forget This maketh the child vndutifull to his parents because hee forgetteth what they haue done for him which made the olde father Tobiah call vpon his sonne earnestlie to remember what his mother suffered for him when he was in her bodie what care after when he was brought into the world to make much of her as long as she liued when she should die to burie her by him The good father doubted not but due remembrance would work gratitude as he well knew vnkind forgetfulnes would do the contrarie This is the sinne of seruants to their Maisters of Maisters often to their seruants Of one neighbour towards another of all the world almost this day But could such seruice may you thinke as Ioseph did to Egipt be euer forgotten yea yea we sée it héere noted by God himselfe and therefore we must know it for truth that ingratitude will make no bones to swallow vp any vertue any merit any goodnes whatsoeuer Which causeth a saying to be most true Si ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris if thou canst truly say he is vnthankfull in that one word thou hast saide all the euill of him that may be spoken Honourable therefore was it and thrice honourable in King Henry the 3. King of this land so to remember the seruices of his oppressed seruant Hubert Lord chiefe Justice of England thereupon to frée him from the malice of his enemies and to saue his life I sée no reason saith he why we should deale so hardly with Hubert when his enemies vrged his execution and expected the Kings cōmandement for the same for first from the time of his youth he serued mine Uncle King Richard then my father King Iohn in whose seruice as I heard say beyond the seas he was driuen to eate his horse and in my time he hath stoode constantly in the defence of that Realme against forreigne Nations kept the Castle of Douer against king Lewis and vanquished the French-men vpon the seas also at Bedford and Lincolne he hath done great seruice If hee should be guiltie of anie thing done vntruly against me which is not euidentlie proued yet by me he shall neuer be put to such a villanous death For I had rather be accounted a king foolish and simple than to be iudged a tyrant and séeker of blood especiallie of such as haue serued me and my Auncestors in manie perils so dangerously weighing more the few euils which yet be not proued than so many good deserts both to me and the whole Realme euidently knowne vnto all men As then remembrance and forgetfulnes of a good are contrarie so you sée the effects of them are contrarie the one bringing forth all honourable actions the other oppression and crueltie as in this place These were the foure causes of this great affliction of Gods people and let vs neuer forget them nor their vse 3. In the next place let vs note their manner in bringing their purpose to passe first they haue a méeting and a consultation then an exeeution of what they haue deuised Their méeting the king caused when he said Come let vs work wiselie c. In which wee sée the guise of the world the wicked haue a Come as well as the godlie but farre and farre differing for the godlie haue their Come as a word of encouragement to religion and the exercises thereof as when they say O come and let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs hartily reioyce in the strength of his saluation But the wickeds Come is to conspiracie and practise in which they are more diligent than the children of light are in their good for their bodies méete their heads méete their hearts méete both outward inward they are earnest in euill Such a Come we reade of against holie Ieremie Come sayd the wicked and let vs imagine a deuise against Ieremie let vs smite him with the tongue and not giue credite to any of his words Such another haue Kuffians and théenes and swaggering fellowes in the booke of the Prouerbs Come and cast in thy lot with ours for we will haue all but one purse c. Such another hath the harlot to the young man Come my husband is not at home c. But against such cursed Comes let vs euer remember what the Psalme saith Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsell of the vngodly nor stand in the way of sinners and hath not sit in the seate of the scornfull And that Arnobius an olde Writer well noteth vpon those words Primus psalmus vnde scit beatitudinem perijsse inde recuperat In consilio impiorum abijt Adam id est in serpentis et mulieris Et nunc Adam noster id est consensus noster beatus erit si non abierit in consilio serpentis et mulieris id est inconsilio carnis et diaboli aut si abierit non ibi stet aut si steterit non sedeat c. The first Psalme saith he where it knew happines was lost there beginneth to recouer it againe for Adam walked in the counsell of the wicked namely of the woman and of the serpent And now our Adam that is our consent shall be blessed if it doo not walke in the counsell of the woman and of the serpent that is of flesh and the deuill or if it happen to walk yet standeth not still or if it stand still yet sitteth not downe in the same that is abideth not and tarieth in it but remembring the law of the Lord taketh his delight therein and in the same doth exercise himselfe both day and night This cursed conuenticle and malicious méeting albeit wholely it sauoreth of crueltie and blood yet if you marke it it is couered and smeared ouer with a vizard and die of wisedome for Come faith the King let vs wisely worke So still is the Deuill like himselfe if you marke it and euer in his colours His followers learne of him and they also delight in colours The proud man is cleanlie the couetous man is prouident the drunkard a good-fellow and such like But the day will come wherein all such colours will be washed away and the cleare sunne breaking out and dispiersing all clouds sinne will be discerned to be sinne and eternally punnished Thus of their méeting and their counsell 4 The conclusion resolution of their counsel if you marke the text is to lay burthens vpon this people and to kéepe them downe Burthens of labours as appeareth and burthens of payments as some write So that by this way their strength should be shaken and their liues made wearisome vnto them that thereby lesse encreasing might be amongst them and lesse feare had of them Where marke if you doe not sée the deuises of some in our daies wise as they thinke but héerein wicked as we know séeking by such practises to breake both backs and hearts of those that deserue better then
Good Intents 408 420 449. Iosephs bones carried away 207. Israelites their increase 2 3. their affliction 4. the causes of their affliction 5. their multiplication vnder the Crosse 10 33. they had their meetings for Religion euen vnder blodie Pharaoh 43. they are spared from the punishment of the Egyptians 109. not onely in Goshen but when they were mingled together 156 their departure out of Egipt 200 they being weak are deliuered when the armed souldiors of Egypt are destroyed 211. they murmur 236. their first warre 290. c. they were all alike noble 341. Iudiciall law is the execution of the morall 327. Iudges their properties 313. viz Truth 347. skilfulnesse in the Law and Constancie 349. equalitie without respect of persons 350. they must neither pitie nor wrong the poore 351. they must auoide bribes 353. Iustice 313. Iudgement day 324. K. Kindnesse of heart in requiting loue 26. 170. 302. Kingdome of Christ prefigured 428. a. Kingdomes are disposed by God 1. Kingdomes preserued from plagues for one righteous man 99 130 444. King Iames raysed vp ouer vs by God 7. 156. A King mercifull and religious is a great blessing 68. we must pray for him 97. and cleaue fast vnto him 278. Kings are to be obeyed but in the Lord 11. Kneeling at the Communion 192. Knowledge in God 34 45 56 88 433 442 443 L. Lambe in the Passouer signified Christ 186. why it was killed at night 188. c. The Lambe in the Burnt-offering signified Christ 423. Lampes 396 404. Lauer 430. Law without the Gospell is sharpe 67 321 323. Law is diuided into Morall Iudiciall Ceremoniall 327. The breakers of the Law 324. The two tables were kept in the Arke 385 446 The Law cannot iustifie vs 446. Lawes in a Kingdome 313. Mans Lawes tend to the keeping of Gods lawe 327. All good lawes are to be kept 346. Leauen what it signifieth 190. Liberalitic to the house of God 464. Lice 101. Lyes 12. Life is to be preferred before worldly trash 170 〈…〉 must goe before good death 180. 〈◊〉 is preserued by God his blessing 272. Light to the followers of Christ when others are in darkenesse 208. 〈◊〉 eaten by Iohn Baptist what they were 131 132. 〈◊〉 signifie Monkes Fryers Nuns c 132. 134. Iord this title of God strengthneth our faith 73. 〈◊〉 of God to his Church 56 61. 〈◊〉 of truth is a propertie of a good Iudge 315. M. Magistâ—ates are of God 310. 311. they are Gods Deputies 308. God will enable them to their Office 50. their pâ—operties 313. they must relieue the oppressed 2â— they should not chaâ—ge the people further than there is cause 464. they must bee discreete in executâ—ng of iustice 24. they must neuer be idle 74 75. but diligent 312. and constant in their care for their people 24. must be alwaies preseÌ„t to see the eâ—ecution of lawes 32â— they ought to punish and yet aâ— old crueltie 3â—9 they must bee tâ—â—e to God yet carefull of the people 44â— b. they pray for the people when the people 〈…〉 against them 2 5. 445. 451. they 〈…〉 not muâ—mur 255. they must bee long sâ—ffering 282 they should grace the Ministers of the word before the people 317 â—13 their aâ—thoâ—itie mâ—st concâ—rre with teaching â—59 they are first before the people to be made acq 〈…〉 ted with any newe thing to be published 44. they must be vsed 〈…〉 fit for their places 44 they must be reueâ—enâ—ed 〈◊〉 345 and obeyed 310. 〈…〉 see Goueâ—nement Maâ—â—a the na 〈…〉 of it 262. the miraculous comming of it 26â— I awes concerning it 264. c. A poâ—te of it kept in the Aâ—ke 272. it was a figuâ—e of Christ 275 â—8◠〈◊〉 called himselfe the holy Ghost 80. 〈◊〉 of God â—4 3â—5 357. Qâ—eene Ma 〈…〉 râ—igne â—39 Mâ—riage may not be without Parents consent 341. Marriage how to behaue our selues in it 256 Maâ—riage is not impuâ—e 319. Maâ—riage with Idolaters is vulawfull 460. Masse a filthy Idol 424. Masteâ—s 329. Meanes must be vsed 264. from them we must lift vp our eyes to God 13. for it is hee that worketh by theÌ„ 240. why God vseth meanes being able to doe things by his word 239 240. great matters perfourmed by weake meanes 38 51 54 93 103 129 the vsing of means should not be hindred by promises or reuelations 216. or by presumption of Gods prouidence 240. Mechanicall occupations are fruits of Gods spirit 408 409. Mercie of God is the obiect of mans enuie 5. of Satans rage 64 66. it is not to be reiected when it is offered 27. 129. it is continued to the froward 75. to vngratefull murmurers 259 260. â—t saueth vs from the euill that happeneth to others 106. 107. Mercies receiued may assure vs of moâ—e to bee receiued 236. 237. Mercies of God must be registred 298. Merit 28â— 382 451. Mercâ—e-seat 38â— a figure of Christ 386. the matter of it 387. Methridate 238. Mid 〈…〉 ues their vertue 11. their lye 12. Mâ—de must not be below 273 but on God 274 27â— Ministrie how great a charge 40 317. it is to be maintained 430. 433. Ministeâ—s may not preach without a calling 382 their calling is iâ—ward or outward 407. God enableth them to their calling 50 they shall bee encouraged if they looke not to themselues but to their calling 78 they must not forsake their calling though the people waxe woâ—se and worse 70 448. they must not bee discouraged if their words euer be not hearkned vnto 74 75 83. yet they often are discoraged by the peoples incredulitie and frowardnesse 49 51. 83. their refuge is to runne to God when the people murmur 237. how deaâ—e their flocke should be vnto them 412. they haue a proprietie in their people 442. they â—ust be true to god yet careful of their people 446. Good Ministers are a great blessing 87. it is a great blessing to our weaknesse and honor to our nature when God speaketh to vs not himselfe but by men 324 707. there is required in Ministers wisedome and strength 420. the strongest of them neede to be continuall vn leâ—propped 59 they must haue good workes ioyned with good words 412. their outward actions must shine 460 they are signified by stars 132. there is an vnion betwixt God and them 227. therefore they may not be abused 261. but reuerenced 301 358. beleeued 227 maintayned 430. 433. Minister must be diligent in preaching 395. the vehemencie of their words is to be marked 93 the fruit of their preaching is dâ—â—e s 118 they prepare but God works 455. they must keepe nothing backe of Gods will 82. deliuer nothing but it 355 their maner of teaching must be plaine 340. such as maketh most for edifying 416. câ—riosiyie must not put out the candle a quarter of a yeere together 395. Minâ—sters entertainment in this world is to bee thrust out from the presence of great ones 131. and their lot is to be loaden with iniurious accusations 64 68. but
is Christ known but frō the rising of the sun to the going downe of the same c. Thus may we profit by their multiplication 2. The second head in this chapter is the crueltie of the Egyptians by meanes whereof a very bitter and heauie affliction followed this great and glorious multiplication The vse to our selues may bée this that euen so dooth aduersity follow prosperitie and therefore prosperity should euer prepare for aduersitie A wise man in his good day thinketh of his euill and dayly beholding the sunne ouer shadowed at times with a darke cloude maketh vse of it to his good Sorrow and ioy wil not dwell togither but by composition they were thus agréed as the Poets feigne that as soone as the one hath had a time the other shall enter and haue his time also the former passing away and giuing place Let no wise-man therefore say as Dauid said tush tush this estate shall neuer decay for the Lord turned his face and Dauid was soone troubled Iob on a day could not thinke on such a change as after happened to him and yet all to the glorie of God and his good No earthly father louing his childe doth forbeare to chastice him much lesse dooth the father of Spirits leaue his children without fit corvection since both hée loueth more and knoweth how better to correct for their good The path to heauen is beaten out through many tribulations and vp must euery man and woman take their crosse that will bée his in eternall comfort Let vs note againe in this place the causes of this their affliction oppression as the Spirit of wisedome for our good hath héere laide them downe The first is their very increasing and multiplying For the king saide Behold the people of the children of Israel are greater and mightier than we come let vs worke wiselie with them lest they multiply Where wée sée that Gods fauour bestowed in mercy where hée liketh is still an eye-sore to euill men matter inough for them to grinde and grate their téeth at and to cause them to enter into plots and conspiracies against them The eye of enuie looketh euer vpward who is aboue who riseth who prospereth who is well spoken of well thought of or any way fauoured by the Lord and as much grieued is a spitefull spirit at the good of an other as at the harme of himselfe Which Diogenes noted when hée saw a knowne enuious man looke sadde No man saith hée can now tell whether harme hath happened to this fellow or good to his neighbour for both alike vexe him It was the blot of Athens that renowned Citie to haue few of any excellent vertue escape the rage of enuie in it but that either they were disgraced or banished or put to death in the end Those whom no sword of hating foe could daunt in the field enuie vanquished at home in the Citie deprauing their seruices blotting their names and breaking at last their guiltlesse hearts Which made the Philosopher prescribe this remedie against enuie whē one asked him how he might auoide it Euen neither to do nor say any good thing Thus did enuie rage against their multiplying héere And if Gods actions escape not mans malice shall yours shall mine shall any mans no no praemoniti praemuniti forewarned forearmed the streame ran euer so and God make vs euer patient and strong to go on in our duties A second cause of this affliction is a suspicious feare which entreth into these Egyptians that if there should be warre the Israelites would ioyne themselues to the enemie fight against them and so get themselues out of the land Such fruite groweth vpon such trées misdéeming thoughts causelesse iealousie vaine feares and all vniust opinions Why surely because it is the course that God hath in his word threatned to wicked persons which feare not him as they ought to doe Astonishment of heart a trembling heart feare both night and day c. reade the scriptures and you shall finde much proofe of what I say Suspect bewrayes our thoughts betrayes our words suspicious eies are messengers of woe Well fares that man howsoeuer his meate doth tast that tables not with foule suspition Better to die then to be suspitious Trust not too soone nor yet too soone mistrust for mistrust will treason in the trustiest raise The heart being once infect with iealousie the night is griefe the day is miserie Jealousie is the torment of the minde for which no wit or counsell helpe can finde Suspition wounds and iealousie striketh dead Causelesse and vndeserued suspition sendeth manie an one too swiftlie to their end These sayings of wise and true experience should much moue euery wise person We sée what we nurse when wee nourish this vice And if all this should not moue vs yet let our owne credite moue vs which by this meanes is shrewdly drawne in question the knowne versés saying thus Too much suspition of another is A flat condemning of thine owne amisse A third cause of their affliction was a new King she former being dead vnder whom they felt no such miserie Which may iustlie occasion vs to note carefullie what danger often is in change of Gouernours if the Lord be not mercifull Salomon may haue his wants but when his sonne commeth in his place he thundreth and telleth the people that his little finger shall be heauier vpon them than all his fathers hand This might we as déepelie haue tasted of as euer did these Israelites if God almightie had not thought vpon mercie in stead of iudgement The great neglect of those gracious daies which vnder the blessed gouernment of Quéene Elizabeth our late renowned souereigne wee comfortablie enioyed deserued punishment in a high degrée we must néedes confesse if we will say truth yet in steade thereof our most swéete God whose goodnes knoweth neither bottome nor measure hath raised vp ouer vs such a King againe as both so firmelie is fastned to the loue of the Gospell and so enriched with all other princelie vertues either of nature or grace as not onelie we with bowed knées may euer praise the name of God but all forreigne Nations speake and write of so admirable mercie vouchsafed vnto vs God for his Christes sake make vs thankfull That the King knewe not Ioseph Diuines say it was either for want of reading the Histories or because vnthankfullie hee contemned the good that was done in other times and to other men S. Augustine héere giueth a note how men may know what King ruleth within them to whose words I refer the reader And let this forgetting of Ioseph that is of the seruice and good that Ioseph did to all that land of Egipt in the great famine mentioned in Genesis be the fourth and last cause of this affliction And this indéede if you marke it is a mother of great mischiefe wheresoeuer it is euen this forgetting of such benefites as we ought neuer to
themselues as if they had béene Egiptians borne and not Christians acquainted with the booke of God Whom I make no doubt if they hold on their way but the Red-sea will deuoure as it did these that is the Justice of God will destroy them for their sinne Till then patience and a continuall comfortable remembrance that God sitteth at the stearne which surely is enough to any that knoweth how swéete he is to all that fast and faithfully cleaue vnto him 5 What is the euent to kéepe them vnder is the plot but will it hold O comfort O comfort I say againe No no their deuise will not hold for the Lord sitting in the heauens laughed all their counsels to scorne And the more they vexed them the more they multiplied and grew saith the text A thing neuer to be thought of enough So hath it béene so shall it be to the worlds end with all faithfull seruants of God as shall be fit In those bloodie persecutions after Christes death by the Romaine Emperours what strange torments were deuised to kéepe downe religion and religious professours men and women They plucked off their skinnes quicke they boared out their eies with wimbles they broiled them aliue on Gridâ—rons they scalded them in boiling liquors they enclosed them in barrels and driuing great nailes through tumbled them downe mountaines till their owne blood so cruellie drawne out stifled and choaked them in the barrell womens breasts were seared off with burning irons their bodies rent and their ioynts racked with many and many gréeuous paines But would all this serue no no euen as héere so then the more they were vexed the more they multiplied through the mercie and power of him that gaue them strength to endure the paine and to scorne the malice So that S. Augustine saith of those times Ligabantur vrebantur cadebantur et tamen multiplicabantur they were bound they were burned they were beaten c. and yet they multiplied The bloud of Martyrs is the séede of the church and bringeth forth fruite as séede dooth some thirtie some sixtie and some a hundred fold as God pleaseth His arme shortneth not at any time wée all know and therefore what hée will suffer the deuill and his instruments to doe that they can and no more They haue worne the crowns of Kingdomes at last to the ioy of thousand thousands in despite of all malice who were thrust sore at that they might fall and from an honourable rising could not the malice of all Iosephs brethren kéepe him Therefore saith the text they were the more grieued against the children of Israel And so vsuallie falleth out to those that séeke their securitie by wicked wayes God crosseth and their deuises turne to their owne further woe and discontentment according to the common prouerbe Malum consilium consultori pessimum euill counsell is alwaies worse to him that giueth it 6 Will they then giue ouer their wicked waies and suffer them to increase whom God will haue to increase No but they adde vnto their crueltie more and more in such sort as the Israelites are weary of their liues by sore labour in clay and bricke and in all worke in the field with all manner of bondage which they laide vpon them most cruelly that their iniquity might bée full they deuise a crueltie neuer heard of before to send for the Midwiues and to deale with them to destroy the male-children of the Israelites at the birth Which may rightly teach vs to beware euer how wée begin to do euill for feare one euill pull on another as héere it did and in Dauid againe when adultery drew on murder of an innocent man and a faithfull subiect But did the Midwiues obey his commandement No they feare God saith the text and did not as the king commanded them but preserued aliue the men-children iustly commended for that they rather obeyed God than man They considered what stoode with the law of God which to them was knowne and not what pleased a mis-led minde of a gouernour Kings are to bée obeied and pleased but in the Lord. And if further they will force vs our bodies are theirs to sustaine vndeserued paine but both bodie and soule shall die if wee sinne against God This did those happie men know and followe when they were threatned and at last thrust into that fierie fornace by great crueltie saying as you reade there Our God is able to deliuer vs if it please him but if not yet know O King that wée will not doe this thing béeing wicked idolatry to worship the moulten image The reason of the Midwiues refusall is alledged the feare of God And surelie wheresoeuer this banke is the waters of vngodlinesse are held out from euerflowing as where the banke is not they doe When Abraham once entertained the thought that in the king of Gerar his courte the feare of God was not streight hée doubted violence both to himselfe and to his wife and so offended in saying she was his sister This feare made Ioseph that he durst not sinne against his maister or against his brethren when his father was dead This feare is the beginning of wisedome and a good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter the praise of it endureth for euer Still then labour to kéepe this feare in your heart and you â—hall reape a comfortable reward of it at the last 7. What then became of the Midwiues how escaped they the Kings wrath disobeying his commaundement Surely the text saith the King sent for them and they by an vntruth excused themselues saying The Hebrewe women were so strong that they were deliuered before anie midwife came Where in the King we may learne this good not to condemne anie before we heare them for if so wicked a man as this King was had yet that iustice to send for them and to heare their defence much more should wee that knowe more doe the like Manie swelling tales and strange reports haue féeble proofe when hearing is graunted Secondlie in the Midwiues we may sée the weakenes of our natures for they should not haue lyed for anie feare and therefore though a good déede be done yet it is ill defended Wee may not lie saith the scripture to iustifie God much lesse for anie other cause This weakenes then in these good women was like a spot in a faire face and S. Augustine saith of them Viues conseruare natos fuit miserecordiae at pro vita sua mentit as esse opus fuit infirmitatis quam Deus gratia condonat Homines veró non nisi ingrati et proterui possunt adexemplum imitationis sibi proponere To preserue aliue the children was a worke of mercie but to lie for the safetie of their liues was a worke of infirmitie which yet God pardoned by grace and none sauing vnthankfull and crooked persons will euer propose it to themselues to be imitated 8. But the text saith God prospered
the midwiues and built them houses what is that Domus nomine in scripturis non solum habitationis locus sed et filij quibus tanquam lapidibus domus seu familia construitur crescit resetiam familiaris intelligi possunt vnde quidam copiosam sobolem eis dedisse affirmant vt Euseb Hugo de Sto. victore Hyeron innuit aedificasse eis spirituales domus Thom. quód conuersae fuerunt ad cultum veri dei Euseb Caesarien aedificasse domus non manu factas sed in coelis sitas c. The meaning vsually receaued is hée blessed their families that they became of great reputation which were descended of them And hée stirred vp the hearts of the Israelites to build them houses which descended to their families and were fit for them By the phrase then of spéech let vs learne thus much euer to lift vp our eies to God for any thing that happeneth to vs albeit man be the meanes which hée vseth for euer it is the Lords worke Such a phrase was that in Genesis God made them aprons or coates of skins when themselues were the workers and God the author of the deuise Did wée thus sée God in all wée enioie it could not be but thankful thoughts would arise in our harts and more care to please him than appeareth now in many an one Prosecute this meditation with your selfe and thinke of your owne particular what God hath donefor you and what you render to him againe c. I will cast my heart vpon another thing mée thinke héere most comfortable namelie how God reiected not the good that was in these women for the imperfection that was mingled with it but pardoning what was weake gratiously rewardeth what was well Feare not you then though all bée not in you as you wish but pray as you can reade as you can heare as you can and all other Christian duties doe them as you can according to that measure of grace which you haue receiued and if any infirmity thrust it selfe in and trouble you when you are most desirous to bée frée from it feare not the Lord sheweth in these women what his nature is He knoweth our mould whereof we be made and he turneth away his face from beholding our fraileties casting a grations countenance vpon our good Frailtie is ours our weldooing is his and his own grace he wil reward You are not greater than the Apostle was who yet groaned you know vnder this burden that he could not doe the good which hée would but still slipt into the euil which he would not Tyrannize not then ouer your selfe but know it for a truth that want to doe all disgraceth not a will to doe some thing with a swéete God Often remember that place in the Kings so ful of comfort He onlie saith the Lord shall goe to the graue in peace because in him there is some goodnesse Some goodnesse I say againe and euer haue you it in your remembrance for not some goodnesse shal loose his rewarde with God though all bée not there Your will would doe better and that hée séeth but you faile as a child of Adam and that hée séeth also yet will not sée it to stop any mercie from your some goodnesse Ifhée then bée so swéete bée not you sower against your selfe but chéerefully doing what you can say for your wants with him in the Gospell which felt infirmity as you doe Lord helpe my vnbeleefe Lord helpe my weaknes euery way for thy mercy sake 9 Lastly when the King saw hée could not haue his will that way then hée commaunded that euery man-childe should bée cast into the riuer as soone as it was borne and of like appointed bloodie searchers for that purpose So when craft can not rage must increasing their malice against the Lord and his poore members neuer thinking how hard it is to kicke against the pricke Such a like bloody attempt made Herod when hée flew the children but yet missed of his purpose as did héere this King Let his power to preuent his foes bée the comfort of all his true seruants euer Thus may we profit by this chapter CHAP. 2. In this chapter consider chiefely these three heads The birth of Moses and his bringing vp His flying away from Egypt His mariage 1. TOuching the birth of Moses it is noted that both by father and mother he was of the tribe of Leui and what Leui the sonne of Iacob did we reade in Genesis 34. 25. verse The blemish whereof claue vnto his posteritie after yet now you sée God honoureth it with this great honour that of that Tribe should come this famous Deliuerer of the whole Nation from such cruell bondage as now they endured An honour surelie verie great and we may well note in it the swéete goodnes of Almightie God who though some of a Tribe haue offended him and left cleauing to their name that blacknes and blot which the rest of their name neuer occasioned yet is not for euer alienated thereby from the whole blood but extendeth mercie and fauour yea verie high honour to some of them as hee shall thinke good wiping out by degrées what foule sinne had wiped on too wickedlie How may men pray then in comfort euer O Lord O Lord remember not the offences of them that haue gone before vs but let mercie reach notwithstanding their euill to those that hartilie defied their euill This example of God both good Princes and all good Christians carefullie follow not hurting one for another when like deseruing maketh them not in like sort punishable Neuerthelesse some there be that forgetting it maintaine by an euill name of deadlie feud as they call it a damnable reuenge vpon manie and for many yéeres against which is the forme of prayer taught vs by Christ forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs with many scriptures more 2. It is said his mother hid him thrée moneths and Origen maketh this vse of it that men be carefull not to doe all things to be séene of men but as the scripture teacheth to shut the dore and to pray in secret not to let the left hand knowe what the right hand doth for feare least if these male-children be exposed to the view of men with a longing desire to win praise the Egiptians catch them and cast them into the riuer But rather thinke you by these words of the wofull estate wherein this people of God then liued What fulnes of furie was this so bloodilie to tyrannize ouer new borne Infants were they neuer so swéete and well fauoured that their parents must hide them if they would enioy them but a day O bittertimes O wofull mothers when they saw themselues once conceiued with child for if it were a man-child their eies must see the murderers take it and though it wept vpon father and mother and lifted vp both little hands and eies in the
Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things 17. Then after thus thou hast acquainted the Heads of the people of Israell with it and they by my working in-wardely with them willing to obey both thou and they shall go to Pharaoh the king and say c. Sée againe and still still most carefully note it how God regardeth Gouernment For now Pharaoh must bée vsed as was fit for his Place He being the king of the lande in which they were wicked Pharaoh I say must not be disorderly dealt with by such as liue vnder his gouernment within his Territories although strangers and not his naturall Subiects how much lesse then by naturall Subiects But hee must be gone vnto with all dutie and acquainted with all reuerence with their desire that neither themselues may be iudged factious neither others by their examples moued to any disorder They must acquaint him with the Author of this desire not their owne heads lusting after liberty or nouelitie but the Lord God that is that Lord which is God and that GOD which is Lord and Lord of Lords to worke some touch in Pharaoh of feare Secondly the Lord God of the Hebrewes that is that hath euer had care of them and dealt for them as séemed good to his Wisedome Thirdly that their scope was Religion not rebellion nor any vndutifull practise against the state Shall not this moue vs to reuerence authoritie when God thus notablie sheweth his liking of it It is enough in this place if God be with vs. Lastly obserue the long sufferance of God who though by this Pharaoh verie much offended yet before hee will smite he will admonish and doe all things so as his owne hart shall testifie his owne inexcusable wickednes Certainly euen thus the Lord dealeth with our selues if wee had eyes to sée it still forewarning and calling to a touch before hee determine Judgement and iust destruction His Preachers and Prophets his rods and his crosses his fauours and bounties be all Admonishers of vs to auoide his wrath 18. But I knowe that the King of Egypt will not let you goe but by strong hand Therefore will I sttetch out my hand and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will doe in the midst thereof and after that shall hee let you goe How well doth the Lord sée what the wicked thinke is secret and hidden to wit their thoughts and purposes their dispositions and nature yea before themselues knowe what they will doe he knoweth and shall not this moue them Their stubborne and stiffe harts contemning admonitions and all meanes of their reformation the Lord knoweth and séeth before How may this comfort the zealous Minister that is wearied and wasted with longing after the life of them that wish his death with praying entreating and crying vpon men for their good that they would hearken and consider that they would be reconciled to God and saue their soules I say how may this comfort him that this blockishnes and hardnes this ingratitude and vnkindnes of theirs was knowne to the Lord euer And therefore to content himselfe that he hath giuen warning like a faithfull Watchman that hee hath loued like a faithfull Pastor and endeauoured their good as a true Minister leauing the Lord now to his further pleasure euen to stretch out his hand and to smite such Pharaohs with their Land that is their possessions and goods their friends and associates as héere hee did for till Pharaoh féele it hee will not thinke of His might The Preacher speaketh in the aire the friend priuately looseth his labour and honest aduise Pharaoh féeleth not but thinketh himselfe wise and them fooles Their loue returneth therefore into their owne bosome being noted in Gods Booke for a Witnes against them and that swéete comfort sheweth it selfe to be taken hold of Wée are a swéete sauour to the Lord in them that perish After this consider with your selfe héere againe in that it is saide Pharaoh will not let them goe but by strong hand How far more easie it is to come into Egypt than to get out So it is assuredlie a smooth way to Hell by many pleasant delights but to returne and giue ouer the sinne once entred into to forsake that pleasant way This is a worke This is a labour nay This is a Grace indéede Any man may leape into a pit at his pleasure but hee must come out with more difficultie if euer hee come out Therefore in my conceite the good woman dealt wisely with the Frier that solicited her to sinne and told her hée would sing and say prayers for her that should cleanse her from all her offence and deliuer her presently out of Purgatorie if shee should happen to die whilest hee was aliue when shee appointed a pit to be digged in the way where the Fryer should come in the night and to be couered with some grasse that it might not appeare into which as soone as euer the Fryer came he fell and not able any way to get out againe Anon when hée had cooled himselfe well the woman came also as though shée had come to méete him to whom the poore Fryer pittifully complaineth that hee was fallen into that pit there and could not get out praying her to vse some meanes for his deliuerance But shee wisely tolde him hee should remember what hee said vnto her to wit that out of the pit of Purgatorie hee could sing her or any that should offend with him and now there was a good place to trie the power of his Musicke and Songs that shée and others might beléeue him the better If hee would haue his Portesse sent for shée said shée would but other helpe hee should get none of her And so shee left him to sing himselfe out if hee could So sleight a matter made those Hypocrites then of fearefull sinne easily purged and easilie pardoned were it neuer so wittingly and wilfully committed But this Figure of the hardnes to get out of Egypt when once they were in may shew vs as I say apparantly the contrarie and giue vs iust and good cause to beware of sinne The deuill is not such a foolish Fowler to let slip easely the bird he hath caught Euery mans owne experience telleth him how hard it is to leaue a wonted wrying from the right way and God graunt wee may thinke of it 19. Lastly the Lord addeth that Hee would make them fauoured of the Egyptians so that when they departed they should not goe emptie c. Where to our comfort wée sée that all harts are in the hands of God euen as the riuers of water and that hee turneth them hither and thither at his pleasure Hée can make them loue hate they neuer so much and they shall not bee able to withstand his will Yea hee can make them so loue that fruites from thence shall flowe to his people of their loue euen as hee best liketh Be they Jewels of siluer or Jewels of
man so full of Gods Spirit after such comforts should yet bee so backward But this is againe I say the mightie discomfort of incredulitie and want of the tast of good things when a man before hee goeth to doe his message cannot conceiue that his seruice shall preuaile And I would all Gods people might marke it with féeling for then should they sée how Preachers harts consume to dust within them by griefe conceiued of backwardnes waywardnes and incredulitie of their hearers to whom God hath sent them O! it biteth and wringeth day and night it lieth gnawing and grinding the whole inwards when others comfortably féede vpon ioy and mirth It maketh a great Prophet fearefully to passe the bounds of patience and forget himselfe For Cursed be the day wherein I was borne saith that worthie Ieremiah and let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed Cursed be the man that shewed my Father saying A man-childe is borne vnto thee and comforted him And let that man be as the Cities which the Lord hath ouer-turned and repented not and let him heare the crie in the morning and the shouting at noone-tide Because hee hath not slaine me euen from the wombe or that my mother might haue beene my graue or her wombe a perpetuall conception How is it that I came out of the wombe to see labour and sorrowe that my dayes should be consumed with shame And shal this be good for such people as cause it thinke you No no saith the Lord But Obey them that haue the ouer-sight of your soules as they that must giue accompts that they may giue it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you Unprofitable for you I say againe and marke it Now then mourneth the Preacher but the day commeth when such Hearers shall mourne yea rore and crie in the wound of their consciences for such Discomforts giuen to Gods Messengers sent vnto them O what are wee in this age to Moses the great Seruant of the Lord And yet hee for feare of this is so out of hart that hee prayeth God plainly to send some other Wee feare it not but féele it finde it and sée it and haue not the Spirit in such measure as Moses had Alas how can it be but sometimes our weakenes should appeare 5. Doe wee then iustifie Moses in this No the Lord doth not iustifie him and therefore wee cannot For Then the Lord was very angry with Moses saith the Text not angry onely but very angry So that wee sée most apparantly héere that there must be a measure at least in our passions and tendernes or else God is prouoked to great anger If the Lord appoint vs we must goe if wee feare or finde discomfort we must beare continue still obedient to God in our seruice who wil giue an issue to his pleasure And in the meane time to our vnspeakeable comfort hath saide That we are a sweet sauour to him in them that perish Yet the Lord casteth not a way his seruant for all this but telleth him againe that Aaron shall be his Spokesmā to the people c. Setting the authority in Moses making Aaron as it were his Interpreter Not vnlike the example of Flauianus in the History of Theodoret. Moreouer saith hée Thou shalt take this rod in thine hand and doo miracles Where wée may not dreame of any vertue inthe rod but cast both eies and heart vpon God who is able to make his Seruant with a poore Rod to match a kings glorious Scepter 6. Then Moses yéeldeth to Gods commaundement returning to Iethro his father-in-law prayeth him to let him goe c. Yéelding vs therein these Obseruations First that hée will giue no offence to Iethro by departing otherwise than was fit Seruants and Subiects may profit by it Secondly he concealeth as it séemeth the matter from him lest to a man not so fully yet tasting Heauenlie things it might séeme vnlikelie and so hée bée assalted with new Pulbacks Thirdly he delayeth not but spéedily addresseth himselfe to his businesse And lastly though outwardly he appeare but the same man yet inwardly he hath thoughts concerning Gods glorie which is a very Patterne for all good hearers of Gods word 7. Iethro hindreth not though no doubt it was to his great griefe according to nature to part with him and with his Daughter and their Children So is it euery one of our duties to yéelde vnto the will and working of God in all things For his we are and for his glory and seruice wée haue béene created where when how and how long they are circumstances knowne and directed by him euer to the best if wée beleeue and obey Moses taketh the Rod of God in his hand saith the Text his Wife his Sonnes vpon an Asse and away he goeth Husbands see the heart of a good man to haue his wife and children with him Wiues and Children see a dutie due to be followers willinglie of their Husbands or Fathers calling euen into any country And when I looke at his Rod mée thinke I sée liuelie little Dauid marching chéerefully with his staffe and scrip against huge Goliah Good Lord what weapons were those against him then in mans eies or this staffe now in Moses hand against mighty Pharoah of Egypt But God is the same both héere and then and for euer strong in weakenesse and able as I said before to match a Kings Scepter with a sticke or a staffe or a stone or a word in the hand or mouth of one sent and appointed by him vnto his Glory Blessed be his Maiestie for euermore for his goodnesse Amen And deare Lord giue faith to depend vpon thée in all comfort whensoeuer thou callest to any duty not looking to our selues or second meanes but aboue al and ouer all at thy mightie Power that shalt euer giue testimony as in these examples of thy stretched-out arme in the midst of weakenes contemptible shew to effect thy Wil. Blessed is that man saith the kingly Prophet Dauid Whose strength is the Lord and in whose heart are thy waies I wil loue thee deerely O Lord my strength For thou art my Rocke and my fortresse and he that deliuereth me my God and my might my shielde and my buckler the horne of my saluation and my refuge in thee will I trust c. Goe wee then forth if the Lord so call against the States of this earth armed but in shewe as Moses was or little Dauid and we shall taste the strength of the Lord to his glorie and our comfort as they did 8. And the Lord said vnto Moses when thou art entred and come into Egypt againe see that thou doe all the wonders before Pharaoh which I haue put in thy hand but I will harden his heart and he shall not let the people goe This was done that the Tyrant might sée by these mightie
vnkinde world will driue vs into it would be ill with vs. But blessed be God that yéeldeth both consilium auxilium counsell and helpe when we can doo neither our selues Let it strengthen vs to call vpon him in all our néedes if some will not heare vs he can send vs to others and his will be done say wee euer 7. But Moses spake vnto the Lord saying behold the children of Israel harken not vnto me how then shal Pharaoh heare me who am of vncircumcised lips Sée weaknes and wants in the best men still If Israel will not heare hee thinketh it cannot be that Pharaoh should heare and a second stop hee maketh his owne infirmitie of spéech But what is not GOD able to doo that his pleasure is to haue done Can hee not make some heare what others would not the Scripture and our experience are full of examples The Niniuites Ionas 3. the Samaritanes Iohn 4. then we may not at our selues so much and what wee are in our selues and of our selues as at the calling and Office committed to vs of God whose power is euer able to make good his gracious Commission vouchsafed to his creature against all fighters and frowners striuers and spurners at it Trusse vp thy loynes therefore O Ieremiah saith God to him and arise and speake vnto them all that I commaund thee be not afraid of their faces lest I destroy thee before them For I behold I this day haue made thee a defenced Citie an yron pillar and walles of brasse against the whole Land against the Kings of Iudah and against the Princes thereof against the Priests thereof and against the people of the Land For they shall fight against thee but they shal not preuaile against thee for I am with thee to deliuer thee saith the Lord. The Prophet his feare appeareth before in the 6. ver now this comfort drawn froÌ„ the authoritie function commited to him must take away that feare and giue him strength and courage to doo what the Lord calleth him vnto The like sée in Ezechiel when God saith vnto him Sonne of man Behold I haue made thy face strong against their faces and thy forehead hard against their foreheads I haue made thy forehead as the Adamant and harder than the flint feare them not therefore neither be afraid at their lookes for they are a rebellious house At this day the Lord doth giue to his Ministers the power to binde and loose and hath published this Spéech of vnspeakeable comfort He that receaueth you receaueth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me All which both then and now had and must haue the vse I named euen to draw men from them selues and the regard of their owne power to the consideration of their places and offices vouchsafed of God and of the strength of him who is all in all and hath laid that charge vpon them Not once did it enter into the Lords thought to establish hereby a Title to the Bishop of Rome aboue all others to be called Deus in terris a God on earth as his owne authentical allowed booke calleth him saying Credere Dominum Deum nostrum Papam non posse statuere pro vt statuit haereticum censeretur To beleeue that our Lord God the Pope may not decree as he decreeth would be iudged heresie Such an impudent boldnes as a man would not thinke any should suffer had not the Spirit of God foretold vs by his blessed Apostle that the Man of sinne should sit in the temple of God and shew himselfe as if he were God Whereunto add that good Saying of S. Gregorie who writing of Antichrist saith thus Cum sit damnatus homo nequaquam spiritus Deum se esse mentitur Whereas hee is a damned man and not a Spirit by lying he feigneth himselfe to be God Also that of Anselmus Simulabit se religiosum vt sub specie decipiat pietatis immo se deum esse dicet se adorari faciet atq regna coelorum promittet Antichrist shall feigne himselfe to be holy that hee may deceaue men vnder the colour of holines yea he shall call himselfe God and shall cause himselfe to be worshipped and shall promise the kingdome of Heauen Thinges which wee all knowe the Pope doth and no man euer but the Pope And heare you what a Note Eusebius maketh of this Hoc est argumentum eos â—disse Deum quod velint seipsos appellari Deos. This is a token that they hate God because they will haue themselues called by the name of God Iraeneus that auncient father saith Antichristus existens apostata et latro quasi Deus vult adorari cum sit seruus regem vult se preconiari Antichrist being a Runagate and a thiefe yet will be worshipped as God and being but a slaue yet will be proclaimed and published as a King But you will imagine they haue some shift for this shame or else it is too shamefull Surely all the shiftes they haue cannot make it otherwise than a most odious insolencie such as might fully open mennes eyes who are yet deceiued to discerne the errour of their course in following his law and loue against God Prince and Country as many doo but that the Lord being angrie with their contempt of his truth letteth them still remaine in their blindnes as a iust punishment of their frowardnes Their shift is this they doo not meane he is absolutely God but in some sence or respect For by their Glosse it is said Papa nec Deus nec homo The Pope is neither God nor man And is not this a worthie qualification Might not all those who as vainely as he haue challenged the Title in like sort defend it as he now dooth Proud Antiochus sometime King of Syria honoured himselfe by the name of God So the Emperour Domitian vsed in his Proclamations Dominus Deus vester Domitianus Your Lord God Domitian So the Emperour Caligula called himselfe Deum optimum maximum Iouem Latialem The best and most mighty God and the great Iupiter of Italy So Sapores the great King of Perfia called himselfe FratreÌ„ Solis Lunae The brother of the Sunne and the Moone The péeuish Phisition Menecrates called himselfe Iupiter Nicagoras made himselfe a paire of wings and would néedes be called the God Mercurie Manichaeus the Heretique called himselfe the holy Ghost The Romaines erected vp an Image in the honour of Simon Magus the Sorcerer with this poesie Simoni sancto Deo To the honour of Simon the holy God And did all these well if the distinction be added of God absolute and God not absolute I thinke not Yet which of all these were comparaable to the Pope in this arrogant vanitie considering the knowledge that he either hath or ought to haue aboue them Neuerthelesse Pope Nicholas saide Constat summuÌ„ Pontificem a pio Principe Constantino
For as high as the Heauen is aboue the Earth so great is his mercie toward them that feare him As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath hee remooued our sinnes from vs. As a Father hath compassion on his Children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made hee remembreth that we are but dust Therefore he admonisheth as wee sée in this place againe and againe before hee will let his rod fall vpon very Pharaoh Who will not hearken then vnto his swéete Uoice and bee admonished by so louing a Father so mercifull a God and so powerfull a Creator Surely if wee smart wee must néedes approoue his Justice for his Mercie is manifest wee cannot denie it Yet yet saith this gracious God goe to Pharaoh and warne him againe that hee may be wise and let my people goe 2. And if thou wilt not let them goe saith the Lord behold I will smite thy Country with Frogges Giuing vs héerein againe to obserue that if Mercie be refused hee is also iust and the rod shall fall with stripe after stripe till either we crie penitently Peccaui I haue sinned or be consumed in his wrath from the face of the earth Remember that Place of places in Deut. And if this people will rise vp and goe a whoring after the Gods of a strange Land and will forsake me and breake my couenant which I haue made with them my wrath will waxe hote against them at that day O note and I will forsake them and will hide my face from them then they shall be consumed and many aduersities and tribula 〈…〉 on s shall come vpon them so then they will say Are â—â—t these troubles come vpon me because God is not wâ—â—h me but I will surely hide my face c. A Place neâ—er to be forgotten if we desire to feare God Remember â—lso among many moe the fit Example of Haman that proude enemie to Gods truth and people to whom it was thus saide If thou begin to fall thou shalt surely fall As if they should say fall vpon fall and still more and more falling will followe when God is once angry Happie happy then is the heart that féeleth yéeldeth turneth and cleaueth fast vnto the Lord. 3. Marke also and consider in this place how the case is altered with Gods people and their enemies For till now we haue heard but of the Israelites afflictions how still they suffered and were ill entreated hauing sore burthens laid vpon them and most bitter griefes daily heaped vnto their hearts But now we sée a change they are spared they are comforted and they are defended when these dreadfull plagues light vpon their enemies one after another So so shall the sorrowes of the godly be euer turned into ioy when the Lord séeth his time and the fading comforts of the wicked turned into wéeping and wofull lamentation Your sorrowe saith our Sauiour Christ shall be turned into ioy and woe be to them that laugh now for they shall waile and weepe Be of good comfort then in your selfe when you reade this and profit your heart with this Note or Meditation The changes of this world are many but with Gods faithfull people it shall euer be well in the end 4. It is further to bee obserued in this your Chapter how the Lord with varietie and vehemencie of words doth amplifie this plague not onely saying He will send Frogs which yet had béene fearefull but that the riuers should scrawle full of Frogs that they should goe vp and come into the Kings house and into his bed-chamber where hee slept and vpon his bed and into the house of his seruants and vpon his people and into his ouens and into his kneading troughes yea saith he the frogges shall climbe vp vpon thee and on thy people and vpon all thy seruants The like vehemencie doth he vse in that notable chapter the 28. of Deut. amplifying both sides with many words and great variety of phrase full of force and edge all assuredly to mooue and pierce but it would not be Thus dealeth hée at this day with his people he giueth vnto them sometimes Pastors and Teachers who rightly may bée called Sonnes of thunder in regard of their â—arnest and vehement exhortations threatning and denouncing Gods wrath and iudgments due to disobedience and stâ—bbornesse and euen as Pharaoh here could not be touched no more will many at this day no vehemency moueth but al is one If the feruent spirite of the Preacher should breake and â—eare his inwards in péeces all is one men snort and fléepe and goe on in a most damnable dulnesse of minde till the Lord himselfe start vp and reuenge his owne contempt vpon them and their posteritie The old world would not beléeue the threatned Floud neither the stobborne Jewes that the Chaldean King should come vppon them But when they cryed to their soules pax pax peace peace for all this earnestnesse of the Preacher then came sodaine and fearefull destruction vpon them as they deserued So euer so euer let vs be sure first or last And therefore make vse of vehemency when God directeth his Preacher to it 5. But what an armie is this against such a Prince Had God neither men nor Angels to commaund Yes yes it néedeth no proofe wée know both men and Angels commaunded by him at his pleasure But here he would vse neither déeming it fit to confound the pride of such a conceited king by an host of frogges rather than by either of the other So shall the Lord by contemptible and base things cast down our high lookes if we swel against him Hée would also haue Pharaoh hereby sée how easily hée could destroy him if he lâ—st when such heapes of loathsome creatures so soddainly could bee raised to torment him And the same he would haue all high mindes at this daie sée making vse thereof vnto humility before they finde it is too late For as easily can the Lord now raise vp strange plagues as then Varro writeth that a citie in Fraunce was driuen away with this very plague of frogges A town in Thessaly rooted vp and ouerthrown with moules A whole land forced to remoue with mice and many such things haue Stories left to our remembrance There was a time when the French disease was not so common nor our English sweat knowne That plague of the Philistines with the Emerods in their hinder parts is in Gods Cronicle That consumption of Herod with lice and that fearefull example of Antiochus they ought both to be marked but nothing shall profit except Grace be giuen from aboue And therefore a féeling heart of flesh the Lord for his mercy sake euer graunt vnto vs. 6. And the Sorcerers did likewise with their sorceries and brought frogges vp vpon the land of Egypt Out of which words besides that which hath
Pharaoh being offered to appoint the time himselfe appointed the next day saying To morrowe rather than presently the Frogges being so vgly and no place frée from them no not the Kings Chamber Who would not haue cryed now now euen forthwith pray that I may be deliuered from this plague rather than to haue stayed till the next day It is answered first that hee still doubted whether it was the Finger of God or an enchauntment and therefore was content to deferre the time to trie whether of it selfe it would passe away and so to discredite Moses and Aaron Such hollowe holes are in Hypocrites hearts when they séeme religious and carefull of Prayer or other good things Secondly héerein he shewed the nature of the wicked who not onely deferre their owne duties from day to day but as much as they can put ouer others also that offer good things vnto them as for example if a Preacher tender his seruice this Sabaoth he is tolde the next will be far more fit and if he come also the next Sabaoth then is either the Maister from home the Gentlewoman sicke the weather too hote or colde or some such thing that be Moses neuer so readie yet Pharaoh is not readie but cras cras to morrowe to morrowe is still the song till the Lord strike and all Morrowes end wee passing away to woe without end for our deferring That Moses taketh his owne time and saith Be it as thou hast said it is to teach him that at all times the Lord is the Lord his myracles no enchauntments but a powerfull working for his owne glory the gracious Deliuerance of his Church 11. Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh and Moses cried vnto the Lord concerning the Frogges c. Why went Moses forth might not hee haue stayed in the Court and haue prayed there God forbid but wee should thinke Courts to be places of prayer for such as haue a censcience in euery place to lift vp hands and heart to God yet would God also the hinderances and impediments so to doo in those places were fewer Surelie great Courtiers are found that a meaner place hath yéelded their hearts more heate to good things than those glistering places haue as sometimes a Country-house and sometimes a darke hole in a close prison Moses cried vnto the Lord saith the Text and prayer doth what neither doores nor lockes nor any strength or wit of man could doo the weapons of Gods children are such and so mightie The word of Crying noteth the vehemencie of Moses prayer against colde formalitie too common in most prayers It noteth not any loudnes of voice although that also be lawfull at times since the same Moses is said to crie in another place when hee spake not a word but from his inward Spirit Ezechias thus cried vnto his God and escaped both a mortall disease and the huge host of the Assyrians But what prayer can doo I hope you knowe and therefore goe no further 12. And the Lord did according to the Saying of Moses Sée the credite that Gods seruants haue with their mercifull God they aske and he giueth without any stop Can you thinke God heareth Moses alone no saith the Psalme God is neere vnto all that call vpon him yea to all all and euer remember it Hee will fulfill the desire of all them that feare him he will heare their crie and will saue them The Lord preserueth all them that loue him but he will destroy all the vngodly Wherefore my mouth shall speake the praise of the Lord and all flesh shall blesse his holy Name for euer and euer Daily experience sheweth the like and therefore as Moses héere euen despised Moses was stronger with his God and by his God than all Egypt to remoue a plague so shall wee euer be more strong than our enemies in what God shall sée vs fit to be enabled Wherefore one Moses is better for a kingdome than many others that are iudged to be of greater vertue c. 13. So the Frogges dyed in the houses in the townes and in the fields And they gathered them together on heapes and the Land stanke of them saith the Text. Had it not béene as easie for the Lord to haue taken them quite away assuredly to the Lord all was one but this was done to shewe the truth of the myracle that they were Frogges indéede no enchauntments thereby to méete with the vnbeléefe of the King and all his Courtiers who either openly in words or secretly in heart thought otherwise And by one meanes or other the Lord shall euer in his good time deliuer his truth from false surmises his faithfull Ministers from false imputations and write the wickednesse of Atheists and carnall men vppon their faces to their confusion Onely be wee patient to tarie his will to like of his way and be we assured we shall both sée his glory and receaue comfort 14. But when Pharaoh sawe that he had rest giuen him he hardned his heart and hearkened not vnto them as the Lord had said Sée the corruption of our nature if God worke not No sooner is the rod off but as the Dogge to his vomite and the Sowe to her myre so wretched man returneth to his olde bias and falleth to his former sinne againe When wee are sicke or distressed any way wee pretend repentance wee pray wee crie wee vowe and what not in shewe But forasmuch as all riseth from feare and not from loue it vanisheth againe as soone as the feare is past and the Deuill returneth with seauen worse than himselfe making our end more odious than euer our beginning was This hath béene touched before but yet euer marke it and feare it your selfe as you haue a care to please God For if you forsake God you can neuer blame God if hee forsake you and if after God hath giuen you rest you become retchlesse as Pharaoh was here then if as hee in the sea so you in eternall woe be drowned for euer you haue your desert and GOD is iust 15. The Frogge is as wee all knowe a foule filthie creature abiding in foule places as bogges and myrie plashes all the day long and at night péeping out with the head aboue the water making a hatefull noise with many others of his sort till the day appeare againe Wherefore Diuines haue thought that by these foule creatures fitlie might be resembled such croking Crues as hiding themselues all the day in an Ale denne or such like place of vncleanenes as soone as night commeth put out their heads and make a hatefull noise against Gouernours and Superiours neighbours and honest persons till all that heare them be wearie of them Which filthie Frogges the Lord assuredly will deale with all in his good time as here he did with these Egyptian Frogges namely kill them destroy them and make the stinch of them knowne to manie Till then let patience and
righteous dealing be the armour of the godly and withall how many of such vglie creatures this world hath let it be considered that therevpon may arise this fruitfull Meditation how little cause good men and women haue to be in loue with this world to build tabernacles in it and to say and thinke it is good being heere but rather to sigh and wish to be loosed and to liue there where the Elect of God hauing the Harpes of God sing the song of Moses where they crie Hallelu-iah saluation and glory and honour and power be to the Lord c. O difference of places if we had eyes or heads or hearts God God for his Christ sake giue vs féeling Amen The 3. plague of Lice THis is the 3. plague which the Lord by his mightie power brought vpon this hard hearted King and his people sée king thereby their good but preuailed not In which also for our instruction wee may obserue diuers things As first why the Lord did not bring againe vpon them his former plagues either of Frogges or bloodie water letting them rest vpon them till they were stouped but still bringeth new others than the former Wherevnto wee may answere that the Lord did this to shewe that his power was not tyed to any one thing but by infinite wayes able to punish sinners if they will be stubborne more and more so to feare them and by them vs to the worlds end Which happie we if it doo to amendment that his many and strange and dreadfull plagues may be euer and euer far from vs. 2. We may note that as easie it had béene for the Lord to haue turned the dust into Lyons and Beares and Wolues both of strange greatnes and cruell fiercenes but that rather hee chose to confound pride by weakenes and a rebelling humour by so base a creature as at other times often hee vsed to doo And more it fretteth a high minde as you may note in Abimelech who sought of his seruant to slay him rather than it should be saide that a woman had ouercome him In vs let it worke thus much that if such a vile creature may by God be made too strong for a Kingdome what resistance can I one man or one woman make against the Lords wrath if I pull it vpon me by my sinnes by my proude haughtie and carelesse heart His wrath can arme all the creatures in Heauen Earth against me and yet the least of them is thus farre aboue my power as you sée héere Wicked are the words of some prophane mouthes at times saying Let vs haue our will now and wee will shift then O vaine heart what shift can it thinke of against such a GOD Shake and tremble at this dulnes betimes lest the plague of it shiuer thée in péeces for euermore The water crusheth Pharaoh and all his people in the Kingdome the Earth now also sendeth vermine vpon him and hee cannot shift against such a vile and contemptible creature Followe this Meditation in your minde and let it profit you for before the face of his wrath who can stand 3. Novve the Enchaunters assayed likewise vvith theyr Enchauntments to bring foorth Lice but they could not Powerfull then is the Deuill when God will suffer him but when God will restraine him what can he doo And this to the Storie of Iob to the Storie of the heard of Swine in the Gospel such other places grow we in cōfort against this deadly foe of ours For we sée his weaknesse and the bridling hand of God at all times ouer him when God pleaseth Feare God and feare not Sathan but contemne God and then shake to thinke of Sathans fierce rage when once he hath leaue giuen to torment thee 4. Behold againe a good thing before the Inchanters did the like but here now they cannot for their liues As then a time there is of triall betwixt contrary opinions and crossing miracles that they which are of God may bee knowne so is there a time euen a ioyful happy time when the Lord will cut of that difference and mismaze that doubting that iuggling and deceiptful working and giue his truth victorie ouer all Inchanters Iames and Iambres witstood Moses saith the Apostle and so did some then and yet now with vs resist the truth Men of corrupt mindes and reprobat concerning the faith But Moses had victory ouer those of his time the Apostle saith the other of his time shal no longer preuaile their madnes being manifest to all men Therefore for them of our time we may not doubt of like successe against them onely let vs haue patience as I often say till the time come Waies can he nener want to ouerthrow them when in such weake creatures as these were he is so strong A séely simple man in the famous Counsel of Nice without Logicke or Rhetoricke or any helpe of the Arts gaue that vaunting Philosopher an ouerthrowe and gained him from his vanity vnto God the Storie is knowne and I passe it ouer In our times women and children haue foiled Doctors that euen out of babes sucklings mouthes the praise of God might be ordained In some thing or other shall falshood stil faile that such as haue eies may sée the truth Amplify it further as you please for God be thanked there be manie proofes 5. Then said the Inchanters to Pharaoh This is the finger of God Wherein obserue how the wicked who for a time make shew as though God were on their side in Gods good time shall be forced to acknowledge the contrarie to his glorie and the great comfort of his Church and children For what are these wordes other in sence than as if they should haue saide we haue hitherto deluded the eies and senses of the beholders by our inchantments but now we are no more able to doo so This which is now done passeth our skill and albeit the creature be vile and base yet is the power of God such ouer vs and our Art that wee cannot doo the like but giue him the victorie and acknowledge our selues sinfull weake and wicked men Thus were Nabuchadnezzar in Daniel and Antiochus in the Maccabies drawn to confesse Gods power ouer them and all their greatnesse Which certainly is an vnspeakeable comfort to all that depend vppon him in their troubles For what can any man doo against you against me or any other more than this God so potent and puisant will giue him leaue to doo and what leaue will he giue him more than in the end shall turne to our good for whom he hath not spared to giue his dearest son to death that euer we might be assured of him 6. Yet Pharaohs heart saith the Text remained still obstinate and he hearkened not vnto them c. So laying before vs a notable example of the rooted wickednesse in mans heart béeing left of God vnto itselfe For as now you sée not
offices were all giuen away where hee least wished them and yet the Lord stayed not héere but fearefully destroyed also his posteritie Was not this thundering was not this lightning and was not this Judgment as vpon a stage O let it euer be remembred of all that reade it with their eies and God for his mercy sake make it profitable 14 Only in the land of Goshen where the children of Israel were was no hayle In which words as heretofore so stil stil is noted the vnsearchable goodnesse of God to his Church together with his Almighty power to doo euer what He wil. He can saue and He can spill He can make such a wall about his children that no storme or tempest no calamitie or euill shall come nere them though it compasse them round about and others perish with it on euery side Two shall be in the fielde the one receaued the other forsaken two shall be grinding at the mill the one accepted the other reiected c. Blessed therefore is that man and woman who haue the Lord for their God And say vnto my soule I am thy saluation saith Dauid in one of his Psalmes noting thereby the comfort of this aboue ten thousand worldes Let vs therefore euer be carefull to be of the number of those that abide in Goshen where the Sauing hand of God shall defend from al euil 15. In these smooth wordes of Pharaoh verse 27. That he had sinned that the Lord was righteous and he and his people wicked That Moses should pray for him c. returning neuerthelesse to his old byas when the Plague was gone stil obserue as you haue done before the déepe falshood of mans hart making faire shewes without fruite and if God be thus glozed and dissembled with all thinke whether it séeme strange to mortall man to taste of it No no we must reckon of it to be praised to our face to be sclaundered at our backes by the one and the same person Yet let it not discourage vs to doo any good but onely let it make vs carefull to giue no iust cause and tenne thousand times thankfull when wee are released out of such a world and taken into his kingdome 16. Lastly that often repeated Sentence of Pharaohs heardened heart let it remember vs of that Saying in Saint Augustine Corda mala patientia Dei durescunt Euill hearts wax-heard by Gods long-suffering and patience Also of that in Saint Bernard Cor durum dici quod non cōpūctione scinditur nec pietate mollitur nec mouetur precibus minis non cedit flagellis duratur ingratum ad beneficia ad consilia infidum ad iudicia saeuum inuerecundum ad turpia impauidum ad pericula inhumanum ad humana temerarium ad Diuina preteritorum obliuiscens praesentium negligens futura non praeuidens It is called a heard heart which is neither rent with compunction nor softned with piety nor mooued with prayers which giueth no place to threatnings is hardened with stripes in benefits vnthankfull in Councill vnfaithfull in iudgment cruell vnshamefast in foule things not fearefull in perils in humane things most inhumane in Diuine things rashe forgetting things past neglecting things present and not foreseeing things to come Surely such a description if we our selues haue not Pharaohs hardnes will euer mooue vs earnestly to pray against such hardnesse Thus endeth this Chapter and thus end I hauing giuen you some taste how we may profit by reading of it CHAP. 10. Here you haue following two Plagues more to wit the eight and the ninth The eight from the beginning of the Chapter to the twenty verse and the ninth from thence to the end Concerning the former the Holy-Ghost layeth downe 1. A Commaundement to Moses to goe 2. A Denunciation 3. An Execution 4. The Effect that in the Seruants King 1. TOuching the first the Text saith Againe the Lord said vnto Moses goe to Pharaoh c. Diuers times you know hee had sent before and all in vaine yet ceaseth not the bottomlesse and incomprehensible mercy of God still still againe and againe to send This was euer his gratious dealing with miserable sinners and a swéete comfort it is to a troubled minde to thinke of it The Gospell saith in like sort He sentagaine and againe other and other seruants to those wicked husbandmen to remember them of his due and their duetie At last he sent his owne Sonne vnto them saying they will reuerence my Sonne Againe to Hierusalem how often how often would I haue gathered thy Children together euen as a Hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and yet would not O tender Father what a certaine Seale is this thy goodnesse in these examples that true Repentance shall neuer be reiected A sorrowfull sinner neuer repulsed a broken and contrite hart neuer despised Let it profit vs vnto increase of faith for his sake that dyed for our sinnes Our owne experience hath taught vs as much if wee did obserue it For how long haue wee béene sinners haue not some of vs béene 20 yéeres some 30 some 40 and more all of vs too long walking the way that leadeth vnto death And what haue our sinnes béene surely great foule vglie odious to God dangerous to our selues and offensiue to the world yet hath the Lord neither swept vs away in his most iust wrath neither ceased to send Moses againe and againe vnto vs for our reformation Should not this infinite goodnes much moue vs to returne to so swéete a Father Knowest thou not O man saith the blessed Apostle that the long suffering of God leadeth thee to repentance How entertained hee the Prodigall Sonne when hee returned how reioice the Angels in Heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth far be it euer then from vs euer to resist a God so powerfull to confound vs and so mercifull to receaue vs. 2. But the Lord saith héere that he hardened Pharaohs heart and the hearts of his seruants how then was the fault in them that they yéelded not for answere let mee aske you another question whether you thinke it not lawfull that God should punish a sinner as himselfe liketh and whether hardnes of heart be not a punishment if both be true then might the Lord punish him this way Yet all men doo not thinke this such a punishment as it is for if wee be sicke wee looke for helpe if the eye faile the eare growe dull or any sense be weakened we quickly féele it and readily with for remedie onely if our heart growe dull and our vnderstanding féeling and profiting in Gods Schoole be taken from vs wee are not mooued neither thinke it goeth ill with vs preferring the outward sense of body far and far before the light of the minde But let it be lawfull you say with the Lord thus to punish yet it must néedes excuse the partie so punished for how can a man féele and relent whose heart God smiteth with
all sinnes So in Daniel is it saide that to Antichrist are giuen the eyes of a man still therefore marke how these properties hit Sixtly Their haire as the haire of women So are these they are delicious and wanton full of light allurements so trick and trim in silke and sutes of their fashion that the very Persians may séeme to giue place vnto them when they are in their Pontificalibus and gay attire In a word nothing may be saide more truly than that their haire is like the haire of women Their loose life hath toâ— much proofe Seauenthly But their teeth were as the teeth of Lyons So are these passing cruell and beyond all the butchering Tyrants that Stories speake of No mercie no bowels no respect of age seâ—e or circumstance vsually respected of men that haue any remnants of pitie Their Inquisition Oh how mercilesse their new deuised Torments Oh how strange Againe their teeth may bee well said to be like Lyons because they deuoured and eate vp such great things Looke vpon their Abbies Priories Nunries and all Religious Houses iudge what teeth they had and when there was not enough to satisfie them of temporall Lands then they preyed vpon the Church making Impropriations the venome whereof remaineth yet So that one way or other they were planted placed seated and setled in the very fat of the earth and had they continued still and not béene limited to fiue moneths who or what should haue escaped their Lyon-like teeth Eightly They had Habbergions like to Habbergions of yron And â—o haue these if you well marke them for by these yron Brest-plates are noted two properties found in the Romish rabble First a most obstinate stubbornnesse and inflexible frowardnesse not enduring any perswasion not yéelding any way but crying euer The Church The Church I am setled I am resolued and as a Captaine of theirs an English Apostata saide once Heaue at vs whilest you will and whilest you may you shall neuer remoue vs. This is to haue an Habbergion or Brest-plate of yron or euen to bee turned into yron Blessed be God who hath thus foretolde vs of this striffe conâ—umacie of theirs to the end we should take no offence that they are not conuerted vnto the Truth but stand and die in their wilfulnes Secondly they are defended by that Antichristian power as it were by an Habbergion of yron claiming an impunitie immunitie from all secular power and authoritie and hauing in readines curses and threats of Excommunication euen against the Greatest Princes and against All their Subiects who shall obey them whereof many a wofull Tragedie hath followed Againe themselues many of them haue béene Princes younger Sonnes Noble-mens younger sonnes greatly allied and friended so that in regard of this power and strength they might truly be saide to haue Habbergions of yron Ninthly The sound of their wings was like the sound of Chariots when many horses runne vnto battell So haue these winges when they flie aloft by the Names of MOST HOLY FATHERS MOST BLESSED MOST EXCELLENT and such like themselues giuing out That they are more blessed than the holy virgin Mary because she bare Christ but once and they make him and beare him in their hands euery day at the Altar Thus flying with their light wings of proud Titles they make such a noise and sound as Chariots drawne by many horses into the battell For denie any of these things and how violent how vehement are they by Disputations Excommunications Suspentions and Sentences of death it selfe Surely no whéeles of Chariots can flash out fire so as these men doo if their flickering wings of flattering Titles be touched Fitly therefore the words of S. Iohn hit them Their Scorpion tailes and power to hurt was touched before therefore I omit it now The tenth Marke is Those Locusts haue a King ouer them And so haue these Romish Locusts their Pope acknowledging no Magistrates authoritie ouer them but exalting him and exempting themselues from all others This King of the Locustes is héere called The Angel of the bottomlesse pit and in the eleuenth Chapter The Beast that commeth out of the bottomlesse pit Wordes of weight to mooue all Popish mindes if the Lord had not a purpose to destroy them For they must néedes acknowledge such a King is not worth the following and that their Pope is this King that which hath béene said and may further be noted of him clearely sheweth For hee that crosseth and crusheth to his vttermost power His Doctrine that came from Heauen he is the King that commeth out of Hell in whom S. Hierome saith the Deuill dwelleth bodily But the Pope doth so as proofe enough will manifest and Ergo the conclusion followeth as I said His Name also is folde héere which giueth againe great light For albeit the Pope be called Holy Father and so forth yet indéede he is a bloodie Destroyer and so his right Name in Hebrewe is Abaddon and in Greeke Apollyon that is destroying Thus in the Prophecie of the Reuelation hath God you sée described a fearefull kinde of Locustes vnto the consideration whereof by reason of these Egyptian Locusts or Grashoppers we haue slipped I hope not without some encrease of féeling how dreadfull their steps be that continually walke in Romish wayes and will not be reclaimed by any meanes Our owne safer iudgement God make vs thankfull for and continue the blessed helpes of our confirmation in his Truth euer vnto vs his holy and Heauenly Word a fréedome to vse all the profitable exercises thereof as Preaching hearing reading writing praying conference and whatsoeuer else without feare vnder the swéete smelling gouernment of a gracious Prince our dread Souereigne Amen Amen 10. Therefore Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in hast and saide I haue sinned against the Lord your God and against you And now forgiue me my sinne onely this once and pray vnto the Lord your God that he may take away from me this death one 〈…〉 Thus the wicked in extremities seeke to Gods Ministers whom in their heart they hate and cannot abide But this hypocriticall holinesse of this dissembling King we haue diuers times noted before and therefore may passe it ouer now Yet marke the great vehemency of his wordes and consider in your minde what a déep sin Hypocrisy is how disagréeing from the nature of God who is all Truth and from that blessing in the Gospell of a pure heart Moses yéelded againe to pray to God And by a mightie strong West-winde the Grashoppers were taken away and violently cast into the Red-Sea so that there remained not so-much as one in all the coast of Egypt But when it was done Ph 〈…〉 h shewed himselfe in his olde colour and would not let them goe The 9. plague 1. VVHere vpon the Lord spake againe to Moses and said Stretch out thine hand toward heauen that there may be vpon the land
appeareth by the Lawe made for Recompence in case of hurt done to the thing lent which would neuer haue béene made had it béene at our pleasure It is also a part of our loue to our Neighbour and a breach of the Eight Commaundement to denie when I may lend Wherefore that which Augustine saith of the rich man may bee truly also saide of one that will not lend Diues ille non damnatur quod aliena tulerit sed quod egentisua non tribuerit ad petenda minima peruenit qui hic paruanegauit That rich man was not condemned because hee tooke from others what was not his owne but because he gaue not to others what was his owne and he was driuen to aske lesser things who heere denied little things But it is withall a dutie againe on the other side truly to restore what is borrowed and kindly to make recompence for any hurt done Craft cunning in the matter of borrowing lending I like not to call honest Iosephus hath another opinion in his Antiquities namely that the Egyptians did fréely giue these thinges to the Israelites partly to be rid of them without any further death for they said we shall die all and partly in a remorse for the passed wrongs which they had done vnto them so long The first Reason may teach vs to prefer our liues before any worldly trash whatsoeuer which yet many among vs will not doo but sparing money in meate in apparell in physicke in healthie dwelling and such like cast away the maine Chaunce which is their life and loose all Mezentius his crueltie is said to haue béene this To tie a quick man to a dead till the dead should kill the quicke And surely it is Sathans crueltie at this day to locke some so fast to their dead treasure that in the end they perish by it and that eternally S. Augustines Spéech is too true Mundus clamat Ego deficiam Caroclamat Ego inficiam Diabolus clamat Ego decipiam Christus clamat Ego reficiam The World crieth I will faile thee The Flesh crieth I will infect thée the Deuill crieth I will deceaue thée Christ crieth I will refresh thée and yet for one that will followe Christ the other thrée shall haue many The second Reason may drawe vs to the like remorse when euer there shall be the like occasion For it was a grace of God in Dauid that his heart smote him when hee had sinned And in those Iewes that they were pricked In the King that he would aske what had beene done for Mordecai in recompence of his faithfull seruice then reade of in that Chronicle Our iniuries are many and our fauours few but thankfull requitals please God and man An aged Maister and Mistris vnder whom you grewe vp to be able to liue should not be forgotten when God maketh you rich and them poore Among the vertues of Dauid this was not the least that hee carefully enquired for some of Sauls house to whom hee might shewe kindnes for Ionathans sake c. The Third opinion in this Question is S. Augustines whereof I like best because expresly it mentioneth the Commaundement of God which indéede was all in all in this point Hoc Deus iussit qui nouerat quid quemque pati oportebat nec Israelitae in hoc furtum fecerunt sed Deo iubenti ministerium praebuerunt This God commaunded who well knewe what was fit for euery man to suffer neither did the Israelites in this commit any stealth but yeeld their obedience to God commaunding To the same end speaketh Nazienzen also Rapuerunt spolia ab eo qui dicit meum est argentum meum est aurum They tooke these spoiles by the warrant of him who saith siluer is mine gold is mine Rupertus saith mercedem quam illi iniusté detinuerunt hij iustè abstulerunt The wages which they vniustly with-held these Israelites iustly tooke away But that could not bee without warrant of Gods Commaundement and therefore that must necessarily be vnderstoode Which being so we plainly héere sée to our comfort how carefull God is to haue his Children well recompenced for either the wrongs which they haue sustained or the faithfull seruice which they haue performed The Egyptians when they least thinke of it shall recompence them héere and that fully Iacob was thus regarded also you knowe by God for his honest seruice to Laban when the sheepe brought forth young of party colour till hee was encreased exceedingly and had many flockes Mayd-seruants and Men-seruants Camels and Asses Neither euer shall any Seruant Artificer or painfull man finde it otherwise if he walke in his place as in the sight of God doing his dutie God can doo it God will doo it and men should be staide with it both from idlenes and vntruth in their dealings 3. Another swéete thing we may also sée by this point namely how Crosses and losses by a gracious God are turned in time to his Childrens ioy and gaine Abraham had no Childe in many yéeres and to him it was a great griefe but in the end hee had one giuen of whom came the blessing of all Nations and a multitude like to the Starres of Heauen for number So was griefe turned into ioy to Abraham Iacob lost his Ioseph looking vpon his bloodie Coate brought home by his brethren and O woe of woes but Iacob had afterwerd his Ioseph againe with which ioy the Scripture saith the Spirit of Iacob reuiued Anna likewise was barren to her great griefe but in the end shee had a Samuel to her vnspeakable ioy Dauid endured many sharpe showers but at last hee hath the Crowne and many comforts Mordecai his feare and Quéene Hesters feare howe ended they with ioy to themselues and the whole Nation Tarie then Gods time liue in his feare you sée what a swéet Regarder he is in time of his childrens woes 4. But how came it to passe that the Egyptians so willingly parted with such thinges when they were asked The Text answereth and telleth you because the Lord gaue the Israelites fauour in the sight of the Egyptians So are all hearts in his hand and he turneth them euer as he pleaseth for his Childrens comfort To Abraham Isaack and Iacob he wrought fauour in strange places with the Greatest and with the smallest Nehemiah found grace with the Great King by His working Ioseph Daniel and many moe And the Lord giueth grace and worship saith the Psalme with-holding no good thing from them that liue a godly life Flatterie and briberie may get fading friends but when the Lord worketh fauour the cōfort is great and the fauour is permanent 5. For our imitation of this Act the matter is soone answered what they did here had warrant from him whose Will is Regula iustitiae the Rule of right and they did well But such extraordinarie thinges may not be followed when the like warrant is wanting Yet in some sort
this sort First Manna came down from heauen so did Christ as touching his deitie Secondly Manna signifieth a gift or a thing prepared so was Christ giueÌ„ prepared by the loue of God without all merit or cause in vs. Thirdly Manna was but a small and contemptible thing to looke on so was Christ little regarded of earthly minded worldlings but as the Prophet notably declareth much despised set at naught Manna was round which is the perfectest figure and so was Christ a perfect Sauiour to all that euer beléeued in him Manna was white the colour of innocencie and our Sauiour Christ without spot or blot of any sin Manna was sweet and like the hony so is Christ swéeter than any hony to all those that tast him by a true Faith Manna was brused and beaten in morters and milles Christ was tormented for our sins with many torments All were commanded to gather Manna and all that trauell and are heauie laden are commaunded to come and take holde of Christ Manna continued till they came into the land of promise then ceased Christ shal be with vs to the end of the world shal subdue all things vnder his feete and then himselfe be subiect to God deliuer vp the Kingdome to him that God may be all in all Thus notably you see was Christ foreshadowed in this Manna The Israelites might not forget the shadow and may we forget the substance and thing it selfe No no. And therefore well prayed the old Father Da Domne vt sicut verbum caro factum est sic cor meum fiet carneum Lord graunt that as the word became flesh so my hart may be also fleshy and not stony Maiestie huÌ„bled it self shal miserie exalt it self Remember often remember euer this sweet Manna Puer natus Filius datus A Childe is borne a Son is giuen Datus ex diuinitate natus ex virgine Natus qui sentiret occasum Datus qui nesciret exordium Natus qui matre iunior Datus quo non pater senior Natus qui mâ—oeretur Datus ex quo vitanasceretur Sic qui erat Datus qui non erat Natus Giuen in regard of his Deitie Borne in regard of his humanitie Borne who shoulde haue an end Giuen who had no beginning Borne who was yonger than his mother Giuen who was as old as his Father Borne who should die Giuen from whom life should spring So he that was was Giuen and he that was not was Borne Ambulare vis ego sum via falli non vis ego sum veritas mori non vis ego sum vita Noc dicit tibi Saluatortuus non est quo eas nisi ad me non est qua eas nisi per me Surge homo via venit ad â—e Wilt thou walke I am the way wilt not thou be deceiued I am the truth wilt thou not die I am the life This saith thy Sauiour to thee There is none to goe vnto but to mee there is none by whom thou maist goe but by mee Arise O man the way commeth vnto thee Thus remember I say againe this blessed Manna and let this much suffice of this Chapter CHAP. 17. The generall Heades of this Chapter are two A bitter contention for want of water A warre with Amalech 1. COncerning the first thus wée may profit in the wildernesse of Sin they complaine of famine and wish for the fleshpottes of Egypt againe and for their bellies full of bread Thence they remooue and come to Rephidim where they as bitterly complaine for want of water So to an earthly minde that will not looke at God euery place ministreth some discontentment when a heart grounded in pietie taketh all well that God sendeth and learneth as well to want as to abound Againe euen to the godlie such as many of these Israelites were for we may not vnderstand that all were guilty of these murmurings but a great sort or the greater sort one crosse succéedeth another that still our life may bée a true warrefare and no heauen made of earth A man that is borne of a woman saith holy Iob hath but a short time to liue is full of trouble ful of trouble I say againe we must mark it So shal we grow to the Apostles resolution desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all For neuer shall wée haue permanent comfort till that day come but still a mixture and an vnequall mixture more of the sowre than of the sweet more of the woe than of the weale that we may crye hartily Come Lord Iesu come quickly 2 When they are pinched with this want of water what doo they Not cry vnto God but flie vpon Moses with an vnfitting spéech saying Giue vs water that wee may drinke as though Moses were God to create fountaines and springs Thus dooth corrupt man possessed with impatiencie take a wrong course leaue God and runne to Man and then speake according to his rage without due and right consideration of Mans ability and power A like spéech had good Rachel to her husband Iacob when impatiencie had caught her Giue me children To whom Iacob answered not without griefe AM I GOD c Let vs therefore in all our wants set our faces the right way and looke to Heauen not to Earth to God not to Man For there is the tresurie and the bottomlesse store-house of all comforts Aske there seeke there knocke there and you haue a promise Runne to creatures and you haue none Againe Moses was the Magistrate set ouer them by God and therefore an high offence to contend with him to bee troublesome to him and to grieue him Such malecontents are odious to God and their ends if they continue in their faultes euer foule Moses was further a méeke Gouernour and most milde the Scripture saith of him that he was the meekest man aliue He had deliuered them from a bloody bondage and bene Gods instrumeÌ„t of many benefits comforts The more therfore was their fault a great deale the better swéeter his gouernment was to them Let it teach as many as haue the like blessing to auoide the like sin to be thankful both to God and his meanes It is registred for a praise euer to indure the remembrance of it God will not haue put out that when a rebellious spirit made a commotioÌ„ against Dauid the Lords annointed the men of Israel foolishly wickedly followed him forsooke their King yet the men of Iuda would not doo it but as the Text saith They claue fast vnto their King to their good King their religious King their natural Prince their louing Lord Gouernour annointed and set ouer them by a mighty God No Charmes would they hearken vnto against him but claue fast vnto him and I say againe the praise of it shall neuer dye 3 They are saide also to tempt the Lord A further
of gold that so it might shadow and shew that all though Christ should suffer die for sin yet he should himselfe haue no sinne but be pure as gold that is holy iust vnspotted the immaculate Lambe of God in whom there is no blemish of impuritie In all things saith the Apostle he was tempted in like sort yet without sinne 3 There were two Cherubims set vpon this Mercie seat in manner as you sée expressed in the picture of your Bible which Cherubims whatsoeuer Iosephus saith were in the most receiued opinion like Angels happely to shadow out the subiection of all Angels to Christ and their readie seruice at his commaundement for the Church and any particular member thereof For vnto which of the Angels saith the Apostle did God say at any time Thou art my Sonne this day begat I thee No it is said Let all the Angels of God woship him And of the Angels he saith He maketh the Spirits his messengers and his ministers a flame of fire Also to shew as they are obedient and seruiceable at all appointments so should we be remembring the incomprehensible goodnes of our God who among other his infinite fauours whereby he bindeth vs to his seruice hath made euen this one That these holy Angels also are our seruants by his appointment A mightie motiue to a good and thankfull minde to labour to become obedient and dutiful to such a Father to such a Creator to such a God Lastly to figure out that when we draw néere to the Propitiatorie a figure of Christ and are of God in his great mercie adopted in Christ for his sonnes we are called and as it were ioyned to the companie and societie of the Cherubims and holy Angels of God A comfort also for vs that come vnto him 4 The Cherubims stretch their wings on high couering the Mercie Seate with their winges so representing the maiestie of Christ who though he should humble himselfe to a verie low estate for mans good yet indéede was of that glorie and brightnesse in his Godhead as no flesh could be able to behold but must hide their eyes and acknowledge their infirmitie if but a small glimse thereof should be shewed them Figuring also the most comfortable protection of the Lord Iesus our Sauiour who spreadeth as it were his wings ouer his Church and euerie member of it to repulse any harme that might happen other than he will graciously turne to his glorie the Church or parties good which then indéed is no harme but a benefit rather although bitter to the flesh disgracefull in the world Thus spread he his winges ouer Iacob and saued him from Laban ouer Ioseph saued him from his brethren ouer Eliah saued him from Iesabell ouer Elisha 2. King 6 and thus euer as the Hen to her chickens so is the Lord our gracious God to all that truly feare him A maruellous swéet Meditation if you follow it 5 The faces of these Cherubims were one towards another and both of them toward the Mercie Seat so representing the consent of the Old and New Testament in both which there is but one truth and one doctrine the Olde hauing his face towards the New and the New also looking at the Olde For what is the Olde Testament but the newe obscure and what the new Testament but the Olde made plaine And both Olde and New looke vpon Christ the promised seed of the woman that should bruise the Serpents head They being saued in the olde Testament by beleeuing he should come and we being saued in the New by beléeuing he is come 6 And there saith God I will declare my selfe vnto thee and from aboue the Mercie Seat betweene the two Cherubims which are vpon the Arke of the Testimonie I will tell thee all things which I will giue thee in commaundement vnto the children of Israel Still note the excellencie of this figure of the Mercie Seat For as God before had spoken out of the bush Exod. 3. 4. vers and out of the cloud Numb 12. 5. vers so hereafter saith he I will speake to you from betwixt these Cherubims and so he did For in the Booke of Numbers you reade thus When Moses went into the Tabernacle of the congregation to speake with God he heard the voyce of one speaking vnto him from the Mercie Seat that was vpon the Arke of the Testimonie betweene the two Cherubims and he spake to him Whereupon the Prophet Esay saith God dwelleth betweene the Cherubims And Dauid in his Psalme also The Lord is King be the people neuer so impatient he sitteth between the Cherubims be the earth neuer so vnquiet And againe Heare O thou Shepeheard of Israel thou that leadest Ioseph like sheepe shew thy selfe also that sittest vpon the Cherubims And fitly did this resemble Christ by whom God afterward would speak vnto his Church whatsoeuer he would commaund As the Apostle writeth to the Hebrewes when he saith At sundrie times and in diuers manners God spake in the olde time to our Fathers by the Prophets but in these last daies he hath spoken to vs by his Sonne which still hee continueth and will vnto the end of the world though not by liuing voice and personall presence in earth as he did for a time How then Still looke vpon the figure Two Cherubims were vpon the Mercie seat representing as you haue heard the Two Testaments and from betweene those two Cherubims God spake so doth Christ still by the Two Testaments the olde and the new the lawe and the Gospell the Prophets and Apostles and so will he still speake to the end Other waies wee must not now expect Reuelations and dreames visions and miracles are ceased and if they will not heare Moses and the Prophets neither wil they beleeue if one should rise and come from the dead vnto them In Moses and the Prophets is the new Testament conteyned though obscurely as you haue heard and therefore still to these Cherubims resort if you meane to heare your God speake Huge is the heape therfore of their sinne that barre Gods people from this way and will make themselues to be Cherubims onely to be heard and beléeued shamefully affirming That the people are not to search the Scriptures but to receiue all things from their Teachers vpon their bare credit not reasoning not disputing not asking any Questions more than the horse asketh his maister why he turneth him this way or that but simply obeying Thus neuer dealt God with people since he gaue them his Scriptures you well know but as the other parts of their spirituall armour Helmet Breastplate and so forth so he bad them take their weapon without which what should armour do euen their sword which saith he is the word of God But truth séekes no darkenesse and lies loue no light Be you armed being warned and go you to the Cherubims where you
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
inward trueth and cleanenesse of heart euer fit for such as belong to him and without which none can be accepted of him At this therefore as I sayd wée must carefully ayme that we may be holy as our heauenly Father is holy And among all vncleanenesse beware of that which is noted by such things as goe vpon their pawes Namely to professe the Gospell for lucre-sake For where that is the cause the effect will fayle with the cause and whilest it continueth and faileth not yet is it hatefull to GOD for his ground The Gospell must bée loued to gaine Heauen and not to purchase the earth by it further than GOD shall please to cast it as an adiacent by his promise Seeke first the Kingdome of GOD and the Righteousuesse thereof and all these things shall be cast vnto you Saul his Armour was not fit for Dauid neither could hée march well against Goliah till hée had put it off no more shall men clogged with earthly cares couragiously and effectually goe against Satan that proud Philistim that would destroy them Peter walked aboue the water and Peter began to sinke vnder the Water Whilest thou louest GOD vnfeynedly thou walkest and when thou louest the world thou sinkest Loue not the world therefore neither the things that are in the world c saith Saint Iohn 1. Epist Chap. 2. verse 15. For it flattereth vs to deceiue vs it allureth vs to slay vs and it lifteth vs vp that it may throwe vs downe with a greater fall But meditate further with your selfe what inconstancie in earthly things you haue â—éene and let this suffice of this Chapter CHAP. XII IN this Chapter is contained the maner of VVomens purifying in those dayes after Child-birth A thing not to bée forced vpon vs in maner and forme as it then was vsed no more than other the Ceremoniall Lawes of Moses Yet is the Law and honestie of nature still and euer to be obserued amongst all people And forasmuch as in the Gospell there is mention made of the Blessed Virgins Purifying let vs bréefly consider this custome and labour to draw fit profit from it to our selues 1 Moses is willed to speake vnto the Children of Israel that is to the men that when a Woman hath brought foorth seede c. Why should the Law for VVomen be published and giuen to the men and not rather to the women themselues Surely to the ende that men might ioyne also with the women in a care to sée it obserued and kept according to the Commandement As the Lawes of Kings and Princes which belong to Labourers are giuen to Lords to sée them executed and performed Let Men note what trust God reposeth in them to sée that their wiues kéepe his Lawes and Ordinances and let them neuer be vnfaithfull to one of such loue towards them to trust them and of such power to punish their breach of trust Let WomeÌ„ note it to mooue their hearts to thinke both of their Husbands charge and their duetie They may not breake a Ceremonie but their Husbands shall be shent for it much lesse the substance of all Religion and obedience to God What a happy grace then for both to ioyne together and either to striue to excell other in carefull kéeping of God his Lawes 2 By this Ceremonie of Purification the Iewes and in them all men were put in minde of their naturall corruption and led as it were by the hand to the remedie against the same Christ Iesus Of the former plainly speaketh Dauid in his Psalme when hee sayth Behold I was shapen in wickednes and in sinne hath my Mother conceiued mee Before our birth and in our birth wée are vncleane and from our vncleanenes our mothers also become vncleane Which very plainly and truely confuteth that grosse error of Pelagius denying the propagation of sinne from Parents to children and affirming that by Imitation onely and not originally wée became euill But if the birth were cleane the mother by the birth should not become vncleane as this Ceremonie of Purifying did shadow that shee was God would therefore haue all men know what they are by Nature and inheritance from their Parents and what by grace through the remedie prouided Christ our onely righteousnesse and puritie Also that God had rather haue them neuer enter into the Church than to enter with corruption vnsorrowed for and vncared for 3 But why then was the Virgin Marie purified since the Childe shee bare had no vncleanenes or corruption in him being neither conceiued nor borne in sinne but the immaculate Lambe and the Sonne of God The Answere is that although Christ in himselfe was not onely pure but euen puritie it selfe and the Virgin Marie his Mother was not indéede properly and directly subiect to this Lawe because shee conceiued not by mans seede of which the Law was meant and Christ was Lord of the Lawe Yet forasmuch as it pleased him to take vpon him the person of all mankinde which was corrupt and sinfull so and in that respect both hee and the Blessed Virgin became obedient to the Law He saith the Apostle that he might redeeme vs from the curse of the Law who were indéed subiect to it as also by this his voluntary submission to it He might take away abrogate and giue an end to this Ceremonie so that now it is not néedfull to present any children in the Temple with an Offering as then was vsed but all puritie and cleanenes is to be sought for in Christ Iesus himselfe onely the body and truth of all these Figures and shadowes in the Law 4 A Question againe may bée asked why the time of Purification was doubled in a woman-childe to that it was in a man-childe And Answere is made by some that it was in respect of a naturall cause in the body which I leaue Others because in women there is more vice and euil than in man A hard iudgement and without any Warrant for who knoweth what is in either but onely God I meane the greatnes and full measure of euill Thirdly therefore it is answered and with more probabilitie that it was because the woman was the beginning of our fall deceiuing her husband when she was deceiued her-selfe and so drawing all her posteritie into the like fall and ruine with her But the last Answere and best as I thinke is because a man-childe was circumcised and not the woman therefore the punishment of being vncleane was lessned in the Male and doubled in the Female 5 The Difference of Offering allowed to the poorer sort very comfortably sheweth the gracious care God hath of our pouerty meane estate as also how little he passeth for any of our pompe riches accepting aswel of two Turtles or two yong Pigeons as of a Lambe when abilitie serueth not to bring a Lambe Let the due meditation hereof raise vp our hearts if wée
wayes to worke anger answered Castitatem meam accuratè tuendo quicquid ille vult alacriter faciendo nullas res eius curiose vestigando c. By preseruing mine owne câ—â—stitie carefully by doing whatsoeuer he willeth cheerefully and by not prying into or medling with any matters of his curiously or busily c. Three notable vertues in a wise woman to continue loue and peace betwixt her and her Husband the contraries whereof are causes of many fires and flames where they should not be For these points of rare wisedome and for that she had béen a meanes to preserue many a Senators life and others that were questioned and in danger in her time had not she graciously wrought for them and for that she had brought vp many a mans child by her charity and married many a poore Mayden by her liberalitie she was mourned for a whole yéere by all the Matrons and women in Rome when she was dead by a speciall decree of the Senat. So will vertue priuate and publique haue his due honour with thankefull hearts at last Chast she was you sée and no enuie or malice of man or Diuell can burie that vertue so but that it will rise and liue with renowne in despight of all Diuels Matronis dos pulcherima vita pudica O! it is a dowrie of dowries to a woman a chast and vertuous carriage of her selfe If she be hard of fauour yet when she looketh in a glasse she may chéerefully say to her selfe Woman comfort thy selfe for thy beautie is inward thou art honest and it is a great and an approoued beautie of all men If she be faire and not chast she may sigh and say O how faire shouldest thou haue beene if honest Nulla reparabilis arte lapsa pudicitia No art of man wit can make whole againe decayed and broken vertue in this point therefore with all power and strength of will wit prayer preserue it and leaue the report of it to the comfort of your posteritie and friends Obedient also you see was this worthy Liuia to her husband not onely doing but doing cheerefully that is without any maner of crossing or stopping grudging or grieuing whatsoeuer hée required A vertue againe that will not die but force-foorth praise euen froÌ„ very enemies Vir a vi dictus mulier a mollitie A man hath his name of strength and force a woman of softnesse because in all things towards her husband shée is soft and gentle and most readily obedient and tractable Gods lawe hath so appointed that they should obey and all vertuous woman deepely regard it Uery Aristotle an Heathen man could write and teach that a good woman taketh her husbands will to bee a Lawe to her which she will obserue and not violate The starres all haue their light from the Sunne and if you aske them they will very thankfully acknowledge it The bodie hath his grace from the head and will be ruled by the head in all things without gain-saying The man you know is the womans head Ephesians 5. Women had their vâ—â—les and still haue their long haire to note this holy order of obdience and subiection to their husbands and therefore it was saide Etiam Anathema sit mulier quae comam sibi amputat quam Deus ad memoriam subiectionis illi dedit Euen accursed let that woman bee which cutteth of her haire giuen her of God to remember her of obedience and subiection to her husband Vashti her refusall to come when the King sent for her turned to her hurt you knowe and the example of such disorder is desired by all the Wise to bée preuented Sara is proposed to all vertuous women to bée followed in her ready louing and constant obedience to her husband Abraham calling him Lord c. The third Vertue of renowned Liuia was you saw that shee busily pryed not into her husbands actions neither medled with his matters but left his place and the workes of it vnto him herselfe dealing with her owne duties And what a thing is this to preserue loue and peace euer betwixt couples Iezabels such medling with the matter of Naboth wounted Ahab ouerthrew herselfe and the ignominie of it liueth and will neuer dye Stories doe yéeld vs many other examples and I would our owne times yéelded vs none I speake of vnfit curiositie and not of any good concurrence in well-doing For wee all know Pilate had been happie if in that matter of his Office and of Iustice hee had hearkened to his Wiues dutifull wish and not proocéeded as hée did against the Lord Jesus Thus remayneth honourable Liuia the Empresse a worthy Example to all of her Sexe how to liue in Loue and Peace with their husbandes so that no diuorce shall bée either spoken or thought of during life but longing wishes for contynuance many yeares and euen to bée the later of the two that goeth to the earth For such Wiues as they were worthy ones whiles they liued so will they bée missed and many times thought of when they bée gone Héere might I stay but since I am entred into this matter giue mée leaue to adde two or three things more beeing euer-shining Vertues in Women and great meanes of Loue Amitie and Vnitie betwixt married couples Faithfulnesse to their Husbands is one I meane a true constancie of heart preferring their wel-doing before all men and matters whatsoeuer worldly Such as was in Zipporah Moses his Wife who most tenderly louing her Childe and therefore very loath to shedde any of his blood yet when shée saw her Husband in danger for omitting that Circumcision rather than hee shall miscarrie shee addresseth her-selfe and that spéedily to doe that dutie whereby her Husband might liue although her childe smarted And shee did it not in a furie as some haue taken the place but in a most faithfull affection to the preseruation of her husband like a louing wife Neither doe her wordes Sponsus tu mihi es sanguinum Thou art a husband of blood vnto me sound foorth anger and choler but sweetnesse and loue as if shée had said My loue to thee hath been such deere husband as that it hath made me forget woman-hood to lay aside all motherly affection and to redéeme thy life and contynuance to mée with the blood of my childe c. Such againe was that in Michal to Dauid her husband when she let him downe at the window to escape from her fathers furie and layd an Image in the bed as if hée had béene there sicke Such the care of Abigael when shée heard her husband had ouer-shot himselfe toward Dauids messengers rather than any hurt should come to him for such vnaduised speaches shée prepared a very honourable Present and goeth her selfe to preuent anger which shée did indéede to the safetie of her husband and all his Such the loue of Theopompus his wife who when her husband was taken and put
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
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