Spirit as verely in all true beléeuers as they truly were partakers and vsers of outward washings So the 15. Psalme also v. 1. Lord who shall dwel in thy Tabernacle euen he that is thus washed and made cleane Read it ouer your selfe 5. In the 23. v. it followeth thus Take vnto thee principall spices of the most pure myrrhe so much of sweete Cynamon so much c. Thou shalt make hereof the holy anointing oyle euen a most precious oyntment wherewith all things appertaining to the Tabernacle were anointed and the Priestes ver 25. c. No man might vse this for his priuate vse c. This holy and most excellent oyle was a figure of the Holy Ghost without whom nothing is pure nor swéet All things were anointed therefore Priest Arke Table Candelsticke c. to teach that all the exercises of Religion are vtterly vnprofitable without the inward working of the Holy Ghost in our harts by whoÌ„ only we are made partakers of Christ his holines Priuate vses it might not serue vnto nor be for strangers to maintain the reputatioÌ„ of it to kéep vnder the proud desires of corrupt minds The note in your margin coÌ„cerning straÌ„ gers may be looked on Of the perfume the like is saide and happie were men if all these could make them sée how things belonging to Gods seruice ought not to be transferred to priuate vses The Romish Church hath taken vpon her still dooth to imitate this ointment perfume and therefore their Priests shewe that they are rather Priestes of the law than Ministers of the Gospell and by continuing these Ceremonies of the law they as much as they can labour to teach that Christ the end of these Ceremonies is not yet come What a stirre they make in imitatioÌ„ of this oyle who is able to repeat without laughter The mitred Bishop he charmes the oyle with certaine words whispered and muttered ouer it then he breatheth vpon it with his vnswéet breath Twelue Priests stand by readie which one after one come and breath into the cup where the oyle is Then the Bishop addeth more Charming prayers and maketh mention of Moses and Aaron of Dauid Kings Prophets and Martys desiring that this Chrisme or ointment when it is made may haue power to coÌ„fer vpoÌ„ men such gifts as they in their times were partakers of With the oyle he mingleth a quantity of balme and then prayeth againe At length a Deacon taketh away the cloth that couered the cup then bowing himselfe he saith All hayle holy Chrisme thrée times ouer lifting his voice higher and higher he kisseth the lipp of the cup the like doo the 12. Priestes in a row one after another and then it is a goodly ointment as they say Now where haue they learned in Gods book these toies let it be noted for our good they are wholly apishe in all their dooings setling their own deuises as holy matters for Gods people c. In their perfumes censers they are as childish againe and will not sée it But let this suffice of this Chap. CHAP. 31. 1. THe Lord hauing thus appointed a Tabernacle to be made it pleaseth him now to giue gifts to men to be able to work and make these goodly thinges appointed to be made And this vse I would make of it to learne that he which thus prouided for the building of his earthly Tabernacle assuredly will neuer be carelesse of raising vp the spirituall only let vs be carefull to prouide that they may haue a cheerefull maintenaÌ„ce that worke this spirituall work as they had that wrought this earthly worke 2 In that the Lord saith he had called by name Bezaleel it may comfortably assure vs that such a care hath the Lord of vs as euen our very Names are knoweÌ„ vnto him He knew the Citie called Damascus he knew the stréete in it which was called Streight he knew the house the rooms vpper nether the furniture c. He knew Ananias Name SimoÌ„ the Tanners Name and here Bezaleel his Name We accompt it a great matter to be known by Name to the King here on earth how much more should we ioy to be known so particularly to the King of Heauen He that best knoweth what is true comfort nameth this by the Prophet Esay saying Feare not Iacob for I haue called thee by thy Name thou art mine The like in Cyrus Chap. 45. v. 4. and in other places Reioyce that your Names are written in Heauen saith the Gospell 3 In that God saith he had filled these workmen with the Spirit of God in wisdom and vnderstanding and in knowledge and in workmanship it plainly sheweth that handy-crafts are the works of Gods Spirit therefore ought to be duely estéemed In the Prouerbs of Salomon it is said The Lord hath made both these euen the eare to heare the eye to see meaning that both in Gouernours and Crafts-men Wisedome and skill to doo the worke well is of the LORD Thanks are to be giuen to this gratious GOD for raising vp in all ages such Men. And their cunning workes consequently may bee vsed so that pride and vanity be abandoned Nay note the words againe in the Text and you may sée that not only the first gift in these things is of the LORD but all increase and going-forward in the same For the LORD saith it is of HIM that they shal be able TO FINDEOVT CVRIOVS WORKES that is to deuise more and more daylye 4 Notwithstanding keepe ye my SABBATH c A place neuer to be forgotten touching the LORDS care of the SABBATH for he will not haue his owne worke medled withall on that daye O what can we thinke of our workes His Tabernacle-builder must be forbidden and our buildings must go on Reade and féele that place in Ieremie with a tender heart If the SABBATH bee kept Kings and Princes shall enter in at the gates c. that is the Gouernment shall stand and flourish if not the LORD will kindle a fire in the gates thereof and it shall deuoure the places of Ierusalem and it shall not bee quenched that is the LORD will ouerthrow all with a very fearefull destruction Hee is the same nowe that then and his glorie as déere to him Let it mooue vs. 5 When the Lord had made an end of communing with Moses he gaue him two Tables of stone writteÌ„ with the FINGER of GOD. By which name of the FINGER OF GOD Saint Augustine saith the holy-Ghost was signified Neque enim Deus forma corporis definitus est nec sic in illo membra et digiti cogitandi sunt quemadmodum videmus in nobis sed quiaper Spiritum Sanctum dona Dei sanctis sic diuiduntur vt â—uÌ„ diuersa possint non tamen discedaÌ„t a concordia charitatis in digitis enim maxime apparet quaedam diuisio non tamen ab vnitatepraescisio Siue propterea siue propter
GOD is neuer pleased with any thing that is ours whilest wee retaine and keepe that which is not ours But marke well an Offering to the Lord beside that satisfaction of men And through all Moses finde me a place where sinne is taken away otherwise than by Sacrifice Now whatsoeuer is attributed to the Sacrifices the same is plainly taken away from mans workes And if it was neuer the meaning of God to tye that people to the out-ward Sacrifice it selfe but by the same to leade them to Christ shadowed by the Sacrifice then apparant it is to all men that there is no meanes to take away sinne but onely by Christ Which all men will not confesse because they would establish works in farther strength thaÌ„ God hath giuen 4 Well weigh it againe in the 7. verse and euer throughout these Bookes That the Priest must make the aâ—onement so euer signifying that not in the Sacrifice but in the Priest-hood was the matter Now that Priest-hood noted Christ his Office And therefore as then no Sacrifice pleased but offered by the Priest so at this day nothing of ours as prayer and such like auaileth but in Christ and by Christ our onely and eternall High-Priest Againe the Text saith before the Lord this atonement shall be thereby ouerthrowing the wicked error of them that affirmed a ciuill purgation onely of sinne by those Sacrifices and not any spirituall promise in them Which I say is most wicked as well as false Because so those Sacrifices and Exercises of pietie should no way haue serued to bréede and strengthen Faith in man touching his spirituall estate whereunto in déede they wholly aymed and effectually wrought in the godly that vsed them rightly 5 The second point in this Chapter is concerning the Rites and Ceremonies of the Sacrifices And first of the firevpon the Altar wherwith the Burnt-offering was consumed The Text is thus Then the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Command Aaron and his sonnes saying This is the Law of the Burnt-offering it is the Burnt-offering because it burneth vpon the Altar all the night vnto the morning and the fire burneth on the Altar c. So carefull is God of this continuall burning that if you marke it is repeated ouer and ouer In the 12. verse againe but the fire vpon the Altar shall burne there and neuer be put out Againe in the 13. verse The fire shall euer burne vpon the Altar and neuer goe out c. To this ende the Priests care was to féede it with wood and sée to it day and night and with no other fire might either Sacrifice or Incense be burned and offered to God This fire was carefully kept vpon the Altar to the captiuitie of Babilon and afterward found againe of Nehemias 2. Machâ—b 1. 18. 19 verses Of like from hence might grow that great honour and regard which the Heathens had fire in whereof we read often The Athenians in their Prytaneo and at Delphos and at Rome of those Vestall Virgins continuall fire was kept and of many it was worshipped as a GOD. The Persians called it Orismada that is Holy-fire and in publicke pompe they vsed to carry it before Kings with great solemnitie A merry Tale there is of this god Fire which I will repeate The Chaldeans say our Bookes worshipping this vaine god proudly boasted that of all other gods he was the strongest conquering and consuming all other gods of the Gentiles And no maruell for they were either wood or mettall that by fire might bée defaced This bragge at last came to the eares of a Priest of Canopus This Canopus was Maister of Menelaus shippes and dying in an Jland at the entrie of Nilus the famous Riuer of Egypt caused that Iland to be called after his name and was there honoured for a God This Priest fearing lest his god Canopus the Image béeing belike of some mettall might come in contempt and so his liuing be taken away deuised thus with himselfe Hée got a water-pot full of holes like vnto these that we water gardens withall stopped vp all the holes with waxe filled it full of water painted it very trimme and setting it very artificially vpon the toppe of the old Image of his god Canopus brought him foorth to contend with the Chaldeans god of fire which of them should be the greater The fire was set about him and great expectation in the beholders which way the victorie would goe By and by when the heat of the fire had melted the waxe that stopped the holes of the pot the water began to streame out at all the holes quite put out the fire about it Then there was a cry by all Canopus friends Victorie victorie and from that time Canopus that Idoll was counted through this subtiltie of the Priest the strongest God of all others Thus blinde are men when God giueth not light and thus easily abused when they are blinde We may maruell lesse at this great simplicity if we consider what is taught and held by these that thinke themselues wise in these dayes Namely that the water called Holy-Water sprinkled in the graue of a dead man not only purgeth the same man from all spot of sinne but extinguisheth also in great part that fell-fire which they call Purgatorie-fire Thus you sée mens follyes both of fire and water But passe we them ouer and come to the Matter What might be the reason why God appoynted this Ceremonie of continuall fire vpon the Altar and how may we profit by it First there was figured by it the death of Christ from the beginning of the world Namely that he was the Lambe slayne from the beginning for Mankinde and by this shadow they were led to beléeue That although as yet Christ was not come in the flesh neuerthelesse the fruit of his death belonged to them aswell as to those that should liue when hée came or was come for this fire was continuall and went not out no more did the fruite of his Passion faile to any True-beleeuer euen from the beginning But they were saued by beléeuing that he should come as we are now by beleeuing that he is come Also this fire came from Heauen Leuit. 9. vers 24 and so should Christ in the time appointed This fire was euer in and neuer went out and so is God euer ready to accept our Sacrifices and appointed duties euer ready to heare vs and forgiue vs but we are slow and dull and come not to him as we ought No other fire might be vsed but this and so they were taught to kéepe to Gods Ordinances and to flye from all inuentions of their owne heads For euer it was true and euer will be true In vaine do men worship me teaching for Doctrines mens praecepts Our owne deuises séeme they neuer so wise so fit so holy and excellent they are strange fire not that fire that came from Heauen Not that fire that God will be pleased
being in darknes as in prison or else where for by experience it is so found often Euen so by long custome of walking liuing in the outward workes of darknes groweth a strong and thicke inward darknes in the heart of man and woman Proofe héereof Ahab Manasses Herod Iudas and such like too many also in our daies who hauing long vsed Swearing Lying Uncleanenes c are growne so blinde in them that they neither will leaue them neither be perswaded they tend so to their destruction as they doo These blinde creatures shrinke to heare of this Egyptian darknes and yet their owne tenne thousand times worse they neuer shake at Let it make vs remember the words of wise Sirach A man that is accustomed to opprobrious words will neuer be reformed all the daies of his life Why because Custome of sinning taketh away the sense of sinning and long aboade in darknes maketh starke blinde Accustome not thy mouth therefore saith he to swearing neither take vp for a Custome the naming of the Holy one Where still marke the word Custome Custome and sée what a strong destroyer it is of the sight the inward sight light I meane of our hearts and mindes Fourthly ouermuch heate may hurt the bodily eyes as we all know the hotedung did Toby his eyes Euen so ouer hote desires of gaine hurteth the inward light as we knowe both by that which hath béene saide touching the world and by that which S. Paule saith that they which will be rich fall into temptations and snares and into manie foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction For the desire of money is the roote of all euill which while some lusted after they erred from the Faith and pearced themselues through with many sorrowes They that will be rich I say againe I pray you mark the Apostles words that is they which haue resolued with themselues set their hearts vpon it and concluded it that by hab or nab by one way or other whatsoeuer it cost them they will be rich and haue the wealth they possiblie can attaine to These these men with this Will this resolued and setled Will fall into temptations and so forth For this is a kinde of pestilent heate within which as powerfully thrusteth out the inward eye light of the minde as euer any outward heate did the eye of the body And then the inward eye being out nothing but darknes is there so a falling into all dangerous Courses that may leade to destruction and perdition Then vsurie is no sinne no not vsurie vpon vsurie oppression and deceite be no sinnes stealth and robberie if it may be any way coloured is wisedome and well yea murther and blood bite not But is the Lord of Heauen pleased with this sinfull Will to be rich and with these exorbitant wayes or is this heate a pleasing heate vnto him because hee is slowe to wrath and vengeance no no and that shall the end declare both vpon the wealth and the house that this dealing is in appointed time In the meane while we are taught by this place to Timothy to beware of such a Will and of such an inward heate as causeth such inward blindnes Soone enough if well enough say we euer and for these transitorie things as wee brought them not into the world so shall we not carie them out of the world Balaam Gehesi Iudas and such like preach vnto vs to beware of goods euill gotten A darknes then you sée there is within as well as without and the more dangerous farre is the inward because it hideth from vs things of greater consequence than doth the outward Not to sée credenda agenda cauenda things to be beleeued things to be performed and things to be auoyded is a horrible darknes Caine sawe not the first and Salomons foolish young-man led as an Oxe to the slaughter and as a foole to the stockes sawe neither the second nor the third Wherefore the Lord in great mercie hath euer béene carefull to furnish vs with meanes and helpes against it First he created vs as hath béene shewed with light and knowledge most excellent he prouided a great Booke euen the Booke of the World created by him wherein the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power God-head might be seene much excellent knowledge might be had And this Booke remaineth still if wee will reade in it an enemie to darknes Of which Booke Clemens Alexandrinus spake when he said Creatio mundi Scriptura Dei The Creation of the world is Gods Writing Also that Antonie mentioned in the Storie vnto whom a Phylosopher comming and asking him what he did without Bookes he answered O Philosophe meus codex est Natura creaturarum qui adest cum voluero verbaque mihi relegit Dei O Philosopher mȳ Booke is the Nature of all creatures which Booke is euer present with me when I will and deliuereth to me the words of God Héere wee sée the most admirable quantitie of the Sunne and Starres héere we reade the varietie the qualities the motion and the continuance in order appointed of all Creatures in Heauen in Earth and in the Sea so as no man can be either wearie of reading or reade without great profit in this Booke Neuerthelesse the Lord hath not héere left vs but as vnto the Starre manifesting the birth of his Sonne he pleased to add the Scriptures also which witnessed more particularly time place c so hee hath ouer and besides the Booke of the Creation giuen vs another more excellent by much to driue from our hearts this damnable darknes and to kéepe vs in light pleasing to himselfe and profitable vnto vs. Of this Booke farre better wee may vse Damihi Magistrum giue me the Maister than Cyprian could vse then of Tertullians workes For this Booke passeth All Bookes that euer were or shall be I meane the Booke of Gods holy Bible which Booke saith Hierome shall remaine with vs till wee be as the Angels in Heauen Goe we forward and consider how also to this Booke he hath added Prophets Apostles Euangelists Pastors and Doctors in all times to open and expound the same vnto vs that by all meanes wee might be enducd with light loue light liue in light and die in light Add againe the appointing of the Sabaoth day wherein men shonld rest from their labours and hearken to this Booke together with the many precepts giuen to heare to reade to search to know and vnderstand not to be as children perceauing nothing Thinke with your selfe often how the little Infant groweth to strength able to go by it selfe is it not by sucking and plucking his Mothers breasts euen so doth the Childe of God grow to strength of grace and from grace to grace by hanging continually vpon these two Breasts the olde and new Testament And as all men differ from brute Beasts
they can They will rake they will scrape they will hoord and muckervp their wicked Mammon is their GOD and their Chest their hope in time of néede But what became of Manna it selfe when it was kept contrarie to Gods liking Wormes bred in it as you sée it stanke and no wayes serued to their vse that so disobediently had laide it vp Euen so so shall it euer bee with this Crue let them make their reckoning of it and rest assured Ill gotten goods shall not prosper nor the thirde heire bee the better for them Our eyes daylie sée what may teache our hearts if GOD bee within vs and this notable place of rotting Manna would neuer bee forgotten 7. Yet the sixt day they reserued and it corrupted not Uerie true and let it neuer goe out of your minde whilest you liue For vpon the sixt day they were commaunded to gather both for that day and the day following ver 5. which was the seauenth day and the Sabbath to the end they might rest vpon the Sabbath and not goe out to gather and it corrupted not No more shal any goods you get and gather with the will and good liking and by the commaundement of Almightie God that is truly lawfully and with a good conscience but the Lord shal blesse that basket and that store to you whilest you liue and to yours when you are gone and though it bee but little yet hee shall make it sufficient to sustaine your selfe to bring vp your Children and to doo what they which haue thrice as much as you comming in cannot doo Your Children againe after you maintayned with that which you haue well gotten shall prosper either in learning or trade so that they shall come to great Places often and to bee Great menne to carie such Offices of credite as are in the Countrie or Tewne where they dwell and leaue Gods mercies againe to their Children after them to a thousand generations louing and fearing Gods holy Name and kéeping his Commaundements when the quite contrarie shall come to passe with the goods ill gotten as you haue séene 8. Forget not to marke héere also the great care that GOD hath of his Sabbath that it bee kept holy according to his appointment when hee will not suffer these Israelites to gather so much as his Manna for their foode vppon the Sabbath day but appointeth them to doo it the day before May not a good soule thus reason then with himselfe or her selfe Good Lorde what doo I vppon the Sabbath day This people of his might not gather Manna and may I safelie gad to Faiers and Markettes to dauncinges and drinkinges to wakes and wantonnesse to Beare-baytinges and Bull-baytinges with such like wicked prophanations of the Lords day May I bee absent from the Church where Gods people are gathered together in his Name he in the midst of them walking about my Closes and grounds sending my Seruaunts and Cattle to Townes with corne which I haue solde before because I will not spare them on the wéeke daies and so forth Are these works for the Sabbath Is this to keepe holy the Sabbath day Can I answere this to my God that giueth me sixe daies for my selfe and taketh but one day to himselfe of which I rob him also No no assuredly I shall not be able to endure his wrath for these thinges one day and therefore I will leaue them and regard héereafter his holie Sabbath better than I haue done Yes assuredly this is a sound and a blessed Reason and therefore I pray God to set it in our hearts since now a-daies there is so much offending this way 9. When came this Manna from Heauen in the day or in the night In the night when the dewe fell downe this Heauenly bread fell with it and in the morning as hath béene noted verse 14 When the dewe ascended this lay all scattered vpon the earth to be gathered till the heate of the Sunne melted it away ver 21. What a swéete Note doo I sée heere namely that when his Children sléepe and are at rest Gods prouidence for them sléepeth not but worketh and giueth thinges for their vse and for their comfort for their health for their life for their aduancement vnto honour Groweth not the grasse when wee sléepe and the best hearbs for our health and vse Come not the swéet showers when we sléepe that make the Husbandman reioyce and sing Peter was a sléepe in the prison the next day to suffer death by cruell tyrannie watched and warded and bound with chaines neither was there any helpe in mans eyes for him only the little flocke of Gods Children gathered together in the house of a religious woman prayed for him but the prouidence of God was not sléepe which watched ouer him and his life and sent his Angell to deliuer him in such miraculous manner as you reade of euer and euer leauing vs a Testimonie of his care loue mercie and power as shall be good for vs the swéetnesse whereof I am not able to reach vnto but crie with the Prophet from my heart O blessed blessed is the man that hath the Lord for his God! it is better to trust in him than in all the Princes of the world And if he be on our side wee neede not care what man can doo against vs. Such another Example is that of king Ahasuerosh not able to sléepe but calling for the Chronicles and hitting vpon that place where Mordecai his loyaltie and faithfull seruice was mentioned thereby enquiring what had béene done for him and so exalting him to great honour Poore Mardocheus was a sléepe when this was done and little thought of such a matter But his swéete and gracious God was not on sléepe you sée sending from Heauen his Manna that is his comfortable Mercie to his Childes honour and his whole Churches good by his aduancement Shall wee euer then fall from this God by distrustfull feare that thus careth for his when they be on sléepe Lord Lord giue vs the vse of these thinges and strengthen our Meditation to an immoueable Faith and strong comfort in Thee euermore Consider the olde generations of men saith the wise Sirach and marke them well was there euer any confounded that put his trust in the Lord Did euer any continue in his feare and was forsaken or euer any call vpon him and was despised No no no no. And therefore lay it vp in your heart marke the Scriptures If wee beléeue that he hath made our bodies shall wee not also beléeue that hee will prouide for them séeing the creation is greater than the preseruation Hath hee care ouer the wicked to doo them good and will hee not much more reioyce to doo his Children good Did the Lord loue vs when wee were his enemies and will he leaue vs succourlesse when we are reconciled to him in so déere a price as his owne Sonnes precious blood O if he did vs
good when hee might haue punished vs for our sinnes will not hée now doo vs good when through his grace we hate sinne in some measure sanctified by his holy Spirit Hee will he will and neuer feare therefore but cleaue fast Thinke with your selfe how the Fathers before the floud eating nothing but hearbes yet liued some seuen hundred some eight hundred some nine hundred yeares know by it that man liueth not by these meanes but if neither grasse nor corne nor any vsuall foode now amongest vs were in the earth yet could God Preserue vs and keepe vs both aliue and in health and in good liking But much more now by flesh and fish and his other good blessings can he do it Moses Elias liued forty daies without meate and the Israelites walked as I noted forty yeares in the wildernesse with the same apparrell not waxen olde By which and many such things mo in the Scriptures you see that the blessing of God is all in all and that these earthly meanes are but things giuen of GOD for our vse which yet he can want when hee will notwithstanding preserue vs. Up with your hart then how hard soeuer the world goeth with you and fix both heart and eies vpon GOD beléeue his Scriptures and reade them for your comfort all shal be well assure your selfe in his time 10 The Lord by Moses commaundeth a pot of this Manna to be kept in the Arke for a remembrance euer of this great miracle and so it was which very notably may teach vs euer to be carefull to keepe in minde the gracious fauoures of our good God shewed vnto vs and not to suffer them to be forgotten The Scripture often layeth this point before our eies if you remember As in Deut. Take heede to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the things which thine eies haue seene and that they depart not out of thine heart all the daies of thy life but teach them thy sonnes and thy sons sonnes So in the sixt Chapter againe These wordes which I commaund thee this day shal be in thy heart And thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children shalt talke of them when thou tariest in thine house as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp And thou shall binde them for a signe vpon thy hand and they shall be as frontlets betweene thine eyes Also thou shalt write them vpon the postes of thine house and vppon the gates c. When they passed ouer Iordā on dry land presently twelue stones were set vp for a remembrance Dauid in his Psalme Prayse the Lord O my Soule and forget not forget not all his benefits So the Fathers haue many good Sayings to this end As Saint Gregorie So much shall thy Soule finde more sweet rest in Heauen by how much thou giuest thy minde lesse rest in this Worlde from the continuall remembrance of GOD and his Workes If thy Corne lay in a low moiste and dankishe vault where it might putrifie and corrupt Wouldest thou not speedelie and carefully raise it vp to a higher and sweeter Place that so it might continue sweete Why then dooest thou suffer thy Minde to lye so lowe among the rotten thinges of this World that also will corrupt it with a grieuous corruption and dooest not spéedely and carefullie also raise it vp to a sweete remembrance of GODS fauoures and great workes for thee for thy Neighboures for thy Countrie for his Church and Children in all ages Here here is the sweete beeing of the Minde and not below Againe marke how the eyes of thy bodie if they bée in a smokie place are vered and grieued with that foule smoake and shedde out their teares to bee deliuered there hence So thinke of the light of thy minde that with vile thinges it is much offended but with remembrance of good things much pleased and bettered Euer therefore let it haue his comfort and looke vpon that pot of Manna which God hath giuen thee from heauen that is vpon his mercies and fauoures vouchsafed vnto thée many waies in thy life time which to thée are the Testimonies of his loue and gracious prouidence as this Manna here was to the Israelites Another saith Will the young Lamb be drawne from his damme or the young kid the young calfe the little chickens and such like will not they still kéepe with their kinde not stray away farre but run to the damme againe So certainely should our mindes not stray from our God and the thankfull remembrance of his mercies but euer kéepe here and tarie here and ioy here as in our swéete and quiet comfort A good carefull seruant is still in his Maisters eye and cannot abide to be farre off No more can the seruant of God assuredly bée pleased in the forgetfulnesse of his God and his great workes The fire of the Altar went not out either by night or by day No more should the fire within you that is the heate of thankfull féeling and due remembrance of Grace receiued from a swéete God The Priests did bring wood to that fire vppon the Altar and still nourish it that it might euer burne so will the zealous Preacher to thy inward Soule giue a holy heate continually kéepe in that blessed fire of loue of zeale of thankfulnesse and so foorth to Almightie God if thou diligently frequent his company and heare his words For the Lord hath appointed him to this end to kéep this fire within his people and his ordinance shall not be in vaine vnlesse the fault be yours What a heate will the fire giue to the coldest water if it be set to it But remooue the same water from the fire againe and it returneth to his former coldnesse So so is it in the matter we speake of and forget it not The preserued fruite that is bailed in sugar looseth his owne tartnesse and taketh a swéeter taste from the sugar that all men may know where it hath béen And euen so assuredly wil a minde much meditating on Gods benefits and to the end it may the better doo it much frequenting the reading and hearing of the Word tast most swéetly both with God and Man Wherefore follow this aduise of Scripture and Fathers and learne by this reseruing of Manna for a remembrance what an acceptable thing to God and what a fit dutie for his seruant this carefull remembrance of his works is 11. Now as by this Figure of the kept Manna men were taught to remember all Gods mercies in generall So in particular it did lay before the Israelites the promised séede Christ Iesus of when it was a very notable Type and therefore may likewise teach vs as to remember all Gods mercies so by name this great mercie aboue all the gift of his deare and blessed Sonne our Sauiour for vs. The type is resembled by learned men in
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
and worketh righteousnesse is accepted In the Gospell therefore there is now no difference of meates but all meate frée with Thanks-giuing That which goeth into the mouth defileth not the man but that which commeth out of the mouth that defileth the man saith our true Teacher Christ Iesus and wée must marke it His Apostle after him Saint Paul I know and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth any thing vncleane to him it is vncleane Whatsoeuer therefore is sold in the Shambles eat yee and aske no question for conscience sake Neuerthelesse there shall come in the latter dayes some that shall forbid to marry and command to abstaine from meates which God hath created to bee receiued with Thanks-giuing For it is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer But these forbidders and commanders are departed from the Faith giue heed vnto the spirits of errour and doctrines of Deuils They speake lyes through hypocrisie and they haue their consciences burned with an hot iron O note these things earnestly with your selfe and acknowledge Gods goodnesse in thus plainly fore-warning vs long before of that which wée sée in these dayes fulfilled Vnto the pure saith the same Apostle all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure but euen their minds and consciences are defiled c. That Commandement to abstayne from things offered to Idolles and from blood In the Acts of the Apostles was but for a time and is ended also in Christ or els it was no Ceremonial law But you thinke per aduenture with your selfe may not the Church in these dayes also forbid some kinde of meate as flesh c The answere is that cause and circumstance must bée considered Ciuilie the Magistrate may that is for the good of the Common-wealth in maintaining Mariners for seruice in helping the yong bréed of Cattle that victual may be more cheape by sparing the eating for a time and so foorth but not for Religion and Conscience as if one meate pleased God more than another for as you heard Peters sheete with all sorts of meates confuteth that many other Scriptures also which yoâ— may read your selfe ouer But what if one pretend the Magistates law being indéed popish and making difference of meates for religion You must néedes confesse such an one is an Hypocrite and therefore odious to God who hateth hypocrisie and cannot be mocked And what if hée do it in déede for Religion Then hée denyeth in effect that Christ is yet come and hath taken away this Ceremoniall Law of vncleane meates and as the Apostle saith of Circumcision that if we be circumcised now Christ profiteth nothing so is it true also that if wée yet hold a difference of meates for Religion and Conscience Christ to vs is no Christ and wée shall perish What if I sincerly in regard of the Magistrates Ciuill Law for the good of the Land forbeare to eate any flesh vpon times named by Law yet well knowing my libertie in Christ You doe most well and would God the Land had more of these that would obey godly Lawes according to their meaning and abandon all sinfull ryot and libertie contrary to them GOD should bée pleased the Magistrate pleased our Countrie profited and wée knowen to God and man for people of gâ—ouernment and order 2 But how did God in this Law of his call that vncleane which himselfe had made and saw to be good as all his workes were good Surely in respect of Creation and of themselues nothing is euill or vncleane but in respect of vse forbidden as God hath libertie to forbid at his good pleasure without impeachment of himselfe or of his Creature Euen as the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill hurt not of it selfe or the apple but the transgression after Commandement the thing in it selfe good but the vse forbidden If you say that which goeth into the mouth defileth not and therefore not the apple it is true for the apple defiled not but the breach of Gods Commandement You shall not eate So that euer it was true The Kingdome of GOD is not meate or drinke c. 3 How were beastes called vncleane in the time of Noah when they entred into the Arke before this Law was made except of themselues and their Nature they were so I answere you truely they were then so called not in respect of any fault in themselues or of eating but in regard of the Sacrifices from which God did then exclude them as here hée did from being eaten And as well might God then at his good pleasure choose what he would haue offered for Sacrifice and what not as now what he would haue eaten and what not all being his and his prerâ—gatiue to doe with his owne as hée pleaseth As now therefore that which was forbidden to be meat is called vncleane yet not so in Nature but in regard of vse therof forbidden so then was that called vncleane which was forbidden to be Sacrificed and not for any euill nature at the Creation but only because of this prohibition of vse that way Now let vs a little looke at the words of the Chapter 1 In the Chapter you sée three sorts Namely beasts of the Land Fishes of the Sea and Foules of the Ayre and these are distinguished or noted by Names and by Signes The Names that are héere set downe Wée are not so well acquainted with some of them because in those East-parts there were diuers creatures not knowne to vs in these Countries by their Names The Signes therfore is the best note for vs and in the beasts they are these diuiding the hoofe and chewing the cudde for so saith the Text. Whatsoeuer parteth the hoofe and is clouen footed and cheweth the cudde amongst the beasts that shall ye eate But if hée did the one and not the other or neither hée was vncleane Read the words your selfe You saw before that these were but shadowes of other things For doth God regard Oxen saith the Apostle and careth hée for diuiding or not diuiding the hoofe chewing or not chewing the cudde who made them all as they are and could haue made them all of one sort otherwise than héereby to resemble berter matters No. And therefore consider with your selfe that in this difference of beastes the Lord shadowed out a difference of men and women in this world some cleane and some vncleane The cleane beastes resemble the Godly and Elect which being clensed by Faith in Christ from their sinnes and sanctified by the Spirit of GOD earnestly and feruently loue the Word of God heare it learne it embrace it Night and Day meditate of it labouring to kéepe it by framing all their words and works counsailes and actions according to it The vncleane beasts resemble the wicked and reprobate that despise the Word and liue
indeauour the supplanting of both Trueth and Peace vnder the colour of policie and safetie c. The cutting and marking of their flesh was also Heathenish 15 Thou shalt not make thy daughter common to cause her to be a whore least the land also fall to whoredome and the Land bee full of wickednesse This is a Branche of the Commandement against Adulterie admonishing Parents to looke to their houses and Magistrates to looke to the Land that there be no Stewes nor places of sinne suffered for any colour whatsoeuer as is in Rome for gaine euen an yearely Reuenue The power of Satan ouer Heathens in this matter was fearfull and therefore the Lord admonisheth his people to beware of their fashions and sinnes The Cyprij say our Bookes before the marriage of their daughters maydens appointed certaine dayes places when where they were to come together so to rayse a dowrie marriage portion for them The Locrenses thought it was a way to please their gods to prostitute their Uirgins and therefore in any distresse and danger of warre and the like they would make vowes that if they might haue victorie and bée deliuered so and so many maydens vpon a solemne Feast appointed for that purpose should bee prostituted These horrible things serue to shew vs the corruption of our nature and the blindnes entred into our vnderstanding by the first fall till God renue vs by his holy Spirit and giue vs the light of his Word as also to stirre vs vp to thankfulnesse to our most gracious God for better knowledge vouchsafed to vs whereby wée are kept from being such beasts and monsters as these Heathens were and men still are without him 16 You shall not regard them that worke with spirits neither Southsayers you shall not seeke to them to be difiled by them I am the Lord your God Conferre this with Deut. 18. and with that which hath béen sayd in the Commandement against Witches c. 17 Thou shalt rise vp before the hore-head and honour the person of the olde man and dread thy GOD I am the LORD A branch of the Commandement for these olde men are in stead of Fathers And therefore the Apostle willeth them to bée exhorted a◠Fathers Againe olde Age is a blessing of God and therefore it should bee reuerenced The contempt of it is the contempt of God and so taken by him as these wordes shewe héere and dread thy God This honour to bée done to them must also teach them so to liue and behaue themselues as they may bee worthy of all honour and reuerence 18 And if a stranger soiourne with you in your land you shall not vexe him But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be as one of your selues and thou shalt loue him as thy selfe For yee were Strangers in the land of Aegypt c. A gratious God thus euery way to méete with our corruption and to restraine it by his wise and holy lawes Hee knoweth and wee should learne to féele the aking heart in a stranger that is out of his Countrey and farre from his frindes wanting many things that he is ashamed to speake of and knoweth not how to get them Therefore not further to be verid with our churlish and vnkinde words or déeds But we to remember the olde saying Aut sumus aut fuimus possumus esse quod hic est Either wee are or haue been or may be that which hee is God make vs thankefull for his comforts 19 Yee shall not doe vniustly in Iudgement in Lyne Weight or Measure You shall haue iust Ballances true Weights c. God is truth and requireth truth in vs. Againe euill gotten goods the third heire shall not enioy and therefore truth is best These are the Lawes of a righteous God and wée must regard them if euer we meane to be regarded of him Happie shall wée be if we doe it And let this suffice of this Chapter CHAP. XX. THis Chapter repeateth Lawes mentioned before adding punishments to the breakers of them which before was not done It shall not therefore be néedfull to goe ouer them all againe particularly but leaue you to conferre them your self which you may doe by helpe of the quotations in the Margent of your Bible referring you to the former places where the same Lawes were mentioned without addition of that punishment which here now is layd downe Onely for order sake I will giue you these few obseruations 1 In laying downe seuerall paynes and punishments for the breakers of his Lawes the Lord teacheth that Common-wealths and gouernments doe stand and are preserued aswell by punishments of the euill as by rewards of the good and that as néedfull therefore is the one as the other If either reward or good examples of such as loue obedience would serue it were best but it neuer would nor wil the lesser part being euer so led and the greater by feare of paynes The saying is olde and true It is as great a vertue to keepe what is gotten as first to get it and euen so is it as good a dutie in a Magistrate to sée Lawes kept as at first to make them And since they will not be kept of all without punishments therefore punishments are most necessarie Idle then and absurde was it in those Heretickes that argued God not to be Author of the Olde Testament because there are so many punishments mentioned and executed For is it a fault in a Chirurgion to cut of a corrupt part for the sauing of the whole So in the Magistrate it is no crueltie but vertue to preferre the safetie of many before the will and liking of one 2 The punishments héere threatned and appointed for Idolatrie and Idolaters is very worthy noting Whosoeuer sayth GOD shall giue his children to Molech an Idoll of the Ammonites as you sawe before vnto whom they burned and sacrificed their children 2. Kin. 23. Verse 10. and by this one kinde the Lord vnderstandeth all kindes of Idolatrie that person shall the people of the land stone to death But what if they bée negligent sée the seueritie of God against this sinne Then will I saith God set my face against that man and cut him off from among his people Yea I say againe If the people of the Land hide their eyes and winke at that offender and kill him not then will I set my face against that man and against his familie and will cut him off and all that goe a whoring after him c. Why Lord why so Because hee hath defiled my Sanctuarie and polluted my holy Name See in these tearmes the nature of Idolatrie yet there is mercie with the Lord and great patience Tempt him not therefore but meditate of these Examples Salomon fell to Idolatrie and what a iudgement did God shew vpon his house in his sonnes entrance Rehoboam by cutting off for euer from him ten of the Tribes Manasses