ayme at the marke neuer so right and draw vp his â—owe neuer so stedfastly yet if his loose be not good but his hand starteth aside and swarueth at the point he misseth So we in death which is our last loose not guided by Gods holy Spirit may mar all And therefore we pray and euer should pray that till our end and in our end the Lord would vpholde vs in our strength and giue vs a gracious departure in him For as for that vaine Fable of helpe after death in Purgatorie it serued to rake vp the fat of the earth to those idle bellies and to shift away with faire words and promises those poore soules that shaked quaked after all their works not finding any sufficiencie in them to appease Gods wrath who could neuer returne being once dead to tell them they lied in so teaching the people that Masses Trentalls could helpe after death But for vs we know the Scriptures that as the tree falleth either towards the North or towards the South in the place it falleth there it shall bee Heauen wee reade of and Hell wee reade of but a Third place we finde not Lazarus was caried into Heauen and the rich Glutton into Hell They that haue done well saith the Catholique Faith shall goe into life euerlasting and they that haue done euill into euerlasting fire There is no Third place there mentioned to be beléeued and it is the Catholique Faith which except euery man kéepe holy and vndefiled without doubt he shall perish euerlastingly Let counterfet Catholiques hold what they list they heare the danger S. Augustine agréeably héereunto saith Repentance is onely in this life S. Cyprian also Hic vel accipimus vel amittimus vitam aeternam Heere wee either hold or loose life eternall meaning that if wee die well wee holde it and if wee die ill wee loose it there being no more helpe after death S. Basil againe pretily saith Post mercatum solutum nullus negociatur After the Market is ended there is neither buying nor selling and when I am dead the Market is ended with mee Wherefore let all our care be to take time while time serueth to liue well and doo well according to the rule prescribed and not according to our fancies or any mans inuention that a good life may haue a good death in Gods great mercie and goodnes Then for the place leaue it to God as also the manner and remember well that from euery Kingdome and Country from euery Towne and house yea from all corners and places whatsoeuer there is a readie way to Heauen To which agréeth that pretie Conference betwixt the Husbandman the Sayler wherein the Husbandman asked whether the Saylers father liued or no he answered no. Where died he said the Husbandman At sea saith the Sailer And where your Grandfather At sea also And where your great Grandfather At sea still saith the Sailer Good Lord then saith the Husbandman do not you feare to go to sea since so many of your Ancestors died there I pray you saith the Sailer let me likewise know of you before I answere you whether your Father liue or no and hée answered no. Where then died hee In his bed saith the Husbandman And where your Grandfather and Great Grandfather In their beds also saith hee I thanke God And good Lord then saith the Sayler are not you also afraide to goe to bed since so many of your Ancestors died there So one Question quit another wittily and both of them should teach vs that no place can hurt a setled Christian but as well from Sea as Land the Lord can giue a gracious passage to his Kingdome which hea in mercie graunt vs euer 4. In the death of the first borne Note againe the degrées of Gods punishments in these plagues First hee touched their water sent them Frogges Flies Lice and such other things gréeuous indéede but not so néere them as their goods Secondly the Lord touched their goods A greater plague than the former yet not so néere them as their owne bodies Thirdly therefore hee touched their very bodies by biles and blisters botches and sores verie gréeuous vgly yet he spared their liues But now when all the former would not serue he commeth to life it selfe and smiteth all their first borne that there was no house wherein was not death that of the déerest What may we then sée but a continual encreasing of Gods wrathfull scourges rods as long as wee shall spurne against him and not obey his holy wil Let it touch vs and turne vs awake vs and warne vs to take vp betimes How long we haue followed our owne waies and cast behinde vs the waies of God the Lord knoweth well and wee must also consider What crosses and losses haue likewise béene imposed vpon vs hitherto should bee remembred For they haue all béene Gods messengers as these plagues were to Pharaoh to drawe vs to obedience and if they will not serue the Lord will write as some Judges doo ad grauiora that is the Lord wil encrease his wrath as he did here till it come to very life it selfe Which being once lost in his displeasure the soule also is lost with the body and both of them sent to during woe for euer Urge him then no further as this cursed Pharaoh did but to day if you will heare his voice turne vnto him in true amendment of life and hee shall turne vnto you in mercie and loue eternall 5. Yea Sir God may happily deale thus with some poore people for example sake but he will regard the better sort of men and women who are of reputation in the world and not bring these heauie thinges vpon them But no saith your Chapter heere for this plague must light vpon all sorts from the first borne of Pharaoh which sitteth vpon the throne vnto the first borne of the Maid-seruant that grindeth at the Mill yea the Lord will not spare the very beasts No honours therefore or riches no friends or strength no pompe or port in this world may defend from him but he will smite all degrées and therefore let all degrées profit by it He will bring downe the mightie from their seates and cast euen Crownes vnto the dust Golde and Siluer are drosse before him and nothing can helpe but a reformed heart The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit A broken and a contrite heart the Lord shall neuer despise Trust to this but bid all earthly Titles stand aloofe for they will not serue 6. Then there shall be a great crie throughout all the Land of Egypt such as was neuer none like nor shall be This is a consequent of Gods Plagues euer wheresoeuer they light Cries and great Cries woes and great woes But shall any good Childe offend his Heauenly Father till he force him to make him crie Shall wee not thinke of the daies of truth and peace till wee heare in euery
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
Egypt Then hee tooke Zipporah Moses wife c and went vnto him Thereby noting that the hearing of Gods great and wonderfull workes done for his people mooued his heart to come and ioyne himselfe to them so entereth God to the heart by the eare vsuallie And therefore the vse of the eare to heare of God and his workes out of his word euer cried for in the Scriptures and the stopping of the same euer condemned as to GOD rebellions and to the soule most hurtfull and pernitious O that it might sinke and settle in all men for their amendment and encrease of care and conscience to heare 2. What is Iethro A Gentile Where dwelt hee In Midian a good way of Gentiles then heare and Iewes will not they that dwell farre of come and they that are néere will not He that but heareth is much mooued they that sée with their eyes and féele with their hands Gods works and mercies murmure repine sinfully Doo not things fall out thus in our dayes and finde wee not by erperience to the griefe of all good mindes that plentie is no daintie would GOD wee did not But let vs in time remember what is spoken for our admonition if wee haue grace Manie shall come from the East and West and shall sitte downe with Abraham Isaack and Iacob in the Kingdome of Heauen And the Children of the Kingdome shall be cast out into vtter darknes there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Woe be to thee Chorazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great workes which were done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon they had repented long agone in sackcloath and ashes The Queene of the South shall rise in iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it for she came from the vttermost parts of the earth to heare the wisedome of Salomon and beholde a greater than Salomon is heere Then Christ in his person now Christ in his word the same Christ God and man euer aboue Salomon who was his creature 3. Iethro brought with him Moses wife whom he had sent away and her two sonnes ver 3. The time when hee sent her away I doo not remember to be expressed in the Scripture But of like it was when shee shewed her selfe so crosse and weyward about the circumcision of her sonne to the hazard of Moses owne life whom the Lord would haue killed for neglect of the Sacrament Happily he thought shee would be crosse and headie in other things as well as in that and therefore for feare lest shee should hinder him in his vocation now imposed by God he sent her for a time back with his Children to Iethro her father Whereof we may make me thinks these two vses first that it is a gréeuous offence for either wiues or others to be an hinderance to men in their duties enioyned them by God for this is euen to striue against God and to set our will against his will to the great perill both of the men so called and of the parties that so hinder them if they persist Secondly that it is the dutie of all so called to remoue from them in a lawfull sort those hinderers preferring the Lords worke before their owne affection and remembring zealouslie their Maisters wordes Hee that loueth Father or Mother more than mee is not worthie of mee And hee that loueth Sonne or Daughter more than me is not worthie of me But whosoeuer shall forsake houses or Bretheren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my names sake he shall receaue an hundreth fold more and shall inherite eternall life This forsaking for a time of Moses was a holie resistance of his owne affections and a zealous care of his imposed office 4. And Iethro saide to Moses that is hee sent messengers to say I thy Father in lawe Iethro am come to thee and thy Wife and thy two Sonnes with her A singular modestie in Iethro and reuerence to his Sonne in lawe Moses his place when albeit hee had with him those guests that hee knew in nature must néedes be welcome besides his owne due who was come so farre in loue and kindnes yet hee would not come to him without this reuerent sending before to acquaint him Such reuerence to mens places in our daies is much wanting in those that chiefely should performe it and familiaritie breedeth contempt But behold Iethro héere and know that God hath Chronicled this for his praise and our profit Reuerence to Magistrates reuerence to Ministers reuerence to all authoritie and superioritie certainly it pleaseth God and commendeth vs. The contrarie is immodestie yea impietie and as a great contempt of the Author of that authoritie as of the partie contemned vsuallie punished of God either with want of euer hauing authoritie or with such contempt if they haue authoritie as erst they measured vnto others 5. Howe requiteth Moses this kinde respect The Text saith Hee went out to meete his Father in lawe and did obeysance and kissed him and each asked other of his welfare and they came into the Tent. No authoritie and greatnes maketh him proude or vnmindfull of an olde friend who had shewed him kindnes when he was in a lower estate but with a singular humilitie he receaueth reuerence in his place and with like respect againe boweth himselfe and reuerenceth Iethro Such mutuall loue and reciprocall offices of complement and order shall you euer sée in wise men what difference soeuer is in their places And there is no greater pride than where least worth is Pride maketh rude and rudenes getteth little loue wee all knowe Such an Example as this is in steade of an hundred to a wise heart and yet you may ioyne Dauids protestation to it be much profited Lord I am not high minded I haue no proud lookes c. 6. Then Moses told his Father in law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians c. Being met together after ordinarie salutations and kinde enquiring one of anothers health they fall to religious and godlie talke Moses taking pleasure to speake Iethro to heare of such gracious fauours as the Lord had shewed to his people and of such powerfull iudgements as he had laide vpon their enemies Which may serue for a good motiue in our daies to cut off idle if not very prophane conference when wee méete and to leade vs this good way remembring euer that of idle words wee must giue an accompt Woe be to the world because of offences for it must needes be that offences must come but woe bee to that man by whom the offence commeth c. If any man among you seeme religious refraineth not his tongue but deceaueth his owne heart this mans religion is in vaine The hartie ioy also that was in Iethro when hee heard these thinges notablie telleth vs the right affection of a Childe of GOD
it not moue such as be the Lords to carefulnes in well doing Iudas watcheth when the Apostles sléepe why watcheth he but for a mischiefe The High Priests all that rable assemble together betimes euen before day will the wicked be working euill While men sleepe the enemie soweth Tares among the good seed that was sowen If the driuer of horses either strike or speake but to one all the rest set themselues to it amend their paces Let God and Nature the Word and Experience worke with wise persons vnto good And for Iustice what a blessing to the people and what a praise to the carefull executer of it who knoweth not Heathen Aristotle could say that no starre is so beautifull in the skie as Iustice is on earth Mens wisedom may make them reuerenced their power may make thē feared but Iustice Iustice is that which winneth mens harts maketh them beloued and the more faithfull and painfull they are in doing thereof the more honoured aliue and dead Looke vpon Moses in this place 3. And as Iustice is a blessing so are good lawes ordinances in a kingdom in the praise whereof much might be said as not a litle against idle superfluous hurtful lawes against obscure deceitful penning of them leauing holes gaps in them for all the good intended by them to run out at and neuer be séen but I leaue it to your owne meditation 4. In this excellent man Moses doth not Iethro his inferiour far finde iustly a fault very well aduise him to a better course which Moses followed with Gods approbation Let it tell vs that no man is perfect in all things but may receaue counsel euen frō a meaner person Let Moses modesty in yéelding make our spirits humble in like occasion where God dwelleth it will be so pride is a sure signe of an ill heart The head scorneth not the foot in our bodies and the very foote is carefull for the head Make vse application of it your selfe Time spent in these meditations is well spent euer and will please God profit you 5. The Properties noted by Iethro to be in Magistrates Gouernours are worthy much obseruation Prouide men saith he of courage fearing God men dealing truly hating couetousnes All great graces shining ornaments in men of authority as by a seuerall consideration of euery one may well appeare The first is Courage or an inuincible cōstancie wherewith al such as are in authority ouer others to minister iustice iudgment vnto them ought to be endued to the end that neither by loue or hatred they encline more to one or other than standeth with the right of their place and to the end that neither with flattering prayses or bitter backbitings of men giuen to tempt the good disposition of such Gouernours they be moued and drawne aside discouraged or set downe in the worke of their Calling but what is iust and right that soundly and reundly they doo ministring iustice to all without feare or fainting looking to him that must iudge them and who will assuredlie reward their well doing and iustly punish all their deprauers and hinderers In the Booke of Chronicles we reade it for no small blemish in a King and no small rod to the people vnder him that Rehoboam the sonne and successor of Salomon was but a childe meaning in heart and courage that is in déede weake and faint harted and so could not resist those vaine and wicked men which made themselues strong against him Therefore God willed Ioshua to be strong and of a most valiant courage A good Exhortation gaue Dauid to Salomon his Sonne saying Be strong and shew thy selfe a man for I goe the way of all the earth c. Such godly fortitude was in the Apostle when he saide Wee are reuiled and yet we blesse wee are persecuted and suffer it Wee are euill spoken of and we pray c. Meaning that hee gaue not ouer or fainted in his dutie for all these thinges The second is the feare of God a vertue also most requisite in Iudges for héereupon hang all vertues as might at large be shewed if it were néedefull But let that Example of Abraham suffice who thinking that the feare of God was not in Gerar vtterly despaired of any other vertue and therefore mooued his wife to say shee was his sister In this respect the feare of God is both by Dauid and Salomon called the beginning of wisedome that is the roote and fountaine of all goodnes and therefore of all Justice and true Judgement in Judges The third is a loue of truth and true dealing for who more than Iudges should be frée in themselues and abhorre in all others traude and deceipt lying and false witnes bearing by which all Iustice must néedes be ouer-throwne the wicked iustified and the haltar put about the true mans necke to the great offence of God the fearefull punishment of the Iudge that not louing truth or not so carefull for it as he ought hath suffered such iniquitie to be done The last is that Iudges be haters of Couetousnes the plague and poyson of all Iustice as might be shewed by much proofe were I willing to stand vpon so knowne a Common place It stoppeth eyes it stoppeth eares it tieth tongues and worketh wonders wofull and hatefull c. To men of this sort that is endued with these vertues aboue saide authoritie happily and to the great good of many thousands is giuen and God for his mercie sake encrease the number of them In Deutro these things will come to be spoken of againe and therefore I am here the shorter CHAP. 19. AT this Chapter beginneth the second part of this Booke of Exodus wherein you haue these points First a Preparation of the people to heare the lawes of God deliuered by God himselfe to them for the gouernment of their liues and actions and that is in this 19. Chapter Secondly the Lawes them selues in the next Chapter Thirdly other Lawes tending to the explication of these 10. principall Lawes called the 10. Commaundements together with the punishments of the transgressors Chap. 21. 22. and 23. Fourthly Moses ascending vp to the Mount first with the Elders after without them all alone and his receauing direction for the Tabernacle and the worship of God Chap. 24. vnto the 32. Fiftly the sinne of the people their punishment and Moses prayer for them to the 35. Chap. where certaine lawes are also repeated Lastly the building of the Tabernacle the gifts giuen the finishing erection and dedication to the end of the Booke The Preparation is generall and particular The generall hath first an Argument drawne from the authoritie of the spéech to wit that Moses did not commaund out of his owne bead but was called vp to the Mount to God and there was required to say to the house of Iacob and to tell the
tenne seuerall branches and heades commonly called the Decalogue or Ten Commaundements Of all which because I haue made exposition in a Booke alreadie I will spare my labour here and refer you to that Treatise The other general head of this Chap. to wit the peoples feare beginning at the 18. verse I will a little touch First then it is saide That all the people saw the thunders and lightnings and the sound of the Trumpet and the mountaine smoking whē the people saw it they fled stood a far of which words yéeld vs many good things to note First the difference of the Law and the Gospell The law as hath bene saide fearing and frighting shaking shiuering the heart of Man beateth downe his peacocks feathers and maketh him abashed and ashamed in himselfe to crie with the prodigall Sonne I am not worthy I am not worthy O Father to be called thy sonne Yea it maketh him stand a far of with the poore Publican smite his breast in true féeling of his sinne and to beséech God for mercy to a Sinner Whosoeuer is not thus humbled he neuer knew what the law ment but like the vaine Pharisie doteth vpon himselfe without cause erreth as the Apostle did before the Commandement came Contrariwise the Gospell chéereth and comforteth helpeth healeth and swéetely allureth to come in al ioyfull assurance of mercie by him who hath fulfilled the law for vs and remooued away the curse that would haue slaine vs. Read the 12. Chap. to the Hebrewes noted before and sée what I say most plaine beginning at the 18. verse Secondly it may teach vs to our great good now whilst wee haue time that if the law were so terrible when it was giuen it will be a dreadfull day when all the breaches of the same shal be iudged And if the people fled now stood a far off and were in such feare how will the Idolater the Blasphemer the Adulterer the Drunkard the Thiefe the Murderer the Rebellious and Disobedient the false witnesse the couetuous oppressour and all such iolly fellowes that now scorne and scoffe at all admonitions I say how will all these doo and what will be their case at that day Turne turne we then vnto God in time and amend your liues that Christ fréeing vs from this feareful law wée may be safe by his holy Gospell Thirdly this place sheweth their ignorant folly that say in their hearts O if I might heare God speake himselfe I should be much mooued I should belieue and bee out of all doubt c For were the people here able to indure the voice of God Doo they not say to Moses talke thou with vs and we will heare but let not God talk with vs lest we dye Little little doo they conceiue which thus say either their own weakenes or the Maiestie of God Let them therfore learne of this people here the blessing of God in giuing vs Moses to speak to vs the is in raising vp among vs men of our own shape mould matter men that we feare not but know loue are linked to in degrées of loue to speak vnto vs in his Name putting his holy spirit among them induing them with guifts fit for such a calling in vouchsafing his Word to direct both them and vs and so euery way familiarlie and yet truly and effectually labouring and working our saluation if wee bee not obstinate to contemne his meanes and care This Ministerie of Man so despised of Man so wronged and so cast downe is an other manner of mercie than wicked worldlings conceiue or féele but one day they shal know when it will bée too late to reforme their fault which now they may leaue if they haue grace Then shall they sée God and heare God but with greater terror than this people did héere They shall also sée blacknesse and darknesse they shall heare thundrings and lightnings smokes and fires and flames with trembling perplexitie then if it could be had againe Moses voice to speake vnto thē would be accepted which now is so little regarded and set by Fourthly This darknesse wherein God was noteth the Maiestie of God to be incomprehensible and not to be reached vnto by our wits We must therefore be sober and modest and humble in talking and writing of God Simonides foūd this when vndertaking to shew what God was the more he studied to doo it the more time still he craued and was further and further off First he asked three daies then six and then double againe and in the end gaue ouer and could not doo it To vs this place may be in stead of a thousand But Moses drew neere vnto the darknesse where God was GOD dwelleth in light but in regard of our weaknesse it is darknesse and happie wée if wée acknowledge our weakenesse and craue helpe where it is to be had Other things your selfe may note which I passe ouer The great charge that God giueth to beware any Images of him either of Gold or Siluer you may conferre with the 4. Chap. of Deut. with the second Cōmandement whereof I haue spoken and settle in your heart how odious to God that course is frō which yet no perswasion will draw some If God would be remembred by an Image he would haue suffered it if he would be worshipped in an Image hee would haue suffered it and he would haue letten them sée some forme which they might haue followed if he could like of an Image of wood or stone more fit for his Maiestie were gold siluer But you sée al is for bidden cursed with them are the makers of them which is a fearefull thing if it were thought of Reade Esay 45. ver 16. 2 An Altar of earth shalt thou make c. God would haue but one Altar to note one truth and one Religion He would haue it of earth or rude without labour that vhen they remooued they might throw it downe or it fall of it selfe so that posterity might take no cause of Idolatry thereby Steppes to the same Altar he forbiddeth likewise for the cause specificd in the margin of your Bible and it well teacheth that in Gods Worship all things should be done deuoutly and comely euen as the Apostle himselfe teacheth and requireth Ignorant and prophane men delight in pompe and earthly shew but Christians must indeauour to haue all thiugs done so modestly and soberly as to euery man it may appeare what spirit they are guided and gouerned by The multitude of Popish Altars might here be remembred if it were néedefull and that good decree of the second Councill of Africa Chap. 50. and the fift of Carthage Chap. 14. That such suspitious Altars as were in those daies set-up in euery corner should be plucked downe beeing built vppon dreames and superstitious conceipts And if without tumult they could not bee pulled downe then the people to be
at large reade in the exposition of that Commandement So great is the honour of Parents before God and so sharpe a Iudge is God against all abusers of them Little thought of by too many in our daies the rather because continually in the Church there is not a beating of these points of Catechisme into Childrens heades and hearts by carefull Ministers O that they woulde bée once drawen to doo this dutie in their seuerall Churches Soone soone shoulde they finde the Fruite of it and the greatnesse of their Sinne in so long neglecting it In Plato an heathen we reade the like law wherein is decréed that all beating and contumelies of Parents should bée punished with perpetuall banishment and death By the Romane lawes the slaier of his parents was not to be slaine either with sword or fire or other ordinary punishment sed in sutus culeo c. sowed in a sacke with a Dogge a Cocke a Viper and an Ape he should be throwne into the Sea or Riuer that the ayre whilest he liued and the earth when he was dead might be denied him who so had wronged them that gaue him a life and beeing in the ayre and vpon the earth A good Writer testifieth hee saw one put to death at Tigurine who had cursed and reuiled his Mother 5 He that stealeth a Man and selleth him if hee be found with him shall dye the death To flocke away as wee speake a mans seruant Man or Maide or to buy or sell a freeman and so to bring him into bondage was a grieuous sinne with God and therefore thus seuerely punished Thus sinned the brethren of Ioseph against him when they sold him to bee a bondman and to be vsed as pleased the buyers which might haue béene so as twentie deathes had béene better Great therefore was their sinne in that action This law is to be referred to the 7. Commandement and to the 5. also 6. When men striue together and one smite an other with the stone or with the fist and he dye not but lyeth in bed If he rise againe and walke without vpon his staffe then shall he that smote him go quite meaning for mans law saue onely he shall beare his charges for his losse of time and shall pay for his healing By the stone or fist are meant all other things whereby any wound is giuen although these onely bée named for example For with sword or dagger or any weapon all was one if hée were wounded and recouered so that hée was as fit for his vocation as before then this was the law but if he were maimed then otherwise If a man smite his seruant or his mayde with a rod and he dye vnder his hand he shal surelie bee punished But if he continue a day or two he shall not be punished for hee is his money These lawes of God were fitted for the state of that people when many things were indured which were not allowed If the seruant dyed presentlie it was more grieuous and therefore punished but if hee liued a time after not so yet before God it was murder also though by Mans law he escaped both in regard he was his money in his masters power and also because there might in that daye or two happen some other cause of death than that beating Perfection in these lawes wée must not looke for because God was pleased to beare with much weakenesse But yet know wée euer what his Morall law requireth and follow that which forbiddeth the abusing of seruants aswell as of others because they also beare the Image of God and God careth for them as hath béene shewed 7 If a man striue and hurt a Woman with childe so that her childe depart from her and she yet dye not hee shal be surely punished as the womans husband shall appoint him or he shall pay as the Arbiters determine But if death follow thē shal he paye life for life eye for eie tooth for tooth hand for hand foote for foote Burning for burning wound for wound stripe for stripe c. Still obserue how these lawes tend to the explanation of some of the Ten Commandements and referre this to the fift The light of Reason and Nature giuen vs of God teacheth That what measure we mete it is iust we should receiue euen the like againe That hee that taketh the sword should perish with the sword That he which spoileth should be spoiled That by what a man sinneth by that he should be punished That what a man doth the same he should suffer That euil should hit the worker and the offendor be pressed with his owne example This law of equalitie was in effect thus also in the 12. Tables at Rome the equitie thereof béeing deriued to them either from other Nations or by the light of Nature The verse saith Iusta malis haec admisso pro crimine paena est Si quae fecerunt eadem patiantur ipsi It is verie iust if men suffer the same things of others which they haue done to others If any man obiect that by Christ in the fifth of Matthew this law is repealed or was disliked we answere neither but there our Sauiour condemneth the abuse of this law according to priuate affections and for the nourishing of a lust to reuenge by priuate persons that are not Magistrates and neuer would be intreated to forgiue any Whereas he liketh euer in his children mercy and kindnesse and patience and so to ouercome our enemies as his words shew Recompence not euill for euill but ouercome euill with goodnesse 8 The other lawes that follow in this Chapter of setting seruants free for hurts done them by smiting Of the Oxe that should gore any bodie Of digging a well whereby my neighbours cattle receiue harme falling into it Of harme by one beast done to an other and such like they are so easie that without any Commentarie you may by reading of them be satisfied All of them teach vs with that care we should liue of our Neighbours goods as well as of our owne no way hurting either the one or the other small or great frée or bond but peaceably spending our daies with all men and doing what good wée can any way God wée sée is iust and we should be iust God careth for the safetie and well béeing not onely of all sorts of Men but euen of the very brute beasts and we must learn to doo the like that by our resembling of him we may be knowne to be his Children one day to inherite with his deare Sonne in his eternall kingdome This will not such cursed courses as many men delight in bring them to who in oppressing their neighbours in hurting their seruants in spoyling mens goods and killing their Cattle in fightings and striuings and all euill take their great and dayly pleasure Who hath eares to heare shall heare and to others doe what we can
the Lord with a perfect heart Againe in 〈◊〉 17. v. O my God thou tryest I know the heart and hast pleasure in righteousnesse I haue offered willingly in rhe vprightnesse of mine heart all these things I haue also found thy people which are here to haue offered willingly with ioy The Apostle also witnesseth that God loueth a cheerefull giuer and what is done grudgingly that is with a sparing nigardly hart or of necessity that is against a mans will as loth to be euill reported off all that be it whatsoeuer the Lord despiseth and regardeth not to which agréeth that aduise of the wise-son of Sirach Giue vnto the most High according as he hath inriched thee and looke what thine hand is able giue with a cheerefull eye With a cheerefull eye I say againe and doo you mark it For the Lord recōpenceth and will giue thee 7. times as much meaning as thou giuest with such a cheereful eye Such a matter in al offerings gifts and duties to God is willingnesse cheerefulnesse hartinesse making good that Saying of S. Augustine Nemo inuitus benefacit etiamsi id quod bonum est facit Euen a good deede vnwillingly done is not well done Were this considered of people that for feare of lawe or such like respects come to Church and to the holy Communion without al conscience loue of such as cannot be drawne to giue any thing to the poore to reparatiō of their Church to the Minister that preacheth the Word of life vnto them is in Gods stead sent by him directed and inabled by him for their saluation more than by méere authoritie and strength of the law the Magistrate they shal be forced vnto surelie it would work some better disposition in them I would hope so draw from a gracious God reward vpon willing duties which now perish without any profit to them from him because they are altogether forced He is able to make it felt and considered 4 The fourth point is to what end these offerings should be euen for a Sanctuarie saith the Text that is for a place to offer Sacrifices in and to heare the lawe in as wée now speake to make a Church For this Sanctuarie was in steade of a Church vnto them till Salomon built the glorious Temple The fauorites of Rome often obiect to the Professors of the Gospell that we haue no Churches built by any of our Religion c. To whom true answere is made that first our bodies are the Temples of the holy Ghost therefore were there no other Temples than these yet God might dwell in vs and we be his Secondlie this people of the Iewes and our Forefathers had no such Churches as now be but worshipped the true God in Tabernacles or tents in the wildernes before this Sāctuarie was made then in this Sanctuarie which was moueable also frō place to place Thirdly Jesus Christ in the Mountaines in Ships such like places taught the people they heard his word beléeued Iohn Baptist in the prison preached Christ and that was his Church Paul did like begat disciples to Christ in his bands He preached taught two yeares together in his owne house hired in Rome Thereupō it hath bin said that our Fathers true godly men indéed had dark Churches light harts afterward counterfet Christians had shining Churches and darke harts Men became like the Disciples of Christ in that error of theirs when they so gazed vpon delighted in and doted vp ō the outward forme and matter of the Temple cōming to their Master to shew him the building of the Temple and saying to him Maister see what manner stones and what manner buildings are here how it was garnished with goodly stones and with consecrate things To whom Christ answered Are these the things that ye look vpon As if he should haue saide this is but lightnesse in you to eye so much these things for they are not the things that I most estéeme And therefore the time will come when not one stone shall be left vpon an other which shal not be throwen downe Earthly temples and Churches haue an vse whilest God pleaseth but true Religion may bée without them and God rightly serued if none were But now there are Churches in the World and did the Papists builde them all No No Assuredlie the Iewes and the Gentiles did build most of them and their labours we inioye Some peraduenture were built or repaired by men of Romish Religion Princes Bishops or others but what said their great man Campion preaching at the nerall of Sir Thomas White Surely saith he this they did in maxima rerum vilitate et multorum opibus adiuti in a time of great cheapenesse of euery thing and helped with the riches of many men Thus could he sée and say before discontentment made him Popish and blinde Popery made him blinde also Constantine the Great built Churches before euer Popery was hatched Charles the Great built Schooles of diuinitie and Vniuersities in Germanie Fraunce Italy not for Popery but for the Bible to be taught in and Saint Augustines workes reade at their tables Edward the third King of this Realme loued Wickleff adorned the Vniuersities and speaking honorablie of the bountie of Princes blameth accuseth greatlie the spoile and ouerthrow of Churches by Popes The Britans auntientinhabiters of this Nation as Beda witnesseth had their Churches and Temples and yet no Popery Therefore all was not done by papists The varie papists themselues confesse the contrarie Churches then wée haue and not built by them which yet if wée had not wée might bée Gods people Worthy persone in our daies which haue built Colledges inriched Cities with many such other good works would also haue built Churches if wée had wanted c. 5 To what end would God haue this Sanctuary builded That I may dwell among them saith the Lorde Hee that hath Heauen for his seate and earth for his footestoole dwelleth not in Temples made with hands Neither is included in any place But because there he gaue them visible signes of his gratious presence and was not called vpon in vaine but with effect and profit to all men that rightlie made their refuge to him therfore such mercie is called euen dwelling among them God is not changed in these daies but still kinde comfortable to his people And therefore euen our Temples also are his house in which he is trulie worshipped and euer present to heare our true prayers and to send vs away with his comfort as then he did Which vse and end of the Church is a matter of great good to all minds that rightlie and religiouslie will meditate of it and be instructed For if it be his house where he dwelleth and is present if it bée the house of prayer and the worship of God with what zeale and desire should we go
hath made a gracious league and couenant as you read in Esay The mountaines shall remooue and the hilles shall fall downe but my mercie shall not depart from thee neither shall the couenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee c. This is my couenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is vpon thee and my words which I haue put in the mouth of thy seede from hence forth for euer A comfortable meditation in all the stormes and stirres of the Church Militant here on earth to looke and runne vnto this Couenāt which shal neuer faile because God is true and to consider that whatsoeuer men be or do or threaten to do the Church dependeth not vpon men nor their fauours or leagues or promises but vpon Gods couenant with it euen the Almightie maker of all the worlds Masse who bloweth vpon all earthly Potentates and they perish who saueth not with bow and speare but with his word and will no confederacies of men being able to indure his wrath He he is our strength and stonie rocke he is our defence our Sauiour our God and our might in whom we will euer trust our buckler the horne also of our saluation and our refuge By his commandement it is said to the members of his Church I baptize thee in the Name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost As much as if he should will his Minister to say from him to me to you to euerie one particularly 〈◊〉 the Almightie God maker and preseruer of all things together with my coeternall Sonne crucified for thee and raysed vp againe and with the Holy Ghost powred vpon the Apostles make with thee a Couenant of euerlasting peace which by no power of the Deuill or his members shall euer be made frustrate And to this Couenant I flye in all my feares séeking no vnlawfull meanes but remembring comfortably the words spoken Quoniam in me sperauit liber abo eum protegam eum quia cognouitnomen meum c. Because he hath hoped in mee I will deliuer him I will saue him because he hath knowen my Name I am with him in trouble to wit as his confederate I will deliuer him and exalt him to honour I will fill him with length of life shew him my saluation Then for the kéeping of the law as the two Tables of Moses were kept in the Arke so is the Church the kéeper of the Scriptures not onely by intertaining and holding the holy doctrine in our senerall hearts as in an Arke but euen also by preseruing the Bookes the ministerie of that trueh to the end of the world in prosperitie and aduersitie So whether we apply it as a figure of Christ or of the Church you sée the consideration of this Arke may yéeld vs many good meditations The Mercie Seate THe Arke as you may sée had a couer appointed to be made for it which was the Mercie Seate or the Propitiatorie The wordes of your Bible are thus Also thou shalt make a Mercie seate of pure gold two cubits and a halfe long and a cubit and a halfe broad And thou shalt make two Cherubims of gold c. How notable a figure againe this was of Christ I pray you sée for first it was the couer of the Ark where the law of Moses lay and who hideth and couereth vs from the wrath of God and from the accusation of the lawe but Iesus Christ He is like a coole shadow to flie vnto in the scorching heat of Gods deserued displeasure which is a consuming fire And were it not for him vp would the law rise against vs with his heauie curse and crie for condemnation against vs for our manifolde breaches and contempts which no flesh is able to abide Wherupō the Psalmist saith O Lord O Lord if thou wilt marke what is done amisse who who is able to indure it But do not thou O Lord enter into iudgement with thy seruant to wit without this mercie seat couer or propitiatorie for without Christ thy Sonne represented and shadowed héereby shall no flesh be iustified in thy sight Our first Parents hauing sinned couered themselues with Figge leaues and did they help Euen so are all couers beside this against God and sinne trie them and trust them who will One Dionysius a sowre and seuere defender of that Stoicall vnfeelingnesse of passions being tormented in his reines cried out That all things were false which he had till then held of paine griefe as that it might so easily be borne indured whatsoeuer it was for now he felt the contrarie that pain pincheth wil be felt notwithstanding all plaisters of philosophie humane reasons Euen so shall the sense of Gods diuine iudgement conuince all hypocrites when he shall please to touch them with it make them confesse that will-worship outward works whatsoeuer are as figge leaues to hide them from God their sinnes whatsoeuer opinion they haue formerly held of the force and merit of them and that Christ onely is the couer of the Arke when the accusing law lyeth to whom whosoeuer flie and in whom whosoeuer trust being iustified by faith they haue peace with God through him Thinke you then of it for euer and lay hold on him and on him onely by your vnfeigned faith in him if you meane to be sure and safe without perill and hazard He is our mouth whereby we speake vnto God he is our eye whereby we sée God and he is our hand whereby we offer to God Quo nisi intercedente nec nobis nec omnibus Sanctis cum Deo quicquam est Without whose intercession neither we nor any of the Saints haue any thing to do with God Quem inuenirem qui me tibi reconciliaret an eundum mihi ad Angelos At qua prece quibus Sacramentis verus Mediator Christus Whō should I find to recōcile mee to thee saith S. Angustine Must I go vnto Angels But with what praier with what Sacraments The true Mediator is Christ Quisquis pro peccato compunctus esurit sit it iustitiam credat in te qui iustificas impium per solam fidem iustificatus pacem habebit apud Deum Whosoeuer feeleth compunction for sinne and hungreth and thirsteth after righteousnes let him beleeue in thee that doest iustifie the wicked and by faith only he shall haue peace with God saith S. Bernard Non in fletibus actibus nostris sed in Aduocati nostri allegatione confidimus We doe not trust in our weeping or working but in the allegation or pleading of our Aduocate for vs saith S. Gregorie Thus spake the olde Fathers all we must marke it Popes pardons were pro fisco non pro Christo for their own gaine not for the good of Christes people as One of their owne side said well of them c. 2 Secondly it was
in this matter The third part 1 THen Moses prayed and said O Lord c. Heere héere then sée A faithful Magistrate A faithfull Minister A true Shepeheard ouer his people coÌ„mitted to him of God Who knoweth what iudgements godly Gouernours turne away by their earnest intercession to God for their people We sée this place we read what Hester did and the mercie of God is plaine for their sakes It should worke in vs all loue and obedience and dutie to them and make vs day and night pray for the continuance of them Treasons and treacheries raylings and reuilings slaunders and defamations wrongs and iniuries any way are not fit requitals of such good receiued by them and for them This prayer of Moses if you marke it is most vehement as comming from a mooued heart and vseth vehement and vrging arguments vnto God As first of his fauour all waies extended to them vers 11. Secondly of his glorie which would be obscured by the Aâ—gyptians lewd speaches if he destroyed them ver 12. Thirdly of his promises made vnto their fathers Abraham Isaac and Israel the trueth whereof might not be violated vers 13. with which the Lord moued in mercie stayeth as you see Such Reasons serue euen at this day and may be vsed to the Lord in our prayers Hee hath béene good to vs infinite waies and we may intreat him by these passed fauours to vouchsafe future and to stay his wrath which we haue deserued Nothing more commonâ—with Dauid in euerie Psalme if you marke it Againe euen by our punishment the enemie will be proud and speake euill they will call both himselfe and his truth into question and ecclipse his glorie to the vttermost His promises also we haue most richly and therefore in all these respects we may craue pardon and doing of it heartely with true repentance and purpose to amend he is the same God still and we shall finde fauour 2 Upon this earnest praier the Lord saith the text v. 14. changed his minde from the euill which he threatned to doe vnto his people with which comfort Moses came away and drawing neere the host he first heard the noyce of singing vers 18. for they were making merrie about their new God then comming nearer he saw the Calfe and the dancing vers 19. But then although he were the meekest man in the world yet his wrath waxed hote and he cast the Tables out of his hands and brake them in peeces beneath the mountaine Which breaking of the first Tables allegorically shewed that the law of God lighting vpon our vnregenerated nature is brokeÌ„ as it were and by the meanes of our inabilitie cannot iustifie vs. But the second written tables are put in the Arke that is when God by his Spirit worketh in vs we are regenerated and the law is obeyed of vs though not fully yet in measure this imperfect obedience is made perfect by Christ Aug. Magno etiam mysteris figurata est iteratio Testamenti noui qucniam vetus erat abolendum constituendum nouum Quaest 144. By a great mysterie the abrogating of the olde Testament by the comming of the new was figured But vnderstand Augustine rightly Then he tooke the Calfe which they had made and burned it in the fire and ground it to powder and strowed it vpon the water and made the children of Israel drinke of it vers 20. Partly to despight them and partly that they should haue no occasion to remember it After he rebuked Aaron vers 21. And if Aaron now elect High priest a Figure of Christ be so sharply rebuked of Moses surely great men must be reprooued and it is a cursed doctrine that though the Pope should carrie thousands of soules to hell yet no man may say Sir why do you thus Secondly in matters concerning the glorie of God we must rebuke euen our néere ones as others no place for affection After that he called for such as would reuenge this wrong done to the Lord vers 26. and the sonnes of Leui gathering to him he bad euerie man put his sword by his side goe to and fro from gate to gate through the host slay euerie man his brother euerie man his companioÌ„ euerie man his neighbour vers 27. so that there fell of the people the same day about three thousand men vers 28. This was the zeale of his heart to the glorie of God it must be a glasse for vs to look in whilst we liue in this world The Lord hath placed the commaundements in the Decalogue the petitions in the Lords prayer which concern his honor before those which coÌ„cerne our selues to teach vs that we ought to prefer his glorie before all worldly things yea euen life it selfe if they come in Question together Thus did Shadrach Meshach and Abednego thus did Daniel when he he opened his window and made his prayer to God notwithstanding that cruell law thus did the Mother and her seuen sonnes in the Machabees thus did Elias Phinees Dauid and others Thus did not olde Heli and therefore the Lord smote him Mine eyes gush out with teares saith the holy Prophet because men keepe not thy law And doe not I hate them that hate thee and am grieued with them that rise against thee Yea I hate them right sore euen as though they were mine enemies He that loueth Father or mother more than mee is not worthie of mee And he that loueth Sonne or Daughter more than mee is not worthie of mee c. 3 And when the Morning came Moses said vnto the people yee haue committed a grieuous crime but now I will goe vp to the Lord if I may pacifie him for your sinne Moses therefore went againe vnto the Lord and said Oh this people haue sinned a great sinne and haue made them gods of Gold Therefore now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercie shall appeare but if thou wilt not I pray thee rase me out of the booke which thou hast written When Moses had fought on Gods part with the sword now he striueth for the people with his prayer so both true to God in a holy zeale and carefull of his people in the bowels of loue was this holy man this faithfull Gouernour and leader of this multitude Anotable example for all Magistrates and all Ministers euer to follow But heere is more than I said in the former Note For here is a preferring of Gods Glorie before euen life and comfort eternall which is farre more than this temporall life and all the ioyes of it So shall you sée in Saint Paule to the Romanes and what a measure of Gods holy Spirit it was consider you Farre are we from this that preferre euerie small profit and pleasure before this glorie of God and yet say we hope to be saued as well as they A true féeling of our owne iniquitie herein may much amend vs hereafter and God for
is holy and vndefiled giuen as a good Schoolmaster to lead vs vnto Christ And euen the whole Scripture together Olde Testament and New Law and Gospell is giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improue to correct to instruct in righteousnes That the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works The other poynt may be a litle touched namely his prophanenesse that rested at this worship and thought it vnfit Wherein first let vs consider that not man deuised it and God approoued it but euen God himselfe both deuised it and accepted it For the first man Adam was taught of God and he taught his sonnes Cain and Abell otherwise in Faith could not Abell haue so worshipped Faith being by hearing and hearing by the word of God So from man to man it procéeded as the Wil of God in all generations and was vsed with the godly as the forme of dutie which God required of them and allowed And now here in your Chapter the words are thus Now the Lord called Moses and spake vnto him out of the Tabernacle of the Congregation c concerning this kinde of worship Whereupon it followeth that being his owne appointment who is wisedome it selfe iustice it selfe and all goodnes flesh and blood dust and ashes should not dare to censure it but as good although no reason thereof could appeare to his vnderstanding The singular vse of it and great fitnesse to the ende God appointed it for will after appeare in the whole Booke by noting the particular Sacrifices mentioned and commanded But in the meane time although God be not bound to giue reasons euer to vs of his Will nor we bound to search out for them but humbly and obediently to rest in his good pleasure made knowne by his Word yet if we thinke he chose this course to confound the wisedome of the wise we shall not thinke amisse For all the learned Writings and wise Lawes deuised by man to make people good could neuer worke so much to that end as this did in such as tooke the right vse of it The more therefore any despised it thought it folly the more did it ouerthrow him in his iudgement and prooue his wisedom to be starke folly 2 Yet concerning the continuance of this kinde of Worship the Lord neuer intended it should be perpetuall but onely for a time namely till that great Sacrifice figured and shadowed by all those Sacrifices should be exhibited and giuen vnto mankinde according to the Scriptures with whom all shadowes should cease and take an end And this was well knowne to such as rightly vnderstood the Scriptures albeit to some others it was not tollerable doctrine but very dangerous to be touched The Prophet Dauid vnderstood it when he said Sacrifice and Offerings thou wouldest not haue but mine eares hast thou opened Sacrifice for sinne hast thou not required then said I Loe I come The Prophet Malachie spake of it when he alleageth the Lord speaking thus I haue no pleasure in you saith the Lord God of Hostes neither will I accept an Offering at your hand For from the rising of the Sun vnto the going downe of the same my Name is great among the Gentiles and in euery place Marke this Incense shall be offered vnto my Name and a pure offering for my Name is great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hostes Agréeable to which place are the words of Christ to the woman in the fourth of Iohn Woman beleeue me the houre commeth when ye shall neither in this Mountaine nor at Ierusalem worship the Father c. Also the Apostle Paule his words I will that the men pray euery where lifting-vp pure hands without wrath or doubting Whatsoeuer therefore you read in the Word of the perpetuitie of this kinde and forme of worship you must still take it by restraint vnto the comming of Christ and the continuance of that common wealth and policie of the Iewes not longer 3 Touching these Sacrifices and Rites we are to know and euer remember that God neuer instituted and ordeined them to be meritorious and euen by the workedone as we say to appease the wrath of God and deserue eternall life For so thought some Hypocrites in those dayes and are sharply and often rebuked for it And the Apostle telleth vs plaine The blood of Bulles and Goates cannot take away sinne c. 4 They were not appoynted to be onely Allegories of good workes and ciuill vertues and darke deliniaries of a politicall life as were the Symbols of Pythagoras or the Hieroglyphicks of the Egyptians And yet there may be a fit application of them this way For indéed they do shadow-out such vertues as the Sacrifice of Christ should worke by Faith in true beléeuers but I say they were not instituted onely for this purpose but the holy Ghost looked at higher matters in these Ceremonies namely that they might shadow-out the Lord Jesus the promised Messias and the true Sonne of God and that Sacrifice which he should make of himselfe for the Redemption of all mankinde vpon the Crosse according to the Scriptures that they should nourish and maintaine the promises hereof in mens hearts and that sauing Faith hereupon springing in him in him onely to be saued for euer For euery Sacrifice was a Sermon of this matter of his comming of his suffering of his death c. And by such visible sights the Gospell was preached concerning life by him Thus iudged S. Iohn when he sayd Behold the Lambe of God c. as if he should haue saide that Lambe that was shadowed by all the Lambes and Sacrifices of the Law Hetherto tend the words of Saint Paul to the Ephesians Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God The words of S. Peter Knowing that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from your vaine conuersation receiued by the tradition of the Fathers But with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot The words of Saint Iohn The blood of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne In the Reuelation The Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world How Surely not onely in the purpose and appointment of God but by the Sacrifices which were offered euen from the beginning For by all such his death was shadowed and he as it were slaine to the faith of man as often as any Sacrifice was offered The whole Epistle to the Hebrewes also in full manner teacheth thus much and marke the words well in the 10. Chapter The Law had the shadow of good things to come not the verie image of the things 5 For the varietie of them there were many sorts of sacrifices and yet but one Christ to be signified by them all This did
ende but contrariwise bitter at first and swéet at the ende He that forsaketh not all and followeth me cannot bee my Disciple How bitter is this at the first but in the end how swéete You shall sit vpon twelue Seates and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel You shall eate of my Table c. Lastly Christ puffeth no man vp as Leauen doth the Dough neither sowreth his seruant in whom he dwelleth but he maketh him lowly and humble and swéete in behauiour to his brethren poore and gréeued and néeding comfort Melancton not vnprofitably saith Hony was forbidden also to be offered to God to teach that the Word Doctrine of God is not to be turned to popular applause not to content the Prince and to please the people contrary to the Truth and edge of it Art may not drawe his Diuine precepts to make them delight humane Reason but his Word must be left to his right Nature please it or displease it the Hearers For such Hony-offerers are but dawbers and sowers of pillowes vnder mens elbowes flatterers time-seruers hatefull to God and hurtfull to his people Others haue noted that if hony be burned it smelleth not well and therefore was forbidden to be vsed in the Sacrifice shadowing Christs death as this Sacrifice by fire did because his death smelleth most swéetly and right deere vnto God also is the death of his Saintes for him The Gentiles againe vsed to offer hony in their Cakes to their Gods as we read and therefore happily God also forbad it The third Rule you haue in the 13. verse All the Meat-offering shalt thou season with salt neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the Couenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat-offering but vpon all thy Oblations thou shalt offer salt First it is called the salt of the Couenant of God because God required it in all these Sacrifices as a Couenant and thing agréed vpon firme and stable not to be broken which kinde of Couenants were called Couenants of salt Num. 18. 19. 2 Chro. 13. 5. Secondly the Commandement is generall All the Meat-offerings whereupon our Sauiour Christ taketh occasion to exhort that all men would addresse themselues vnto the perpetuall faulâ—les kéeping of Gods holy Couenant by the example of these Offerings which without salt were no way acceptable nor tollerable To the continuall kéeping I say because the Text sayth Thou shalt not suffer the salt of the Couenant of thy God to bee lacking from thy Meat-offering which is as if he had said euer haue in thy selfe the Word and Law of thy God with which thou art seasoned as with salt the Offerings of strangers from Gods Couenant being neuer acceptable but an abhomination to God For the true seasoning which findeth grace with God is no where found but in the Word and therefore all worships deuised by man séeme they neuer so wittie and gay in the eyes of the Inuenters are vnsauorie and odious Others looking at Christ his alluding to this place in the 9. of Marke abouesaid gathered thus of it that Christ from this Ceremonie draweth his exhortation to his faithfull that they patiently indure to be purged and purified if they desire euer to be acceptable to God For euery Sacrifice saith he must be salted with salt and euery man shall be salted with fire that is our corrupt affections by the Word and the Crosse as by a holy fire clensed and cléered from that displeasing sauour they yéelde and we wholly seasoned vnto God as this mortalitie will giue vs leaue If you thinke farther of salt thus preferred before Leauen and hony you shall sée that salt is most commodious for mans vse For salt kéepeth our meate from putrifaction it kéepeth wine from sowring it preserueth dead bodyes a long time swéet and sauourie it yéeldeth our meate a good taste and dryeth vp the superfluous moisture of it in our bodyes which might bréed diseases and in a word so good it is that the Prouerbe ioyneth it with the Sunne without which we cannot liue saying Sale Sole nihil viilius Than Salt and the Sunne nothing is more profitable Wittie and sharpe pleasant speeches haue their name of salt and hée that hath no wit is said to haue no salt in him Salt then was required in the Sacrifice to figure out Christ who indéed is the true salt that seasoneth vs all our works or else neither we nor they please God Sinne hath made vs vnsauourie to God and till this salt be sprinkled ouer vs we haue no accesse to him nor fauour with him but when once we are seasoned with Christ Then he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine Eye And as our persons so our workes then please him before béeing foule and as a stayned cloath So that now it is said He that beleeueth in me shall not perish but haue eternall life To Christ we are begotten by the Ministrie of the Word and therefore the Apostles were called salt and the Ministers of GOD still are the salt of the earth For as salt lighteth vpon the flesh and byteth and dryeth vp corrupt moystore preâ—eruing and kéeping swéet the same euen so the Ministers by their labours consume and dry vp the errors the lustes the pride the vaine-glorie the couetous affections and whatsoeuer maketh vnsauourie preseruing body and soule swéete vnto God in Christ and frée from eternall corruption If thou offer a Meat-offering of thy first fruites vnto the Lord thou shalt offer eares of Corne dried by the fire and wheat beaten out of the greene eares c. It was sayd in the beginning that these Meat-offerings were here layd downe in three kindes The first raw flesh the second flowre not raw but either baked fryed or sodden the third Corne not ground to flowre The two first kindes you haue séene with their Ceremonies and now followeth this third kinde You may here remember the many sorts of Offerings of first-Fruites mentioned in the Scriptures whereof this is but one In Deutro you read of first-Fruites but in a basket and carried to the place appointed In Leuiticus here you read of a sheafe of the first-fruites of the haruest to be brought vnto the Priest In Exodus you read of that generall Offering of first-fruites In Deutro againe of the offering of Tenths In the Chapter also aboue noted of this Booke you read of two leauened loaues to bee brought And in Numb of cakes to be made of their first dough Lastly this kinde here noted of Eares of Corne dryed by the fire c. By this diuersitie wée may well note and sincke it déepe into our hearts what a reckoning God maketh of Thankfulnesse in man for the benefits and mercies he receiueth at Gods hands and how odious it is to him and dangerous to man when it is otherwise And by this sort we may still sée Christ figured and taught wherevpon Christ compareth himselfe
withall or indure This fire comming first from Heauen and thus preserued still preached vnto them by figure that aswell did their Sacrifices and seruices duly performed according to the Law please God as that did when first God sent his fire from Heauen to consume it in token of approbation which surely was a great comfort to their consciences and a mightie proppe to fainting fearing weake Faith This fire thus mayntayned and kept with all care and not suffered euer to goe out taught them and still may teach vs to be carefull to kéepe in the fire of Gods holy spirit that it neuer die nor go out within vs. The fire is kept in with wood with breath or blowing and with ashes so is Gods Spirit kept in that holy and happy fire by honest life as by wood by true sighes of vnfained repentance as by breath or blowing and by méeke humilitie as by soft ashes O that we may haue care to kéepe it in what should I say This continued fire taught then and though it be now gone and abrogated may still teach vs now to be carefull to kéepe in amongst vs the fire of Gods Word the true preaching of his Truth to the saluation of our soules Foolish men foolishly will imitate this Law by maintening of lights and Lampes candels and tapers to burne continually but let vs care to preserue this Lampe and Light of Gods Gospell amongst vs that it goe not out and God shall be pleased We and ours bettered in his blessing It had bene a hainous sinne then to suffer the fire of the Altar to goe foorth and can wée thinke it is no sinne now by taking away the maintenance to serue our gréedy couetousnesse to put out this fire from amongst vs and all Gods people about vs GOD make Patrons thinke of it and giue them conscience before there be no more time for mercie Fitly is the Preaching of the Gospell shadowed by the fire vpon the Altar consuming the Burnt-offering For the fire hath these properties it shineth and giueth light it heateth it consumeth it tryeth so the Preaching of the Gospell Thy Word is a Lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my path S. Peter calleth it a Candle in a darke place and many Scriptures teach the shining light of it The heate in like sort Did not our hearts burne within vs whilest he talked with vs and opened the Scriptures The fire kindled and I spake with my tongue saith the Psalme and as fire it pleased the Holy Spirit to appeare at Pentecost to shew this fruite of effect of the Word preached by their mouthes it heateth the heart to all good life and maketh vs zealous of good workes The drosse of our corruption by degrées it washeth the stubble of our fancies it burneth-vp and consumeth so that we abhorre the sinnes we haue bene pleased with and hate the remembrance of euill passed Lastly it tryeth Doctrine and seuereth Truth from error it tryeth men and discouereth Hypocrites All worthy Motiues to make vs carefull to preserue this fire perpetually amongst vs whilest we liue and in a holy zeale to prouide for it also when we are dead So shall we liue béeing dead Nay so shall we assuredly neuer die but with immortall soules and neuer dying tongues praise his Name that liueth foreuer and will haue vs with him This is the Ceremonie of the fire 6 The next Ceremonie is concerning the Ashes of the Burnt-offering wherin your Chapter saith thus ver 10. And the Priest shal put on his linnen-garment shall put on his linnen breeches vpō his flesh take away the ashes when the fire hath consumed the Burnt-offering vpon the Altar he shall put them beside the Altar c to the 14. vers First concerning these linnen-breeches you sée the Law for them to be made Exod. 28. 42. with the Reason of the same modestie and comelinesse in their Ministrie This putting-off their garments figured that bareing of our Sauiour Christ when hée suffered from his Garments so that as the Priest héere layd aside the clothes he ware and put his linnen-breeches about his nakednesse euen so was the Lord Iesus stripped out of all his clothes and onely with his nakednesse couered nayled vpon the Crosse for our sake Some haue said also that this laying aside of their garments shadowedout that laying aside as it were of his Diuinitie whilest in his humanitie hée truely suffered vpon the Crosse Not that euer there was any reall seperation betwixt his Natures that being impossible but because his God-head did as it were hide it selfe by not shewing his Power that the decréed Saluation of man by the meanes also decréed might be effected The carying the ashes foorth without the Hoste notably figured-out the suffering and buriall of Christ with-out the Citie of Hierusalem which was performed The ashes were to be put in a cleane place not prophaned or abused or carelesly cast away so to note that although Christ his body should dye and be as ashes in the conceite of men yet should that body reuiue againe and must not be putrified but put in a cleane place euen a newe Tombe wherein neuer any man lay before c. 7 In the 14. verse and so to the 19. The Ceremonies of the Meat-offering are more fully set down thā they were before in the second Chapter That the remnant should be the Priests was before said but it was not layde-downe how Aaron and his sonnes should vse this remnant Wherefore now it is further added That they should eate it vers 16. But how It shall be eaten without Leauen in the holy Place in the court of the Tabernacle The Males onely might eat it and not women c. What Leauen vsually in Scripture signifieth you haue heard before Namely corrupt doctrine and bad life with either which the Lord would not haue his Priestes stained In the holy Place onely and not else-where must they eate it to signifie that onely in the Church is the benefit of Christ to be had and not out of the Church The branch beareth not fruite but in the Uine and the Uine is onely in the Uine-yard This Church is not a building of lyme and stone but a societie of Christian people among whom the Gospell is truly preached the Sacraments duely and rightly administred and who with one consent firmely beléeue that they haue remission of sinnes and life euerlasting not by the merits of mans righteousnesse but by and for the merites and righteousnes of the Lord Iesus onely To be in the Church therfore is not to be in the place of Lyme and stone built to méete in but to be one of this number that holdeth and beléeueth as all Patriarks and Prophets Apostles and Martyrs and all the faithfull Elect of God euer haue done from the beginning of man and hereafter shall doe to the ende of the world who all as
you sée by these Sacrifices were drawen to Christ and Christ onely or else their Sacrifice auailed them nothing but to them was vnprofitable and to the Lord God abhominable In this Church are no Turkes no Iewes no Infidels nor any that liue a wicked life with carelesse securitie and sinfull delight or yet a holy streit life in shew but inwardly are nothing lesse than they séeme Wherefore with God they haue no remission of sinnes and without a change they shall also fayle of eternall life That here the Males onely might eate let it lead you to the 18. of Numbers which will make it moreplaine shewing you there what womeÌ„ might eat aswell as the men In some things they were barred to signifie that God would not haue women beare any publike Office and charge in the Church as the Priests did and as among the Heathens women did to say nothing of some better knowen and againe in some things they were allowed to eate that so it might appeare they belonged also to the Couenant of God the merites of Christ should saue them aswel as men For in Christ there is neither Male nor Female bond nor free rich nor poore Noble nor base but a new creature that is Christ reiecteth no sort but of what sort soeuer if they be new creatures that is borne a new by the Spirit to forsake sinne and liue vnto him in holinesse and righteousnesse they are receiued they are wel-come and hee or shee that thus commeth Hee neuer casteth away c. 8 From this 19. verse to the 24. the Meat-offering of the High-Priest so often as he should be elected by the death of the former is layd downe wherein this onely I note That euery Meat-offering of the Priest must be wholly burned and none eaten as was of other Meat-offerings Therein was shadowed the perfection of that Atonement and expiation which Christ made and so their error confuted that hold and teach the death of Christ onely to haue taken away originall sinne and that men themselues must satisfie for actuall sinnes Or that Christ hath merited but the first-grace for vs that is he hath merited that we haerafter by our merites may take away our owne sinnes and others with such like wicked and damnable assertions But euer remember you That here this Offering was wholely burned and no part left to man to teach that euen so in appeasing Gods wrath Christs Sacrifice of it selfe was most perfect and no part left vnto man in that matter Other Scriptures also abundantly teach so much which now often haue bin touched and still must to the end of this Booke Worthy is that Place of the Apostle to the Corinthians where speaking of actuall sinnes as Adulterie Fornication worshipping of Idols c Such saith he were some of you but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are iustified in the Name of the Lord Iesus by the Spirit of our God Héere euen actuall sinnes and not onely originall are taught to be taken away by Christ and by Christ onely To which agréeth the like Saying to Titus and many more And as for our merites the words are playne When we haue done all We must say we are vnprofitable seruants c. 9 Lastly in this Chapter you haue the Ceremonies of the sinne-offering touched againe from the 24. verse to the end of the Chapter All tending to teach this strongly That out of the Church â—here is no benefit to be reaped by Christ as before hath béene sayd Namely this Ceremonie that if any of the blood dropped vpon a garment that blood might not so be caryed out of the holy Place but must there be washed away and not caryed out What a plaine figure was this That Christs blood profiteth none out of the Church If it were an earthen pot that it was sodden in it must be broken not applyed after to prophane vses and if a brasen-pot then scowred and washed with water all to teach the holines of Christs blood which should be shed for man and how odious and damnable it is after we are washed and purged by this blood to giue our members againe to vncleannes and sinne and to fashion our selues like vnto this wicked world Many things more doth both this Chapter and others containe if with exact curiositie they should be stood vpon and euery particular examined but my purpose being onely to giue a taste of the vse of the Scriptures to our edification and comfort when we read and haue not better helpes this much may serue to that ende and so in euery Chapter onely a touch of things shall serue GOD in mercie giue it a blessing to vs. Amen CHAP. VII NOw to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Trespasse-Offering which are héere more fully described than in the 4. Chapter before This kinde of Offering was not vulgar but it was reckoned amongst the most Holy and therefore hath such Rites and vsage as they had It was killed in the place where the Burnt-offering was killed Namely at the North-side of the Altar so shadowing also that Christ should die at Hierusalem of which the Prophet saith On the North-side is the cittie of the great King The blood was sprinckled round about on the altar shadowing that the merites of Christs-blood should be sprinckled by preaching throughout all Nations The Inwards were burned to ashes shadowing that all the honour and reputation of Christ was by his ignominious death and Passion brought as it were to ashes that is to no account with men that knew not the mysterie of it All they that see me laugh me to scorne they shoote out their lippes and shake their heads saying He trusted in God that he would deliuer him let him deliuer him if he will haue him c. My strength is dryed-vp like a pot-sheard and my tongue cleaueth to my gummes and thou shalt bring me into the dust of death c. The remnant was eaten by the Priest in token that the benefit of Christ belongeth to the Faithfull The Skinne of the Burnt-offcring here was the Priests and all the Meat-offering that is baked in the Ouen that is dressed in the panne c. Why God should thinke of so smale and base a thing as the Skinne some may aske a Reason and sée you the Reason and the good of it First it notably confirmeth our Faith in his Prouidence that hée will neuer forget vs and leaue vs destitute of things néedfull and good for vs séeing we are much better than the skinne of a brute beast whereof yet hée hath care and thought Therefore we must not shrinke in the time of want nor hearken to Satan that so busily layeth our infirmities and vnworthinesse before vs that so hée may shake vs off from God and make vs beléeue hée will neuer regard so vile persons c. But let Faith answere auoyde Satan For I learne
that God regardeth the Sparrowes and forsaketh them not though two of them shall be sold for a farthing yea the beastes skinne in the Law hée vouchsafed to thinke of and to dispose of it to his will and hée telleth vs we are better than Sparrowes and therefore better also than the beasts-skinne that hath no life as the Sparrowes haue Hée saith O yee of little Faith If we doubt of it and therefore I know he will and doth thinke of me and I shal haue in his time euer what is conuenient and profitable Secondly it shewed that swéete and comfortable care that the Lord then had and still hath of the Ministerie that it should be maintained and not defrauded of the least thing alotted to it which still he sheweth in all other particulars vrging still that they be giuen to the Priests according to his will Great things to moue our consciences in these dayes if God be with vs to a true and iust dealing with those that serue at the Altar amongst vs and not so gréedily so wickedly and so vnféelingly to rob and spoyle them as we do If this people of the Iewes had done so in these matters alotted to the Priests as we do with our Tythes and portions giuen to the Church in our dayes do you think or can you think GOD would haue indured it No you know well he would not And is he changed will he not still haue vs taught by the Ordinance of his Word still them that serue at the Altar to liue of the Altar Are not these duties from vs now as due as euer those were then It may not it cannot with truth be denyed How then may we first or last escape the wrath of God for sinning so as if the Iewes had sinned we confesse that God would haue seuerely punished it If you say so much and so much is ynough for him and this that he may spare Make the case so of the Israelites and in this particular of the beasts skinne durst any flesh haue so reasoned then Beware therefore of making your selfe a iudge where you are none of robbing them that haue the title and inriching your selfe that haue no right What is alotted by the Gouernment you liue vnder is his and not yours if he be not worthy so much the Law helpeth that by a due tryall of him and yet leaueth the maintenance still to a more worthy not to you Harden not your heart against God against Law against right and truth accustome not your heart to couet your neighbours due your hands to purloyne it by fraude or to take it by strēgth it is theft spiritual theft Sacriledge your house receiueth stolne-goods the wrath of God may happily shake the foundation of it for such sin and you in yours or you yours be punished Thirdly this care of the Lord for the beasts-skinne to appoint it to one that should haue it well taught that people then and still teacheth vs euer to be carefull to preuent strife and to take away all Questions and controuersies as much as wée may that euery one knowing what is his may therein rest and peace ensue The more God hath giuen you the more must bée your payne this way in your good health and perfect memorie 2 Your Chapter goeth on with the Peace-offering whereof he specifieth two sorts the one of Thankesgiuing the other of a Vow Touching the first you remember how greatly GOD testifieth his liking of it throughout the Scriptures In the 50. Psalme he séemeth to preferre it before all others in some sort For I will not reprooue thee saith God for thy Sacrifices or forthy Burnt-offerings because they were not alway before me I will take no Bullocke out of thy house nor hee-goates out of thy Folds For all the beasts of the Forrest are mine and so are the cattell vpon a thousand hilles c. Offer vnto God thankesgiuing and pay thy Vowes vnto the Most-High Who so offereth vnto mee thankes and prayse he honoureth mee and to him that ordereth his conuersation aright will I shew the saluation of God Vnto thee therefore O God saith Dauid will I pay my vowes vnto thee will I giue thankes O that men would prayse the Lord for his goodnesse c O that they would offer vnto him the Sacrifice of Thankesgiuing and tell out his workes with gladnesse and so foorth all the Psalme ouer you sée it is repeated as the foote of his Song Ionas said I will Sacrifice vnto thee with the voyce of Thankesgiuing and will pay thee that that I haue vowed Saluation is of the Lord. I will prayse the Name of God saith Dauid againe with a Song and magnifie it with Thankesgiuing This shall please the Lord better than a Bullocke that hath hornes and hooses Yet careth not the Lord so much for this in respect of himselfe as forman because there is nothing that increaseth Feeling Faith Hope and Prayer as this exercise of Thanksgiuing doth Let it therefore be in vse with vs more and more that is so accepted of him to whom we owe so much 3 In the 13. verse you sée Leauen admitted of which before you remember was reiected and forbidden Hee shall offer his Offering with cakes of Leauened-bread c. Leauen therefore in the Scripture is taken both in ill part and in good part In ill part Matth. 16. 6. 1. Cor. 5. 6. Gal. 5. 9. In good part Matth. 13. verse 33. and Luk. 13. verse 21. when the Apostles are resembled to a little Leauen that leaueneth the whole Lumpe they being sent out of God into the vnleauened world by preaching and teaching to leauen it cleane through And there is a Leauen of the new nature accepted as the Leauen of our old nature is reiected For looke how the Leauen maketh the bread sauourie and strong and wholesome Looke also how it maketh it rise and heaue vp which otherwise would be sad and heauy so doth Gods regenerate Spirit change vs make vs sauorie and all our duties pleasing to God in our new birth and we rise vp yea our hearts and soules are heaued vp in all loue and thankfulnesse to him that in mercie hath so looked vpon vs. This Leauen therefore of new nature is accepted Try your selfe then in your secret Meditation how you are seasoned whether with old Leauen or new It will be good for you to take this viewe and heartily to pray for what you want Are you a Minister called of God to leauen his people with good Leauen Looke how you doe it and be painfull Faithfulnesse will be crowned when slouthfulnesse shall be condemned and condemne you And submit your selfe to the profit of your people not hunting after your owne glory that you are thus and so learned eloquent profound and so foorth If your people profit not because you flie too high a pitch for them and scorne to lay a foundation of the
owne mother Which indéed properly is but Affinitie but because shee is a kind of mother it is put héere among those that are of Consanguinitie The Heathens detested this vncleanenes and therefore S. Paule speaking of it saith It is heard certainly that there is fornication among you and such fornication as is not once named among the Gentiles that one should haue his fathers wife Wherefore more monstrous was the saying of the step-mother of Anthonie Caracalla for when Anthony was so bewitched with her beauty that he desired to marrie her and sighing sayd O if it were lawfull She shamefully answered if thou list it is lawfull for Princes giue lawes take not A most vntrue speach in things concerning the law of nature as well confelsed Dionysius when his mother would haue married otherwise than became her age sayd O mother the ciuil lawes of man may be changed altered but the law of Nature may not The Apostle vrgeth this law you know in a small matter as vnchangeable saying Doth not Nature tell you it is a shame to a man if hee haue long haire c. Much more then are the weightie poynts of Natures Law not to bee altred and changed as by these wicked marriages they are Remember Ruben his incest with Bilhah and Absolons with his fat 〈…〉 s concubines and see the end 5 Thou shalt not discouer the shame of thy sister the daughter of thy father or the daughter of thy mother whether shee be borne at home or borne without thou shalt not discouer their shame This belongeth to the collaterall line wherein Marriage is not euer forbidden as in the streight line This Law forbiddeth the sister by both Parents that is the full sister or the halfe sister the full by both the halfe by one For by borne at home is vnderstood the sister borne of an other wife in thy fathers house and by borne without the sister of thy mother married to an other man out of her house where shée dwelled before Ammons incest with Thamar his sister was against this Lawe and many other like matches Herodotus writeth that Cambyses King of Persia coueting to marrie with his sister asked his Counsellers whether there was any Lawe to permit the brother to marrie with the sister they answered after deliberation that they could finde no Lawe commaunding such marriage but they found a Law whereby it was permitted to the King of Persia to doe what hée list A most vile answere when the Question was of the Law of Nature But you will say in the beginning it was thus that brethren and sisters married and such like Saint Augustin answereth True it is because of necessitie there being then no choyce But the older this thing may be said to bee in regard of such necessitie the more damnable it is now because Religion forbiddeth it 6 The shame of thy sonnes daughter or of thy daughters daughter thou shalt not I say vncouer their shame for it is thy shame This is the right line againe wherin neuer marriage is lawful and was touched before verse 7. 7 The shame of thy fathers wiues daughter begotten of thy father for shee is thy sister thou shalt not I say discouer her shame This is a repetition as men thinke of the Lawe before verse 9. to shew that that Lawe was to be vnderstood of a sister by the one parent or other and not of a sister by marriage of father and mother For the husbands sonne by another wife may marrie with his wiues daughter by an other man albeit they be brother and sister in lawe 8 Thou shalt not vncouer the shame of thy fathers sister for shee is thy fathers kinswoman Thou shalt not vncouer the shame of thy mothers sister for shee is thy mothers kinswoman These two Lawes concerne the Aunt by father or mother It is a law of Nature And as it is not lawfull for the man to marrie his mothers sister so it is not for the woman to bée married to her mothers brother because these persons be as Parents So goe on to the great Aunt by father or mother 9 Thou shalt not vncouer the shame of thy fathers brother That is thou shalt not goe into his wife for she is thy Aunt Now hée commeth to affinitie as the Vncles wife by either father or mother that is either my fathers brothers wife or my mothers brothers wife for these are as step-father or step-mother 10 Thou shalt not discouer the shame of thy daughter in Law for she is thy sonnes wife Therefore shalt thou not vncouer her shame This is the neerest affinitie that is of the father to his daughter in law and the mother in law to her sonne in law Therefore it is no marriage lawfull Read Chap. 20 Vers 12. 11 Thou shalt not discouer the shame of thy brothers wife for it is thy brothers shame This was to bée vnderstood then during the life of his brother and so in the next Chap. verse 21. For otherwise in those dayes it was lawfull for the brother to raise vp séede to his brother Deut. 25. But now it bindeth vs euer as appeareth by Iohn to Herod It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brothers wife 12 Thou shalt not discouer the shame of the wife and of her daughter neither shalt thou take her sonnes daughter nor her daughters daughter to vncouer her shame for they are thy kinsfolkes and it were wickednesse These horrible incests are well knowne to any and therefore néed no further speach God giue grace and strength to auoyd them according to our knowledge 13 Thou shalt not take a wife with her sister during her life to vexe her in vncouering her shame vpon her Know that Moses héere hath written but a bréefe of these matters not naming all but leauing to Naturall reason by these examples to vnderstand all others which by the same Law of Nature are forbidden Moses nameth not the Vncle by Father or Vncle by Mother But as in genealogies commonly the mention is of men so in these descriptions of Marriages lawfull and vnlawfull mention is made but onely of women But the same degrees restraine both men women If any man thinke of some marriages of holy men in scripture contrary to these Rules let him remember that wée now liue by lawes and not by examples What God then either approoued or tolerated let vs neither rashly condemne nor vnaduisedly follow but obediently tary within the precinâ—â—s of the law of nature And again in these cases let it euer be remeÌ„bred as good reason is it should not only what is lawfull but what also is conuenient and fit to be done For many things are lawfull which are no way yet expedient but most vnfit in regard of some circumstances 14 Thou shalt not goe to a woman to vncouer her shame whilest shee is put a part for her disease Neither
shalt thou giue thy selfe to thy neighbours wife to be defiled with her by carnall copulation Héere he descendeth to other foule and vngodly mixtures which very Nature should teach men also to abhorre and the first is that whith is with a woman when shee hath her naturall course repeated in the 20. Chapter verse 18. and a penaltie of death set vpon it both for the man that doth it and the woman that will suffer it to bée done to her in that case so God loueth puritie and would haue all his to loue it The second is Adulterie which likewise by the Law then was death and should haue some sharper punishment than in our dayes it hath among vs. 15 Also thou shalt not giue thy children to offer them vnto Moâ—ech neither shalt thou defile the Name of the LORD thy GOD For I am the LORD Some thinke Molech was a holow Image Wherein the Children were put and fire vnder so to burne them as pleasing Sacrifices to their Gods Others thinke they were two fires betwixt which they went Reade your Marginall note in your Bible which is large This after a sort did they that gaue their children euer to be cloystred vp there to burne in sinfull lusts to the losse of both body and soule whereas the other fire burned but the bodie 16 Thou shalt not lye with the Male as one lyeth with a Woman for it is abhomination Thou shalt not also lye with any beast to bee defiled therewith neither shall any Woman stand before a beast to lye downe thereto for it is abhomination Yee shall not defile your selues in any of these things for in all these the Nations are defiled which I will cast out before you And the land is defiled I will visite therefore the wickednesse thereof vpon it and the land shall vomit out her inhabitants Of these vgly pollutions the least thought it too much God and nature abhorre them and the fearefull fire of God vpon Sodom and Gomorrah biddeth all flesh beware them Read the first to the Rom. Vers 28. 17 From the 26. verse to the end you sée the penaltie of breaking these holy lawes of a pure God as in the beginning you sée the profit of kéeping of them Learne then that not forreigne foes onely may bring a land to desolation and destruction but much sooner and soarer these home-bred impurities which if a godly magistrate master father or mother kéepe downe they procure the peace and safetie of the land or house more than if they resisted violence with armes and weapons To vomit out her inhabitants and to spew out her people are tearmes of great vehemencie in God and therefore most great should mans feare bée lest hée should prouoke him to such ver geance Sit but with your selfe and meditate of great men and great houses meaner men and meaner houses and you will remember great examples of the effect of an vncleane life in men and women Happie are they whom other mens harmes do make to beware 18 Although I might héere stay vpon these things that haue bin thus bréefly noted concerning this Chap. and leaue you not without some profit yet for asmuch as vpon these lawes concerning lawfull and vnlawfull marriages many points fall often to be spoken of I wil a little further procéed and acquaint you with the good labours of some writers which you by your selfe peraduenture otherwise shall not obtaine and get knowledge of And first concerning marriage it selfe in generall let it euer be duely considered that as vnlawfull and impure coniunction of man and woman is detested of God so is holy lawfull matrimonie with him euer accepted and allowed and crowned with many blessings of his fauour and loue being honourable among all and the bed vndefiled The Scriptures are full of the praises of it and of good aduise giuen to married persons Wée haue all béen borne by it and as God shall appoint may come to it Let therefore no crosses worldly abate the reputation of it in our hearts Let no popish parasite trouble vs that with a foule mouth from a foule heart calleth that vncleane which God hath sanctified Deceiptfull time-seruers God in time will discouer together with their impurities couertly committed by contempt of his ordinance appointed for their good nothing casting out such an vgly sent into his nostrels as their forced chastitie indeed very monstrous villanie doth Till then scorne them that scorne God and if they thinke you incumbred know you them to be tormented within and without a further torment tarying for them when God his time shall be In policie to destroy pietie will prooue but bad policie in the end if this Chapter be true which wée know cannot deceiue But marriage must bée according to these Rules of Consanguinitie Affinitie about which if any doubt arise that by this Chapter you plainly cannot discusse it shall be safe to conferre with men learned in the lawes of God and men The Ciuill lawe reckoneth degrees one way and the C 〈…〉 non law an other way The Ciuill kéepeth this Rule still that looke how many persons there are so many degrees there are taking one away to wit the roote The C 〈…〉 on lawe stretcheth restreynt further than Gods word doth therfore idle in that respect there being no transgression where no law of God is Concerning marriage many questions happen by occasion to be both thought of and spoken of whereof I will giue you a taste First séeing nothing is more contrary to marriage than want of consent Marriage indéed being but a consent of two fit persons to goe together in such sort according to the will of God and nothing more contrary to consent than error and compulsion of both these there ariseth question And first of Error or mistaking whether it doth make a marriage voyd or no Answere is made that Error or mistaking is of foure sorts namely of Fortune of Qualitie of Person of Condition And for the two first the Rule is that error of Fortune or qualitie excludeth not Consent of Marriage But the error of the two latter Namely of person and condition doth Now error or mistaking of Fortune is when the Man taketh his Bride or Shée her Bridegroome to be richer thaÌ„ he prooueth to be Error of Qualitie when the Bride is thought to be honest chaste modest painfull and a good huswife when in déed shée is deâ—â—led drunken slouthfull and a waster Error of Person is when to the woman is betrothed the eldest sonne and the youngest by deceipt giuen her This was Iacobs case who expected Rachel and had Leah but his consent after made it a marriage Error or mistaking of Condition is when the man or woman is thought free and in déed is bond which in old times was wont to dislolue matrimonie but if the man knew it before it was no cause of breach Yet if his happe was to light of a
woman defiled in steade of an honest it might not dissolue the marriage although the error was a great deale worse than to marrie a bond-woman in stead of a free Neuerthelesse in some Consistories of forreigne Countreys if a man finde such an error and accuse her and pray to be seperated this order is kéept First if the woman deny it and the man cannot plainly prooue it although he haue shrewd suspicions hée shall not put her away the 22. of Deut. playnly forbidding it But if the fact be euident by béeing with childe c. Then the Iudge first perswadeth a reconciliation willing the woman with all submission to pray pardon and forgiuenes at the mans hands and wishing the man compassionately to remit it vpon a newe life it being not done in his time If the man will not bée mooued so to doe then in the third place the Iudge diligently inquireth whether after it was knowne the man had euer knowledge of the womans bodie and if hée had then shall he be remedilesse and take her if he had not the next Question is whether shee was abused after shée was betroathed to the man or no if she were then as an adulterer she is iudged if it were before she was betroathed and the man after he knew it touched her not neither can be perswaded to remit it as an Adulterer also she is sentenced the 22. of Deutro requiring her to bée put to death who being defiled yet after marrieth as a mayd and so deceiueth him that knew not of it Thus did euen the honester Heathens also censure such women as you may sée in the Tragedie of Euripides called Ion. And thus of Error in mistaking Question againe is sometime mooued touching a vowe whether that doe hinder marriage or no. And true answere is made that a vowe made by man or woman to liue sole chaste who finde not that power and gift giuen them of God hindreth them not from the remedie and ordinance of God against it in that behalfe Because mans vowe against Gods will may not binde and Gods will is that such as féele cause should marrie 1. Cor. 7. Againe if a vowe in a thing possible and lawfull might not binde against she wil of an earthly father or superior how much lesse must it hold against the heauenly Father our God and maker and become so a bond of iniquitie to vs Playnely therefore saith Cyprian Some affirme them to be A 〈…〉 terers that marrie after a vowe but I tell you they grieuously offend that seperate such A third Question Whether Spirituall kindred as they call it growing by Christning a childe or béeing Godfather at the Byshop c hinder marriage The answere is that God hath no such lawe but mans couetousnes was the inventor of it making many restraints to get the fée thereby of many dispensations We are all the spirituall sonnes and daughters of God and yet may marrie except in cases by him forbidden whereof this is none that if shee and I christned a childe together or if I were Godfather to her childe I may not after marrie with the mother of the childe and so foorth Fourthly whether a man may marrie her whom formerly hée hath adulterously abused in her husbands life time Auswere No by the Canon Law and surely they had much reason to dislike of such matches Yet in some countries after penance and punishment they suffer it to auoyd other inconueniences they ground themselues vpon Dauids marrying of Vriah his wife whom he had wronged in her husbands life Fiftly diuersitie of Religion whether doth it breake marriage The answere is No and these scriptures so teach vs. If any brother haue a wife that is an vnbeleeuer and shee consent to dwell with him let him not put her away And if any woman haue an vnbeleeuing husband who consenteth to dwell with her let her not put him away For the vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by the wife and the vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the husband 1. Cor. 7. If any man come vnto me and do not hate his wife and children and brethren and sisters to wit thinking ill in Religion or going about to draw him away he cannot be my disciple Luke 14. 26. Therefore such a wife a man may haue and yet his wife Let the wiues be subiect to their husbāds meaning although happily differing in Religion that euen they which obey not the Word may without the Word bee wonne by the conuersation of the wiues 1. Pet. 3. 1. After the Church forbad such Marriages to be made as the Israelites were forbidden to marrie with Strangers lest by such Wiues they might be allured and drawn from God vnto Idolatrie as was the wisest man that euer was Salomon Read Deut. 7. Exod. 34. Iosua 23. Esra 10. Nehem. 13. c. And still it is good to continue this care for it is the chiefe band of loue when both hearts be knit in God * And how can there bée an agreeing loue where there is a disagreeing faith saith Saint Ambrose And therefore beware O Christian how thou giuest thy Daughter to a Gentile or a Iew. But when two are alreadie married dissenting in Religion they may not by colour thereof be put a sunder as Anabaptist vse to forsake their wiues The safe way is to looke before hand and so may you preuent many a twitching griefe in the heart that will arise if you draw two wayes Examples there are too many knowne vnto you of this thing Inward woe outward shame with much charge and cost some endure by their wiues wilfulnesse when their children might also be better brought vp but I stay my selfe It is a biting thought to consider that one halfe of me dayly serueth the Diuell Sixtly yet force and compulsion you will say is contrarie to marriage because it is contrarie to a free consent In déede it is a great wrong to compell children against their wils to marrie with such as they abhorre For what peace can be where loue is not Nay what mischiefe will not there créepe in as brawlings raylings hatred neglect of childrens education of houshold affaires and many times vnfaithfulnesse of the one towards the other which God plagueth and the world speaketh shame of In a word what comfort either in sickenesse or health or any way But yet if a marriage bée thus made although the Childe if at libertie would not haue so married it is a marriage and must stand Seauenthly for one that is violently taken away what shall wée say Surely the Ciuill Lawe appointed that a Mayd taken away should neuer marrie with the person that so did take her but should haue all his goods And if shée did marrie with him then should she neuer bée capable of any goods of his and if the Father would consent to such a marriage hée should bée banished But the Canon Lawe determineth otherwise Namely that if the Mayde taken
You sée it you must marke it and to your soule I leaue it 4 Thou shall not curse the deafe neither put a stumbling Blocke before the blinde but shalt feare thy GOD I am the LORD It was euer estéemed a Barbarous erueltie to insult ouer a mans imperfection and the Children of GOD must beware it By the Deafe héere are also meant men and women absent who though they could heare béeing present yet béeing not there they are deafe and heare not Such should not be cursed that is euill spoken of because they are not present to heare and answere GOD you see hateth and forbiddeth this wrong and as many as are Gods will forbeare it for their good Base and bad persons spend their time in carping slaundering and ill reporting as though they were so much better by howe much they make others worse So did Saint Augustine that worthy Father abhorre this vice that ouer his Table where hée dyned hée worte two Verses to tell all them that sate with him if they carped at any person absent that Table was not for them nor they Guests welcome to him By the Blinde are also meant such as are ignorant and vnskilfull in any thing as an ignorant Buyer Learner Trader c. Before whose eyes you may not lay a stumbling Blocke deceyuing them either by False Doctrine Badde Life craftie cunning or the like For as pitifull or more is the blindnesse of minde as the blindnesse of bodie and therefore any way to abuse the one or the other by stumbling blocks is hatefull and damnable 5 Yee shall not doe vniustly in iudgement Thou shalt not fauour the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mightie but thou shalt iudge thy Neighbour iustly A good law against a great euill in the Common-wealth touched before in Exodus whether you may turne and sée the euill Who can be safe in life or limbe in lands or goods if Affection be Iudge Booteth it to be honest or iust or blameles if not Truth but Fancie try me No no. And therefore blessed bée God for Law and Iustice and woe to the Land where Affection ruleth Honestius est cum iudicaueris amare quam cum amaueris iudicare It is farre better to loue when thou hast iudged than to iudge when thou louest Clamat pauper nullus exaudit clamat diues quilibet applaudit The poore man cryeth and no man heareth the rich man cryeth and euery man prayseth and smootheth O heauie Countries case where thus it is Doe the thing that is iust therefore to rich and poore and that shall giue thée peace at the last Honoured men may be for their wealth and feared greatly for their strength but onely iustice is that which getteth loue and a good report with all men that can speake well for any cause and haue not sold their tongues and soules too vnto enuie 6 Thou shalt not walke about with tales among thy people Thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy Neighbour I am the Lord. Both these are branches of murder and in the Commandement sée more of them A great mischiefe in either Kingdome Countrey or House is a babling tale-teller and hée that is wise will beware him It is a shrewde blow that killeth thrée at a blowe and that not in body onely but in soule also The tale-teller killeth himselfe peraduenture twenty more that heare him rashly thereupon condemne the innocent The spirit of God stirreth vp Dauid that Holy man to begge of God that hee would roote out all such deceiptfull lippes and tongues that speake proude things Deceiptfull lippes are those that speake smoothly and thinke wickedly and those also that speake falsly and slanderously of their brethren Both shall be rooted out in time but til then they vexe the soules of those that deserue it not at their hands 7 But what if I bée so wise that I can holde my tongue from speaking euill and yet secretly hate him in my heart Sée what followeth in your Chapter Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but thou shalt plainly rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne Secret hate then is murder of the heart and against the Commandement Use it therefore at your perill and say God either séeth not or regardeth not Your iudgement at last shall teach you hee doth both For this Law is not idle nor any Law Hee giueth to the sonnes of men 8 Thou shalt not auenge saith the next Lawe and why In another place we read For vengeance is mine and I will repay Wrest not Gods sword therefore out of his hand sit not downe in his seate and make thy selfe a God for feare of the ende Well let him goe then I will not auenge but sure I will remember him forgiue I may but neuer forget c. Sée what followeth in the very next words of this Verse Neither shalt thou bee mindfull of a wrong against the children of thy people Remembring then you sée is condemned aswell as auenging and therefore it standeth you vpon both to forgiue and to forget or els the Lord shall forget you out of his Booke of life Nay sée more all this is not yet enough but wée must loue also our Neighbours and that euen as our selues or els we perish For I am the Lord saith the Verse that is one that séeth and hateth and wilâ— smite thée in that strength that thou canst not resist nor indure Foolish Politicke thinke then of pietie and abhorre that poliâ—ie that deuoureth pietie and destroyeth thee Thou canst not liue euer but must die and come vnto iudgement 9 Thou shalt not let thy cattell gender with others of diuers kindes Thou shalt not sowe thy fielde with mingled seede neither shall a garment of diuers things as linnen and woollen come vpon thee God will haue his creatures vsed in their kinde as hée hath created them and his ordinance neither ouerthrowen nor corrrected With diuers seedes they sowe their ground which follow diuers doctrines in Religion And linnen and woollen garments are forbidden either because the Gentiles vsed them to whom God would not haue his people like or to note how hatefull to GOD is a fantasticall head caryed about with toyes and idle deuises He that is a Papist héere and a Protestant there hée that taketh part with both sides in a quarrell or matter worldly as a plea of law or such like you may rightly thinke odious by this Lawe c. 10 Whosoeuer medleth with a woman that is a bondmayd affianced to a husband and not redeemed nor freedome giuen her hee shall be scourged but they shall not dye because shee is not made free c. With God there is no respect of bond or free but in seates of Iustice and execution of punishments there is ought to be great difference because there commeth not so much hurt to the Common-wealth by
aduised by God who then spake from betwixt the Cherubims Exod. 25. and Num. 7. And in the meane time committeth him to ward The Lord answereth him and commandeth that he shall be slaine giuing a law also in general that who soeuer so offendeth shall die the whole congregation stoning him and the witnesses putting their handes vpon his head By which Ceremonie the Lord made the witnesses carefull what they said For it taught them that if they bare false witnesse then were they guiltie of the bloud â—f him so shed by their testimonie but if they spake truly then as he that offred a sacrifice by laying his hand vpon the head of it and cast his sinnes vpon the beast so they by that ceremonie laid his bloud vpon his owne head and they remained cleare and blamelesse Yea the whole Congregation by such execution of iustice as by a sacrifice is clensed and profited So that when Phineas had slaine the wicked person it is said hee turned the wrath of GOD from the land And the slaying of the wicked by the Prophets is called Victima Dei the Sacrifice of the Lord. For further vse of it you may thinke with your selfe how the father of this offender was a straunger an Egyptian and yet God would not spare him how much lesse then his owne people I meane now a Christian by father and mother brought vp in his feare baptized in his faith a hearer of his word a professer of it c. Secondly this man was angrie and in his anger hee committed this fault yet God spareth him not how then do we excuse our offences by our anger saying it was in my wrath that I said so or did so For first that anger and furie and desire of reuenge is naught then to vse God in it and to make him a partie or an executioner of your rage seeking and wishing that he may curse and plague where you will hée being all iustice all mercie all goodnesse c. O what an encrease of your sinne is this Euer therefore settle it and sinke it in your heart what it is thus to abuse God to abuse Christ his wounds his passion whereby we are saâ—ed and by his grace you shall abhorre swearing â—â—ging and ill wishing to any man and especially to seeke of him to do euill and to vse his name to that end Thirdly when the Lord will haue the whole Congregation to stone him hee taketh triall of the zeale of ALL and teacheth ALL to concurre with the Magistrate in loue and liking of iustice and in furthering of it so farre as belongeth to euerie mans place Whereas now a dayes we haue such factions such affections such corrupt humors in vs out of which iâ—ue such dislikes carpings and bad censures of Magistrates as they are grieued with iustice is hindred and God prouoked to that which will smart if he stay not Fourthly hee is carried out of the host to be slaine as a token of detestation of his sinne by which he was vnworthy not onely to liue in the Congregation but also to die in the same he was vomited or spued out that all others might see and feare Esay 14. read it Fifâ—ly by cursing of God and blaspheming of his name vnderstand not onely swearing and such euill speaking as now hath beene noted but all other vnseemely vnreuerent and wicked wordes prophane iests of him his name his word his attributes mercie iustice anger prouidence knowledge patience or such like For all these shall come into iudgement and find wrath If the law of man passe them God will neuer passe them The tongue wee haue was giuen to blesse not to curse And the name of God saith Salomon is a strong tower The iust shall runne to it and be exalted For whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued His name serueth for faith for prayer for thankes-giuing for deliuerance in danger to obtaine all good and to auoid all euill To abuse this then in our furies to our corrupt and sinfull desires O what a sinne is it and how prouoketh it God to plague vs So are his precious woundes our plaisters his blessed passion our saluation his Sacraments our comforts and seales of mercie his Scriptures our light and by no meanes to bee prophaned in earnest or iest Wee may not peruert his nature making him as much as lyeth in vs of a benefactor a malefactor of a Sauiour a killer of an helper an oppressor neither may wée abuse these holy things c. 5 The fourth and last point of this your Chapter beginneth at the 17. verse concerning the law of Taliâ— that is that looke what a man doth or intendeth to his neighbour the like should be done to him life for life breach for breach eye for eye tooth for tooth such a blemish as hee hath made in any such shall bée repayed vnto him verse 20 Of this you haue heard Exod. 21. 6 One law for the straunger as for the home-borne verse 22. which both restrayned that pride which otherwise might haue béene in the Iew and sheweth the common care of God for all men as well as for the Iew. If therefore a Iew hurt a stranger looke what hée had done that should he suffer as well as the stranger should if he had hurt the Iew. This indifferencie is a blessed vertue to be learned from our God For surely we are altogether affectionate if God guide vs not If other mens children seruants or friends hurt ours fire and sword for them but if ours hurt them no such matter al must be boulstred out or bought out or borne out and iustice may not be done Among our owne againe one must bée crucified and another not touched onâ— made a Saint another a Diuell Who so is wise will note God and his Law here and labour to follow it euer by such indifferâ—ncie as is fit for his place in Church Common-wealth or familie It comforteth the Subiect it hartneth the Child it encourageth a Seruant And the want of it doth infinite much harme to all these Finally God is pleased with it and you are graced by it your selfe it getting you loue and all good report farre and neare among as many as are to be cared for Thus much of this Chapter CHAP. XXV YOu haue heard the obseruation of certaine Dayes now will this Chapter speake of the obseruation of Yeares Namely euery seauenth yeare and euery fiftieth yeare First of the first and then of the Second Euery seauenth yeare was the Sabbath of the earth or the Rest of the Land because that yeare they might neither plowe nor sow nor dresse their Vines but take what did growe of it selfe and that must be common to all For so is the first verse to bée vnderstood That which groweth of it owne accord of thy haruest thou shalt not reape c. That is to thy priuate vse and for thy selfe alone thou shalt
and bondage May not we remember burnings and killings and most hateful handlings of bloudic Butchers and persecutors May not we remember great warres and dissentions in this our natiue Countrie the fall of our friends and the change of many houses May not we remember great impositions and payments and in one word verie many miseries and calamities Laying them to the present times wherein we enioy truth and libertie of conscience without either death or danger or so much as any feare what a change is this to a man or woman that knoweth and feeleth the blessing O that we may send vp to God most thankful thoughts for it while we liue Now againe we entoy peace such as no Nation hath had the like We are not eaten vp with heauy and continuall payments but we liue as in heauen by comparison to former times The Lord hath driuen away the Cananites that would haue inuaded coÌ„quered had not he resisted for vs and ouerthrowne them He hath made vs a terror to our foes â—a refuge or sanctuarie for our friends when earst forreigne nations were Lords ouervs And for the last point we haue no more certaintie of abode here theÌ„ they had but looke for the same end of faith an induring house in heaneÌ„ Let vs theÌ„ do what we ought to do and what they did thank God most hartily for the change beséech him in his bottomles mercie to coÌ„tinue his fauors to vs that in peace we may liue in peace die in peace that neuer endeth liue with him for euer God for his sons sake grant it to vs. AmeÌ„ Amen CHAP. XXIIII IN this Chapter the first thing spoken of are the Lights vsed in the Tabernacle whereof mencion was made also before in the 17. Chapter These lights were not ordeined for our imitation now vnder the Gospel but in those times of shadows and figures they signified that while they were thus vsed the true light was not yet come by which all true beléeuers should be deliuered from the darknesse of death as Saint Paul speaketh of the Tabernacle Heb. 9. Papists lights then vsed still in their Churches and Massing places are euident signes that themselues see not the true light and as much as lyeth in them they thus confirme that Iewish expectance of the true light Christ as if yet hée were not come I know they haue their excuses or reasons for euerie thing but who is able to abide most of them As in this particular why vse they lights Forsooth in representation of the Trinitie the wax representing the Father the weeke the Sonne and the light the holy Ghost This boldnesse is fearefull and sinfull hauing neither warrant fitnesse nor reuerence Away with these lights therfore and imbrace we the true light who lightneth all that come into the world c. 2 This light also was a figure of true doctrine which euer must shine in the Church and Tabernacle of God The oyle Oliue which they are commaunded to bring you see here must bee pure to note that doctrine must haue no mixture of mans deuices but be pure The Priest is the man that hath charge of these lights and God his Ministers still are the Ministers of light and haue the charge of it in the house of God Happie they if they be carefull of it to their best abilitie that they may one day heare that ioyfull voyce Come come thou good and faithfull seruant thou hast beene faithfull ouer little and therefore now I will make thee ruler ouer much Enter enter into thy Maisters ioy c. 3 The next thing spoken of is the Shew-bread spoken of also before It likewise represented that as yet the true bread from heauen was not come That it is God vpon whom the eyes of all things wait and that openeth his hand feeding both man and all his creatures with his blessings That God so loued the Iewes as hee had them continually at his table with him yea euery Tribe particularly he loued there being 12. Cakes for euerie Tribe one c. More you may see Chap. 25. 4 The third thing touched in this Chapter is the matter of blasphemie vers 10. wherin your words are these And there went out among the children of Israel the son of an Israelitish woman whose father was an Egyptian and the sonne of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel stroue together in the host So the Israelitish womans sonne blasphemed the name of God and cursed and they brought him vnto Moses And they put him in ward till he told them the mind of the Lord. Then the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Bring the blasphemer without the host and let all that heard him put their hands vpon his head and let all the Congregation stone him And thou shalt speake vnto the children of Israel saying Whosoeuer curseth his GOD shall beare his sinne And hee that blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall be put to death aswell the stranger as he that is borne in the land when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord let him be slaine What this blaspheming was if you looke your marginall note it saith by swearing or despiting God Interpreters mencion diuerse opinions and scanne both the Hebrew wordes and the Greeke translation of them all which I omit as still mindfull for whom I lahour and I ioyne with him that saith Ego hunc locum sic intelligo quod filius viri Egyptii male precatus sit alteri in iurgio vt fieri solet exoptauerit ei exitium aut calamitatem idque non simpliciter sed per nomen Dei. Non dixit tantum exopto tibi malum sed addidit ac diserte nominanit Deum aut nomen Domini inquiens Dominus det tibi malum per dat te perpetuo I vnderstand this place thus that the sonne of the Egyptian father cursed the other in chiding as the maner is wishing destruction or some calamitie to him and that not simplie but by the name of God For hee said not onely I wish thee euill but added and plainly named God or the name of God saying the Lord giue some euill to thee and vtterly destroy thee Our fearful damned phrases are Gods curse light on thee the plague of God take thee c. Which kind of speaking is most grieuously to abuse the name of God and to prophane it being not onely a breach of the second Table concerning the loue of our neighbour but a breath also of the first Table by taking his most holy name in vain This grieuous offender therfore is not winked at by theÌ„ that heard him neither yet punished by them that had no authoritie out of a colour of zeale but he is orderly and by a right zeale carried to Moses the magistrate and his offence opened there Moses againe although such a man yet will do nothing hasâ—ily in iudgement and especially touching life but he will be