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
and fetch their Cattell in according to it Looke therefore euer at obedience and iudge thereby of your heart at the least looke at the willingnes of your hart to obey though humane frailety cause some imperfectioÌ„ When Iosiah his hart melted when those Iewes harts were pricked wheÌ„ those Trauellers harts burned in the way to EMMAVS then was it wel you know with al of them And such féeling must euer make vs well also For there be too many that say Moses what the can will fetch neither seruants nor cattell into the house to whoÌ„ it shal happen one day as suredly as here it did to the Egyptians Uengeance shal come down one way or other and light vpon them as here did thunder hayle and fire and lightning vpon the despisers of Moses warning For with an heard heart saith the Wise-man it shal neuer be well in the end If a condemned man should refuse his Prince his gratious pardon died he not iustly If a besieged Citie should refuse offered aide perished it not worthelie So standeth it with Contemners of the word which is a gratious pardon for all our offences and a sauing ayde to our besieged soules When a sicke man refuseth meate we doubt of his well-doing but if he féede well wee hope of life So is it with vs if we receiue the Word or refuse the Word For he that is of God saith our Sauiour heareth Gods word and who so will not as sure a signe it is on the other side For you therefore heare not because ye are not of GOD. A fish fresh and swéete is knowne by the eare being fresh and swéete and so is euer a good Christian Search then your selfe by this Rule and you shall profit either to prayer for what you misse or to thankes-giuing for what you finde In the eye of Christ it was so blessed a thing to heare obey the word that he pronounced happinesse rather to such than to the wombe that bare him and the paps that gaue him sucke A moouing spéech if we haue any life in vs. 13. Then Moses stretched out his rod towards Heauen and the Lord sent thunder and hayle and lightning vpon the ground and the Lord caused hayle to raine vppon the land of Egypt So there was hayle fire mingled with the hayle so grieuous as there was none throughout all the land of Egypt since it was a Nation Of which strange Plague many things are written which I will cut off séeking onely to make some profitable vse vnto vs of it Grandinem fulgura immisit illis ostendens quòd ipse sit Dominus omnium elementorum Et enim tam Aegyptij quaÌ„ Graeci existimabant quosdaÌ„ Deos esse coelestes alios subterraneos Et hos quideÌ„ imperare terrae illos vero mari alios in montes alios in agros imperiuÌ„ habere Quapropter etiam Syrus dicebat Deus mâ—ntiuÌ„ Deus Israel non conualliuÌ„ Ob id meri to Deus omniuÌ„ non soluÌ„ per fluuiuÌ„ terram sed per aërem mare castigauit eos flumina coelitùs illis immisit doceÌ„s quòd ipsesit Dominus Creator omnium quod beatus Moses dixit vt cognoscas quód Domini sit terra tu serui tui He sent vpon them Hayle and Lightning to shew that he was Lord of all the elements For both the Egyptians and Graecians had a conceipt that there were some Gods of the Heauens some of the earth and some vnder the earth that one sort ruleth the Earth an other sort the Sea one sort the Mountaines another sort the fields Wherefore that Syrian said the God of Israel is the God of mountaines not of vallies Wherefore God rightly heere chastised theÌ„ not only by the Waters and the Earth but by the Ayre also and the Sea and sent Thunder Lightning froÌ„ Heauen vpon them that so he might teach and shew that he is Lord and Creator of all things Which blessed Moses said in those words to Pharaoh that thou mightest know how the Earth and Thou and thy Seruants are in the Lords power Let it make vs soundly settle in our hearts euer both what héere we sée and what other Scriptures testifie of Him He raineth downe snares fire brimstone storme and tempest And it is the Lord that commaundeth the waters it is the glorious God that maketh the thunder Fire and hayle snow and vapours winde and storme fulfill his word Whether therefore wee be hindered or furthered by weather let vs euer cast vp our eyes to Heauen for it is the Lord still that ruleth these things and by his Will they come and goe Nature is His seruant and the Deuill is His rod neither of them working but as he appointeth The very Heathens had a glimpse of this truth when they taught Aeolus to be God of the winde and Neptune God of the Sea supposing that by some God these things must be gouerned Thinke then of the yéere 1588. and poure out his praise that so gouerned these things for our comfort On the other side when so euer they shall crosse our affaires either by Sea or Land stoope we to Him in humilitie search out our wayes what wee knowe amisse and amend it spéedily that the Lord may rebuke both winde and sea for our profit Furthermore in this that the Lord sent this plague of thunder and lightning vpon the Egyptians let vs learne how he commeth not stealing to wrath and iudgement against rebellious sinners but ratling and shaking both Heauen and Earth The fruite whereof should bee to make vs feare to offend For I will make the eares of whosoeuer heareth to tingle saith the Lord at that which I will doo so noting a fierce fearefull publique procéeding against sinne and sinners as it were vpon Stages house tops not in darknes and in secret Againe fire was mingled with hayle to teach that his Judgements shall not bee single but euen one vpon the necke of another vntill wee be either humbled or destroyed according vnto his will One Example of many that are in Gods Booke and other Histories may suffice Haman that wicked enemie of the Church true Religion was at length to taste of Gods Justice for his sinnes and how commeth the Lord against him closely couertly No but euen with thunder and lightning as héere against Pharaoh that is with open and great shew to all men of his wrath For first he is made to leade his horse in honour of him whom of all men he most maliced secondly hee falleth iustlie into his Princes heauie indignation and when hee humblie sued at the Quéenes féete for pardon hee was taken by the King as intending high villanie which encreased the Kings wrath mightily thirdly he is dispatched away to be hanged vpon that Gallowes which in his greatnes he had prepared for another fourthly his house and Land his honour and
the number was numberlesse and no way to knowe it certainly but out of one gate the Kéeper had noted to bee caried out A hundred and fiftie thousand dead bodies Which miserable creatures before they died were driuen to eate the Leather of their Shooes the Leather of their Girdles the Leather of their Bucklers and Targets the dung of the Stable and in the end their very Children A stouping plague indéede and neuer to be forgotten of Gods people that heare it but to be vsed as a mighty motiue to stir vp their hearts euer to a due feare of that power that can thus crush them if they will rebell against him Now appeared an vse of our Sauiours words when going to his passion he said Daughters of Hierusalem weepe not for me but for your selues and your Children For behold the daies will come when men shall say Blessed are the barren and the wombes that neuer bare and the paps which neuer gaue sucke Then shall they begin to say to the mountaines Fall on vs and to the hilles Couer vs c which was now verified in a most wofull miserie Let neuer Sinners then prouoke the Lord in this manner but so profit by his easier Crosses laide vpon them and by his long-suffering-patience vouchsafed towardes them as these great and terrible Testimonies of his anger may be euer farre and farre from them For if not assuredly hee is the same still as mightie as euer as iust as euer and he hath his stooping plague remaining for euery man and woman which will rebell Thus haue you séene the Lordes manner in former times Come now to our selues and these times Surely the Lord is all one and his dealings all one euen with vs. For hee first entreateth vs by his Word the mildest way that possibly can be when a man or woman sitting in the Church shall féele God by the Preachers spéech in his or her bosome and yet no man liuing knowe it no not the Preacher himselfe that he hitteth vpon them Then if this doth not serue the Lord commeth néerer and layeth vpon vs his easier Crosses yet greater and greater by degrées Our friends growe vnkinde our Seruants vnfaithfull our Children vndutifull our goods abate and our health changeth to sicknes and griefe And if these also become vnprofitable as too often they are then the Lord goeth to his Quiuer and taketh out a strong arrowe to shoote at vs as The sweating sicknes The deuouring plague or such like which shall at once swéepe the Earth cleane from such rebelling Spirits and stoope vs vnto Hell because vnto Heauen wee would neuer be brought This you haue séene to bee true in some part with your owne eyes and therefore we ought to think of it earnestly for our amendment Happy is the man who taketh his time to turne to his God that he may be saued I reade of One that said hee had but one Booke and the same Booke had but two leaues a white leafe and a red yet could hee neuer reade quite ouer those two leaues though he liued many yeeres reade diligently so much matter was contained in them For in the white leafe hee said were laid downe all the Mercies and fauours of God vouchsafed to mankinde either in generall or particular And in the red leafe all his fearefull Iudgements poured-out vpon sinners which were disobedient and would not be reformed This Booke hath béene in all ages and godlie persons haue had a care to reade in it Dauid looked vpon the White leafe and sawe first such heapes of Mercies towards mankinde ingenerall that he cried Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him and the Sonne of man that thou visitest him For thou hast made him little lower than God and crowned him with glory and worship Thou hast made him to haue dominion in the works of thy hands thou hast put all things vnder his feete All sheepe and oxen yea and the beasts of the field The fowles of the ayre and the fish of the sea with that which passeth through the pathes of the seas Then in particular towards himselfe hee sawe also such Goodnes as that he likewise cried Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought mee hitherto with all the rest that followeth in the Place worthie your reading fullie ouer by your selfe In the Red leafe he reade so manie Judgements of God as that hee prayed Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for no flesh liuing can be iustified in thy sight If thou Lord shalt marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it Haue mercie vpon me O Lord according to thy louing kindnes and according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine miquities Iacob reade in this Booke and séeing in the white leafe Gods gracious goodnes towards him said O Lord ouer this riuer did I come with my staffe and now haue I gotten two bands I am not worthie of the least of all the mercies and all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant In the Red leafe also he saw such griefes as it had pleased God to exercise him with all and tolde the King that his daies had beene but fewe and euill and hee had not attained vnto the yeeres of the life of his Fathers yet was he then a hundred and thirtie yéeres olde Others also haue done the like séeing the infinite fauours of God and these fearefull punishments two and thirtie Thousand destroyed for the golden Calfe to teach men to beware of Idolatrie Threescore and Ten thousand destroyed with the plague for Dauids numbring of the people to teach men to beware of pride and vaine confidence in any Earthly thing Corah Dathan Abiram with their Families swallowed vp aliue with the gaping Earth to teach men to take héede of murmuring against authoritie and that which is the Gospell Binde him hand foote to teach vs that what parts are ioyned in vitio they shall assuredly be ioyned in supplicio Sinne together and be punished together is a Keckning that shall not faile Wherefore since things are thus as well in our daies as in former times what remaineth but that this knowledge humble vs vnder his mighty hand that can euer stoope vs at his pleasure Let vs remember the words of Dauid and vse them as our owne Agnosco iniquitatem c. I knowe mine iniquities and my Sinne is euer before mee Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten mee in thy displeasure c. Let vs remember that good Saying of the Father Non litigando sed flendo Deum vincimus Wee ouercome God not by striuing with him but by weeping before him The stubborne Oake is torne vp by the rootes when the bowing Réede standeth still Neuer can the lower part of the whéele come vpward vnlesse the vpper part goe downward neither euer can a man in his death be glorified vnlesse
people were forced to make bread of Fearne rootes And to go no further of Acrone bread in Quéene Maries time Were there now so many egges a penny and all cheape cheap Yet Poperie swaied in blinded hearts too much No no The calamities which haue béene in places where this Ignorance ruled haue béene equall or greater than vnder the Gospell euer as all Stories tel vs. Hath Rome it selfe neuer béene affected hath the Pope himselfe neuer béene taken prisoner Haue Romish warres euerprospered or Popish conspiracies had their wished effects Blessed be the God of Heauen for it they know the contrary And that Spanish Romish and Diuelish attempt in the yéere 1588 yeildeth them matter of wisdome if God so please and vs eternall cause of thanks-giuing vnto God for it Euer praised from our heart roots be the glorious Name of him that so respected vs. But yet this is not the matter for if they had euer had plenty and euer scarcity true Religion is not measured by the belly by flesh-pots or great leaues or any outward prosperity or aduersity but by the Rule which God hath left vs in his holy Scriptures Therefore although wee could obiect vnto them the vnspeakeable blessings of God vpon this Land of ours and thereupon reason as Gamaliel did yet doo wee not but throwing our selues downe at his féete who gaue them all wée rest our selues vpon his Word and so both know truth and hate error as in mercie he enableth leauing flesh-pots and all fleshly reasons to such doughtie disputers as they are that stand vpon such arguments and to strengthen our hearts against this great sinne héere noted in the Israelites Weelooke vpon Demas whose shame liueth in Gods Booke for imbracing the world and forsaking Paule Wée thinke vpon that fearefull crie One drop of water to coole my tongue When all the pleasures of the world which eyther he had or we can haue coulde not helpe And as Elias couered his face with his mantle so do we hide our eies from beholding this world and the deceipts thereof Wée assure our selues Saint Hierom said true Difficile immo impossibile est vt praesentibus quis futuris fruatur bonis vt his ventrem ibi mentem impleat vt de delitijs transeat ad delitias vt invtroque seculo primus sit vt in coelo in terra appareat gloriosus It is hard yea it is impossible that one should enioy both present and future good things that heere he should fill his belly and there his minde that from pleasure he should passe to pleasure that in both worldes he should be chiefe and both in earth and heauen appeare glorious So wee leaue the fleshpots of Aegypt to all earthly Israelites and beséech the Lord to bring vs to his kingdome although it be through many tribulations 6. Then said the Lord to Moses behold I will cause bread to raine from heauen to you and the people shall goe out and gather that which is sufficient for euery day c. O Admirable Mercie and bottomlesse Fountaine of all comfort and pitie Will he now rayne bread from heauen to these vngratefull Murmurers who much rather should haue béene destroyed from the face of the earth Let neuer penitent sinner than despaire of mercie let neuer troubled spirit cast away comfort For how can the sighes of a groaning heart sorrowing for sinne bée neglected of so swéet a God when such proud offendours finde mercie neuer neuer can it be assure your selfe Therefore lay vp this place in your minde and féeling your selfe grieued either for things committed or omitted bée not too much shaken as one out of hope but with faithfull assurance say chéerefully O kinde Father and sweete GOD doo not cast away thy creature that crieth and flieth vnto thy mercy I am vnworthy full wel I know it but thy goodnesse hath no bottome and with ioye I remember it These murmurers and complainers against thy mercies thou yet shewedst more mercie vnto and thy poore seruant suing for grace wilt thou cleane reiect No deare father thy nature is not so and therefore by this fauour to thē I gather cōfort beseech thee to be as thou hast euer been my kinde my gratious and louing Lord. 7 And can God raine bread from heauen why then wée all sée that albeit the fields should faile and the whole earth grow barren yet can the Lord nourish his people and send foode to al those that trust in him It is most true and it is most comfortable leauing no cause why wée should in any distresse be cast downe too much seeing the Lord is not tyed to ordinarie meanes nor our maintenance to the fruites of the earth The Rauens shall both finde meate and bring meate to Elias if he commaund and a little oyle shall continue running till many vessels be full when he so pleaseth Infinite is his power and infinite are his waies to comfort them that cleaue to him Lift vp your thoughts therefore aboue the course of Nature when you thinke vpon GOD and although you haue neither bread nor money nor the whole land any corne yet past hope take hold on hope take hold on hope and leaue God to himselfe Iacob was prouided for in that extreme famine and Gold was brought to Mary and Ioseph from far when they thought not of it What the LORD will doo hee can doo and on our partes Faith onely is required that wee may see his Glory and incomprehensible mercy 8 But why did not God thus comfort his people before they murmurd Surely because he might open vnto them the hidden corruption of their nature and so make them sée all posterity also that not merit in them but mercy in him drew all the fauoures that were shewed to them And remember euer this vse of affliction how it is often sent of God to discouer vs not vnto him who knoweth vs well but to our selues who dote vpon our worth and thinke wée are farre otherwise than wee are yea and to the worlde also which many times is deceaued by our golden shew Stand wée therefore alwaies vpon our watch when the crosse knocketh at our doores and know there is a spic ētered a very tel-tale He wil looke into vs draw-out frō vs what is within our faire looks shal not deceiue him but as we are he wil make vs shew that we may be knowne How Iob and his Wife differ hée wil describe Sarais infirmitie and Zipporahs waspishnesse against their good husbands he will open and in one word hée will tell all Pray we therfore with Dauid euer O let my hart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Sound without glosing faining haulting sound without grudging and inward complainiug that from soundnesse within may flow holinesse without euen patient comfort in Gods Will and so no Shame grow where no shamelesse thing is done c. The Lord graunt
with our swéete gratious God it is far otherwise of whom the Prophet Hosea speaketh thus Quomodo affligam te Israel aut quomodo puniam te O Ephraim Iusté quidem te delerem sed conuersum est in me cor meum Exarsit comiseratio mea non faciam furorem irae meae quia Deus ego sum et non Homo c. How should I afflict thee O Israel Or how should I punish thee O Ephraim Iustly might I destroy thee but my heart is turned within me my mercie burneth towards thee I will not execute the furie of my wrath because I am God not mā c. Thus thus let vs gather comfort and in all stormes look vnto him and hold fast by him he is the same and no Changling good before good now and good euer Chastise vs he may for our good but forsake vs to our harme he will neuer Fyre tryeth gold affliction the godlie Abraham euen past hope yet beleeued vnder hope and so doo you If the Lord should kill me saith Iob yet will I put my trust in him Aske since the world was made who euer claue fast vnto him and was shaken of by him No saith Christ whom I loue to the end I loue and he that commeth vnto me I neuer cast away God for his Sons sake strengthen our harts in al our waies and giue vs assurance immoueable that he dwelleth with vs according to this promise Amen Amen CHAP. 30. 1. THe Holy-Ghost hauing thus passed ouer the ordinarie Sacraments of the lawe in the 25. and 26 Chapters the obseruations belonging thereunto in the 27. and 28. the Sacrifices in this last 29. Chapter Now in this 30. he layeth down such things as belonged to the Ministring of all the former And by name noteth 5. sorts of holy instruments whereof the first belongeth to Gods seruice the second to the whole Ministerie to wit the money for the maintenance of the Sanctuarie the third is the Lauer the fourth is the holye Oyle the fift is the Incense the manner to make it Touching the Altar of Incense if you marke the Text you shall sée in the first verse the matter of it Sittim wood in the second verse the forme of it thus long thus broad in the third verse the adorning of it it was ouerlaide with gold in the fourth and fift verses the helpes to carry it as rings barres c in the sixt verse the place for it to wit before the vayle neere the Arke in the seauenth and eight verses the vse of it to burne sweete perfume vpon it Morning and Euening in the ninth verse the holinesse of it in that no strange incense might be offered vpon it And lastly in the tenth verse a peculiar reconciliation by sacrifice to be made vpon the hornes of this Altar once in a yeere by blood 2. Concerning the mysterie and meaning of all these thus you may safely meditate of them The Altar of incense was of Wood and couered with gold figuring so Christ in both his Natures the Wood his humanitie the gold his Diuinitie the Deitie yéelding glorie and Maiestie to his Manhood as the gold adorned and beautifyed the Shittim wood You remember an other Altar in the Court of the TABERNACLE whereupon all the Sacrifices were offered and that was of Brasse now this ouerlaide thus with gold and as as it were of gold Both of them shadowed out Christ and this difference of matter happely the difference of his estate when humbled here on earth and when glorified now in Heauen The brasen Altar standing in the Court might note his meane accompt in the World before his passion This golden Altar standing in the Sanctuarie might note his Glorie and Maiestie in Heauen after his ascension For the Sanctuarie is a figure of Heauen The forme of this Altar square significantly represented the firme stabilitie of Christ who cannot bee ouerthrowne The Crowne about it the regall dignitie of Christ and of all those that are ingrafted to him For wee are kings and Priestes in him and by him Peter saith A royall Priesthood c. The hornes of the foure corners the power and force of our heauenly Altar CHRIST dispersed ouer the Worlde to the East West North and South in such as will beléeue in HIM The sweete Incense generally noted all duties and seruices which the people of GOD doo to him by his appointment and warrant and that they smell swéete before him as the Incense and are accepted of him But particularly the Prayers of GODS faithfull for so DAVID in his PSALME expounded it saying Let my prayer come before thee as the Incense and the lifting vp of my hands be as an Euening SACRIFICE And so the Custome noted which was That whilest the Priest was burning this Incense within in the Sanctuarie the people were without at prayer Also in the Reuelation thus you reade That the twentie foure Elders fell downe before the Lambe hauing Harpes and Golden Viols full of odours which are the PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS Againe in the eight Chapter An other Angell stood before the Altar hauing a golden censer and much odours was giuen vnto him that he should offer with the prayers of all Saints vpon the golden ALTAR which is before the throne This resemblance was very fit if you marke it shewed the Nature of true praier For what dooth the smoake of the incense but ascend vpward scatter it selfe abroad in the ayre euery way so shewing that the Faithfull Prayers of true Beléeuers ascend vp to Heauen and the profit of them disperseth it selfe far and wide ouer the World the members of the true CHVRCH praying one for an other through out the Worlde and beeing profited one of another by naturall prayer although they liue in seuerall countries and neuer knowe or see one another The burning of this Incense vpon the ALTAR which was a figure of Christ shadowed out that in Christ and for Christ onely our prayers are of force with God and therefore by him they ought to bee offered to GOD hee himselfe telling vs That No man commeth to the FATHER but by HIM and whatsoeuer we aske the FATHER in his Name we shall receiue it No Saint nor Creature was shadowed by the ALTAR of Incense but Christ therefore let them take heed that will pray to others make others the presēters of their desires to God Againe no strange Incense was to be offered vpon this ALTAR but Prayers either to others than to GOD in the Name of Christ or for vnlawfull and vnfit things are strange Incense and therefore not to bee offered to GOD. The LORD by the Prophets much complained of Incense offered without Faith in those dayes and prayers without faith are as odious Lip-labour much babling by number vpō Beads for to kéepe the reckoning is not incēse that pleaseth God It was forbiden that any man should make
12 Barreâ—nesse of the earth see example 1. King 17. Esay 5. Amos. 4. c Euill beasts see Deutro 32. and Ezek 5 Besieging of foes plague and â—estilence see 2. King 6. Lament 4. c. O tremble to prouoke this God against you 4 But after all these dreadfull and terrible threats see what you reade vers 42. Then I will remember my Couenant with Iacob and my Couenant also with Isaac c. The land also in the meane season shall be left of them and shall enioy her Sabbaths whâ—lest shee lyeth waste without them but they shall willingly suffer the punâ—shments of their iniquitie because they despised my lawes c. Yet notwithstanding this when they shall bee in the land of their enemies I will not cast them away neither will I abhorre them to destroy them vtterly nor to breake my Couenant with them for I am the Lord their GOD. But I will remember for them the Couenant of olde when I brought them out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the Heathen that I might be their God I am the Lord c. Some are of opinion that these wordes were fulfilled in the captiuitie and deliueraunce out of Babylon But the Iewes perswade themselues that this promise of regard when they should be in the land of their enemies is not yet accomplished but that they shall by vertue héereof bée deliuered one day out of this estate they are now in scattered and dispersed into many places The which conceipt of theirs others thinke to be but an idle dreame alledging that the Law and Prophets were vnto Iohn and that the Iewes shall neuer haue any more gouernment as they had They applie therefore this promise to a true penitent sinner who shall euer bée respected vpon his conuersion albéeit hee neglected the time of grace offered Yet this is no imboldning to presume but a comfort when repentance is true 5 Wayes yet of God his deliuering penitent sinners are diuerse and to bee obserued that wee erre not For some vpon their sorrow God not onely receyueth to mercie and fauour but also deliuereth them out of their present affliction So did hée Manasses the king when béeing for his sinne bound in yron and carryed away captiue the Lord vpon his remorse in those yrons not onely forgaue his sinne but released those bands and brought him to his kingdome againe Others hee receyueth vnto fauour and forgiueth their sinne but yet suffereth them to fall by their outward affliction So did hée to the penitent Theefe vpon the Crosse he receyueth him into Paradise but saued him not from that temporall death The due remembrance of this is a great comfort agaynst the losse of friends in warres and plagues and such like calamities when others escape and do well Let vs therefore cleaue fast vnto God beléeue his mercie feare his iustice So whatsoeuer hapneth vnto vs shall happen for our good one way or other 6 In the 28. of Deutro these blessings and cursings are repeated againe most effectually to moue any heart that hath grace Wherefore I often erhort all that desire to liue godly to read it often that it may power-fully perswade them to bée wise and to take time while time serueth to turne to the Lord while his arme is stretched out to receiue them For with the foolish Virgins to come to late will bee woe without comfort and destruction without helpe Make no tarrying saith Ecclesiasticus to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day for suddainly shall the wrath of the Lord breake foorth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroyed and thou shalt perish in the time of vengeaunce Hoc in multis impletur sed nemo intellâ—git nec quisquam aduersa sustinens malis suis aestimat irrogari sed quod pertulerit consuâ—tudinis potiusputat esse quam criminis c. This sayth Saint Augustine is fulfilled in many but none vnderstandeth neither doth any man when he suffereth euill perswade himselfe that his sinne is punished but attributeth such happes rather to custome then to crime c. This is a great blindnesse and therefore pray against it and beware of it This Chapter will euer assure vs sin will haue plagues first or last and therefore when they happen complaine of sinne and not of God remembring that true and good saying Quae ratio est vt doleamus nos non audiri à Deo cum ipsi non audiamus Deum Et suspiremus non respici à Deo terras cum ipsi non respiciamus in coelum molestum sit despici à Deo praeces nostras cum praecepta eius despiciantur à nobis What reason is there wee should grieue that God will not heare vs when wee our selues will not heare God Or why sigh we that God will not looke downe to the earth when we our selues will not looke vp to heauen We can despise his precepts and yet he may not despise our prayers We beat our seruants if they offend vs being but men as they are and God may not beate vs for our faults he being our Creator and we but dust Thus make vse of these curses and in stead of them God euer vouchsafe vs for his sonnes sake his blessings CHAP. XXVII This is the last Chapter of this Booke and containeth two generall Heads The matter Of Vowes The matter Of Tythes TOuching the First A Vowe properly signifieth a Promise made to GOD willingly and aduisedly in a matter lawfull and possible In the Booke of Numbers Chap. 30. You may sée what Vowes were lawfull and what not here how lawfull Vowes are to bée performed or redeemed being of that sort that might be redéemed For of Vowes some are commaunded of God and cannot bée redeemed but must néeds be performed such a Vowe is the Vowe of Baptisme of Faith and of newnesse of life in the Lords Supper Of which sort of Vowes the Psalme saith Offer to GOD the sacrifice of prayse and pay thy Vowes to the most High If thou Vowe pay it c. Eccles 5. Some Vowes are simply vnlawfull being either sinnes when they are made or not to bée performed without sinne Some are neither forbidden nor commaunded but indifferent And in these we must take héede that we make them not as any services of God or merite to our selues For true it will euer bée that in vaine doe men worship GOD teaching for doctrine mens precepts In this Chapter obserue sundrie particulars of things named that might bée vowed to God Persons Beastes Houses Fields c. Concerning Persons a man might then vowe either himselfe or such as were subiect to his authoritie and power vnto the seruice of God Thus Anna vowed to GOD the Male-childe which God should giue her if hée in mercie would vouchsafe to giue her one according to her great and earnest desire And shée accordingly performed her vowe when God graciously gaue her
The Lord is not satisfied to haue saide Hee seeth and Hee heareth but hee addeth the third Hee knoweth For I knowe their sorrowes saith hee It is our comfort that Hee knoweth and it may be the wickeds terror that Hee knoweth Enough being saide of it I add but this he that then sawe heard and knewe is the same still No changeling in Loue to his deare Chosen no changeling in Justice to the stubborne sinner and be instructed by it Our heauenly Father knoweth what wee haue neede of Héere they had néede of Deliuerance and hee therefore knowing as well as they commeth downe to giue it them according to his swéete mercy Descendere dicitur Deus per affectū loco enim nō descendit quando fauet nobis et auxiliatur c. Vel descendere dicitur inquit Eusebius quando aliquid novum quod antea non fuerat in creatura humana operatur God is said to come downe by his affection or loue for touching place he descendeth not when he fauoureth helpeth vs or God is said to come down saith Eusebius when he doth any new thing which before was not done among men 11. Come now therefore and I will send thee vnto Pharaoh saith God to Moses c. God was able to haue done it himselfe without Moses or any man but hee will vse meanes commonly to effect his will that his mercie and goodnes may be séene in his Creatures as likewise his power and wisedome to his great glory Hée might also haue vsed a far more excellent meanes than Moses as fome King or great Prince in earth or some of his glorious Angels in Heauen for so he did when by Cyrus hée wrought their Deliuerance out of the Captiuitie and when by an Angell hée brought Peter out of prison but his purpose was in their Deliuerie to make knowne his incomprehensible Power to Pharaoh many more vnto the worlds end And therefore he would choose no stronger a meanes now than Moses Iethro his Shéepe-kéeper knowing how apt man is to obscure Gods glory with the quality of the meanes and to ascribe vnto the second cause what onely hath béene wrought by the first cause Againe this was a Figure that from the spirituall thraldome and bondage of death sinne and the Deuill he should deliuer his people vnder the Gospell not by the helpe of learned Philosophers or any glorious worldly Potentates but by a company of poore Fisher-men vnlettered and vnthought vpon in the world 12. But Moses saide vnto God who am I that I should goe vnto Pharaoh and bring the Children of Israell out of Egypt Smitten with a sense and féeling of his owne weakenesse to doe such a seruice which indéede is the very true and right way to make vs fit in Gods eies For then wée slie to him and by faithfull prayer beg and craue what in our selues wée sée not till hée giue it Such as are not thus touched and humbled but rush into Callings rashly presuming on their owne strength and abilities dayly Experiences shew how often God confoundeth them and throweth them downe to their great shame Who am I Lord therefore let vs euer say that thou shouldest thus and thus thinke of me choose mee and take me to that place that I haue no strength to manage and which thousands of my brethren are fitter for by super-excellency of gifts than I am thus said the Kingly Prophet Dauid you know when hée looked vpon Gods fauours towards him O what am I and my fathers house that thou shouldest doo thus vnto mee Now as this is most commendable humility in Gods seruant so is it true and sound wisedome not to looke at the honour and forget the burden but to sée the one as wel as the other It was a great honor to be sent for such a seruice but it was a weighty Charge and a heauie care aswell as an honour What shall I go to Pharaoh Shall I deliuer Israel And shall I haue the leading and gouernement of such a mightie multitude till God hath disposed of them Why it is a thing that requireth great strength and many parts that I haue not O LORD who am I May not this then a little occasion vs to thinke of spirituall gouernment for is it such a matter to striue with Pharaoh for bodies and temporall seruitude and is it nothing to fight with Sathan and the power of Hell for soules and fréedome from eternall bondage Is it not fearefull I will require the blood at thy hand c. As Salomon therefore in the temporall charge saw a weighty burden and thereupon craued wisedome to bée able to goe in and out as he ought before that multitude so saw Ieremie and Ionas a great matter when the one said Alas I am achilde cannot speake and the other flatly fled and refused to goe Others haue done the like yet Ambition pricketh forwarde for al this many a man Simon Magus would haue béene an Apostle in power for respects be the charge what it may be that troubleth not him Saint Peter iumpeth into danger presuming of strength but he faileth and falleth he lyeth and denieth and discouereth his weakenesse greatly Once againe therfore looke we at Moses modesty humilitie in this place saying Lord who am I 13. Now see what this lowly conceit worketh It getteth him comfort and strength from God for streightway God answered him saide I will be with thee as if he should say looke not thou at thy selfe and thy power but looke at me and my power And though thou art weake yet know me to be strong and euer able to strengthen them whom I call to a seruice to performe the same And I do not say to thee that I will helpe thee now and then but I will be with thee that is euer and continually I will aid thee in this worke euen I not any Angels of mine but I my selfe and therefore feare not What greater comfort might he wish And who would not throw himselfe down thus to bee raised vp or who would not see his owne wants thus to receiue grace Remēber how in like sort he comforted Ieremie and Ezechiel with others of the Prophets also his Apostles after in their time saying Be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world and I will be with you till the end of the world With God al things are possible c. 4. It contenteth not the Lord to make this mercifull promise of his presence with Moses but he further asisteth his weakenesse with a Signe saying This shal be a token vnto thee c. Where we may remember that Signes vsed of God to confirm his childrens faith sometimes go before and sometimes follow after Gedeon had a Signe going-before namelie the fléece of wooll first wet and then drie Ezechias had the like in the shadow of the diall going ten degrées backe But in another place the same Ezechias had a Signe
béene noted before this meditation may arise how Gods aduersaries séeke often to oppugne the truth by the selfe same meanes whereby he doth teach it As if Scripture be alleaged Sathan will doe the like if the true Prophets vse a signe then will Zidkia make him hornes to and say when went the spirit from me to thée All which God doth suffer to draw vs forward to true and sound knowledge without which wee cannot stand but shal be shaken to and fro with doubts and feares and wauering conceipts most vnfit for beléeuers The wordes of the Apostle calling vpon vs to be stedfast vnmoueable abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord. Not to he caried about with euery blast of vaine doctrine but to continue grounded and stablished in the saith not moued away from the hope of the Gospell c Saint Peter in like manner admonisheth to beware of being plucked away with the error of the wicked and of falling from stedfastnesse noting those that forsook the right way and followed the way of Balaam Labour we therefore to know how we stand and building vpon the rocke indéede though such iugâ—ing Sorcerers as these arise in the world and Apishly follow that course to subuert which Gods Ministers follow to strengthen yet they shall not shake vs but we patiently abiding a time setled vpon our true grounds the falshood shall appeare at last and all their follies be discouered in the end to the honour of God the glorie of his truth the comfort of his children and the confusion of such Egyptian Jugglers for euer Gamaliel could note it that Theudas had his time yet in the end fell with all his followers That Iudas of Galilie had his time and drew away much people after him but at last hee perished and the people were scattered Let not Gamaliel be wiser than we to obserue good things for his instruction 7 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said pray ye vnto the Lord that he may take away the frogges from me and from my people and I will let the people goe c. Why doth he not make his Wisemen take them away his Inchaunters and Sorcerers that could set a shew of making the like Could they cause frogges to come and not goe Or why doth he not call to his gods and Idols to helpe him to take them away Can none helpe him but Moses and Aaron by praying for him See then how the Lord when he pleaseth is able to force the wicked to the acknowledgment of him and his true Ministers and let it comfort vs in the middest of all contempts either of our God of our faith and religion or of our persons He can bring them downe that looke so coy by touches of bodie pinches in minde losses in goods and infinite waies And if therefore it please him a while to indure their pride we also must endure it and not grieue at it These exampels must be readie in our mindes euer when we sée such things Not long since this proud Pharaoh said WHO IS THE LORD But now he séeth and must confesse that there is no helpe but in this Lord. His Gods are weake and the frogs crawled in despight of them Moses therefore must pray to his God to helpe and take them away And who now but Moses Aaron with Pharaoh Ah wée despised Ministers by the proude worldlings let vs marke it and beare their coÌ„tempts In their extremities they shall acknowledge our callings iustifie our loue and wishe our prayers They shall stoupe they shall stoupe when our God pleaseth and it is inough Remember that great Nabuchadnezar how the Lord stouped him till hée should know that the Lord ruleth Pray pray for vs O Samuel said the stobborne Israelites when God would and so they came to him whom they erst neglected Men and brethren what shall we doe said they béeing touched that before thought much to be aduised by such men Ieroboam sendeth to the Prophet whose doctrine he would not follow and no worse a messenger than his owne wife and in his heart he acknowledgeth that truth is with him The great Turke in these daies will séeke the prayers of Christian-men when yet he fighteth against the truth that they embrace And many which at other times regard them not either going to sea or to battaile or béeing sicke and vexed at home will send and séeke for the prayers and comfort of Gods Ministers And what is this but a signe of Gods Omnipotent hand ouer all Pharaohs whatsoeuer and that he can reuenge our contempts and giue our truth and carefull walking in our places a due regarde and reuerence when he will with them and in them Let the swéetenesse of it ioy vs and make vs possesse our soules in patience Diues that rich glutton shal sée Lazarus right himselfe wrong one day 8 But why dooth Pharaoh now call rather than in the former plague for Moses and Aaron to pray Surely because this plague more nipped him than the former For when the riuers were blood he might haue wine to drinke and by that meanes not finde the smart so much See wee then howbeit other mens harmes should affect vs yet vnlesse the Lord touch our selues we are dull and dead without sense Which certainly maketh God reach vs a blowe many times when otherwise he would spare vs did we make good vse of our Brethrens harmes Applie therefore euer to your selfe Gods doings saying in your heart and why Lord am I not so also Doo not I also offend thée Father of Heauen and God of all mercie make me wise by other mens harmes and thankfull vnto thée that I am so schooled rather than with mine owne woe 9. Sée how readie Moses is to pray for Pharaoh when he biddeth him to appoint the time himselfe of his prayer and let it make vs thinke with our selues whether wee be thus harted to pray readily and willingly for Prince for Country for friends and familie yea let it open vnto vs what I feare is too true that in our liues scarce once we haue béene vpon our knées for any of these but euen goe on in a common course haling and pulling with the world all the wéeke long and on the Holiday goe to the Church rather for fashion than deuotion praying with lips not with heart a fewe words and then spending all the rest of the time either in sléeping or gazing or thinking of matters little belonging to God O that wee may profit by this readines in Moses to pray for such a wicked king Remember the Scriptures where you see how fathers and mothers haue gone to Christ for their children Maisters for their seruants and neighbours for their friends Christ is th 〈…〉 me and why should not we also be the same and Morning and Euening goe vnto God for our selues and ours as héere did Moses for Pharaoh 10. It may be moued for a question why
Egyptians couering All the face of the earth by their multitude till the land was darke with them and eating vp all the hearbes of the land with the fruits of the trees c. You may take occasion to remember what you reade of Grashoppers in the Scriptures and you may heare also what others haue saide of them First you find in Leuiticus a kinde of Grashopper among the cleane beasts which the Israelites might eat of whereunto referre that in Mathew of Iohn Baptist how his meate was Locusts that is Grashoppers and wilde hony This kinde of Grashopper to vs at this dale is not well knowne as neither to others before our time For Theophilact vpon Math supposeth Iohns Locusts to haue béene hearbes so called and Euthimius vpon Math Certaine wilde fruites such as the wildernesse wherein Iohn liued yéelded vnto him Chrisostome and Athanasius before him were of the same opinion saith Hermolaus Barbarus But Saint Hillary thinketh they were Animalia quaedam apta ad comedendum Certaine liuing creatures good for meate Thomas Aquinas vpon Mathew hath the same wordes Albertus Magnus vppon Math That they were not our vsuall Grashoppers for they saith hee are venemous but they were certaine Birdes in the Wildernes which vpon similitude of their leaping and hopping rather than flying were called Grashoppers Plinie in his Naturall Historie writeth that Grashoppers or Locusts to the Parthians were most acceptable meat againe in another place that a part of Aethiopia liueth onely by Locusts made hard by smoake and salt But they liue not saith he aboue 40. yéeres S. Hierome saith that the Easterne people Enhabitants of Libya eate much these Grashoppers because in the Desert hote vastnes of the Wildernes there are found cloudes of them Plinie againe writeth of them that there are of 3. foote long in India The word also Locusta we knowe is sometimes taken for the fish which we call a Lobster In the Apocalyps you reade that the bottomlesse pit was opened and out of the same arose a smoake like the smoake of a great fornace And out of the smoake came Locusts or Grashoppers vpon the earth c. Where you may consider what is meant by these Locusts and then the reason of their resemblance These Locusts prefigured and foretold to the Church of God all that rabble of the Popish Clergie which afterward in time couered as it were the face of the earth their Priests their swarmes of Monkes Fryers Nunnes other Orders almost without number For héere is mention made of a Starre that fell nowe Starres in this booke doo signifie the Angels of the Churches who shine by the light of Heauenly doctrine and holie life as starres in the firmament by their brightnes and who truly may be said to stand whilest they doo their duties and to fall from Heauen when forgetting life and doctrine they thinke speake and followe earthly things The Starre therefore that is héere said to fall from Heauen vnto the earth was some great Minister in the Church of such authoritie and high estimation as the power ascribed vnto him plainly teacheth But who in all the world can bee named such a One sauing the Bishop of Rome for by all Stories wee sée and knowe that they were excellent men at the beginning many of them yea vnto Constantine the Great as I remember 32 succéeded one after another good and learned men holy and reuerend Martyrs for the selfe same truth which wee at this day holde and their Successors haue forsaken From Constantine againe to Gregory the Great about 32 more good men though not altogether as the former For euen now began some declination in the Church yet not such but that Gregorie detested the proude Supremacie which now is challenged and tolde the Bishop of Constantinople then ambitiouslie séeking for it that whosoeuer sought to bee called Vniuersall Bishop was out of question the Forerunner of Antichrist But when Boniface the Third came he little passing for Gregorie his opinion obtained of Phocas that bloodie Traytor who had killed the Emperour his Maister his Wife and Children and so got to bee Emperour that Rome might bee the Head of all Cities and the Bishop there vniuersall Bishop ouer all Here then fell the Starre from Heauen to Earth when it left Heauen and claue to the Earth hunting continually for earthly honour since that day and plotting earthly trouble to all Nations The brightnes of Doctrine and holy life which former Bishops of Rome had and thereby did shine as starres was now lost and all idle inuentions of mans sinfull braine brought in to worship God with them in steade of his owne Commaundements Great power to hurt retained hauing not nowe Peters keyes as they boast but the keyes of the bottomlesse pit giuen them to bring out thence into the Church Doctrines of Deuils darknes ignorance superstition and all wicked abhominations like soule thicke smoake hiding the brightnes and light of Christ our Sauiour from the eyes of men euen so strongly that such smoake is resembled to the smoake of a great fornace for the strength of it What grosse lyes what palpable Fables haue their Legends their elder Masse-Bookes and Primers printed long since surely euen such as themselues at this day are ashamed of and leaue out of their new Bookes Then out of this filthie foggie smoake ascending out of the pit when it was opened came the swarmes of Locusts mentioned Monkes Fryers c. No Papist in the world can shew where vnder any Starre fallen there is such a resemblance as vnder their Pope hath béene and is at this day still which being the second point I prayed you to marke now cast your eyes vpon it and marke it much First Grashoppers doo most of their hurt by their mouthes and so doth Romish Lucusts by their cursed speaking teaching charming and alluring Christian people from GOD from Prince and Countrie to their damnable opinions and resolutions This Spéech of their mouthes maketh mee remember S. Bernards Spéech Bestia illa cui datum est es loqūens blasphemias bellum gevere cum sanctis Petri cathedram occupat tanquam Leo paratus ad praedam That beast vnto which there is giuen a mouth to speake blasphemies and to warre with the Saints possesseth the Chayre of Peter as a Lyon prepared to his pray A great Spéech in those dayes if you marke it Secondly Grashoppers vse to swarme in great abundance whereupon came the Prouerbe As thicke as Grashoppers So these Romish Locusts did they not ouer-spread as it were the whole earth when vnder Pope Pius the 2 one order of Fryers called Minorits so abounded swarmed that the Maister of the Order offered the Pope either against the Turke or for any other seruice thirtie Thousand able fighting men and yet would leaue so manie more What Swarmes thinke you were amongst all the Orders if one were so great very fitly therefore did
often remember that good Counsaile of the wise man My sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of GOD stand fast in righteousnes feare AND PREPARE THY SOVLE TO TEMPTATION Settle thy heart and be patient bowe downe thine eare and receaue the words of vnderstanding and shrinke not away when thou art assailed but waite vpon God patiently Ioyne thy selfe vnto him and depart not away that thou maist be encreased at the last end Whatsoeuer commeth vnto thee receaue it patientlie and be patient in the change of thine affliction For as gold and siluer are tried in the fire euen so are men acceptable in the fornace of aduersitie And so forth much more if you will reade the Place your selfe Forget not what the Apostles in the Acts did and said Who confirmed the Disciples hearts and exhorted them to continue in the faith affirming that wee must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God There are many such places in Scripture Away then with those crooked wayes wherein too many doo walke and be taught by these Examples what euer to doo The Gospel is welcome to manie at the first and they greatly reioyce in it but when either trouble groweth for it or they are restrained by it from their accustomed sinnes of swearing drunkennes sensualitie couetousnes oppression vsurie and such like then they wish they had neuer béene troubled with such preaching and all Gods mercie is returned to him with great vnthankfulnes as héere it was of these murmuring Israelites If authoritie and offices either in Church or CoÌ„mon-wealth be giuen in Gods goodnes to some men they receaue them ioyfullie and say they are much bound to God for them But when such things happen as vsuallie followe such places to wit trouble and charge lies and slaunders contumelies and reproaches with great vnthankfulnes then they turne both tongues and hearts and wish they neuer had béene so graced For Matches and mariages O what impietie is in many many times cursing the parties and almost cursing God that gaue them such a match when yet at the beginning all was well and euerybody pleased Let all these and all others faulty in like sort looke vpon these murmuring Israelites and be ashamed of such sinne For man and wife let them consider but one thing which GOD hath giuen them in their owne bodies and sée how it will instruct them Their two eyes if they goe together and looke both one way be it vpward or downward to the right hand or to the left All is well and comely in the face But if they bée seuered and the one eye looke one way and the other an other there is a blemish wée all confesse and it is not well So man and Wife who as the two eies are made to looke one way should neuer bee seuered to goe a sunder to crosse one an other to reproach one an other to shame one an other to breake-vp house and depart one from another Surely the blemish is great and as many as care either for piety or honestie will consider of it Secondly these words of the Israelites may shew vs what is the course of too many Men and Women in the world another way euen to preâ—er the flesh-pots of Egypt before the Land of Canaan and bellies full of bread before a blessed deliuerance out of cruell bondage that is Earth before Heauen and the ioyes of this world before all that can bee giuen when this life is ended A miserable and monstrous blindnesse yet such as no perswasion will preuaile against it is so setled and rooted in sinfull hearts Remember what you reade in the 11. of Iohn when Christ had raised vp Lazarus to life againe And many that had seen these things beleeued on him Then gathered the high Priests a Councill and said what shall we doe If we let this man thus alone all men wil beleeue in him now marke and the Romanes will come take away both our Place and Nation So before Christ they preferre their places and for the world adieu to Heauen Such others were those in the Prophet Ieremy who measured Religion by plenty and scarcitie iudging that best which brought most profit and that worst wherein there was any want The word which thou hast spoken say they to vs in the Name of the Lord we will not heare of thee But we will doo whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth as to burne incense to the Queene of heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her as we haue done both wee and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes c. For then had we plentie of victualles and were well and felt no euill But since we left off to burne incense to the Queene of Heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her wee haue had scarsenesse of all things and haue beene consumed by the sword and by famine But if you reade the rest of the Chapter you shall see that their Plagues grew because they sinned against the Lord and would not be ruled by his Word to worship him and him onely according to his Word Such Arguments made the Heathen against the Christians in former times as witnesseth Tertullian Cyprian and others attributing all calamities that happened to the Christians because that they worshipped not the Idols of the Heathens but they answered euen as Ieremy that such calamitles fell because they the Heathens would not forsake their Idols embrace Gods true Religion so indéede they did Such words and euen the very selfe same words vse the Papists against vs and the Gospell at this day telling vs often and too often vnlesse it were truer how great plenty was in former times when Popery swaied how many egges forsooth for a penny and all this geare grounding an argument thereupon that therefore that was truth and this is falshood euen as Heathenish and Iewish Idolaters did before them But with Ieremy and the godly Fathers we truely inuert their argument vpon them that their contempt of truth and foule Idolatry in despite of truth prouoketh God to many crosses and will yet prouoke him further if they continnue without amendment And touching their pretended plenty when Popery ruled we say it is a Tale for as great dearth was then as since Touching our owne country of which I chiefely speake let them remember what our Chronicles note in Richard the first his time how sharpe a scarcity there was by the space of thrée or foure yeares What a Sommer that was in Edward the 3. his time called the deere Sommer In Richard the 2. his time what a dearth when the people wereforced so to féede vpon fruite to susteine Nature as that thereby many fell into fluxes and dyed How the childrens cries were so pitifull for the want of foode which their Parents had not to giue them as a stonie heart could not indure to heare Of Henry the sixth his time when
it to vs euer Amen The words in the 8. Verse your murmurings are not against vs but against the Lord notably may feare vs frō abusing of Gods Ministers and conferre with them the words in Samuel They haue not cast thee away but they haue cast me away And the words in the Gospell He that despiseth you despiseth me The 2. part In the Morning the dew lay round about the host And whē the dew that was fallē was ascended behold a smale round thing was vpon the face of the Wildernesse small as the hoare frost on the earth And when the children of Israell saw it they saide one to an other it is Man for they wist not what it was And Moses said vnto them This is the bread which the Lord hath giuen you to eate Here is also mention made of Quailes ver 13. but wee will respite that for an other place and consider now onely of Manna wherein we may obserue many profitable and comfortable things 1. Concerning the Name it is somewhat obscure as it lieth in our English They said it was Manna for they wist not what it was But the Hebrew maketh it very plaine wherein it is thus They said this is Man that is as your Mariginall Note hath a part a portion a gift or meate prepared for they wist not what it was on the suddaine and at first sight but a thing giuen or prepared for them that they knew it was Or which for my part I like better They said Mah hu or Man hu What is this for they knew not what it was 2 Concerning the manner of the comming of it some question is made whether it was naturall or miraculous They that would haue it naturall tell vs of the Manna of Arabia which is sould in our Apothecaries shoppes and say that out of the earth there issueth and commeth dulcis halitus a certaine sweet vapoure which béeing drawne vp by the heate of the Sunne is purged from his grosse earthlinesse and made more pure and swéete then with the cold of the night is hardened and before Morning falleth downe againe vpon the earth like dew or the hoare frost and so is gathered dried and kept as medecineable for mans bodie They say that is small and white so was this That falleth downe with the dew so did this both of them sweete euen as the hony and happely the substance of both one c. But what of all this Therefore shall it follow that this was not giuen miraculously to the Israelites nothing lesse For as they weare like in some things so were they also vnlike This Manna in the shoppes is not so swéete as this giuen héere was it melteth not away with the Sunne as this did neither is it so hard that it néedeth to be brayed in a morter or ground on a mill as this was to make bread of it This Manna came not before a certaine time and houre appointed by God and foretold by Moses No change of the aire and alteration of the weather hindered the comming of this Manna but in Sommer in Winter in Frost in Raine still still it kept his course and fell downe euery night against the morning for the space of fortie yeares together The abundance of it was aboue any naturall course euen inough to suffice for six hundred thousand men beside women and children so long The sixt day it was doubled to them that they might gather both for that day and the next which was the Sabbaoth and so rest vpon the Sabbaoth a very plaine token that all was not naturall If vpon any day they gathered more than their limmitted proportion it putrified and rotted wormes grew in it and it sauoured ill But on the sixt day when they gathered double it did not so but was very swéete and good till the next day yea a pot of it was kept in the Arke sweet and good long which would not haue béene so if all had béene naturall Againe wheresoeuer the Israelites were it followed them and was about their tents not in other fieldes and places remote from them Now they that write of the Arabian Manna sould in shops say it springeth not out of all earth and by name not out of desert places but out of some certaine places only in Arabia as wée sée in other matters some kinde of earth yeeldeth a swéeter a fatter and better sap than other earth dooth But this Manna followed the Israelites whatsoeuer the earth was and by name in the wildernesse and desert No way therefore was this Manna altogether naturall Lastly when they came into the Land of Canaan which was a more excellent earth presently it failed and came no more A great miraculous worke therefore of God this Manna thus giuen from Heauen was and so to be estéemed that God may haue his due glorie we such comfort and instruction as will flowe from it A tast whereof in this that followeth you may take The 3. part 1. THey are commaunded to goe forth euery morning to gather this Manna and to make them bread of it which teacheth vs thus much that as God doth something for his part towards the nourishing maintaining of vs so wil he haue vs likewise againe to doo something for our parts Hee wil giue Manna in his mercy and goodnes but we must goe out and gather it That is hee wil prouide meate money cloath and all worldly matters for vs as shall be good for vs but we must labour in some honest lawfull vocation and so come by these things Idlenes he will not foster nor abide in any man Corne he will giue to the Husbandman but conditionally that he plough and sowe Riches hee will giue to the Merchant but so that he goe to sea and take paines Whereupon the Heathens did say Dij omnia vendunt laboribus The Gods sell all things for labour And for the Scripture it is plentifull in this point as hath béene shewed else-where Man in his innocencie was appointed to dresse the Garden and not suffered to be idle Againe euery man heere was appointed to gather Manna which néeded not if God had liked of Ingrossers to take vp all into a fewe hands and then to deliuer out to others as they please but follow this Note farther your selfe and be bettered by it 2. How much might euery one gather euen so much saith the Text as is sufficient for euery day ver 4 that is they shal prouide for the day no more Wherein Note howe carefull the Lord is to haue men depend vpon his prouidence with chéerefull hope in his goodnes and not wretchedly and despairefully to mucker vp what shal neuer doo them good nor any peraduenture that they purpose it for Thus is the prayer which our Sauiour taught vs Our daily bread giue vs for the day And from distrustfull feare the whole Scripture driueth vs in euery place He that féedeth the Sparrowe so
small in price and heareth the young Rauens that call vpon him He that openeth his hand and filleth all things liuing with plenteousnes will hee either forsake or forget man or woman trusting in him No it is a Hellish thought and away with it for euer out of your heart The life is farre more worth than meate and the body than any rayment Wee are much better than any fowles and yet the Lord feedeth them when they neither sowe nor reape nor carie in to anie barnes Could not God heere haue bidden them gather for many daies if he had would and lay vp in store for a deere yeere as wee vse to speake yet hee would not but tieth them to a dayes foode and for the next day to depend vpon him He failed them no day nor euer faileth vs if wee beléeue Cast your care then chéerefully vpon him and cleaue fast vnto him you shal sée his Mercie you shal sée his Truth you shal sée your Comfort If the earth yéeld neither corne nor grasse and that for fortie yeeres together yet can hee nourish you and yours with bread from Heauen and the daintie flesh of Quailes at his pleasure The hard Rocke or the drie tooth shal yéeld drinke for your thirst at his will Elias had bread and meate brought him by the wilde Rauen And the little meale and oyle in the Cruze wasted not till the dearth was past and so forth as you heard before These Israelites garments were not worne nor the shooes of their feete torne in so many yéeres who then will distrust such a GOD Hee can doo what hee will doo and he will doo what is best be euer assured with ioy Many a time hath the poore woman had no bread in the morning for her children and before night both bread and money Goe farther your selfe for this meditation is most swéete That man liueth not or euer shall who cleauing to God hath béene forsaken by him 3. For the day then how much might they gather without stint No. The Text saith An OMER for a man according to the number of the persons this was the stint Euery man was to take for them in his Tent. This OMER was about a pottle of our measure Marke howe the Lord alloweth a sufficiencie and vtterly disliketh all néedelesse superfluitie Our wanton wils he will not fellowe but our iust néede hee will supplie Would wee learne this blessed meane in all our courses God would ioy in it and the childe vnborne be the better for it Our houses and land would tarie with vs and descend from vs to them wee loue our Tenants should taste of better bargaines and liue and die at our féete the poore would send a shréeking crie to the eares of God for mercie and goodnes to be poured vpon vs for our relieuing of them The Common-wealth should finde vs furnished either to defend or offend vpon occasion and in one word both Heauen and Earth be glad of it O why why then should not our OMER content vs for the day God is wise that made this Lawe and who euer followed his wisedome and repented You sée the Note and to a féeling heart I néede not amplifie it any farther 4. But might they gather this pottle of Manna anie time of the day No. It was to be gathered in the morning for when the heate of the Sunne came it was melted So God would teach them to take time whilest time serued And it may well admonish vs to doo the like Wée haue a Morning we haue an Euening Our able youth and good health is our morning our feeble Age and sicke estate is our euening Spend not the first vainely and you shall not want in the last vncomfortably God is good and giueth vs a gathering time he looketh we should vse it as he intendeth that is in the morning to goe forth to our labour honestly and truly to liue in a lawfull vocation to doo what wee are called to faithfully and carefully So shall we eate the fruite of our labours when the euening of age and sicknes commeth and all shall be well But a carelesse youth and an ill spent health will make a wanting age and an helplesse sicknes Gods blessings are not at our election to haue them when we will but when wee séeke when he bids we shall finde His Manna is readie if we come in time and if we linger till we list he hath his Sunne to melt it away and it is gone O take time then and be ruled by God youth and health you sée is a blessed time In the Booke of Wisedome sée another vâ—e of this time of this day and euer remember it namely That it might be knowne how wee ought to preuent the Sunne rising to giue thanks vnto God and to salute him before the day spring For the hope of the vnthankfull shall melt as the Winter Ice and flowe away as vnprofitable waters Let vs doo thus then and be most assured that such Morning sacrifice shall be no lesse profitable vnto vs than pleasing to him 5. And did they iust gather their measure and no more euery man No. The Text saith Some gathered more and some lesse Yet when they did measure it with an OMER hee that had gathered much had nothing ouer and hee that had gathered little had no lacke c. By which miracle the Lord would both restraine the gréedie Scrapers of this world that are neuer satisfied and comfort his owne Chosen that haue not such heapes For what hath the greatest Raker that liues amongst vs at this day touching himselfe but his liuing and hath not the poorest man by his little as much yes assuredly wee sée it daily Nay we sée more namely that this little little which the poore man hath yéeldeth him often a more healthie life and a merrier minde sounder sléepe and quieter thoughts than that great abundance which the gréedie Gatherer hath gotten Daniel with his thinne fare of pulse and water looketh as well or better than they that féede vpon the Kings allowance such a mighty God euery way is our God And why then should our desire to haue be so exorbitant or our hearts so deiected if wee haue but little GOD will make my little stretch to an OMER that is to enough and his much shal be no more doo what hee can O minde minde then bee content Looke vpon thy God and feare nothing he is the same he is no Changeling c 6. Did they reserue nothing of all their gatherings till the morning your Chapter goeth on and saith Let no man reserue thereof till the morning Notwithstanding they obeyed not Moses but some of them reserued of it till the morning and it was full of wormes and stanke therefore Moses was verie angrie with them Sée euer in the world some disobedient and distrustfull wretches let all the Preachers in the world were they as good as Moses say and doo what
Spirit as verely in all true beléeuers as they truly were partakers and vsers of outward washings So the 15. Psalme also v. 1. Lord who shall dwel in thy Tabernacle euen he that is thus washed and made cleane Read it ouer your selfe 5. In the 23. v. it followeth thus Take vnto thee principall spices of the most pure myrrhe so much of sweete Cynamon so much c. Thou shalt make hereof the holy anointing oyle euen a most precious oyntment wherewith all things appertaining to the Tabernacle were anointed and the Priestes ver 25. c. No man might vse this for his priuate vse c. This holy and most excellent oyle was a figure of the Holy Ghost without whom nothing is pure nor swéet All things were anointed therefore Priest Arke Table Candelsticke c. to teach that all the exercises of Religion are vtterly vnprofitable without the inward working of the Holy Ghost in our harts by whoÌ„ only we are made partakers of Christ his holines Priuate vses it might not serue vnto nor be for strangers to maintain the reputatioÌ„ of it to kéep vnder the proud desires of corrupt minds The note in your margin coÌ„cerning straÌ„ gers may be looked on Of the perfume the like is saide and happie were men if all these could make them sée how things belonging to Gods seruice ought not to be transferred to priuate vses The Romish Church hath taken vpon her still dooth to imitate this ointment perfume and therefore their Priests shewe that they are rather Priestes of the law than Ministers of the Gospell and by continuing these Ceremonies of the law they as much as they can labour to teach that Christ the end of these Ceremonies is not yet come What a stirre they make in imitatioÌ„ of this oyle who is able to repeat without laughter The mitred Bishop he charmes the oyle with certaine words whispered and muttered ouer it then he breatheth vpon it with his vnswéet breath Twelue Priests stand by readie which one after one come and breath into the cup where the oyle is Then the Bishop addeth more Charming prayers and maketh mention of Moses and Aaron of Dauid Kings Prophets and Martys desiring that this Chrisme or ointment when it is made may haue power to coÌ„fer vpoÌ„ men such gifts as they in their times were partakers of With the oyle he mingleth a quantity of balme and then prayeth againe At length a Deacon taketh away the cloth that couered the cup then bowing himselfe he saith All hayle holy Chrisme thrée times ouer lifting his voice higher and higher he kisseth the lipp of the cup the like doo the 12. Priestes in a row one after another and then it is a goodly ointment as they say Now where haue they learned in Gods book these toies let it be noted for our good they are wholly apishe in all their dooings setling their own deuises as holy matters for Gods people c. In their perfumes censers they are as childish againe and will not sée it But let this suffice of this Chap. CHAP. 31. 1. THe Lord hauing thus appointed a Tabernacle to be made it pleaseth him now to giue gifts to men to be able to work and make these goodly thinges appointed to be made And this vse I would make of it to learne that he which thus prouided for the building of his earthly Tabernacle assuredly will neuer be carelesse of raising vp the spirituall only let vs be carefull to prouide that they may haue a cheerefull maintenaÌ„ce that worke this spirituall work as they had that wrought this earthly worke 2 In that the Lord saith he had called by name Bezaleel it may comfortably assure vs that such a care hath the Lord of vs as euen our very Names are knoweÌ„ vnto him He knew the Citie called Damascus he knew the stréete in it which was called Streight he knew the house the rooms vpper nether the furniture c. He knew Ananias Name SimoÌ„ the Tanners Name and here Bezaleel his Name We accompt it a great matter to be known by Name to the King here on earth how much more should we ioy to be known so particularly to the King of Heauen He that best knoweth what is true comfort nameth this by the Prophet Esay saying Feare not Iacob for I haue called thee by thy Name thou art mine The like in Cyrus Chap. 45. v. 4. and in other places Reioyce that your Names are written in Heauen saith the Gospell 3 In that God saith he had filled these workmen with the Spirit of God in wisdom and vnderstanding and in knowledge and in workmanship it plainly sheweth that handy-crafts are the works of Gods Spirit therefore ought to be duely estéemed In the Prouerbs of Salomon it is said The Lord hath made both these euen the eare to heare the eye to see meaning that both in Gouernours and Crafts-men Wisedome and skill to doo the worke well is of the LORD Thanks are to be giuen to this gratious GOD for raising vp in all ages such Men. And their cunning workes consequently may bee vsed so that pride and vanity be abandoned Nay note the words againe in the Text and you may sée that not only the first gift in these things is of the LORD but all increase and going-forward in the same For the LORD saith it is of HIM that they shal be able TO FINDEOVT CVRIOVS WORKES that is to deuise more and more daylye 4 Notwithstanding keepe ye my SABBATH c A place neuer to be forgotten touching the LORDS care of the SABBATH for he will not haue his owne worke medled withall on that daye O what can we thinke of our workes His Tabernacle-builder must be forbidden and our buildings must go on Reade and féele that place in Ieremie with a tender heart If the SABBATH bee kept Kings and Princes shall enter in at the gates c. that is the Gouernment shall stand and flourish if not the LORD will kindle a fire in the gates thereof and it shall deuoure the places of Ierusalem and it shall not bee quenched that is the LORD will ouerthrow all with a very fearefull destruction Hee is the same nowe that then and his glorie as déere to him Let it mooue vs. 5 When the Lord had made an end of communing with Moses he gaue him two Tables of stone writteÌ„ with the FINGER of GOD. By which name of the FINGER OF GOD Saint Augustine saith the holy-Ghost was signified Neque enim Deus forma corporis definitus est nec sic in illo membra et digiti cogitandi sunt quemadmodum videmus in nobis sed quiaper Spiritum Sanctum dona Dei sanctis sic diuiduntur vt â—uÌ„ diuersa possint non tamen discedaÌ„t a concordia charitatis in digitis enim maxime apparet quaedam diuisio non tamen ab vnitatepraescisio Siue propterea siue propter
as the Dogge that returneth to his vomit Or the Swine that walloweth in the myre that is wickedly filthily and beastly This taught Irenaeus many yeares agoe and both for his antiquitie and worthinesse let vs marke his words They that haue the Pledge of the Spirit saith hée and serue the concupiscence of the flesh but subiect themselues to the Spirit and reasonably behaue themselues in all things rightly of the Apostle are called spirituall because the Spirit of GOD dwelleth in them And they that cast away the Counsaile of the Spirit and serue the pleasures of the flesh liuing vnreasonably and vnbridledly following their sinfull desires hauing no working of the Spirit but liuing as dogges or swine rightly hee calleth carnall because they sauour of nothing but the flesh And the Prophets for the selfe same cause compared them to bruite and vnreasonable beasts as to fed-Horses neighing after their Neighbours wiues c. Dauid also in the Psalme Man being in honour hath no vnderstanding but is compared to the beasts that perish c. Now all these things are done Figuratiuely to note cleane and vncleane persons as before For they that haue a true Faith and a good life by meditating in the Word are such as diuide the hoofe and chew the cudde and they are cleane Such doe neither or but the one are vncleane as hee that beleeueth in GOD but liueth not well or hee that liueth in an outward honestie but beleeueth nor rightly hee also that doth neither liue well nor beleeue well all these are vncleane The Iewes saith this Father may be sayd in some sort to chewe the cudde because they read the Scriptures but they diuide not the hoofe because they beleeue not in the Sonne of GOD Christ Iesus as well as in the Father To this effect Irenaeus Others haue by cleane beasts parting the hoofe noted the true Teachers of the Word which diuide the same aright the Lawe and the Gospell Praecepts and promises c. They againe say others may be well called cleane diuiding the hoofe who doe not beléeue in great or in grosse but discerne and distinguish things as Christ and Moses Nature and Grace Truth and falshood c. Not beleeuing euery spirit but trying the Spirits whether they be of God or no. Things may not bée taken euer litterally And againe we may not be too bold with Mysteries and Allegories leauing the letter but a true wisedome is to be prayed for and vsed in both Hee that is spirituall saith the Apostle discerneth all things That for diuiding and be wise vnto Sobrietie that for beeing too busie in deuising Mysteries For chewing the Cudde They may bée said to doe it and so to be cleane who meditate of that they heare and learne out of Gods Booke and often repeating it in their mindes ponder it in their heart as is said of the blessed Virgin A thing much commended in the Scripture as in the first Psalme Blessed is that man that meditateth in the Law of God day and night Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my hart be alway acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength my Redemer Isaac went out to meditate c. Commended also by the Fathers Meditatio Dei dulcis est To meditate of God is a sweete thing Saith Saint Augustine Meditatione pericula agnoscimus oratione euadimus And by meditation saith Saint Bernard Wee know perils by prayer we auoyd them 2 Your Chapter nameth many particulars which were but curiositie to stand on A few may be touched for example sake The Cony was vncleane because hee cheweth the cudde and diuideth not the hoofe And by this some haue thought were figured out such men and women as lay vp their treasures in earth because the Conies digge and scrape and make their berryes in the earth whereas the Scripture teacheth vs not to doe thus but to lay vp our treasures in Heauen where no theefe no moth c. These men and women are vncleane and God will haue none of them 3 The Hare was also vncleane for the same cause because hee cheweth the cudde but diuideth not the hoofe The Hare is a very fearefull creature and therefore by him figured out fearefull men and women despayring of grace and shrinking from God fearing crosses and losses and forsaking Faith Such persons are vncleane and excluded out of the Kingdome of GOD. Read Apoc. chap. 21. But the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhominable and murtherers and whore-mongers and forcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and Brimstone which is the second death 4 The Swyne was vncleane beause hee parteth the hoofe but cheweth not the cudde and of their flesh they might not eate nor touch their carkeise c. Tertullian saith Herein was figured such vncleane persons as bee good for nothing but to be slaine For if you consider what a creature the Swyne is Hee neuer looketh vp to Heauen but hath his mouth euer in the earth and myre caring for nothing but his belly Hee serueth not to ride vpon as doth the horse to till the ground as doth the Oxe to giue milke as doth the Cowe to cloath vs with his fléece as doth the Sheepe to watch by night for vs as doth the Dogge and so foorth but he is onely nourished for the knife and his death hath vse his life hath none Such ought not men and women to bée and if any be such they are vncleane God would admonish the Iewes by this Figure and still we may learne by it to be no Swyne no Hogge no filthy myrie creatures wallowing in sinne and vncleanes without regard and féeling louing the earth and looking euer on the earth rooting in it all the day and féeding the belly with all gréedinesse nourished onely to the slaughter and profiting no way whilest we liue A profitable meditation for Gods children that they may so continue and a profitable remembrance to others not yet called that they may become his children A good caueat to rich Cormorants in this world who neuer profite any till they dye with all the wealth they haue A knife therefore for the Hogge that wée may haue Puddings and death for such Wretches that the Common-wealth may haue vse of their bagges 5 From the Land Your Chapter commeth to the Water and so from the beastes to the Fishes therin vers 9. shewing what was cleane and what vncleane what might be eaten and what might not But Fishes in particular are not named as the beastes were the Fowles afterward are because the most part was vnknowen to Iewes hauing little vse or none of Fish and few Waters or none but Iordan for Fresh-fish Sea-fish was sold néerer the East and came not to the Iewes much where they were By the markes therefore God describeth them and saith Whatsoeuer hath finnes and skales in the Waters
not reape it or gather it but with others among others they with thée and thou with them the fruites of that yeare so springing shall be common True therefore we may say it is of the land also and earth That which lacketh mutuall rest cannot indure Whereupon among vs we haue an vse to let land rest some more some lesse according as it is in strength and goodnesse And that land that should continually beare without want sixe yeares wée would say were good land I remember the speach of one out of a good féeling to some wretched minded men that haue neuer inough Quid das tu terrae pro tot messibus mari pro tot piscibus caelo pro pluuia stellis proâ—uce c. Si nihil das inuides requiem c. What giuest thou the earth for so many haruests the sea for so many fishes the heauens for rayne the starres for their light c. If thou giuest nothing doest thou enuie a rest c. This therefore was a politicall cause of this Sabbath of the land the seuenth yeare that it might contynue and indure fruitfull Secondly it had a Ceremoniall vse thus to put them in remembrance of that sinne fall which cast vs all out of Paradise and brought men to labour and the earth to néede labour whereas if we had stood the earth should haue yéelded of it selfe fruites and profits as in some glymse they might sée by the seauenth yeare Againe it shadowed out the true Sabbath and rest in Heauen where shall bée no labour and yet no lacke but all comforts ioyes aboue the reach of our hearts now to féele or imagine Read Esay 65. Behold I create new heauens and a new earth c. Some-where also I haue read that this rest of the earth might rebuke the wicked crueltie of some Masters who haue no pittie of their seruants or cattell but euer are labouring them sorry that their bodyes be not brasse that they might neuer cease when as a gracious GOD hath pittie vpon the very earth and will haue that to haue a Sabbath and â—est 2 In this seauenth yeare it was not lawfull to require their debts For so you may read Deutro 15. But some difference of opinions men haue touching this Some say their debt was cleane lost others say no but for that yeare deferred and forborne after demaunded lawfully and payd willingly which is more likely forasmuch as these politicke Lawes of God were not ordained of God to ouer-throw Iustice but to preserue it and direct it in a commendable and fit manner among men Now it is Iustice to let euery man haue his owne Then againe the Hebrew Text in the place named Deutro 15. is Ab extremitate septimi anni facies remissionem Extremitas autem sunt initium finis From the extremitie of the seuenth yeare thou shalt make remission Now the extremitie is the beginning the end betwixt these it was not lawfull to aske a debt but before or after Because for that yeare there was no tillage to make money of but after that returning to his vse the right of the Creditor returned also and the Lord graciously requited this forbearing if hée did not with-draw his help because the seauenth yeare approached A right and true application of this may euery féeling heart make in those Cities and Townes within this Realme where it hath pleased God to lay his sore visitation of Plague and infection thereby stopping the Trade whereby euery man was inabled to get for his maintenance and the discharge of such debts as were due from him to others God forbid but mercie should bée found towards their brethren in those that looke for mercie at Gods hand to themselues When men cannot receiue they cannot pay and no dishonest meaning giuing the stop but onely the Lords hand staying Trade who will bée rigorous in such a case and say hée feareth God when the earth rested and there was no tillage to raise money by You sée the mercie of Gods Law here and is it not all one when Trade ceaseth Let your bowels then shew whose childe you are If the Image and superscription of God be vpon you surely you will shew mercie and giue some fit time to your debtor that meaneth truely Reade-ouer and often I pray you what God saith Esay 58. Verse 3. and so on and remember hée is the same God still 3 There was then an other great Sabbath yeare besides this seauenth yeare Namely euery fiftie yeare and it was called the Iubile for saith your Chapter Thou shalt number seuen Sabbaths of yeares vnto thee euen seuen times seuen yeare and the space of the seuen Sabbaths of years will bee vnto thee 49. yeares Then thou shalt cause to blow the Trumpet of the Iubile c. Upon which blowing it had his name of Iubile The Ceremonies of this yeare were diuers and great For it was a great yeare First it was vnlawfull againe in this yeare to till the ground or to require debts but a generall rest and cessation was giuen this way as in the seauenth yeare you haue heard Secondly all Israelitish seruants in this yeare were frée and Lands the profits whereof were sold returned againe to the Tribe and Familie for preseruing that Law Numb 36. Ne transferatur a tribu ad tribum that it might not bee alienated from tribe to tribe least so the tribes might haue béen confounded and the truth not so certainly haue appeared of what Tribe Christ came This yeare of Iubile kept the distinction most sure and yet had they power to sell from Iubile to Iubile as their neede required Thirdly this yeare was an excellent figure of that true Iubile and fréedome which by Iesus Christ the bodie of all shadowes should by trumpet bée proclaymed to all that truely should beléeue in him And sée the resemblaunce This Iewish Iubile was proclaymed by trumpet so should the Christian freedome bée by the trumpet of preaching the Gospell which is the most notable trumpet In this Iubile of the Iewes there were no debts demaunded and such things as grewe of themselues were common so in the Christian Iubile is fréedome proclaymed by CHRIST Satan hath no power to demaund what by sinne wée owe him to wit either soule or bodie and all the graces of CHRIST which growe of themselues that is fréely are bestowed vpon vs and common in Christ to all there béeing with him no respect of persons but all accepted that feare him and worke righteousnesse Of this fréedome speake the Scriptures comfortably euery where As by the Prophet Esay 61. The Spirit of the LORD is vpon mee c. He hath sent me to preach good tydings to the poore to binde vp the broken hearted to preach libertie to the captiues and to them that are bound the opening of the prison to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord the day of vengeance of our God to comfort