further successe according to the promise he held it most fit to behaue himselfe in such sort So was the case altered by an Omnipotent God striking euen that Lyon with a reuerence of his Minister and after great gifts giuen to the Colledge he departed peaceably into Aegypt Not an vnlike reuerence did God strike into the heart of Herode of Iohn Baptist the Text saying Herod feared Iohn knowing that he was a iust man a holy and reuerenced him and when he heard him he did many things and heard him gladly Surely the Lord is the same both in power and mercie if we will be true Pastors and Ministers to him and his people Well may the mountaines be moued and the lesser hilles tremble but his mercie shall neuer depart from his Ministers nor the Couenant of his peace be altered Onely onely let vs looke to our part of the Couenant and performe it not loytering but labouring and that in such sort as maketh most for the edifying of our flocke Let not them gape vpon vs and catch nothing our words passing like a streame for our praise not for their profit c. 2 The bloud was to be put vpon the hornes of the Altar saith the 12. verse that so might bee shadowed how the preaching of the Gospell concerning the blood and passion of Christ should be published and sounded through the foure corners of the world euen ouer the whole earth And all the rest of the bloud thou shalt powre at the foote of the Altar So noting againe how the bloud of Christ though in it selfe sufficient for all yet becommeth not helpfull to all but is vnprofitably powred out for many as this héere was at the foot of the Altar through their owne vnbeleefe and wicked hardnes of heart treading vnder their féete that holy atonement Hebrewes 10. The fat was to be offered vnto the Lord euen the fat that couered the inwardes and the kall that is on the liuer and the two kidneyes c. That so men mightlearne to giue vnto God their best seruice duetie most thankfully euer confessing that all fatnes that is all comfort and prosperitie and ioy commeth from him as from the fountaine and it is due to him as his owne from all men But O change of mens hearts in these daies from this perswasion and duetie When the verie worst is thought good inough for God our worst corne our worst Calfe our worst Lambe and too often neyther good nor bad shall God haue of vs. Is this to burne the fatte vpon the Altar vnto the Lord Then for thankefull feeling as giuen of GOD it is also farre from vs many I meane as we are néere to consuming vengeance for the same We sacrifice prayse to our purses to our wits to our friends and to any thing rather than to God So that I feare the prophane Atheisme wickednesse of Aiax Timotheus two Captaines of Athens stealeth into the hearts of men in these daies Of which Aiax it is written that when he went to the Troian warre his carefull father Telamon aduised him to behaue himselfe manfully and to be valiant in attempting great things honourable and praise-worthie adiutore Deo God being his helper But Aiax like a mad Athiest answered Timidis ignauis opus esse auxilio Diuino That feareful and cowardly men had need of Gods help he would attaine to victorie without God Which odious and damnable Speach of an arrogant wretch Sophocles saith was punished with burning torches of Furies whereby he was bereaued of his wits and so madde slew himselfe A fit end for such a monster Of Timotheus the other Athiest thus we read That when certayne enuious persons spiting his successe made and spread abroade certayne pictures or fables wherein they portrayed Fortune hanging nets about such Cities as he had subdued he sléeping fast and dooing nothing whereby they maliciously sought to rob him of his due prayse and to giue it to Fortune hee vnadvisedly out of a proud and prophane heart brake out into these wordes Ego feci non Fortuua These thinges I tell you my selfe haue done not Fortune After which wordes hee neuer had successe in any seruice more Understand by Fortune GOD as the better Heathens did and the wickednes will appeare better of this Speach Let vs then learne to burne the fat vnto God that is euer and euer to acknowledge that all our prosperitie and successe all our comfort and good is from him and him onely without whom we can do nothing 3 But the flesh of the Calfe and his skinne and his doung shalt thou burne with fire without the host It is a sinne offering By these things was represented the Olde man subiect to sinne and curse which hath no place in the Church but must be carried out of the host flesh and bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of God Others apply it to Christ as a figure of him and aleadge the Apostles words to the Hebrewes where he saith The bodies of those beastes whose bloud is brought into the Holy place by the High-Priest for sinne are burnt without the campe Therefore euen Iesus that he might sanctifie the people with his owne bloud suffered without the gate As if he should haue said the carrying out of these things out of the host and burning of them there was a notable figure how Christ should suffer being an offering for sinne without the gate not in the Citie The vse whereof followeth in the same place Let vs therefore goe foorth to him out of the campe bearing his reproach Sée your Marginall Note in your Bible vpon the words 4 Going from this sacrifice to the next of the Ramme vers 17. he saith Thou shalt cut the Ramme in peeces c. It was not lawfull to teare and rend the sacrifices but there was vsed a cunning right cutting of euerie part whole vp as it grew vpon the bodie both for reuerence of the sacrifice and to the end euery part appointed by GOD to an vse might truely and rightly and wholly be so vsed From this cutting and diuiding the Apostle drewe his word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Tim. 2. 15 To deuide the word aright Not to rend and teare not to wring wrest to our fancies the holy Sayings of God not to bring a sense but to take a sense and to kéepe the puritie of doctrine the soundnes of truth the proportion of Faith teaching conuincing correcting and instructing in righteousnes rightly that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect to all good workes How men haue fayled in this who so readeth the Monuments of times may sée to his griefe In Tertullian and others how the Valentinian Heretikes and many moe abused the holy Scriptures by their interpretations euerie man may read Origen was learned yet how ill he diuided holy Writ by forced and conceyted allegories it is pitifull to see Thus may
haue their Page 206. line 34. would haue you eschue Page 234. line 34. Miriams Page 242. line 20. Sin Page 244. line 5. heare of Page 329. line 16. make you a Page 332. line 8. said not to be Page 351. line 17. president Page 355. line 19. this rash Page 366. line 22. funerall Page 436. line 1. but God Some other faults there are escaped which the diligent reader may easily amend The like notes vpon euery Chapter of the bookes of Exodus and Leuiticus TOuching this booke of Exodus in genenerall wée may note two things in it First the authority of it and secondlie the profit we may take by it The authority of it very well appeareth by such allegations as are made out of it in the new Testament for the confirmation of most weighty points of our Christian faith as the resurrectien of the dead our free election by grace not by merit with other such like The profit of it is double historicall and mysticall Historicall by notable examples of Gods wrath and mercy Wrath towards the Egiptians Maleâ—hites and such like mercy towards the Israelites and those that shew mercy vnto them as Rahab the Midwiues and others The former may teach the wicked to beware because God certainely payeth home at the last The latter may confirme all true beléeuers in Gods promises which euer were and shal be performed in their time Also make vs patient to endure the Lords good pleasure euer séeing he both so gratiouslie regardeth and so mercifully moderateth the afflictions of his children Both the points togither may teach vs that kingdomes gouernments are disposed by God euen as shall please his holy will For hée setteth vp and he taketh downe hée establisheth and changeth according as hée is serued and obeyed by Princes and people gouerning and gouerned Able to shiuer in péeces the greatest that euer was and as able againe to support the weakest when he pleaseth The mystical profit of this booke is a declaration of our Sauiour Christ and the merits of his passion which is most notablie made héerein by types and figures and liuelie resemblances as will appeare in their places The whole booke may bée deuided into these two parts The birth as it were and the beginning of the Church in the first fiftéene Chapters Then the education and bringing vp of the same in the rest of the booke CHAP. 1. This first Chapter hath these chiefe heads in it The multiplication of the Israelites The crueltie of the Aegyptians The vertue of the Midwiues COncerning the first point you sée in the fifth verse that all the soules which came out of the loines of Jacob into Egypt with him were but seuentie soules of which little flocke God made such an increase as the Egyptians grew afraide of it For they brought-forth fruite and increased in aboundance saith the seuenth verse and were multiplied and were excéeding mightie so that the land was full of them Some make the Hebrew word to signifie an increase like corne where one graine bringeth forth thirty sixty or a 100. Some as fishes which multiply in greater number than any creature R. Salamoh saith the womeÌ„ had oft foure and fixe at a burden God so prouiding to fulfill his promise touching their increase Genesis 22. 17. In the booke of Numbers you may more particularlie sée what came of euerie one For Reuben the eldest son of Jacob so increased that his branches there are saide to be sixe and forty thousand and fiue hundered Simeon his second sonne increased to nine and fifty thousand thrée hundered and fifty Gad his third sonne to fiue and forty thousand six hundred and fifty and so for the rest read their increase in that place Whereof to make some good vse to our selues wée may note and marke first the truth of Gods propromise made to Abraham in the 15. of Gen. when he bad him looke vp to the stars of heauen and number them if hée could assuring him then that euen so would hée make his posteritie and ofspring a mightie people and a great kindred which wée all sée héere was fulfilled So assuredlie true are all other of Gods promises and therefore thinke of what you will your faith and comfort shal not faile you That swéete promise that at what time soeuer a sinner repenteth truly of his sinnes God in mercy will forgiue him it shall neuer faile Hée may as soone cease to bée God as cease to be true in any thing which hée hath spoken And for this particular he hath not onely spoken it but sworne it that as he liueth he will not the death of any true peâ—itent and sorrowfull sinner Wée may not therefore do him wrong and doubt of it It is no pride to take fast hold of this word but it is duty due from vs to confesse his truth and to be thankefull An other promise he hath made to vs that if we seeke the kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof these worldly wants of ours shall euer be supplied as shall bée fit and good for vs. This also will he as assuredlie kéepe as he is God to the great quietnesse of our hearts if wée will beléeue him In a word that promise of all promises that if we beleeue in his Son we shall neuer perish but haue eternall life hée will performe So both for this life and that to come wée haue his word and no more than hée failed Abraham in multiplying his séede will he faile vs in any promise Only his time wée must tarry and hasty mindes learne humble patience Hée knoweth when is best both for him and vs. Tary hée may but come hée will Neuer vntruth passed from him neuer any that beléeued in him was disappointed of his hope Secondly we may obserue héere the rising of houses and families whence it is euen from the Lord who blesseth where he pleaseth with increase of children maketh a name spread as likewise drieth vp and cutteth off as he pleaseth others It must make vs cease from enuie where we sée increase and stay rash iudgment where we sée decrease For it is the Lords worke in whose matters wée must well beware how wée meddle A third vse ariseth from the time of this increase which was chiefelie and especially after Iosephs death whereupon S. Austin giueth this obseruation Ioseph is dead the children of Israel increase what is this my brethren As long as Ioseph liued they are not said to increase but after his death Surely bretheren these things figured in that Ioseph were fulfilled in in our Ioseph For before our Ioseph died few beléeued in him but after his death and resurrection throughout all the world the Israelites increased and multiplied that is the Christians So saide the Lord himselfe in the Gospell except the corne die that falleth into the gronnd it remaineth but it selfe alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruite Now not in Iudaea onely
slaunder and slaughter and such like but that heere they were idle was an error in the King and a malicious lie in those that so enformed him By which wee may learne and sée how wicked men haue no eyes often to sée the true causes of a thing but most apt and readie to deuise a false Let a man or woman be gréeued extraordinarily with the burthen of their sinnes and with groanes and sighes trauaile vnder the bitternes of it leauing thereupon those recreations which erst they vsed and delighted in what say the wicked oh it is a melancholie and the body would be purged c. But oh they are blinde and haue no eye-sight into the combates of the godly may wee truly say and so leaue them Festus imagineth Paul is mad when he speaketh the words of truth and sobernes and that much learning maketh him mad when learning is wisedome and maketh wise Yea Heli himselfe mistaketh Anna a vertuous woman and déemeth her to be drunke when rauished in her holy féeling shee was crying to GGD with feruent prayer Wherefore the Apostle teacheth To the end Christ might be mercifull a faithfull high Priest in things concerning God it behooued him in all things to be made like vnto his brethren And in another place Wee haue not an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne c. 8. And let them not regard vaine words saith Pharaoh Such taste and such conceipt haue vaine persons of Gods word In the 14. of the Acts the truth of God you knowe is called Heresie of the wicked And in the 17. Chapter it is called Newe of vaine Phylosophers that knewe not what it was Examples of vse to giue vs contentment in patience when like ignorance in our dayes bringeth forth like blasphemies Be stayed strong 9. Then went the Taske-maisters of the people and their Officers out and tolde the people saying Thus saith Pharaoh I will giue you no more straw Goe your selues get you straw where ye can finde it yet shall nothing of your labour be diminished Then were the people scattered c. Sée againe what was said before how the néerer that God draweth to his Church and Children to doo them good the more rageth Sathan in and by his members against them Hard hard therefore are the beginnings of deliuerance out of Egypt spirituall Egypt I meane as well as out of this earthly Egypt And therefore when the Lord shall touch thy hand and open thine eyes to sée where thou art how farre out of the way that leadeth to eternall life and giue thée a desire to returne and be saued Remember what the wise-man saith and bee comforted with it My Sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of GOD stand fast in righteousnes and feare and prepare thy soule to temptation c. Reade the place to the ende Remember that Example in the Gospell how the foule spirit being commaunded to depart rent and tare the partie more and worse than euer before Wee cannot leaue anie sinne wherein wee haue continued but by and by some contrarie winde will blowe and wee shall be discouraged if it may be somtimes with threatnings and bitter words sometimes with shew of perils and losses that may ensue sometimes with mocks and taunts in very spightfull manner and in a word if wee haue done euill wee must doo euill still and so be cast away or else Sathan will want his will But be strengthened with this Example and others in the Word Here now their burthen and miserie is greater than euer before For now they must haue no more straw but gather it where they can and yet make vp the tale and number of their bricke before which was a great extremitie yet the end is still as the Lord hath decréed his purpose is to deliuer them from this slauerie and when his time commeth they shall bee deliuered and let goe whosoeuer saith nay Though discomfort encrease for a little while to drawe sighes out of the heart to him that can helpe yet it shall end with ioyfull comfort put in the place of it and so much the sooner by how much it groweth the sharper O stand then and shrinke not and say in your heart now now is my God at hand For now I féele and sée the enemie maddest to oppresse me if hee could Come therefore swéete Lord I humbly beséech thée stay not and till thou commest vouchsafe thy hand to stay me that I faint not Thou art strong and I am weake thou art good and I am bad but thou art mine and I am thine O Blessed Blessed support thine owne that I may euer praise thée 10. And the Taske-masters hasted them saying Finish your dayes-worke c. And they beate them Then they cried to Pharaoh c. A Storie to shew you if you note it how the Law worketh without the Gospel euen roughlie sharply and rigorouslie For doo this doo this finish finish the work is stil the voice of it Whereby sin and the Deuill rageth as here Pharaoh doth For sinne saith the Apostle tooke occasion by the law c. So sinne reuiued But I died and the same commaundement which was ordained vnto life was found to be vnto mee vnto death c. Then crieth the true Israelite O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death as heere they cried vnto Pharaoh to bee deliuered from their miserie Blessed therefore bee the Lord for his swéete Gospell which helpeth all this rigour and giueth vs comfort and deliuerance in his Sonne from this great rage to our endlesse comfort Sée also how Tyrannie once begunne encreaseth more and more from words to blowes verse 14. And when they crie vnto Pharaoh in hope of remedie verse 15. shewing him the iniquitie of their vsage and how their offence in not making vp their tale of bricke grew by other mens faults that gaue them no straw verse 16 this pittifull complaint which should haue moued him to commiseration worketh but a confirmation of tyrannie in the wicked King first mocking and scoffing at their Religion as wicked men vse to doo verse 17 and vttering his crueltie with his owne mouth There shall no straw be giuen you yet shal you deliuer the whole tale of Bricke ver 18. Wherefore how happie Kingdomes be to which the Lord hath graunted mercifull and gracious Princes full of pittie and clemencie flowing from a true taste of holy Religion and from an immoueable loue of their true Subiects I leaue the Reader if he haue any bowels in him to féele and consider sending vp his thanks where it is due for what hee enioyeth in abundant measure 11. Then the Officers of the Children of Israel saw thēselues in an euill case c. And they met Moses and Aaron who
it would be thought of though the persons of such Messengers may be thought contemptible yet he that sent them will beare no contempt in the end 6. But Pharaoh by this myracle was made nothing better Therefore euidently it appeareth that albeit signes and myracles be required of some men to satisfie an itching humour to sée newes and vnder a pretense that if they sawe such thinges they would beléeue yet indéede these meanes will not reforme them but euen more and more they become rebellious against the truth as héere was Pharaoh Wherefore the Lord doth not yéeld to the foolish fancies of men in this behalfe but answereth in the Gospel to such humours This adulterous and crooked generation seeketh a signe but none shall be giuen them more than the signe of Ionas the Prophet The consideration whereof should make vs wise and to cease from vaine spéeches as what signe shewe they what myracles worke they with such like And to kéepe in the knowne way To the Law and to the Testimonie that is to the written word of God extant among vs confessed and acknowledged by both sides and if our doctrine and perswasions be according to that then are they assuredly right then is there light in our doings and the Sunne of true vnderstanding shineth vpon vs. For the Word is truth the Word is olde and oldest a lanthorne a rule a guide a teacher not to be excepted against euer This way doth God choose and trie myracles by it if you remember in the 13. of Deut. not admitting of all the wonders in the world if they leade contrarie to this neither reiecting this though there be no daily wonders added to it since the doctrine being the same the signes and wonders alreadie done by Christ and his Apostles mentioned in the Scriptures abundantly serue But how doth Pharaoh shift of this great Signe séeing he is not disposed to yéeld to it surely if you marke it euen in the very same sort that some now a-daies doo who talking of Religion and séeming as if they were willing to be resolued when they heare a reason which they cannot answere in stéede of yéelding say were such and such heere they could answere you c. So playeth Pharaoh hee thinketh of his wise men and learned men whereof Egypt had store and though he cannot tell what to say himselfe to so manifest a Signe yet hee perswadeth himselfe they can and send for them hee will to sée what they can say rather than yéeld to the worke of God They being come as they were blinde themselues mingling with good learning vaine errors of Magicke incantation and inuocation of Spirits so in the iust Judgement of God they became instruments of blindnes vnto Pharaoh to holde him still in disobedience and hardnes of heart against the Lord and his true Messengers A thing worthie marking and due remembrance whilest wee liue to the end we may learne to affect truth better and to giue place to reason in our hearts and soules when it is laide before vs without pinning our selues to other mens sléeues who erring themselues in that which is sought though otherwise happily learned and to be liked can neuer doo any better Office to vs than these Enchaunters did to Pharaoh namely still and still with their iuglings make vs stiffe and stubborne against our God and against our good till we perish in Hell as Pharaoh did in the Red-sea S. Paule therefore rightly naming two of these Enchaunters compareth all false whisperers vnto them saying And as Iannes and Iambres withstoode Moses so doo these also resist the truth men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith But they shall preuaile no longer c. 7. But how did these Enchaunters kéepe Pharaoh in his blindnes The Text saith They did the like and so abated the credite of Aarons myracle Whereupon question is made whether in déede and truth they did the like or onely in shewe by deceauing the sight And answere is giuen by some that if we affirme God in anger Judgement towards Pharaoh to haue changed the rods also of the Enchaunters into true Serpents there is no absurditie but other much better like to say there was a deceauing of sight and whatsoeuer shew they made it was but false and phantasticall Non fuisse veros dracones sed sic apparuisse virtute Daemonis ex aeris transmutatione That they were not true Serpents but so onely seemed to be by the power of the Deuill changing the ayre This then especiallie is to be noted that false signes and wonders can be done by Sathan and his members God so permitting and therefore that wee stand fast in the truth which wee haue learned out of Gods Booke and trie myracles by truth not truth by myracles according to the Rule of God taught vs in his Word For were it neuer so strange and admirable a thing if the drift of it be to leade vs from truth to error the worke is naught the worker is a deceauer Antichrist saith the Apostle shall be powerfull in lying signes and wonders In regard of which Admonition S. Augustine said Contra mirabiliarios cautum me fecit Deus meus c. Against wonder-workers and myraclemongers my God hath made me warie fore-telling mee That in the latter dayes there should be such which if it were possible should deceiue the very Elect. The Schoolemen say héere Moses Aaron fecerunt miraculum Magi autem mirum non miraculum Moses and Aaron did a myracle but the Enchaunters did a meruaile no myracle meaning because what they did was counterfeit But I stand not vpon it It is further most worthie marking héere that Aaron his Rod deuoured their rods for thereby wee are notably taught the end of falshoode and error at the last Truth shall deuoure it in Gods good time for Magna est veritas praeualet Great is truth and preuaileth If you continue in my word saith our blessed Sauiour you shall knowe the truth and the truth shall make you free Yet Pharaoh could not sée but his heart was still hardened euen as in our times wee knowe the fearefull blindnes of some in the greatest light that may be giuen them A wise heart will note this earnestly and neither be moued to such obstinacie nor cease to feare the like iudgement if vnthankfully Gods fauour vouchsafed be passed ouer Much doth God for either man or place when hee graciouslie giueth good Teachers and where such Enchaunters as these are receaued and hearkened vnto what can follow but Pharaohs hard hart to eternall woe Beware beware whilest God giueth you time To day if you will heare his voice harden not your heart How knowe you what iudgement and wrath to morrowe day may bring vpon you Truth may be oppressed for a time God so pleasing either to punish or trie his people but finally suppressed it shall not be God being stronger than all his enemies
Pharaoh being offered to appoint the time himselfe appointed the next day saying To morrowe rather than presently the Frogges being so vgly and no place frée from them no not the Kings Chamber Who would not haue cryed now now euen forthwith pray that I may be deliuered from this plague rather than to haue stayed till the next day It is answered first that hee still doubted whether it was the Finger of God or an enchauntment and therefore was content to deferre the time to trie whether of it selfe it would passe away and so to discredite Moses and Aaron Such hollowe holes are in Hypocrites hearts when they séeme religious and carefull of Prayer or other good things Secondly héerein he shewed the nature of the wicked who not onely deferre their owne duties from day to day but as much as they can put ouer others also that offer good things vnto them as for example if a Preacher tender his seruice this Sabaoth he is tolde the next will be far more fit and if he come also the next Sabaoth then is either the Maister from home the Gentlewoman sicke the weather too hote or colde or some such thing that be Moses neuer so readie yet Pharaoh is not readie but cras cras to morrowe to morrowe is still the song till the Lord strike and all Morrowes end wee passing away to woe without end for our deferring That Moses taketh his owne time and saith Be it as thou hast said it is to teach him that at all times the Lord is the Lord his myracles no enchauntments but a powerfull working for his owne glory the gracious Deliuerance of his Church 11. Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh and Moses cried vnto the Lord concerning the Frogges c. Why went Moses forth might not hee haue stayed in the Court and haue prayed there God forbid but wee should thinke Courts to be places of prayer for such as haue a censcience in euery place to lift vp hands and heart to God yet would God also the hinderances and impediments so to doo in those places were fewer Surelie great Courtiers are found that a meaner place hath yéelded their hearts more heate to good things than those glistering places haue as sometimes a Country-house and sometimes a darke hole in a close prison Moses cried vnto the Lord saith the Text and prayer doth what neither doores nor lockes nor any strength or wit of man could doo the weapons of Gods children are such and so mightie The word of Crying noteth the vehemencie of Moses prayer against colde formalitie too common in most prayers It noteth not any loudnes of voice although that also be lawfull at times since the same Moses is said to crie in another place when hee spake not a word but from his inward Spirit Ezechias thus cried vnto his God and escaped both a mortall disease and the huge host of the Assyrians But what prayer can doo I hope you knowe and therefore goe no further 12. And the Lord did according to the Saying of Moses Sée the credite that Gods seruants haue with their mercifull God they aske and he giueth without any stop Can you thinke God heareth Moses alone no saith the Psalme God is neere vnto all that call vpon him yea to all all and euer remember it Hee will fulfill the desire of all them that feare him he will heare their crie and will saue them The Lord preserueth all them that loue him but he will destroy all the vngodly Wherefore my mouth shall speake the praise of the Lord and all flesh shall blesse his holy Name for euer and euer Daily experience sheweth the like and therefore as Moses héere euen despised Moses was stronger with his God and by his God than all Egypt to remoue a plague so shall wee euer be more strong than our enemies in what God shall sée vs fit to be enabled Wherefore one Moses is better for a kingdome than many others that are iudged to be of greater vertue c. 13. So the Frogges dyed in the houses in the townes and in the fields And they gathered them together on heapes and the Land stanke of them saith the Text. Had it not béene as easie for the Lord to haue taken them quite away assuredly to the Lord all was one but this was done to shewe the truth of the myracle that they were Frogges indéede no enchauntments thereby to méete with the vnbeléefe of the King and all his Courtiers who either openly in words or secretly in heart thought otherwise And by one meanes or other the Lord shall euer in his good time deliuer his truth from false surmises his faithfull Ministers from false imputations and write the wickednesse of Atheists and carnall men vppon their faces to their confusion Onely be wee patient to tarie his will to like of his way and be we assured we shall both sée his glory and receaue comfort 14. But when Pharaoh sawe that he had rest giuen him he hardned his heart and hearkened not vnto them as the Lord had said Sée the corruption of our nature if God worke not No sooner is the rod off but as the Dogge to his vomite and the Sowe to her myre so wretched man returneth to his olde bias and falleth to his former sinne againe When wee are sicke or distressed any way wee pretend repentance wee pray wee crie wee vowe and what not in shewe But forasmuch as all riseth from feare and not from loue it vanisheth againe as soone as the feare is past and the Deuill returneth with seauen worse than himselfe making our end more odious than euer our beginning was This hath béene touched before but yet euer marke it and feare it your selfe as you haue a care to please God For if you forsake God you can neuer blame God if hee forsake you and if after God hath giuen you rest you become retchlesse as Pharaoh was here then if as hee in the sea so you in eternall woe be drowned for euer you haue your desert and GOD is iust 15. The Frogge is as wee all knowe a foule filthie creature abiding in foule places as bogges and myrie plashes all the day long and at night péeping out with the head aboue the water making a hatefull noise with many others of his sort till the day appeare againe Wherefore Diuines haue thought that by these foule creatures fitlie might be resembled such croking Crues as hiding themselues all the day in an Ale denne or such like place of vncleanenes as soone as night commeth put out their heads and make a hatefull noise against Gouernours and Superiours neighbours and honest persons till all that heare them be wearie of them Which filthie Frogges the Lord assuredly will deale with all in his good time as here he did with these Egyptian Frogges namely kill them destroy them and make the stinch of them knowne to manie Till then let patience and
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.
all sinnes So in Daniel is it saide that to Antichrist are giuen the eyes of a man still therefore marke how these properties hit Sixtly Their haire as the haire of women So are these they are delicious and wanton full of light allurements so trick and trim in silke and sutes of their fashion that the very Persians may séeme to giue place vnto them when they are in their Pontificalibus and gay attire In a word nothing may be saide more truly than that their haire is like the haire of women Their loose life hath toâ— much proofe Seauenthly But their teeth were as the teeth of Lyons So are these passing cruell and beyond all the butchering Tyrants that Stories speake of No mercie no bowels no respect of age seâ—e or circumstance vsually respected of men that haue any remnants of pitie Their Inquisition Oh how mercilesse their new deuised Torments Oh how strange Againe their teeth may bee well said to be like Lyons because they deuoured and eate vp such great things Looke vpon their Abbies Priories Nunries and all Religious Houses iudge what teeth they had and when there was not enough to satisfie them of temporall Lands then they preyed vpon the Church making Impropriations the venome whereof remaineth yet So that one way or other they were planted placed seated and setled in the very fat of the earth and had they continued still and not béene limited to fiue moneths who or what should haue escaped their Lyon-like teeth Eightly They had Habbergions like to Habbergions of yron And â—o haue these if you well marke them for by these yron Brest-plates are noted two properties found in the Romish rabble First a most obstinate stubbornnesse and inflexible frowardnesse not enduring any perswasion not yéelding any way but crying euer The Church The Church I am setled I am resolued and as a Captaine of theirs an English Apostata saide once Heaue at vs whilest you will and whilest you may you shall neuer remoue vs. This is to haue an Habbergion or Brest-plate of yron or euen to bee turned into yron Blessed be God who hath thus foretolde vs of this striffe conâ—umacie of theirs to the end we should take no offence that they are not conuerted vnto the Truth but stand and die in their wilfulnes Secondly they are defended by that Antichristian power as it were by an Habbergion of yron claiming an impunitie immunitie from all secular power and authoritie and hauing in readines curses and threats of Excommunication euen against the Greatest Princes and against All their Subiects who shall obey them whereof many a wofull Tragedie hath followed Againe themselues many of them haue béene Princes younger Sonnes Noble-mens younger sonnes greatly allied and friended so that in regard of this power and strength they might truly be saide to haue Habbergions of yron Ninthly The sound of their wings was like the sound of Chariots when many horses runne vnto battell So haue these winges when they flie aloft by the Names of MOST HOLY FATHERS MOST BLESSED MOST EXCELLENT and such like themselues giuing out That they are more blessed than the holy virgin Mary because she bare Christ but once and they make him and beare him in their hands euery day at the Altar Thus flying with their light wings of proud Titles they make such a noise and sound as Chariots drawne by many horses into the battell For denie any of these things and how violent how vehement are they by Disputations Excommunications Suspentions and Sentences of death it selfe Surely no whéeles of Chariots can flash out fire so as these men doo if their flickering wings of flattering Titles be touched Fitly therefore the words of S. Iohn hit them Their Scorpion tailes and power to hurt was touched before therefore I omit it now The tenth Marke is Those Locusts haue a King ouer them And so haue these Romish Locusts their Pope acknowledging no Magistrates authoritie ouer them but exalting him and exempting themselues from all others This King of the Locustes is héere called The Angel of the bottomlesse pit and in the eleuenth Chapter The Beast that commeth out of the bottomlesse pit Wordes of weight to mooue all Popish mindes if the Lord had not a purpose to destroy them For they must néedes acknowledge such a King is not worth the following and that their Pope is this King that which hath béene said and may further be noted of him clearely sheweth For hee that crosseth and crusheth to his vttermost power His Doctrine that came from Heauen he is the King that commeth out of Hell in whom S. Hierome saith the Deuill dwelleth bodily But the Pope doth so as proofe enough will manifest and Ergo the conclusion followeth as I said His Name also is folde héere which giueth againe great light For albeit the Pope be called Holy Father and so forth yet indéede he is a bloodie Destroyer and so his right Name in Hebrewe is Abaddon and in Greeke Apollyon that is destroying Thus in the Prophecie of the Reuelation hath God you sée described a fearefull kinde of Locustes vnto the consideration whereof by reason of these Egyptian Locusts or Grashoppers we haue slipped I hope not without some encrease of féeling how dreadfull their steps be that continually walke in Romish wayes and will not be reclaimed by any meanes Our owne safer iudgement God make vs thankfull for and continue the blessed helpes of our confirmation in his Truth euer vnto vs his holy and Heauenly Word a fréedome to vse all the profitable exercises thereof as Preaching hearing reading writing praying conference and whatsoeuer else without feare vnder the swéete smelling gouernment of a gracious Prince our dread Souereigne Amen Amen 10. Therefore Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in hast and saide I haue sinned against the Lord your God and against you And now forgiue me my sinne onely this once and pray vnto the Lord your God that he may take away from me this death one 〈…〉 Thus the wicked in extremities seeke to Gods Ministers whom in their heart they hate and cannot abide But this hypocriticall holinesse of this dissembling King we haue diuers times noted before and therefore may passe it ouer now Yet marke the great vehemency of his wordes and consider in your minde what a déep sin Hypocrisy is how disagréeing from the nature of God who is all Truth and from that blessing in the Gospell of a pure heart Moses yéelded againe to pray to God And by a mightie strong West-winde the Grashoppers were taken away and violently cast into the Red-Sea so that there remained not so-much as one in all the coast of Egypt But when it was done Ph 〈…〉 h shewed himselfe in his olde colour and would not let them goe The 9. plague 1. VVHere vpon the Lord spake againe to Moses and said Stretch out thine hand toward heauen that there may be vpon the land
often remember that good Counsaile of the wise man My sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of GOD stand fast in righteousnes feare AND PREPARE THY SOVLE TO TEMPTATION Settle thy heart and be patient bowe downe thine eare and receaue the words of vnderstanding and shrinke not away when thou art assailed but waite vpon God patiently Ioyne thy selfe vnto him and depart not away that thou maist be encreased at the last end Whatsoeuer commeth vnto thee receaue it patientlie and be patient in the change of thine affliction For as gold and siluer are tried in the fire euen so are men acceptable in the fornace of aduersitie And so forth much more if you will reade the Place your selfe Forget not what the Apostles in the Acts did and said Who confirmed the Disciples hearts and exhorted them to continue in the faith affirming that wee must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God There are many such places in Scripture Away then with those crooked wayes wherein too many doo walke and be taught by these Examples what euer to doo The Gospel is welcome to manie at the first and they greatly reioyce in it but when either trouble groweth for it or they are restrained by it from their accustomed sinnes of swearing drunkennes sensualitie couetousnes oppression vsurie and such like then they wish they had neuer béene troubled with such preaching and all Gods mercie is returned to him with great vnthankfulnes as héere it was of these murmuring Israelites If authoritie and offices either in Church or CoÌ„mon-wealth be giuen in Gods goodnes to some men they receaue them ioyfullie and say they are much bound to God for them But when such things happen as vsuallie followe such places to wit trouble and charge lies and slaunders contumelies and reproaches with great vnthankfulnes then they turne both tongues and hearts and wish they neuer had béene so graced For Matches and mariages O what impietie is in many many times cursing the parties and almost cursing God that gaue them such a match when yet at the beginning all was well and euerybody pleased Let all these and all others faulty in like sort looke vpon these murmuring Israelites and be ashamed of such sinne For man and wife let them consider but one thing which GOD hath giuen them in their owne bodies and sée how it will instruct them Their two eyes if they goe together and looke both one way be it vpward or downward to the right hand or to the left All is well and comely in the face But if they bée seuered and the one eye looke one way and the other an other there is a blemish wée all confesse and it is not well So man and Wife who as the two eies are made to looke one way should neuer bee seuered to goe a sunder to crosse one an other to reproach one an other to shame one an other to breake-vp house and depart one from another Surely the blemish is great and as many as care either for piety or honestie will consider of it Secondly these words of the Israelites may shew vs what is the course of too many Men and Women in the world another way euen to preâ—er the flesh-pots of Egypt before the Land of Canaan and bellies full of bread before a blessed deliuerance out of cruell bondage that is Earth before Heauen and the ioyes of this world before all that can bee giuen when this life is ended A miserable and monstrous blindnesse yet such as no perswasion will preuaile against it is so setled and rooted in sinfull hearts Remember what you reade in the 11. of Iohn when Christ had raised vp Lazarus to life againe And many that had seen these things beleeued on him Then gathered the high Priests a Councill and said what shall we doe If we let this man thus alone all men wil beleeue in him now marke and the Romanes will come take away both our Place and Nation So before Christ they preferre their places and for the world adieu to Heauen Such others were those in the Prophet Ieremy who measured Religion by plenty and scarcitie iudging that best which brought most profit and that worst wherein there was any want The word which thou hast spoken say they to vs in the Name of the Lord we will not heare of thee But we will doo whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth as to burne incense to the Queene of heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her as we haue done both wee and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes c. For then had we plentie of victualles and were well and felt no euill But since we left off to burne incense to the Queene of Heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her wee haue had scarsenesse of all things and haue beene consumed by the sword and by famine But if you reade the rest of the Chapter you shall see that their Plagues grew because they sinned against the Lord and would not be ruled by his Word to worship him and him onely according to his Word Such Arguments made the Heathen against the Christians in former times as witnesseth Tertullian Cyprian and others attributing all calamities that happened to the Christians because that they worshipped not the Idols of the Heathens but they answered euen as Ieremy that such calamitles fell because they the Heathens would not forsake their Idols embrace Gods true Religion so indéede they did Such words and euen the very selfe same words vse the Papists against vs and the Gospell at this day telling vs often and too often vnlesse it were truer how great plenty was in former times when Popery swaied how many egges forsooth for a penny and all this geare grounding an argument thereupon that therefore that was truth and this is falshood euen as Heathenish and Iewish Idolaters did before them But with Ieremy and the godly Fathers we truely inuert their argument vpon them that their contempt of truth and foule Idolatry in despite of truth prouoketh God to many crosses and will yet prouoke him further if they continnue without amendment And touching their pretended plenty when Popery ruled we say it is a Tale for as great dearth was then as since Touching our owne country of which I chiefely speake let them remember what our Chronicles note in Richard the first his time how sharpe a scarcity there was by the space of thrée or foure yeares What a Sommer that was in Edward the 3. his time called the deere Sommer In Richard the 2. his time what a dearth when the people wereforced so to féede vpon fruite to susteine Nature as that thereby many fell into fluxes and dyed How the childrens cries were so pitifull for the want of foode which their Parents had not to giue them as a stonie heart could not indure to heare Of Henry the sixth his time when
people were forced to make bread of Fearne rootes And to go no further of Acrone bread in Quéene Maries time Were there now so many egges a penny and all cheape cheap Yet Poperie swaied in blinded hearts too much No no The calamities which haue béene in places where this Ignorance ruled haue béene equall or greater than vnder the Gospell euer as all Stories tel vs. Hath Rome it selfe neuer béene affected hath the Pope himselfe neuer béene taken prisoner Haue Romish warres euerprospered or Popish conspiracies had their wished effects Blessed be the God of Heauen for it they know the contrary And that Spanish Romish and Diuelish attempt in the yéere 1588 yeildeth them matter of wisdome if God so please and vs eternall cause of thanks-giuing vnto God for it Euer praised from our heart roots be the glorious Name of him that so respected vs. But yet this is not the matter for if they had euer had plenty and euer scarcity true Religion is not measured by the belly by flesh-pots or great leaues or any outward prosperity or aduersity but by the Rule which God hath left vs in his holy Scriptures Therefore although wee could obiect vnto them the vnspeakeable blessings of God vpon this Land of ours and thereupon reason as Gamaliel did yet doo wee not but throwing our selues downe at his féete who gaue them all wée rest our selues vpon his Word and so both know truth and hate error as in mercie he enableth leauing flesh-pots and all fleshly reasons to such doughtie disputers as they are that stand vpon such arguments and to strengthen our hearts against this great sinne héere noted in the Israelites Weelooke vpon Demas whose shame liueth in Gods Booke for imbracing the world and forsaking Paule Wée thinke vpon that fearefull crie One drop of water to coole my tongue When all the pleasures of the world which eyther he had or we can haue coulde not helpe And as Elias couered his face with his mantle so do we hide our eies from beholding this world and the deceipts thereof Wée assure our selues Saint Hierom said true Difficile immo impossibile est vt praesentibus quis futuris fruatur bonis vt his ventrem ibi mentem impleat vt de delitijs transeat ad delitias vt invtroque seculo primus sit vt in coelo in terra appareat gloriosus It is hard yea it is impossible that one should enioy both present and future good things that heere he should fill his belly and there his minde that from pleasure he should passe to pleasure that in both worldes he should be chiefe and both in earth and heauen appeare glorious So wee leaue the fleshpots of Aegypt to all earthly Israelites and beséech the Lord to bring vs to his kingdome although it be through many tribulations 6. Then said the Lord to Moses behold I will cause bread to raine from heauen to you and the people shall goe out and gather that which is sufficient for euery day c. O Admirable Mercie and bottomlesse Fountaine of all comfort and pitie Will he now rayne bread from heauen to these vngratefull Murmurers who much rather should haue béene destroyed from the face of the earth Let neuer penitent sinner than despaire of mercie let neuer troubled spirit cast away comfort For how can the sighes of a groaning heart sorrowing for sinne bée neglected of so swéet a God when such proud offendours finde mercie neuer neuer can it be assure your selfe Therefore lay vp this place in your minde and féeling your selfe grieued either for things committed or omitted bée not too much shaken as one out of hope but with faithfull assurance say chéerefully O kinde Father and sweete GOD doo not cast away thy creature that crieth and flieth vnto thy mercy I am vnworthy full wel I know it but thy goodnesse hath no bottome and with ioye I remember it These murmurers and complainers against thy mercies thou yet shewedst more mercie vnto and thy poore seruant suing for grace wilt thou cleane reiect No deare father thy nature is not so and therefore by this fauour to thē I gather cōfort beseech thee to be as thou hast euer been my kinde my gratious and louing Lord. 7 And can God raine bread from heauen why then wée all sée that albeit the fields should faile and the whole earth grow barren yet can the Lord nourish his people and send foode to al those that trust in him It is most true and it is most comfortable leauing no cause why wée should in any distresse be cast downe too much seeing the Lord is not tyed to ordinarie meanes nor our maintenance to the fruites of the earth The Rauens shall both finde meate and bring meate to Elias if he commaund and a little oyle shall continue running till many vessels be full when he so pleaseth Infinite is his power and infinite are his waies to comfort them that cleaue to him Lift vp your thoughts therefore aboue the course of Nature when you thinke vpon GOD and although you haue neither bread nor money nor the whole land any corne yet past hope take hold on hope take hold on hope and leaue God to himselfe Iacob was prouided for in that extreme famine and Gold was brought to Mary and Ioseph from far when they thought not of it What the LORD will doo hee can doo and on our partes Faith onely is required that wee may see his Glory and incomprehensible mercy 8 But why did not God thus comfort his people before they murmurd Surely because he might open vnto them the hidden corruption of their nature and so make them sée all posterity also that not merit in them but mercy in him drew all the fauoures that were shewed to them And remember euer this vse of affliction how it is often sent of God to discouer vs not vnto him who knoweth vs well but to our selues who dote vpon our worth and thinke wée are farre otherwise than wee are yea and to the worlde also which many times is deceaued by our golden shew Stand wée therefore alwaies vpon our watch when the crosse knocketh at our doores and know there is a spic ētered a very tel-tale He wil looke into vs draw-out frō vs what is within our faire looks shal not deceiue him but as we are he wil make vs shew that we may be knowne How Iob and his Wife differ hée wil describe Sarais infirmitie and Zipporahs waspishnesse against their good husbands he will open and in one word hée will tell all Pray we therfore with Dauid euer O let my hart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Sound without glosing faining haulting sound without grudging and inward complainiug that from soundnesse within may flow holinesse without euen patient comfort in Gods Will and so no Shame grow where no shamelesse thing is done c. The Lord graunt
diffidere Remēber to distrust or be not too credulous which Cicero so commendeth and liketh that he doubteth not to call it the synews and ioints of all humane Wisedome It hath place in all our priuate life and actions but especiallie in iudgment This cannot hée doo vnlesse he haue an other vertue included in this namely diligence to heare both sides patientlie fullie indifferently which euer good Iudges doo for want whereof how fowlie some haue bene caried awrie many Stories testifie That one let me remember of Apelles the Ephesian who was accused to Ptolemie by his enemie Antiphilus that he had imparted to one Theodorus treasonable conspiracies plots against the King which Theodorus in truth Apelles had nener seene in his life The King lightlie and hastelie gaue credit to this tale and clapt Apelles vp with full purpose to execute him for it And indeede had so done if a prisoner in the same prison mooued in conscience had not opened the whole truth acquainted Apelles which when the King saw he perceiued also his great fault in crediting too lightly and gaue that accuser to Apelles to doo with him what he would or as some write to be his Bondman for euer Iudges therefore must beware of this great fault and heare euer the defence of the accused Now because we be not al Iudges doth not this law concerne vs yes yes your owne heart can tell you if they must not receiue them we must not tell them raise them and coyne them If we do the Lord séeth it and marketh it and although they wisely auoid the snare of them and set frée the accused and slaundered yet God remaineth a swift Iudge and verie sure to consume such wretches who so against his lawe haue wrought euill against their neighbour and brother If we may not rashly smite and kill with the hand although he be a thiefe no more with the tongue although it be true for charitie hideth a multitude of faults The phrase moueth me and therefore I note it that if God so please it may moue you also Thou shalt not put thy hand with the wicked to be a false or cruell witnesse If to giue the hearing be in some measure to put to the hand surely to haue an itching eare to heare euil reportes of our Christian brethren with delight contentment to beléeue them wholy or half to report thē againe is to put to the hand much more and to be grieuously guiltie before God Yet what so common in our mouthes as I am not the author I am not the first rayser I heard it I haue my author and so forth God that made this law against receiuing knoweth hearing goeth before receiuing if not receiue then not heare not beleeue not report to others For he shal bée thy Iudge who will not be mocked with shifts How many men satisfie their owne consciences herein I know not when they heare with gréedines and haue their instruments laid abroad for that purpose neuer imparting to the partie what they heare that he may answere it but kéeping all close from him and thinking what they please I know there may be some reason to conceale the accuser but to conceale the accusasion I know none For if they will heare with one eare let them heare with the other in the name of God the wrong side being as broad as the right and after two or three accusations cléered they will better know both the accuser and accused to their owne good Would God this fault were not where it least should be and where the sinne of it is as well knowen as others féele the iniurie Till it be amended let the childe of God say with Dauid O God of my righteousnesse and againe God thou knowest mine innocencie and my faults are not hid from thee To thee therefore I flie as knowing all both my good and my bad and in thy knowledge I rest be it vnto me as thou wilt I know thou hast meanes to humble Dauid and what thou doest shall be euer good in the end After a cloude the sunne breaketh foorth and the weather cleareth and is more comfortable 2 After Truth and diligence to attaine to it by hearing both sides the Lord also requireth in a good Iudge Skilfulnesse in the law Constancie saying in the next verse Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do euill neither agree in a controuersie to decline after many ouerthrow the truth Skilfulnesse in law to giue a right sentence not fitting the line to the stone but the stone to the line The line is fitted in the stone when the multitude is followed to doe euill than the which multitude nothing is more mutable and vncertaine The stone is fitted to the line when sentence is giuen according to law and truth that the Iudge hauing his name of Iustice his name and his actions must agrée Constancie stayeth the Iudge skilfull to discerne right and to doo what hee discerneth notwithstanding any company gainsaying it and therefore is Constancie also required in him Now if this may not be done in ciuil matters whose heart will not tell him much lesse may it be done in religion and matters of faith The wordes are playne Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill therefore a multitude may erre and doe euill Neyther decline after many to ouer-throw truth therefore a multitude may ouerthrowe truth And how then can it bee a rule to guide my conscience by either in ciuill or ecclesiasticall matters O weigh it well and with a religious heart and let neither poperie tell you of multitude nor Anabaptists of fewnes and paucitie but euer looke you for truth be they many or few and let that be the issue For proofe there is too much to be recited now that many may erre and many holde truth therefore neither the one number nor the other any rule to a Christian conscience 3 The next vertue in a Iudge is equalitie which is opposed to respect of persons Equalitie giues like vnto like according to one rule certaine from which there must be no departing a haires breadth for any qualities in men as wealth or pouertie and such like On the contrarie part respect of persons giues to like vnlike to like causes vnlike and differing iudgements for qualities in the partie corruptly carying the Iudge his affections As Alexander the Great more respected Ephestio nothing so well deseruing than Craterus a valiant Gentleman and right well deseruing of the common-wealth This equalitie and indifferencie God requireth that it may expresse his nature vpright and indifferent to all men eyther in accusing them by his lawe or sauing them vpon repentance by his Gospell in neither of which he respecteth any mans person Which as it is a iust terror if we do euill how great soeuer we bée so is it as iust a comfort if we turne from it be we neuer
of gold that so it might shadow and shew that all though Christ should suffer die for sin yet he should himselfe haue no sinne but be pure as gold that is holy iust vnspotted the immaculate Lambe of God in whom there is no blemish of impuritie In all things saith the Apostle he was tempted in like sort yet without sinne 3 There were two Cherubims set vpon this Mercie seat in manner as you sée expressed in the picture of your Bible which Cherubims whatsoeuer Iosephus saith were in the most receiued opinion like Angels happely to shadow out the subiection of all Angels to Christ and their readie seruice at his commaundement for the Church and any particular member thereof For vnto which of the Angels saith the Apostle did God say at any time Thou art my Sonne this day begat I thee No it is said Let all the Angels of God woship him And of the Angels he saith He maketh the Spirits his messengers and his ministers a flame of fire Also to shew as they are obedient and seruiceable at all appointments so should we be remembring the incomprehensible goodnes of our God who among other his infinite fauours whereby he bindeth vs to his seruice hath made euen this one That these holy Angels also are our seruants by his appointment A mightie motiue to a good and thankfull minde to labour to become obedient and dutiful to such a Father to such a Creator to such a God Lastly to figure out that when we draw néere to the Propitiatorie a figure of Christ and are of God in his great mercie adopted in Christ for his sonnes we are called and as it were ioyned to the companie and societie of the Cherubims and holy Angels of God A comfort also for vs that come vnto him 4 The Cherubims stretch their wings on high couering the Mercie Seate with their winges so representing the maiestie of Christ who though he should humble himselfe to a verie low estate for mans good yet indéede was of that glorie and brightnesse in his Godhead as no flesh could be able to behold but must hide their eyes and acknowledge their infirmitie if but a small glimse thereof should be shewed them Figuring also the most comfortable protection of the Lord Iesus our Sauiour who spreadeth as it were his wings ouer his Church and euerie member of it to repulse any harme that might happen other than he will graciously turne to his glorie the Church or parties good which then indéed is no harme but a benefit rather although bitter to the flesh disgracefull in the world Thus spread he his winges ouer Iacob and saued him from Laban ouer Ioseph saued him from his brethren ouer Eliah saued him from Iesabell ouer Elisha 2. King 6 and thus euer as the Hen to her chickens so is the Lord our gracious God to all that truly feare him A maruellous swéet Meditation if you follow it 5 The faces of these Cherubims were one towards another and both of them toward the Mercie Seat so representing the consent of the Old and New Testament in both which there is but one truth and one doctrine the Olde hauing his face towards the New and the New also looking at the Olde For what is the Olde Testament but the newe obscure and what the new Testament but the Olde made plaine And both Olde and New looke vpon Christ the promised seed of the woman that should bruise the Serpents head They being saued in the olde Testament by beleeuing he should come and we being saued in the New by beléeuing he is come 6 And there saith God I will declare my selfe vnto thee and from aboue the Mercie Seat betweene the two Cherubims which are vpon the Arke of the Testimonie I will tell thee all things which I will giue thee in commaundement vnto the children of Israel Still note the excellencie of this figure of the Mercie Seat For as God before had spoken out of the bush Exod. 3. 4. vers and out of the cloud Numb 12. 5. vers so hereafter saith he I will speake to you from betwixt these Cherubims and so he did For in the Booke of Numbers you reade thus When Moses went into the Tabernacle of the congregation to speake with God he heard the voyce of one speaking vnto him from the Mercie Seat that was vpon the Arke of the Testimonie betweene the two Cherubims and he spake to him Whereupon the Prophet Esay saith God dwelleth betweene the Cherubims And Dauid in his Psalme also The Lord is King be the people neuer so impatient he sitteth between the Cherubims be the earth neuer so vnquiet And againe Heare O thou Shepeheard of Israel thou that leadest Ioseph like sheepe shew thy selfe also that sittest vpon the Cherubims And fitly did this resemble Christ by whom God afterward would speak vnto his Church whatsoeuer he would commaund As the Apostle writeth to the Hebrewes when he saith At sundrie times and in diuers manners God spake in the olde time to our Fathers by the Prophets but in these last daies he hath spoken to vs by his Sonne which still hee continueth and will vnto the end of the world though not by liuing voice and personall presence in earth as he did for a time How then Still looke vpon the figure Two Cherubims were vpon the Mercie seat representing as you haue heard the Two Testaments and from betweene those two Cherubims God spake so doth Christ still by the Two Testaments the olde and the new the lawe and the Gospell the Prophets and Apostles and so will he still speake to the end Other waies wee must not now expect Reuelations and dreames visions and miracles are ceased and if they will not heare Moses and the Prophets neither wil they beleeue if one should rise and come from the dead vnto them In Moses and the Prophets is the new Testament conteyned though obscurely as you haue heard and therefore still to these Cherubims resort if you meane to heare your God speake Huge is the heape therfore of their sinne that barre Gods people from this way and will make themselues to be Cherubims onely to be heard and beléeued shamefully affirming That the people are not to search the Scriptures but to receiue all things from their Teachers vpon their bare credit not reasoning not disputing not asking any Questions more than the horse asketh his maister why he turneth him this way or that but simply obeying Thus neuer dealt God with people since he gaue them his Scriptures you well know but as the other parts of their spirituall armour Helmet Breastplate and so forth so he bad them take their weapon without which what should armour do euen their sword which saith he is the word of God But truth séekes no darkenesse and lies loue no light Be you armed being warned and go you to the Cherubims where you
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
to amend their light from a good heart to haue all well although they so may profit the lights accidentallye yet their owne fingers may be so burned or blacked as they had better haue dealt more charitably Disputations also haue their excellent vse to cléere matters obscure in the doctrine or light of the Church but so that they be rightlie ordered guided not béeing a strife of words whereof commeth enuie and raylings Neither froward disputations of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of truth whereof the Apostle speaketh and biddeth Timothie auoide them Both these good vses and their contrary abuses we may draw from the matter of the Snuffers which was pure gold so to teach that neither men exercising discipline to remooue darknesse and amend the light should be brasse or iron wood or worse nor disputations and explications diuers differing from the matter of the Candlesticke but both of golde the one brotherly affected and méekely minded the other true right naturall agréeing with the bodie of the Scripture with the proportion of faith and the consent of the godly members of the Church in their times Such Snuffers and snuffing wée shall euer praise God for as heartelie intreate him on the contrarie side to remooue away malice rage from vexing his poore seruants and fruitlesse contentions corrupt glosses from hurting or hindering his holy doctrine the true lampe that lighteth vnto him Thus may this Chapter profit vs if we reade it ouer and yet abstaine frō too bold wading into allegories of euery particular thing as some haue done both in times of old since not without danger and deserued blame A measure is fit and that nothing bee vrged against Faith For of the two Rules in these things to be obserued the first is as S. Paul teacheth vs That he which hath prophecie prophecie according to the proportiō of faith that is so expound things as nothing disagree from the Articles of our faith which is a short Summe of all doctrine This did not Origen obserue and therefore in all succéeding ages he still carieth a blame The secōd Rule is out of the old Prouerb The safest way is the best way The safest way is that wherein the Prophets or Apostles haue gone before who albeit they doo not euer at large fellow an allegorie yet many times they point their fingers at some giuing so the diligent Reader occasion to note more So in Esay the Storie of Gideō is referred to Christ and his Church And in S. Paul that of the paschal Lamb of Moses vayle of Abrahams two wiues the free-woman and the bond-woman of the propitiatorie c. CHAP. 26. THE former Chapter hath shewed GOD his purpose to haue a Sanctuarie or Tabernacle made and what offering to that end hee required now will this Chapter goe forward with the description of the same in what order things were placed in it To the description belong the first thirtie verses and to the order the other last seauen verses Touching the Tabernacle these things you may marke the first couering consisting of ten curtaines of fine twyned linnen and blew silke and purple and scarlet with Cherubims of broidered worke wrought as you sée in the picture of your Bible of which speake the first sir verses Then the 2. couering made of curtaines of Goates haire and spoken of from the beginning of the seuenth verse vnto the fourtéenth vpon which was put a couering of rammes skinnes coloured red and a third couering of Badgers skinnes aboue that againe all to defend the weather and to kéepe the Tabernacle drie Lastly a frame of boordes to support all these couerings and to make it a house for God and his people to méete in from the fifteenth verse to the thirtie Concerning the order of things laide down in the last seuen verses you must note that in this Tabernacle there were three distinct places or roomes First the outward Court as they called it wherein the people were where stood the Brazen Altar and the Lauer of which you reade in the next Chapter which roome was as the bodies of our Churches Secondly a place within that seuered from it wherein the Priests onely were in which roome stoode the Golden Altar of Incense the Table of the Shew-bread and the Golden Candelsticke This was called the Holy Place and it was as our quires Thirdly there was a roome within that againe seuered also by a vayle wherein did stand the ARKE couered with the Mercie seate or propitiatory and the golden Censer was there kept Chap. 40. This was called the most holy place into which the High Priest but once a yéere entered and that with blood This was resembled in the Popish time as I take it by drawing a Curtaine crosse ouer the quire and so parting the vpper end of the quire from the rest which as I remember was done by them in Lent Thus was the matter and forme of that Tabernacle 2 To make allegoricall vse of all these things one by one shoulde be vnwarranted curiositie as I haue saide Only therefore as either others haue taught vs or as wel standeth with Faith let vs walke and profit our selues And first obserue what the Apostle to the Hebrewes doth whose steps wee may safely follow and by his example apply the Holiest place of all to Christ Read the 9. and 10. Chapters of that Epistle Others not contrarie to the Scriptures haue noted by the Common Court or Tabernacle in general the visible Church of God imbracing his Word praying to him and heard of him defended by him in all perills and in the end made partaker of eternall life To this end therefore they thinke of Dauids words in many Psalmes as when he saith O how amiable are thy dwellings thou Lord God of hosts My soule hath a desire and longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord c. Againe One thing haue I desired of the Lord which I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the faire beautie of the Lord and to visit his Temple For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his Tabernacle yea in the secret place of his dwelling shal he hide me set me vp vpon a rocke of stone Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle that is who shal be a member of thy Church Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and receiuest vnto thee he shall dwell in thy courts and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thine house euen of thy Temple All which places vnder the figure of this worldly Tabernacle as the Apostle calleth it note out the visible Church of God dispersed now far and wide ouer the face of the earth the comforts of it and the blessings in it 3 The sumptuous dignitie of euery thing so pure so cleane and so excellent noted
ende but contrariwise bitter at first and swéet at the ende He that forsaketh not all and followeth me cannot bee my Disciple How bitter is this at the first but in the end how swéete You shall sit vpon twelue Seates and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel You shall eate of my Table c. Lastly Christ puffeth no man vp as Leauen doth the Dough neither sowreth his seruant in whom he dwelleth but he maketh him lowly and humble and swéete in behauiour to his brethren poore and gréeued and néeding comfort Melancton not vnprofitably saith Hony was forbidden also to be offered to God to teach that the Word Doctrine of God is not to be turned to popular applause not to content the Prince and to please the people contrary to the Truth and edge of it Art may not drawe his Diuine precepts to make them delight humane Reason but his Word must be left to his right Nature please it or displease it the Hearers For such Hony-offerers are but dawbers and sowers of pillowes vnder mens elbowes flatterers time-seruers hatefull to God and hurtfull to his people Others haue noted that if hony be burned it smelleth not well and therefore was forbidden to be vsed in the Sacrifice shadowing Christs death as this Sacrifice by fire did because his death smelleth most swéetly and right deere vnto God also is the death of his Saintes for him The Gentiles againe vsed to offer hony in their Cakes to their Gods as we read and therefore happily God also forbad it The third Rule you haue in the 13. verse All the Meat-offering shalt thou season with salt neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the Couenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat-offering but vpon all thy Oblations thou shalt offer salt First it is called the salt of the Couenant of God because God required it in all these Sacrifices as a Couenant and thing agréed vpon firme and stable not to be broken which kinde of Couenants were called Couenants of salt Num. 18. 19. 2 Chro. 13. 5. Secondly the Commandement is generall All the Meat-offerings whereupon our Sauiour Christ taketh occasion to exhort that all men would addresse themselues vnto the perpetuall faulâ—les kéeping of Gods holy Couenant by the example of these Offerings which without salt were no way acceptable nor tollerable To the continuall kéeping I say because the Text sayth Thou shalt not suffer the salt of the Couenant of thy God to bee lacking from thy Meat-offering which is as if he had said euer haue in thy selfe the Word and Law of thy God with which thou art seasoned as with salt the Offerings of strangers from Gods Couenant being neuer acceptable but an abhomination to God For the true seasoning which findeth grace with God is no where found but in the Word and therefore all worships deuised by man séeme they neuer so wittie and gay in the eyes of the Inuenters are vnsauorie and odious Others looking at Christ his alluding to this place in the 9. of Marke abouesaid gathered thus of it that Christ from this Ceremonie draweth his exhortation to his faithfull that they patiently indure to be purged and purified if they desire euer to be acceptable to God For euery Sacrifice saith he must be salted with salt and euery man shall be salted with fire that is our corrupt affections by the Word and the Crosse as by a holy fire clensed and cléered from that displeasing sauour they yéelde and we wholly seasoned vnto God as this mortalitie will giue vs leaue If you thinke farther of salt thus preferred before Leauen and hony you shall sée that salt is most commodious for mans vse For salt kéepeth our meate from putrifaction it kéepeth wine from sowring it preserueth dead bodyes a long time swéet and sauourie it yéeldeth our meate a good taste and dryeth vp the superfluous moisture of it in our bodyes which might bréed diseases and in a word so good it is that the Prouerbe ioyneth it with the Sunne without which we cannot liue saying Sale Sole nihil viilius Than Salt and the Sunne nothing is more profitable Wittie and sharpe pleasant speeches haue their name of salt and hée that hath no wit is said to haue no salt in him Salt then was required in the Sacrifice to figure out Christ who indéed is the true salt that seasoneth vs all our works or else neither we nor they please God Sinne hath made vs vnsauourie to God and till this salt be sprinkled ouer vs we haue no accesse to him nor fauour with him but when once we are seasoned with Christ Then he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine Eye And as our persons so our workes then please him before béeing foule and as a stayned cloath So that now it is said He that beleeueth in me shall not perish but haue eternall life To Christ we are begotten by the Ministrie of the Word and therefore the Apostles were called salt and the Ministers of GOD still are the salt of the earth For as salt lighteth vpon the flesh and byteth and dryeth vp corrupt moystore preâ—eruing and kéeping swéet the same euen so the Ministers by their labours consume and dry vp the errors the lustes the pride the vaine-glorie the couetous affections and whatsoeuer maketh vnsauourie preseruing body and soule swéete vnto God in Christ and frée from eternall corruption If thou offer a Meat-offering of thy first fruites vnto the Lord thou shalt offer eares of Corne dried by the fire and wheat beaten out of the greene eares c. It was sayd in the beginning that these Meat-offerings were here layd downe in three kindes The first raw flesh the second flowre not raw but either baked fryed or sodden the third Corne not ground to flowre The two first kindes you haue séene with their Ceremonies and now followeth this third kinde You may here remember the many sorts of Offerings of first-Fruites mentioned in the Scriptures whereof this is but one In Deutro you read of first-Fruites but in a basket and carried to the place appointed In Leuiticus here you read of a sheafe of the first-fruites of the haruest to be brought vnto the Priest In Exodus you read of that generall Offering of first-fruites In Deutro againe of the offering of Tenths In the Chapter also aboue noted of this Booke you read of two leauened loaues to bee brought And in Numb of cakes to be made of their first dough Lastly this kinde here noted of Eares of Corne dryed by the fire c. By this diuersitie wée may well note and sincke it déepe into our hearts what a reckoning God maketh of Thankfulnesse in man for the benefits and mercies he receiueth at Gods hands and how odious it is to him and dangerous to man when it is otherwise And by this sort we may still sée Christ figured and taught wherevpon Christ compareth himselfe
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
that God regardeth the Sparrowes and forsaketh them not though two of them shall be sold for a farthing yea the beastes skinne in the Law hée vouchsafed to thinke of and to dispose of it to his will and hée telleth vs we are better than Sparrowes and therefore better also than the beasts-skinne that hath no life as the Sparrowes haue Hée saith O yee of little Faith If we doubt of it and therefore I know he will and doth thinke of me and I shal haue in his time euer what is conuenient and profitable Secondly it shewed that swéete and comfortable care that the Lord then had and still hath of the Ministerie that it should be maintained and not defrauded of the least thing alotted to it which still he sheweth in all other particulars vrging still that they be giuen to the Priests according to his will Great things to moue our consciences in these dayes if God be with vs to a true and iust dealing with those that serue at the Altar amongst vs and not so gréedily so wickedly and so vnféelingly to rob and spoyle them as we do If this people of the Iewes had done so in these matters alotted to the Priests as we do with our Tythes and portions giuen to the Church in our dayes do you think or can you think GOD would haue indured it No you know well he would not And is he changed will he not still haue vs taught by the Ordinance of his Word still them that serue at the Altar to liue of the Altar Are not these duties from vs now as due as euer those were then It may not it cannot with truth be denyed How then may we first or last escape the wrath of God for sinning so as if the Iewes had sinned we confesse that God would haue seuerely punished it If you say so much and so much is ynough for him and this that he may spare Make the case so of the Israelites and in this particular of the beasts skinne durst any flesh haue so reasoned then Beware therefore of making your selfe a iudge where you are none of robbing them that haue the title and inriching your selfe that haue no right What is alotted by the Gouernment you liue vnder is his and not yours if he be not worthy so much the Law helpeth that by a due tryall of him and yet leaueth the maintenance still to a more worthy not to you Harden not your heart against God against Law against right and truth accustome not your heart to couet your neighbours due your hands to purloyne it by fraude or to take it by strēgth it is theft spiritual theft Sacriledge your house receiueth stolne-goods the wrath of God may happily shake the foundation of it for such sin and you in yours or you yours be punished Thirdly this care of the Lord for the beasts-skinne to appoint it to one that should haue it well taught that people then and still teacheth vs euer to be carefull to preuent strife and to take away all Questions and controuersies as much as wée may that euery one knowing what is his may therein rest and peace ensue The more God hath giuen you the more must bée your payne this way in your good health and perfect memorie 2 Your Chapter goeth on with the Peace-offering whereof he specifieth two sorts the one of Thankesgiuing the other of a Vow Touching the first you remember how greatly GOD testifieth his liking of it throughout the Scriptures In the 50. Psalme he séemeth to preferre it before all others in some sort For I will not reprooue thee saith God for thy Sacrifices or forthy Burnt-offerings because they were not alway before me I will take no Bullocke out of thy house nor hee-goates out of thy Folds For all the beasts of the Forrest are mine and so are the cattell vpon a thousand hilles c. Offer vnto God thankesgiuing and pay thy Vowes vnto the Most-High Who so offereth vnto mee thankes and prayse he honoureth mee and to him that ordereth his conuersation aright will I shew the saluation of God Vnto thee therefore O God saith Dauid will I pay my vowes vnto thee will I giue thankes O that men would prayse the Lord for his goodnesse c O that they would offer vnto him the Sacrifice of Thankesgiuing and tell out his workes with gladnesse and so foorth all the Psalme ouer you sée it is repeated as the foote of his Song Ionas said I will Sacrifice vnto thee with the voyce of Thankesgiuing and will pay thee that that I haue vowed Saluation is of the Lord. I will prayse the Name of God saith Dauid againe with a Song and magnifie it with Thankesgiuing This shall please the Lord better than a Bullocke that hath hornes and hooses Yet careth not the Lord so much for this in respect of himselfe as forman because there is nothing that increaseth Feeling Faith Hope and Prayer as this exercise of Thanksgiuing doth Let it therefore be in vse with vs more and more that is so accepted of him to whom we owe so much 3 In the 13. verse you sée Leauen admitted of which before you remember was reiected and forbidden Hee shall offer his Offering with cakes of Leauened-bread c. Leauen therefore in the Scripture is taken both in ill part and in good part In ill part Matth. 16. 6. 1. Cor. 5. 6. Gal. 5. 9. In good part Matth. 13. verse 33. and Luk. 13. verse 21. when the Apostles are resembled to a little Leauen that leaueneth the whole Lumpe they being sent out of God into the vnleauened world by preaching and teaching to leauen it cleane through And there is a Leauen of the new nature accepted as the Leauen of our old nature is reiected For looke how the Leauen maketh the bread sauourie and strong and wholesome Looke also how it maketh it rise and heaue vp which otherwise would be sad and heauy so doth Gods regenerate Spirit change vs make vs sauorie and all our duties pleasing to God in our new birth and we rise vp yea our hearts and soules are heaued vp in all loue and thankfulnesse to him that in mercie hath so looked vpon vs. This Leauen therefore of new nature is accepted Try your selfe then in your secret Meditation how you are seasoned whether with old Leauen or new It will be good for you to take this viewe and heartily to pray for what you want Are you a Minister called of God to leauen his people with good Leauen Looke how you doe it and be painfull Faithfulnesse will be crowned when slouthfulnesse shall be condemned and condemne you And submit your selfe to the profit of your people not hunting after your owne glory that you are thus and so learned eloquent profound and so foorth If your people profit not because you flie too high a pitch for them and scorne to lay a foundation of the
as the Dogge that returneth to his vomit Or the Swine that walloweth in the myre that is wickedly filthily and beastly This taught Irenaeus many yeares agoe and both for his antiquitie and worthinesse let vs marke his words They that haue the Pledge of the Spirit saith hée and serue the concupiscence of the flesh but subiect themselues to the Spirit and reasonably behaue themselues in all things rightly of the Apostle are called spirituall because the Spirit of GOD dwelleth in them And they that cast away the Counsaile of the Spirit and serue the pleasures of the flesh liuing vnreasonably and vnbridledly following their sinfull desires hauing no working of the Spirit but liuing as dogges or swine rightly hee calleth carnall because they sauour of nothing but the flesh And the Prophets for the selfe same cause compared them to bruite and vnreasonable beasts as to fed-Horses neighing after their Neighbours wiues c. Dauid also in the Psalme Man being in honour hath no vnderstanding but is compared to the beasts that perish c. Now all these things are done Figuratiuely to note cleane and vncleane persons as before For they that haue a true Faith and a good life by meditating in the Word are such as diuide the hoofe and chew the cudde and they are cleane Such doe neither or but the one are vncleane as hee that beleeueth in GOD but liueth not well or hee that liueth in an outward honestie but beleeueth nor rightly hee also that doth neither liue well nor beleeue well all these are vncleane The Iewes saith this Father may be sayd in some sort to chewe the cudde because they read the Scriptures but they diuide not the hoofe because they beleeue not in the Sonne of GOD Christ Iesus as well as in the Father To this effect Irenaeus Others haue by cleane beasts parting the hoofe noted the true Teachers of the Word which diuide the same aright the Lawe and the Gospell Praecepts and promises c. They againe say others may be well called cleane diuiding the hoofe who doe not beléeue in great or in grosse but discerne and distinguish things as Christ and Moses Nature and Grace Truth and falshood c. Not beleeuing euery spirit but trying the Spirits whether they be of God or no. Things may not bée taken euer litterally And againe we may not be too bold with Mysteries and Allegories leauing the letter but a true wisedome is to be prayed for and vsed in both Hee that is spirituall saith the Apostle discerneth all things That for diuiding and be wise vnto Sobrietie that for beeing too busie in deuising Mysteries For chewing the Cudde They may bée said to doe it and so to be cleane who meditate of that they heare and learne out of Gods Booke and often repeating it in their mindes ponder it in their heart as is said of the blessed Virgin A thing much commended in the Scripture as in the first Psalme Blessed is that man that meditateth in the Law of God day and night Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my hart be alway acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength my Redemer Isaac went out to meditate c. Commended also by the Fathers Meditatio Dei dulcis est To meditate of God is a sweete thing Saith Saint Augustine Meditatione pericula agnoscimus oratione euadimus And by meditation saith Saint Bernard Wee know perils by prayer we auoyd them 2 Your Chapter nameth many particulars which were but curiositie to stand on A few may be touched for example sake The Cony was vncleane because hee cheweth the cudde and diuideth not the hoofe And by this some haue thought were figured out such men and women as lay vp their treasures in earth because the Conies digge and scrape and make their berryes in the earth whereas the Scripture teacheth vs not to doe thus but to lay vp our treasures in Heauen where no theefe no moth c. These men and women are vncleane and God will haue none of them 3 The Hare was also vncleane for the same cause because hee cheweth the cudde but diuideth not the hoofe The Hare is a very fearefull creature and therefore by him figured out fearefull men and women despayring of grace and shrinking from God fearing crosses and losses and forsaking Faith Such persons are vncleane and excluded out of the Kingdome of GOD. Read Apoc. chap. 21. But the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhominable and murtherers and whore-mongers and forcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and Brimstone which is the second death 4 The Swyne was vncleane beause hee parteth the hoofe but cheweth not the cudde and of their flesh they might not eate nor touch their carkeise c. Tertullian saith Herein was figured such vncleane persons as bee good for nothing but to be slaine For if you consider what a creature the Swyne is Hee neuer looketh vp to Heauen but hath his mouth euer in the earth and myre caring for nothing but his belly Hee serueth not to ride vpon as doth the horse to till the ground as doth the Oxe to giue milke as doth the Cowe to cloath vs with his fléece as doth the Sheepe to watch by night for vs as doth the Dogge and so foorth but he is onely nourished for the knife and his death hath vse his life hath none Such ought not men and women to bée and if any be such they are vncleane God would admonish the Iewes by this Figure and still we may learne by it to be no Swyne no Hogge no filthy myrie creatures wallowing in sinne and vncleanes without regard and féeling louing the earth and looking euer on the earth rooting in it all the day and féeding the belly with all gréedinesse nourished onely to the slaughter and profiting no way whilest we liue A profitable meditation for Gods children that they may so continue and a profitable remembrance to others not yet called that they may become his children A good caueat to rich Cormorants in this world who neuer profite any till they dye with all the wealth they haue A knife therefore for the Hogge that wée may haue Puddings and death for such Wretches that the Common-wealth may haue vse of their bagges 5 From the Land Your Chapter commeth to the Water and so from the beastes to the Fishes therin vers 9. shewing what was cleane and what vncleane what might be eaten and what might not But Fishes in particular are not named as the beastes were the Fowles afterward are because the most part was vnknowen to Iewes hauing little vse or none of Fish and few Waters or none but Iordan for Fresh-fish Sea-fish was sold néerer the East and came not to the Iewes much where they were By the markes therefore God describeth them and saith Whatsoeuer hath finnes and skales in the Waters
of Boaz God hath left vs in his Word for a good Rule in this kinde worthy a religious and carefull following Into whose Field when Ruth came to gleane a fewe eares of Corne for her reliefe and her Mother in lawe Naomi first an honest seruaunt appoynted ouer the Keapers let all seruants and ouerseers marke it gaue her leaue without rebuke checke And then Boaz himselfe comming called her when hée knew shée was a poore Stranger and sayd vnto her Hearest thou daughter goe to no other fielde to gather neither goe here-hence but abide here by my Maydens Let thine eyes bee vpon the field that they doe reape and goe thou after the Maydens Haue I not charged the seruants that they touch thee not Moreouer when thou art a thirst goe vnto the vessels and drinke of that which the seruants haue drawne At the Meale-time come thou hither and eate of the bread and dip thy morsell in the vineger He also bade his seruants not onely to suffer her to gleane but of purpose to let fall some of the sheaues for her that shée might take it c. Here is mercie and pittie to a poore Stranger Chronicled vp in this Booke of GOD that his Fame may neuer dye who shewed it that it may teach vs that liue and that it may condemne all churlish gréedy gripple Natures to the worldes end O let it profite you let the poore man bow before you blesse you for your coÌ„fort as she did here to Boaz. Again forasmuch as haruest time is the time of your receiuing at Gods hands a great largesse bountifull Almes your Fruites of Hay and Corne of Grapes and all good gatherings therefore at that time especially the hand that receiueth should giue thankfully towards God feelingly in it selfe and cheerefully towards the poore receiuer So so should all be well and God both giue more and prosper vpon posteritie what hée giueth which otherwise by all the Lawyers in the world and all the perpetuities in the world cannot be so tyed to your séede but that God will blow both it and them away And when wée thus speake of giuing the poore their part doe you thinke God his owne part must bée imbesseled and taken away I meane your due and true tythe No no if the creature must not be defrauded much lesse must the Creator be robbed Read the Prophets wordes and pray for a feeling heart and an open hand according to dutie and right I cannot forbeare to tell you in this place of a fearefull Iudgement of God shewed not many yéeres agoe in these parts vpon a greedie grudger of his Tythe to them to whom it was by Lawe due A Gentleman of good sort our neighbour hereby and well knowne to all this Countrey had the tythes of a Parsonage and by the right thereof demaunded wooll of a man also rich and the Owner of many hundreds of shéepe This hard-hearted man sent a small quantitie the seruants shewed it their Maister Hée willed vpon the Holy-day next it should bée brought to the Church that the neighbours might sée it who all vpon sight knew the wrong The Gentleman demaunded his due the other denied any more and withall vowed in choler out of a naughtie heart that if hée were forced to pay any more he would neuer kéepe any more shéepe but depriue him of that profite from him The Lawe forced him and hée thereupon put away his shéepe euer-after falling so in decay GOD following of him with his wrath for his wicked minde that the day when the Gentleman was buryed being not very long after hée among the rest of poore people stood to receiue such Almes as was giuen at the Funeralls Let it strike O let it mooue vs to thinke with our selues what it is to grudge God his Tythe or any man his due in this sort to whom the Lawes we liue vnder iustly giue it and euer pray we against a naughtie heart choaked and poysoned with the loue of this world aboue all care to bée saued in the great and fearefull day 3 The Lawe against stealing hath an explanation here added worthy marking in these wordes Neither deale falsly nor lye one to another as if he should haue sayd Mistake not the matter of stealing neither iudge better of your selues than there is cause but know it euer for a trueth that although you breake no houses nor robbe vpon the way c. Yet if you deale falsly one with the other in Buying and Selling or any way and lye one to an other by affirming it cost so and so or by denying any thing committed to your credite and custodie assure your selfe you are a stealer and guiltie of that Commaundement Thou shalt not steale An other Braunch followeth in the thirteenth Verse The Workemans hire shall not tarie with thee till the Morning whereof reade Deutronomie the foure and twentie And Syrach 34. For this also is stealth and a great stealth little thought of to robbe the poore Labourer of his hiâ—e God graunt it be not found in many that make great shew of Religion great Gentlemen great Merchants great Clothiers c. Neuer is the poore Workeman brought lowe inough neuer is his payment slowe inough Shall not God visit for these things Thinke of it more and bée well assured you cannot thinke of it too much Iob saith his land cryed not against him neither the furrowes thereof complained together Take héed it be so with you in your land in your merchandise in your clothing Let them not crie for their cry is shrill and fearefull You may sowe and an other eate for this wickednesse and your plants bée cleane rooted out Iob saith and doe you marke it as you feare your God If I restrained the poore of their desire Or haue caused the eyes of the widdow to faile Or haue eaten my morsels alone and the fatherlesse haue not eaten thereof For from my youth hee hath growen vp with mee as with a Father and from my mothers wombe I haue been a guide vnto her If I haue seene any perish for want of clothing or any poore without couering If his ioynes haue not blessed mee because hee was warmed with the Fleece of my sheepe If I haue lift vp myne hand against the fatherlesse When I sawe I might helpe him in the gate Then let myne arme fall from my shoulder and mine arme bee broken from the bone How much lesse then would Iob pinch and wring and grinde the faces of poore men that worked for him and his of poore widowes and children that rise vp earely and goe late to bed eating the bread of carefulnesse and giuing away their beloued sléepe all to make him rich and his house gay and his posteritie strong O how much lesse I say againe would hée haue pinched them and twitched them either by an vnconscionable price for their worke or by an ill payment
and bondage May not we remember burnings and killings and most hateful handlings of bloudic Butchers and persecutors May not we remember great warres and dissentions in this our natiue Countrie the fall of our friends and the change of many houses May not we remember great impositions and payments and in one word verie many miseries and calamities Laying them to the present times wherein we enioy truth and libertie of conscience without either death or danger or so much as any feare what a change is this to a man or woman that knoweth and feeleth the blessing O that we may send vp to God most thankful thoughts for it while we liue Now againe we entoy peace such as no Nation hath had the like We are not eaten vp with heauy and continuall payments but we liue as in heauen by comparison to former times The Lord hath driuen away the Cananites that would haue inuaded coÌ„quered had not he resisted for vs and ouerthrowne them He hath made vs a terror to our foes â—a refuge or sanctuarie for our friends when earst forreigne nations were Lords ouervs And for the last point we haue no more certaintie of abode here theÌ„ they had but looke for the same end of faith an induring house in heaneÌ„ Let vs theÌ„ do what we ought to do and what they did thank God most hartily for the change beséech him in his bottomles mercie to coÌ„tinue his fauors to vs that in peace we may liue in peace die in peace that neuer endeth liue with him for euer God for his sons sake grant it to vs. AmeÌ„ Amen CHAP. XXIIII IN this Chapter the first thing spoken of are the Lights vsed in the Tabernacle whereof mencion was made also before in the 17. Chapter These lights were not ordeined for our imitation now vnder the Gospel but in those times of shadows and figures they signified that while they were thus vsed the true light was not yet come by which all true beléeuers should be deliuered from the darknesse of death as Saint Paul speaketh of the Tabernacle Heb. 9. Papists lights then vsed still in their Churches and Massing places are euident signes that themselues see not the true light and as much as lyeth in them they thus confirme that Iewish expectance of the true light Christ as if yet hée were not come I know they haue their excuses or reasons for euerie thing but who is able to abide most of them As in this particular why vse they lights Forsooth in representation of the Trinitie the wax representing the Father the weeke the Sonne and the light the holy Ghost This boldnesse is fearefull and sinfull hauing neither warrant fitnesse nor reuerence Away with these lights therfore and imbrace we the true light who lightneth all that come into the world c. 2 This light also was a figure of true doctrine which euer must shine in the Church and Tabernacle of God The oyle Oliue which they are commaunded to bring you see here must bee pure to note that doctrine must haue no mixture of mans deuices but be pure The Priest is the man that hath charge of these lights and God his Ministers still are the Ministers of light and haue the charge of it in the house of God Happie they if they be carefull of it to their best abilitie that they may one day heare that ioyfull voyce Come come thou good and faithfull seruant thou hast beene faithfull ouer little and therefore now I will make thee ruler ouer much Enter enter into thy Maisters ioy c. 3 The next thing spoken of is the Shew-bread spoken of also before It likewise represented that as yet the true bread from heauen was not come That it is God vpon whom the eyes of all things wait and that openeth his hand feeding both man and all his creatures with his blessings That God so loued the Iewes as hee had them continually at his table with him yea euery Tribe particularly he loued there being 12. Cakes for euerie Tribe one c. More you may see Chap. 25. 4 The third thing touched in this Chapter is the matter of blasphemie vers 10. wherin your words are these And there went out among the children of Israel the son of an Israelitish woman whose father was an Egyptian and the sonne of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel stroue together in the host So the Israelitish womans sonne blasphemed the name of God and cursed and they brought him vnto Moses And they put him in ward till he told them the mind of the Lord. Then the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Bring the blasphemer without the host and let all that heard him put their hands vpon his head and let all the Congregation stone him And thou shalt speake vnto the children of Israel saying Whosoeuer curseth his GOD shall beare his sinne And hee that blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall be put to death aswell the stranger as he that is borne in the land when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord let him be slaine What this blaspheming was if you looke your marginall note it saith by swearing or despiting God Interpreters mencion diuerse opinions and scanne both the Hebrew wordes and the Greeke translation of them all which I omit as still mindfull for whom I lahour and I ioyne with him that saith Ego hunc locum sic intelligo quod filius viri Egyptii male precatus sit alteri in iurgio vt fieri solet exoptauerit ei exitium aut calamitatem idque non simpliciter sed per nomen Dei. Non dixit tantum exopto tibi malum sed addidit ac diserte nominanit Deum aut nomen Domini inquiens Dominus det tibi malum per dat te perpetuo I vnderstand this place thus that the sonne of the Egyptian father cursed the other in chiding as the maner is wishing destruction or some calamitie to him and that not simplie but by the name of God For hee said not onely I wish thee euill but added and plainly named God or the name of God saying the Lord giue some euill to thee and vtterly destroy thee Our fearful damned phrases are Gods curse light on thee the plague of God take thee c. Which kind of speaking is most grieuously to abuse the name of God and to prophane it being not onely a breach of the second Table concerning the loue of our neighbour but a breath also of the first Table by taking his most holy name in vain This grieuous offender therfore is not winked at by theÌ„ that heard him neither yet punished by them that had no authoritie out of a colour of zeale but he is orderly and by a right zeale carried to Moses the magistrate and his offence opened there Moses againe although such a man yet will do nothing hasâ—ily in iudgement and especially touching life but he will be
For as high as the Heauen is aboue the Earth so great is his mercie toward them that feare him As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath hee remooued our sinnes from vs. As a Father hath compassion on his Children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made hee remembreth that we are but dust Therefore he admonisheth as wee sée in this place againe and againe before hee will let his rod fall vpon very Pharaoh Who will not hearken then vnto his swéete Uoice and bee admonished by so louing a Father so mercifull a God and so powerfull a Creator Surely if wee smart wee must néedes approoue his Justice for his Mercie is manifest wee cannot denie it Yet yet saith this gracious God goe to Pharaoh and warne him againe that hee may be wise and let my people goe 2. And if thou wilt not let them goe saith the Lord behold I will smite thy Country with Frogges Giuing vs héerein againe to obserue that if Mercie be refused hee is also iust and the rod shall fall with stripe after stripe till either we crie penitently Peccaui I haue sinned or be consumed in his wrath from the face of the earth Remember that Place of places in Deut. And if this people will rise vp and goe a whoring after the Gods of a strange Land and will forsake me and breake my couenant which I haue made with them my wrath will waxe hote against them at that day O note and I will forsake them and will hide my face from them then they shall be consumed and many aduersities and tribula 〈…〉 on s shall come vpon them so then they will say Are â—â—t these troubles come vpon me because God is not wâ—â—h me but I will surely hide my face c. A Place neâ—er to be forgotten if we desire to feare God Remember â—lso among many moe the fit Example of Haman that proude enemie to Gods truth and people to whom it was thus saide If thou begin to fall thou shalt surely fall As if they should say fall vpon fall and still more and more falling will followe when God is once angry Happie happy then is the heart that féeleth yéeldeth turneth and cleaueth fast vnto the Lord. 3. Marke also and consider in this place how the case is altered with Gods people and their enemies For till now we haue heard but of the Israelites afflictions how still they suffered and were ill entreated hauing sore burthens laid vpon them and most bitter griefes daily heaped vnto their hearts But now we sée a change they are spared they are comforted and they are defended when these dreadfull plagues light vpon their enemies one after another So so shall the sorrowes of the godly be euer turned into ioy when the Lord séeth his time and the fading comforts of the wicked turned into wéeping and wofull lamentation Your sorrowe saith our Sauiour Christ shall be turned into ioy and woe be to them that laugh now for they shall waile and weepe Be of good comfort then in your selfe when you reade this and profit your heart with this Note or Meditation The changes of this world are many but with Gods faithfull people it shall euer be well in the end 4. It is further to bee obserued in this your Chapter how the Lord with varietie and vehemencie of words doth amplifie this plague not onely saying He will send Frogs which yet had béene fearefull but that the riuers should scrawle full of Frogs that they should goe vp and come into the Kings house and into his bed-chamber where hee slept and vpon his bed and into the house of his seruants and vpon his people and into his ouens and into his kneading troughes yea saith he the frogges shall climbe vp vpon thee and on thy people and vpon all thy seruants The like vehemencie doth he vse in that notable chapter the 28. of Deut. amplifying both sides with many words and great variety of phrase full of force and edge all assuredly to mooue and pierce but it would not be Thus dealeth hée at this day with his people he giueth vnto them sometimes Pastors and Teachers who rightly may bée called Sonnes of thunder in regard of their â—arnest and vehement exhortations threatning and denouncing Gods wrath and iudgments due to disobedience and stâ—bbornesse and euen as Pharaoh here could not be touched no more will many at this day no vehemency moueth but al is one If the feruent spirite of the Preacher should breake and â—eare his inwards in péeces all is one men snort and fléepe and goe on in a most damnable dulnesse of minde till the Lord himselfe start vp and reuenge his owne contempt vpon them and their posteritie The old world would not beléeue the threatned Floud neither the stobborne Jewes that the Chaldean King should come vppon them But when they cryed to their soules pax pax peace peace for all this earnestnesse of the Preacher then came sodaine and fearefull destruction vpon them as they deserued So euer so euer let vs be sure first or last And therefore make vse of vehemency when God directeth his Preacher to it 5. But what an armie is this against such a Prince Had God neither men nor Angels to commaund Yes yes it néedeth no proofe wée know both men and Angels commaunded by him at his pleasure But here he would vse neither déeming it fit to confound the pride of such a conceited king by an host of frogges rather than by either of the other So shall the Lord by contemptible and base things cast down our high lookes if we swel against him Hée would also haue Pharaoh hereby sée how easily hée could destroy him if he lâ—st when such heapes of loathsome creatures so soddainly could bee raised to torment him And the same he would haue all high mindes at this daie sée making vse thereof vnto humility before they finde it is too late For as easily can the Lord now raise vp strange plagues as then Varro writeth that a citie in Fraunce was driuen away with this very plague of frogges A town in Thessaly rooted vp and ouerthrown with moules A whole land forced to remoue with mice and many such things haue Stories left to our remembrance There was a time when the French disease was not so common nor our English sweat knowne That plague of the Philistines with the Emerods in their hinder parts is in Gods Cronicle That consumption of Herod with lice and that fearefull example of Antiochus they ought both to be marked but nothing shall profit except Grace be giuen from aboue And therefore a féeling heart of flesh the Lord for his mercy sake euer graunt vnto vs. 6. And the Sorcerers did likewise with their sorceries and brought frogges vp vpon the land of Egypt Out of which words besides that which hath
béene noted before this meditation may arise how Gods aduersaries séeke often to oppugne the truth by the selfe same meanes whereby he doth teach it As if Scripture be alleaged Sathan will doe the like if the true Prophets vse a signe then will Zidkia make him hornes to and say when went the spirit from me to thée All which God doth suffer to draw vs forward to true and sound knowledge without which wee cannot stand but shal be shaken to and fro with doubts and feares and wauering conceipts most vnfit for beléeuers The wordes of the Apostle calling vpon vs to be stedfast vnmoueable abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord. Not to he caried about with euery blast of vaine doctrine but to continue grounded and stablished in the saith not moued away from the hope of the Gospell c Saint Peter in like manner admonisheth to beware of being plucked away with the error of the wicked and of falling from stedfastnesse noting those that forsook the right way and followed the way of Balaam Labour we therefore to know how we stand and building vpon the rocke indéede though such iugâ—ing Sorcerers as these arise in the world and Apishly follow that course to subuert which Gods Ministers follow to strengthen yet they shall not shake vs but we patiently abiding a time setled vpon our true grounds the falshood shall appeare at last and all their follies be discouered in the end to the honour of God the glorie of his truth the comfort of his children and the confusion of such Egyptian Jugglers for euer Gamaliel could note it that Theudas had his time yet in the end fell with all his followers That Iudas of Galilie had his time and drew away much people after him but at last hee perished and the people were scattered Let not Gamaliel be wiser than we to obserue good things for his instruction 7 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said pray ye vnto the Lord that he may take away the frogges from me and from my people and I will let the people goe c. Why doth he not make his Wisemen take them away his Inchaunters and Sorcerers that could set a shew of making the like Could they cause frogges to come and not goe Or why doth he not call to his gods and Idols to helpe him to take them away Can none helpe him but Moses and Aaron by praying for him See then how the Lord when he pleaseth is able to force the wicked to the acknowledgment of him and his true Ministers and let it comfort vs in the middest of all contempts either of our God of our faith and religion or of our persons He can bring them downe that looke so coy by touches of bodie pinches in minde losses in goods and infinite waies And if therefore it please him a while to indure their pride we also must endure it and not grieue at it These exampels must be readie in our mindes euer when we sée such things Not long since this proud Pharaoh said WHO IS THE LORD But now he séeth and must confesse that there is no helpe but in this Lord. His Gods are weake and the frogs crawled in despight of them Moses therefore must pray to his God to helpe and take them away And who now but Moses Aaron with Pharaoh Ah wée despised Ministers by the proude worldlings let vs marke it and beare their coÌ„tempts In their extremities they shall acknowledge our callings iustifie our loue and wishe our prayers They shall stoupe they shall stoupe when our God pleaseth and it is inough Remember that great Nabuchadnezar how the Lord stouped him till hée should know that the Lord ruleth Pray pray for vs O Samuel said the stobborne Israelites when God would and so they came to him whom they erst neglected Men and brethren what shall we doe said they béeing touched that before thought much to be aduised by such men Ieroboam sendeth to the Prophet whose doctrine he would not follow and no worse a messenger than his owne wife and in his heart he acknowledgeth that truth is with him The great Turke in these daies will séeke the prayers of Christian-men when yet he fighteth against the truth that they embrace And many which at other times regard them not either going to sea or to battaile or béeing sicke and vexed at home will send and séeke for the prayers and comfort of Gods Ministers And what is this but a signe of Gods Omnipotent hand ouer all Pharaohs whatsoeuer and that he can reuenge our contempts and giue our truth and carefull walking in our places a due regarde and reuerence when he will with them and in them Let the swéetenesse of it ioy vs and make vs possesse our soules in patience Diues that rich glutton shal sée Lazarus right himselfe wrong one day 8 But why dooth Pharaoh now call rather than in the former plague for Moses and Aaron to pray Surely because this plague more nipped him than the former For when the riuers were blood he might haue wine to drinke and by that meanes not finde the smart so much See wee then howbeit other mens harmes should affect vs yet vnlesse the Lord touch our selues we are dull and dead without sense Which certainly maketh God reach vs a blowe many times when otherwise he would spare vs did we make good vse of our Brethrens harmes Applie therefore euer to your selfe Gods doings saying in your heart and why Lord am I not so also Doo not I also offend thée Father of Heauen and God of all mercie make me wise by other mens harmes and thankfull vnto thée that I am so schooled rather than with mine owne woe 9. Sée how readie Moses is to pray for Pharaoh when he biddeth him to appoint the time himselfe of his prayer and let it make vs thinke with our selues whether wee be thus harted to pray readily and willingly for Prince for Country for friends and familie yea let it open vnto vs what I feare is too true that in our liues scarce once we haue béene vpon our knées for any of these but euen goe on in a common course haling and pulling with the world all the wéeke long and on the Holiday goe to the Church rather for fashion than deuotion praying with lips not with heart a fewe words and then spending all the rest of the time either in sléeping or gazing or thinking of matters little belonging to God O that wee may profit by this readines in Moses to pray for such a wicked king Remember the Scriptures where you see how fathers and mothers haue gone to Christ for their children Maisters for their seruants and neighbours for their friends Christ is th 〈…〉 me and why should not we also be the same and Morning and Euening goe vnto God for our selues and ours as héere did Moses for Pharaoh 10. It may be moued for a question why