which is agayne deuyded into three partes The vpper Region next the Firmament The middle Region where the Clowdes and vpper waters by Gods prouidence are stayed to the great benefite of the world and The neather part left for the commoditie of Gods Creatures to liue and breath in The vpper waters are reserued aswell to make the earth * Fruitfull by sending them downe in due season according to his gracious prouidence as also by hys iustice in way of punishment to work the Plague of Sinfull men as we euidently see in the example of the * generall Deluge and in sending vnseasonable weathering to take from vs the fruites of the earth Let the earth bring forth budde grene hearbe apt to seede and fruitfull c. When we see these faire and manifold Commodities of the earth the greene Grasse the bewtifull Flowers and hearbes the Fruites of Trees and Graine to the singular benefite of man and beast we must not thinke that the same cōmeth by course of Nature only but by the singular Prouidence of God sending the same to the Reliefe of his creatures For the sweet cōfort of this place read Psal 104. He causeth grasse to growe for cattell and herbes for the vse of men that he maye bring forth Foode out of the earth both VVine that maketh gladde the hart of man and Oyle to make him haue a cheerefull countenance and also Bread to strengthen mens harts God hath made not onely fruites of one kinde but of Innumerable sorts that we might thereby vnderstande the bountifull goodnesse and riches of his mercies towardes vs. Let there be lightes in the Firmament of heauen that they may deuide c. Et sint in signa c. The vse and benefite of the Moone Sunne and Planets is not onely to giue light vnto the worlde but to make distinctions of Times and seasons as Sommer VVinter Autumne the Spring also Yeares Moneths VVekes dayes and houres which distinction much serueth to the vse and commoditie of mans life And God made the beaste of the earth and euery thing that creepeth c. Hereby we haue to learne that the Prouidence of God stretcheth not onely to Man Beast Fishe Foule such like but to the verie smallest things and of least estimatiō as Wormes Flees Fleas and other Vermine whatsoeuer be they in mans fight neuer so contemptible For God vseth the same at his pleasure eyther to the benefite or to the punishment of Mankinde as it may very well * appeare by sundrie of the Plagues of Aegipt wherein he vsed these things for his instruments And God sayde let vs make man in our Image after our likenesse c. After God had created and made perfite all the Furniture of Heauen and earth and by his wisedome marueylously distincted eche thing in hys kinde place and office he lastly commeth to the Making of mankinde as that thing vnto whose vse principallie al other his creatures might seeme to be framed That he in the vse of them might vnderstande the great goodnesse of his Lorde and Maker towarde him and for the same yeelde vnto him true Worship and glorie Concerning Man he noteth here briefely 3. thinges his Creation his Dignitie his Blessing and encrease Of his Creation it will be spoken in the next chapiter more particularly Of his Dignitie aboue all other Creatures this is one euident testimonie that he sayth not let Man be made as he sayde before of other things Let there be a lyght Let there be a Firmament c. But to declare vnto vs that it was a Worke of greater worthynesse He as it were calleth in cōsultation his VVisdom that is the seconde person in Trinitie and hys Vertue or VVoorking Power that is his Holy spirit and saith Let vs make man. So that in the making of Man is a more perfite token giuen of the Three Persons in Trinitie then in the Creating of any other part of the worlde And further to declare the Dignitie of man He was made according to the * Image of God whereby we maye not thinke as some wicked heretikes haue done that God hath a like proportion of body as we see man to haue For that is not the Image or likenes that is here spoken of but as God was Wise Iuste Mercifull Good Innocent Holy Immortall so was Man made by God wise iuste mercifull good innocent holy immortall and to expresse a more perfite lykenesse he was made of power and appointed Lorde and Ruler ouer all the other Creatures of the worlde This Image by the fall of Adam was almost cleane blotted out and restored againe by the * second Adam Christ Iesu to that perfectnesse that this frayle and mortall lyfe might beare carying continually about with vs in our bosomes the * stings of our corruption lyricking vs forward still to vngodlynesse The blessing of encrease and multiplying that God giueth vnto Man declareth that he was made Male and Female to the ende that by lawfull procreation they might fulfill the earth and raise vp a large and great Church or congregation of holy Creatures to giue Honor and glorie to their Lorde and maker Wherefore it cannot be thought that Mariage and the lawfull ioyning of Man and Woman is an euill or an vncleane thing but the lawfull and good ordinance of God himselfe And therfore well sayth Saint Paule Honorable in all persons is VVedlock and the bedde vndefiled but VVhooremaysters and Adulterers God will iudge God sawe euery thing that he had made and beholde they were exceeding c. This Iudgement of God that here he gyueth vpon hys workes pronouncing them to be all verie Good ought to be vnto vs a Rule that we presume not to speake or thinke otherwise of them and shewe our selues therein vnthankfull to our God maker If there be eyther fruites or herbs or beasts that we accompt and call Euill or Hurtfull it riseth eyther of our Vnperfitnesse that vnderstande not the right vse of them or else of the Curse of God for the Sinne and fall of Adam by which as Man himselfe so diuers other Creatures are fallen frō that Perfection in which they were first made by GOD So that the Sinne of Man and not Gods creation is cause therof The Sunday called Septuagesima at Euening prayer Genesis 2. THus the heauens and earth were finished and all the hoast of them 2. And in the seuenth day God ended his worke which he had made And the seuenth day he rested from all his worke which he had made 3 And God blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it because that in it he had rested from al his worke which God ordened to make 4 These are the generations of the heauens and of the earth when they were created in the daye when the Lorde God made the earth and the heauens 5 And euery plant of the fielde before it
was in the earth and euery herbe of the fielde before it grewe For the Lorde God had not yet caused it to raine vpon the earth neyther vvas there a man to till the grounde 6 But there went vp a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground 7 The Lorde God also dyd shape man of the dust of the ground and breathed into hys nosethrilles the breath of life and man was a liuing soule 8 And the Lorde God planted a Garden eastwarde in Eden and there he put the man whome he had shapen 9 Moreouer out of the ground made the Lorde God to growe euery trée that was fayre to sight and pleasant to eat The trée of life in the middest of the Garden and the trée of knowledge of good and euill 10 And out of Eden there went forth a ryuer to water the Garden and from thence it was deuided and became into foure heades 11 The name of the first is Pison the same is it that compasseâ—h the whole lande of Hauilab where there is golde 12 And the golde of the lande is very good There is also Bdellium and the Onix stone 13 The name of the second riuer is Gihon the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia 14 The name of the thirde Ryuer is Hidekel and it goeth towarde the east side of Assyrta and the fourth ryuer is Euphrates 15 And the Lorde God tooke the man and put him into the gardeÌ„ of Eden that be might worke it and kéepe it 16 And the Lorde God commaunded the man saying Eating thou shalt eate of euery trée of the garden 17 But as touching the trée of knowledge of good And euill thou shalt not eate of it For in what daye so euer thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death 18 And the Lorde God sayde It is not good that the man should be alone I will make him an helpe lyke vnto hym 19 And so out of the grounde the Lorde God had shapen euery beast of the fielde and euery foule of the ayre and brought them vnto man that he might sée howe he woulde call them For likewise as man named euery lyuing thing so was the name thereof 20 And the man gaue names to all cattell and foule of the ayre and to euery beast of the fielde but for man founde he not an helpe like vnto him 21 The Lorde God caused a déepe sléepe to fall vpon Adam and he slept and he tooke one of his ribbes and closed vp the place with fleshe in steade thereof 22 And the ribbe which the Lorde God hath taken from man made he a woman and brought her vnto the man. 23 And man sayde This is nowe bone of my bones and fleshe of my flesh she shall be called woman bicause she was taken out of man. 24 For this cause shall man leaue his father and his mother and shall be ioyned with his wyfe and they shall become one fleshe 25 And they were both naked the man and his wyfe and were not ashamed The Exposition vpon the .ij. Chapter of Genesis Thus the heauens and earth was finished and all the hoast of them c. SEing that when Man was made the whole worlde had his perfection and ending it maye appeare that all thinges by Gods goodnesse were made for man and to his vse which consideration oâ—â—ght to moue men to bee thankefull vnto God for so great and vnestimable Benefites and to * doe all things to his Honour and glorie according to the ende of their Creation For as the world was made for Man So Man was created to set forth the praise and glorie of god By this worde Hoste he meaneth the Furniture of heauen and Earth and the Multitude of all Gods creatures belonging to them both And therfore when God is often in Scripture called* The Lorde of Hostes it is ment he is the Lord and maker of all Creatures and hath them all at hys commaundement eyther to defende his people or to worke punishment vpon his Enimies And the seauenth daye he rested from all the workes that he made c. Verie well saith Augustine God rested the seauenth day from the worke of Creation but he neuer Ceaseth from the rule of his gouernance For the same God that in the beginning made Heauen and Earth and all Creatures contayned in them doth now also continually Preserue Maintaine and gouerne the same Therefore we are no 〈◊〉 nowe daylie bounde to thanke God for the Preseruation of his Creatures to our vse then we were at the beginning for Making of them We maye not thinke that Creatures once made doe preserue and prosper themselues by a course of Nature oâ—ely but that it is the finger of God and his gratious Prouidence that woâ—â—eth coÌ„tinually in them By him saith Saint Paule wee haue our Being we Liue and we Mooue And to the Hebr. Sustayning all things by the worde of his power And God blessed the seauenth day and sanctified it because c. There are 4. causes why God sanctified the seuenth day 1 The first because he ceased from the making of any mo new Creatures 2 The second for the Worthynesse of mankinde whose creation and making was the Ende of the whole worlde 3 The thirde that it might be an institution and ordinance of a worship due vnto God on the behalf of Man wherby he should set forth his prayse and Glory and acknowledge his vnestimable goodnesse towarde him 4 The fourth that it might be a Figure of Immortality and of our eternal Rest with God in heauen after the ende of the worlde For the Lord God had not yet caused it to raine vpon the earth c. At the beginning thinges that grewe on the Earth were brought forth by God without raine and without labour of mans hande but afterward God giueth in commaundement that Man should Manure the Earth and God did sende Raine to season and moyst it Wherefore Men must Laboure and traueile Plant and Sowe and not looke to eate the fruites of the Earth * in Idlenesse And yet must he not so trust in his worke and labour as though it coulde be of any force or worke benefite vnto him without the goodnesse of God in Seasoning the Earth and prospering his labors and traualles The prouidence of God will haue both to go togither Mans painefull labour and Gods gracious working The Lord also did shape man of the dust of the Grounde c. Here Moyses returneth againe to the worke of the sixt day and expoundeth nowe that he left vnspoken before that is that God made the body of Man of the dust of the Earth He had before sayde that God did make Man according to his owne Image which was the greatest Dignitie that could be giuen vnto Man But nowe least by that pretence he should be puffed vp with Pride he setteth before his eyes his Base
that can more moue either a godly person or anye man of common sense and reason to loue and obey one than to consider hys great works and benefites done for his defence and deliuerance out of thraledome and miserye Therefore Moyses willeth the children of Israell to descend into earnest * consideration with themselues how great and maruellous workes God had done for them That he chose them firste as his peculiar people among all the nations of the earth that when they were holden in miserable * captiuitie vnder the tyrannye of the Egiptians of his meere mercy without any regard of their worthynes and farre beyond their hope or expectation he by mightie * power deliuered them By his own voyce with great maiestie of signes and wonders he published hys law vnto them that they might not be ignorant of hys holye will and commaundementes He maruellously gaue victory vnto them against mighty * kings and Nations and to bring them into a blessed lande and countrey by his power not * their might he turned out the inhabitants thereof before them Therefore if after so great and many benefites they should reuolt from this so gratious mercifull and mightye a God they should shewe themselues very vnthankfull and worthy of great punishments TheÌ„ Moyses seuered three Cityes on the otherside of Iordane c. Bicause it semed not iust in the sight of God that they which had committed manslaughter vnwillingly by casualtie and chaunce should be punished as wilfull murderers or those that wittingly doe kil men or commit any other hainous offence Therefore God appoynted Moyses to assigne sixe Cities that myght be as sanctuaries for such persons to resorte vnto for their salftie Of which these are three that Moyses here in this place speaketh of Of the ordaining of these Cities of refuge you may read Num. 35. Deut. 19. Iosua 20. The thirde Sundaye after Easter at Euenyng prayer Deut. 5. AND Moyses called all Israel sayd vnto them Heare O Israel the ordinances and lawes whiche I speake in your eares this daye that ye may learne them fulfill them in déede 2 The Lord our God made a couenaÌ„t with vs in Horeb. 3 The Lorde made not this couenaunt with our fathers but with vs euen with vs which are al here alyue this day 4 The Lorde talked with you face to face in the mount out of the middes of the fire 5 And I stoode betwéen the Lord and you the same time and shewed you the word of the Lord For ye were afrayde at the sight of the fire and went not vp into the mount and he sayd 6 I am the Lord thy God which brought thée out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage 7 Thou shalt haue none other gods in my presence 8 Thou shalt make thée no grauen image or any likenes of that which is in heauen aboue or that is in earth beneath or that is in the waters beneath the earth 9 Thou shalt neither bowe thy selfe vnto them nor worship them for I the Lord thy God am a Ielous God visiting the wickednesse of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation among them that hate me 10 And shewe mercy vpon thousands among them y loue mée and kepe my commaundementes 11 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine for the Lorde will not holde him giltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 12 Kepe the sabbath day that thou sanctifie it as the Lord thy God hath commaunded thée 13 Sixe dayes thou shalt labour and doe all that thou hast to doe 14 But the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God thou shalt not do any worke thou nor thy Sonne nor thy Daughter nor thy man seruauÌ„t nor thy maide nor thine Oxe nor thine Asse nor any of thy â—â—ttell nor the stranger that is within thy gaâ—es that thy man seruaunt and thy maide maye rest as well as thou 15 Remember that thou wast a seruaunte in the lande of Egipt how that the Lord thy God brought thée out thence through a mightie hand a stretched out arme For which cause the Lord thy God coÌ„maunded thée to kepe the Sabbath day 16 Honour thy father and thy mother as the Lord thy God hath commaunded thée that thy dayes maye be prolonged and that it may go well with thée in the land which the Lord thy God geueth thée 17 Thou shalt not kyll 18 Thou shalt not commit adulterie 19 Thou shalt not steale 20 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour 21 Thou shalt not lust after thy neighbours wife thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house his fielde his seruant or his maide his Oxe his Asse or ought that thy neighbour hath 22 These wordes the Lord spake vnto all your multitude in the mount out of the middes of the fire of the cloude of the darknesse with a great voyce added no more therto and wrote them in two tables of stone and deliuered them vnto me 23 And it came to passe that when ye heard the voyce out of the middes of the darknesse for the mountaine dyd burne with fire then ye came vnto me with the Captaines of your tribes and your Elders 24 And ye said Behold the Lorde our God hath shewed vs his glory and his greatnesse we haue hearde his voyce oute of the middes of the fire we haue séene this daye that God doth talke with man and he yet liueth 25 Now therfore why shoulde we dye that this great fire should consume vs If we heare the voyce of y Lord our God any more we shall die 26 For what flesh hath it bene that euer heard the voyce of the liuing God speaking oute of the middes of the fire as we haue done and yet did liue 27 Go thou and heare all that the Lord our God saith and tell thou vnto vs all that the Lord our God saith vnto thée we will heare it and doe it 28 And the Lorde hearde the voyce of your words when ye spake vnto me and the Lorde saide vnto me I haue heard the voyce of the wordes of this people which they haue spoken vnto thée they haue wel said all that they haue spoken 29 Oh that there were such an heart in them that they would feare me kepe all my commaundements alway that it might go well with them and with their children for euer 30 Go and say vnto them Get you into your tentes againe 31 But stand thou here by me and I will tell thée all the commaundements ordinances lawes which thou shalt teach them that they may doe them in the land which I geue them to possesse 32 Take hede therefore that ye doe in déede as the Lorde your God hath commaunded you and turne not aside either to the righte hande or to the
and haue wanteâ— the 〈◊〉 of my yeares 11 I spake within my selfe I will neuer visite the Lorde the Lorde I say in this life I will neuer sée man among the dwellers of the worlde 12 Mine age is 〈◊〉 together and taken away from 〈…〉 I haue hewen of my lyfe by my sinnes like as a weauer cutteth of his webbe he will with pining sickenessâ— make an ende of mée yea he will make an ende of me in one day 13 I thought I would haue liued vntill the morowe but he bruised my bones like a Lion and in one day thou wilt make an ende of me 14 Then chattered I like a swalowe and like a Crane and mourned like a Doue I lift vp mine eyes into the heigth O Lorde sayde I my sicknesse kéepeth me downe 〈◊〉 thou me 15 What shall I say the Lorde hath made a promise to me yea and he him selfe hath perfourmed it I 〈◊〉 therefore so long as I liâ—e sremember this bitternesse of my life 16 O Lord to all those that shall liue hereafter yea to all men shall it be knowne that euen in those yeares I haue a ioyfull life and that it was thou that causedst me to sléepe againe thou hast giuen life to me 17 Beholde bitter as gall was my pensiuenesse so sore longed I for health and it was thy pleasure to deliuer my life from the filthie pit for thou it is O Lorde that hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe 18 For hell prayseth not thée death doth not magnifie thée they that go downe into the graue prayse not thy truth 19 But the liuing yea the liuing knowledge thée as I doe this day the father telleth his children of thy faythfulnesse 20 To heale me it is the Lordes worke and we will sing my songs in the house of the Lorde all the dayes of our life 21 And Esay sayde Take a playster of figges and lay it vpon the sore so shal it be whole 22 Then sayde Ezekia O what a myracle is this that I shall go vp into the house of the Lorde The exposition vpon the .38 Chapter of Esay About this time was Ezechias sicke vnto death and the Prophete Esay c. IN this Chapter we haue the example of an other grieuous tentation of the good king Ezechias Who being deliuered from the daunger of the Assirians as is declared in the former Chapter read at morning prayer is now cast into a grieuous and daungerous sickenesse yea and hath the Prophete sent vnto him to denounce as it were from the mouth of God himselfe that he shoulde assuredly die At what time this sicknesse happened it is not certaine whether before the siege of Hierusalem or after But more likely it is that it happened afterwarde For otherwise so notable a circumstance in the time of the siege could not haue bene among other omitted By this example we haue to learne that God * often sendeth many grieuous tentations euen to the good and godly sometime by warre sometime by sickenesse sometime by vniust infamie and reproche sometime otherwise In all which we must learne constantly to continue in fayth and prayer and neuer to dispayre For that GOD of his fatherly prouidence doth it not for our hurt and hinderaunce but for the triall and increase of our fayth Then Ezechia turned his face towarde the wall and prayed c. It is not to be merueled that Ezechias was touched with * sorow by the message of death declared to him by the prophet He was a natural man and therfore abhorred death in his flesh he feared it to be some token of Gods displeasure towarde him because the prophet brought him that message from god He had not yet made perfect the good reformation of his countrey that he had begun and finally he had yet no issue to succeede him Remember O Lorde I beseech thee that I haue walked before thee in truth c. Here Ezechias in this distresse to our good example resorteth to his olde Sanctuarie of prayer and calling vpon god Neyther doth he as it may seeme in his prayer eyther quarrell with God as dealing hardly with him or glorie in his owne worthinesse and vertues But rather comforteth himselfe and stirreth vp his fayth agaynst that tentatioÌ„ which happely Sathan then did put into his minde that he should be reiected and reprobated of God therfore sayth he that all that he did proceeded from a good heart and minde and respected therein the good will and pleasure of God according to his holy worde wherein he might well and did comfort his troubled minde with the * testimonie of a good conscience yet not so that he would therevpon stande in iudgement before God. Then sayde God vnto Esay c. This alteration of sentence is not to be thought mutabilitie or vnconstancie in GOD who by the same Prophete before had denounced death to the same partie For the threatnings and promises of God are oftentimes conditionall and not of determinate purpose in himselfe and therefore vpon the fulfilling of the condition may they without note of inconstancie be altered As it appeareth in the threatning of the Niniuites Ionae 1 and of the king of Gerar. Genes 20. which afterwarde by their repenting and turning to God was altered and so was it here with Ezechias I will put fiftene yeares moe vnto thy life And deliuer thee and the Citie also c. Beholde the effect of earnest prayer and the readie and mercifull goodnesse of GOD towarde them that call vpon him who doth not onely heare his prayer but also confirmed his promise thereof by a notable and straunge miracle A thankesgiuing which Ezechias king of Iuda wrote when he had beene sicke c. This good king Ezechias would not passe ouer with silence the great benefite that God shewed in restoring him to his health and by his Example teacheth what all good men should doe when they feele the great mercies of God wrought in them that is not onely to make it knowne to them that we liue withall but also to cause it to remaine in remembrance to posteritie that Gods name therby may be the more glorified and other the better comforted Thus did * Moyses this did * Anna Samuels mother thus did * Dauid * Ionas * Zacharie * Simeon and the blessed virgine * Marie In the first part of this praier he rehearseth the pensiue sorowful cogitations that he conceyued in his hart in time of his sicknesse through the feare of death hell In the latter he acknowledgeth the mightie worke of God yealdeth prayses for the same I thought I should haue gone to the gates of hell when mine age c. By these wordes it maye appeare in what sort Ezechias did beholde death and whye he shewed himselfe so pensiue therein that is because hee thought himselfe out of the fauour of GOD and therefore in daunger of hell fire
is a difference betweene Lying and Dissimuling A godly and wise Man in time and place may Dissemble and not vtter his Purpose But none sauing wicked and vaine persons doe Lie. As touching the Lande of Chanaan promised * to them by God what did it appertaine to Pharao to knowe In that Moyses is taught to say they should goe three dayes iourney into the wildernesse to Sacrifice to God it was no Vntruth For in Exod. 24. it is declared they did so And I am sure the king of Egipt will not let them go no not in a mightie c. God telleth Moyses of this before least when it shoulde so fall out hereafter it myght shake Moyses his fayth and make him to Doubt of his calling So God vseth often to Forewarne his Elect of such Stormes as are to come least in the time of their troubles they should Faint and Mistrust his gracious Promises of comfort and blessing So our Sauiour Christ tolde his Apostles when he sent them to preach They shall delyuer you vp sayth he vnto their counsailes and shal whip you And againe Ioh. 15. If they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also And Ioh. 16. The tyme shall come when they that kill you shall thinke them selues to doe acceptable service to God. These things haue I tolde you sayth Christ that when they come to passe you maye not be offended therwith but remember that I haue forewarned you And I will stretch out my hand and smite Egipt with all my wonders c â–ª He doth againe Comforte Moyses with the promise of his Mightie assistance and the great Successe that he wyll worke for hym and hys people But this may seeme straunge that God sayth he will helpe the Israelites to Spoyle and Robbe the Egiptians We must learne that the Eternall God and Lorde of Heauen and Earth that made the Lawe is not bounde and tyed by his owne law Therfore that the Israelites do by the appointment of God is no Breach of his law but a work of Obedience to his holy will. * GOD is Lorde of all things neyther hath any Man any thing but that he hath at Gods hande and that not in perpetuall Possession but so of Loan for the time that he may without vniustice take it away from any It was Iustice also before God that they which had beene Enriched by the Oppression and iniurie of the people of God should also by the appointment of God haue their Iniurious gotten Goodes taken from them by the same People But I must often repeate this that such Extraordinarie Acts done by the especiall Commaundement of God are not to be drawne into the Example of common life The fift Sunday in Lent at Euening prayer Exod. 5. MOyses and Aaron went in afterwarde and folde Pharao Thus sayth the Lord God of Israel Let my people go that they may holde a feast vnto me in the wildernesse 2 And Pharao saide Who is the Lorde that I should heare his voyce and let Israell go I knowe not the Lorde neyther will I let Israell go 3 And they sayde The God of the Hebrues hath called vs let vs go we pray thée thrée daies iourney into the desert and doe sacrifice vnto the Lorde our God least he smite vs with pestilence or with the sworde 4 Then sayde the King of Egypt vnto them Wherfore doe ye Moyses and Aaron let the people from their workes get you vnto your burdens 5 And Pharao saide furthermore Beholde there is much people nowe in the lande and you make them leaue their burdens 6 And Pharao commaunded the same day the taskmaysters which were amongst the people and the officers saying 7 Ye shall geue the people no more strawe to make bricke withall as ye did in time past let them go and gather them strawe themselues 8 And the number of brick which they were wont to make in tyme past lay vnto their charges also and minishe nothing thereof for they be Idle and therefore crye saying We will go and doe sacrifice vnto our God. 9 They must haue more worke laide vpon them that they may labour therein and not regarde vaine wordes 10 Then went the taskemasters of the people and the officers out and tolde the people saying Thus sayth Pharao I will giue you no more straw 11 Go your selues and gather you strawe where yée can finde it yet shall none of your labour be minished 12 And so were the people scattred abrode throughout all the lande of Egypt for to gather stubble in steade of straw 13 And the taskemaisters hasted them forwarde saying Fulfill your worke your daylie taskes in their due tyme as if you had strawe 14 And the officers of the children of Israel which Pharaos taskemaisters had set ouer them were beaten And they saide vnto them Wherfore haue ye not fulfilled your taske in making of bricke both yesterday and to day as well as in times past 15 The officers also of the children of Israel came and complayned vnto Pharao saying Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy seruants 16 There is no straw giuen vnto thy seruantes and they say vnto vs Make bricke and thy seruants are beaten and there is wrong done to thine owne people 17 He sayde Ye are Idle Idle are ye and therefore ye say We will go and doe sacrifice vnto the Lorde 18 Go therfore nowe and worke and there shall no straw be geuen you and yet shall you deliuer the whole tale of bricke 19. And the officers of the children of Israel dyd sée that they were in worsâ— caâ—e after it was sayde Ye shall minishe nothing of your bricke of your daylie taske in due tyme. 20 And they met Moyses and Aaron which stoode in their way as they came out from Pharao 21 And saide vnto them The Lorde looke vpon you and iudge you which hath made the sauour of vs to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharao and in the eyes of his seruants and haue put a sworde in their hande to sâ—ay vs. 22 Moyses returned vnto the Lorde and sayde Lorde wherefore hast thou so euil entreated this people And wherfore hast thou sent me 23 For since I came to Pharao to speake in thy name he hath fared foule with this folke and yet thou hast not deliuered thy people at all The Exposition vpon the .v. Chapter of Exodus Moyses and Aaron went in afterwarde and tolde Pharao Thus saith c. AFter Moyses and Aaron had nowe purchased Credite with the Israelites as is mentioned in the * former Chapiter they enter nowe into the execution of their office for the deliuerance of the people of God and speake vnto Pharao for them This was in them a great Obedience vnto God in a matter verie vnlike for them to bring to passe in the sight of the worlde and ioyned with their great perill and daunger in dealing with so sterne and Obstinate a Tyranne Their obedience to
so in the land whither ye go to possesse it 6 Kepe them therfore do them for that is your wisedom and vnderstanding in the syght of the people that they may heare all these ordinances and say Surely it is a wise and vnderstanding people it is a great nation 7 For what other nation is so great that gods come so nie vnto as the Lord our God is nie vnto vs in all things as oft as we call vnto him 8 Yea and what nation is so greate that hath ordinances and lawes so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day 9 Take héed to thy self therfore and kéepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the things which thyne eyes haue séen and that they depart not out of thy heart all the days of thy life but teach them thy sonnes thy sonnes sonnes 10 Specially the day that thou stodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb when the Lorde sayde vnto me Gather me the people together and I will make them heare my words that they may learne to feare me all the days that they shal liue vpon the earth that they may teach their children 11 Ye came and stode also vnder the mountayn the mountayn burnt with fire euen vnto the middes of heauen and there was darknesse cloudes mist 12 And the Lord spake vnto you oute of the middes of the fire and ye hearde the voyce of the wordes but sawe no similitude but hearde a voyce onely 13 And he declared vnto you his couenant which he commaunded you to do euen ten commaundements which he wrote vpon two tables of stone 14 And the Lord cōmaunded me that same season that I should teach you ordinances and lawes which ye ought to do in the land whither ye go to possesse it 15 Take therefore good héede vnto your selues as pertaining vnto your soules for ye sawe no maner of image in the day that the Lorde spake vnto you in Horeb out of the middes of fire 16 Lest ye marre your selues make you a grauen image picture of any maner of figure whether it be the likenesse of man or woman 17 The likenesse of any maner of beast that is on the earth or the likenesse of any maner fethered foule that flyeth in the ayre 18 Or the likenesse of any maner worme that créepeth on the earth or the likenesse of any maner fish that is in the waters beneath the earth 19 Yea and lest thou lift vp thyne eyes vnto heauen and when thou séest the sunne the Moone and the starres with al the hoast of heauen shuldest be driuen to worship them and serue them and shuldest worship and serue the things which the Lord thy God hath made to serue all nations vnder the whole heauen 20 But the Lord hath taken you and brought you out of the yron fornace euen out of Egypte to be vnto him a people and inheritaunce as ye be this daye 21 Furthermore the Lord was angrie with me for youre wordes and sware that I should not go ouer Iordane that I should not go in vnto that good lande which the Lorde thy God giueth thée to inheritance 22 But I muste dye in this land and shall not go ouer Iordane but ye shall go ouer and possesse that good land 23 Take héed vnto your selues that ye forget not the appointment of the Lord your God which he made with you that ye make you no grauen image or likenesse that the lord thy God hath forbidden thée 24 For the lord thy God is a cōsuming fire a ielous God. 25 When thou shalt beget children and thy children beget children and shalte haue remained long in the lande if ye do wickedly and make any maner of grauen image and worke euill in the sight of the Lorde thy God to prouoke him to anger 26 I call heauen and earth to recorde against you this daye that ye shall shortly perishe from of the lande wherunto you go ouer Iordane to possesse it ye shall not prolong your dayes therein but shall vtterly be destroyed 27 And the Lord shal scatter you among the people and ye shal be left fewe in number among the nations whither the Lord shall bring you 28 And there ye shall serue Gods which are the work of mans hande wood and stone which neither sée nor heare nor eate nor smell 29 If frō thence thou shalt seke the Lord thy God thou shalt finde him * if thou seke him with all thy heart and with all thy soule 30. When thou art in tribulation and when all these things that be here spoken of are come vppon thée euen in the latter dayes if thou turne to the Lorde thy God and shalt be obedient vnto his voyce 31 For the Lorde thy God is a mercifull God he will not forsake thée neither destroye thée nor forget the appoyntment of thy fathers which he sware vnto them 32 For aske of the dayes that are paste which were before and since the day that God created man vpō the earth and aske from the one side of heauē vnto the other if euer there came to passe suche a great thing or whether anye such like thing hath ben hearde as this 33 Did euer any people heare the voyce of God speaking out of the middes of a fire as thou hast heard yet lyued 34 Or hath God assayed to go and take him a people frō among nations by temptations by signes by wonders by warre by a mighty hande by a stretched out arme and by great sightes according to all that the Lord your God dyd vnto you in Egipt before your eyes 35 Vnto thée it was shewed that thou mightest knowe that the Lord is God and that there is none other but he 36 Out of heauen he made thée heare his voyce that he might instruct thée and vpō earth he shewed thée his great fire thou heardest his word out of the middest of the fire 37 And bycause he loued thy fathers he chose their séede after thē and brought thée out in his sighte w his mightie power * out of Egipt 38 To thrust out natiōs greater mightier than thou before thée to bring thée in to geue thée their land to inheritāce as it is come to passe this day 39 Vnderstand therfore this day and consider it in thine hearte that the Lorde is God in heauen aboue and vpon the earth beneath neither is there any other 40 Thou shalt kepe therfore his ordināces hys commaūdements which I cōmaund thée this day y it may go wel with thée with thy childrē after thée and that thou maist prolong thy dayes vpō the earth which the lord thy God geueth thée for euer 41 Then Moyses seuered thrée cities on the other syde of Iordane toward the sun rising 42 That he shoulde flée thither whych had kylled hys neighboure vnwares and hated him not in
times past therfore shuld he flée vnto one of the same cities and liue 43 Namely Bezer in the wildernesse euē in the plain coūtrey of the tribe of Ruben and Ramoth in Gilead of the tribe of Gad Golan in Basan of the tribe of Manasse 44 And so this is the lawe which Moyses set before the children of Israel 45 These are the witnesses statutes ordinances which Moises told the children of Israell after they came out of Egipt 46 On the other side Iordane in the valley ouer against the house of Peor in the land of Sehon king of the Amorites which dwelt at Hesbō whō Moises the children of Israel smote after they were come out of Egipt 47 And possessed his land the land of Og king of Basan two kings of the Amorites which were on the other side of Iordane towarde the sunne rising 48 From Aroer which is by the banke of the riuer Arnon vnto moūt Sion which is Hermon 49 And all the plain on the other side Iordane eastward euen vnto the sea which is in the plaine vnder the springs of the hyll The Exposition vpon the fourth Chapter of Deuteronomie Now therfore hearken O Israell vnto the ordinaunces and lawes c. THis whole Chapter containeth nothyng but an earnest exhortation to the children of Israel not only with diligence to harken to the ordinances and lawes of God but also in dede to * obserue and performe the same bicause the lawe of God is a doctrine of practise and not of hearing onely The condition of their reward is added that so they might liue and possesse the lande For the promises of God made to them were * conditionall and depended vpon their obedience vnto his ordinances And in the second verse this is notable that he straightlye chargeth them That they do not adde any thing to his lawe nor Take any thing from it Therby declaring that God will be worshipped onely according to his worde and that all vnnecessarie traditions of mens deuises do * hinder Gods word and carie men from the simple trueth therof The first reason of exhortation that Moyses vseth is the exāple of the great sharp punnishment that God vsed vppon them that reuolted from him fell to the worshipping of Baal Peor the Idoll of the Madianites and Moabites as it is written Num. 25. The seconde reason is in the fifte verse by the aucthoritie of the lawe maker God himselfe For he saith I haue taught you ordinaunces such as the Lorde my God hath commaunded mee and thereby willeth them so to esteme the lawes not as the commaundements of * men onely but of God that appointed them The third reason is in the. 6. 7. verses by the renowne and fame of great wisdome and of the singular fauour and ready helpe of God toward them which shoulde be spred of them among all nations to their great comfort and commendation In the. 9. verse hee concludeth with admonition that they should not only themselues diligently remember the lawes of God but also * instruct and teach their children and posteritie in the same Speciallye the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb. c. In these verses is contained an other reason to moue thē by the remembrance of the * terrible manner and solemne maiestie that God in their sighte and hearing dyd vse in the publishing of his lawe with thunder and lightening earthquake with fyre cloudes and darknesse In so muche that they confessed themselues not to be * hable to abide the dredful maiestie therof as it is largely declared in the .20 of Exodus Take therefore good heede vnto youre selues as parteining vnto c. He straightly chargeth them to beware vpon daunger of their soules health that they did not make vnto themselues the Image of anye thing in heauen in earthe or in the water vnder the earth And signifieth that by the wisedome and prouidence of God in the publishing of the law they heard a voyce onely and sawe * no figure least they shoulde take vpon them by that figure to represent God which would not be represented by anye worldly thing This commaundemente he sundrye times repeateth to th ende to beate into their mindes howe odious Idolatry and the worshipping of Images and false gods was vnto him Furthermore the Lorde was angry with mee for your woordes c. By his own example Moises willeth them to beware howe they fell into the displeasure of God by disobeyng his holy will. For if the seueritie of his iustice was so sharpe * toward Moises for a litle mistrust in his promise how much more would it be vpon them if they did fall from his true worshippe to Idolatrie and to the open disobedience of his lawes and ordinances For saith he the Lorde is * a Consuming fire to destroye the obstinate disobedient and a Ielous God that will not suffer his glorye to be gyuen to other When thou shalte beget children c. I call heauen and earth to witnesse c. Moyses in this place moueth them to the diligent obseruing of the law of God by laying before them the threatnings of Gods iustice and * punishments that shall come vpō them for the contrary that is That they should perishe from the land whereunto they were goyng and should not therein prolong their dayes That the Lord shuld scatter them in subiectiō of other nations That he wold giue them ouer to the vnsensible worshipping of stockes and stones the workes of mens hands In which point we of this latter time haue to lerne that the grosse Idolatry that hath growen by pilgrimage and worshypping of Images hath beene the * iust plague of God sent vpon men bicause they departed from the obedience of Gods holy word vnto worshipping of him by their owne deuises and traditions of men If from thence thou shalt seke the Lord thy God thou shalt finde him c. Least when the punishments before mentioned for their offences by Gods iust iudgemente should light vpon them they shoulde dispeire of the mercie of God and so cutte of the occasion of repentance in this place he sayth whē god doth cast thē out into strange nations if they doe * repent them of their wickednesse and seeke after their Lorde and God that he will receyue them to his mercie For God is to his people a mercifull father and not a terrible iudge And * when he punisheth he doth it not to destroy them but by a * fatherly correction to pull them frō their disobedience and wickednesse which whensoeuer they shall doe the bosome of his mercye and goodnesse is ready to receyue them For aske of the dayes that are past c. and aske if euer there came c. There is nothing
consider that it was the Lord of al Mercy that appointed here this order of punishment and also let them remember what extreme crueltie it is for a Magistrate to whose charge God hath committed hys people to se the Soules of a number of his people by wicked Doctrine or other like indeuor to be pulled from God hys true worship and lamentablie drawen to Hel perpetual Damnation yet not to cause the Roots workers therof to be taken awaye that their poyson may not so largely be spred to the great daunger of other and the decaie of Gods glory and truth IF thy brother the sonne of thy mother or thine owne sonne c. The same that was before spoken of false Prophets teachers only is here applied euen to euery one of the people whose offence although it may seme somewhat the lesse bicause of their Ignoraunce that they haue not the Office of teaching yet the Forsaking of God his truth and the seking to misleade other with them is to God alwayes and in all persons vntollerable But this is to be obserued bothe in this place before that such punishmēt is not to be vsed but where Gods true Religion is throughly knowē and Settled as it was at this time among the Ievves This is to be considered how Earnestly God requireth this punishment to be done For he willeth vs not to regarde eyther brother or syster or childe or wife or any* persons whatsoeuer thoughe he be vnto vs as oure owne life Wherby he declareth how earnest our studie and endeuour should be to maintayn his True worship Al natural affections be they otherwise neuer so cōmendable yet ought they to * giue place to the zeale of Gods glory to the affection that we shoulde haue to the establishing of the same among his people For in gods cause to be * slack and colde in consideratiō of these persons what els is it than to set our affections against Gods commaundements and to shewe that we more esteeme oure Naturall friends than we do God and his Glory Wherfore sayth God Thou shalt not obey him thine eye which commonly is the instrument of pitie shall not spare him nor take mercye vpon him no nor thou shalt not hide him or kepe him secrete but cause him to be slaine and yet to make the charge more vehemēt he addeth Thine hande shall be firste vpon him to kill him This he speaketh bicause the maner* was that in stoning of persons condemned the witnesses shold cast the first stones at them to declare that in their conscience the witnesse was true The cause and ende of this seueritye added in the .11 verse is diligentlie to be marked And all Israell shall heare and feare and shall doe no more any such vvickednesse The good and godly are stayed from euill throughe the loue of God and reuerence of his worde but the other which are alwaye the more parte will not be brideled but with* Seueritie feare of punishment whereby we may learne howe necessary sharpe correction and punishment is in Christian cōmon weales For such is the corruption of mans nature that where they see hope of impunitie they runne on headlong to the greatest mischiefes But by example of punishment and feare of Iustice they be somewhat stayed and kept in order If thou shalt heare say in one of thy Cities which the Lorde c. If the infection of Apostasie and falling from God doe growe from the false Prophete to the people and from some of the people to a whole Citie God willeth the whole Citie not to be spared but to be put to punishmente and vtter desolation For better it were that a fewe dyd perishe * than Gods true worship should be ouerthrowen and his glory decaye But in this place especially as in the other also before Men proceede to punishment God woulde haue them enquire and searche out the matter diligently that they dyd not vpon light report rashly condemne men But if it were founde for a suertie then that they should smite them with the edge of the sworde and to declare Gods iuste wrathe against the Reuolters from his knowen truth and right worship and not to spare so muche as their Cattell And gather all the spoile into the middes of the streete thereof c. God willeth the whole furniture and Implements of the Citie to be gathered into one place and burned with fire and * not to turne any therof vnto their owne vse It maye be God somewhat herein respected their couetousnes that they might not couer a corrupt affectiō of couetousnes with a pretensed zeale of Gods iustice But the principall cause that Moises here vttereth that is that the people by this might be more accustomed to the hating and Detestation of that whiche they saw God so greuously dyd abhorre Whitsundaye at Morning prayer Deuteronomie 16. OBserue the moneth of newe corne that thou mayest offer the passouer vnto the Lorde thy God For in the moneth when corne beginneth to rype the Lorde thy God brought thee out of Egipt by night 2 Thou shalt therfore offer the Passouer vnto the Lorde thy God of shéepe and oxen in the place which the Lord shal choose to put hys name there Thou shalt eate no leauened breade with it but seuen dayes shalte thou eate vnleauened breade therewith euen the breade of tribulation for thou camest oute of the lande of Egipte in haste that thou mayest remember the daye when thou camest oute of the lande of Egipte all the dayes of thy life 4 And there shal be no leauened breade séene in all thy coastes seuen dayes long neither shall there remayne anye thyng of the fleshe which thou offerest the firste day at euen vntyll the mornyng 5 Thou mayest not offer the Passouer wythin anye of thy gates which the Lord thy God geueth thée 6 But in the place which the Lorde thy God shall choose to set hys name in there thou shalt offer the Passouer at euen about the goyng downe of the Sunne in the season that thou camest oute of Egipte 7 And thou shalte roste and eate it in the place whiche the Lorde thy God hathe chosen and thou shalte returne on the morowe and goe vnto thy tentes 8 Sixe dayes thou shalte eate swéete breade and the seuenth daye shal be a solempne assemblye before the Lorde thy God thou shalte doe no worke therin 9 Seuen wéekes shalte thou number vnto thée and beginne to number the seuen wéekes when thou beginnest to put the sicle to the Corne. 10 And kéepe the feast of wéekes vnto the Lord thy God with a frée will offering of thyne hande whiche thou shalte geue vnto the Lord thy God according as the Lord thy God hath blessed thée 11 And thou shalt reioyce before the Lord thy God thou and thy Sonne thy Daughter thy seruant and thy mayde and the Leuite that is within thy gates
and the straunger the fatherlesse and the widdowe that are among you in the place whyche the Lorde thy God hathe chosen to put hys name there 12 And remember that thou waste a seruant in Egypte and thou shalte obserue and doe these ordinaunces 13 Thou shalte also obserue the Feast of Tabernacles seuen dayes after that thou hast gathered in thy corne and thy wine 14 And thou shalt reioyce in thy feast thou and thy sonne thy daughter thy seruaunt and thy maide the Leuite the straunger and the fatherlesse and the Widowe that are within thy gates 15 Seuen dayes shalte thou kéepe a solemne feast vnto the Lorde thy God in the place which the Lorde shall choose for the Lorde thy God shall blesse thée in all thy fruites and in all the workes of thine handes therfore shalte thou be glad 16 Thrée times in a yéere shall all thy males appeare before the Lorde thy God in the place whiche he shall choose in the feast of unleaucned because in the feast os weekes and in the feast Tabernacles and they shall not appeare before the Lorde emptie 17 Euery man shall geue according to the gift of his hand and according to the blessing of the Lorde thy God which he hath geuen thée 18 Iudges and officers shalt thou make thée in all thy cities which the Lord thy God geueth thée throughout thy tribes and they shal iudge the people with iust iudgement 19 Wrest not thou the lawe nor knowe anye person neither take anye rewarde for giftes doe blinde the eyes of the wyse and peruert the wordes of the righteous 20 That whiche is iuste and righte shalte thou folowe that thou mayest lyue and enioye the lande whych the Lord thy God geueth thée 21 Thou shalte plante no groue of anye trées neare vnto the aulter of the Lorde thy God which thou shalt make thée 22 Thou shalte set thée vp no Piller which the Lord the God hateth The Exposition vpon the .xvj. Chapter of Deuteronomie Obserue the moneth of newe corne that thou maiest offer the Passouer c. THe Israelites in this place are commauÌ„ded wyth all diligence to obserue the three principall Feastes wherein they were appointed especially to resort to the place that the Lorde would choose that is the Citie of Hierusalem The first Feast was the Passouer called here the Moneth of nevvecorne and by vs noted vnder the name of Easter The second was Pentecost called here the Feast of vveekes and by vs VVhitsontide The thirde was the Feast of Tabernacles As touchyng the Passouer there is more large declaration of it vpon Exodus 12. redde on Easter day It was solemnised the first moneth that is the moneth of Marche and here is called the Moneth of nevve corne bycause fruite and graine then began to growe toward ripening For in those countries being many degrees more Southward narre the sunne Haruest is much sooner than with vs Northwarde At this Feast besyde other ceremonyes they were appoynted to offer vnto God a certayne small portion of their eares of new corne therby confessyng that theyr towardnesse of Haruest was of Gods onely goodnes and also praying that he would vouchsafe to prosper to their vse that which was on the grounde for this cause especiallye is the tyme of this Feast called the Moneth of newe corne The principall cause of the Institution* of the Passouer was to put them in continuall remembrance of Gods maruellous benefite in passing away his plague from them and not striking them when hys Angell* killed all the firste borne of Egipte At this Feast by the space of seueÌ„ dayes they might eate no leauened bread whereby they were put in minde of their Hastie dispatch out of Egipte For albeit Pharao was obstinately set not to let them goe yet God by his mighty plagues so Brake his harte that he did not onely deliuer them but forced them to depart with such spede as they coulde not abyde to leuen their dowe but caried it away on their shoulders Whiche their hastie departure â—â—s some trouble to them and thereof doth this vnleauened bread put them in remembrance and for that cause is called here The bread of tribulation As for all other ceremonies appertainyng to this Feast they are expounded in the chapiter aboue mentioned Seuen weekes shalt thou number to thee and beginne to number c. From the day after that the Measure or Portion of newe corne was offered vnto the Lorde whiche I thinke was in the ende of the Feast of Passouer reckning seueÌ„ ful Sabathes or wekes to the nexte daye after the seuen weekes ended are iuste fiftye dayes was the time appoynted for the Pentecost called here the Feast of vveekes and in Exodus 23 The Feast of Haruest and wyth vs as I haue sayd is named VVhitsontide The firste cause of the ordynance of thys Feaste was that they mighte remember the Libertie that God had geuen them and shewe themselues thankefull for the same For fiftie dayes after their comming out of Egipte God gaue them the Lawe in Mount Sinay and first ordained them a free State and Policie by peculiar Lawes among themselues whereas before they were in bondage and lyued in miserable oppression vnder the Lawes and * tyrannie of the Egiptians An other cause of the Institution hereof was that they myghte offer a newe Oblation vnto God that is two Loaues of new Corne baked as the first Fruites in way of thankesgeuing to the Lorde So that they did not offer onelye the Measure of Newe corne before Haruest but Oblation also towarde the ende of Harueste And thereby are taughte as We also shoulde be that the Fruites of Harueste come not eyther of the Fertilitie of the grouÌ„d or of their owne Labour and trauayle but of the singuler Fauour and Blessing of God and therefore that they should vse the same not to Ryote and DrunkeÌ„nesse but wyth reuerence and * thankesgeuyng The third cause of the Institution was that it might be a figure both of the true Libertie of conscience and of the spirituall Haruest that was to come vnder the true Moyses and Deliuerer Christ Iesu For euen as fiftye dayes after the deliuerie of the Chyldren of Israell oute of Egipte they had the Lawe geuen them in Mounte Sinay So the fiftieth daye after oure deliuerance from the Tyrannie of Sinne and Sathan by the Deathe and Resurrection of Christe whiche was the true* Passouer The holye Ghoste was sente downe from Heauen which myghte not onelye wryte the eternall lawe of God in oure heartes make vs free Citizens of the heauenly Hierusalem but also by the Apostles and other good Ministers labourers might* gather together the Spirituall Haruest of God throughoute the whole worlde and that all Faithfull might receyue the firste Fruites of the benefytes of hys Deathe and Resurrection We do not therfore Obserue this day supersticiously bicause the like was ordeined among
the earth after his kinde and God sawe that it was good 26 God sayde Let vs make man in our Image after our likenesse and let them haue rule of the fishe of the sea and of the foule of the ayre and of cattell and of all the earth and of euery créeping thing that créepeth vpon the earth 27 So God created man in his owne Image in the Image of God created he him male and female created hée them 28 And God blessed them and God sayd vnto them Be fruitfull and multiply and replenishe the earth and subdue it and haue dominion of the fishe of the sea and foule of the ayre and of euery liuing thing that mooueth vpon the earth 29 And God sayde Beholde I haue giuen you euery hearbe bearing séede which is in the vpper face of all the earth and euery trée in the which is the fruite of a trée bearing séede that they may be meate vnto you 30 To euery beast of the earth also and so euery birde of the ayre to euery such thing that créepeth vpon the earth which doth liue I haue giuen euery gréene herbe for meate and it was 31 And God sawe euerye thing that he had made and beholde it was excéeding good And the euening and the morning were the sixt day The Exposition vpon the first Chapter of Genesis In the beginning GOD created heauen and earth c. THis booke is called Genesis because in the very first entrāce therof by the course of sixe dayes worke is declared the Beginning Creation and as it were the first Natiuitie of heauen and earth and all thinges therein conteyned by the mightie worde and wisedome of God made and framed of Nothing Which the Spirite of God mooued his faythfull seruant Moyses to do thereby as well to refell that generall and grosse errour of the Idolatrous Gentiles throughout the whole worlde which gaue themselues ouer to the * worship and seruice eyther of common and base creatures either of false and vainely deuised Gods As also to * shew that the God of Israel was the Onely True and Almightie God maker of Heauen and of Earth and all the partes thereof In that he sayth In the beginning God made heauen and earth c. we haue to learne First that the worlde is * not of euerlasting Continuance as some vaine Philosophers haue taught but that being made by God certainely it had a beginning and euen as certainely shall in due time haue an ende As it is sayde Psal 102. In the beginning O Lorde thou lay dest the foundation of the earth and the heauens be the workes of thy fingers They shall perish but thou shalt continue for euer c. Secondly that it was not made of it Selfe by Chaunce or otherwise as Democritus dreamed but by the workemanship of some other beside it selfe Thirdly that it was made by God that therby we might be admonished of his great Wisedome Power and goodnesse towarde Mankinde to whose vse principally these things might seeme to be framed Fourthly that it was made of nothing and therefore we may not Imagine as some wickedly haue done that there was a Matter whereof the world was made coeternall with God himselfe before all Beginning And here it is to bee wished that all Christian heartes would enter into a perfect Consideration of this Worke of God in Creating of the world so that when they looked vp into heauen and sawe the Sunne the Moone the Planets the Starres and all the furniture thereof keeping their orders and courses they woulde thinke earnestly wyth themselues that they sawe the meruelous workemanship of God their heauenly Father Maker and Creator of all things And when they consider the Ayre the Water the Earth and all things therein conteyned in their kindes and places and offices distincted that they woulde Remember the same was made by the same our God and gracious Lorde to the vse of vs mortall men By this meanes should they discende from the faith of their Creation to the fayth and beliefe of Gods diuine * Prouidence and tender Loue and care that hee beareth toward mankinde which in all afflictions is the most assured stay and comfort This did Dauid to his great consolation as well in the eight Psalme as in the. 104. and many other And the spirite of GOD mooued vpon the face of the earth c. The confused Heape of heauen and earth was without shape vnperfect and darke and yet not vtterly deade but was indued with the strength of Gods spirite and so made liuely to continue vnto the worldes ende And GOD sayde Let there be light and there was light We may not here conceyue that God hath any corporall Voyce or such maner of Speach as doth proceede by tongue and lippes from mortall men For to Speake in God is nothing but with an assured and effectuall will to determine with himselfe and to doe that he hath determined We haue here to learne also that all thinges were made by the mightie power of Gods worde that is to say by the Wisdome Purpose and Counsaile of God which was Christ Iesu the seconde person in Trinitie as saint Iohn doth expounde it in his Gospel In the beginning sayth he was the VVorde and the VVorde was with God and God was that VVorde The same was in the beginning with God and all things were made by it c. And God saw the light that it was good and God deuided the light c. This maner of Iudgement God giueth of all things that he made he sayth not God sawe that they were pleasant beautifull and faire but that they were * Good. Whereby we may learne that God did not so much respect his owne glorie in the fairenesse of his workes as he did the benefite and and Commoditie of Mankinde to whose vse he made them Let there be a Firmament betweene the waters and let it make a deuision c. Let there be a Firmament that is as the Hebrue speaketh A Stretching out or a Setting abroad betweene waters and waters Vnto thys maner of speaking the Scripture often alludeth as Esay 42. He that made the heauens and spreade them abroad c. And in the 40. Chapiter He spreadeth out the heauens as a couering he stretcheth them out as a Tent to dwell in c. And Psal 104. He stretcheth out the heauens as a Curtaine Wherefore it maye well be gathered that this Firmament is nothing but a large Stretched out space betweene waters and waters betweene waters aboue and waters beneath and such as we see betweene the clowdes which are the vpper waters and the Sea and Ryuers which are the neather waters by Gods ordinaunce gathered into their appointed places All that is aboue vs is deuyded into two partes the one called Aether which is the vpper part of the Firmament wherein the Starres Planets are the other called the Aire
that GOD oftentimes Preserueth his people from those Miseries that he casteth vpon others And yet if we looke into the common course of the worlde we shall see that the * Wicked are in more Felicitie and more Free from punishment then the good and godly And this tentation hath often * shaken the mindes of the Saintes of God as it appeareth in sundrie Psalmes What then shall we say to this Surely the Common ordinance of GDD is that the Godly should be in Happinesse and escape Plagues and the Wicked onely be Punished And if this common ordinance of God be altered It is eyther because they that professe the name of God be* Sinfull and Liue not according to theyr Calling or else that Gods good and fatherly will is by suche Chasticing and Affliction of this life to keepe his seruants in Obedience to Quicken their Fayth and put them in minde of the Heauenly felicitie and life euerlasting The Care and Cogitation whereof in time of * Prosperitie is more Cold and Slacke in vs then our duetie requireth Easter daye at Morning prayer Exodus 12. AND the Lord spake vnto Moyses and Aaron in the lande of Egypt saying 2 This moneth shall bée vnto you the beginning of Monethes and the first moneth of the yeare shall it be vnto you 3 Speake ye vnto all the congregation of Israell saying In the tenth day of this moneth euery man take vnto him a lambe according to the house of the fathers a lambe thorowout euery house 4. If the householde be to little for the lambe let him take his neighbour which is next vnto hys house according to the number of the sâ—â—les euery one of you according to his eating shall make your count for a lambe 5. And let your lambe be without â—â—â—mish a male of a yeare olde vvhich ye shal take out from among the shepe and from among the goates 6 And ye shall kéepe him in vntill the fourâ—enth day of the same moneth and euery assemble of the congregation of Israell shall kill him about euen 7 And they shall take of the bloud and strike it 〈◊〉 two side postes and on the vpper doore post in the houses where they shall eate him 8 And they shall eate the fleshe the same night rost with fire and with vnleauened breade and with sowre hearbes they shall eate it 9 See that ye eate not there of rawe nor sodden with water but rost with fire the head feete and purtenance thereof 10 And ye shall 〈◊〉 nothing of it remaine vnto the morning That which remayneth of it vntill the morow shal ye burnâ— with fire 11 Of this maner shall ye eate it Wyth your loynes gâ—rded and your shooes on your feete and your staffe in your hande and ye shall eate it in haste for it as the Lordes Passouer 12 For I will passe thorow the lande of Egypt this same night and will smite all the first borne of Egipt from man to beast and vpon all the Gods of Egypt I will execute iudgement I am the Lorde 13 And the bloud shall be vnto you 〈◊〉 token in the houses wherein you are and when I see the blood I will passe ouer you and the plague shalâ— not be vpon you to destroy you when I smite the lande of Egypt 14 And this day shall be vnto you a remembrance and you shall kéepe it an holy feast vnto the Lorde throughout your generations ye shall kéepe 〈◊〉 holy for an ordinance for euer 15 Seuen dayes shall ye eate vnleaue ned bread so that the first day ye put away leaueÌ„ out of your houses For whosoeuer eateth leauened bread from the first day vnto the seuenth day that soule shall be rooted out of Israell 16 The first day shall be an holy conuocation vnto you and the seuenth day shall be an holy conuocation vnto you and there shall be no maner of worke done in them saue about that onely which euery man must eate that onely may ye â—oe 17 And ye shall obserue the feast of vnleauened bread for this same day haue I brought your armies out of the lande of Egypt therefore ye shall obserue this day and all your children after you by an euerlasting decrée 18 The first moneth and the fourtenth day of the moneth at euen ye shall eate vnleauened bread vnto the one and twentie day of the same moneth at euen againe 19 Seuen dayes shall there be no leaneued bread founde in your houses and who soeuer eateth leauened bread that soule shall be rooted out from the congregation of Israell whether he be a straunger or â—orne in the lande 20 Ye shall eate no leauened breade but in all your habitations shall ye eate vnleauened breade 21 Then Moyses called for all the elders of Israell and sayde vnto them Choose out and taâ—â— you to euery houshold of you a lâ—mbe and kill the Passeouers 22 And take a 〈…〉 and dip it in the bloud that is in the bason and strike the vpper post of the doore and the two side postes with the bloud that is in the bason and none of you go out at the doore of his house vntill the morning 23 For the Lorde will passe ouer to smite the Egiptians and when he séeth the bloud vpon the vpper doore post and the two side postes he will passe ouer the doore and will not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses to plague you 24 Therefore shall ye obserue this thing for an ordinance to thée and to thy sonnes for euer 25 And when ye be come to the lande which the Lorde will giue you according as he hath promised ye shall kéepe this seruice 26 And when your children aske you What maner of seruice is this that ye doe 27 Ye shall say It is the sacrifice of the Lordes Passeouer which passed ouer the houses of the children of Israell in Egypt â–ª and he smote the Egiptians and saued our houses And the people bowed themselues and worshipped 28 And the children of Israell went and did as the Lorde had commaunded Moises and Aaron so did they 29 And at midnight the Lorde smote the first borne in the lande of Egypt from the first borne of Pharao that sate on his seate vntill the first borne of the captâ—â—e that was in prison and all the first borne of cattell 30 And Pharao rose in the night he and his seruantes and all the Egyptians and there was a great crie in Egypt â–ª for there was not a house where there was not one deade 31 And he called vnto Moyses and Aaron by night saying Rise vp and get you out from amongst my people both you and also the children of Israell and go and serue the Lorde as ye haue sayde 32 And take your shéepe and your droues with you as ye haue sayde and depart and blesse me 33 And the Egyptians forced the people that they might senâ—e them out of the lande in hast for they sayd
Paule but to * liue before him in holynesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life And * we are his worke builded on Christe Iesu to those good workes which he hath prepared for vs to walke in Vnderstande therefore that the Lorde thy God is God and that a true c. The people of Israell are here aduertised that God their Lorde is a true and a iust Lorde that he sitteth as* iudge of the whole worlde And as of his truth he hath and will fulfill* all that he hathe promysed them so woulde he of his iustice*rewarde the good that obeyed hys lawes and ordinaunces and woulde punish the contrarie To the fulfillers of his will hee promiseth the blessing of the frute of their wombe their lande corne wyne and oyle the increase of theyr kyne shepe and other cattell the taking awaye from them all manner of * syckenesses and infyrmities and especiallye suche lothesome and noysome sores and diseases as they knewe were among the Aegyptians Fynally * victorie ouer theyr enimies and all felicitie of thys lyfe If wee doe not see the promise of worldly felicitie and this general decree of God alway to take place among the faithfull but that the better sorte of men are often in more misery and the* wicked worldlings in more prosperitie we must consider first that* no man no not the best doth so fulfill the lawe of God that he can of iustice require to haue the rewarde due therevnto Secōdly that either the * deuil of spite worketh trouble in this world to the seruāts of God bicause he is wel assured he can not hurt thē in the life to come or else the fatherly prouidence of Almightie God doth think it more saife for his children in this wicked worlde to be vnder the crosse and affliction that they may the * more often remember him and not be caried away with the faire allurementes of this lyfe wherewith Satan as by a poysoned bayte doth draw hys impes vnto him If thou saye in thyne hearte these nations are moe than I. c. Bicause it might seeme a very difficulte and almost vnpossible matter that the Israelits shuld conquer and driue out of their countrey suche a number of mighty people as dwelt in the lande of promise God by the mouthe of his seruannt preuenteth that cogitation and assureth them that he wil be their helper and assister and* wil fyght for them against those sinfull people and that not only by ordinarie meanes of warre but also that he wold bring hornets and other noysome flyes and vermine to weerie and consume them And for confirmation of their faith herein he willeth them to remember the Strange signes and wonders and the Mighty hand and Stretched out arme that in their knowledge and syght he vsed agaynst Pharao and the Aegyptians at the tyme of their deliueraunce By this also wee haue to learne so often as GOD willeth vs to doe that thing which in face of the world may seeme harde and difficulte and aboue oure power to bring to passe that we* dispaire not but wyth strong faithe vndertake it beeing well assured that the same GOD that wylled vs to doe it is hable also to bryng it to passe by vs. The grauen Images of their Gods shalt thou burne with fire c. Before God forbad thē to worship the gods of the Gentiles now he commaundeth to*destroye and * burne with fyre theyr Images yea and in token of their vtter detestation of suche idolatrie not onely to alter their shape and fygure in melting them but not so muche as turne to theyr owne vse the matter that they were made of lest by hauing the matter in some price they shoulde be snared and somewhat the more enclyned to Idolatrie Althoughe thys were but a politique precept for the time to the Iewes yet may wee gather therby how lothsome odious and detestable Idolatrie is to God. The fifthe Sundaye after Easter at Mornyng prayer Deuteronomie 8. AL the commaundementes whyche I commaund thée this day shall ye kéepe for to doe them that ye maye liue and multiplye and goe in and possesse the lande which the Lorde sware vnto our Fathers 2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lorde thy God led thée this fourtie yeares in the wildernesse for to humble thée and to proue thée and to knowe what was in thine hearte whether thou wouldest kepe his commaundementes or no. 3 He humbled thée and suffered thée to hunger and fedde thée with Manna which neither thou nor thy fathers knewe of to make thée knowe that a man doth not lyue by bread only but by euery vvorde that procéedeth out of the mouth of the Lorde doth a man liue 4 Thy rayment waxed not olde vpon thée neyther dyd thy foote swell these fourtye yeares 5 This also shalte thou consider in thine heart that as a man chastiseth his sonne so the Lord thy god chastiseth thée 6 Therfore shalt thou kepe the commaundements of the Lord thy God that thou walke in his wayes and feare him 7 For the Lorde thy God bringeth thée into a good land a land in the which are riuers of water and fountaines and deapthes that spring out of valleys and hylles 8 A land wherin is wheate and barlie vineyardes figge-trées and pomgranates a land wherein is oyle oliue hony 9 A lande wherein thou shalt eate breade without scarcenesse neither shalte thou lacke anye thing a lande whose stones are Iron and out of whose hylles thou shalte digge brasse 10 When thou hast eaten therefore and filled thy selfe thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good lande which he hath geuen thée 11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God that thou wouldest not kepe his commaūdements his lawes and his ordinances which I cōmaunde thée this day 12 Yea and when thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe and hast buylt goodly houses and dwelt therein 13 And when thy beastes and thy shéepe are waxen manye and thy siluer and Golde is multiplied and all that thou hast is encreased 14 Then beware least thine heart rise and thou forget the Lord thy God which brought thée out of the land of Egipt and from the house of bondage 15 And which was thy guide in the great terrible wildernesse vvherin vvere fierie serpentes scorpions drouth without any water But he brought out water for thée out of the rocke of flint 16 He fed thée in the wildernesse with Manna which thy fathers knew not for to humble thée and to proue thée and that he myght so doe thée good at the latter ende 17 Least thou shouldest saye in thine heart My power and the might of mine owne hande hath prepared mée this aboundaunce 18 But remember the Lorde thy God for it is
At Sodome and in all general plagues the yong children that neuer in Act offended were partakers of the punishment c. These things may seeme repugnant to Gods iustice here defended by Ezechiel And this was it that the Israelites and Ievves did finde themselues Grieued withall Ieroboam sayd they did set vp the golden Calues and Manasses mainteyned Idolatrie and corrupted the law of God but the punishment falleth vpon vs To this we haue to answere that when God sayd Exod. 20. That he vvoulde punishe the sinnes of the fathers c. vnto the thirde and fourth generation he added of them that hate me If the children hate God and Followe theyr fathers Idolatrie and sinfulnesse although God of his mercie Spare their fathers in Wordly punishment he will plague them and so muche the more Because they would not beware by their fathers offences and consider Gods goodnesse towarde them in graunting them Time and Space to repent But some will aske whie God sayth he will punish The sinnes of the fathers vpon their children seeing the children haue their owne sinnes for which they are iustly punished It may be answered Because if their Fathers had not so grieuously offended their Punishment might haue bene longer Deferred As God is mercifull so he is Iust and forsomuch as his pacience and mercie hath Long borne with their wickednesse and looked in vaine for their repentance his Iustice must needes take place and at Length light vpon them with due punishment So that they are the Sooner and more Grieuously punished for their wicked Parents and yet not without their Owne iust desertes and euill doings Wherefore to conclude with Ezechiel the Iewes in their lewde Prouerbe did blasphemously depraue Gods Iustice seeyng their owne vniust doinges in Following the foote steppes of their sinfull Fathers did pull his iust wrath vpon them And yet it cannot be denied but that God Sometimes doth punishe some for the cause or by the occasion of other Abraham and Iacob felt the smart of famine and hunger euen as Sinfull men did and they of the house of Pharao and Abimeleck were plagued for their Princes cause But beside that which is sayde before that no man is so Righteous in the sight of God but that he Iustly deserueth punishement we must moreouer consider that Gods Scourges are not alway nor to all persons of One sort Towarde the wicked they are Plagues of his Iustice towarde the Godly they are Exercises and Medicines by which he healeth their corruptions practiseth their fayth and Stirreth them vp the more earnestly to call vpon him So that he maketh it to them as a Schoole of discipline to retaine them in more Feare of his name that they be not caried away with the wicked Allurements of the worlde as the vngodly are We may not therefore thinke God to deale vniustly when sometimes we see him to wrappe good men in those plagues wherewith he punisheth the Vngodly In those Properties of a Iust man which are recyted and sundrie times repeated in this Chapter the Prophete may seeme to omit and leaue out many workes of Iustice but in one general clause he comprehendeth all other As when he sayth And hath walked in my statutes and kept my iudgements If there had beene any such Iust man among the Iewes he might with some countenance haue quarreled with GOD punishing him being Innocent for his fathers offences But there was neuer yet any that * perfectly fulfilled the Statutes and lawes of god Therefore all mens mouthes are in that case stopped There hath beene many good men whose vnperfite obedience it hath pleased God in respect of the Promised seede and Sauiour of the worlde to accept as Iust and so to account them before him But otherwise neyther the childe this day borne nor the Angels in heauen are pure in his sight The Prophete vndoubtedly reciteth these Properties and workes of Iustice especially because men in them most commonly and Notoriously in those dayes offended so that he choked them from their blasphemous Obloquie by the testimonie of their owne Consciences which tolde them that in these poyntes they were not innocent but iustly susteyned Gods Plague euen for their Owne sinnes and not for their Fathers onely And hath not eaten vpon the hilles he hath not lift vp his eyes to the Idole c. He meaneth Sacrifycing and keeping of their holy Feastes in the highe Places so often mentioned in the bookes of Kings and the Chronicles For as the Gentiles and Heathens were wont on Hilles to haue Chappels and aulters for their False Gods euen so the Iewes and Israelites after their Temple buylded appointed place chosen did make Aulters on high places and therin worshypped sometime the lyuing God but disorderly sometyme Idoles and false Gods by the imitation of the Gentiles Neyther hath come neere a woman remooued c. He meaneth a woman hauing hir naturall and Monthly Disease because to seeke the companie of a woman at that time is lothsome to nature and a token of immoderate lust and affection But hath restored the detter his pledge he that hath not spoyled any c. The Prophet meaneth the Pledge or gage of a Poore man which hath borowed any thing of him The Lawe is Exod. 22. If thou haue taken the garment of thy neighbour to pledge before the sonne go dovvn thou shalt restore it to him and he addeth Because hee hath nothing else to couer hym c. Whereby it maye appeare he speaketh of a Poore man. And Deut. 24. the matter is made more plaine For after a larger declaring of this lawe of Charitie he sayth If he be a pore man thou shalt not sleepe vvith his pledge in thy house If this man get a sonne that seeth all his fathers sinnes c and doth not c. Our fathers are to be folowed but only in those things that be good but if they shall eyther giue vs example of that which is Contrarie to the wyll of God yea eyther commaunde vs to doe it surely they are not to be obeied And yet in these days we haue manye that wyll Tye themselues verye streightly to Follow their Parents Religion but if there were any Example in them of vertuous and Honest lyfe that they neuer remember Such persons imbrace in their Fathers that is euill and neglect that is good If the vngodly will turne awaye from all his sinnes that he hath done c. Of this place maye be taken a singular Comfort for all them that are tormented in their consciences for the heauie burden of their sinnes For God here * proclaymed Mercie and forgiuenesse to all that Repent them of their former wickednesse and sayth it shall not be Mentioned vnto them be it neuer so great It is a great craft of the Deuill first by all Flattering allurements of the worlde to cause men grieuously to offende and when they
the Iewes But for that it is an ordinarie time appoynted for the people of God to assemble heare the declaration of those maruellous workes of God which as at thys tyme were done after the Ascention of Christe into Heauen For then dyd Christe declare and confirme the Maiestie and trueth of hys Gospell wyth wonderfull Miracles So that it was euidente that he onelye was the trewe Messias and Sauioure that the same Holy Ghost had spoken of manye yeares before vnto the Patriarkes and Prophetes And bycause at the tyme of Pentecost when the Holye Ghost was giuen the Gospell firste began to be published we may not thinke that one or two Festiuall dayes is appointed for the perfourmance thereof but from that first Pentecost vntill the worldes ende should be to vs one perpetuall VVhitsonday in which we should wyth thankesgiuing reioyce for our spiritual fredome and take in the fruites of Christs blessed Passion and Resurrection Thou shalte obserue also the feast of the Tabernacles seuen dayes c. This Feast of the Tabernacles or Tentes was Solemnised the .15 of September when they had not gathered in all their fruites graine and wine All the tyme of this Feast for the space of seuen dayes they dwelt in Tentes or Bowthes of grene trees and obserued sundry ceremonies and oblations declared Num. 28. 29. Leuit. 23. and other where The causes of the ordinance were partly to put them in mind of their former Condition Whence they came and that it was God that firste made them to dwell in Tentes in the wildernesse whē he brought them out of Egipt Secondlye that they mighte remember the wonderfull miracles and benefites that God did in maintayning and Preseruing them vntill they came into the lande of Chanaan where they founde in steede of Tentes and Tabernacles goodlye strong Cities and faire houses to inhabite and by this occasion were they willed to compare the Felicitie that they shoulde be in the land of Chanaā with the Necessity hard state that they had before when they were constrained to inhabite in Bouthes Tabernacles and thereby learne not to waxe insolent but to giue thankes to God the Authour of that great blessing None of these Feastes might be Solemnised in any place but where the Lord had chosēto set his name would especially be called vpō that as I haue said in the time of Dauid was Hierusalē Before that where the Tabernacle of God was Iudges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy Cities which the Lord. c. Now Moises addeth certaine politicall orders and instructions for choise of cōuenient Magistrates in their common weale and for the sincere vpright dealing therin For seing the Iudgemēt Seate of y Magistrate is as it were a sanctuary a place of reliefe succour for the succourlesse the poore and needy and other whatsoeuer persons oppressed by iniurie it might seme most lamentable if they comming thither for succour shuld light vpō Theues Robbers that wil sell right for gaine and money Therfore Moises willeth Magistrates Iudges in anye wise to beware of* Partialitie Briberie as y thing that shutteth vp the eyes of discretion and wisedome and corrupteth al true Iudgement For saith he Gifts doe blind the eyes of the vvise and peruerte the wordes of the righteous Thou shalte plante no Groues of anye trees neere vnto thee c. The heathen vsed to plante Groues of wood about the Chappels of their Idols sometime made Pillars to set their false Gods on wherefore bicause God will haue his Religion not to agree with the Idolatours worship of the Gentils he briefely forbiddeth those two things Trinitie Sundaye at Morning prayer Genesis 18. ANd the Lord appeared vnto him in the plaine of Mamre and he sate in his tent doore in the heate of the day 2 And he lift vp his eyes and loked and lo thrée men stoode by him and when he sawe them he ranne to meete them from the Tent doore and bowed himselfe towarde the ground 3 And said Lorde if I haue now founde fauour in thy sight passe not away I pray thée from thy seruant 4 Let a litle-water I praye you be fet washe your féete and refreshe your selues vnder the trée 5 And I will fet a morsell of bread to comfort your heartes withall and then shall you goe your wayes for therfore are ye come to your seruant And they said Doe as thou hast said 6 And Abraham went apace into the Tent vnto Sara and said Make redy at once thrée measures of fine meale kneade it and make cakes vpon the hearth 7 And Abraham running vnto his beastes fet a calfe tender and good and gaue it vnto a young man and he hasted to make it ready at once 8 And he toke butter and milke and the calfe which he had prepared and set it before them and stoode himselfe by them vnder the trée and they did eate 9 And they saide vnto him Where is Sara thy wife He answered Beholde in the Tent. 10 And he said I will certainely returne vnto thée if I liue and so Sara thy wife shall haue a sonne That hearde Sara in the Tent doore which was behinde him 11 Abraham and Sara were both olde well stricken in age and it ceassed to be with Sara after the manner as it is with women 12 Therefore Sara laughed within her selfe saying Now I am waxed olde shall I geue my selfe to luste and my Lord olde also 13 And God saide vnto Abraham Wherefore did Sara laugh saying Shall I of a suertie beare a childe whiche am olde 14 Is anye thing vnpossible to God According to the time appoynted will I returne vnto thée if I liue and Sara shall haue a sonne 15 Then Sara denyed it saying I laughed not for she was afraide And he saide It is not so but thou didst laugh 16 And the men rising vp from thence loked toward Sodome and Abraham went with them to bring them on the waye 17 And the Lorde sayde Shall I hyde from Abraham that thyng whiche I doe 18 Seyng that Abraham shall surely be a greate and a mightie nation and all the nations of the earth shal be blessed in him 19 I knowe this also that he will commaunde hys children and his housholde after him that they kepe the way of the Lord and to doe iustice and iudgement that the Lorde maye bryng vpon Abraham that he hath spoken vnto him 20 And the Lorde sayde Because the crye of Sodome and Gomorrhe is greate and because their sinne is excéeding gréeuous 21 I will goe downe now and sée whether they haue done altogether according to that crye which is come vnto me and if not I will knowe 22 And the men departed thence and went to Sodomewarde but Abraham stoode yet before the Lord. 23 And Abraham drew neare and said Wilte thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked 24 If there be