away willingly consented and the Parents also afterward then hée that stale her away after penance done might marrie her Eightly sor matter of contract before Marriage you may héere take occasion to thinke of it and to remember that it is a very auncient and commendable thing in the Church of God thus to bée betrothed with consent of friends before the day of full marriage There are diuers Treatises of it which you may read With consent of friends I say because so the Scriptures teach and much vrge giuing the Father authoritie to denye his Childe although shée haue béen carnally knowne if hée doe not like Exodus 22 and if hee will consent the offender shall both marrie her and indowe her whether hée will or no such a thing is the Parents authoritie in marriage Sampson though a man growne yet speaketh to his parents for a wife Iud. 14. Of Abraham for his sonne Isaac and Isaac for his sonne Iacob what doe you read As also how it grieued them that Esau was so disobedient as to marrie without their consents And as was noted before in the Question of a vowe if a promise made by a Childe to God without consent of Father might not stand much lesse must a promise made to man bée good without Parents allowance For the Ciuil Lawes of men surely so did they insist vpon this consent that if the Father bée absent and it vnknowne either whether hée is dead or whether hée bée aliue yet require they that the childe stay thrée yeares to sée if hée may bée heard of and his consent had And they will not admit that childe that is borne of one married without this consent vnlesse it bée such a match as is apparant the Father would not haue misliked if hée had béen present The Canons in like sort altogether confirme this consent of Parents aledging that example of Rebecca and saying Honorantur Rebeccae parentes muneribus consulitur puella non de sponsalibus illa enim expectat iudicium parentum non est enim Virginalis pudoris eligere maritum sed iam desponsata viro de profectionis die consulitur c. The Parents of Rebecca are honoured with giftes and the Mayde is asked but not touching the marriage for therein shee rested vpon the iudgement of her Parents it not agreeing with a Maydens modestie to chuse a husband but being promised to a man shee is asked concerning the iourney c. In Euripides also whereso-euer hée had it a Mayde is brought in saying Touching my marriage my Parents will take care for this thing belongeth not to mee Which saying Luther very fitly with change but of two wordes applyeth vnto Faith not disputing in temptation of the greatnesse and multitude of sinnes but simply and wholy relying vpon the mercie of God in Christ and saying Of my sins my Sauiour taketh the care and that care belongeth not to mee Uery Naturall reason againe telleth and teacheth that a childe bred vp with such care and charge of Parents many yeares should not at the ende requite all their loue so as to dispose of himselfe or herselfe in a state that dureth to death without their priuitie aduise and consent And the most vndutifull childe that euer was if hée or shée liue to haue a childe would not bée so serued by that childe Let then Gods Lawe and mans Lawe Naturall reason and common honestie preuaile with all good Children to performe this dutie to their Parents and let good Parents againe not neglect in due time to prouide fitt matches for their Children whereby their vertue and good report may remayne without blot or blemish not standing euer vppon the heapes of trash to bée had but chiefly of Religion and Honestie Such Parents as are faultie this way being verie well able to giue that which is conuenient for the preferment of their Children it is to be wished that the Christian Magistrate would compell them as hath béen vsed in good gouernments and states Certainly it is a tyrannie ouer their children that is most worthy of punishment and amendment The disparagement that hath growne to good houses this way is too well knowne and the spoyle of those that might haue béene a comfort to their friends by well doing if their Parents would haue done their duties is to be lamented as often as it is thought of Had I wist saith the old prouerbe commeth euer too late And I pray God worke in the hearts of all Parents to thinke of it whilest they haue time to preuent euill Ninthly touching secret contracts they haue euer béene odious to God and his Church and therefore as many as regard either will beware of them and auoide them And if any such thing be done discreet Gouernours haue held this course according to good Lawes First if a partie claime a promise denyed by the other partie and haue no proofe at all of it not so much as one witnesse but onely offereth to sweare it in that case no oath shal be taken neither shall the partie procéede to vexe the other but must simply giue ouer and be quiet But if he or she can prooue it by due testimonie a day is appointed for both to appeare and first the Complainenant is to be heard apart and his tale layd downe with all circumstances then is the Defendant called and required to answere euerie point of the former tale and if so truth cannot appeare then to Witnesses c. The Canon Law is much to blame in this point yéelding more to these secreat contracts than it should be so crossing both the Law of God and Nature as also of good Emperours and Gouernours in their time Contracts before Marriage are made either by wordes of a future time or a present time either publiquely or secreatly either with consent of Parents or without either pure or conditionall either certaine or vncertaine c. Words of the present time when it is sayd I doe take you for my Husband I doe take you for my Wife Words of the future time when it is sayd I will take you The first of these formes doth bind so that if either part breake and marrie elsewhere that actnall Marriage is to be dissolued and the former contract ratified yea although they haue lyen together but the latter forme bindeth not but may be altered and the parties marrie otherwise if they dislike before marriage Publique Contracts are when the Minister and other honest friends and Witnesses are present Secret when none but the parties either to other passe promise the former hath consent of Parents the later hath none and therefore is wicked and sinfull Conditionall Contracts are with conditions honest and lawfull or otherwise honest and lawfull condition performed make the Contract good dishonest and vnlawfull although perfourmed make no lawfull Marriage c. Certaine Contracts are when the partie is certaine as this Daughter by name vncertaine when the partie is
of the sacrament not to be reserued 423. Breast-plate 410. how it informed the priest of God his will 411. the twelue stones in it with names signified that God cared for euery particuler man 412. Bush burning and not consumed 33. Buriall Pompei was without the honour of it 425. C. Calling Moses was called being forty yeeres old 22. we must answere readily when God calleth 34 52 53. our calling is not to bee misliked for some defects 51. in performance of duties we must looke not to our selues but to our calling 78. and both to God and our calling 264. we must vse warinesse in it reckoning of enemies 207. in it wee must bee stronge and cheerefull 214. Hinderers thereof to bee remooued 301 we may not passe the limits of it 322. those that rush into a calling rashly are confounded 39. Calling of Ministers see Ministers Golden Calfe 439. euerie error in Religion is as it were a Calfe 442. Canaan is ours but in the way thither we must reckon of enemies 207. and looke for lets 212. for wee must passe by Marah 238. and fight with Amalech 290 291. we are directed to the true Canaan by Gods word 207 466 in trauailing thither we must not looke backe to Egypt 209. Candlesticke 393. Catechising 127 333 370 196. Cattell die when God is displeased 109. Cato denied diuine prouidence 425. Ceremoniall law the diuision thereof 358. a shadow of Christ and ended in Christ 376 377 402 187. Change of Prince dangerous 6. Change of estate not â—o be feared 25 29 30. No change in God 42 38 426 72 210. Childrens dutie 54 they should not be brought vp in ignorance 196. their differences are known to god who is first who is secoÌ„d 198 Cheerefulnesse in our calling 214. and in Gods seruice 364. Cherubins 387. the stretching of their wings signifieth the protection of Christ 388. their faces one towards another signifieth the consent of the old new Testament 389. God spake from betwixt them ibid. c. Christ his death brought encrease of Christians 4. hee was called an Angell because sent to be our deliuerer 31. 32 hee vniteth diuers houses and Nations 186. he wholely freed vs both from originall and actuall sins 191. he is not to be found out of the church 202 370. he cooleth enlightneth his Church as the cloud and pillar did the Israelites 208. he was the Angell that went before the Israelites 216. his loue to his Church 412. his blood though sufficie at for all yet not helpfull to all 416. hee maketh our prayers acceptable 427 428 how hee now speaketh to his Church 390. Christ was prefigured by Ioseph 4. by Moses 26. by the Lambe in the Passouer 186 187. 188 189 190. c. by the tree that made the bitter waters sweet 237. by Manna 275 383. by the Rock 287 by the blood of the couenant 356. by the Ceremonies of the law 376 377. by the Arke 382 by the Mercie-seat 386. by the table of shew-bred 391. by the candlestick 393. by the most holy place 400. by the altar of burnt-offering 403. by the high Priests Ephod 410 412. Christ his humanitie prefigured by the cloud 357. in the Altar of incense the wood signified his Humanitie the gold his Deitie 428. the vniting of his diuine nature to his manhood 382. the Lambe being without blemish did signifie his puritie 186. being a Male did signifie his spirituall strength 187. being of a yeere old did signifie his experience of infirmities 187. his annointing presigured by the oyle 414. his righteousnesse by the Priests garment 421. his protection of his Seruaunts by the stretching of the wings of the Cherubins 388 his eternall Priesthood by the budding of Aarons rod 383. the Maiestie of his Kingdome by the crowne of gold about the â—rke 382. and about the Altar of sweete perfume 428. His comming in the flesh prefigured to be in the Euening of the world 189. that hee should bee taken from amongest sinfull men 188. his humiliation by the brasen Altar 428. his suffering without the Citie 418. that hee shold not die by by after he was borne 188. that he shold die but once in one place 404. that he shold not putrifie in the graue 382. that he should rise againe by the budding of Aaronsâ—od â—od 383. that he should haue glorie in heauen after his ascention 428. Church of God compared to a Shippe 219. 220 221. True Church and false Church 220. The true Church shall haue Victorie ouer her enemies 227. there is an Vnion betwixt God and it 232. when God will 242. we must reioyce at the welfare of it 302. it is where Christ is 383. it was prefigured by the Arke 384. it is the keeper of the Scriptures 385 by the Tabernacle 400. the puritie of it 401 the rich grace of it ibid. it neuer quite fayleth 33. 414. God his loue to it 55 56 61. Christ his protection of it 206. 388. it is neuer forsaken but her enemies cursed and fauourers blessed 218 219. it increaseth in persecution 10 201. Our Church was before Luther 137 219. Churches built 365 366. Church-robbers 204 430. Liberalitie to the Church 464. Church-Officers Sworne-men c. 114. Church-meetings loued of God 374 403. Church is Gods house 367 it is graced by God 465 reuerence is due to it 371 372. it must be repaired 373. the outward glorie and glistering of it 378 392. the true beautie of it 394. refusall to goe to the Church will bee punished 64. reasons why we should not refuse 316. we must come to the Church cheerefully 365. exaÌ„ples 368 369. 370 we must not go out of the Church before the end of prayers sermoÌ„ 375. The distinct places in our churches coÌ„pared with the roomes of the tabernacle 400. Cloud did guide and protect the Israelites 207 208 216 465. Cloud that couered Moses a figure of the humanitie of Christ 357. Clergie men 303. Colledges built 367. Colours of sinne 9. Communion tables 326. 403. they are more ancient than stone Altars 404. Consecration of the Priests 413. it sealed to their consciences their vocation 414. Condemning must not goe before hearing 12. Conscience tortured by Popish doctrine 139. Good conscience is the preseruer of faith 396. Conscience is as the face of the inward man 461. Remorse of Conscience 170 105. Conuenticles of the wicked 8 371. Constancie in suffering affliction 226 227. Constancie in loue where we once haue loued 286. Constancie a vertue in a Iudge 349. Constancie in Religion ibid. CoÌ„tentation 167 243 268 279 293 361 362. Courtiers should not be drawne from Gods seruice by pleasure profit c. 23 98. Couetousnesse 108 150. 170 265 292 it is a blot in a Iudge 315. Counsaile if good to be receiued from an Inferiour 313. Councellors are Kings eyes and eares 311. Cookes must so dresse meate for other mens bodies that there bee care had of their owne soules 193 194. Courage is a propertie of a
and potentates of the earth beleeued in Christ and were sub dued to him Who whilst they raged against the poore ship were so farre from sinking her as they desired to doo Vt plané illis persimiles inuenti sint c. That altogether saith Theodoret they became like vnto those that seeking to quench the flame fondly poure oyle in and so make it greater And euen as the bush that Moses sawe was not consumed with fire no more could the enemies with their warres and weapons ouerthrowe it Simones Marciones Valentini c. The Simoncans the Marcionits the Valentinians and a number more saith Greg. Nazianz. they are all drowned in their owne déepes and the Church is deliuered Euer therefore as the Israelites héere against Pharaoh and his heast so shall Gods Church haue victorie against her enemies but in Gods time not at her owne will Till then constant Faith and painfull rowing be graces becomming the Church and euery member of it I am Ioseph your brother was a word of great comfort you knowe in the Figure and It is I it is I be not afraide is a farre greater comfort in Christ who was figured blotting all feares whatsoeuer out of our hearts Lastly Thus Israel sawe the mightie power which the Lord shewed vpon the Egyptians so the people feared the Lord and beleeued the Lord and his seruant Moses This is the end of Gods mercies to his Children and of his iudgement vpon their foes To encrease all good duties in them towards him and by name a reuerend feare of his Maiestie and a faithfull assurance in his loue They beléeued before in some measure but now in a greater measure as may bee saide of the Disciples where the like Spéech is vsed Iohn 2. 11. They beleeued also his seruant Moses that is they nowe plainly sée that God was with him whom they so wickedly had abused Let it profit vs to beware by them either to distrust God or to wrong his Ministers appointed ouer vs and let vs learne that although Faith respect GOD onely yet is there such an vnion betwixt him and his Ministers as in déede and truth we cannot beléeue him vnlesse we also beléeue his Ministers speaking from him And therefore whō God hath ioyned euen in this sense also let no man seuer but beleeue the Lord and his seruant Moses What is past of vnkindnes towards your faithfull Minister caring for you praying for you and wéeping for you when you are fast on sléepe in your bed Let it grieue your heart in your secret chamber and doo so no more the Lord is with him his service is Gods mercie to you the abuse or contempt of him will so grieue the Lord that you are sure to féele his heauie hand for it Be wise therefore let both this particular and the whole Chapter profit you in Gods blessing CHAP. 15. Consider in this Chapter these two generall Heads 〈◊〉 The thanksgiuing both of men and women 2. The fall againe of these Israelites at Marah 1. TOuching the first obserue the antiquitie of writing in verse and the reason why Moses vsed verse here euen to continue a longer and better remembrance of so famous a worke of God for his Church for we all sée by experience that what is written in verse both more affecteth and more sticketh in the memorie than what is written in prose We must learne also by this Example euer after mercies and comforts to giue thanks For the Custome of the Church is the instruction of euery particular man and woman in the Church The custome wee sée héere and in other places What Melchisedech did after Abrahams victorie wee reade in Genesis What Deborah and Barak did wee reade in Iudges What the women sang to Saul and Dauid we reade in that Storie as also what was carefully done after that great victorie and deliuerance vouchsafed to Iehosaphat A feast was kept euery yéere to remember thankfully Hamans destruction and the Iewes ioyfull deliuerance Iudeths seruice and blessing with God is not forgotten And if you goe to Dauids Psalmes how many of them are Psalmes of thanksgiuing after benefits Of the cleansed Leapers though nine forget yet one is thankfull The man healed of the palsie taketh vp his bed praiseth God The Creeple healed entred into the Temple walking and leaping and praising God God and man abhorre the contrarie and when thou art truly said to be vnthankfull but euen to man there is in that one word all euill contained and affirmed of thée Now if priuate benefites should be remembred much more publique which touch so many Whereforefor both be euer thanksfull to God as the fountaine and to man as his meanes Imperfection in this dutie beséech him to pardon c. 2. When was this thanksgiuing made The Text telleth you in this word THEN Then sang Moses the children of Israel That is euen presently as soone as they could gather all their companie together on the other side of the sea whither so happily they were brought on drie foote by a mighty God In the 5 of Iudges you may note it also THEN sang Deborah Barak euen the same day And surely to defer it is alwaies dangerous so soone are we cooled and become dull and heauie after the greatest mercies Doo it therefore whilest thy heart is hot thy féeling swéete of his fouour found Doo it quickly hartily and so thou mouest the Lord to more mercy For gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum inuitatio Thankfulnes is an inuiting of God to giue more saith S. Ambrose Doo what wee can wee shal be weake and our best duties be full of wants but yet spéede will helpe somewhat and our care in making spéede shall finde mercie for such wants When dulnesse crept in by carelesse delay shall be punished 3. Note with your self again the maner of their Song namely how they being many yet vse the singular number say I will sing When in a right phrase of spéech they should haue said we will sing This plainely teacheth vs that a good forme of giuing thanks is euery particular person out of his owne feeling to say I I good Lord doo yéeld vnto thy Maiestie my bounden thankes for my selfe and for my brethren for my selfe and for thy whole Church And so euery one féeling and euery one thanking the Lord is praised of all as his mercie and goodnes reach To all A contrarie course it is to trust to other mens giuing of thanks for me and to be dull and dumbe my selfe Dauids words haue another touch Thou art My God and I I will praise thee euen My God therefore I will exalt thee I I againe in mine owne person and with mine owne heart and with mine owne tongue c. 4. I will sing that is not onely in heart will I féele and thinke but with my voice will I expresse and publish the due praises of
man so full of Gods Spirit after such comforts should yet bee so backward But this is againe I say the mightie discomfort of incredulitie and want of the tast of good things when a man before hee goeth to doe his message cannot conceiue that his seruice shall preuaile And I would all Gods people might marke it with féeling for then should they sée how Preachers harts consume to dust within them by griefe conceiued of backwardnes waywardnes and incredulitie of their hearers to whom God hath sent them O! it biteth and wringeth day and night it lieth gnawing and grinding the whole inwards when others comfortably féede vpon ioy and mirth It maketh a great Prophet fearefully to passe the bounds of patience and forget himselfe For Cursed be the day wherein I was borne saith that worthie Ieremiah and let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed Cursed be the man that shewed my Father saying A man-childe is borne vnto thee and comforted him And let that man be as the Cities which the Lord hath ouer-turned and repented not and let him heare the crie in the morning and the shouting at noone-tide Because hee hath not slaine me euen from the wombe or that my mother might haue beene my graue or her wombe a perpetuall conception How is it that I came out of the wombe to see labour and sorrowe that my dayes should be consumed with shame And shal this be good for such people as cause it thinke you No no saith the Lord But Obey them that haue the ouer-sight of your soules as they that must giue accompts that they may giue it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you Unprofitable for you I say againe and marke it Now then mourneth the Preacher but the day commeth when such Hearers shall mourne yea rore and crie in the wound of their consciences for such Discomforts giuen to Gods Messengers sent vnto them O what are wee in this age to Moses the great Seruant of the Lord And yet hee for feare of this is so out of hart that hee prayeth God plainly to send some other Wee feare it not but féele it finde it and sée it and haue not the Spirit in such measure as Moses had Alas how can it be but sometimes our weakenes should appeare 5. Doe wee then iustifie Moses in this No the Lord doth not iustifie him and therefore wee cannot For Then the Lord was very angry with Moses saith the Text not angry onely but very angry So that wee sée most apparantly héere that there must be a measure at least in our passions and tendernes or else God is prouoked to great anger If the Lord appoint vs we must goe if wee feare or finde discomfort we must beare continue still obedient to God in our seruice who wil giue an issue to his pleasure And in the meane time to our vnspeakeable comfort hath saide That we are a sweet sauour to him in them that perish Yet the Lord casteth not a way his seruant for all this but telleth him againe that Aaron shall be his Spokesmā to the people c. Setting the authority in Moses making Aaron as it were his Interpreter Not vnlike the example of Flauianus in the History of Theodoret. Moreouer saith hée Thou shalt take this rod in thine hand and doo miracles Where wée may not dreame of any vertue inthe rod but cast both eies and heart vpon God who is able to make his Seruant with a poore Rod to match a kings glorious Scepter 6. Then Moses yéeldeth to Gods commaundement returning to Iethro his father-in-law prayeth him to let him goe c. Yéelding vs therein these Obseruations First that hée will giue no offence to Iethro by departing otherwise than was fit Seruants and Subiects may profit by it Secondly he concealeth as it séemeth the matter from him lest to a man not so fully yet tasting Heauenlie things it might séeme vnlikelie and so hée bée assalted with new Pulbacks Thirdly he delayeth not but spéedily addresseth himselfe to his businesse And lastly though outwardly he appeare but the same man yet inwardly he hath thoughts concerning Gods glorie which is a very Patterne for all good hearers of Gods word 7. Iethro hindreth not though no doubt it was to his great griefe according to nature to part with him and with his Daughter and their Children So is it euery one of our duties to yéelde vnto the will and working of God in all things For his we are and for his glory and seruice wée haue béene created where when how and how long they are circumstances knowne and directed by him euer to the best if wée beleeue and obey Moses taketh the Rod of God in his hand saith the Text his Wife his Sonnes vpon an Asse and away he goeth Husbands see the heart of a good man to haue his wife and children with him Wiues and Children see a dutie due to be followers willinglie of their Husbands or Fathers calling euen into any country And when I looke at his Rod mée thinke I sée liuelie little Dauid marching chéerefully with his staffe and scrip against huge Goliah Good Lord what weapons were those against him then in mans eies or this staffe now in Moses hand against mighty Pharoah of Egypt But God is the same both héere and then and for euer strong in weakenesse and able as I said before to match a Kings Scepter with a sticke or a staffe or a stone or a word in the hand or mouth of one sent and appointed by him vnto his Glory Blessed be his Maiestie for euermore for his goodnesse Amen And deare Lord giue faith to depend vpon thée in all comfort whensoeuer thou callest to any duty not looking to our selues or second meanes but aboue al and ouer all at thy mightie Power that shalt euer giue testimony as in these examples of thy stretched-out arme in the midst of weakenes contemptible shew to effect thy Wil. Blessed is that man saith the kingly Prophet Dauid Whose strength is the Lord and in whose heart are thy waies I wil loue thee deerely O Lord my strength For thou art my Rocke and my fortresse and he that deliuereth me my God and my might my shielde and my buckler the horne of my saluation and my refuge in thee will I trust c. Goe wee then forth if the Lord so call against the States of this earth armed but in shewe as Moses was or little Dauid and we shall taste the strength of the Lord to his glorie and our comfort as they did 8. And the Lord said vnto Moses when thou art entred and come into Egypt againe see that thou doe all the wonders before Pharaoh which I haue put in thy hand but I will harden his heart and he shall not let the people goe This was done that the Tyrant might sée by these mightie
Ver. 8. vnto the 13. you sée the sixth plague of Egypt euen a foule scab breaking out into blisters vpon man and beast Whereof Iosephus saith no small number died yet could not this moue them to sée the hand of God Such vglie sores and maladies our age also hath and as far from leading to true repentance as these héere That gréeuous Disease began in Spaine but afterward crept into Fraunce and there so abounded as euer since it hath caried the name of that Country not of Spaine Be it that by diuers meanes it may happen as by a cup a combe a stoole and such like so that euery one is not guiltie of lewde life who happily is spotted with it yet which way so euer it commeth the Lord toucheth and it is euer good to sée his hand distinguished from other causes and to fall downe before him in humble acknowledgement of our sinne making our peace by true submission and beséeching him either to remoue such punishment frō vs or to seale vp our hearts in the assurance of his loue notwithstanding all earthly trials Let vs also in this place marke how the Sorcerers were smitten with this plague so that they could not stand before Moses They had séene many things before to make them giue place the deuouring of their roddes their inhabilitie to make that base vermine spoken of before yea their owne mouthes then said it was Gods Finger yet they will not giue ouer their gaine-saying and crossing of Gods Ministers till the Plague of God light vpon their owne persons in these vglie soares which surely is a very effectuall warning to all Kebellers against good things that they giue ouer betimes and yéeld to God so auoiding his wrathfull stripes either vpon themselues or their goods God is the same as iust as euer as strong as euer and will flesh and blood prouoke him A better course shal be our wisedome 6 This seuenth Plague now following ver thirtéenth hath also his Denunciation his Execution and his Effect Which in order obserued will yéelde vs sundry Meditations And first the Denunciation will more and more beate into vs the wonderfull hardnesse of Pharaoh and his People who neither by any nor all the Plagues before mentioned of Blood of Frogges of Lice of Flyes of Moraine of Botch could be mooued and turned to the obedience due from man to God Can we wonder at waywarde creatures in our times when wée sée this No no the heart of man Woman is a most wonderfull peruerse thing whē God worketh not these often Repetitions are made by Gods Spirite that we should marke it know it and continually pray against it 7 You sée God willeth Moses to Rise vp early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh Let the vse of it be to teach with what diligence and care God would euer haue his businesse how he hateth negligence and loose slubbering ouer what belongeth to our charge saying in plaine tearmes Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently Ministers then forasmuch as their calling is to doo the worke of God and to stand before Pharaoh they must be diligent zealous carefull and painfull doing what lieth in them euer Magistrates also must doo the like for they execute not the iudgments of man but of the Lord and he will be with them in the cause and iudgment For there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God neither respect of persons nor receauinge of reward Parents and Maisters doo the worke of God and therefore they must be diligent calling vpon their children and families with blessed Abraham to feare the Lord. There bee also in Parishes Church-Officers Sworne-men with such like who for their yéere haue Gods worke in hand and therefore they should haue a great conscience to doo their duties diligently for feare of the curse aboue mentioned But surely their grosse dulnes crieth for great vengeance and I pray God it reach not to their posteritie also and to all that they haue gathered together for them For so good Offices to so good vse both of the Church and Common-wealth cannot be so wilfully and wittingly so careleslie and presumptuouslie neglected as they are but it will smart one day When thou seest a thiefe saith God in the Psalme thou runnest with him and thou art a pertaker with the Adulterers When thou seest a thiefe that is an euill doer any way thou consentest vnto him that is either thou doest as he doth or at least doest ouerlooke him and conceale him not bringing him by thine Office vnto the ordinarie correction of his fault and hast beene pertaker with the Adulterers in not presenting them and following the presentment with zeale vntill there were Justice had These things saith God hast thou done and I held my tongue and thou thoughtest wickedly that I am euen such a one as thy selfe but I will reprooue thee and set before thee the things which thou hast done That is I will make thée knowe and the world also shall know by my dealings with thée that thou hast not risen vp earlie in the morning as Moses did héere that is thou hast not had care and conscience to doo the dutie of thy Place zealouslie and carefullie as thou oughtst for his sake whose worke it is and who hath raised thée to credite and accompt for thy Prince his sake who watcheth ouer thée for thy peace and is greatly abused by thée for thy Countrie sake which by thy negligence becommeth wicked and sinfull hastening to destruction most due and deserued Oh consider this better you that feare God saith the place lest I PLVCKE YOV AVVAY or teare you in peeces and there be none that can deliuer you 8 Obserue againe the word All in the 14. verse when God saith I will at this time send all my plagues vppon thine heart meaning many sundry and seuerall plagues for God did not bring All according to y◠Letter diuers others following after as the 8. 9. 10. Plague The vse is this that wee consider the perill of rebellious obstinacy against God For first he wil punish it with one rodde then with another happely with a thirde and if these single chastisements will not serue then will he go to many plagues heaping wrath vpon wrath and woe vppon woe with a fierce hand yea he will lay euen All his plagues vpon vs at once as he here speaketh to our greatfall and confusion Add vnto this proofe here those wordes in Deut. But if thou wilt not obey the voice of THE LORD THY GOD to keepe and to doe all his Commaundements and his Ordinances which I commaund thee this daie then all these curses not one or two but All these curses shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the towne and cursed in the field Cursed shall thy basket be and thy dough Cursed shall be the fruite of thy body and the fruite
with earthquakes or thunderbolts Sed vlterius referuÌ„t Hebraei eadeÌ„ nocte lignea Idola putrefacta fuisse metallica resoluta fusa lapidea comminuta But farther also these Hebrewe Writers say that in the same night all the wooden Images were rotten all the mettall Images were dissolued and moulten and all the stone Images broken Which surely were great works and Judgements if they were so 12. And in the first day shall bee an holy assembly also in the seauenth day c. Where we sée the lawfull end and vse of Holy-dayes namely to Remember the mercies and fauours of God and to giue him thankes wâ—e being by our corruption too forgetfull As for that of S. Paule You obserue dayes and times c. It doth not condemne Holy-dayes by lawfull Authoritie ordained for the ends aboue saide but Superstition and confidence in the worke For well knew S. Paule these and the like daies obserued in the law with Gods good liking Wee sée also the Reuerence of such kinde of méetings by the title giuen them of Holy assemblies and How monstrously we abuse them when we make them drunken assemblies cursed assemblies by reason of all kinde of riot abhomination vsed at them A fearefull abuse if our hearts were flesh to féele it fitter for Heathens and Pagans Deuils incarnate than for Christian people that professe God say they looke to be saued by Christ For can we say in our consciences when we come home that we haue kept an Holy assembly vnto the Lord on these daies aske but your selfe that Question and I trust there will much amendment followe of it Marke also how God accepteth dressing of our meate and alloweth it to vs on these daies still considering in his mercie our necessitie But yet so we ought to dresse meate that euer we haue a care of the Saluation of theÌ„ that dresse it who being created redéemed as we our selues be ought not so euermore to be kept at this seruice as that neuer they may heare the word receaue the sacraments praise God in the congregation with his people For that should be to cat the flesh of theÌ„ to drink the blood of them most cruelly yea to burie them in our bellies and for our bodies to destroy their soules for euer Rather remember Dauids refusall to drinke the water that was bought so deere and prouide so that the one being done the other may not be left vndone Which may if they goe to Church by turnes or if your estate be such by hauing exercise of these duties before they begin their worke in the morning or before they dresse supper in the euening This holy Care in you shall greatly please God and be a comfort to your conscience in your place as to the Apostle in his that you are free froÌ„ the blood of your seruants frée I say from the guilt of casting them away for the fleshly féeding of your body 13 Then Moses called all the Elders of Israel and said vnto them Choose out and take you for euery of your housholds a Lambe kill the Passeouer c. What God had spoken to him he now speaketh to the people Sée therefore in it the office authority of the Minister What hee hath receaued that to deliuer calling and requiring his people to come together to heare it if he cannot conueniently haue all then at the least the Elders and Chiefe who both ought to come and to their best abilitie assist him their Pastor and Teacher in any thing belonging to his dutie A fit Remembrance for these daies wherein the best are vsually the worst that is the Heads and guides of a Parish the Gentlemen if there be any the Fréeholders Wealthier sort for who wring and wrong the Minister but these who insult ouer him and browe beate him but these who looke to be lawlesse and without controlement but these Their word must stand not Gods word they must teach and not learne and at a word in stéede of any assistance and concurrence with their Preacher as was here in these Elders with Moses they are the bitterest and sowrest hinderers that the Messenger and Minister of GOD hath But doth not the Lord sée it or doth hee sée it and not regard it No no. Hee shall euer be true in his word and make them one day knowe and féele that the abuse of his Minister in his seruice is the contempt of him and that the very dust of their feete shall stand powerfull before him against the bodies and soules of these proud despisers to condemne them cast them into eternall wâ—â— Therefore good it were for them to take vp betimes and to fellowe the aduise of Gods holy Spirit by the mouth of S. Paule giuen Obey them that haue the ouer-sight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accounts that they may doo it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you But I haue not spoken these things generally for I well knowe vpon my owne knowledge many swéete and comfortable encouragers of their Preachers and Ministers both of Gentlemen and others of the better sort Let them that are faultie amend in Gods feare the other goe forward to their great praise 14. When yee shall come into the Land which the Lord will giue you as hee hath promised then you shall keepe this seruice And when your children aske you what seruice is this you keepe Then you shall say c. If euer a man or woman forget God and dutie it is most to be feared in Prosperitie when they haue obtained what they disired and what with longing lookes they expected or as this Text speaketh when they are come into the Land of Promise And therefore fitly doth Moses héere admonish them to performe this dutie and to beware of the lulling sléepe of forgetfulnes which I wish euery one that readeth this Note to applie to himselfe and make religious vse of For who knoweth not that the heire whilest his Father liueth is often well giuen commeth to the Church fauoureth the Minister distributeth to the poore disliketh bad seruants and ill companie yea both in his heart thinketh and with his mouth speaketh That if Gods will bee to bring him to the Land expected to wit into his Fathers Place surely certainly he will doo thus and so that is very many good things shall flow from him But when God hath giuen him his desire who forgetteth like this man who groweth sluggish and slacke to come to the Church who standeth with the Minister for his due who beateth the poore from his gate who getteth and gathereth Swearers Swaggerers to wrong euery man but this young heire now gotten where hee wished to be If I speake a Truth let some féele it and for His loue that ruleth Heauen and Earth leaue it Thus doth the Scholler that
Remembrance of it that all the first-borne should be offered to him in sacrifice Which plainely sheweth our dulnes to be so great that either not at all or very slightly wée remember the Lords mercies and benefits vnlesse by sundry meanes we be raised and stirred-vp thereunto Let vs therefore thinke of our selues as the Lord knoweth vs to be and rest euer thankefull for this great care of his ouer vs testified in his sundrie waies and meanes to awake and worke in vs due duties towards him and vse the same appointed meanes continually and euer as we are commaunded otherwise we condemne both the Lords care and wisedome and the punishment at last must néedes be very fearefull Let it strike all negligent hearers of the Word all secure and earthly contemners of the Sacraments all that refuse to read to conferre and to doo whatsoeuer els as a meanes that leadeth to the Lord. The Reason which the Lord aleageth of this Law of the first-borne to be sanctified vnto him is because they were his for they are mine saith he Which doth not note any reiectiō of the second-borne or third from his grace and fauour or yet tye his mercy and liking euer to the eldest for we know He hated Esau and loued Iacob but we are to vnderstand it thus that albeit all were his indéede yet these first-borne he challenged to be his by a double right both because he had deliuered them from bondage and seruitude as the rest and because he saued them aliue and slue them not when he killed all the first-borne in Egypt I make this vse of it euen to think with my selfe That the more God hath done for me the more titles he hath vnto me and the more I am his and ought to be in al the duties and seruices that may flow from either heart or body of so wretched a creature And if I doo not so thinke and so striue to shew my selfe euen so many witnesses against me are his sundry mercies to me and I shal be destroyed The ends then of this Law of sanctifying the first-borne vnto the Lord were these To be a Remembrance of their deliuerance To be a witnesse of the Lords right to them and ouer them whom he had so gratiously and mightily deliuered euen as an earthly Lord séeketh a peny or a Rose for an acknowledgment of his right not for any increase of his welth That the Priestes might haue hereby a maintenance to liue to preserue doctrine knowledge among them That Christ hereby might be liuely shadowed and shewed who being the first-borne was offered-vp a holy and sufficient sacrifice for all our sinnes c. The Law of Redemption of the children ver 13. 15. was to mittigate the rigour of the Lawe if they should haue dyed and still sheweth how swéete and mercifull the Lord is Afterward the Leuites were taken in their place and the Redemption of the vncleane beastes teacheth vs that God will haue his due if not by sacrificing them because they were vncleane yet by a price for them or by their death Which all wicked Robbers of God in his Tithes and Offerings may make an vse of and cease so to offend any more if admonition may finde place with them Other things haue béene touched before as the vnleauened bread the instructing of their children and such like wherefore I passe them ouer The frontlets spoken of in the 16. verse béeing for Remembrance the Iewes afterward abused and had their Philacteries c. As our Papists haue sundrie superstitious things about their neckes and armes to put them in minde of I know not what The 2. part 1 COncerning the way by which GOD led them you sée héere in the 17. verse what is said namely That God caried them not by the way of the Philistims Country though it were neerer lest any should repent when they saw warr and turne againe to Egypt Si enim cum longius esset Numb 14 regredi voluerunt quid si tam vicini essent For if when they were farther of they would haue returned Numb 14. what when they were so neere saith Saint Cyril wherin behold a most singular Testimonie of Gods fatherly care ouer our infirmities in not suffering vs to be farther tryed than in him and through him we shal be able to indure and at the last to ouercome also according to the most gratious promise specified by the Apostle 1. Cor. 10. 12. Let a troubled Spirit euer thinke vpon this and euen féede upon it to the comfort of Soule as one would féede vpon swéete and pleasing meate for the good of bodie Your weakenesse is knowne to God and as you sée here he thinketh before hand what you can beare and what you cannot what will lead you to the Land of promise and what will make you turne backe to Egypt and had he not strength in store for you in his good time to be giuen you thereby to ouercome the troubles you now are in whatsoeuer they are spirituall or worldly in such sort as he knoweth to be best truly hee would haue preuented them and neuer haue suffered you to fall into them more then hee would suffer héere the Israelites to passe by the Countrie of the Philistims for he is not the God of the Israelites alone but your God and my God also no respecter of persons but swéete to all that cleaue vnto him And therefore since these things are thus now with you rest in hope and be chéerefull there is a good houre comming assure your selfe wherein his strength shall appeare and giue you victorie these things turning to your good and not to your harme For euen as an Eagle fluttereth ouer her birds stretcheth out her winges taketh them and beareth them vpon her wings so doth the Lord for his people saith the Song of Moses and let it comfort you for God is true Another vse againe I make of this place thus The Lord héere I sée would not suffer them passe by the Philistims lest they should start backe and so sinne gréeuouslie againg him And what if in like sort hee preuent my sinning and your sinning against him by taking away from vs such things as he in his wisedom knoweth would be occasions of euill vnto vs if we had them whatsoeuer we thinke as Riches friends power health of body peace of minde and such like is not he therein carefull of vs and as gracious vnto vs as héere hee was to these his people in not suffering them to goe that way which though it were néerer night endanger them Certainly he is and therefore pray for eyes to sée it and a hart to féele it with assurance be content with your estate and with his will the end shall shew you all this is true Why but could not God haue stayed them from returning although they had gone the néerer way Cyril answereth Non Deus omnia operatur vt potest sed quandoque humano
Egypt Then hee tooke Zipporah Moses wife c and went vnto him Thereby noting that the hearing of Gods great and wonderfull workes done for his people mooued his heart to come and ioyne himselfe to them so entereth God to the heart by the eare vsuallie And therefore the vse of the eare to heare of God and his workes out of his word euer cried for in the Scriptures and the stopping of the same euer condemned as to GOD rebellions and to the soule most hurtfull and pernitious O that it might sinke and settle in all men for their amendment and encrease of care and conscience to heare 2. What is Iethro A Gentile Where dwelt hee In Midian a good way of Gentiles then heare and Iewes will not they that dwell farre of come and they that are néere will not He that but heareth is much mooued they that sée with their eyes and féele with their hands Gods works and mercies murmure repine sinfully Doo not things fall out thus in our dayes and finde wee not by erperience to the griefe of all good mindes that plentie is no daintie would GOD wee did not But let vs in time remember what is spoken for our admonition if wee haue grace Manie shall come from the East and West and shall sitte downe with Abraham Isaack and Iacob in the Kingdome of Heauen And the Children of the Kingdome shall be cast out into vtter darknes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Woe be to thee Chorazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes which were done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agone in sackcloath and ashes The Queene of the South shall rise in iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it for she came from the vttermost parts of the earth to heare the wisedome of Salomon and beholde a greater than Salomon is heere Then Christ in his person now Christ in his word the same Christ God and man euer aboue Salomon who was his creature 3. Iethro brought with him Moses wife whom he had sent away and her two sonnes ver 3. The time when hee sent her away I doo not remember to be expressed in the Scripture But of like it was when shee shewed her selfe so crosse and weyward about the circumcision of her sonne to the hazard of Moses owne life whom the Lord would haue killed for neglect of the Sacrament Happily he thought shee would be crosse and headie in other things as well as in that and therefore for feare lest shee should hinder him in his vocation now imposed by God he sent her for a time back with his Children to Iethro her father Whereof we may make me thinks these two vses first that it is a gréeuous offence for either wiues or others to be an hinderance to men in their duties enioyned them by God for this is euen to striue against God and to set our will against his will to the great perill both of the men so called and of the parties that so hinder them if they persist Secondly that it is the dutie of all so called to remoue from them in a lawfull sort those hinderers preferring the Lords worke before their owne affection and remembring zealouslie their Maisters wordes Hee that loueth Father or Mother more than mee is not worthie of mee And hee that loueth Sonne or Daughter more than me is not worthie of me But whosoeuer shall forsake houses or Bretheren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my names sake he shall receaue an hundreth fold more and shall inherite eternall life This forsaking for a time of Moses was a holie resistance of his owne affections and a zealous care of his imposed office 4. And Iethro saide to Moses that is hee sent messengers to say I thy Father in lawe Iethro am come to thee and thy Wife and thy two Sonnes with her A singular modestie in Iethro and reuerence to his Sonne in lawe Moses his place when albeit hee had with him those guests that hee knew in nature must néedes be welcome besides his owne due who was come so farre in loue and kindnes yet hee would not come to him without this reuerent sending before to acquaint him Such reuerence to mens places in our daies is much wanting in those that chiefely should performe it and familiaritie breedeth contempt But behold Iethro héere and know that God hath Chronicled this for his praise and our profit Reuerence to Magistrates reuerence to Ministers reuerence to all authoritie and superioritie certainly it pleaseth God and commendeth vs. The contrarie is immodestie yea impietie and as a great contempt of the Author of that authoritie as of the partie contemned vsuallie punished of God either with want of euer hauing authoritie or with such contempt if they haue authoritie as erst they measured vnto others 5. Howe requiteth Moses this kinde respect The Text saith Hee went out to meete his Father in lawe and did obeysance and kissed him and each asked other of his welfare and they came into the Tent. No authoritie and greatnes maketh him proude or vnmindfull of an olde friend who had shewed him kindnes when he was in a lower estate but with a singular humilitie he receaueth reuerence in his place and with like respect againe boweth himselfe and reuerenceth Iethro Such mutuall loue and reciprocall offices of complement and order shall you euer sée in wise men what difference soeuer is in their places And there is no greater pride than where least worth is Pride maketh rude and rudenes getteth little loue wee all knowe Such an Example as this is in steade of an hundred to a wise heart and yet you may ioyne Dauids protestation to it be much profited Lord I am not high minded I haue no proud lookes c. 6. Then Moses told his Father in law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians c. Being met together after ordinarie salutations and kinde enquiring one of anothers health they fall to religious and godlie talke Moses taking pleasure to speake Iethro to heare of such gracious fauours as the Lord had shewed to his people and of such powerfull iudgements as he had laide vpon their enemies Which may serue for a good motiue in our daies to cut off idle if not very prophane conference when wee méete and to leade vs this good way remembring euer that of idle words wee must giue an accompt Woe be to the world because of offences for it must needes be that offences must come but woe bee to that man by whom the offence commeth c. If any man among you seeme religious refraineth not his tongue but deceaueth his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine The hartie ioy also that was in Iethro when hee heard these thinges notablie telleth vs the right affection of a Childe of GOD
at large reade in the exposition of that Commandement So great is the honour of Parents before God and so sharpe a Iudge is God against all abusers of them Little thought of by too many in our daies the rather because continually in the Church there is not a beating of these points of Catechisme into Childrens heades and hearts by carefull Ministers O that they woulde bée once drawen to doo this dutie in their seuerall Churches Soone soone shoulde they finde the Fruite of it and the greatnesse of their Sinne in so long neglecting it In Plato an heathen we reade the like law wherein is decréed that all beating and contumelies of Parents should bée punished with perpetuall banishment and death By the Romane lawes the slaier of his parents was not to be slaine either with sword or fire or other ordinary punishment sed in sutus culeo c. sowed in a sacke with a Dogge a Cocke a Viper and an Ape he should be throwne into the Sea or Riuer that the ayre whilest he liued and the earth when he was dead might be denied him who so had wronged them that gaue him a life and beeing in the ayre and vpon the earth A good Writer testifieth hee saw one put to death at Tigurine who had cursed and reuiled his Mother 5 He that stealeth a Man and selleth him if hee be found with him shall dye the death To flocke away as wee speake a mans seruant Man or Maide or to buy or sell a freeman and so to bring him into bondage was a grieuous sinne with God and therefore thus seuerely punished Thus sinned the brethren of Ioseph against him when they sold him to bee a bondman and to be vsed as pleased the buyers which might haue béene so as twentie deathes had béene better Great therefore was their sinne in that action This law is to be referred to the 7. Commandement and to the 5. also 6. When men striue together and one smite an other with the stone or with the fist and he dye not but lyeth in bed If he rise againe and walke without vpon his staffe then shall he that smote him go quite meaning for mans law saue onely he shall beare his charges for his losse of time and shall pay for his healing By the stone or fist are meant all other things whereby any wound is giuen although these onely bée named for example For with sword or dagger or any weapon all was one if hée were wounded and recouered so that hée was as fit for his vocation as before then this was the law but if he were maimed then otherwise If a man smite his seruant or his mayde with a rod and he dye vnder his hand he shal surelie bee punished But if he continue a day or two he shall not be punished for hee is his money These lawes of God were fitted for the state of that people when many things were indured which were not allowed If the seruant dyed presentlie it was more grieuous and therefore punished but if hee liued a time after not so yet before God it was murder also though by Mans law he escaped both in regard he was his money in his masters power and also because there might in that daye or two happen some other cause of death than that beating Perfection in these lawes wée must not looke for because God was pleased to beare with much weakenesse But yet know wée euer what his Morall law requireth and follow that which forbiddeth the abusing of seruants aswell as of others because they also beare the Image of God and God careth for them as hath béene shewed 7 If a man striue and hurt a Woman with childe so that her childe depart from her and she yet dye not hee shal be surely punished as the womans husband shall appoint him or he shall pay as the Arbiters determine But if death follow thē shal he paye life for life eye for eie tooth for tooth hand for hand foote for foote Burning for burning wound for wound stripe for stripe c. Still obserue how these lawes tend to the explanation of some of the Ten Commandements and referre this to the fift The light of Reason and Nature giuen vs of God teacheth That what measure we mete it is iust we should receiue euen the like againe That hee that taketh the sword should perish with the sword That he which spoileth should be spoiled That by what a man sinneth by that he should be punished That what a man doth the same he should suffer That euil should hit the worker and the offendor be pressed with his owne example This law of equalitie was in effect thus also in the 12. Tables at Rome the equitie thereof béeing deriued to them either from other Nations or by the light of Nature The verse saith Iusta malis haec admisso pro crimine paena est Si quae fecerunt eadem patiantur ipsi It is verie iust if men suffer the same things of others which they haue done to others If any man obiect that by Christ in the fifth of Matthew this law is repealed or was disliked we answere neither but there our Sauiour condemneth the abuse of this law according to priuate affections and for the nourishing of a lust to reuenge by priuate persons that are not Magistrates and neuer would be intreated to forgiue any Whereas he liketh euer in his children mercy and kindnesse and patience and so to ouercome our enemies as his words shew Recompence not euill for euill but ouercome euill with goodnesse 8 The other lawes that follow in this Chapter of setting seruants free for hurts done them by smiting Of the Oxe that should gore any bodie Of digging a well whereby my neighbours cattle receiue harme falling into it Of harme by one beast done to an other and such like they are so easie that without any Commentarie you may by reading of them be satisfied All of them teach vs with that care we should liue of our Neighbours goods as well as of our owne no way hurting either the one or the other small or great frée or bond but peaceably spending our daies with all men and doing what good wée can any way God wée sée is iust and we should be iust God careth for the safetie and well béeing not onely of all sorts of Men but euen of the very brute beasts and we must learn to doo the like that by our resembling of him we may be knowne to be his Children one day to inherite with his deare Sonne in his eternall kingdome This will not such cursed courses as many men delight in bring them to who in oppressing their neighbours in hurting their seruants in spoyling mens goods and killing their Cattle in fightings and striuings and all euill take their great and dayly pleasure Who hath eares to heare shall heare and to others doe what we can
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
therefore let the prayer of Dauid bée in our mouth and vttered from our heart O knit mee fast vnto thee that I may feare thy Name Let vs ioyne inward truth to out-ward shew For the Lord loueth trueth in the in-ward parts Absolon Ananias and Saphira Iudas c had their vncleannesie and how ended they 9 The forbidding to eate the fat was a Ceremonie that euen at home in their houses contynued them after a sort in the exercise of Religion For still they remembered the Law and obeyed the same It also as I haue noted before preached vnto them figuratiuely that for God if he so appoint all the swéet pleasures of this world riches honours friends and whatsoeuer else being as the fat pleasing and delightfull are forsaken forborne refused and left A Lesson neuer ynough learned though often repeated so cleane our hearts to this earth and this fatnesse thereof But pray often and pray heartily with Saint Augustine That the Lord would vouchsafe to giue vs what hee requireth and then require what he pleaseth Hée is strong though wée be weake can make vs as contentedly leaue them as euer we receiued and inioyed them 10 The forbidding of them to eate the blood also as before hath béene noted signified vnto them that the Lord abhorreth crueltie in euery Childe of his and will haue them mercifull pitifull gentle c. In the 30. vers The bringing of the Sacrifice with his owne hands and not sending it by others taught humilitie and dutie to God taught that euery one must liue by his owne Faith and not by anothers and may serue vs now to sée how foolish an Error it is in Poperie to giue another his beades to say them ouer for him that day c. The heauing of it vp was a Figure of the lifting vp of Christ vpon the Crosse So was also the lifting vp of the Brasen-Serpent Some haue made it a Figure also of his Exaltation after Death Hell conquered of which the Apostle speaketh when hée saith Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a Name aboue all names that at the Name of IESUS euery knee should bowe c. That is hath highly exalted him and giuen him Authoritie and Power and Rule whereunto All shall bée subiect men women and creatures whatso-euer Little thinking of any earthly scraping with the foote at the Word of Iesus when neither word déed nor thought yéeld him reuerence due to him Popish eleuation of their consecrated Cake was neuer thought-of in this heauing and therefore vainely doe they vse this proofe The shaking of it too and fro foure wayes East West North and South shadowed the spreading of that lifting-vp of Christ that is of Christs death and Passion throughout all the world by the preaching of the Gospell 11 Lastly the brest and the shoulder were the Priests and so they were admonished to bée as Brests and shoulders to the people Brests for counsaile and direction in all their affaires Shoulders to beare-vp the burthen of care and labour of them to vnder goe Crosses and troubles in gouernment for them and for them to rest as it were and leaâ—e vpon in all their woâ—s of heart and agonies of minde whatsoeuer A profitable Meditation for all faithfull Ministers euer thus to bée as the Lord shall inable them to their seuerall Flockes in this world And as worthy a Meditation againe for the people to increase loue and singular loue in their hearts towards their Pastors for their worke sake euen for this vse of them in all their distresses and occasions whatsoeuer A godly Pastor is a brest of swéete comfort in aduersitie and a faithfull Shoulder to leane vppon euer and to support both vs and ours when without him we shall fall fearefully and paraduenture eternally Happie are the people that haue them and God worke in their hearts to make much of them In the 37. verse sée a short Rehearsall of all the sorts These are some of the chiefest things in this Chapter CHAP. VIII IF you turne to the 28. Chapter of Exodus you shall finde the most of this Chapter there explaned and therefore a bréefer touch may serue héere It contayneth the Sacrifices and Ceremonies vsed at the Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes into the Priests Office and fitly followeth vpon the other Chapters because after Sacrifices appointed the next care is for Priests to offer and vse them according to appointment For vse and benefite to our selues First let vs note that this Office of holy Priest-hood was not of man nor from man but the Lord Almightie first instituted and ordained it by his owne expresse commandement then being ordained he confirmed the honour and reputation of it by that great Miracle of the budding of Aarons rodde and he very seuerly and fearefully punished the contempt of it in Corah and his companie whom the earth opening swallowed vp with their Wiues and children and families all their goods Upon Ieroboam also and Vzziah for inâ—hroching vpon it And the Law was sharpe and generall If any stranger whatsoeuer not called to this Office by GOD approach the Altar hee was to dye The Reasons why the Lord thus precisely appointed these Priests and would not leaue it to euery man to performe this Office were these and such like First it was to be knowen that not euery man No not any man but the Man Christ Iesus could appease Gods wrath satisfie his iustice and take away the sinnes of the world reconciling vs to GOD and putting vs in assurance of eternall life This could not be figured out better than by secluding all the whole Hoste of Israel from this Office and choosing but Aaron and his sonnes as Types of Christ this onely able Priest to doe as I haue said and therefore they onely were chosen and so by such ordinance the Maiestie authoritie and if wée may so speake the propriety of Christs Office resembled and shadowed Secondly God was euer the God of order decencie and comelines and therefore in his Church would haue all things done accordingly not induring any to be an inuader of an other mans right an intruder of himselfe into another mans Office and a busie-body out of Rule out of order Certaine men therefore are appointed and they onely shall doe it Others if they meddle being strangers because not called shall dye the death as you heare before Thus hath he also in the New Testament established a Ministerie and giuen some Apostles some Euangelists some Pastors and Doctors for the building-vp of his Church c. Hée also decréed that the contempt of these is the contempt of him and then iudge you first or last what punishment will insue In neither Olde nor New-Testament can we finde the Popish Priest-hood ordained to Sacrifice for the sinnes of quicke and dead For this is to denie the perfection of
Christs one Oblation and that there is now remission of sinnes séeing the Scripture saith Where there is remission of sinnes there is no more offering for sinnes c. Heb. 10. 18. 2 So Moses did as the Lord God commanded him and the companie was assembled at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Obedience in Moses the Head and chief obedience also in the People vnder him do offer vs here a good Example Such mutuall agréement in great litle to come together to the Tabernacle to vnderstand further of Gods Wil O how commendable in it self how acceptable to God how profitable for others that shall behold sée it Would God any thing might smite our hearts to come to Gods House diligently Certainly the praise of it wil endure wheÌ„ we are dead and the blessing of such zeale vpon our childreÌ„s children Banish then vngodly whisperers to the contrary with all their deceitfull and damnable perswasions and he that hath an eare let him heare what God will say to his soule Let him speake as that good Samuel was taught to speake Say on Lord forthy Seruant heareth 3 Then Moses said vnto the company This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded to doe Nothing but Gods Commandement doth Moses offer vnto them For he well knew Gods will onely in his owne House must be the Rule Our own heads were neuer the best heads to follow and for God he knoweth our mould too well to giue that swinge vnto vs. If we will preach his will he hath a blessing and if we teach our owne fancies he will with his breath blowe away both vs and our idle fancies We offering then but his will to his people and by a plaine course of teaching according to their capacities making that appeare to them as many as are ordayned to eternall life shall beleeue in time to our vnspeakable comfort and their eternall goodâ— and such as must perish if any such be in our flock eâ—â— in those also we shal be a sweet sauour to God because we haue only deliuered to them what we receiued of God not abused theÌ„ with any mans Traditions that cannot saue 4 And Moses brought Aaron his sonnes and washed them with water And put vpon him the coate and girded him with the girdle c. Of all these Ceremonies reade what hath bene noted in the 29. Chap. of Exod. The Tabernacle a type of heauen Heb. 8. 2. cha 9 11 12 24. anoynted to signifie that Heauen is the sanctified Place for perpetuall and eternall rest vnto all the Sonnes of God his Elect before the foundations of the world were laid He powred the Oyle vpon Aarons head so in him who was a Figure of Christ shadowing out the fullnes of the Spirit vpon Christ Psal 44. and Esay 61. He put also coates vpon Aarons sonnes c. They were a Figure of the Church which by Faith eateth also of the Sacrifice of Christ being made partakers of his merit aswell as the Priests Their garments figured out the Graces and gifts wherewith the beleeuers in Christ are adorned beautified Casting away the works of darknes and putting on dayly more and more the deeds of light The Lap of Aarons right eare and his sonnes thumbes of their right handes and the great toes of their feete are anoynted to represent that in Christ there is no left but all right To shew that that his blood should make blessed them on his right-hand and to teach that such as bée his Chosen haue their eares touched and made right hearing with profit good things and sincerely abhorring to heare euill Their workes also shadowed by their right thumbe are holy honest good and in their seuerall vocations they paynfully and carefully walke shadowed by their right toes anoynted with the blood 5 Upon Aarons sonnes Moses did but sprinckle the anoynting oyle which before was said he powred vpon Aaron vers 12. so plainly shewing that in Christ the spirit should be without measure and vpon his seruants in measure wée all receyuing of his fulnesse according to his good pleasure some more some lesse 6 That which is said of abiding at the doore of the Tabernacle day and night seuen dayes and ye shall keepe the watch of the Lord that ye die not is thought to haue shadowed that watch which all our life long noted by the seuen dayes wée kéepe in auoyding sinne and working righteousnesse as the Lord shall inable Which indéede may be called the wrath of the Lord being a holy Christian and happy watch The seuenth day wée shall bée frée fully sanctified and deliuered from this vale of misery to kéepe an eternall Sabaoth in Heauen to our endlesse comfort Thus bréefly for order sake of this Chapter the chiefe points as I said hauing béene touched in the 29. of Exodus CHAP. IX THe Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes being fully ended in this Chap is shewed how they entred vpon their Office began to doe the duties thereof Aaron offering the foure principall Sacrifices to witte the Burnt-offering the Sin-offering the Peace-offering the Meat-offering And for vse vnto vs. First it may be obserued that Moses who was neuer consecrated himselfe doth consecrate and inuest Aaron into his Office that so men might learne to ascribe all to God the authoritie I meane and effect of the outward signe 2 In that Aaron is commanded to offer aswell for himselfe as his people verse 7. The Apostle to the Hebr. reasoneth that the Leuiticall Priest-hood was weake but a shadow of a stronger namely of Christs For such an High-Priest saith he it became vs to haue as needeth not dayly like those in the Law to offer vp sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for his peoples c. Read the 7. Chap. verse 26 27. Also the 5. Chap. Verse 3. Hée was also herein a Figure of Christ not that Christ had any sins of his owne but that ours were so layd vpon him and he so made satisfaction to God for them as if they had bene his owne Surely saith the Prophet He hath borne Our infirmities and caryed Our sorrowes yet We did iudge him as plagued and smitten of GOD and humbled That is wée iudged euill as though hée were punished for his owne sinnes and not for ours But hee was wounded for Our transgressions he was broken for Our iniquites the chastesment of Our peace was vpon him and with his stripes We are healed 3 When it is said Aaron lift vp his hand and blessed the people vers 22. Wée must consider that héerein hée was plainly a Figure of Christ who onely can blesse béeing onely the séede of Abraham In whom all the Nations of the world are blessed and in whom saith S. Paul The Father hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenly things As with the blessing
wayes to worke anger answered Castitatem meam accuratè tuendo quicquid ille vult alacriter faciendo nullas res eius curiose vestigando c. By preseruing mine owne câ—â—stitie carefully by doing whatsoeuer he willeth cheerefully and by not prying into or medling with any matters of his curiously or busily c. Three notable vertues in a wise woman to continue loue and peace betwixt her and her Husband the contraries whereof are causes of many fires and flames where they should not be For these points of rare wisedome and for that she had béen a meanes to preserue many a Senators life and others that were questioned and in danger in her time had not she graciously wrought for them and for that she had brought vp many a mans child by her charity and married many a poore Mayden by her liberalitie she was mourned for a whole yéere by all the Matrons and women in Rome when she was dead by a speciall decree of the Senat. So will vertue priuate and publique haue his due honour with thankefull hearts at last Chast she was you sée and no enuie or malice of man or Diuell can burie that vertue so but that it will rise and liue with renowne in despight of all Diuels Matronis dos pulcherima vita pudica O! it is a dowrie of dowries to a woman a chast and vertuous carriage of her selfe If she be hard of fauour yet when she looketh in a glasse she may chéerefully say to her selfe Woman comfort thy selfe for thy beautie is inward thou art honest and it is a great and an approoued beautie of all men If she be faire and not chast she may sigh and say O how faire shouldest thou haue beene if honest Nulla reparabilis arte lapsa pudicitia No art of man wit can make whole againe decayed and broken vertue in this point therefore with all power and strength of will wit prayer preserue it and leaue the report of it to the comfort of your posteritie and friends Obedient also you see was this worthy Liuia to her husband not onely doing but doing cheerefully that is without any maner of crossing or stopping grudging or grieuing whatsoeuer hée required A vertue againe that will not die but force-foorth praise euen froÌ„ very enemies Vir a vi dictus mulier a mollitie A man hath his name of strength and force a woman of softnesse because in all things towards her husband shée is soft and gentle and most readily obedient and tractable Gods lawe hath so appointed that they should obey and all vertuous woman deepely regard it Uery Aristotle an Heathen man could write and teach that a good woman taketh her husbands will to bee a Lawe to her which she will obserue and not violate The starres all haue their light from the Sunne and if you aske them they will very thankfully acknowledge it The bodie hath his grace from the head and will be ruled by the head in all things without gain-saying The man you know is the womans head Ephesians 5. Women had their vâ—â—les and still haue their long haire to note this holy order of obdience and subiection to their husbands and therefore it was saide Etiam Anathema sit mulier quae comam sibi amputat quam Deus ad memoriam subiectionis illi dedit Euen accursed let that woman bee which cutteth of her haire giuen her of God to remember her of obedience and subiection to her husband Vashti her refusall to come when the King sent for her turned to her hurt you knowe and the example of such disorder is desired by all the Wise to bée preuented Sara is proposed to all vertuous women to bée followed in her ready louing and constant obedience to her husband Abraham calling him Lord c. The third Vertue of renowned Liuia was you saw that shee busily pryed not into her husbands actions neither medled with his matters but left his place and the workes of it vnto him herselfe dealing with her owne duties And what a thing is this to preserue loue and peace euer betwixt couples Iezabels such medling with the matter of Naboth wounted Ahab ouerthrew herselfe and the ignominie of it liueth and will neuer dye Stories doe yéeld vs many other examples and I would our owne times yéelded vs none I speake of vnfit curiositie and not of any good concurrence in well-doing For wee all know Pilate had been happie if in that matter of his Office and of Iustice hee had hearkened to his Wiues dutifull wish and not proocéeded as hée did against the Lord Jesus Thus remayneth honourable Liuia the Empresse a worthy Example to all of her Sexe how to liue in Loue and Peace with their husbandes so that no diuorce shall bée either spoken or thought of during life but longing wishes for contynuance many yeares and euen to bée the later of the two that goeth to the earth For such Wiues as they were worthy ones whiles they liued so will they bée missed and many times thought of when they bée gone Héere might I stay but since I am entred into this matter giue mée leaue to adde two or three things more beeing euer-shining Vertues in Women and great meanes of Loue Amitie and Vnitie betwixt married couples Faithfulnesse to their Husbands is one I meane a true constancie of heart preferring their wel-doing before all men and matters whatsoeuer worldly Such as was in Zipporah Moses his Wife who most tenderly louing her Childe and therefore very loath to shedde any of his blood yet when shée saw her Husband in danger for omitting that Circumcision rather than hee shall miscarrie shee addresseth her-selfe and that spéedily to doe that dutie whereby her Husband might liue although her childe smarted And shee did it not in a furie as some haue taken the place but in a most faithfull affection to the preseruation of her husband like a louing wife Neither doe her wordes Sponsus tu mihi es sanguinum Thou art a husband of blood vnto me sound foorth anger and choler but sweetnesse and loue as if shée had said My loue to thee hath been such deere husband as that it hath made me forget woman-hood to lay aside all motherly affection and to redéeme thy life and contynuance to mée with the blood of my childe c. Such againe was that in Michal to Dauid her husband when she let him downe at the window to escape from her fathers furie and layd an Image in the bed as if hée had béene there sicke Such the care of Abigael when shée heard her husband had ouer-shot himselfe toward Dauids messengers rather than any hurt should come to him for such vnaduised speaches shée prepared a very honourable Present and goeth her selfe to preuent anger which shée did indéede to the safetie of her husband and all his Such the loue of Theopompus his wife who when her husband was taken and put
morall vertues you sée and it is very certaine that such vices of the minde as haue béen noted neither then were nor now are for such as offer the bread of God but are to bée prayed against and taken héede of to the vttermost strength that God giueth yet happily not intended by the Law And therefore I rather like to leaue these applications as the conceipts of men and to learne by all these blemishes forbidden that the Iewes were then taught which wée haue also learned and beléeue how no mortall man could be able to worke our peace and reconciliation with God but onely Christ Iesus For in all men are some or other blemishes and it became vs to haue such an High-Priest as is holy harmelesse vndefiled seperate from sinners and made higher then the Heauens c. In him then there was no blemish but he was the imaculate Lambe of GOD able to saue vs willing to saue vs with the best blood hée had and he hath thus saued all those that beléeue on him and wée reiect all other Sauiours whatsoeuer This was certainely the drift of this Lawe and therefore wée may boldly gather this fruite from it Lastly these persons hauing such blemishes albeit they might not performe this dutie to stand at the Aitar yet were they allowed to eate of the sacrifices and such things as the Priests did eate of and allowed to bée in the Congregation so say some shadowing that the Church although blemished neuerthelesse is admitted to the communion and participation of those things which Christ by his eternall sacrifice hath obtained for it And my selfe would gather this comfort from it that albeit some one or other infirmitie may iustly disable mée for such a place either in the Church or Common-wealth yet from a place with the elect either héere or for euer it shall not hinder mée No ten thousand blemishes nor any blemishes shall hinder mée if gréeued with them and fighting against them as the Lord enableth mée I take hold of my spotlesse Sauiour as my helpe and safetie against them all Thus then doe you meditate of this Chapter and bee bettred by it reading it ouer with these Notes and praying in your heart for the helpe of his working spirit to make the Word profitable vnto you My labour is but to draw you to read by a taste and to pray that God may worke with you further then my Labours The Word being a Well the bottome whereof no man can come so vnto but there will be still more water to draw CHAP. XXII HAuing in the former Chap. noted what should hinder from the Ministerie now it pleaseth the LORD to note what should disable them to eate of the holy things mencioning againe such vncleannesses in men as before in other Chapters of this Booke were mentioned If this question arise in your minde why God hauing before forbidden all men that had these pollutions to eate of holy things should not againe particularly forbid the Priests answere is made because men in any authoritie and place are often apt to exempt them themselues by one excuse or other from such obedience as they are content others should bée bound vnto The Lord also threaneth punishment to the breakers of this Lawe that feare may restraine where loue will not 2 The particular vncleannesses I will not goe ouer héere but leaue you to looke backe to the 7. Chapter the 13. and 15. Chapters with such like Thus much doe you note again let it be eueryours that polluted sinners remaining in their vncleannesse without remorse and amendement haue no right to the merits of Christ but shall dye and perish in their filthinesse Clensed therefore we must be by newnesse of life and Faith in Christ Iesus that we may be saued 3 The Stranger is forbidden to eate c. Verse 10. to tell vs the state of Turkes Heathens and Infidels till the Lord reduce them to his fold To preuent couetousnes in the Priests by selling and contempt of holy things by being so common 4 The qualities of Sacrifices to bée offered againe teach vs the excellencie of CHRIST his Sacrifice being without all fault Secondly what liuing Sacrifices holy and acceptable vnto GOD wée ought to bée 1. Pet. 2. Rom. 12. c. Thirdly what maner of giftes wée should euer bring to the Lord and his Ministers Namely our better not our worst as now adayes is vsed The olde Verse teaching men right in this behalfe Qui dare vult bona det sua vel sibi munera seruet He that will giue let him giue what is good or keepe his gift to himselfe CHAP. XXIII THIS Chapter entreateth of the holy Feastes and Dayes obserued of the Iewes by GOD his appointment either weekly or yearely Weekely as the Sabboth Yearely as the Feasts of Easter of Trumpets of Tabernacles of Penticost c. Of all which in Exod. 23. Numb 28. 29. and Deut. 16. 1 These feasts you may sée were in remembrance for the most part of some benefits and mercies of God and therefore playnely teach vs what a due dutie from vs to God it is to remember carefully and thankfully his louing fauours shewed vnto vs at any time vpon any occasion Thou shalt shew thy Sonne sayth God in that day saying this is done because of that which the Lord did vnto me when I came out of Aegypt And it shall bee a signe vnto thee vpon thine hand and for a remembrance betweene thine eyes c. Likewise those stones commanded to be set vp by Iosua they shall serue saith God for a signe among you that when your children shal aske their fathers in time to come saying what meane you by these stones then yee may answere them when the Arke passed through Iordan the waters were cut of and these stones are a memoriall for euer of the same Dauid knowing this to bée a due dutie cryeth to his soule to praise God and neuer to forget his benefites And to others to remember the marueilous works that he hath done his wonders and the iudgements of his mouth A thankefull remembrance worketh loue and desire to please God but other fruites come of forgetfulnesse as you may sée Psal 78. Verse 7. 8 9. 10. 11. Beneficiorum dei memoria Magistra advitam The remembrance of Gods benefits is the Mistres of good life sayd Saint Chrysostome in his time And Dona dei bona non sunt nisi dei esse confiteamur The gifts of God are not good except wee acknowledge them to come from God sayd Saint Augustine 2 In that they were called the Feastes of the Lord Men were taught in them to séeke and attend such things as belonged to God and not their owne matters pleasures sports c. To this end still are Holy-dayes kept and therefore thinke of the right vse of them 3 When hée saith It is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings Learne