you go ouer older times And for these later times our Romish teachers haue excéeded all that went before them in this fault as may be shewed by many miserable expositions when time shall so require 5 Thou shalt kill the Ramme and take of his bloud and put it vpon the lap of Aarons eare and vpon the lap of the right eare of his sonnes and vpon the thumb of their right hand and vpon the great toe of the right foote c. By the eare is noted obedience whereupon the seruant that would stil continue with his master was put to the post of his maisters house and bored in the eare in token of perpetuall seruice and obedience So by this figure the Lord would shadow out that the Priestes from whom others should draw example should themselues be obedient to his word in all things and first heare and then teach Obedience was euer acceptable and pleasing to God Sacrifice and meat offerings saith the Psalme thou wouldest not haue but mine eare thou hast opened Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when his voyce is obeyed Beholde to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better than the fat of Rammes c. Especially in them that call vpon others to obey obedience must needes be looked for and the want seuerely punished The right eare is chosen to shadowe a right hearing of the word for amendement of life and not a left for confirmation of errour and further obstinacie against the Lord as many do heare it The Thumbe of the hand is touched with bloud to teach that we must not onely be hearers but dooers of the word ioyning workes to faith and holy life to a sound beleefe For the kingdome of God standeth not in word but in power The right Thumbe not the left to shadow out that we may not deceiue our selues in our workes and doe what séemeth good in our owne eyes thinking to please GOD with our good and fayre intents but our workes must be right commaunded by God not inuented by vs. For want of which due consideration O how many are deceiued and wearie themselues in dooing what God neuer will accept or reward Wo be to the Teachers that for their owne aduantage haue thus abused Gods poore people the worke of his hands the price of his déere Sonnes bloud The Thumbe is touched but it is the right Thumbe and both by figure and plaine testimonies the Scriptures are manifest in this point To the like end was the great Toe of their right foote also sprinkled with bloud that they might so remember to walke worthie of their vocation And vsually by the foot in Scripture is both action and affection noted Their feete are swift to shed bloud that is their actions are cruell and tyrannicall My feete had almost slipped saith Dauid meaning both action and affection Looke to thy foote when thou enterest into the house of God that is to thy minde intent and affection Lastly both Aaron and his garments and his sonnes and their garments were sprinkled with bloud To teach that he and all his seruice and intercession for the people was onely in his bloud acceptable who should shed his bloud for mankinde the true Aaron and High priest Christ Iesus 6 The brest the shoulder were the Priests part as you sée alotted by God to them for their maintenance yet not without some figuratiue resemblance for the brest is often vsed to signifie wisdom the shoulders to note strength in bearing So by these parts giuen to the Priests God would shadow how the priests ought euer both in wisdom iudgement in bearing induring the many difficulties of their own function all other crosses whatsoeuer go before the people and be examples to them of comfort and courage of counsell and good aduise in all things Great vses are then of Ministers if people had eyes to see them and harts wisely to consider them that with thankfulnes both to God and his instruments they might righly vse Gods goodnes prouided for them 7 The head was cast away not without an excellent figure For thereby was signified that in matters diuine and heauenly we must cast away our owne heads and wits as not able to attaine to such depth and pray with the Prophet Dauid Open mine eyes O Lord that I may beholde the wonderfull things in thy lawe The naturall man saith Saint Paule vnderstandeth not the things that belong to God neyther can he for they are foolishnesse vnto him This meditation is a notable stay when we cannot vnderstand and so are tempted to thinke it false and absurd c. 8 And the holy garments which appertaine to Aaron shall bee his sonnes after him to be anoynted therein and to be consecrate therein c. The same garments continued although the Priest by mortalitie being a naturall man changed and so was signified that our High priest not meere man but God and man is one and his righteousnesse our blessed garment remayneth to Father Sonne and sonnes sonne to the worlds end in them that feare him and by a true faith beléeue in him Againe by the way we may note that by Gods lawe the high priest was not buried in his Robes Pontificalibus as now forsooth Bishops be among apish imitators of these Iewes Ceremonies a toy taken vp without reason vnlesse this may be reason because being dead they meane to discharge that dutie of their place which aliue they neuer made any conscience of 9 Aaron and his Sonnes shall eate the fleshe of the Ramme and so foorth But a straunger shall not eate thereof bycause they are Holye thinges When any Sacrifice was effected in this sort the bringer or owner and the Priestes did eate part and so were as Gods guestes inuited of him to a holy feast which that it might be with more reuerence and spiritual presence all things were done in the Holy place the meat soden and eaten c so a difference made betwixt that and their ordinarie diet at other times their mindes drawen to the meditation of such mysteries and they present rather at a Sacrament than an earthly repast No prophane person was admitted but onely such as were of the family of God and yet in our daies they that will séeme most religious teach and striue to maintaine that wicked and prophane persons may aswell eate the bodie drinke the bloud of Christ as the godly may and to that end teach a grosse reall presence of materiall flesh and blood by transubstantiation Nothing will draw them from this madnesse neyther the figures of the lawe nor the plainnesse of the Gospell but headlong to hell they will runne with it against Scripture Fathers Reason and whatsoeuer ought to perswade wise men The late beginning of this cursed error they read and sée as well as we Tertullians Rule they acknowledge with vs That
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
knowest that victorie is gotten rather by the faith of the Emperour than by the valour of the Souldiers Both together fight strongly against all foes and forces as you sée And in this place I pray you well note what followeth 5. And when Moses helde vp his hand Israel preuailed but when hee let his hands goe downe Amalech preuailed Thus shewed the Lord to all posteritie and succéeding ages the force of holy prayer in battell or else-where Surely surely it is euer with the Lord a preuailing power as shall be good for the parties vsing it Is any sicke amongst you saith S. Iames let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him c. And the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp and if he hath cōmitted sinnes they shall be forgiuen him For the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent Elias was a man subiect to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not raine it rayned not on the earth for three yeeres and six moneths And he prayed againe and the Heauens gaue raine the earth brought forth her fruit Agréeable héereunto is that great commendation of prayer in Sirach Hee heareth the prayer of the oppressed He despiseth not the desire of the fatherlesse nor the widowe when shee poureth out her prayer Doo not the teares runne downe the widowes cheekes and her crie is against him that causeth them for from her cheeks they goe vp to Heauen the Lord which heareth them doth accept them He that serueth the Lord shall be accepted with fauour and his prayer shall reach vnto the clouds The prayer of him that humbleth himselfe goeth through the clouds and ceaseth not till it come neere and will not depart till the most High haue respect thereunto to iudge righteouslie and execute iudgement c. As Dauids Harpe wrought when the euill spirit vexed Saul saith a learned man so shall thy hartie and zealous prayer quiet thy troubled minde in all distresses and comfort thy heart in all assaulting feares Wilt thou be raysed vp saith Another then first cast thy selfe downe in feruent and humble prayer For no man is raysed that first is not downe Ioshua by prayer obtained to haue the Sunne stand still that hee might haue day enough to slay the enemies of the Lord. In the host of M. Aurelius a companie of Christian Souldiers by prayer obtained rayne when all the host was like to perish for want of water They also obtained thunderbolts to bee throwne from Heauen in the faces of their foes and thereon had a name giuen them of the same Oratio oranti subsidium Deo sacrificium Diabolo flagellum Prayer therefore to him that prayeth is a helpe to God a sacrifice and to the Deuill a whippe But sée our corruption If wee receaue not what wee pray for at the first asking wee faint and cease our praying streight not remembring how often wee vse a medicine for the body before wee can bee whole how manie strokes an Oake must haue before it will fall and how we ouer and ouer againe and againe plough our land and delue our Gardens to reape and gather fruite from them Let vs then amend this fault in our prayer héereafter and neuer forget the force of true and godlie prayer in time Whilest Moses held vp his hands that is continued praying so long Ioshua and the Israelites whō he prayed for preuailed But when he gaue ouer the enemie preuailed Thus shall it be in your case and in my case and all others that be troubled 6. But Moses hands were heauie therefore they tooke astone and put vnder him and hee sate vpon it And Aaron and Hur stayed vp his hands the one on the one side and the other on the other side so his handes were steadie vnto the going downe of the Sunne And Ioshua discomfited Amalech with the edge of the sworde This heauinesse of Moses handes may teach vs the weakenes of all flesh in Christian exercises Wee cannot holde out and continue as we ought but heauines and dulnesse will steale vpon vs and séeke to coole vs and hinder vs. The helpe that Aaron and Hur performed vnto him may teach us the benefit of Christian companie in such holy exercises and the néedefull dutie of praying for him that prayeth for vs that God would be with his spirit that is strengthen him and quicken him and ayde him so to pray so to continue his prayers as the end may be to his glorie and our comfort In regard whereofour Booke of Common prayer hath that answere And with thy spirit The outward gesture may héere also be noted which you shall finde in the Scriptures to be diuers Salomon knéeled Ezekias turned to the wall Christ fell prone vpon his face the Publican knocked vpon his breast and héere Moses lifteth vp his hands All which gestures please God as long as they arise from zeale and truth within and are not hypocriticall And what the Custome of the Church wherein we liue establisheth and vseth wise peaceable persons will kéepe and follow 7. Lastly the Lord commaundeth them to write this for a remembrance in a Booke And Moses built an Altar c. All this hath vse to tell vs howe carefull wee must be in keeping a Register in our hearts of Gods mercies and fauours towards vs in our selues in our friends in our Countrie in our Magistrates and Ministers or any way The point hath béene touched héeretofore when we spake of Manna and therefore I passe it ouer nowe but I pray you remember Examples in this case and followe them Deborah Iudith Hester Anna Mary Toby the one cleansed Leaper that returned to giue thanks the Israelites when they passed ouer the Red Sea c for all these built Altars in their hearts for Gods fauours by being truly and feruently thankfull The earth rendreth the Husbandman her fruite for his paines bestowed on her so doth the Horse and Oxe their labour for the meate which they haue giuen them How much more should man remember what he receaueth and be thankfull to his good God But I stay héere These thinges may yéeld you a taste of the vse of this Chapter if you will now reade ouer the Text againe and obserue the particulars for what is my desire but to worke a liking of reading the Text by shewing some fruite which we may receaue when we are destitute of better teaching CHAP. 18. In this Chapter we haue two generall Heads The comming of Iethro to his sonne in law Moses And the appointing of more Iudges to heare causes 1. COncerning the first the Text saith When Iethro the Priest of Midian Moses Father in law heard all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people and howe the Lord had brought Israel out of
righteousnesse Christ helpeth this hunger being made righteousnesse and wisedome and sanctification and redemption vnto vs. Am I afraid to die and hunger for comfort Christ is my helpe for this hunger and telleth me that blessed are the dead which die in him He that beleeueth in him shall not die eternally But though he be dead yet shall he liue Death is swallowed vp in victorie O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victorie Thankes Thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs Victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ 5 He shall powre Oyle vpon it and put Incence thereon saith the Text Oyle delighteth the taste and Incense the smelling Neither of them careth God for we know But thus it pleased him to shadow-out vnto his people that they should euer serue him according to his owne presciption which is acceptable as a good taste or smell is and not with the vnsauourie inuentions of their owne braine as hatefull vnto him as the other is pleasing Againe the Oyle noted Christ his kindnesse and mercie which he should euer shewe to poore penitent sinners wounded and smitten with woe for their manifold frailties and sinnes He should not be rough vnto them sterne and cruell but soft as Oyle gracious and kinde swéete and comfortable ready to receiue them and pardon them Learne of mee I am meeke and lowly in heart take my yoke vpon you and you shall finde rest vnto your soules For my Yoke is easie and my burden is light Come vnto me all yee that are wearie and laden and I will ease you 6 Incense againe figured out the prayers of Christ for his Church so powerfull with God his Father that not onely he was heard himselfe but thereby he obteyned that whatsoeuer we should aske in his Name and for him we should receiue also The vaine vse of Frankincense in Popish Churches as an imitation of the Law is still to loue darkenesse when God vouch safeth light still to continue abolished Ceremonies and still to be stubborne against God with a will-worship of our owne neglecting his Will And shall bring it vnto Aarons sonnes the Priests and he shall take c. Whatsoeuer was offered to God must be giuen into the hand of the Priest still representing vnto men this Doctrine That onely by Christ there was accesse to God and no way els According to that plainer Reuelation in the Gospel by himselfe No man commeth to the father but by me I am the way And let vs therefore by him offer the Sacrifice of praise to God c. Heb. 13. verse 15. 2 A handfull of the Flowre and of the Oyle with all the Incense and the Priest shall burne it for a memoriall vpon the Altar for it is an offering made by fire for a sweet sauour vnto the Lord. Not all the Flowre but a handfull not all the Cakes but one not all was burned but onely a little part of one the rest went to the Priests and none could eate of it but the Priests It was a Memoriall to them to assure them that God did respect the partie Offering and would be mercifull vnto him And because it so pleased God it should be to him also it was a Memoriall to extend his swéete goodnesse to his penitent seruant 3 This Meat-offering you sée in your Chapter was either baked vers 4. or fryed in the Frying-panne vers 5. or sodden in the Caldron vers 7 And which way so-euer it was thrée Rules were to be obserued specified in the Text. First It must be without Leauen vers 11. In the 7. Chapter vers 13. and in the 22. Chap. verse 20. You may read of a lawfull vse of Leauen but it was neuer lawfull by the Law to offer vnto GOD for a Sacrifice any Leauened bread Leauen being a Figure both of corrupt Doctrine and bad life Beware of the Leauen of the Scribes and Pharisees that is of their corrupt Doctrine Mat. 16. And let vs keepe the feast not with old Leauen neither in the Leauen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse but with the vnleauened bread of sinceritie and truth 1. Cor. 5. 8. Leauen noted bad life Christ thē being shadowed in al these burnt Offerings by this Rule of hauing no Leauen they were taught the puritie of Christ his Doctrine and the holinesse of his life His Doctrine so pure that it maketh others pure Ye are cleane through the Word which I haue spoken vnto you And Verily verily I say vnto you if any man keepe my Word he shall not see death Then you sée it maketh cleane His life also so pure that not onely his false accusers could fasten no fault vpon him but by his innocencie he appeased Gods wrath for our impuritie Againe it taught the Church in that Legall fashion by darke figure that after Christ his example they ought also to be frée from both these to wit false doctrine and ill manes Not teaching if they be Teachers any corrupt matter not beléeuing and holding if they be no Teachers and absurd vntrueths Neither Teachers nor People leading a wicked life but in holinesse and righteousnesse as the Lord shall inable spending all their dayes The second Rule is That there he no hony in his Meat-offering made by fire vnto the Lord. Of Hony we read many things as that the nature of it is to preserue bodyes not suffering them to rot and putrifie That many by the vse of it liue vnto a great age as namely in the I le of Corsica by Plinies Testemonie who calleth them long-liuers onely by the dayly vse of Hony Hony hath a swéete and pleasing taste not sharpe Whereupon Salomon saith Faire words are as a hony combe sweetnes to the soule and health to the bones My Sonne eate Hony for it is good and the hony-combe for it is sweet vnto the mouth What might be the reason then that God did forbid any hony to be vsed in this Offering Answere is made that hony although it be swéet in taste yet it is bitter by effect For it greatly increaseth choler which is as bitter as the hony is swéet Secondly although hony be good to eate yet a man may eate too much of it Prou. 25. 26. Thirdly euen in taste it will not séeme swéete if you eate much but very bitter or sowre Lastly it hath the very nature of Leauen béeing boyled and so hauing gotten a little sharpenesse Nowe forasmuch as none of these things are in Christ who was shadowed by this Sacrifice therefore is hony forbidden to be vsed in it as you read here in your Chapter aswell as Leauen vers 11. First in Christ there is no such swéetnesse as ingendreth bitternesse or any euill to the true Cater of him by Faith Secondly Christ cannot be receiued or eaten too much but the more we féede on him the better Thirdly Christ is not swéet at the beginning and bitter at the
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
this be not Saint Iohn telleth vs Hee Hee not she shee is the propitiation for our sinnes And therefore Come vnto him all that trauell not vnto her c. But thus séeing our manifold vncleanenes and the right remedie of it by modestly and chastly reading ouer this Chapter I wade no further in it This is a taste of the vse of it More will follow in the next Chapter and Chapter 23. CHAP. XVI 1 STill the Lord goeth on to note mans imperfections how he is freed from them séeing herein consisteth all that wée truely know our selues to be as we are and the way of God appointed for our remedie First hée forbiddeth Aaron at al times to enter into the holiest of all whereby may be learned that euen Ministers aswell as other men are not rashly to enter into all the things of God but to stand in reuerence of some mysteries either dealing not at all or very aduisedly and sparingly with them as their nature requireth 2 It is shewed how he should come in when hée did enter Namely with a yong bullocke for a sinne offering and so foorth Learne wée may by it with what ornaments men and women should come before God It is not silke nor veluet that he careth for neither the costly Iewels of pearle and stone that wée thinke so highly of but come with a sinne offering that is come with an humble acknowledgement as this sinne offering figured that thou art a sinner confesse it to God with a gréeuing heart and bring Iesus Christ in thy soule with thée offering him by thy true faith to God his Father as a sure safetie for all sinners against deserued wrath and punishment 3 Hee must also put on the holy linnen coate c. Another shadow of Christ his righteousnes wherewith wée must be clothed and couered if wée euer finde acceptance with God For to that end Aaron did change his garment to shewe that hée sustayned an other person who was holy he himselfe beeing but a man subiect to imperfection and sinne To which end tended also his washing and sacrifice héere mentioned 4 This likewise serued to beat into the people their corruption when they sawe Aaron thus changed that was the Priest chosen of God and anoynted with the holy Oyle For if hee might not enter but in such sort how much lesse might they appeare at any time before God but in Christ and by Christ shadowed in all these sacrifices And concerning this once entring into the Holy place you haue had the figure of it before and the Place to the Hebre. noted Chap. 9. verse 8. Aaron entred but once a yéere and Christ but once the Tabernacles diuers Aaron by blood Christ by blood but the blood diuers Aaron made an Atonement Christ made an Atonement but in a differing manner Aaron outwardly or ciuily as touching the sight of man Christ of the conscience truely and rightly and touching God Hebr. 9. verse 9. 13. Aaron often Heb. 10. 11. Christ but once verse 12. 14. Aaron confessed sinnes and layd them vpon the Goate but his owne sinnes aswell as the peoples Christ had no sinnes of his owne and ours hee bare himselfe and layd them vpon himselfe not vpon any creature whatsoeuer 5 The two hee Goates béeing presented lots were to be cast ouer them one Lot for the Lord and another for the Scape Goate Thus was it shadowed that in a sinner there is nothing to make him worthy of God his choise And therefore as GOD would not chuse either the one Goate or other but by lot the one was appoynted and not by choyse so wee are accepted whensoeuer we finde fauour without all merit or matter worth or dignitie in our selues to mooue the Lord to such goodnesse 6 The Goate vpon which the Lords lot fell was offered for sinne-offering And Incense cast vpon the fire to make a cloude to couer the Mercy-seate that Aaron dyed not the one shadowing the death of the Sonne of God the other with what feare reuerence we ought euer to come before God For if to Aaron the Maiestie of him were so dangerous how much more to others not to bée compared to Aaron Would God we thought of this euer when we come to Church to doe our duties to him Then would there not in that place bée so much light behauiour and sléepie vsage of our selues as is by which things the holy place is defiled verse 16. Homines ita contaminant Dei sacra ne quid tamen discedat eorum naturae nec dignitas violetur Quare diserte exprimit Moses purgari Sanctuarium ab inquinamentis non suis sed Filiorum Israel Men doe so pollute the holy things of God that nothing departeth from their nature neither is their glorie violated Therefore playnly doth Moses lay downe that the Sanctuarie is to bee purged from pollutions not of their owne but of the Children of Israel 7 But as touching the other Goate called the Scape Goate it was brought aliue And Aaron saith God shall put both his hands vpon his head of it and confesse ouer him all the iniquities of the Châ—ildren of Israel all their trespasses in all their sinnes putting them vpon the head of the Goate and shall send him away by the hand of a man appointed into the wildernesse So the Goate shall beare vpon him all their iniquities into the land that is not inhabited c. From this Law of God no doubt did spring that Custome among the Heathens who offering Sacrifices as Herodotus witnesseth of the Aegyptians vsed to banne and curse the head of the beast offered in Sacrifice with these words That if any Euill bee to come either vpon the Sacrificers themselues or vpon the whole Countrey of Aegypt it would please the Gods to turne all vpon that Head The Massilians also yearely vsed to make an Atonement or expiation for their Citie with some holy man whom decked and set out with holy garments and with Garlands after the maner of a Sacrifice they led through the Citie and putting all the euils vppon his head that might any way hang ouer their Citie they cast him into the Sea sacrificing of him so vnto Neptune speaking these words with great solemnitie Be thou an expiation for vs. Thus the Heathen catched at things but not in a right maner whereby wée may well sée what a darkenesse it is to bee depriued of the light of the Word of God In like maner receiuing it from the Doctrine of the olde Fathers by the tradition of Noah his sonnes that there should in time come a Man who taking vpon him the sinnes of all men should become a Sacrifice for the saluation of all men and not vnderstanding the maner how this should bée they vsed in great extremities perils as Plagues Famine Warres c to offer vp men to their Gods to appease their wrath thereby So in Liuie wée
slaunder and slaughter and such like but that heere they were idle was an error in the King and a malicious lie in those that so enformed him By which wee may learne and sée how wicked men haue no eyes often to sée the true causes of a thing but most apt and readie to deuise a false Let a man or woman be gréeued extraordinarily with the burthen of their sinnes and with groanes and sighes trauaile vnder the bitternes of it leauing thereupon those recreations which erst they vsed and delighted in what say the wicked oh it is a melancholie and the body would be purged c. But oh they are blinde and haue no eye-sight into the combates of the godly may wee truly say and so leaue them Festus imagineth Paul is mad when he speaketh the words of truth and sobernes and that much learning maketh him mad when learning is wisedome and maketh wise Yea Heli himselfe mistaketh Anna a vertuous woman and déemeth her to be drunke when rauished in her holy féeling shee was crying to GGD with feruent prayer Wherefore the Apostle teacheth To the end Christ might be mercifull a faithfull high Priest in things concerning God it behooued him in all things to be made like vnto his brethren And in another place Wee haue not an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne c. 8. And let them not regard vaine words saith Pharaoh Such taste and such conceipt haue vaine persons of Gods word In the 14. of the Acts the truth of God you knowe is called Heresie of the wicked And in the 17. Chapter it is called Newe of vaine Phylosophers that knewe not what it was Examples of vse to giue vs contentment in patience when like ignorance in our dayes bringeth forth like blasphemies Be stayed strong 9. Then went the Taske-maisters of the people and their Officers out and tolde the people saying Thus saith Pharaoh I will giue you no more straw Goe your selues get you straw where ye can finde it yet shall nothing of your labour be diminished Then were the people scattered c. Sée againe what was said before how the néerer that God draweth to his Church and Children to doo them good the more rageth Sathan in and by his members against them Hard hard therefore are the beginnings of deliuerance out of Egypt spirituall Egypt I meane as well as out of this earthly Egypt And therefore when the Lord shall touch thy hand and open thine eyes to sée where thou art how farre out of the way that leadeth to eternall life and giue thée a desire to returne and be saued Remember what the wise-man saith and bee comforted with it My Sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of GOD stand fast in righteousnes and feare and prepare thy soule to temptation c. Reade the place to the ende Remember that Example in the Gospell how the foule spirit being commaunded to depart rent and tare the partie more and worse than euer before Wee cannot leaue anie sinne wherein wee haue continued but by and by some contrarie winde will blowe and wee shall be discouraged if it may be somtimes with threatnings and bitter words sometimes with shew of perils and losses that may ensue sometimes with mocks and taunts in very spightfull manner and in a word if wee haue done euill wee must doo euill still and so be cast away or else Sathan will want his will But be strengthened with this Example and others in the Word Here now their burthen and miserie is greater than euer before For now they must haue no more straw but gather it where they can and yet make vp the tale and number of their bricke before which was a great extremitie yet the end is still as the Lord hath decréed his purpose is to deliuer them from this slauerie and when his time commeth they shall bee deliuered and let goe whosoeuer saith nay Though discomfort encrease for a little while to drawe sighes out of the heart to him that can helpe yet it shall end with ioyfull comfort put in the place of it and so much the sooner by how much it groweth the sharper O stand then and shrinke not and say in your heart now now is my God at hand For now I féele and sée the enemie maddest to oppresse me if hee could Come therefore swéete Lord I humbly beséech thée stay not and till thou commest vouchsafe thy hand to stay me that I faint not Thou art strong and I am weake thou art good and I am bad but thou art mine and I am thine O Blessed Blessed support thine owne that I may euer praise thée 10. And the Taske-masters hasted them saying Finish your dayes-worke c. And they beate them Then they cried to Pharaoh c. A Storie to shew you if you note it how the Law worketh without the Gospel euen roughlie sharply and rigorouslie For doo this doo this finish finish the work is stil the voice of it Whereby sin and the Deuill rageth as here Pharaoh doth For sinne saith the Apostle tooke occasion by the law c. So sinne reuiued But I died and the same commaundement which was ordained vnto life was found to be vnto mee vnto death c. Then crieth the true Israelite O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death as heere they cried vnto Pharaoh to bee deliuered from their miserie Blessed therefore bee the Lord for his swéete Gospell which helpeth all this rigour and giueth vs comfort and deliuerance in his Sonne from this great rage to our endlesse comfort Sée also how Tyrannie once begunne encreaseth more and more from words to blowes verse 14. And when they crie vnto Pharaoh in hope of remedie verse 15. shewing him the iniquitie of their vsage and how their offence in not making vp their tale of bricke grew by other mens faults that gaue them no straw verse 16 this pittifull complaint which should haue moued him to commiseration worketh but a confirmation of tyrannie in the wicked King first mocking and scoffing at their Religion as wicked men vse to doo verse 17 and vttering his crueltie with his owne mouth There shall no straw be giuen you yet shal you deliuer the whole tale of Bricke ver 18. Wherefore how happie Kingdomes be to which the Lord hath graunted mercifull and gracious Princes full of pittie and clemencie flowing from a true taste of holy Religion and from an immoueable loue of their true Subiects I leaue the Reader if he haue any bowels in him to féele and consider sending vp his thanks where it is due for what hee enioyeth in abundant measure 11. Then the Officers of the Children of Israel saw thēselues in an euill case c. And they met Moses and Aaron who
stoode in their way as they came out from Pharaoh To whom they said the Lord looke vpon you and iudge for ye haue made our sauour to stinke before Pharaoh and before his Seruants in that ye haue put a sword in their hands to sley vs. A third euent of the ambassage of Moses and Aaron is this bitter expostulation of these Officers wherein as in a glasse most bright and cleare you sée the condition and lot of faithfull Ministers in this wretched world First the King and now the people accuse them as worthie of great reproofe both gréeuous to good minds but especiallie to be accused of their brethren when they doo as their dutie requireth O it is double gréeuous and euer was But thus was it euer and will bee euer and therefore praemonitus praemunitus forewarned forearmed and praeuisaiacula minus feriunt Darts espied before they come hurt lesse God giue vs patience loue still to them that loue not vs. Heere is great bitternes and yet vndeserued in this their spéech if you marke it and heere is great inconstancie compared with the Chapter before where they worshipped and welcommed these happy Messengers of a gracious God who saw their oppression and miserie and sent to helpe them But quae nocent docent things hurtfull instruct and giue wisedome While all is well good is the Minister and when the crosse commeth he and his doctrine though the truth of God is cause of all away with that and away with him The word which thou hast spoken to vs in the name of the Lord wee will not heare it of thee But wee will doo whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth as to burne Incense to the Queene of Heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her as we haue done both we our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Iuda and in the streetes of Ierusalem now marke their reason for then had wee plenty of victuals and were well and felt no euill But since we left off to burne Incense to the Queene of Heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her we haue had scarcenes of all things and haue beene consumed by the sword and by famine This is the stay of the multitude and this is the line they measure all things by their prosperitie in worldly matters and immunitie from trouble and affliction any wayes But it is a crooked rule if we hearken to God and he that will followe him must take vp his crosse and followe him when his good pleasure shal be so Take héede also by these mennes examples to expect deliuerance from any calamitie sooner and faster than God pleaseth For because of this they breake out in this sort against Gods Seruants they will not tarie the leasure of God but when themselues will and as they wil they must be deliuered A dangerous dealing and no way fit for them that are séekers and crauers 12. Wherefore Moses returned to the Lord and said Lord why hast thou afflicted this people wherefore hast thou thus sent me For since I came to Pharaoh to speake in thy Name he hath vexed this people and yet thou hast not deliuered thy people Sée sée the right remedie in all affliction euen to returne vnto the Lord as Moses did here For he woundeth and he healeth hee killeth and he maketh aliue he bringeth downe to the graue and raiseth vp againe But Moses manner of returning with such expostulations here is not to be commended for hee pleadeth with the Lord as though hee did contrarie to his promise because as yet there appeared no fruite of his ambassage He also complaineth as though his calling were in vaine since worse worse was the condition of the people from his first comming Wherefore sée and marke the weakenes of the strongest sometimes and especiallie when of such they are vexed as they haue deserued well and indéede should receiue a kinder course frō them O gall of friends how bitter art thou how strikest thou to the very bottome of a fleshie heart and leauest a sting behinde thée that killeth with the poyson and venome of it if God succour not Neither the furie of Pharaoh nor the crueltie of the Egyptians moued Moses any thing but his owne to wrong him whose good hee sought and with all perill to himselfe endeauoured it moueth him so that his weakenes breaketh out euen before his God This should moue men and all that looke to be liked and liue with God to forbeare and flie from the like vnkindnes toward those whom God hath sent to them for their good and this must remember such messengers to pray for strength and as Moses yet forsooke not his Office for all this so neither they to doe but still going on to expect the Lords mercy which here to Moses now shewed it selfe and gaue him comfort as followeth in the next Chapter CHAP. 6. The parts of this Chapter are two First a repetition of things done before from the 1. verse to the 12. Secondly a short Storie by way of digression of the names and families of the Israelites from the 12. verse to the end of the Chapter 1. TThen for vse of this Chapter let vs consider these wordes of the Lord ver 3 And I appeared to Abraham Isaac and Iacob by the Name of Almightie God but by my Name Iehouah was I not knowne vnto them and vnderstand the true sence and meaning of them Wherein wee may not thinke that this name Iehouah was vnknowne before this time for expreslie hee named himselfe thus to Abraham Gen. 15. 7. and to Iacob Gen. 28. 13. as also in the 26. ver 24. where Iacob prayed vnto the Lord by this Name But the Lords meaning is by this kinde of spéech to prefer by way of comparison this manifestation of himselfe which now he entended to make before all others made to the Fathers in former times because those contained but promises this should haue the effect and performance of the promises so as the words are as if the Lord should haue said I appeared to Abraham Isaac and Iacob by the name of Almightie God that is I gaue them promises which they by faith laide hold on and beléeued moued with the assurance they had of my Almightie power and all-sufficiencie but by my name Iehouah was I not knowne vnto them that is I gaue them not the accomplishment and matter of my promise as now at this time I will doo to you For now as my Name Iehouah signifieth an existence by my selfe of whō in whom by whom and for whom whatsoeuer is is and hath being so shall you sée it come to passe in your Deliuerance from this raging Tyrant and cruell bondage I will performe what I haue said and I will now cause it to be what heretofore I haue onely said should be S. Bernard hath a good Saying touching this matter when hee teacheth vs thus