane which toucheth him in that case Euery bed whereon hee lyeth euery thing whereon hee sitteth whosoeuer toucheth the bed shall wash his clothes c. He that sitteth vpon the seate where hee sate The saddle that hee rideth on yea the vessell that hee toucheth and so foorth So also of the woman in the latter part of the Chapter modestly read and be edified Thinke of the Scriptures that note this corruption in vs telling vs that all the imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts are onely euill continually That in vs that is in our flesh dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with some as with the Apostle that spake it and yet he found no meanes to performe that which is good For hee could not doe the good which he would but the euill that he would not that did hee And so foorth as followeth in that Chapter most notably That they which are in the flesh sauour the things of the flesh That the naturall man perceiueth not the things which are of God but they are foolishnesse to him c. Thinke what particular parts of vs are charged with this corruption sée if they be not the very chiefest as the vnderstanding the will the heart the eyes the eares and so foorth Be mooued with it and renouncing your selfe séeke for remedie where it onely is and not in your selfe Follow the Counsaile of the Apostle take his words as an explication of the end of this Ceremonie Namely that wée indeauour to cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and Spirit and that wee finish our Sanctification in the feare of GOD. To this end the Lord hath ordained holy Matrimonie and taught that it is honourable among all men To this end hée hath forbidden all vncleane lusts and taught vs that Whoremongers and Adulterers hee will iudge For this is the Will of GOD saith the Apostle Euen your sanctification and that yee should abstaine from Fornication That euery one should know to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour And not in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles which know not God And blessed are the cleane in heart saith our Sauiour Christ for they shall see God Strengthen your selfe therefore in this holy course by these Scriptures and the like Consider often the Commandement of God in whose hand is death if you disobey Consider his nature that hée is puritie and cleanenes it selfe and as hée is our heauenly Father so should wée bée his children and seruants Consider how it is impossible to pray to him aright with an vncleane minde for any want wée haue Consider what hope wée can haue of eternall life if we loue vncleanenes when the Rule is thus Follow holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. Consider the hurt of example The danger that groweth to a Common-wealth when for such filthinesse the Lord often ouer-throweth a whole state as the licentious life of one Paris did Troy And finally thinke what vgly diseases and maladies what rotting and burning what shame and confusion the Lord layeth euen in this life vpon vncleane persons besides the fearefull fall eternâ—ll that is assured afterward when this life is ended Meditate I say of these things and pray continually for grace and strength Say with the good old Father when any wicked motion péepeth vp O Lord helpe O Lord strengthen for I suffer violence and am assaulted c. 2 In the washing here mentioned and in the Atonement note the mercie of God towardes all miserable sinners and sée with comfort that although the fall of our first Parents hath thus blotted vs and spotted vs that indéede we are most vncleane yet ought wée not to despaire but take hold of him by a liuely Faith Who will not the death of a sinner but rather that hee should repent and liue disliking himselfe for his manifold sins and cleaning to his God for his manifold mercies And when you read thus often of water cleane not in the clement or creature of water but remember Saint Iohn that Iesus Christ came by water and blood and it is hee onely that washeth away our spots and saueth vs from our sinnes Water cannot do it nor any worke of ours but if wee wash our selues with snow water as Iob saith and purge our hands most cleane Yet shall he plunge vs in the pit and our owne clothes shall make vs filthy And by the Offering of the Turtles it was playnly figured that not in themselues but in some other they must bée made cleane from all their impurities I remember the Speach of a good Writer yet a Fryer and I pray you marke it There are some saith Hee That thinke themselues by and by made cleane if they shed a few teares and bewayle their sinnes Multiply their fasts and giue Almes c. But my Brethren although these bee good things yet they are not equiualent to our sinnes Thus breaketh trueth out of them that otherwise affected Rome Sée then how Poperie wrongeth the soules of men in sending them to the things that cannot helpe and drawing them deceitfull from the true and perfect sanctification and satisfaction of Christ Remember the words of One of theirs We runne with great boldnes to the Saintes that by their merites and prayers wee may come to immortalitie Come vnto her all ye that trauell and are heauie laden meaning the Virgin Marie and shee shall refresh and comfort your soules What is it to leaue the fountaines and springs of God and to digge vnto our selues Cisternes that can hold no water if
You sée it you must marke it and to your soule I leaue it 4 Thou shall not curse the deafe neither put a stumbling Blocke before the blinde but shalt feare thy GOD I am the LORD It was euer estéemed a Barbarous erueltie to insult ouer a mans imperfection and the Children of GOD must beware it By the Deafe héere are also meant men and women absent who though they could heare béeing present yet béeing not there they are deafe and heare not Such should not be cursed that is euill spoken of because they are not present to heare and answere GOD you see hateth and forbiddeth this wrong and as many as are Gods will forbeare it for their good Base and bad persons spend their time in carping slaundering and ill reporting as though they were so much better by howe much they make others worse So did Saint Augustine that worthy Father abhorre this vice that ouer his Table where hée dyned hée worte two Verses to tell all them that sate with him if they carped at any person absent that Table was not for them nor they Guests welcome to him By the Blinde are also meant such as are ignorant and vnskilfull in any thing as an ignorant Buyer Learner Trader c. Before whose eyes you may not lay a stumbling Blocke deceyuing them either by False Doctrine Badde Life craftie cunning or the like For as pitifull or more is the blindnesse of minde as the blindnesse of bodie and therefore any way to abuse the one or the other by stumbling blocks is hatefull and damnable 5 Yee shall not doe vniustly in iudgement Thou shalt not fauour the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mightie but thou shalt iudge thy Neighbour iustly A good law against a great euill in the Common-wealth touched before in Exodus whether you may turne and sée the euill Who can be safe in life or limbe in lands or goods if Affection be Iudge Booteth it to be honest or iust or blameles if not Truth but Fancie try me No no. And therefore blessed bée God for Law and Iustice and woe to the Land where Affection ruleth Honestius est cum iudicaueris amare quam cum amaueris iudicare It is farre better to loue when thou hast iudged than to iudge when thou louest Clamat pauper nullus exaudit clamat diues quilibet applaudit The poore man cryeth and no man heareth the rich man cryeth and euery man prayseth and smootheth O heauie Countries case where thus it is Doe the thing that is iust therefore to rich and poore and that shall giue thée peace at the last Honoured men may be for their wealth and feared greatly for their strength but onely iustice is that which getteth loue and a good report with all men that can speake well for any cause and haue not sold their tongues and soules too vnto enuie 6 Thou shalt not walke about with tales among thy people Thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy Neighbour I am the Lord. Both these are branches of murder and in the Commandement sée more of them A great mischiefe in either Kingdome Countrey or House is a babling tale-teller and hée that is wise will beware him It is a shrewde blow that killeth thrée at a blowe and that not in body onely but in soule also The tale-teller killeth himselfe peraduenture twenty more that heare him rashly thereupon condemne the innocent The spirit of God stirreth vp Dauid that Holy man to begge of God that hee would roote out all such deceiptfull lippes and tongues that speake proude things Deceiptfull lippes are those that speake smoothly and thinke wickedly and those also that speake falsly and slanderously of their brethren Both shall be rooted out in time but til then they vexe the soules of those that deserue it not at their hands 7 But what if I bée so wise that I can holde my tongue from speaking euill and yet secretly hate him in my heart Sée what followeth in your Chapter Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but thou shalt plainly rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne Secret hate then is murder of the heart and against the Commandement Use it therefore at your perill and say God either séeth not or regardeth not Your iudgement at last shall teach you hee doth both For this Law is not idle nor any Law Hee giueth to the sonnes of men 8 Thou shalt not auenge saith the next Lawe and why In another place we read For vengeance is mine and I will repay Wrest not Gods sword therefore out of his hand sit not downe in his seate and make thy selfe a God for feare of the ende Well let him goe then I will not auenge but sure I will remember him forgiue I may but neuer forget c. Sée what followeth in the very next words of this Verse Neither shalt thou bee mindfull of a wrong against the children of thy people Remembring then you sée is condemned aswell as auenging and therefore it standeth you vpon both to forgiue and to forget or els the Lord shall forget you out of his Booke of life Nay sée more all this is not yet enough but wée must loue also our Neighbours and that euen as our selues or els we perish For I am the Lord saith the Verse that is one that séeth and hateth and wilâ— smite thée in that strength that thou canst not resist nor indure Foolish Politicke thinke then of pietie and abhorre that poliâ—ie that deuoureth pietie and destroyeth thee Thou canst not liue euer but must die and come vnto iudgement 9 Thou shalt not let thy cattell gender with others of diuers kindes Thou shalt not sowe thy fielde with mingled seede neither shall a garment of diuers things as linnen and woollen come vpon thee God will haue his creatures vsed in their kinde as hée hath created them and his ordinance neither ouerthrowen nor corrrected With diuers seedes they sowe their ground which follow diuers doctrines in Religion And linnen and woollen garments are forbidden either because the Gentiles vsed them to whom God would not haue his people like or to note how hatefull to GOD is a fantasticall head caryed about with toyes and idle deuises He that is a Papist héere and a Protestant there hée that taketh part with both sides in a quarrell or matter worldly as a plea of law or such like you may rightly thinke odious by this Lawe c. 10 Whosoeuer medleth with a woman that is a bondmayd affianced to a husband and not redeemed nor freedome giuen her hee shall be scourged but they shall not dye because shee is not made free c. With God there is no respect of bond or free but in seates of Iustice and execution of punishments there is ought to be great difference because there commeth not so much hurt to the Common-wealth by