persecuting Emperours till godly Constantine came A Ship hath a Gouernor to direct her and so hath the Church her Pilots also And as in the Ship the Pilot may not be blinde that he cannot sée Recks and Promontories dangerous to be touched may not be deafe that he cannot heare the aduise of others may not be vnskilfull in times and seasons with many other things euen so much lesse may the Church Gouernours be such The Mariners in a Ship may not be without hands vnable to row when there is neede no more may Men in the Church be vnfit for the places they possesse In the Ship there are many Offices and yet all care for the Ship so in the Church there are diuersity of administrations and yet al must labour for the Churches sake Some Prophets some Apostles some Euangelists some Pastors and Doctors To one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome and to an other the word of knowledge To one faith to an other the gift of healing c. There be Ships of true men and Ships of Pyrats so there is a Church true and a Church false The false Church falleth when it riseth And the true church riseth when it séemes to fall The true Church endureth nothing strange in the false Church euery thing is strange Remember what you read in the Prophet of Tyrus and make vse of it to this end They haue made all thy ship bords of Firre trees of Shenir they haue brought Cedars from Lebanon to make masts for thee Of the Oakes of Bashan haue they made thine oares The companie of the Asyrians haue made thy banks of Iuorie brought out of the jles of Chittim Fine linnen with broydered worke brought frō Egypt was spread ouer thee to be thy saile blew silke and purple brought frō the Iles of Elishah was thy couering The inhabitants of Zidon and Aruad were thy mariners O Tyrus thy wise-men that were in thee they were the pilots c. Euen so so in the false Church is euery thing strange and far fet For if it come not from Rome it is not for this Church neither any account or vse made of it Strange Doctrines in euery point of Religion strange Ceremonies neuer knowne or vsed of the Apostles beades and bables infinite toyes and trickes of hallowed trash too long to be repeated all as strange as euer was any thing in Tyrus Wherfore as the fal of Tyrus was also strange so shal it be of this church in Gods time This Ship in the Gospell is said to be troubled and it noteth what the Church and euery member thereof in this world is subiect vnto The perils of the Ship are amplified by certaine Circumstances there mentioned as of time that it was night of place that it was in the Sea the midst of the Sea of contrarie windes and of Christs absence all occasions of more trouble and danger For in the night there is darknes the Rocks cannot be so well discerned there is lesse helpe than on the day time stormes and tempestes are vsually greater and many other discommodities In regard whereof the Poet Virgil could say Eripiunt subito nubes coelumque diemque Nautarum ex oculis ponto nox incubat atra Presentemque viris intentant omnia mortem This night naturall may resemble vnto vs a double night where in the Shippe of the Church is much indangered the night of ignorance and the night of sinne Either of them is a great darkenesse and yet little thought of No night so full of perill to a sayling Shippe as either of these to the militant Church Of the first Saint Basil complaineth to his Friend in his Epistle saying Ecclesia sine Pastoribus nauigatio in noote pax nusquam Christus dormit quid non igitur timendum est The sayling heere of the militant Church without Pastors and Teachers is a sayling in the night no light any where Christ is a sleepe and what therefore is not to be feared Of the second night the night of sinne the Scripture euery where it selfe complaineth shewing the distresse of the Church where such darknes abideth In the Psalme Helpe Lord for there is not one godly man left the faithfull are gone from amongst men Euery one talketh of vanitie with his neighbour they flatter with their lips and dissemble in their double heart There is none righteous no not one there is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh after God Their throate is an open Sepulcher they vse their tongues to deceite The poyson of Aspes is vnder their lips Their mouth is full of bitternes and cursing Their feete are swift to shed blood Destruction and calamitie are in their wayes And the way of peace they haue not knowne The feare of God is not before their eyes What a fearefull night now is this vpon the Church yet add vnto this the 3. of Esay and many such other places and iudge if it can goe worse with any ship at Sea in the blackest night than with the Church in such dangerous darknes as this Eusebius speaketh of it and me thinke his words are much to be noted Postquam res nostrae per nimiam libertatem ad mollitiem segnitiem degenerarunt alij alios odio ac contumelijs sunt persecuti tantum non nos ipsos per nos ipsos armis ac telis verborum vbicunque contigit impugnauimus Episcopi in Episcopos irruerunt ac populi contra populos seditiones mouerunt deindé infanda hypocrisis simulatio ad summum vsque malitiae progressa fuit Diuinum iudicium pro more suo senfim ac pedetentim nos inuisere cepit c. After all things amongst vs through too much liberty grewe vnto wantonnes and sloath and euery one with hatred and slaunder persecuted another c. Bishops falling vpon Bishops and people vpon people hypocrisie and dissimulation growing to an height Gods iudgement according as it vseth by little and little visited vs c. Sée this night of the Church which wee speake of and the danger of it The second Circumstance was of place the ship was in the Sea and in the midst of the Sea not néere any Hauen farre from all helpe by land and exposed to the very full power of winde and water A great Circumstance of perill and danger as we all knowe And thus is the ship of the Church said to be when either heresies or schismes abound in it or cruell persecution rageth against it Of the first S. Basil speaketh comparing the troubles of the Church to the surges of the Sea in which the ancient bounds of the Fathers are moued euery foundation and ground of Doctrine shaken by Schismatickes and Heritickes who are as the froth raised by those waues and surges To the second we may referre those raging furies of Nero Domitian and the rest of whom Theodoret writeth thus
corner of the stréete kill kill God forbid To learne by other mens harmes was euer yet accounted wisedome and therefore let these Egyptian Cries so crie in our eares and our hearts continually as our owne Cries through the mercy of a gracious God may neuer be heard any where 7. But against the children of Israel shall not a Dogge moue his tongue neither against man nor beast that you may knowe how the Lord putteth a difference betweene the Egyptians and Israel A blessed separation by a swéet Father able to kindle in our hearts if we be aliue a burning flame of loue and dutie towards such a God The like wee saw in the plague of moraine and the plague of darknes before the Cattell of the Israelites were safe and they had light wheresoeuer they were So still and so euer if you marke the Scriptures one way or other Betwixt the olde world and his seruant Noe what a difference was there put Betwixt Lot and Sodome how did the Lord distinguish When God sent Ioseph before to prouide for his Father against that Great future famine did hee not put a difference betwixt his owne and others When the Shunammite was so mercifully admonished of the dearth to come and willed to goe soiourne where shee might to preuent the danger and when shee came backe againe so to helpe her to her Land with all the meane profites by such accident of the Kings talke with Gehazi and her fit comming in with her Petition while they were talking who séeth not the finger of a swéete GOD putting a difference betwéene the Israelites and the Egyptians that is betwixt his owne and others In that Great destruction of Hierusalem had he not a little Pella by to saue such as it pleased him to pull out of that fire Let vs then neuer feare we sée he hath care of his owne and what hee will doo he can doo If it be good for vs to escape these worldly woes wee are as sure wee shall as wee are sure wee liue And if otherwise it please him to wrap vs with others in the outward punishment yet shall wee euer be sure to be distinguished from them in the eternall paine and those outward griefes shall be but meanes to leade vs to lasting ioyes O cleaue we then fast vnto him for you sée the difference of being Religious and being prophane of leuing the Word and loathing the exercises of the same And this difference héere will make a fearefull difference in the world to come when you cannot helpe it had you the treasure of all the earth to purchase your ease withall No not one drop of water to coole your scalded tongue shall you be able to get with all that euer you possessed in this world for the loue whereof against all Admonitions you haue lost your selfe for euer 8. Lastly more power againe you sée of this mightie God in the 8. verse where he made the rebellious heart to stoope and to séeke with intreatie what before could not be had with any petition All thy seruants saith Moses shall come downe vnto me and fall before me saying Get thee out and all the people that are at thy feete They shall séeke and sue begge and craue prostrate before him that with spéede they would depart O glorious God that canst thus humble thy foes make them fall before them whom erst they scorned Let it knit vs glue vs vnto thée for euer I am amazed at thy Mercie and I cannot speake what I think Lord encrease our faith it shall suffice and be well with vs. CHAP. 12. The generall Heads of this Chapter are chiefely three The Institution of the Passeouer The Execution of the former plague The Departure of the Israelites out of Egypt 1. OBserue first the words in the second verse This moneth shal be to you the beginning of moneths it shall be to you the first moneth of the yeere And herein remember how diuersly diuers Nations and people haue made the beginning of the yeere Some when the Spring began Some at the Sommer Solstitium or Stay of the Sunne Some at the Winter Stay And some from the Autumne or Haruest time which vsually is reckoned frō the sixt of August The old Romanes as did the Hebrewes began their yéere in March Which order séemeth most agréeable to Nature because all things then begin to reuiue and shewe forth their life vigour In regard whereof some are of opinion that the time of the Creation of all things was then and that the Names of our Moneths September October Nouember December are as if it were said the 7. the 8. the 9. the 10. from March making March the first and so reckoning from thence forward But for other policies the Iewes reckoned also frō September Reade Iosephus in his Antiquities Chap. 4. and Hierome vpon the 3. of Ezechiel c. With vs in England the vsuall Reckoning is frō the 1. day of Ianuary which we call New-yeeres day yet the Merchants amōg vs vsually begin frō the 25. of March So seueral places haue seuerall Customes we must leaue them 2. Touching the Passeouer The Name in Hebrewe is well expressed in English for our vnderstanding when it is called the Passeouer not the passing ouer into the Land of Promise nor the passing ouer the Red Sea whereof sée S. Augustine but the Lords passing ouer or the Angels passing ouer those houses which had the posts striked with the blood Therefore in the 11. verse it is expreslie called the Lords Passeouer and so Leuit. 23. 5. The time of the Institution was before their Deliuerance because things taught in affliction both better sinke in vs and longer are remembred of vs. The Place where it was eaten nowe was in Egypt but after they were come into the Land of Promise setled we reade in Deut. thus Thou mayest not offer the Passeouer within any of the gates which the Lord thy GOD giueth thee But in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his Name there c. Which place being at Hierusalem all resorted thither at this Feast since Hierusalem hath béene destroyed they haue not dared write some to offer else where 3. The manner of this Passeouer with the signification of euery thing is next to be thought of Where you sée first a méeke Creature so was Christ it was a Lambe a harmlesse creature so was Christ a profitable creature by wooll to cloath vs flesh to féede vs so was Christ his righteousnes couereth his flesh féedeth all those that truly beléeue in him That this Paschal Lambe was a figure of Christ remember Iohns words in the Gospel But when they came to Iesus and saw that he was dead alreadie they brake not his legges that it might be fulfilled not a bone of him shall be broken Words written in this Chapter ver 46. of the Paschal Lambe and so Iohn maketh
haue their Page 206. line 34. would haue you eschue Page 234. line 34. Miriams Page 242. line 20. Sin Page 244. line 5. heare of Page 329. line 16. make you a Page 332. line 8. said not to be Page 351. line 17. president Page 355. line 19. this rash Page 366. line 22. funerall Page 436. line 1. but God Some other faults there are escaped which the diligent reader may easily amend The like notes vpon euery Chapter of the bookes of Exodus and Leuiticus TOuching this booke of Exodus in genenerall wée may note two things in it First the authority of it and secondlie the profit we may take by it The authority of it very well appeareth by such allegations as are made out of it in the new Testament for the confirmation of most weighty points of our Christian faith as the resurrectien of the dead our free election by grace not by merit with other such like The profit of it is double historicall and mysticall Historicall by notable examples of Gods wrath and mercy Wrath towards the Egiptians Maleâ—hites and such like mercy towards the Israelites and those that shew mercy vnto them as Rahab the Midwiues and others The former may teach the wicked to beware because God certainely payeth home at the last The latter may confirme all true beléeuers in Gods promises which euer were and shal be performed in their time Also make vs patient to endure the Lords good pleasure euer séeing he both so gratiouslie regardeth and so mercifully moderateth the afflictions of his children Both the points togither may teach vs that kingdomes gouernments are disposed by God euen as shall please his holy will For hée setteth vp and he taketh downe hée establisheth and changeth according as hée is serued and obeyed by Princes and people gouerning and gouerned Able to shiuer in péeces the greatest that euer was and as able againe to support the weakest when he pleaseth The mystical profit of this booke is a declaration of our Sauiour Christ and the merits of his passion which is most notablie made héerein by types and figures and liuelie resemblances as will appeare in their places The whole booke may bée deuided into these two parts The birth as it were and the beginning of the Church in the first fiftéene Chapters Then the education and bringing vp of the same in the rest of the booke CHAP. 1. This first Chapter hath these chiefe heads in it The multiplication of the Israelites The crueltie of the Aegyptians The vertue of the Midwiues COncerning the first point you sée in the fifth verse that all the soules which came out of the loines of Jacob into Egypt with him were but seuentie soules of which little flocke God made such an increase as the Egyptians grew afraide of it For they brought-forth fruite and increased in aboundance saith the seuenth verse and were multiplied and were excéeding mightie so that the land was full of them Some make the Hebrew word to signifie an increase like corne where one graine bringeth forth thirty sixty or a 100. Some as fishes which multiply in greater number than any creature R. Salamoh saith the womeÌ„ had oft foure and fixe at a burden God so prouiding to fulfill his promise touching their increase Genesis 22. 17. In the booke of Numbers you may more particularlie sée what came of euerie one For Reuben the eldest son of Jacob so increased that his branches there are saide to be sixe and forty thousand and fiue hundered Simeon his second sonne increased to nine and fifty thousand thrée hundered and fifty Gad his third sonne to fiue and forty thousand six hundred and fifty and so for the rest read their increase in that place Whereof to make some good vse to our selues wée may note and marke first the truth of Gods propromise made to Abraham in the 15. of Gen. when he bad him looke vp to the stars of heauen and number them if hée could assuring him then that euen so would hée make his posteritie and ofspring a mightie people and a great kindred which wée all sée héere was fulfilled So assuredlie true are all other of Gods promises and therefore thinke of what you will your faith and comfort shal not faile you That swéete promise that at what time soeuer a sinner repenteth truly of his sinnes God in mercy will forgiue him it shall neuer faile Hée may as soone cease to bée God as cease to be true in any thing which hée hath spoken And for this particular he hath not onely spoken it but sworne it that as he liueth he will not the death of any true peâ—itent and sorrowfull sinner Wée may not therefore do him wrong and doubt of it It is no pride to take fast hold of this word but it is duty due from vs to confesse his truth and to be thankefull An other promise he hath made to vs that if we seeke the kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof these worldly wants of ours shall euer be supplied as shall bée fit and good for vs. This also will he as assuredlie kéepe as he is God to the great quietnesse of our hearts if wée will beléeue him In a word that promise of all promises that if we beleeue in his Son we shall neuer perish but haue eternall life hée will performe So both for this life and that to come wée haue his word and no more than hée failed Abraham in multiplying his séede will he faile vs in any promise Only his time wée must tarry and hasty mindes learne humble patience Hée knoweth when is best both for him and vs. Tary hée may but come hée will Neuer vntruth passed from him neuer any that beléeued in him was disappointed of his hope Secondly we may obserue héere the rising of houses and families whence it is euen from the Lord who blesseth where he pleaseth with increase of children maketh a name spread as likewise drieth vp and cutteth off as he pleaseth others It must make vs cease from enuie where we sée increase and stay rash iudgment where we sée decrease For it is the Lords worke in whose matters wée must well beware how wée meddle A third vse ariseth from the time of this increase which was chiefelie and especially after Iosephs death whereupon S. Austin giueth this obseruation Ioseph is dead the children of Israel increase what is this my brethren As long as Ioseph liued they are not said to increase but after his death Surely bretheren these things figured in that Ioseph were fulfilled in in our Ioseph For before our Ioseph died few beléeued in him but after his death and resurrection throughout all the world the Israelites increased and multiplied that is the Christians So saide the Lord himselfe in the Gospell except the corne die that falleth into the gronnd it remaineth but it selfe alone but if it die it bringeth forth much fruite Now not in Iudaea onely
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
following and such like First that these sundry bickerings with this Tyrant for his Church might notablie shewe his loue and affection to his Church which is euery mans great and speciall comfort Secondly that patience might be taught by this Example to all Gods children if their troubles and oppressions receaue not an end by and by Thirdly hee thus taketh all excuse from this obstinate enemie a thing of good vse if wee obserue it For euen as héere by Moses and Aaron the Lord dealt wich Pharaoh so by his Ministers still the Lord dealeth with vs leauing vs as naked without excuse if wee continue disobedient as euer hee did Pharaoh Fourthly hee thus discouered the great darknes of our vnderstanding vntill it be lightned and the damnable waywardnes of our will till it be changed by him Fiftly and lastly by this manifesting of the enemies malice he openeth to our vnspeakeable comfort and so of his Church vnto the end what a victorious hand hee hath to saue and deliuer when and whom hee shall euer please be the rage neuer so strong and great For Pharaoh cannot hold out but whilest God will we sée héere no more shall any Tyrant to the worlds end Thus you sée why God vsed this way by message and entreatie rather than the other by his power and might Let it profit you and so I leaue it 3. You sée also héere againe how God calleth them his people although oppressed and in miserie vnder a wicked wayward and prophane Gouernour It is a swéete comfort to those that tast of like griefe and sheweth as I haue noted before that affliction seperateth not from God but in the midst of all woe hee regardeth and saith mine mine although instantly hee rebuke not either winde or weather c. 4. Pharaoh his proude answere saying Who is the Lord that I should heare him pictureth out the hardnes of an vnregenerate hart and biddeth all beholders to pray against it O dust and ashes darest thou say thou knowest not him that made thée and not tremble for thy ignorance This vnféelingnes was in Pilate when hee said what is truth And what is that which some amongst vs vtter euery day what new doctrine is this Sed non impunè recusat Pharaoh quod scienter ignorat But to his woe doth Pharaoh refuse what wittingly and willingly he knoweth not And so shall all that delight in ignorance Hence commeth waywardnes and wilfulnes obstinacie and frowardnes rage and madnes that men will not heare and know But in Pharaoh sée what will followe one day when by voice and words no good is done Hée in the Sea thou in the lake that euer burneth shalt perish and sinke to eternall confusion 5. I will not let them goe saith hee Then his reason is his Will euer the refuge of the Reprobate I will not I will not and still in the end I will not A short resolution but as dangerous a resolution as man can make against his owne soule many times In the 6. of Ieremie sée the like answere Wee will not walke therein Againe in the 44. Chap. The word that thou hast spoken to vs in the name of the Lord wee will not heare it of thee c. And many moe like answeres there be in the Scriptures but whose bee they euen such I say as rebell against God and his good motiues made to them by his Ministers and meanes wishing them well Wherefore the end is Gods wrath vpon them and fearefull destruction Such answeres wee heare too often amongst our selues saying I am setled c. and I wil not heare you God graunt in any due time wee may learne by other mens harmes and leaue them For true and true shall wee finde that S. Augustine saith Religio stulta non prodest sed obest A foolish Religion doth not profit but hurt and God is iust to all men in his time I meane in punishing their proude disobedience This is confirmed euen in that which followeth in the next verse in these words Lest hee bring vpon vs the pestilence or sword Noting that this is euer the end of the contempt of diuine worship according to the prescript of God some fearefull plague and iudgement Surely this one place would suffice to many to awake them and shall no places profit vs Were this people of Israel in danger and wee in none haue wee the Lord bound that wee may doe what wee list and yet be safe If they goe not out to sacrifice to the Lord that is to serue and worship him in that sort and manner that then hee commaunded the Lord will bring vpon them the pestilence or sword and if wee stiflie and stubbornly proudly and presumptuouslie refuse to goe out but of our doores to the Church by vs to serue him as now hée commaundeth shal nothing followe God touch vs and moue vs the knife is vpon our throates and wee feare not Whole houses and Manors are rooted out and ruinated not only abroade in the Land but euen in the Country peraduenture where wee dwell for this rebellion and yet wee thinke our posteritie shall abide and nothing happen vpon our heapings for them when hee is despised that doth but blowe vpon lands and liuings and they are gone Cathedram in Coelo habet qui corda mouet His chaire is in Heauen that moueth harts and hee for his mercie sake I say againe moue vs that wee may enquire séeke and sée whether wee doo well or wrong and doo as wee ought when wee sée it The Lord hath promised to take away the stonie hart and to giue a fleshie in the place if wee will vrge him with his promise by humble hartie and earnest prayer So did Dauid when hee cried O let mee feele let mee feele knowing euen then that this Gods mercie if it were sought should be graunted 6. Then said the King of Egypt vnto them Moses and Aaron why cause yee the people to cease frō their workes c Sée the lot of the Just to be quarrelled with nipped quipped slaundred and euen laden many times with false and most iniurious imputations To Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Iesus Christ himselfe this measure hath béene measured and they haue borne it Deus videt the Lord seeth and in his due time hee will make the truth appeare Fero spero I endure and hope let it bee thy Meditation when none séeth but hee that séeth in secret Againe marke héere how when God draweth néere to yéeld vs comfort then Sathan in his members rageth more and séeketh to encrease our troubles sorrowes and griefes but yet all in vaine God in the end will deliuer his Seruants in despite of all their enemies as here he did Be of good comfort and lay it vp in thy hart 7. They be idle therefore they crie saying Let vs goe to offer sacrifice c. A truth it is that nothing is worse than Idlenes the mother of all vice as discord
That the calling of God by seuerall Names as Father Maister or as here Almightie Iehouah and the like ariseth not of any varietie in his Nature which euer was and shall be inuariable but of and from a manifold varietie of affections in vs according to a diuers profiting or not profiting of our soules whereby hee séemeth to be changed with vs that change So may I profit in the way of Godlines that his Name toward me may be a Father and so may I not profit as his Name may be a Judge a Reuenger mightie and terrible c. 2. Let vs obserue these words ver 5. I haue heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keepe in bondage c. Are they not swéete and comfortable Miserable man remembreth and heareth his friends when they are in prosperitie and if aduersitie come vnto them neither hearing nor séeing then but a proude scornefull and bitter forgetting The Lord is not so but when wee are at the worst then he remembreth vs then hee heareth our groanes and sighes and pittying helpeth to our vnspeakeable comfort O kinde O gracious and déere God still continue this eare of mercie towards thy poore afflicted Seruants and giue that deliuerance ease and fréedome that euer euer may bee matter of thy praise to all succéeding learners how swéete thy nature is Amen Amen 3 Also I will take you for my people c. Behold the end of all deliuerance and of all benefites receiued from God euen that wee should be his people that hee might rule in vs ouer vs and his praise be euer in our mouthes Wherefore sée how carefull wee should be alwaies to answere this our Calling and neuer to be found vnmindfull of such fauours For if this plainer manifestation of his goodnes to them more than to their fathers was matter to them iustly to stir them vp to thankfull féeling how much more should his manifestation of himselfe to vs in his owne Sonne in whom he hath opened all the treasures of mercie and louing kindnes moue vs to an eternall and neuer ceasing care to please him serue him honour him and loue him And then more perticularly that hee should accept me me for one of his people O what can I say for such a loue but beséech him euer to make me thankfull Amen Amen 4. And I will bring you into the Land which I sware that I would giue to Abraham to Isaac and to Iacob and I will giue it vnto you for a possession I am the Lord. Swéete comfortable was this promise as often as God repeated it but many were the difficulties that appeared to mens eies against this hope all which how great so-euer or many the Lord if you marke it easeth with this one word Ego Dominus I am the Lord. Thereby teaching that as long as our hearts holde this perswasion of him that hee is the Lord so long wee must euer rest assured without fearefull fainting that hee can performe his promises in mercie made vnto vs be there neuer such stops and lets in our eyes What then is thy case are thy sinnes many and great remember he is the Lord and play not Cains part to say they cannot be forgiuen Are thine enemies strong and fierce and bitterly bent against thée Hée is the Lord and therefore can stop and stay them they shal not hurt thée aboue his pleasure which shall be no hurt but profit to thée in the end Are thine infirmities many hee can heale them hee is the Lord. Are thy children vntoward or vnkinde hee can change them hee is the Lord. Finally whatsoeuer gréeueth thée remember this and be comforted hee is the Lord he shall euer be the Lord and he shall euer be thy Lord to care for thy woes and to send thée helpe Onely beléeue 5. So Moses tolde the Children of Israel thus but they hearkened not vnto him Sée sée how hard it is as your Marginall Note saith to shewe true obedience vnder the Crosse Neither the word of God nor his miracles wherewith heretofore they iustly haue béene moued and wondred haue now any place with them but all dulled and deaded with conceiued griefes they suffer themselues to be caried away beyond the measure that Gods children should euer holde in their aduersitie which as it is a very dangerous thing so ought it carefully to be auoyded It is often a penaltie that hee layeth vpon the contemners of his Graces that cleauing altogether to the externall fauours and fawnings of this life they taste not comfort in any affliction whereas the godly the more they are pressed and nipped by the schooling hand of their God the more vehemently they sigh vnto God and looke to his promises with patience and hope This may teach the Ministers of God also not to be cast downe and discouraged if their words euer be not hearkened vnto and regarded since so worthie a man as Moses was in the house of GOD found this measure I knowe I knowe the bitternes of it to a heart that hungreth for their good but wee must bee content wee are not like to them that haue spoken in vaine to deafe eares before wee were borne The world will bee the world crooked and crosse froward and vnkinde though wee breake our hearts in labouring to winne to a better course O what a thing is it to come out of Egypt c. 6. Thē the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Goe speake to Pharaoh King of Egypt that he let the children of Israel goe out of his Land Before you sawe how he was bid goe to the people now wee heare him sent to Pharaoh so is there neuer any time for men of place and publique function to be idle Euer euer there is some seruice for them and an vse of their care paines and labour Now they must defend the oppressed and wronged now they must punish the euill dooers now they must comfort now they must chide that euer they may sée and finde honour to bee a burthen and an vnceasing carefulnes Priuate men also may make vse of it for either in flying euill or in doing good there is alwaies a care in good mindes But I leaue it to your meditation I note and sée héere the bottomlesse mercie of the Lord who although he might iustly haue giuen ouer to fauour so froward a companie that would not hearken to his words and messages sent vnto them yet he doth not but still continueth to haue mercy vpō them verifying that spéech of the Prophet Dauid Euen as a Father pittieth his children so is the Lord mercifull to his people I sée it also héere not without my good that when Moses had receiued this discomfort that the people would not regard his wordes and might stand in a maze what more to doe the Lord helpeth him out of this doubt and sendeth him to Pharaoh Surely surely if the Lord helped vs not in many mazes that this
procure one drop of water to coole his scalded tongue The gaine of Gold makes many loose their soules The gréedy wretch that for himselfe still spares doth hoord-up nothing but continuall cares Hermocrates lying at the point of death bequeathed his goods to none but himselfe The fire burneth â—â—ercer the more it hath and so the worlds wormes The Bées doo flocke to the hony dewe and so these wretches vnto gaine The greatest fish deuoure the smaller frie and so these wretches their weaker brethren In aworde as you neuer sée the Sea without waues so shall you neuer see these wretches without woes And as the cloudes doo hide the Sunnes light so their gréedie hearts repell Gods grace But let this suffice touching some vse of this Chapter ¶ â‹ CHAP. 9. The chiefe heades of this Chapter are these three plagues more The Fifth Plague The Sixth Plague The Seauenth Plague 1. WHereof that we may make like vse as before let vs first note froÌ„ whence any murren of cattell doth come when wee are that way punished in a countrie surely euen from the Lord as we sée héere Not simply froÌ„ Witches and Sorcerers set on by malicious neighbours as we vsually thinke for what can a whole Legion of Deuils doe to one swine without leaue graunted from the Lord you know the place and it ought to be thought vpon God sometimes trieth by this afflictioÌ„ and so teach the Scriptures Cursed shall be the increase of thy kine and the flocke of thy sheepe The beasts and the birdes are consumed for their sin that dwel in the land Euery way theÌ„ it is the Lord euery way therfore we ought to séeke to the Lord not to Witches and Sorcerers 2 But still the Lord spareth the Israelites True and sée the vse of it First God in his Justice this way more tormenteth the mindes of the wicked who for their rebellion against him deserue all punishment so saith the Psalme The wicked shall see this and consume away Secondly the Lord assureth his Chosen in all the world that albeit in lesser matters he trieth them or chasticeth them as hee dooth others yet when his great plagues come of Judgement vnto death and destruction eternall he will surely make a separation to the vnspeakeable Comfort of his owne and to the eternall praise of his mercie The wordes of the Prophet are plaine For a little while haue I forsaken thee but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Againe in the Psalme if his wrath be kindled but a little Blessed are they that put their trust in him Meaning because there is euer as I say a partition betwixt the Lords wrath and his Chosen Good therefore is that prayer of Dauid euer to be in our minde wheresoeuer we are O knit my heart vnto thee Lord that I may feare thy name that I may euer cleaue vnto thee euer be thine and neuer be drawne away from thee by any temptation whatsoeuer 3. And the Lord appointed a time saying To morrowe the Lord shall finish this thing in this Land So that not onely the Judgement and affliction which happeneth is of the Lord but the very time also when it shall begin and when it shall end before which time no malice of man or Deuill can bring it no power of any creature can take it away Tempus prâ—fixit vt non casu factum putent vt certitudinem Diuinâ— virtutis ostenderet cui nemo potest resistere Hee appointed the time saith Theodoret that they might not thinke these things came by chaunce likewise to shew the certaintie of Gods power which no creature can resist Againe the truth of his comminations and threatnings you sée héere when it is said So the Lord did this thing on the morrowe all the Cattell of Egypt died but of the Cattell of the children of Israel died not one Learne therefore to tremble when the Lord threatneth and to feare the Euent for as here so euer he will be true vnlesse heartie Repentance step in betwixt and turne away his wrath from vs. 4. Then Pharaoh sent to sée and found all as hath béene said yet saith the Text the heart of Pharaoh was obstinate and hee did not let the people goe Marke it well and thinke with your selfe whether any Preacher or Teacher can be plainer in words than GOD was héere by works or whether any man can euer bee made to sée a truth by teaching more euidently and manifestly than Pharaoh héere sawe this hand of God smiting Egypt and sparing Israel yet though GOD be the Teacher himselfe and the matter subiect to his eyes without deniall Pharaoh still is obstinate still the same still a striuer against God and his grace How then doo wee wonder that where the Word is preached truth soundly and plainly taught yet all be not reformed and reclaimed froÌ„ their errors Is there any fault in the Word or Teacher are not things plaine how then commeth this to passe but euen as héere it did from the fearefull wrath of GOD hardning such hearts and closing such eyes that they can neither sée féele or vnderstand to saluation All because they haue not a loue to the truth but are hypocrites scorners deriders and such as heare onely for fashion thinking themselues abundantly skilfull when indéede they are most ignorant and when as they may sée the Lord by his Prophet affirming that he will looke vnto none but such as are poore of a contrite spirit and tremble at his words That is humble in their owne eyes receauing the Word with reuerence hungring and thirsting after the same as the Spirituall foode of their soules saying in their hearts as Samuel did Speake on Lord thy seruant heareth Surelie neither true matter nor plaine manner will serue vnlesse God strike a holy stroke within vs by his powerfull Spirit that wee may be moued Therefore as it is a blessing to haue truth tolde vs so is it a double blessing to haue a soft heart giuen vs moued yéelding to the truth Otherwise as you sée in the Smiths shop as many hard blowes laide vpon his Anuile as vpon the Iron hee worketh and yet the Anuile remaineth all one and the Iron turneth to the Smithes desire because in the one there is heate in the other none So in the same Auditorie as manie proofes and reasons are laid open to one as to another and yet one moued and not another S. Augustine saith Non verbis hominis fit vt intelligatur verbum Dei facit Deus vt intelligatis The words of man cannot make man vnderstand God his word but it is God that maketh them to vnderstand Joy therefore in the Lord his mercie towards you when you haue féeling knowe that it is a grace not giuen to all you sée Pharaoh héere and such hath the world many whom no preaching can reforme c. 5.
hardnes no it excuseth not because a man may sinne necessarily and yet not constrainedly but willingly which consent of will maketh him guiltie as in common experience you sée one in a great heate drinke necessarily in respect of heate yet not constrainedly but very willingly Looke not therefore at Gods secret Decrée but at mans willing approbation of what is euill And in this matter remember the modestie and reuerence of S. Paule when he saith O man who art thou that pleadest with God shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus c. O the deepenes of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his Iudgements and his waies past finding out Remember also howe S. Augustine imitateth him in this vertue saying O man thou lookest for an aunswere of me and I also am a man my selfe therefore let vs both heare him that saith Who art thou that disputest with GOD Better is holy ignorance than rash knowledge Seeke thou for merit thou shalt finde but punishment O deepenes reason thou I will meruaile dispute thou I will beleeue and hee that liketh not of this answere let him séeke one more learned but take héede hee finde not one more presuming 3. That thou maist declare in the eares of thy sonne and thy sonnes sonne what things I haue done in Egypt c. A Notable place to teach vs as the end of Gods workes and wonders so the dutie and office of all Christian Parentes and Gouernours euen to teach their Children and Charge carefully and zealouslie by them and in them to knowe the Lord. The like place you haue againe in Deuteronomie These wordes which I commaund thee this day shall bee in thine heart And thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thoutariest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp c. Thus is God himselfe the Author of that Catechizing and instructing of youth in his holy feare and true Religion which so much is neglected in our daies and whereunto not onely youth who knowe not their owne good are hardly drawne but euen their elder Parents and Maisters are very vnwilling to haue them drawne But can the stubborne and headstrong contempt of so holy a Commaundement of him that made vs be euer vnpunished no no it both hath and euer shall haue his due correction both in those that should come and those that should send them and sée them come Parents Maisters Godfathers and Godmothers and the like Hence it commeth that children are often disobedient to their Parents wanton wilfull wicked and in the end die a shamefull death Parents can get for their Sonnes the Landlords Cloath thereby to haue countenance and aide in the world but they neuer cast nor care to get them Gods holy feare in their hearts who is Landlord of all Lands and Lords thereby to haue both the promise of this life and of that to come O blindnes doo we not sée how great and how foule how grosse and how sinfull if we doo let vs héereafter amend this fault and assure our selues that all the countenance in the world is not like his fauour that made both our posteritie and the world ruleth them and the world destroyeth them and the world Wherefore he promised it to Abraham as a thing aboue all the riches of the world that he would be his God and the God of his seede if he walked before him in vprightnes Follow this Meditation further in your owne minde and you shall finde it worke to a carefull course touching such as are committed to you 4. How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy selfe before me These wordes tell vs the drift of all crosses and afflictions in this life euen to bring downe the swelling pride of our sinfull hearts that yéelding God what is due to him we againe from him might reape mercie and goodnes more and more to our endlesse comfort for he would the contrary of the Storie in Genesis where for ten righteous if they could haue bene founde the whole Citie had bene saued Houses and whole kingdomes haue bene fauoured for one righteous man dwelling therein proofes are many both in Scripture all Stories Ioseph Daniel and such like 7 This spéech of Pharaohs seruants preuailed so farre that Moses and Aaron were sent for to Pharaoh and had an offer made them to depart if they would with some company but not with all vnto which Moses answered that they must néedes all goe Young and old Sons and Daughters sheepe and cattell orels none Wherein I profit thus by the graunt of Pharaoh of some to goe and not all I obserue the malice of Satan and his members against the Church and the true seruice of God if they cannot wholly destroy it hurt it and hinder it then in part as farre as they can they will doo it euer valuing much but a little gaine herein By the answere of Moses I obserue againe on the other side that we must not yéelde an inch to these plottes and fetches of the wicked but zealously must stand vpon the full obseruance of all Gods Will according to his commaundement and not according to the fancies either of others or of our selues Where the Lord dispenseth not wée must not dispense where al are bound to departe out of Egypt we must not capitulate for some to goe and some to tarrie Whereof would God men in our dais had due consideration where the Husband goeth to Church but not the wife the Father but not the Sonne the Seruant but not the Maister Moses would not doo thus in this place but knowing all to be bound requireth all leauing vs therein a fearefull assurance that this playing at halfe stake with the Lord as it is most odious to him so most dreadfully by him it will one day be punished 8. The wordes following in the eleuenth verse are not to be passed ouer without some profit Then they were thrust out from Pharaohs presence For they notably shew the too common entertainement of Gods messengers in this wicked world namely to be thrust out and very vnkindly entreated without any fault So were the Prophets and Apostles in their times yea the great Maister himselfe when they forcibly caried him toward the top of a mountaine with a purpose violently to haue cast him downe But let it comfort vs and shake the hearts of such wicked wretches euer that the very dust of our féete shall bee a witnesse for vs against them in the great day of iust iudgment and due reuenge for such sinne He that receaueth you receaueth me and he that refuseth and thrusteth you out refuseth and thrusteth me out Vengeance is mine and I will repay 9 By occasion of these Grashoppers sent in the wrath of God as a Plague to annoy the
of Egypt darknes euen darkenesse that may bee felt Then Moses stretched-forth his hand toward heauen and there was a blacke darknesse in the land of Egypt 3. dayes no man saw an other neither rose vp from the place where he was for 3. daies The manner of this darknes is described first in these wordes euen that may bee felt whereby either litterally a very vile grosse matter is meant which indéede might be felt or at least so thicke foggie and filthy as was most noisome might be saide as it were palpable Secondly such it was as no man sawe an other neither role-up from the place where he was which flit be taken litterallie as is said was a most strange and fearefull thing and if figuratiuely that it disabled them to go to worke abroad according to the Psalme The sunne ariseth and man goeth forth to his laboure euen that way also it was a great plaguè Thirdly the time is noted for the space of three dayes a great while to be in such a case as were wée but one houre in it would make the strongest natural man shake and be amazed Fourthly in the booke of Wisedome it is described by much feare in these wordes When the vnrighteous thought to haue thy holy people in subiection they were bound with the bands of darknes and long night and being shut vp vnder the roofe did lye there to escape the euerlasting Prouidence And while they thought to be hid in their darke sinnes they were scattered abroad in the darke couering of forgetfulnesse fearing horribly and troubled with visions For the den that hid them kept them not from feare but the sounds that were about them troubled them and terrible visions and sorrowfull sights did appeare No power of the fire might giue light neither might the cleare flames of the starres lighten the horrible night According whereunto is that in Philo written Ignem domesticum quo quotidié vtimur vel extinctum fuisse turbato aere vel crassissimis tenebris victum vt nullum lumen caligo illa admitteret That fire and candell was either quite extinguished or so ouercome with the troubled ayre that no light could be admitted in that darknes This then was the fearefull most fearefull maner of that darknes which maketh me remēber that great darknes which is said to haue béen in Hispaniola when Columbus came thither the second time about the yéere of Christ 1493 And that which Tullie writeth of to haue béene in Cicilie vt per biduum homo hominem non agnosceret that by the space of two daies one man could not knowe another All should make vs with thankfull hearts acknowledge the Mercie of God in this one benefit of Light amongst infinite moe that we enioy and humbling our soules vnder him as the Lord of Light and darknes Life and Death Hell and Heauen serue him in reuerence and feare according to his Wil all the daies of our life S. Augustine and others goe farther in the Meditation of this darknes of Egypt and say that it was a signe of the darknes of their mindes then and a plaine shadowe of their wofull Night of ignorance and blindnes that is ouer some men in all times and admitteth no light For the Egyptians it is manifest that extreame was the fogge in their hearts when such Wonders wrought no more Such déepe securitie before punishment such inflexible obstinacie in and vnder punishment such high pride after punishment and such a monstrous dissembling of repentance euer which both deceaueth the beholders and hurteth the vsers as One well saith argued darknes of minde thicke and blacke vehemently to be prayed against by all that wish to haue saued soules in that Great day of God And for vs in these times and so euer to the worldes end wee are all to consider that our Ignorance is darknes in déede and that very great darknes so termed by God himselfe more dangerous than this of Egypt in that the Soule is héereby destroyed and by that onely the body was annoyed Whereupon by this horror in Egypt wee may take occasion to consider of our selues and by that darknes noted to be such a plague to thinke whether our darknes be a vertue The Light of the body is the Eye saith our Sauiour Christ If then the Eye be single thy whole bodie shall be light But if thine Eye be wicked or euill then all thy body shall be darke Wherefore if the light that is in thee be darknes how great is that darknes Now as the Eye is to the body so is the Judgement of the minde to the whole life and therefore darknes in iudgement most dangerous S. Paule in like sort noteth Ignorance by the name and fruite of darknes when he saith of the Gentiles to the Ephesians that their vnderstanding was darkned and they strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in them And of the Ephesians themselues Yee were once darknes but now are yee light in the Lord walke as the children of light Many other places in the Scripture say the like terming still and euer Ignorance to be darknes and noting an inward darknes in man of his minde as well as an outward of his eye Which may make vs thinke why God should so speake and by consideration thereof hee euer speaking most fitly draw vs to the obseruance of certaine properties wherein there is agréement betwixt inward and outward darknes First outward darknes hindereth our eyes from discerning the outward obiects which by them should bee discerned and therefore haue their name tenebrae á tenendo because they hold the eye from doing his dutie so doth Ignorance our inward darknes hold and hinder our iudgement which as an eye should guide our actions frō discerning things fit to be done and fit to be left vndone whereby as blinde men wee fall into many ditches that is wee commit and omit doo and leaue vndone many things contrarie to our duties both to God and man Secondly outward darknes hindereth our going and walking about our worke or for our health and comfort For he that walketh in darknes cannot tell whither he goeth saith Christ and it is true in this sense so Ignorance the inward darknes hindereth our iudgements our harts and mindes from going and walking through the swéete fields of true Comforts true knowledge and Heauenly Meditations for in this sense also our Sauiours wordes are true A blinde man thus knoweth not whither he goeth A darke iudgement and a blinde heart knoweth not féeleth not tasteth not the pleasant pathes of knowledge either in matters Humane or Diuine Miserable therefore is this darknes and a wofull effect of our fall in Adam to be prayed against and laboured against as much as we possibly can although whilest we liue we shall groane vnder part of it knowing but in part seeing but in part in this life as the Apostle teacheth vs.
in his life hee be truly humbled You remember the Fable of the wise Foxe who would not visite the sicke Lion because he saw not any come out that went in Let it profit you much to beware of Hell from whence you knew neuer any returne that went thither Now is the time to thinke of these thinges the continuance in Hell is for euer and the paine there is without measure Better late than neuer to thinke of it Our Bookes tell vs of a light woman who spending her time in sinne desired her wicked Associate to bestowe on her a new Gowne which when hee did sticke at shee instantlie answered Doo I desperately cast away both body and soule for euer to content thée and doest thou miserably denie so small a request to me I will looke to my selfe héereafter better and auoide thée and this wicked life which if she did it was a happy deniall made vnto her But certaine it is that God hath many wayes to pull such out of the fire as hee will haue saued The like wee reade of a Couetous Father who raking vp riches very disorderly suddainly God purposing mercie towards him called for his eldest Sonne and for a Chafing-dish of coales requiring his Sonne to put his finger in and to burne it off At the first he thought his Father had but iested but perceauing in the end his setled resolution he prayed to be excused hee might not doo it To whom then earnestly his Father answered and shal I to make thée a Great man in the world so heape vp riches by all vnlawfull meanes that Jam sure eternally to burne both body and soule and thou not endure the losse of one finger for mee I will alter my Course in time and consider of that which héereafter cannot be redressed Were it true or were it a fiction to a wise man it carieth a Morrall with it Swéete is our God if we will returne and as yet it is day that wee may returne Were thy sinnes as red as scarlet saith Hee I will make them as white as snow The sacrifice of God is a troubled Spirit A broken and contrite heart hee shall neuer despise Iosia his heart melted and hee found it so Ezechias sorrowed and hee found it so Peter wept bitterly and he found it so Neuer any sorrowing sinner but he found it so God then in mercie so stoope vs by his Spirit that his outward Stoopings may euer be far from vs. This example of Pharaoh preacheth vnto vs to be wise 2. Secondly consider these words When hee letteth you goe he shall at once chase you hence That is hee shall hast you away without any condition stop or stay at all It is euer swéete to the seruants of God to obserue this mighty power and out-stretched arme ouer all his Enemies when once he setteth on to doo a thing As here how he was able not onely to giue his people passage but to make Pharaoh as glad to rid them away as euer hee was desirous to hold them So in Genesis when Abimelech had taken Abrahams wife supposing shee had béene but his sister God caused him not onely to restore her without any iniurie but he was vp very early in the morning saith the Storie to see it to be done that is hee hasted to doo it and had no rest in his minde till it was done What comfort then in this God euer what rest and peace in relying vpon him what assurance of that end issue victorie and deliuerance that he in his wisedome shall knowe to be best for vs séeing he is thus able Lord make vs patient then willing to tarie thy leasure and euer contented with thy pleasure For thou canst doo for vs what thou wilt and when thou wilt all earthly pride must stoope to thée and if Ieroboam stretch out his hand against thy Prophet thou canst make him neuer plucke it backe againe till thy Prophet pray for him Who hath resisted him and had peace saith Iob The Lord of Hosts hath decreed it and who can disappoint it saith the Prophet God would haue Ioseph exalted his Brethren storme at it and practise against it but all in vaine when time commeth it must bee so Saul grieueth that Dauid is likely to succéede him but all in vaine it must be so The Iewes work against Christ yet to no end for the Lords purpose must come topasse The farther you go in this Meditation the swéeter shall you finde it The 2. part 1. THe second generall Head of this Chapter I saide was an Admonition to the Israelites what to doo betwéene the Denunciation of another plague and the Execution of the same Euen euery man to require of his neighbour and euery woman of her neighbour Iewels of siluer and Iewels of gold Which they did and were greatly enriched by them Concerning which matter remember with your selfe what was fore-tolde foure hundred yeeres agoe to Abraham namely That his seede should be strangers in a strange Land so many yeeres but in the end should come forth with great substance Now was it fulfilled as you may sée in the next Chapter So they spoiled the Egyptians Noting by the word of spoiling a verie great measure of riches in thinges desired Wee may rightly ground this Comfort vpon it That be the time neuer so long before he doo it yet euer in the end GOD will performe what hee hath promised and neuer faile Foure hundred yeeres space shall not hinder but that at last his Truth shall appeare Applie it then to what most may ease you and be assured hee is the same In matter of sinne you haue his promise As I liue I will not the death of a sinner c. Hee shall neuer breake it and therefore bee comforted In matter of want you haue his promise All these thinges shall be ministred vnto you And you are better than many Sparrowes c. Rest vpon it Hee is euer true In matter of triall you haue his promise Hee will neuer lay more vpon you than he will make you able to beare Joy in it and know that he cannot lye his word shall stand and you shall finde it 2. But a Question is mooued whether it was lawfull for the Israelites thus to doo or no And whether wee may imitate them and doo the like whereunto diuers men make diuers Answeres and wee may take profit by them all Basill saith Haebrei honesta astutia ab Egyptijs mercedem operarum suarum receperunt qua hactenus defraudati fuerunt The Hebrewes by an honest craft receaued of the Egyptians recompence for their labours whereof hitherto they had beene defrauded Which Spéech without reference to the Commaundement of GOD cannot well stand For the Apostles Rule is plaine That no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter for the Lord is an Auenger of all such things To lend is a dutie necessarie when wee can doo it and not arbitrarie as
we may learne of them namely to borrowe of the Heathens Phylosophers Oratours Astronomers or the like the best Jewels they haue and to applie them to the seruice of God as these Israelites did afterward these Egyptian Iewels For Diuinitie is as a Lady and Quéene which ought to be serued by all other Sciences and so as seruants to her they to be vsed Where I remember the Saying of our olde Countey-man Beda writing vpon the Kings Turbat acumen legentium deficere cogit qui eos alegendis secularibus libris omnibus modis existimat prohibendos in quibus si qua inuenta sunt vtilia quasi sua sumere licet Alioquin Moses Daniel sapientia literis Aegyptiorum Chaldeorumque non paterentur erudiri quarum tamen superstitiones delicias horrebant nec etiam ipse Magister Gentium aliquot versus Poetarum suis vel scripturis vel dictis indidisset Hee troubleth the minde of the Readers and maketh them faint who thinketh they should be altogether inhibited from reading of humane Writers in which if there be any profitable things found a man may take them as his owne Otherwise Moses and Daniel should neuer haue suffered themselues to bee instructed in the wisedome of the Egyptians and Caldeans whose superstitions and delights they abhorred Neither would the Doctor of the Gentiles Saint Paule haue interlaced some Verses of the Gentiles either in his writings or in his speeches More of which matter if you desire to sée I referre you to S. Augustine who speaketh at large of it with manie others Onely let there be no vaine ostentation in the vse of them but remember euer S. Bernards words Sunt qui scire volunt vt sciantur vanitas est Sunt qui scire volunt vt sciant curtositas est Sunt qui scire volunt vt lucrentur cupiditas est Sed sunt qui scire volunt vt edificent vel edificentur charitas est There are that desire to knowe that they may be knowne and it is vanitie There are which desire to knowe that they may but knowe and it is curiositie There are which desire to knowe that they may gaine by their knowledge and it is couetousnes But there are which desire to knowe that they may edifie others or may be edified and it is Charitie Thus vsing humane Writers we shall no more offend if we rob them of some Iewels than these Israelites did in spoiling the Egyptians 6. Lastly concerning the words that Moses was verie great in the Land of Egypt in the sight of Pharaohs seruants and in the sight of the people They first answere the Question why Pharaoh did not kill Moses Euen because he durst not in respect of the opinion helde of him by the multitude as often is saide in the Gospell they forbare to doo such things because they feared the people besides the secret ouer-ruling hand of God Againe they shew how God can make his seruants dreadfull and honoured of as many as he will notwithstanding any contempts offered them by others Yea so he honoured Moses héere as Stories say Pharaohs Daughter was accounted in the number of the Gods for bringing such a man vp Thirdly they shewe that as the wicked stand in awe of God often and outwardly professe affection to him yet doo not submit themselues to his Will so often are his seruants honoured also of men with an inward conceite of them that they are honest men when yet their Doctrine will not be yéelded vnto So doth God inwardlie imprint their owne damnation in their hearts making them voide of all excuse in not obeying them whom they did approue for Gods grace in them and with them Remember what you reade in the Gospell of Herod touching Iohn Baptist namely that Herod feared Iohn knowing that he was a iust man and an holy and reuerenced him and when he heard him hee did many things and heard him gladly Many things saith the Text not all thinges for hee would not put away his brothers wife for all the reuerence he bare to Iohn and therefore in himselfe he condemned himselfe by this reuerence c. The 3. Part. 1. THe third generall Head of this Chapter I saide was the Plague it selfe denounced Wherein first wee may consider the time namely that it was in the night For at midnight said God I will goe forth into the midst of Egypt and all the first borne in the Land of Egypt shall die Why in the night but that wee might learne how as well in the night as in the day the Lord executeth both iudgement and mercie Iudgement as we sée in Iosua his direction against Ai whereby their fearefull ouerthrow followed Many thousands of them being deuoured by the sword and their Citie consumed with fire So when they slept the wrath of God waked and marched towards them spéedily So againe the fiue Kings in the night God directed his seruant against them who came vpon them suddainly and destroyed them with a great slaughter Thou foole this night shall they take away thy soule and then whose are all these c Other Kingdomes and Countries about vs what fearefull night-cries they haue had when we slept in peace wisedome and thankfulnes should consider Then for mercies in like manner you sée the Scriptures Salomon had that comfortable conference with God in the night wherein God graunted him the thing he sought for appearing to him in a Dreame and so forth as you reade there Daniel in the night found mercie with God to haue the Kings dreame reuealed vnto him Peter in the night was deliuered from danger and Paule and Silas in the night singing a Psalme found the cōfort there spoken of So both iudgement and mercie wake and walke in the night The vse whereof vnto vs should be euer to stir vs vp both to gee to bed as wee ought and to vse the night as the godly haue done For the first take Dauids example I will lay mee downe and take my rest for it is thou Lord onely that makest mee dwell in safetie And for the second hee also in many Psalmes may instruct you For euery night saith he in one Psalme wash I my bed and water my couch with teares yea I make my bed swim with teares for so will the wordes beare which Dauid did not for any pusillanimitie or weakenes for you knowe he was a man of a valiant courage but onelie out of a swéete féeling that hee had in his night meditation of the great goodnes of GOD towardes him many waies and his owne too great inabilitie to doo to him againe for the same as he desired And what better time can we take to plough-vp the fallowe ground of our hearts before him and to consider his fauours and our faults opening euen all our woes and griefes vnto him that as the night naturally is moist and showrie more than the day so
good although as yet I sée not how because hee is no Changeling in his loue to his Seruants and did beyond all conceite of man deliuer these Israelites from this perill Surely there can be no perplexitie in this world greater than this was if all things be considered and yet all was most well in the end Remember we therefore alwaies the words of Dauid in his Psalmes When I am in heauines I will thinke vpon God when my heart is vexed I will complaine I wil cry vnto God with my voice yea euen to God will I crie with my voice he shall hearken vnto me c. The whole Psalme is comfortable if you reade it 2 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel they are tangled in the Land the Wildernes hath shut them in c. So they were indéede if wee consider the place where they were yet there is no tangling where the Lord will haue a passage But sée you here in your Meditation how when the destruction of the wicked is at hand the Lord in his iustice offereth them some baite or other to pull them on that as here He saith He may winne his honour vpon them they know he is the Lord. So was Ahab drawne to his end with a desire to recouer Ramoth Gilead which once was his the bait allured him the wrath of God flewe him So were Senacharib the Asyrians baited as it were with former successe with their multitude the smallenes of Ezechias his number But how gloriouslie did the Lord deliuer his and destroy them that so boasted Many such Examples may you remember by your selfe all teaching what a sure thing it is to belong to God to haue our trust in him onely For otherwise there will be a time of falling for vs we shall euen runne vpon it gréedily as these men did You may also here think of the number noted by Iosephus who addeth to the 600. Chariots mentioned in the Text ver 7. fiftie thousand Horsemen two hundred thousand footmen more all marching after Gods people with great confidence iolity yet all ouerthrowne in the déepe by a mighty God most easely So great a God is our God and it must euer comfort vs make vs strong Obserue againe their words vttered before they pursued after them Why haue we this done let Israel goe out of our seruice Which sheweth how quickly the wicked repent them of their good but seldom or neuer of their euill For to let them go was good yet they repented but to pursue after them was euill they repented not Many such there be in our daies which often grieue at an houre spent in the Church and neuer of daies yéeres spent in sin But let them looke vpon these Egyptians here be warned in time if God so will The difference of the hosts againe in this place is verie worthie obseruing the one all warriers well appointed the other full of weake women little children The chiefest men without great munition or any exact order militarie to match with them yet the weaker liueth the stronger dieth euer to teach vs to fixe our harts vpō God not to be tied to outward shew For there is no wisedom no counsell nor strength against the Lord. The horse is prepared against the day of battell but saluation is of the Lord. And as the Prophet Esay saith Gather together on heapes O yee people yee shall be broken in pieces and hearken all yee of far Countries gird your selues and you shall be broken in pieces gird your selues you shall be broken in pieces Take counsaile together yet it shall be brought to naught pronounce a decree yet shall it not stand for God is with vs c. Repeating things ouer and ouer that we may be assured alwaies strong in him 3. Againe I sée héere and marke it for my good that when wee are once deliuered out of Egypt then doth the Deuill muster his Chariots Horsemen after vs he wil if he can get leaue He cannot abide to loose his seruants so His we were he hath lost vs and his we must be againe if by all his strength he can possibly gaine vs. A Land that floweth with milke and honey may not be inherited without resistance Out of Egypt wee may be deliuered but from following afflictions we shall not be quite fréed Hue and Crie will be made by Hell after vs we shall be tried as God pleaseth Thinke of that Deuill in the Gospell who when he must néedes depart loose his possession did rend and teare the poore party most cruelly Thinke of those Stories of the Primatiue Church how Nero Domitian Dioclesian all those persecuting Emperours pursued the Christians deliuered from darknes to light What were they all but Sathan Hoast doing then as Pharaoh did here by the mighty hand of a iust reuenging God The Land of Canaan is ours but in our way thither looke for lets When the Deare is hued-in by the Hunters the dogges placed to make a course if hee take his way vpon the Dogges euery man is silent and letteth him goe for that is the way to death and it well pleaseth the Hunters But if hee offer to breake out some other way to escape the Dogges then they crie and beate the hedges to driue him backe againe and if he escape how disconted are they So so in our Deliuerance from Death and Hell doo wee plainly sée it And therefore hoping for the best when God shall sée it fit be prepared alwaies in your selfe for the worst and reckon of it Pharaoh will pursue you 4. When Pharaoh drewe neere the Israelites weresore afraide and cried vnto the Lord. Others said vnto Moses hast thou brought vs out of Egypt to die in the Wildernes c. Philo saith Quatuor tribus in aquis submergi voluisse ne ad Aegypttorum manus peruenirent alias quatuor se tradere Aegyptijs constituisse cum spe veniam impetrandi sed reliquas quatuor scilicet Iuda Leui Ioseph Beniamin vsque ad mortem cum illis pugnare decreuisse That 4. Tribes resolued to drowne themselues in the waters rather than to fall into the Egyptians hands other 4 Tribes determined to submit themselues to the Egyptians in hope of pardon and forgiuenes but the 4 Tribes left after these namely Iuda Leui Ioseph and Beniamin setled themselues to fight as long as they should be able to stand aliue against them Note then héere how affliction trieth what is in vs for such as héere rested vpon God cried you sée vnto him and no doubt hoped of helpe from him well considering that vbi humanum deest consilium ibi Diuinum adest auxilium Where mans Counsaile faileth there Gods helpe is present Others not so grounded setled foulely and sinfully discouered their corruption quarrelled
although it were not of the nature of other Cloudes but a more Diuine thing higher than mans minde is able to comprehend by which in the daie time the heate of the Sunne was tempered and in the night a comfortable light giuen saith Greg. Nyssen writing of the life of Moses The comfort and vse I take from it is this that in new perilles the Lord can haue new remedies at his pleasure Now before vs and now behinde vs and euermore with vs if wee bee with him by a sure trust in his goodnesse blessed be his Name euermore for it The winde which the Lord vsed to cause the Sea to runnebacke was not for any néede of such meanes but that he might shew his power ouer all creatures to vse them commaund them at his wil. So by the water of Iorden he healed Naaman when he could haue healed him without it By clay and spittle he opened eies and diuers such things in the Scriptures when at other times by his only Word he did as much without any meanes at all Then went they through on dry land and the waters stood as a wall vnto them on the right hand and on the left If you aske how they durst aduenture to passe so dangerously seeing the waters might haue gushed together againe and haue ouerwhelmed them The Epistle to the Hebrewes telleth vs That by faith they passed through the Red-sea as by dry land which when the Egyptians had assaied to doo they were swallowed-vp If you looke at the waters on either side you may see the condition of Gods Children in this world beset on the right side with a floud of prosperitie beset on the left side with a floud of aduersitie yet through a true faith walking through both and hurt by neither they arriue on the other side safely when by either of these many others are destroyed pray we then euer for this Faith 8 The Egyptians féele the Lord against them and then would flie but it was too late And let it euer preach vnto our mindes the danger of deferring our conuersion to GOD. For when wée would wée shall not but euen perish and die as here did the Egyptians O what newes in Egypt was this when it came what woe and what weeping what wailing and wringing of hands by wiues for their husbands children for their Fathers and friends for their friends which now were deuoured of the cruell Sea But it is too late Had I wist commeth euer behinde saith the old Prouerbe And therefore a notable Example is this to all degrees one to perswade with an other vnto Religion and the true seruice of God that such fearefull newes may neuer be brought to our friends of vs. For the Lord will not euer beare with our contempt but as here was a heauie Morning when the Sea roaring returned together and they flying and crying in the middest of it so assuredly shall there be either a morning or an euening of miserie vnto them who proudly disdaine to be taught of their God happy are they that thinke of it in time 9 The glorious victorie of the Church here is a thing worthy all due consideration yeelding vs comfort to the worlds end in all our perplexities For how doo they see their enemies destroyed and themselues deliuered how triumph they in Songs of ioy and gladnesse in the next Chapter verse 1. c This is the Word and we must beléeue it these are his promises and we must be strong in them The Church is Christs body therefore it shall not be forsaken It is the house of God therefore it shall not be forsaken He hath bought it with his bloud Acts 20. 28. 1. Pet. 1. 18. therfore it shall not be forsaken It is his spouse Hosea 2. 19. 2. Cor. 11. 2. Apoc. 21. 2. 9. therefore it shal not be forsaken It is built vpon Christ Mat. 16. 18. therfore it shal not be forsaken In a word the Gaâ—es of Hell shall not preuaile against it neither of his kingdome shall there be any end Math. 16. Luke 1. 33. The harmers of his Church shall in their time be punished and the fauourers of it euer blessed I will blesse them that blesse thee saith God to Abraham and curse them that curse thée Sehon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Basan with all the rest of that sort how did they fall before Gods people and were destroied The Great Monaâ—chies of the world the Chaldaean the Persian the Graecian and the Roman which were not obedient to his Truth and fauourers of his flocke where are they On the other side how blessed be the Midwiues that were kinde vnto his people how saued he Rahab and all her familie The Widow of Sarepta lost not her loue to his Prophet neither the Ethiopian in Ieremie nor any other So is his Church right deare vnto him you plainely sée and it is the comfort strong of euery member For the loue of the body draweth a loue of the hand and foote and euery part we see in experience by our owne bodies No part can perish without a great greife to the whole neither the vilest part bee but a little touched without an offence to the very heart What comparison betwixt vs and Christ in our loue and his None none and the more he exceedeth vs the more is our comfort ioy We neuer saide that God wanted a Church before Luther as wee are either foolishly vnderâ—â—ood or maliciosly reported but we know he blesseth not all times alike punishing mans ingratitude often with Cloudes yet euer he hath his people and euer shall haue to the end In regarde of which variable estate the Church is resembled to the Moone which after full hath a wanne and neuer abideth still full It is compared to a ship tosseâ— and tumbled in the Sea and in great perill many times of which you may often thinke with much profit How the Arke of Noeâ—igured â—igured the Church you may reade in the Notes vpon Genesis Chapter 6. And if you desire to peruse the old Fathers these marginall places may direct you Nauis non ex vno ligno constat sed ex diuersis c. A ship is not made of one board saith Epiphanius No more dooth the Church consist of one man or of one sort of men A Ship is narrow at the beginning and then much broader in the middle so the Church at first is small and farre greater in time yea euen spread abroad in the world Narrow and straight is Abel and Sheth little and small in Noâ— and his familâ—e but seuenty Soules came into Egypt yet thousands thousands grew of theÌ„ Narrow was the Ship in Elias time but Achab Iezebel beeing gone it grew broader The Apostles Disciples were but few but when at one Sermon there were added three thousand Soules the Ship you see grew broader And so of those
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
comfortablie will aunswere I knowe whom I haue beleeued and I am sure that in loue hee hath adopted mee to bee his Childe that hee is true in his promise and powerfull in performance And these three so strengthen my heart that no want of merit no consideration of my owne vilenesse no greatnesse of the future blessednesse canne cast mee downe from the height of hope wherein I am soundlie rooted This is the three-folde corde c. To this effect haue many other Fathers written also but I omit them Lastly this example of God in this place as it teacheth patience and long suffering when we are abused so doth it notablie also teach cōstancie in loue where we once haue loued A thing worthie following if I had not béene too long in this Note I will therefore reserue it to some other place onely now praying you to remember whom you resemble if this grace be in you and from whom you swerue if it bee not It is enough to mooue a Childe of God 6. Of this striking of the Rocke there is often mention made in the Scriptures and therefore a thing worthie good consideration Hee claue the hard rocks in the Wildernes and gaue them drinke thereof as if it had beene out of the great depthes He brought waters out of the stonie rock so that it gushed out like the riuers Againe in another Psalme He opened the rocke of stone and the waters flowed out so that riuers ranne in drie places For why he remembreth his holy promise and Abraham his seruant The things we may thinke of are these The fall of Moses and Aaron at this time The figure and allegorie of this rocke Concerning the first reade what is written in the Booke of Numbers Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rocke and Moses said vnto thē Heare now yee Rebels shall we bring you water out of this rocke And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron Because yee beleeued me not to sanctifie me in the presence of the children of Israel therefore yee shall not bring this congregation into the Land which I haue giuen them Héere you sée it reuealed that Moses and Aaron staggered at this matter and offended the Lord. Whereby we are notably taught that although there be many in this world who through the grace that is giuen them fight a good fight hauing faith and a good Conscience yet there is not one frée from all sinne sauing Iesus Christ alone But euen Moses himselfe héere that Great light hath his darknes and his infirmitie Hee that had wrought such Great miracles and deuided the maine Sea through the power of him that now biddeth him strike the rocke yet héere hee doubteth and fainteth in Faith as God himselfe witnesseth of him Truly therefore said the Prophet Dauid If the Lord shall marke what is done amisle Who Who shall be able to abide it And the Apostle likewise There is none that is righteous no not one All haue gone out of the way And in the sight of God can no flesh liuing be iustified Let not Sachan then amaze vs with our imperfections for the swéetest Roses haue their prickels and Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance On the other side againe Let not Sathan tempt vs to a conceipt of purity or perfection either in our selues or others for if Moses fall if Dauid fall if Samuel fall if Iob fall if Abraham fall and all haue fallen who shall say my heart is cleane Beware of these extremities both wayes walking in the middle way take holde of Christ by him fearing no imperfection and for him flying all vaine thoughts of absolute integritte Againe learne heere and forget it neuer what an odious thing in the sight of God any doubting in him is which yet the Doctrine of Rome so laboureth to maintaine For when for this onely fault the Lord is so moued with his déere seruant Moses that he reiectech him from conducting his people into the promised Land and burieth him in the Desert certainly we may not entertaine doubting in our hearts touching any promise of his and especially in so great a matter or in such a graund Article of Faith as the Remission of sinnes is 7. For the second thing namely the Type you reade in the Apostle that this rocke was Christ that is a Figure of Christ With which kinde of phrase would the Romish Teachers not wrangle that Great contention about the Sacrament néeded uot For to giue the name of the thing signified to the signe signifying was neuer strange among learned men and in this very particular of the Sacrament S. Augustines words are well knowne Non dubitabat Dominus dieere hoc est corpus meū cum signum daret corporis sui The Lord doubted not to say This is my bodie when he gaue a signe of his body To which end also speake other of the Fathers abundantly if it were any purpose here to enter into his matter 8 For the thirde thing namely the Allegorie thus is it noted by the learned That when all mankind was to be smitten by the Law for sinne yet through the infinite loue of God the Rocke onelie was smitten that is Christ of whom the Law laid hold for vs hée submitting himselfe for vs was smitten off it for vs. Thus saith the Prophet He was smitten for our transgressions and with his stripes we are healed Other Scriptures also That God so loued the world that he gaue his onely be gotten Sonne to suffer c. That he himselfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree c. This blessed rocke thus smitten for vs hath gushed out swéete water for vs to drinke to coole that scalding heate of burning sin in our soules which els would quickely kill vs and be our bane Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him saith this our Rocke and Sauiour shall neuer be more a thirst but the water that I shall giue shall be in him a well of water springing vp to euerlasting life But let no man thinke that this water that is the swéete and cheering comfort of the Gospell is to be got by mans merites as some teach but euer remember the Prophets words Ho euery one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy and eate come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without monie c. The Prophets words are sull of force First calling to All to come and excepting none which is a great cōfort thē offering mercy without money that all cursed cogitations of workes and worthes in our selues might euer die and be abhorred Come vnto me all ye that trauell and are heauy laden and I will refresh you not your owne merits and works The blood of Iesus Christ clenseth vs saith the Apostle from al sin al sin I say againe and not our workes
venereos punire non est effusiosanguinis sedleguÌ„ ministerium To punish murderers sacrilegious licentious persons is not shedding of bloud but the ministery of law Thus sâ—ew Moses the Egyptian Act. 7. 28. Exo. 2. 12. Three thousand Idolaters Exod. 32. 28. Thus commanded Dauid his Son Salomon touching Ioab S 〈…〉 ei 1. King 2. 5. c. Moses was meeke Dauid pittifull yet thus they do Et vterque manus quas parceÌ„do inqumasset sic soeuieÌ„do sanctificauit dum vltioneÌ„ sibi a Deo coÌ„missaÌ„ executus est And either of theÌ„ sanctifie their hands by this seueritie in executing iustice beloÌ„ging to theÌ„ which otherwise they should haue defiled by vnlawful lenitie sparing Read by your selfe the places of Scripture in the margin Only let cruelty in iustice be euer far from a godly Gouernour for the Kings throne is established by mercy and al mens seats vnder him Yet againe on the other side Superstitiosa affectatio clementiâ— â—t faciat crudelissimam humanitatem cum pernicie multorum Let not a superstitious affectation of clemencie make a more cruell gentlenesse with the perill and hurt of many For vnder the gouernment of the Emperour Nerua it was rightly saide It is ill dwelling vnder a king or Magistrate where nothing is lawfull but it is far worse dwelling vnder one where all things are lawfull For the duty of Subiects towards their Gouernoures it is first to thinke most reuerently of their places as an authoritie appointed of God for our good and not as some men doo outwardly to obey them and inwardly to thinke them but necessarie euils For S. Peters words teach more when he saith Honour the King and Salomon when he biddeth Feare God and the King For in the word Honour Peter includeth sinceram candidam existimationem A sincere and vnseigned reuerence of them And Salomon ioyning the King with God sheweth a holy and reuerent regard of him to be due to him from men subiect to him That also in Paul hath great efficacie in it Not for feare but for conscience sake As if he should say euen because what dutie is done or left vndone to them is done or left vndone to God himselfe from whom their authoritie and power is Whatsoeuer therefore the person is the calling is of God and must be so thought of Againe after this inward reuerent conceipt must follow outward obedience to their Lawes in paying tribute and vndergoing what to vs by them is appointed either for publique defeÌ„se or otherwise For let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers saith the Apostle because he that resisteth resisteth to his owne damnation And read Tit. 3. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. The Magistrate may sometimes be weake but God wil euer be strong to punish any coÌ„tempt of his ordinance In no case therefore may we intrude our selues into their offices and meddle with publique matters without a calling For this is not to obey them but to rule with them What is amisse to them must be signified and their helpe expected vnlesse they appoint vs and then are wée not priuate persons any more but publique for such businesse And as Counsellers are saide to be eyes and eares to the King so are other subiects his hands when he pleaseth to commaund them so And be they neuer so euill yet their place is of God by whom only kings doo rule either to our good in his mercie or to our punishment in his iustice Permittuntur aliquando tyrannorum imperia a deo in vindictam malefactorum praemium vero bonorum Tyrants are suffered sometimes to rule for the punishment of the euill and the reward of the good saith S. Ambrose But how will you think for the reward of the good The same Ambrose notably saith for answere Nunquam nobis amplius contulerunt Gentiles quam cum verberari Christianos atque proscribi ac necari iuberent Praemium enim fecit religio quod perfidia putabat esse suppliciuÌ„ c Neuer did the Gentiles more for the Church than when they coÌ„manded the Christians to be beaten proscribed and killed For then did Religion make that a reward an honour and a crowne which infidelitie reputed a punishment S. Austin There is no power but of God and therefore saith he our Sauiour told Pilate he could haue no power at all ouer him except it were giuen him froÌ„ the Father Sed Deus regnare facit hominem hypocritam propter peccata populi Tollenda est ergo culpa vt cesset tyrannorum plaga But God doth suffer the hypocrite to rule for the sin of the people And therfore that sin must be takeÌ„ away that the plague of hauing a tyrant ruler may cease What manner of King Nabuchadnezar King of Babel was which destroyed Hierusalem wée know yet God said Behold I will giue the land of Egypt vnto Nabuchadnezar and he shall take her multitude and spoile her spoile and take her prey and it shall be the wages of his army c Because he wrought for mee saith the Lord. Marke those last wordes and sée how euill Rulers are appointed by God for the punishment of such as will not serue him And therefore If a King shall doo as is saide by Samuel Chap. 8. ver 11. c. He is Gods instrument thus to chasten vs though those things doo not shew what hee ought to doo yet they shew what Subiects ought to suffer without disloyaltie if they be done Reade Iere. 29. 7. God forbid saith Dauid that I should lay mine hand on the Lords Anoynted and yet Saul sought his life Who shall lay his hands on the Lords Anoynted and bee guiltlesse c. The wife is not fréed from her husband when he is ill nor the child from the Father no more are Subiects from their Prince But in such cases God the only helper is to be thought of and prayed vnto who can giue a Moses for a Pharaoh Othniel for Chushan who can chastice the pride of Tyrus by the Egyptians then the Egyptians by the Asyrians the Asyrians again by the Chaldeans by the Medes and Persians c. yet carying a gracious eare and eye to prayer procéeding from a penitent heart c. 2. The great paines of Moses in sitting to iudge the controuersies of the people euen froÌ„ Morning vnto Euen mentioned in the 14. verse what a commendation is it of him what an Example vnto all those whom God in mercie hath raised vp to any like gouernment ouer their brethren Surely diligence in the charge committed to vs is euer sweete vnto God good for our selues He that is diligent in his work saith the wisedom of God by Salomon shall stand before Princes Come thou good and faithfull seruant will God say to his Magistrate as well as vnto the Minister enter into thy Lords ioy The wicked in their ill doing how diligent are they and shall
comfort to his Church touching Christ if you remember That we haue not a high Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sin And thereupon concludeth Let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receaue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede If wée be not in abilitie to doo Strangers any good yet comfortable words shal please both them and God that made this law for them The other law concerning Widowes fatherlesse Orphanes as the Lord made it in great mercie so will he euer punish the breaches with sharpe iustice Affliction saith Salomon is not to be added to the afflicted Widowes fatherlesse children therfore must be pittied comforted helped if neede require séeing they haue lost their head not oppressed and wronged vexed grieued as often they are Now that the Lord wil punish you sée the Text plaine and how O reade it againe for it is fearefull with the sword will he destroy those wringers and crushers that their wiues also may become widowes and their children fatherlesse So verifying the wise Saying By what a man sinneth by that shal he be punished Careful therfore was Iob to auoide this danger and voweth vehemently that he neuer restrained the poore of their desire nor caused the eyes of the widow to faile by long waiting for her request Let this mooue vs and strike vs and euer profit vs. If thou lend money to my people that is to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an Vsurer vnto him ye shall not oppresse him with vsury This matter of vsury is so largely handled by many and so little regarded by moe that I spare my labour in it To allow all that some allow or to condemne as much as * some condemne as yet I sée no reason Many are the cases and intricate are the questions mooued mentioned in this matter Orphanes are left with nothing to bring them vp but a portion of money some in the Vniuersities some in the Country Spend the stocke and it will soone be gone vse it occupy it themselues they cannot So they haue money and want a trade others haue trades and want money Bucer in Cambridge was asked this question and did not dislike of some interchange profitable to the Orphane and yet not opening the way to flat vsury Stran gers likewise and exiles out of their countrey for religion and good causes bring a little money with them for easines of carriage and nothing else themselues happily may not trade in a forraigne land how then shall they their wiues and children liue workmen peraduenture also they are not but of an higher degrée In short therefore we know the end of the cōmandement is loue so far thē as borrowing lending breaketh not that but agréeth with it moderate men may do what is fit for them no scope giuen to the condemned vsurer To méete with one inconuenience to bring many others into the common-wealth was neuer wisedome Wherefore let euerie man search his own heart and well obserue his owne dealings in lending to his neighbour that liueth with him as knowing that nothing is hid frō God but must be accoūted for one day If cōtracts charitie agrée not together but what profiteth you hurteth your neighbour the case is altered I speak of what agréeing with loue is by learned men allowed the same disagréeing from the same is condemned blamed 9 The next law is concerning pawnes and pawne-takers A great trade still in this wringing world And of them thus the Lord speaketh If thou take thy neighbours raiment to pledge thou shalt restore it to him before the Sun go downe for that is his couering onely and this is his garment for his skin wherein shall he sleepe Therefore when he cryeth vnto me I will heare him For I am mercifull The 24. of Deutro is to be referred hither for explication further of the mercie that God requireth in this matter frō all men Mark it euer remember it the nakednesse miserie of the poore body cryeth against thée to the Lord and hée hath vowed to heare All is not gained then that is put in thy purse but only that which is wel put in The other laws of reuerence to Magistrates neither reuiling them nor thinking lightly of them of due and true paying of tythes to the maintenance of Gods truth and Ministers and so forth will come hereafter to be touched againe and therefore no more now of this Chap. CHAP. 23. THis Chapter also as hath béen said goeth on with mo Lawes tending likewise to the exposition of the Morall Law and namely of the 8. and 9. Commandements Touching the procéeding with moe lawes we may make vse of these and the like Sayings Arcesilaus in Laertius did not like that there should be many laws saying Quemadmodum vbi multi medici ibi multi morbi it a vbi permultae lege◠ibi plus vitiorum Like as where there are many Phisitions that are many diseases so where there are very many laws there are moe faults Demonax very vnaduisedly spake against all lawes saying Leges prorsus esse mutiles Vt quibus boni non egerent mali nihilò fierent meliores That lawes were altogether vnprofitable because the good needed them not the bad would not be bettered by them But Chrisostome with a better spirit both approoued goodlaws and would haue thē ALL to be obeied Saying In citharanon satis esse in vno tantum neru◠concentum efficere Vniuersos oportere percuti numerosè decenter ita ad salutem non satis esse vnam Legem vniuersas esse audiendas seruandas To make musicke on a Harpe it is not sufficient to playe on one sting but all must be striken in due measure and proportion so to saluation one Law is not sufficient but all must be wel vnderstood duly kept These laws therefore here following cōtinued by God himselfe seruing by explanation to helpe our vnderstanding consequentlie to direct our practise concerning former lawes are dillgently by vs to be obserued In the two first verses obserue the vertues of a good and vpright iudge and add them to that which was spoken in the 18. Chap. His first vertue is Truth Truth I say in his sentence and iudgment which he must euer carefully labour for by all good waies and meanes Contrary to truth are false tales rumors which therefore here in the first words are forbiddē either to be receaued of the Judge or reported by others Thou shalt not receaue a false tale neither shalt thou put thy hand with the wicked to be a false witnesse The Word signifieth both to receaue and report therefore both forbidden That the Iudge may thus doo he must euer remember Epicharmus his little saying Memēto
as our power and places giue vs leaue to follow his example To the poore now in the land you sée his loue and you read his law here with your eyes Why should it not worke a good effect in your heart during your life in this matter First it is his will we should with hand shew our heart both to him and to our poore and needie brethren and without deeds vaine are our words that we loue one another Secondly his recompence is great in them that doo it and neuer faileth Whosoeuer giueth but a cup of colde water shall not loose his reward Come ye blessed of my father and possesse eternall comfort For when I was hungrie you fed Mee and so foorth Mee I say in the poore with you to whom what you did you did it to Mee so I take it Blessed is the man that prouideth for the poore and needie the Lord shall deliuer him in all his trouble By examples might this be prooued but it néedeth not onely remember in the widow of Sarephath what followed her pietie in féeding the Prophet when she had not much for her selfe It is a Storie in steade of a thousand to raise vp our harts in this matter 6 The three feastes heere mentioned to wit Easter Whitsontide and Tabernacles will haue an other place hereafter vnto which I will referre the treatise of them Of the rest of this Chapter spent in the promises of god vnto their obedience I will onely say this that these great swéete promises are as honie till we thinke of the Condidion to wit perfect obedience but then we fall from all hope had we not a Christ because such perfect obedience to the lawe we cannot performe Christ therefore we flye to and relye vpon him who hauing performed that obedience for vs now iustifieth vs by faith in him without that condition and maketh his righteousnesse our righteousnesse by imputation Thou shalt not seeth a Kid in his mothers milke As Crueltie is here forbidden by God so was it condemned by the verie Pagans CHAP. 24. IN this Chapter first note how Moses alone ascendeth vp to God and let it remember vs that there are differences of graces and yet one spirit the giuer of all They that have more may not despise them which haue lesse neither they which haue lesse enuie them which haue more Read the 1. Cor. 12. Chapter c. what if we say that the Lawe was fignified in Moses going to God because it is holy iust but it bringeth not his companie with it because they are imperfect kéepers 2 Moses came and tolde the people all the wordes of the Lord c. So is the duetie of a faithfull Minister still to receiue of the Lord and to deliuer to his people what he hath receiued not any dregges or drosse of mans inuention for in vaine doe men worship him with mens precepts c. All the things which the Lord hath said will we doe Concerning his rash and confident answere of the people note and remember the censure of learned men that you may profit by it to a warier kinde of speaking out of a true féeling of your owne and all mens frailtie of nature by the corruption entred into vs at our fall in our first parents Saint Hierome condemning such vndiscréet hastines saith Melius est non promittere quam promissanon facere melius est ancipitem diu deliberari sententiam quam in verbis esse facilem in operibus difficilem It is better not to promise thā not to keep promise it is better for a doubtful thing to be long deliberated on thā to grant it easily performe it hardly Gregorie againe obersuing this fault in the Iews saith Iudaeorū populū locustae significabant subitos saltus dantes protinus adterram sadentes Saltus enim dabant cū praecepta Domini se implere promitterent ad terram cadebant cum factis denegarent The people of the lewes were signified by the Locustes which vsed sodainly to leape vp and forth with to fall downe to the earth againe They did as it were leape vp when in words they promised to do all things which the Lord had said but they fell to the earth againe when in their deeds they denied the same Let vs therefore I say alwaies weigh our weaknesse and accordingly frame our promises for as we sée in this people we may purpose well that which we cannot so well performe 3 Moses wrote all the words of the Lord as a sure and safe way to kéepe them Tradition by word from man to man fayled in faithfulnesse and brought in many errors vnder the name of Gods word and will Therefore writing was deuised by God himselfe and so his appointed instruments directed by him haue left vnto vs his holy Scriptures This matter hath beene largely intreated of by many 4 This couenant made by bloud was a figure of the precious bloud of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus with which we must be sprinkled to make vs cleane The ninth Chapter to the Hebrewes will be an exposition to this place The promise of the people here againe to obey a God in all things testifieth their heart but not an abilitie to doe it Therefore let vs learne such affection but gather no error from such places of mans power to fulfill the same 5 The Ascention of Aaron Nadab and Abihu with seuentie of the Elders together with the vision was a gracious confirmation of Moses his authoririe and of his lawe giuen But we must know that it was farre from the Maiestie of God which they saw no flesh being able to see him as he is onely a glimse for their comfort hee vouchsafed in such manner as the Text expresseth 6 After Moses ascendeth alone yet so that he leaueth Aaron and Hur with them that whosoeuer had any matter might come to them so watchfull and faithfull was Moses in his place that without iust cause he is not absent and then he leaueth able Deputies Such care in Ministers now adaies would God blesse and the contrarie fault as he is God he will seuerely punish 7 Moses ascending is couered with a cloud and not admitted to God till after sixe daies to teach all flesh patiently and reuerently to tarrie Gods leasure and gracious pleasure for any matter of his will to be reuealed to them not curiously searching but humbly waiting for the thing we séeke being fit for vs. At the ende of the sixe daies euen the seuenth day God called vnto Moses and he is admitted to spéech and I pray you marke how couered with a cloud for the Text saith Hee entered into the middest of the cloud and went vp to the Mountaine So will the Lord haue a comfortable time for all those that waite for him and the knowledge of him in his word They shall sée and heare at last what he will
and worketh righteousnesse is accepted In the Gospell therefore there is now no difference of meates but all meate frée with Thanks-giuing That which goeth into the mouth defileth not the man but that which commeth out of the mouth that defileth the man saith our true Teacher Christ Iesus and wée must marke it His Apostle after him Saint Paul I know and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth any thing vncleane to him it is vncleane Whatsoeuer therefore is sold in the Shambles eat yee and aske no question for conscience sake Neuerthelesse there shall come in the latter dayes some that shall forbid to marry and command to abstaine from meates which God hath created to bee receiued with Thanks-giuing For it is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer But these forbidders and commanders are departed from the Faith giue heed vnto the spirits of errour and doctrines of Deuils They speake lyes through hypocrisie and they haue their consciences burned with an hot iron O note these things earnestly with your selfe and acknowledge Gods goodnesse in thus plainly fore-warning vs long before of that which wée sée in these dayes fulfilled Vnto the pure saith the same Apostle all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure but euen their minds and consciences are defiled c. That Commandement to abstayne from things offered to Idolles and from blood In the Acts of the Apostles was but for a time and is ended also in Christ or els it was no Ceremonial law But you thinke per aduenture with your selfe may not the Church in these dayes also forbid some kinde of meate as flesh c The answere is that cause and circumstance must bée considered Ciuilie the Magistrate may that is for the good of the Common-wealth in maintaining Mariners for seruice in helping the yong bréed of Cattle that victual may be more cheape by sparing the eating for a time and so foorth but not for Religion and Conscience as if one meate pleased God more than another for as you heard Peters sheete with all sorts of meates confuteth that many other Scriptures also which yoâ— may read your selfe ouer But what if one pretend the Magistates law being indéed popish and making difference of meates for religion You must néedes confesse such an one is an Hypocrite and therefore odious to God who hateth hypocrisie and cannot be mocked And what if hée do it in déede for Religion Then hée denyeth in effect that Christ is yet come and hath taken away this Ceremoniall Law of vncleane meates and as the Apostle saith of Circumcision that if we be circumcised now Christ profiteth nothing so is it true also that if wée yet hold a difference of meates for Religion and Conscience Christ to vs is no Christ and wée shall perish What if I sincerly in regard of the Magistrates Ciuill Law for the good of the Land forbeare to eate any flesh vpon times named by Law yet well knowing my libertie in Christ You doe most well and would God the Land had more of these that would obey godly Lawes according to their meaning and abandon all sinfull ryot and libertie contrary to them GOD should bée pleased the Magistrate pleased our Countrie profited and wée knowen to God and man for people of gâ—ouernment and order 2 But how did God in this Law of his call that vncleane which himselfe had made and saw to be good as all his workes were good Surely in respect of Creation and of themselues nothing is euill or vncleane but in respect of vse forbidden as God hath libertie to forbid at his good pleasure without impeachment of himselfe or of his Creature Euen as the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill hurt not of it selfe or the apple but the transgression after Commandement the thing in it selfe good but the vse forbidden If you say that which goeth into the mouth defileth not and therefore not the apple it is true for the apple defiled not but the breach of Gods Commandement You shall not eate So that euer it was true The Kingdome of GOD is not meate or drinke c. 3 How were beastes called vncleane in the time of Noah when they entred into the Arke before this Law was made except of themselues and their Nature they were so I answere you truely they were then so called not in respect of any fault in themselues or of eating but in regard of the Sacrifices from which God did then exclude them as here hée did from being eaten And as well might God then at his good pleasure choose what he would haue offered for Sacrifice and what not as now what he would haue eaten and what not all being his and his prerâ—gatiue to doe with his owne as hée pleaseth As now therefore that which was forbidden to be meat is called vncleane yet not so in Nature but in regard of vse therof forbidden so then was that called vncleane which was forbidden to be Sacrificed and not for any euill nature at the Creation but only because of this prohibition of vse that way Now let vs a little looke at the words of the Chapter 1 In the Chapter you sée three sorts Namely beasts of the Land Fishes of the Sea and Foules of the Ayre and these are distinguished or noted by Names and by Signes The Names that are héere set downe Wée are not so well acquainted with some of them because in those East-parts there were diuers creatures not knowne to vs in these Countries by their Names The Signes therfore is the best note for vs and in the beasts they are these diuiding the hoofe and chewing the cudde for so saith the Text. Whatsoeuer parteth the hoofe and is clouen footed and cheweth the cudde amongst the beasts that shall ye eate But if hée did the one and not the other or neither hée was vncleane Read the words your selfe You saw before that these were but shadowes of other things For doth God regard Oxen saith the Apostle and careth hée for diuiding or not diuiding the hoofe chewing or not chewing the cudde who made them all as they are and could haue made them all of one sort otherwise than héereby to resemble berter matters No. And therefore consider with your selfe that in this difference of beastes the Lord shadowed out a difference of men and women in this world some cleane and some vncleane The cleane beastes resemble the Godly and Elect which being clensed by Faith in Christ from their sinnes and sanctified by the Spirit of GOD earnestly and feruently loue the Word of God heare it learne it embrace it Night and Day meditate of it labouring to kéepe it by framing all their words and works counsailes and actions according to it The vncleane beasts resemble the wicked and reprobate that despise the Word and liue
in the Seas or in the Riuers them shall yee eate But all that haue not c they shall be abhomination vnto you By the synnes some haue thought was figured Faith and by the skales good and honest works These two make a cleane man or woman acceptable to God But hee or shee that wanteth both or either is vncleane Faith without workes is not a true Faith but a dead and beautifull workes without Faith are the blossomes of Hypocrisie and please not God 6 After Land and Water Moses commeth to the Ayer and sheweth what Fowles therein are cleane and vncleane Wherein you may note the great mercie of God in that most of these vncleane Fowles are indéede odious to our Nature and we eat them not whereas he might haue restrained them from those that they loued and liked So good is hée in all things and carefull not to lay heauie burthens vpon vs. Some good Foules are yet restrained that man might learne Temperance and Obedience For Gluttonie and Excesse wée are very prone vnto Some haue considered the nature of euery Fowle and laboured to learne somewhat for amendement but it is good to be sober in these things As for example by the Eagle which flyeth high they haue noted mounting mindes to be a fault and to make men vncleane as indéede they doc howsoeuer the meaning was thu◠to teach by making the Eagle vncleane By the Goshauke men that prey vpon their weaker brethren neighbors and gripe them so as they kill them or vndoo thē By the Vulture men that delight too much in Wars and contention By the Kyte cowardly-men that yet are deuourers as they can By the Rauens vnnaturall Parents that forsake their children Vnkinde Friends which shrinke away Ill Husbands which prouide not for their Families c. By the Ostrich painted Hypocrites and carnall men that haue faire great feathers but cannot flye c. By the little Owle and the great Owle such as loue darknesse and flye the light such also as are vnsociable with men and loue solitarines too much By the Sea-mew which liueth both on Land and Water such as will be saued both by Faith and workes partly by the one and partly by the other c. Such Ambodexters also as the world hath store of holding with the Hare and running with the Hound Fire in the one hand and water in the other Two faces vnder a Hood c. By the Hawke such as are kept for others harme whereof also there are too many We must haue an Oliuer for a Rouland and so we maintaine such as the earth is weary of and their wickednes shall be our destruction if not of our whole house and posteritie By the Cormorant all gréedy couetous persons c. By the Lapwyng you may take occasion to remember what the Poet saith which is thus TEREUS King of Thracia maryed Progne daughter of Pandion which Progne hauing a sister called Philomela after certaine yeares desired her husband that either shee might goe to her sister to see her or haue her sister fetched vnto her The King willingly yeelded He would fetch her sister to her and to that end went to sea came to her Father and his Father in-law obtained leaue for her to goe with him for awhile to her sister But see as they were in their iourney his vncleane heart burned in lust towards Philomela his wiues sister and by force abused her cutting out her tongue after that shee might not tell Thus dumbe speachles he brought her home to her sister who amazed at this change in her and not knowing more then her husband the King would tell her in stead of ioy had great sorrowe in her selfe no way now able to talke with her sister and to haue any comfort in her But Philomela getting an needle and silke expressed thereby as by writing how her husband had abused her bodie and cut out her tongue as hee brought her to see her Then Progne all inraged with furie and wrath casting which way to bee reuenged of him for this odious fact caught at last her little sonne by him and slew him crying vpon her Mother Mother and clasping about her neck with kisses as long as he could making meate of him for the King his father The King liking the meate well called for the little childe that he might haue some of it when shee with a fierce looke told him he had his childe in his bellye for the good he had done to her sister and with that shewed him the head flinging foorth from him as fast as shee could hee so astonished that he could not tell what he did Then saith the Poet they were all three to auoyd further mischiefe suddenly changed into three Fowles Progne this cruell Mother into a Swallowe who caryeth red vpon his brest to note the bloodinesse of her brest Philomela her sister into a Nightingale who keepeth in the woods as ashamed of the villanie done to her by the King and lamenteth it in the Night by her sorrowfull song The wicked King who was cause of all into a Lapwyng which is delighted with dounge and filth to note his foule and filthy minde to his sister in-law hath a long bill wherewith he striketh and hurteth other Birds noting his cruell knife that cut out his sisters tongue feathers vpon the head like a crowne noting his place dignitie that he was a King wherevpon the Verses were made Rex fueram sic crista probat sed sordidavita Immundam e tanto culmine fecit auem The Lapwyng then may shadow out all foule vncleane mindes full of crueltie and lust full of crueltie also to worke the concealment of lust as you sée in Dauid first lusting and then killing But thus to follow Allegories I forbeare onely noting thus much to shew you Learned mens applications of these things for our good And surely although I dare not say that by these vncleane birds and beasts thus much was meant yet thus much is most certaine that whoso haue these qualities noted in the nature of them they are as certainly vncleane to God as these birds were for vse of meat to this people Let vs euer therefore abhorre such spots that we be cleane to the Lord who is cleanenesse it selfe 8 Some thing is spoken in your Chapter of creeping things whereby men haue noted the vncleanenes shadowed of such as minde earthly things too much and particularly by the Weasel deceitfull persons because the Weasell is deceitfull and craftie By the Mouse such as liue vpon others labours and are vnprofitable themselues By the Want or Mole such as are blinde and ignorant Lastly that which is spoken of vncleanenes growing by the touch of these things and that which you reade of washing and breaking earthen Vessels you must euer take it so that God stood not so much vpon these Ceremonies as to teach his People héereby
one as by another The Lawe of the free woman you had in Exodus 22. 16. And least any should thinke this fault to be little because they are but scourged there is a sacrifice appointed to make an atonement so shewing that it is a sinne not to be done away but by Christ And as well doth fornication shut out from the Kingdome of God as Adulterie 11 Also when ye shall come into the Land and shall haue planted euery tree for meate you shall count the fruite thereof vncircumcised three yeares and it shall not bee eaten c. A mercifull prouidence for posteritie for if a Trée be suffered to beare too soone as the first second or third yeare it doth not vsually indure long but decayeth sooner than otherwise it would the fruite draweth away the nourishment which should make the roote and trée strong Secondly it rest rained Couetousnesse in the Iewes and taught them how God hateth scraping all to a mans selfe for his time and nothing careing for posteritie Such are they that will take the heart out of land before their tearme ende cut downe the wood fruite trees hedges destroy the game and doe all the mischiefe they can and dare doe The LORD séeth them and thinketh of them though they little thinke of themselues and of their malicious actions Thirdly it shadowed how little worth the fruites of youth vsually are either to the Church or Common-wealth till yeares haue bred strength of iudgement and made them both sée and doe what is profitable Euen as vncircumcised fruites so are the Actions of youth and therefore Dauid prayed for pardon in this case 12 But the fourth yeare all the fruites thereof shall bee holy to the praise of the LORD And in the fift yeare shall yee eate of the fruite thereof c. Three years they must forbeare to suffer the fruite to growe as neere as they could to the end the trée might bée strong and endure to posteritie The fourth must now bée consecrated to the LORD And the fifth they might begin to eate This Consecration of one yeare to the Lord sheweth how due from man and accepted of God true and heartie thankfulnesse is Secondly that God would haue them acknowledge the fruites of trees aswell as of the earth by corne to procéede of Gods goodnesse mercie and prouidence without all desert or merit of theirs Thirdly that they were to vse them as all other his good gifts soberly temperately orderly not ryotously wantonly as too many now a dayes do giuing so so much for a few Cherries or such like when there is no cause in Phisicke for health or so foorth but onely wantonnesse and luxurie little thinking how vile themselues are if God should looke vpon them in Justice or how many néedie naked soules as déere to God as they want and would be glad of one penny or halfe penny of that mony so wantonly without cause bestowed vpon their belly 13 Yee shall not eate the flesh with the blood ye shall not vse Witch-craft nor obserue times The first Part was spoken of in the 17. Chap. verse 10. in the 7. Chap. verse 26. Contrary to which they offended 1. Sam. 14. verse 32. Touching the latter Part you may know that the Gentiles obserue Fowles after two sorts Either their crying or their flying And neither of these is forbidden as farre as their is any naturall reason and cause which is in fore-shewing of raine and tempests and alteration of weather For example long obseruation hath found it and good writers agrée of it that the continuall crying of the night Owle all the night long prognosticateth death the gathering together of many Rauens playing and crying fore-tell faire weather Chickens crying lowde Swallowes flying about the waters and pooles crying shew it will bée raine c. These and the like may be obserued and it is lawfull wisedome no offence at all But either by flying or crying to gather Argument of good successe or ill in your actions and busynes this is wicked and damnable and therefore the Art and skill pretended of such wizards vnlawfull what feates soeuer they play to confirme the credite of it as one with a Rasour cut a whetstone in péeces to confirme his Art You may bée sure it was but either a ingling cast deceiuing the eye or the power of Satā which may not lead vs to prohibited things And wise-men in all times haue noted the folly of these toyes Iosephus telleth how one Mosselanus a Iew a valyant Souldier in the campe of Alexander the great when the march suddenly stayed asking what was the cause was told that it was to take notice by such a Fowle sheewing the Fowle whether they should go for-ward or no for if she tooke her flight before them then should they march on if not then returne wherewith hée mightly displeased saying nothing tooke his bow and with an arrowe presently strake the Fowle dead Whereat when the Southsayer and many of the Hoste were offended hée answered that it was a foule shame for so many worthy men to seeke knowledge of her that knew not what should happen to herselfe For if she had she would not haue come there or not sitten til he had shot and so the matter was laughed out and the feare gone Augustus Caesar was woont to make a great obseruation of it if his left shooe came in stead of his right in the morning and among vs if the Salt fall at the table c. These are follies and as follyes they must bée reiected Yet touching times there is a lawfull obseruation of Holy-dayes and Festiuall-dayes of fasting-dayes c. And there is a naturall and Physicall obseruation for planting sowing mowing c. For purging blood-letting bathing c. All lawfull and not forbidden héere Onely superstitious obseruations deuised by man seduced by Satan without any Christian or natural reason are héere prohibited and must of vs stil be abhorred in which kinde the Heathens abounded for want of knowledge Remember the 28. of Deut. To feare God rightly and truely and then blessed at home and abroad in the towne and in the field in thy basket and in thy dough in thy sheepe and in thy kyne c. Contrariwise for want of Religion and not because the Crowe sate on that hand or the Hare crossed the way c. 14 Yee shall not cut round the corner of your heads neither shalt thou marre the tufts of thy beard Many times it hath béen noted how carefull the Lord was not to haue his people imitate the fashions of the Gentiles for feare one thing will draw on another and in the ende euen Idolatrie and false worship Wée in these dayes are wholely giuen to forreigne fashions the Lord in mercie saue vs from forreigne superstition and continue his Gospell and peace vpon Israel preuenting confounding their purposes that craftily
indeauour the supplanting of both Trueth and Peace vnder the colour of policie and safetie c. The cutting and marking of their flesh was also Heathenish 15 Thou shalt not make thy daughter common to cause her to be a whore least the land also fall to whoredome and the Land bee full of wickednesse This is a Branche of the Commandement against Adulterie admonishing Parents to looke to their houses and Magistrates to looke to the Land that there be no Stewes nor places of sinne suffered for any colour whatsoeuer as is in Rome for gaine euen an yearely Reuenue The power of Satan ouer Heathens in this matter was fearfull and therefore the Lord admonisheth his people to beware of their fashions and sinnes The Cyprij say our Bookes before the marriage of their daughters maydens appointed certaine dayes places when where they were to come together so to rayse a dowrie marriage portion for them The Locrenses thought it was a way to please their gods to prostitute their Uirgins and therefore in any distresse and danger of warre and the like they would make vowes that if they might haue victorie and bée deliuered so and so many maydens vpon a solemne Feast appointed for that purpose should bee prostituted These horrible things serue to shew vs the corruption of our nature and the blindnes entred into our vnderstanding by the first fall till God renue vs by his holy Spirit and giue vs the light of his Word as also to stirre vs vp to thankfulnesse to our most gracious God for better knowledge vouchsafed to vs whereby wée are kept from being such beasts and monsters as these Heathens were and men still are without him 16 You shall not regard them that worke with spirits neither Southsayers you shall not seeke to them to be difiled by them I am the Lord your God Conferre this with Deut. 18. and with that which hath béen sayd in the Commandement against Witches c. 17 Thou shalt rise vp before the hore-head and honour the person of the olde man and dread thy GOD I am the LORD A branch of the Commandement for these olde men are in stead of Fathers And therefore the Apostle willeth them to bée exhorted a◠Fathers Againe olde Age is a blessing of God and therefore it should bee reuerenced The contempt of it is the contempt of God and so taken by him as these wordes shewe héere and dread thy God This honour to bée done to them must also teach them so to liue and behaue themselues as they may bee worthy of all honour and reuerence 18 And if a stranger soiourne with you in your land you shall not vexe him But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be as one of your selues and thou shalt loue him as thy selfe For yee were Strangers in the land of Aegypt c. A gratious God thus euery way to méete with our corruption and to restraine it by his wise and holy lawes Hee knoweth and wee should learne to féele the aking heart in a stranger that is out of his Countrey and farre from his frindes wanting many things that he is ashamed to speake of and knoweth not how to get them Therefore not further to be verid with our churlish and vnkinde words or déeds But we to remember the olde saying Aut sumus aut fuimus possumus esse quod hic est Either wee are or haue been or may be that which hee is God make vs thankefull for his comforts 19 Yee shall not doe vniustly in Iudgement in Lyne Weight or Measure You shall haue iust Ballances true Weights c. God is truth and requireth truth in vs. Againe euill gotten goods the third heire shall not enioy and therefore truth is best These are the Lawes of a righteous God and wée must regard them if euer we meane to be regarded of him Happie shall wée be if we doe it And let this suffice of this Chapter CHAP. XX. THis Chapter repeateth Lawes mentioned before adding punishments to the breakers of them which before was not done It shall not therefore be néedfull to goe ouer them all againe particularly but leaue you to conferre them your self which you may doe by helpe of the quotations in the Margent of your Bible referring you to the former places where the same Lawes were mentioned without addition of that punishment which here now is layd downe Onely for order sake I will giue you these few obseruations 1 In laying downe seuerall paynes and punishments for the breakers of his Lawes the Lord teacheth that Common-wealths and gouernments doe stand and are preserued aswell by punishments of the euill as by rewards of the good and that as néedfull therefore is the one as the other If either reward or good examples of such as loue obedience would serue it were best but it neuer would nor wil the lesser part being euer so led and the greater by feare of paynes The saying is olde and true It is as great a vertue to keepe what is gotten as first to get it and euen so is it as good a dutie in a Magistrate to sée Lawes kept as at first to make them And since they will not be kept of all without punishments therefore punishments are most necessarie Idle then and absurde was it in those Heretickes that argued God not to be Author of the Olde Testament because there are so many punishments mentioned and executed For is it a fault in a Chirurgion to cut of a corrupt part for the sauing of the whole So in the Magistrate it is no crueltie but vertue to preferre the safetie of many before the will and liking of one 2 The punishments héere threatned and appointed for Idolatrie and Idolaters is very worthy noting Whosoeuer sayth GOD shall giue his children to Molech an Idoll of the Ammonites as you sawe before vnto whom they burned and sacrificed their children 2. Kin. 23. Verse 10. and by this one kinde the Lord vnderstandeth all kindes of Idolatrie that person shall the people of the land stone to death But what if they bée negligent sée the seueritie of God against this sinne Then will I saith God set my face against that man and cut him off from among his people Yea I say againe If the people of the Land hide their eyes and winke at that offender and kill him not then will I set my face against that man and against his familie and will cut him off and all that goe a whoring after him c. Why Lord why so Because hee hath defiled my Sanctuarie and polluted my holy Name See in these tearmes the nature of Idolatrie yet there is mercie with the Lord and great patience Tempt him not therefore but meditate of these Examples Salomon fell to Idolatrie and what a iudgement did God shew vpon his house in his sonnes entrance Rehoboam by cutting off for euer from him ten of the Tribes Manasses
him to serue as a bond seruant But as an hired seruant and as a soiourner shall he be with thee he shall serue thee vnto the yeare of Iubile Before it was said that seruants should go frée at the seuenth yeare here that this solde man should serue till the Iubile how agrée these together Surely it is to be vnderstood of such as hauing their eares bored haue made themselues seruants vnwilling to depart Whâ— therefore in regard of longer assurance of them might hapâ—ily haue beene hardlier vsed of some masters than they that should be free sooner Lastly when it is sayd vers 42. For they are my seruants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt they shall not be sold as bond-men are solde Thou shalt not rule ouer them cruelly but shalt feare thy God Let vs remember that albeit Moses lawe in these things hath his end for forme yet the equitie still bindeth in these things the estate of seruants vnder the Gospel brought and bought out of spirituall Egypt bondage of sinne by Christ the Lord may not bee worse than it was vnder the Law when you see they might not be cruelty ruled and dealt with To this end the Apostles exhortation teudeth Ephes 6. 9. And let thy soule loue a good seruant saith the Wise man and leaue him not a poore man Other things in this Chapter I leaue to your owne reading and these seruing for a taste of the fruit of it I stay here CHAP. XXVI HAuing now made an end of his Lawesâ— in this Chapter the Lord most effectually exhorteth to the obedience of the same First by his gracious promise of blessing if they so did and secondly by a fearefull threatning of punishment if they did otherwise His blessings which he promiseth are these First fruitfulnesse of the ground in the 4. and 5. verses I will send you raine in due season and the land shall yeeld her encrease and the trees of the field shall giue their fruit and your threshing shall reach vnto the vintage and the vintage shall reach vnto sowing time and you shall eate your bread in plenteousnesse and dwell in your land safely 2 Secondly forasmuch as the fruitfulnesse of their ground should be little woorth if the enemie came in and spoyled it or euill beasts deuoured either it or them therefore the Lord promiseth them peace and publique tranquilitie both from man and beast saying I will send peace in the land and you shall sleepe and none shall make you afraâ—d also I will rid euill beasts out of the land and the sword shall not goe through your land 3 The third blessing promised is victorie ouer their enemies when he saith And you shall châ—se your enemies and they shall fall before you vpon the sword And fiue of you shall chase an hundred and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight and your enemies shall fall before you vpon the sword 4 The fourth blessing is increase of the fruit of their bodies in these wordes For I will haue respect vnto you and make you increase and multiply you and establâ—sh my Couenant with you 5 To this increase of people hée will also giue increase of foode without which the more populâ—us the more miserable Ye shall eate old store sayth he and carrie out old because of new 6 Finally in few wordes much I will set my Tabernacle among you and my soule shall not loath you Also I will walke among you and I will be your God and you shall bee my people I am the Lord your GOD which haue brought you out of the land of Egypt that yee should not bee their bond-men and I haue broken the bondes of your yoke and made you goe vpright This I say againe in few wordes is much nay all all For what can want to that people nation towne or house where God dwelleth and walketh being their God and they his people If I walke in the shadow of death sayth Dauid I will not feare for thou art with mâ—e c. See and reade with this Chapter the 28. of Deut. Upon these grounds are all the exhortations of the Prophets 7 Yet take it not as though euer where these out-warde blessings are there were Gods fauour and loue For by these things sayth the Scripture No man knoweth loue or hate and The wicked swim in wealth sayth Dauid and haue no misfortunes like other men The LORD suffereth both his raine to fall and his Sunne to shine aswell vpon the euill as the good Blessed are the people that bee in such a case but rather blessed are they that haue the Lord for their God And therefore one truly instructed sayth againe with Dauid The greater sort of people doe wish thâ—s things but Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon mee c. Secondly touching these promised blessings you must euer beware of appoynting GOD a time or of fainting and slipping from God if by and by our expectation and desire bee not answered But though he tarrie waite for hee shall surely come and shall not stay Your prayer is dayly Thy will be done Thus of blessings promised 2 The Lords second Argument as I sayd is drawne from Punishments assured if they would not obey his lawes verse 14. and so forward Where first you may do well to obserue how the word MY is repeated in the 15. verse Mine Ordinances My Lawes My Commandements My Couenant It teacheth vs that it is sinne in déede which is committed against GODS commaundements not against I know not what superstitions traditions of men as neither is the obedience to them any obedience cared for of God 2 As before we were not to conclude sauour and loue vpon the outward blessings nâ—med so neither now may we reason from these affâ—ictions euer to hatred or dislike For as outward blessings befall the euill so out-ward crosses befall the good and diuerse are the endes why God afflicteth his children not euer for sinne nor in anger But whom the Lord loueth he chastiseth c. Abel was slaine that the lot of the godly might bée noted in him Iob sore afflicted for the triall of his faith and the Churches instruction Ioseph imprisoned and much wronged that first he might be humbled and then exalted The blind man in the Gospell neither for his owne sinnes nor his parents but that Gods glorie might appeare The Apostles afflicted that they might learne and we know our Maister his kingdome is not of this world By impietie iudge of crosses not by crosses of impietie 3 The punishments in particular threatned to all wilfull contemners of Gods will it is better for you to reade as they lie in the Text then for mee to stand vpon They are many they are fearefull manie and sore diseases Inuasion by enemies whereof see example Iudg. 6. and 10. and 2. Chron.
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