Thirdly outward darknes maketh men fall and that often with great hurt euen vnto death so doth inward darknes of the minde make men fall with so much perill by how much the fall of soule is worse than the fall of body and death eternall worse than temporall Let their way be darke and slipperie saith Dauid in the Psalme as a meanes both the one way and the other to bring men to confusion Fourthly outward darknes worketh in some horror and feare wee knew it by experience euen so doth in-ward darknes if you obserue either Scripture or experience Scripture when it is said They shall feare where no feare is meaning by the darknes and ignorance of iudgement Experience in Caine who through ignorance cried with horror and feare My sinne is greater than can be forgiuen and in many deare children of God who quake and quiuer vnder the taste and touch of sinne not yet able to reach by the light of minde because God will exercise them to the swéetnes and riches of Gods mercie reuealed in his promises Examples are many but a secret meditation in your selfe of what you knowe may best serue Fiftly lastly outward darknes in some others cleane contrarie worketh boldnes and securitie and is the deadly bane of modestie and honestie As when the man that breaketh Wedlocke thinketh thus in his heart Who seeth me I am compassed about with darknes the walles couer me no body seeth me whoÌ„ neede I to feare the most HIGH will not remember my sinnes c. So doth inward darknes of Judgement and hart in some men make boldnes aboue measure to aske to speake to defend and publish what were better passed ouer and buried with peace of Church and Common-wealth They sée not in darknes what they doo but pleasing themselues in a misse-conceipt for want of true iudgement build vp the Tower of Babell very violently to their great shame and reproofe both with God and man Fitly then you sée in regard of these properties and many others is Ignorance called darknes by the holy Ghost and thereby wee admonished to pray and labour against it as a plague of God not vnlike to this of Egypt Which iustly may occasion your next Meditation to be How it groweth that wee may the better â—sâ—heâ—â— and preuent it This will likewise appeare by considering the causes of outward darknes and séeing whether there be not the like of inward darknes First then outward darknes or blindnes of the body groweth in some by birth as the blinde man in Iohn healed by our Sauiour Christ and many daily experiences before our eyes euen so doth inward darknes growe in vs all from our birth by the fall of Adam that most excellent light and knowledge wherein hee was created being lost by him both to himselfe and all his posteritie vntill the Lord renue vs in knowledge after his image as he created vs at first according to the same by knowledge Secondly outward darknes groweth sometimes by too-much gazing vpon bright and glistering things as in experience we sinde by white snow white paper and the like so doth inward darknes grow also by fixing the minde too-much vpon the glistering glory of this World the pompes and pleasures that shine in it Proofe héere of that rich Glutton that rich Barne-builder in the Gospell and that Turne-coate Demas of whom S. Paule speaketh who all were blinde you plainly sée with gazing too-much vpon this tempting World And how many amongst vs men and women be in this sort blinde he knoweth who shall iudge both quicke and dead and who cannot be deceaued by any colours Good it is therefore to take héede betime and to turne away the eye from so hurtfull an obiect duly and truly considering the nature of it It is transitorie and abideth not it is vaine and vile please it neuer so much So haue all found it that haue gone before vs so shall wee finde it and all that euer shall followe after vs. A Mappe of the world hath Kingdomes and Countries very beautifully set out in it Cities Churches and Towers described liuely in variable colours yet all is but Paper one drop of water will deface the greatest Princes Pallace in it So is this World which men loue so much in déede very Paper that is very vaine and fickle And that heart which hath furnished it selfe with all these Castles and Towers through a wicked loue and longing for them one Fit of an Ague wil shake and shiuer in such sort as no pleasure shall remaine of all these things In the meane time Religion there is none where this loue is neither any fellowship with the Almightie For as hote Sommer-weather maketh our inward heate lesse by suffering it to euaporate than Winters-colde doth which kéepeth it in so doth this World fawning vpon vs and the loue of it liuing in vs eate out all zeale and pietie leauing vs colder within than aduersitie and the want of the world doth And Loue God and the world to we cannot saith S. Iohn Dauid clogged with Saule his Armour said he could not goe and therefore put it all off againe Euen so assuredly can no man march towards Heauen if his heart be buckled and fastned to this World till he lay aside that hinderance from him That Spéech of S. Cyprian should much be marked in this point Arridet mundus vt saeuiat blanditur vt fallat allicit vt occidat extollit vt deprimat Vna haecplacida solida firma perpetua securitas si quicquid in rebus humanis sublime magnum videtur occulis ad coelum elatis infra conscientiam tuam iacere possis gloriari This cursed world fawneth that it may bee cruell flattereth that it may decaue allureth that it may kill and lifteth vp that it may throw downe Wherefore this onely is sweete sound firme and during securitie if thou canst truly auowe that whatsoeuer seemeth great and glorious in this world with thine eyes lifted vp to Heauen thou hast cast and throwne vnder thy heart so that it shall not presse downe thée but thou wilt tread vppon it in a Religious contempt thereof by comparison with Heauen and Heauenly ioyes S. Augustine his Spéech also is worthy remembring Vnicuique tempestas est suacupiditas Amas Deum ambulas super mare Amas seculum absorbebitte Amatores suos vorarenouit petare non nouit Euery mans lust or vehement desire is as a tempest to him like vnto that in the Gospell whereof Peter being afraide began to sinke Louest thou GOD then thou walkest vpon the Sea Louest thou the world then thou sinkest and this Sea will swallow thee vp The world knoweth how to deuoure her Louers but not how to refresh them and doo them good I might goe farther in this cause of darknes if it were néedefull but this sufficeth to shew you the way how to meditate further on it A Third way whereby outward blindnes groweth is by long
daughter to become a shéepheard to a meane man From the rauishing pleasures of a Kings Court to come to lie vnder a bush and behold but shéepe To talke with his flocke and sport with his dogge instéede of all he inioied before To ruffle in his Russet sit for that office with adiu to garments of former honour O sweete experience if neede require of the estate of one most deere to God! Sinke not my heart so low in my body for feare of a change Feare not that fall that hurteth not with God These earthly shewes as the shining Sun flashe their beames abroad and flie vpon the soddaine into the cloude as if they had neuer bene But thy God is all one with them and without them nay often time more neere thee the further thon art from them as this very Example may assure thée if thou marke it For in all the glory of his earthlie honour Moses had not such a conference with his God as now that he is a poore sheepheard guiding and leading another mans flocke Dauid by cutting away a piece of Sauls garment made him remember himselfe a little better and God many times by cutting away some part of our former estate maketh vs profitably feele what wee felt not before of sweete consolation in him and his hea was some shadowe and figure Theoderet is of the same minde whose words are these Vniuersus locus demonstrat deum esse qui apparuit Dicitur Angelus vt cognoscamus quód is qui visus est non est Deus Pater cuius enim Angelus esset Pater sed vnigenitus Filius qui magni consilij est Angelus qui sacris discipulis dixit Omnia quaecunque audiui apatre meo nota fecivobis Quemadmodum autem Angeli nomen posuit non quidem volens ministrorum quempiam innuere sed personam vnigeniti demonstrare sic iterum ipsius tum naturam tum potentiam praedicat inquiens ipsum dixisse Ego sum qui sum et Ego Deus Abraham Deus Isaack Deus Iacob c. The whole place saith hee sheweth it was God but he is called an Angell that wee might knowe that hee which was séene was not God the father for whose Angell should the Father be but the onely begotten Sonne of God which is the Angell of the great Counsell which saide to his holie Apostles All thinges which I haue heard of my Father I haue declared vnto you And euen as hee gaue him the name of an Angell not meaning thereby to note anie other minister or messenger but to shewe the person of the onelie begotten Sonne so againe he setteth forth both his nature power saying he said I AM THAT I AM and I the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Iacob c. Hillarie also speaketh to this effect in his booke of the Trinitie Gregory thought it was an Angell in the person of God Augustine varieth in his opinion c. Touching this manner of appearing it may occasion vs to remember how God vseth to applie himselfe vnto the purpose and intent of his appearing whensoeuer it pleaseth him to manifest himselfe vnto men For in the Prophet Esay he is said to haue appeared like a Judge sitting vpon a high throne because as then the iudgement of Israel approached and drew néere At the Baptisme of Christ it pleaseth the holy Ghost to appeare like a Doue because that forme might shewe the innocencie and milde nature of our Sauiour In the Acts of the Apostles like Tongues because now the tongues of the Apostles were to bée framed as it were a new like clouen tongues because the benefit was to bée deuided vnto all Nations like firie tongues because their spéech by the gratious working of GOD his holy Spirit should héereafter kindle in the hearts of men as it were a fire that is an hot and burning hatred of sinne a loue of rightcousnesse and all holy obedience acceptable to God And now héere like a bush burning but not consumed that it might declare the state present of his people in Egypt and the condition of his Church vnto the end of the world His people in Egypt euen burning in the fornace of Pharaohs cruelty and oppression and yet not consumed for all that through the mightie power and gratious goodnesse of his swéete fauour that vpheld them yea multiplyed and increased them in the very flame of it His Church militant in like sort to expect trouble after trouble and one woe to another but not to bée ouerwhelmed and vtterly destroied by all the malice of Hel working in wicked instruments to the vttermost Quid sibi vult ardere rubum non exuri Nempe Israelem Aegyptiorū insidijs appetitū non esse subing andū sed aduer sarijs superiorem futurum What meaneth this saith Theodoret vpon this place that the bush burned was not consumed surelie that the Israelites be-set with the wrongs of the Egypptians should yet not be ouerthrowne but euen ouercome their aduersaries Philo the Jewe in the life of Moses saith there appeared in the middle of the flame a glorious Image as a manifest testimonie of the Presence of God c. 4. When Moses saw this strange sight hée said I will turne aside now and see why the bush burneth not where we may sée the good disposition of men minds gouerned with Gods feare They doo not contemne and lightly passe ouer such things as they sée but they obserue and marke searche and séeke what good they may possibly draw from them They are of a docile and apt nature to be instructed when as others like deafe and dead people are not profited by any thing but finally perish whatsoeuer hath béene shewed to them by God or man Learne wée by Moses to doo as hée did and by the other to beware of their dulnesse 5. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see Hee called him vnto Him c. No sooner then can wée shew willingnesse to learne but God is most readie to instruct and teach If wée will heare He wil speake and if wée will know Hée will declare A swéete incouragement euer to bée willing to bée informed And now He is called LORD and GOD as you sée who before is said to bée an Angell as before also you remember I noted Moses Moses saith Hée familiarly and kindely for it was euer a fauour to be called by our names of superior men much more of God Nathaniell maruelleth how Christ knew him when he spake of him as you reade in Iohn but Christ told him that before Philip called him he saw him vnder the fig-tree Our God to our comfort knoweth vs all and calleth his shéepe by their names Happy are wée if as Moses here we may euer be readie to answer and say I am here Lord or as another saith Speake-on Lord for thy seruant heareth or as Dauid the Propet saith my heart is readie my heart is ready
workes how hée had not to doo with man but with God and so be voyde and naked of all excuse But This that the Lord saith Hee will harden his hart troubleth some and they séeke to temper it according to their fancies lest it should séeme iniustice in the Lord first to harden and then destroy not remembring what the Apostle saith God will haue mercy on whom hee will haue mercy and whom hee will hee hardneth And if any obiect and say why doth he then complaine for who hath resisted his Will His mouth is stopped by the same Apostle in the same place with this O man who art thou that pleadest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made me thus Noting that no reason is to be demaunded aboue Gods Will for who will goe further shall tast the reward of his rashnes and the Maiestie of God shall ouer-whelme him Hath not the Potter power ouer the clay to make of the same lumpe one vessell to honour and another to dishonour And shall lesse authoritie bee giuen to God Aske the Potter a reason and it is but his Will and yet dust and ashes wil demaund more of God Againe if we be all of one Lumpe of corruption as wee must needes confesse wee are if it please God to exempt some from the death due to so sinfull wretches dooth hée any wrong to others that hée vouchsafeth not the same vnto leauing them but to their owne natures No he may doe with his owne as it pleaseth him and what hée dooth still is iust holy and good Let the wicked then accuse themselues and not God for still in themselues they shal finde the cause if rightly they looke into their owne will 9 It followeth in the Text Then thou shalt say to Pharaoh thus saith the Lord Israel is my Sonne euen my first borne Wherefore I say to thee let my Sonne goe that he may serue me if thou refuse to let him goe beholde I will slay thy Sonne euen thy first borne Marke then the Title God giueth to his Church and meditate on it earnestlie Hée calleth it his Sonne yea his first borne noting therein to all flesh that it is to him as a man-childe to the Father yea as the first borne which commonly is loued most tenderly and in greatest honour Now then thinke with your selfe what heart is in you to the fruite of your body and to your first borne thinke how you could endure to stand and looke vpon the abuse offered by any to the whole or any parte as to sée but a legge or an arme cut-off iniuriouslie by bloody butchers and then thinke of God to his Church and euery part of it whose affection so-much excelleth yours as God excelleth man and holinesse and perfection misery sinne and corruption What a comfort is this when the Deuill roareth and Tyrants his instruments rage breathing-out blood at their nostrils and nothing but death and destruction at their mouthes with furious phrases and spéeches of pride as though there were none that could stop them or controle them in what they will Thinke on the difference of GOD and man in this point that many harmes may be done to our Sons and our first borne which wée sée not neither know of and therefore at the instant féele not any touch for it or by it But God séeth euer and euery where all actions all intendments and purposes all thoughts and secret attempts whatsoeuer and still is aboue man in his tendernesse of loue to his sons children as far as God excelleth dust and earth and sinne and corruption as I saide O what a touch giue these raging cruelties then against his Church vnto him what a féeling hath hée of them and how doo they pierce his gratious bowels wherein he hath wrapped-vp his people as his Sonnes and as his first borne Still thinke of your selfe what heart would be in you and then try the difference of God and you But you will say vnto mée it is comfortable to consider this tender loue that you note indéede but why then doth God suffer such iniuries and oppressions béeing able to auert them as man is not for the most part This is the loue of a Father that he neither can sée nor suffer to be done to the childe hée loueth any outrage and crueltie his power béeing able to saue his childe from it To which if I answere I must pray you to continue euen still in your owne resemblance and to tell me if you dayly sée not most tender Fathers perceiuing cause for a further good to suffer their children to lie in prison to bée tossed in lawe to bée schooled many wayes by suffering want and biting vpon the bridle for a time yet in the midst of al these things haue an eye to them a loue to them and asetled purpose when they know themselues their strength the world his practises men and their humors and many such things not otherwise of many well learned often but by these meanes then to set-hand-to to helpe them that then a loue may bée knowne a loue and a good a good with a liuely taste in comparison of that which would haue béene if sooner the Father or friend had stepped in So so is it with the Lord for our capacitie though indéede no comparison betwixt Him and vs. Hée knoweth his times and turnes and our wants perfectlie fitting the one to the other most mercifully that both onr corruption and his goodnesse may best appeare to the greatest benefit vnto vs. Therefore let him alone in his own waies tarrie we as the Psal saith his blessed leasure Be strong and he shall comfort our hearts put we our trust euer in him Of the earthly father or friend the Prouerbe saith wel he may sée his childe or kinsman neede but he cannot endure to see him bleede So our sweete God wel he may see vs humbled schooled and tamed wained from the loue of this wretched world but vndone cast away finally for euer he cannot endure it he will not suffer it he will not sée it O blessed bée his Name for euer euer for it Haue this in your remembrāce therfore as a swéete Comfort the occasion of this Note Israel is my Son euen my first borne And therefore tell Pharaoh he were best take héede what he doth for I will make his Sonne and first borne féele it if he hinder mine and will not let them go to serue me The world you know contemneth despiseth vs counting vs the refuse of the people and what may bee base or vile but this loue is life and this regarde with God is honour most high in the comfort whereof we may sup-vp these earthly scornes if his Grace bée with vs. The Prophet Esay in his spirit tasted this when so swéetely hee prophecied and published to this day to bée séene and heard
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
of Boaz God hath left vs in his Word for a good Rule in this kinde worthy a religious and carefull following Into whose Field when Ruth came to gleane a fewe eares of Corne for her reliefe and her Mother in lawe Naomi first an honest seruaunt appoynted ouer the Keapers let all seruants and ouerseers marke it gaue her leaue without rebuke checke And then Boaz himselfe comming called her when hée knew shée was a poore Stranger and sayd vnto her Hearest thou daughter goe to no other fielde to gather neither goe here-hence but abide here by my Maydens Let thine eyes bee vpon the field that they doe reape and goe thou after the Maydens Haue I not charged the seruants that they touch thee not Moreouer when thou art a thirst goe vnto the vessels and drinke of that which the seruants haue drawne At the Meale-time come thou hither and eate of the bread and dip thy morsell in the vineger He also bade his seruants not onely to suffer her to gleane but of purpose to let fall some of the sheaues for her that shée might take it c. Here is mercie and pittie to a poore Stranger Chronicled vp in this Booke of GOD that his Fame may neuer dye who shewed it that it may teach vs that liue and that it may condemne all churlish gréedy gripple Natures to the worldes end O let it profite you let the poore man bow before you blesse you for your coÌ„fort as she did here to Boaz. Again forasmuch as haruest time is the time of your receiuing at Gods hands a great largesse bountifull Almes your Fruites of Hay and Corne of Grapes and all good gatherings therefore at that time especially the hand that receiueth should giue thankfully towards God feelingly in it selfe and cheerefully towards the poore receiuer So so should all be well and God both giue more and prosper vpon posteritie what hée giueth which otherwise by all the Lawyers in the world and all the perpetuities in the world cannot be so tyed to your séede but that God will blow both it and them away And when wée thus speake of giuing the poore their part doe you thinke God his owne part must bée imbesseled and taken away I meane your due and true tythe No no if the creature must not be defrauded much lesse must the Creator be robbed Read the Prophets wordes and pray for a feeling heart and an open hand according to dutie and right I cannot forbeare to tell you in this place of a fearefull Iudgement of God shewed not many yéeres agoe in these parts vpon a greedie grudger of his Tythe to them to whom it was by Lawe due A Gentleman of good sort our neighbour hereby and well knowne to all this Countrey had the tythes of a Parsonage and by the right thereof demaunded wooll of a man also rich and the Owner of many hundreds of shéepe This hard-hearted man sent a small quantitie the seruants shewed it their Maister Hée willed vpon the Holy-day next it should bée brought to the Church that the neighbours might sée it who all vpon sight knew the wrong The Gentleman demaunded his due the other denied any more and withall vowed in choler out of a naughtie heart that if hée were forced to pay any more he would neuer kéepe any more shéepe but depriue him of that profite from him The Lawe forced him and hée thereupon put away his shéepe euer-after falling so in decay GOD following of him with his wrath for his wicked minde that the day when the Gentleman was buryed being not very long after hée among the rest of poore people stood to receiue such Almes as was giuen at the Funeralls Let it strike O let it mooue vs to thinke with our selues what it is to grudge God his Tythe or any man his due in this sort to whom the Lawes we liue vnder iustly giue it and euer pray we against a naughtie heart choaked and poysoned with the loue of this world aboue all care to bée saued in the great and fearefull day 3 The Lawe against stealing hath an explanation here added worthy marking in these wordes Neither deale falsly nor lye one to another as if he should haue sayd Mistake not the matter of stealing neither iudge better of your selues than there is cause but know it euer for a trueth that although you breake no houses nor robbe vpon the way c. Yet if you deale falsly one with the other in Buying and Selling or any way and lye one to an other by affirming it cost so and so or by denying any thing committed to your credite and custodie assure your selfe you are a stealer and guiltie of that Commaundement Thou shalt not steale An other Braunch followeth in the thirteenth Verse The Workemans hire shall not tarie with thee till the Morning whereof reade Deutronomie the foure and twentie And Syrach 34. For this also is stealth and a great stealth little thought of to robbe the poore Labourer of his hiâ—e God graunt it be not found in many that make great shew of Religion great Gentlemen great Merchants great Clothiers c. Neuer is the poore Workeman brought lowe inough neuer is his payment slowe inough Shall not God visit for these things Thinke of it more and bée well assured you cannot thinke of it too much Iob saith his land cryed not against him neither the furrowes thereof complained together Take héed it be so with you in your land in your merchandise in your clothing Let them not crie for their cry is shrill and fearefull You may sowe and an other eate for this wickednesse and your plants bée cleane rooted out Iob saith and doe you marke it as you feare your God If I restrained the poore of their desire Or haue caused the eyes of the widdow to faile Or haue eaten my morsels alone and the fatherlesse haue not eaten thereof For from my youth hee hath growen vp with mee as with a Father and from my mothers wombe I haue been a guide vnto her If I haue seene any perish for want of clothing or any poore without couering If his ioynes haue not blessed mee because hee was warmed with the Fleece of my sheepe If I haue lift vp myne hand against the fatherlesse When I sawe I might helpe him in the gate Then let myne arme fall from my shoulder and mine arme bee broken from the bone How much lesse then would Iob pinch and wring and grinde the faces of poore men that worked for him and his of poore widowes and children that rise vp earely and goe late to bed eating the bread of carefulnesse and giuing away their beloued sléepe all to make him rich and his house gay and his posteritie strong O how much lesse I say againe would hée haue pinched them and twitched them either by an vnconscionable price for their worke or by an ill payment
Tragedies into Comedies 20. he can turne all hearts as he pleaseth 47 172. hee can doe for vs what he will and when hee will against all enemies 167. he can preserue his children by enemies 20. he can make his seruants honoured in the inward conceit of the wicked 174 414 415 451. he can make his Foes humble and prostrate themselues before his seruants 184. hee can ouerthrow the purposes of Tyrants 14 20 22 56 62. hee can giue better Gouernours in stead of them 312. the wicked confesse his power 104. hee can make men yeeld to his Word 75. he worketh not all he can 206. he vseth sometimes rather eâ—treatie then power 62 63. God knoweth all men 34. their names and places 433. their hearts their purposes 45 their secret attempts 56. euery step which they walk 88. euery actioÌ„ which they do 442. gods knowledge is the stay of the godly being euill reported of 349. God his loue to his Church 56 61. he reiecteth not the godly for imperfections 13 14 24 50. he presenteth our sinning by taking away the occasion of sin 206. he stayeth our weakenesse by comfortable signe 41. he is not alienated from a whole kindred for the faultes of some in it 15. he is willing to teach when wee are willing to learne 34. he helpeth vs in many mazes 75. he is vnlike to man who reiecteth his friendes in aduersitie 37. hee acknowledgeth them in the poorest pâ—ght 72 426 he is neerest to his seruants when he seemeth furthest 18 he is slowe to punish 90 91. before he striketh he giueth warning 45 117 124 125 159 160. euen when the rod is vp hee stayeth his hand 444 450 in the middest of wrath he remembreth mercie euen to the wicked 117. he defendeth guideth and deliuereth his faithfull 207 388. yea he deliuereth miraculously 210. 211. he saueth his own in the verie middest of death and danger 198. See Mercie God his will is the rule of right 172. no reason is to be demaunded aboue it 55 we must be pleased with it 243 279. it must be obeyed wholely not in part 130 199. it is performed by the wicked 1â—7 none can resist it 167. it is our dutie to yeeld vnto it 53. God disposeth of Kingdomes 1. rayseth and ouerthroweth Families 4. he disposeth otherwise than man purposeth 19 he is not the Author of euill 82. he ruleth the weather 121. any good receiued must be ascribed to him not to our selues c 230 232. the wicked sacrifice to theft owne purses wits c. 416. why God worketh by meanes 239. he can prouide extraordinarily 260 265 272. hee prouideth for his Children when they sleepe 270. c. he is to be looked vnto when man is the meanes 13. he careth for the safetie not onely of men but of verie beasts 336. he hath a care of euerie particuler man 4â—2 Godâ— of Egypt ouerthrowne at the Israelites departure 191. Godly men their lot is to be slaundred 64 1â—9 they looke to God when they are afflicted 74. they pray to God when others murmur against God 237. their condition in this world 217. they passe from triall to tryall 33 235 277 they are honoured in the in-ward conceits of the wicked 174. they are protected by God 388. they are separated when others are punished 106 107 109 122 156 183. Houses and Kingdomes are fauoueed for their sakes 99 130 444. Gospell sweetneth the law 67. how it is entertained 255. Goods well gotten prosper 269. Gosheâ— freed from the plagues of Egypt 106 109 122. Gouernement is lawfull 308. the benefits thereof 307. comparisons thereof ibid. it is a blessing of God 305. it is a burthen 280 457. euen in the wicked it is to be regarded 44 311 312 it must be reuerenced 301 306 Grace inuisible is of force without the visible signe 465. Graces of Gods Church See Gifts Grashoppers 131. Romish Grashoppers 134 135. H. Haman the degrees of his open punishment 121 122. Handicrafts are the workes of Gods spirit 408 409 434. Ha mes of other men should affect vs 97. Hardnesse of heart 55 62 104 119 123. it is no excuse to the wicked 126. how God is the Author of it 82 111 113 125 216. The Hart of man is false 122. Harts are knowne of God 443. Harts are mooued by God 47 48 76 82 172. Hart is respected in doing of things commaunded 364. A feeling Heart 64 94 111 119. Hearts sorrow is most bitter 116 117. it is seen of God 36. Our owne heads in diuine matters c. 421. Hearing must goe before condemning 12. Hearing of both sides is the vertue of a Iudge 347. Hearers of the word of god must haue thoghts concerning Gods glorie 53. God can make some heare what others will not 75 76. secure hearers punished 93. good hearers must be humbled 320. they must bee keepers and dooers also 316 419 420. to heare and obey is a signe of happinesse 119. Heauen the way thither is hard 238 290 c. Hell 166. the way to it is smooth 46 291. Heate of the Sunne signifieth afflictions 208. Hearbs the knowledge of them hath been the delight and ornament of great ones 239. Heretiques 223 they cannot ouerthrowe the Church 227. Hidden deuotion safest 16 30. Hinderers of our calling to be remooued 301. Hipocrisie 98 145 430. Holy Ghost his name vsurped by Manicheus 80. his gifts diuersly bestowed 81. signified by oyle 405 413. Holy-dayes 193. obserued by many onely for fashion 97. Honour is a burthen 75. Hornes of the Altar for what they serued and what they signified 404 428. Houses their increase or decrease from the Lord 4 Humilitie 39 111 128 165 166 457 461. Humanitie of Christ prefigured by the cloude 357. Humane writers may be vsed by Diuines 173. Husbands must haue their wife children with them 53. Wise Husbands answere not brawling wiues 60. I. Iehouab expounded 71 72. 231. Idlenesse 65 264. Idle talke 302. Idolatrie preuented 326. to bee punished with death 342. the causes thereof 436 437. no cost spared to maintaine it 439. it is an intollerable sinne 445 448. Ierusalem destroyed 161 162 163. Iethro 299. c. hee worshipped the true God 304. Iewels of the Egyptians 168. 362. Ignorance 63 147 155. Ignorant imitation 437. Images 325. popish excuse for worshipping Images is taken away 440 441 459. Impatiencie 246 278 279 436. Imperfections pardoned 13 14 24 50. no man in this world is without theÌ„ 286. they shold be no discouragement to our calling 51 78. Incense signified Prayers 428. a. and 428. b. Inchanters doe harden Pharaohs heart 85. whether they did the like miracles as Moses or no 85 86. they cold cause frogs to come but not to goe 95. they could not bring forth Lice 103. degrees of their warnings 112. 113. Inconstancie of the people 69 280 281 438. Incredulitie 49 51. Ingrossers 264 268. Instincts extraordinarie 459. Inuentions of man must not haue place in the worship of God 376.
Good Intents 408 420 449. Iosephs bones carried away 207. Israelites their increase 2 3. their affliction 4. the causes of their affliction 5. their multiplication vnder the Crosse 10 33. they had their meetings for Religion euen vnder blodie Pharaoh 43. they are spared from the punishment of the Egyptians 109. not onely in Goshen but when they were mingled together 156 their departure out of Egipt 200 they being weak are deliuered when the armed souldiors of Egypt are destroyed 211. they murmur 236. their first warre 290. c. they were all alike noble 341. Iudiciall law is the execution of the morall 327. Iudges their properties 313. viz Truth 347. skilfulnesse in the Law and Constancie 349. equalitie without respect of persons 350. they must neither pitie nor wrong the poore 351. they must auoide bribes 353. Iustice 313. Iudgement day 324. K. Kindnesse of heart in requiting loue 26. 170. 302. Kingdome of Christ prefigured 428. a. Kingdomes are disposed by God 1. Kingdomes preserued from plagues for one righteous man 99 130 444. King Iames raysed vp ouer vs by God 7. 156. A King mercifull and religious is a great blessing 68. we must pray for him 97. and cleaue fast vnto him 278. Kings are to be obeyed but in the Lord 11. Kneeling at the Communion 192. Knowledge in God 34 45 56 88 433 442 443 L. Lambe in the Passouer signified Christ 186. why it was killed at night 188. c. The Lambe in the Burnt-offering signified Christ 423. Lampes 396 404. Lauer 430. Law without the Gospell is sharpe 67 321 323. Law is diuided into Morall Iudiciall Ceremoniall 327. The breakers of the Law 324. The two tables were kept in the Arke 385 446 The Law cannot iustifie vs 446. Lawes in a Kingdome 313. Mans Lawes tend to the keeping of Gods lawe 327. All good lawes are to be kept 346. Leauen what it signifieth 190. Liberalitic to the house of God 464. Lice 101. Lyes 12. Life is to be preferred before worldly trash 170 〈…〉 must goe before good death 180. 〈◊〉 is preserued by God his blessing 272. Light to the followers of Christ when others are in darkenesse 208. 〈◊〉 eaten by Iohn Baptist what they were 131 132. 〈◊〉 signifie Monkes Fryers Nuns c 132. 134. Iord this title of God strengthneth our faith 73. 〈◊〉 of God to his Church 56 61. 〈◊〉 of truth is a propertie of a good Iudge 315. M. Magistâ—ates are of God 310. 311. they are Gods Deputies 308. God will enable them to their Office 50. their pâ—operties 313. they must relieue the oppressed 2â— they should not chaâ—ge the people further than there is cause 464. they must bee discreete in executâ—ng of iustice 24. they must neuer be idle 74 75. but diligent 312. and constant in their care for their people 24. must be alwaies preseÌ„t to see the eâ—ecution of lawes 32â— they ought to punish and yet aâ— old crueltie 3â—9 they must bee tâ—â—e to God yet carefull of the people 44â— b. they pray for the people when the people 〈…〉 against them 2 5. 445. 451. they 〈…〉 not muâ—mur 255. they must bee long sâ—ffering 282 they should grace the Ministers of the word before the people 317 â—13 their aâ—thoâ—itie mâ—st concâ—rre with teaching â—59 they are first before the people to be made acq 〈…〉 ted with any newe thing to be published 44. they must be vsed 〈…〉 fit for their places 44 they must be reueâ—enâ—ed 〈◊〉 345 and obeyed 310. 〈…〉 see Goueâ—nement Maâ—â—a the na 〈…〉 of it 262. the miraculous comming of it 26â— I awes concerning it 264. c. A poâ—te of it kept in the Aâ—ke 272. it was a figuâ—e of Christ 275 â—8◠〈◊〉 called himselfe the holy Ghost 80. 〈◊〉 of God â—4 3â—5 357. Qâ—eene Ma 〈…〉 râ—igne â—39 Mâ—riage may not be without Parents consent 341. Marriage how to behaue our selues in it 256 Maâ—riage is not impuâ—e 319. Maâ—riage with Idolaters is vulawfull 460. Masse a filthy Idol 424. Masteâ—s 329. Meanes must be vsed 264. from them we must lift vp our eyes to God 13. for it is hee that worketh by theÌ„ 240. why God vseth meanes being able to doe things by his word 239 240. great matters perfourmed by weake meanes 38 51 54 93 103 129 the vsing of means should not be hindred by promises or reuelations 216. or by presumption of Gods prouidence 240. Mechanicall occupations are fruits of Gods spirit 408 409. Mercie of God is the obiect of mans enuie 5. of Satans rage 64 66. it is not to be reiected when it is offered 27. 129. it is continued to the froward 75. to vngratefull murmurers 259 260. â—t saueth vs from the euill that happeneth to others 106. 107. Mercies receiued may assure vs of moâ—e to bee receiued 236. 237. Mercies of God must be registred 298. Merit 28â— 382 451. Mercâ—e-seat 38â— a figure of Christ 386. the matter of it 387. Methridate 238. Mid 〈…〉 ues their vertue 11. their lye 12. Mâ—de must not be below 273 but on God 274 27â— Ministrie how great a charge 40 317. it is to be maintained 430. 433. Ministeâ—s may not preach without a calling 382 their calling is iâ—ward or outward 407. God enableth them to their calling 50 they shall bee encouraged if they looke not to themselues but to their calling 78 they must not forsake their calling though the people waxe woâ—se and worse 70 448. they must not bee discouraged if their words euer be not hearkned vnto 74 75 83. yet they often are discoraged by the peoples incredulitie and frowardnesse 49 51. 83. their refuge is to runne to God when the people murmur 237. how deaâ—e their flocke should be vnto them 412. they haue a proprietie in their people 442. they â—ust be true to god yet careful of their people 446. Good Ministers are a great blessing 87. it is a great blessing to our weaknesse and honor to our nature when God speaketh to vs not himselfe but by men 324 707. there is required in Ministers wisedome and strength 420. the strongest of them neede to be continuall vn leâ—propped 59 they must haue good workes ioyned with good words 412. their outward actions must shine 460 they are signified by stars 132. there is an vnion betwixt God and them 227. therefore they may not be abused 261. but reuerenced 301 358. beleeued 227 maintayned 430. 433. Minister must be diligent in preaching 395. the vehemencie of their words is to be marked 93 the fruit of their preaching is dâ—â—e s 118 they prepare but God works 455. they must keepe nothing backe of Gods will 82. deliuer nothing but it 355 their maner of teaching must be plaine 340. such as maketh most for edifying 416. câ—riosiyie must not put out the candle a quarter of a yeere together 395. Minâ—sters entertainment in this world is to bee thrust out from the presence of great ones 131. and their lot is to be loaden with iniurious accusations 64 68. but
Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things 17. Then after thus thou hast acquainted the Heads of the people of Israell with it and they by my working in-wardely with them willing to obey both thou and they shall go to Pharaoh the king and say c. Sée againe and still still most carefully note it how God regardeth Gouernment For now Pharaoh must bée vsed as was fit for his Place He being the king of the lande in which they were wicked Pharaoh I say must not be disorderly dealt with by such as liue vnder his gouernment within his Territories although strangers and not his naturall Subiects how much lesse then by naturall Subiects But hee must be gone vnto with all dutie and acquainted with all reuerence with their desire that neither themselues may be iudged factious neither others by their examples moued to any disorder They must acquaint him with the Author of this desire not their owne heads lusting after liberty or nouelitie but the Lord God that is that Lord which is God and that GOD which is Lord and Lord of Lords to worke some touch in Pharaoh of feare Secondly the Lord God of the Hebrewes that is that hath euer had care of them and dealt for them as séemed good to his Wisedome Thirdly that their scope was Religion not rebellion nor any vndutifull practise against the state Shall not this moue vs to reuerence authoritie when God thus notablie sheweth his liking of it It is enough in this place if God be with vs. Lastly obserue the long sufferance of God who though by this Pharaoh verie much offended yet before hee will smite he will admonish and doe all things so as his owne hart shall testifie his owne inexcusable wickednes Certainly euen thus the Lord dealeth with our selues if wee had eyes to sée it still forewarning and calling to a touch before hee determine Judgement and iust destruction His Preachers and Prophets his rods and his crosses his fauours and bounties be all Admonishers of vs to auoide his wrath 18. But I knowe that the King of Egypt will not let you goe but by strong hand Therefore will I sttetch out my hand and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will doe in the midst thereof and after that shall hee let you goe How well doth the Lord sée what the wicked thinke is secret and hidden to wit their thoughts and purposes their dispositions and nature yea before themselues knowe what they will doe he knoweth and shall not this moue them Their stubborne and stiffe harts contemning admonitions and all meanes of their reformation the Lord knoweth and séeth before How may this comfort the zealous Minister that is wearied and wasted with longing after the life of them that wish his death with praying entreating and crying vpon men for their good that they would hearken and consider that they would be reconciled to God and saue their soules I say how may this comfort him that this blockishnes and hardnes this ingratitude and vnkindnes of theirs was knowne to the Lord euer And therefore to content himselfe that he hath giuen warning like a faithfull Watchman that hee hath loued like a faithfull Pastor and endeauoured their good as a true Minister leauing the Lord now to his further pleasure euen to stretch out his hand and to smite such Pharaohs with their Land that is their possessions and goods their friends and associates as héere hee did for till Pharaoh féele it hee will not thinke of His might The Preacher speaketh in the aire the friend priuately looseth his labour and honest aduise Pharaoh féeleth not but thinketh himselfe wise and them fooles Their loue returneth therefore into their owne bosome being noted in Gods Booke for a Witnes against them and that swéete comfort sheweth it selfe to be taken hold of Wée are a swéete sauour to the Lord in them that perish After this consider with your selfe héere againe in that it is saide Pharaoh will not let them goe but by strong hand How far more easie it is to come into Egypt than to get out So it is assuredlie a smooth way to Hell by many pleasant delights but to returne and giue ouer the sinne once entred into to forsake that pleasant way This is a worke This is a labour nay This is a Grace indéede Any man may leape into a pit at his pleasure but hee must come out with more difficultie if euer hee come out Therefore in my conceite the good woman dealt wisely with the Frier that solicited her to sinne and told her hée would sing and say prayers for her that should cleanse her from all her offence and deliuer her presently out of Purgatorie if shee should happen to die whilest hee was aliue when shee appointed a pit to be digged in the way where the Fryer should come in the night and to be couered with some grasse that it might not appeare into which as soone as euer the Fryer came he fell and not able any way to get out againe Anon when hée had cooled himselfe well the woman came also as though shée had come to méete him to whom the poore Fryer pittifully complaineth that hee was fallen into that pit there and could not get out praying her to vse some meanes for his deliuerance But shee wisely tolde him hee should remember what hee said vnto her to wit that out of the pit of Purgatorie hee could sing her or any that should offend with him and now there was a good place to trie the power of his Musicke and Songs that shée and others might beléeue him the better If hee would haue his Portesse sent for shée said shée would but other helpe hee should get none of her And so shee left him to sing himselfe out if hee could So sleight a matter made those Hypocrites then of fearefull sinne easily purged and easilie pardoned were it neuer so wittingly and wilfully committed But this Figure of the hardnes to get out of Egypt when once they were in may shew vs as I say apparantly the contrarie and giue vs iust and good cause to beware of sinne The deuill is not such a foolish Fowler to let slip easely the bird he hath caught Euery mans owne experience telleth him how hard it is to leaue a wonted wrying from the right way and God graunt wee may thinke of it 19. Lastly the Lord addeth that Hee would make them fauoured of the Egyptians so that when they departed they should not goe emptie c. Where to our comfort wée sée that all harts are in the hands of God euen as the riuers of water and that hee turneth them hither and thither at his pleasure Hée can make them loue hate they neuer so much and they shall not bee able to withstand his will Yea hee can make them so loue that fruites from thence shall flowe to his people of their loue euen as hee best liketh Be they Jewels of siluer or Jewels of
righteous dealing be the armour of the godly and withall how many of such vglie creatures this world hath let it be considered that therevpon may arise this fruitfull Meditation how little cause good men and women haue to be in loue with this world to build tabernacles in it and to say and thinke it is good being heere but rather to sigh and wish to be loosed and to liue there where the Elect of God hauing the Harpes of God sing the song of Moses where they crie Hallelu-iah saluation and glory and honour and power be to the Lord c. O difference of places if we had eyes or heads or hearts God God for his Christ sake giue vs féeling Amen The 3. plague of Lice THis is the 3. plague which the Lord by his mightie power brought vpon this hard hearted King and his people sée king thereby their good but preuailed not In which also for our instruction wee may obserue diuers things As first why the Lord did not bring againe vpon them his former plagues either of Frogges or bloodie water letting them rest vpon them till they were stouped but still bringeth new others than the former Wherevnto wee may answere that the Lord did this to shewe that his power was not tyed to any one thing but by infinite wayes able to punish sinners if they will be stubborne more and more so to feare them and by them vs to the worlds end Which happie we if it doo to amendment that his many and strange and dreadfull plagues may be euer and euer far from vs. 2. We may note that as easie it had béene for the Lord to haue turned the dust into Lyons and Beares and Wolues both of strange greatnes and cruell fiercenes but that rather hee chose to confound pride by weakenes and a rebelling humour by so base a creature as at other times often hee vsed to doo And more it fretteth a high minde as you may note in Abimelech who sought of his seruant to slay him rather than it should be saide that a woman had ouercome him In vs let it worke thus much that if such a vile creature may by God be made too strong for a Kingdome what resistance can I one man or one woman make against the Lords wrath if I pull it vpon me by my sinnes by my proude haughtie and carelesse heart His wrath can arme all the creatures in Heauen Earth against me and yet the least of them is thus farre aboue my power as you sée héere Wicked are the words of some prophane mouthes at times saying Let vs haue our will now and wee will shift then O vaine heart what shift can it thinke of against such a GOD Shake and tremble at this dulnes betimes lest the plague of it shiuer thée in péeces for euermore The water crusheth Pharaoh and all his people in the Kingdome the Earth now also sendeth vermine vpon him and hee cannot shift against such a vile and contemptible creature Followe this Meditation in your minde and let it profit you for before the face of his wrath who can stand 3. Novve the Enchaunters assayed likewise vvith theyr Enchauntments to bring foorth Lice but they could not Powerfull then is the Deuill when God will suffer him but when God will restraine him what can he doo And this to the Storie of Iob to the Storie of the heard of Swine in the Gospel such other places grow we in cōfort against this deadly foe of ours For we sée his weaknesse and the bridling hand of God at all times ouer him when God pleaseth Feare God and feare not Sathan but contemne God and then shake to thinke of Sathans fierce rage when once he hath leaue giuen to torment thee 4. Behold againe a good thing before the Inchanters did the like but here now they cannot for their liues As then a time there is of triall betwixt contrary opinions and crossing miracles that they which are of God may bee knowne so is there a time euen a ioyful happy time when the Lord will cut of that difference and mismaze that doubting that iuggling and deceiptful working and giue his truth victorie ouer all Inchanters Iames and Iambres witstood Moses saith the Apostle and so did some then and yet now with vs resist the truth Men of corrupt mindes and reprobat concerning the faith But Moses had victory ouer those of his time the Apostle saith the other of his time shal no longer preuaile their madnes being manifest to all men Therefore for them of our time we may not doubt of like successe against them onely let vs haue patience as I often say till the time come Waies can he nener want to ouerthrow them when in such weake creatures as these were he is so strong A séely simple man in the famous Counsel of Nice without Logicke or Rhetoricke or any helpe of the Arts gaue that vaunting Philosopher an ouerthrowe and gained him from his vanity vnto God the Storie is knowne and I passe it ouer In our times women and children haue foiled Doctors that euen out of babes sucklings mouthes the praise of God might be ordained In some thing or other shall falshood stil faile that such as haue eies may sée the truth Amplify it further as you please for God be thanked there be manie proofes 5. Then said the Inchanters to Pharaoh This is the finger of God Wherein obserue how the wicked who for a time make shew as though God were on their side in Gods good time shall be forced to acknowledge the contrarie to his glorie and the great comfort of his Church and children For what are these wordes other in sence than as if they should haue saide we haue hitherto deluded the eies and senses of the beholders by our inchantments but now we are no more able to doo so This which is now done passeth our skill and albeit the creature be vile and base yet is the power of God such ouer vs and our Art that wee cannot doo the like but giue him the victorie and acknowledge our selues sinfull weake and wicked men Thus were Nabuchadnezzar in Daniel and Antiochus in the Maccabies drawn to confesse Gods power ouer them and all their greatnesse Which certainly is an vnspeakeable comfort to all that depend vppon him in their troubles For what can any man doo against you against me or any other more than this God so potent and puisant will giue him leaue to doo and what leaue will he giue him more than in the end shall turne to our good for whom he hath not spared to giue his dearest son to death that euer we might be assured of him 6. Yet Pharaohs heart saith the Text remained still obstinate and he hearkened not vnto them c. So laying before vs a notable example of the rooted wickednesse in mans heart béeing left of God vnto itselfe For as now you sée not
his own inchanters mooue him any thing at all though they acknowledge before him the power of God It maketh mee thinke of some men in our daies who by no meanes can be wonne to the truth no not by their owne men who sometimes haue erred as now they do but in the mercy of God haue receiued light both speaking and writing what should profit others This is a fearefull hardnesse to be prayed against by all that haue a care of their owne saluation The fourth plague of Flies 1. THese things thus passed ouer the Lord hasteth to an other plague séeing the former could not moue and as Pharaohs malice increased so sharper and sharper is the Lords hand For now commeth a plague most bitter to him and all his euen swarmes of very noisom creatures Flies Waspes Hornets Canker-wormes Locusts Scorpious and such like so that now most fearefully they were vexed in euery place Diuines meditating vpon this plague haue resembled vnto it those cares and thoughts wherewith worldlie men are vsuallie vexed for as the Flies did neuer suffer the Egyptians to sléepe or take any rest so doo those cares torment all day and night Others haue resembled those bitings and touchings of conscience which men so grieuouslie often féele to these Flies because as in the one so in the other the griefe is greater than can bée expressed Againe because as these Flies were a punishment forerunning the deliuerance of Gods people so these agonies of minde going before great and Heauenly comfort doth vsually follow A thing worthy of remembrance to troubled mindes and full of contentment if they will holde fast by him that is alwaies mercifull and calleth vnto him all that trauell and are heauy laden Others considering the nature of these Flies haue compared Tyrants and oppressors of their weaker brethren vnto them For as these Flies sucked-out the Egyptians blood with biting and stinging and causing of smart so doo such cruell men till they haue gorged themselues with sinlful spoiles of their Christian brethren There be great Flies those be Great men that tyrannously rule not shearing but shauing to the very skinne if they take not skinne and all There be lesser Flies and those be vsurers and other biting binders who with their Nouerint Vniuersi make an vniuersall ruine of many a mans estate so fetch him in still with the Condition of the Obligation that in the end his Condition is wofull and his heart breaketh with the bitter griefe of Be it knowne vnto all men Surelie these are cursed Flies indéede the suckers of our sap the bibbers of our blood the pinchers of our harts and the stingers and wringers of our very soules The Egyptian Flie was nothing like vnto them but yet you sée was a great plague of God sent to punish the sinne of men But let them remember that these Flyes of Egypt had but a time God sent them in wrath and tooke them away in mercie vppon intreatie Some Moses or other shall stande vp and the Lorde shall sende a strong west-winde to take these Canker-wormes away and cast them into the Red-sea that in our roast they may torment no longer Philo the Jewe in the life of Moses saith that because the Egyptians did as it were sting the Israelites with many biting and bitter wordes scoffes and scornes taunts and iestes therefore the Lod sent these Flies Hornets among them that one thing might be punished with an other And most certaine it is that such Stingers shall bee punished as God shal thinke good in his due time 2. These Flyes were not in the land of Goshen and that saith the Text because God made a seperation Wherein we profitably learne that whensoeuer we are frée from any calamitie or griefe which happeneth tâ— others it is not by our owne vertue or policie but by that gratious seperation which the Lord maketh whose mercy and loue that we might more fully sée he saueth vs from that euill Wherein how may we runne into pertiâ—nlars since we were borne and haue had dealings in the world Others sicklie we healthie others wath we sufficient others in continuall paine and labour we in rest and ease and comfort others in prison we at liberty others in blindnesse wee in light others sclaundered wee not touched others crossed in their children and friends wee comforted others wake we sléepe others wéepe wée sing and which is the top and height of all miserie others are so tempted that they violently cast themselues away when we in the meane time féele no temptation O blessed God what a seperation is this Let vs euer thinke of it and be thankeful for it 3 When Pharaoh and his people were vexed with this Plague Moses and Aaron according to his former manner were called for and licence giuen them to goe and doo sacrifice but with limitation in this Land and when that would not satisfie Moses for the reasons mentioned in the twenty sixe verse then it is inlarged to the wildernesse also but yet againe limitted Goe not farre away Where we are to mark the fashion not onelie of worldly Princes but of all wordlie and earthlie minded men how they can vpon vrgent necessitie be content to tollerate Religion so it might stil be ioyned with their profit but if it be once contrary to that O how bitter then how hard then to endure it and giue it frée and louing passage For these Jewes wholly to depart from Egypt was not for Pharaohs profit for from their labours he had great gaine and therefore by no meanes may they go out of his land to sacrifice to their God but in the land he is content to endure them so he may be fréede from these plagues that so fearefully God sent vpon his people Or if it néedes must be that they must goe forth of the Land yet not farre away in any case Thus was hee thus are many at this day and to the worlds end these wretches will not want who haue their gaine for their God and no other Religion will euer like than what may stand with the same as much as possibly they can procure Let vs sée it marke it and hate it for it is not that which can please God If we be risen with Christ we must seek the things that are aboue and if we loue any thing more than him we neuer can enioy him His kingdome is not of this world and if our ioy and glorie be in it we are not his followers Loue not this world saith Saint Iohn neither any thing in this world For if the loue of the world be in vs the loue of God is not in vs. That builder of greater barnes for his large commings in was but a foole in his eies who only is wise and when his soule was taken away whose were all his toyles and trauels That purple pampered Glutton went to the Deuill and with all his worldlie wealth could not
procure one drop of water to coole his scalded tongue The gaine of Gold makes many loose their soules The gréedy wretch that for himselfe still spares doth hoord-up nothing but continuall cares Hermocrates lying at the point of death bequeathed his goods to none but himselfe The fire burneth â—â—ercer the more it hath and so the worlds wormes The Bées doo flocke to the hony dewe and so these wretches vnto gaine The greatest fish deuoure the smaller frie and so these wretches their weaker brethren In aworde as you neuer sée the Sea without waues so shall you neuer see these wretches without woes And as the cloudes doo hide the Sunnes light so their gréedie hearts repell Gods grace But let this suffice touching some vse of this Chapter ¶ â‹ CHAP. 9. The chiefe heades of this Chapter are these three plagues more The Fifth Plague The Sixth Plague The Seauenth Plague 1. WHereof that we may make like vse as before let vs first note froÌ„ whence any murren of cattell doth come when wee are that way punished in a countrie surely euen from the Lord as we sée héere Not simply froÌ„ Witches and Sorcerers set on by malicious neighbours as we vsually thinke for what can a whole Legion of Deuils doe to one swine without leaue graunted from the Lord you know the place and it ought to be thought vpon God sometimes trieth by this afflictioÌ„ and so teach the Scriptures Cursed shall be the increase of thy kine and the flocke of thy sheepe The beasts and the birdes are consumed for their sin that dwel in the land Euery way theÌ„ it is the Lord euery way therfore we ought to séeke to the Lord not to Witches and Sorcerers 2 But still the Lord spareth the Israelites True and sée the vse of it First God in his Justice this way more tormenteth the mindes of the wicked who for their rebellion against him deserue all punishment so saith the Psalme The wicked shall see this and consume away Secondly the Lord assureth his Chosen in all the world that albeit in lesser matters he trieth them or chasticeth them as hee dooth others yet when his great plagues come of Judgement vnto death and destruction eternall he will surely make a separation to the vnspeakeable Comfort of his owne and to the eternall praise of his mercie The wordes of the Prophet are plaine For a little while haue I forsaken thee but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Againe in the Psalme if his wrath be kindled but a little Blessed are they that put their trust in him Meaning because there is euer as I say a partition betwixt the Lords wrath and his Chosen Good therefore is that prayer of Dauid euer to be in our minde wheresoeuer we are O knit my heart vnto thee Lord that I may feare thy name that I may euer cleaue vnto thee euer be thine and neuer be drawne away from thee by any temptation whatsoeuer 3. And the Lord appointed a time saying To morrowe the Lord shall finish this thing in this Land So that not onely the Judgement and affliction which happeneth is of the Lord but the very time also when it shall begin and when it shall end before which time no malice of man or Deuill can bring it no power of any creature can take it away Tempus prâ—fixit vt non casu factum putent vt certitudinem Diuinâ— virtutis ostenderet cui nemo potest resistere Hee appointed the time saith Theodoret that they might not thinke these things came by chaunce likewise to shew the certaintie of Gods power which no creature can resist Againe the truth of his comminations and threatnings you sée héere when it is said So the Lord did this thing on the morrowe all the Cattell of Egypt died but of the Cattell of the children of Israel died not one Learne therefore to tremble when the Lord threatneth and to feare the Euent for as here so euer he will be true vnlesse heartie Repentance step in betwixt and turne away his wrath from vs. 4. Then Pharaoh sent to sée and found all as hath béene said yet saith the Text the heart of Pharaoh was obstinate and hee did not let the people goe Marke it well and thinke with your selfe whether any Preacher or Teacher can be plainer in words than GOD was héere by works or whether any man can euer bee made to sée a truth by teaching more euidently and manifestly than Pharaoh héere sawe this hand of God smiting Egypt and sparing Israel yet though GOD be the Teacher himselfe and the matter subiect to his eyes without deniall Pharaoh still is obstinate still the same still a striuer against God and his grace How then doo wee wonder that where the Word is preached truth soundly and plainly taught yet all be not reformed and reclaimed froÌ„ their errors Is there any fault in the Word or Teacher are not things plaine how then commeth this to passe but euen as héere it did from the fearefull wrath of GOD hardning such hearts and closing such eyes that they can neither sée féele or vnderstand to saluation All because they haue not a loue to the truth but are hypocrites scorners deriders and such as heare onely for fashion thinking themselues abundantly skilfull when indéede they are most ignorant and when as they may sée the Lord by his Prophet affirming that he will looke vnto none but such as are poore of a contrite spirit and tremble at his words That is humble in their owne eyes receauing the Word with reuerence hungring and thirsting after the same as the Spirituall foode of their soules saying in their hearts as Samuel did Speake on Lord thy seruant heareth Surelie neither true matter nor plaine manner will serue vnlesse God strike a holy stroke within vs by his powerfull Spirit that wee may be moued Therefore as it is a blessing to haue truth tolde vs so is it a double blessing to haue a soft heart giuen vs moued yéelding to the truth Otherwise as you sée in the Smiths shop as many hard blowes laide vpon his Anuile as vpon the Iron hee worketh and yet the Anuile remaineth all one and the Iron turneth to the Smithes desire because in the one there is heate in the other none So in the same Auditorie as manie proofes and reasons are laid open to one as to another and yet one moued and not another S. Augustine saith Non verbis hominis fit vt intelligatur verbum Dei facit Deus vt intelligatis The words of man cannot make man vnderstand God his word but it is God that maketh them to vnderstand Joy therefore in the Lord his mercie towards you when you haue féeling knowe that it is a grace not giuen to all you sée Pharaoh héere and such hath the world many whom no preaching can reforme c. 5.
Ver. 8. vnto the 13. you sée the sixth plague of Egypt euen a foule scab breaking out into blisters vpon man and beast Whereof Iosephus saith no small number died yet could not this moue them to sée the hand of God Such vglie sores and maladies our age also hath and as far from leading to true repentance as these héere That gréeuous Disease began in Spaine but afterward crept into Fraunce and there so abounded as euer since it hath caried the name of that Country not of Spaine Be it that by diuers meanes it may happen as by a cup a combe a stoole and such like so that euery one is not guiltie of lewde life who happily is spotted with it yet which way so euer it commeth the Lord toucheth and it is euer good to sée his hand distinguished from other causes and to fall downe before him in humble acknowledgement of our sinne making our peace by true submission and beséeching him either to remoue such punishment frō vs or to seale vp our hearts in the assurance of his loue notwithstanding all earthly trials Let vs also in this place marke how the Sorcerers were smitten with this plague so that they could not stand before Moses They had séene many things before to make them giue place the deuouring of their roddes their inhabilitie to make that base vermine spoken of before yea their owne mouthes then said it was Gods Finger yet they will not giue ouer their gaine-saying and crossing of Gods Ministers till the Plague of God light vpon their owne persons in these vglie soares which surely is a very effectuall warning to all Kebellers against good things that they giue ouer betimes and yéeld to God so auoiding his wrathfull stripes either vpon themselues or their goods God is the same as iust as euer as strong as euer and will flesh and blood prouoke him A better course shal be our wisedome 6 This seuenth Plague now following ver thirtéenth hath also his Denunciation his Execution and his Effect Which in order obserued will yéelde vs sundry Meditations And first the Denunciation will more and more beate into vs the wonderfull hardnesse of Pharaoh and his People who neither by any nor all the Plagues before mentioned of Blood of Frogges of Lice of Flyes of Moraine of Botch could be mooued and turned to the obedience due from man to God Can we wonder at waywarde creatures in our times when wée sée this No no the heart of man Woman is a most wonderfull peruerse thing whē God worketh not these often Repetitions are made by Gods Spirite that we should marke it know it and continually pray against it 7 You sée God willeth Moses to Rise vp early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh Let the vse of it be to teach with what diligence and care God would euer haue his businesse how he hateth negligence and loose slubbering ouer what belongeth to our charge saying in plaine tearmes Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently Ministers then forasmuch as their calling is to doo the worke of God and to stand before Pharaoh they must be diligent zealous carefull and painfull doing what lieth in them euer Magistrates also must doo the like for they execute not the iudgments of man but of the Lord and he will be with them in the cause and iudgment For there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God neither respect of persons nor receauinge of reward Parents and Maisters doo the worke of God and therefore they must be diligent calling vpon their children and families with blessed Abraham to feare the Lord. There bee also in Parishes Church-Officers Sworne-men with such like who for their yéere haue Gods worke in hand and therefore they should haue a great conscience to doo their duties diligently for feare of the curse aboue mentioned But surely their grosse dulnes crieth for great vengeance and I pray God it reach not to their posteritie also and to all that they haue gathered together for them For so good Offices to so good vse both of the Church and Common-wealth cannot be so wilfully and wittingly so careleslie and presumptuouslie neglected as they are but it will smart one day When thou seest a thiefe saith God in the Psalme thou runnest with him and thou art a pertaker with the Adulterers When thou seest a thiefe that is an euill doer any way thou consentest vnto him that is either thou doest as he doth or at least doest ouerlooke him and conceale him not bringing him by thine Office vnto the ordinarie correction of his fault and hast beene pertaker with the Adulterers in not presenting them and following the presentment with zeale vntill there were Justice had These things saith God hast thou done and I held my tongue and thou thoughtest wickedly that I am euen such a one as thy selfe but I will reprooue thee and set before thee the things which thou hast done That is I will make thée knowe and the world also shall know by my dealings with thée that thou hast not risen vp earlie in the morning as Moses did héere that is thou hast not had care and conscience to doo the dutie of thy Place zealouslie and carefullie as thou oughtst for his sake whose worke it is and who hath raised thée to credite and accompt for thy Prince his sake who watcheth ouer thée for thy peace and is greatly abused by thée for thy Countrie sake which by thy negligence becommeth wicked and sinfull hastening to destruction most due and deserued Oh consider this better you that feare God saith the place lest I PLVCKE YOV AVVAY or teare you in peeces and there be none that can deliuer you 8 Obserue againe the word All in the 14. verse when God saith I will at this time send all my plagues vppon thine heart meaning many sundry and seuerall plagues for God did not bring All according to y◠Letter diuers others following after as the 8. 9. 10. Plague The vse is this that wee consider the perill of rebellious obstinacy against God For first he wil punish it with one rodde then with another happely with a thirde and if these single chastisements will not serue then will he go to many plagues heaping wrath vpon wrath and woe vppon woe with a fierce hand yea he will lay euen All his plagues vpon vs at once as he here speaketh to our greatfall and confusion Add vnto this proofe here those wordes in Deut. But if thou wilt not obey the voice of THE LORD THY GOD to keepe and to doe all his Commaundements and his Ordinances which I commaund thee this daie then all these curses not one or two but All these curses shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the towne and cursed in the field Cursed shall thy basket be and thy dough Cursed shall be the fruite of thy body and the fruite
by reason knowledge so differeth one man from another by more more knowledge in this Booke Woe to those Teachers then that lull vs a sléepe and tell vs that Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion that giue vs not leaue either to reade or pray or doo any duty in a tongue that we know but like those cursed Scribes and Pharises those hypocrites shut vp the Kingdome of Heauen before men neither going in themselues nor suffering others that would enter to come in Let this now spoken make vs sée their fault and that miserie so to liue as also this most swéet blessing of knowledge now vouchsafed to vs by the mercie of God through the happy gouernment of his Annointed seruant our déere and dread Souereigne and sending vp to God our thankfull thoughts both for it and him and begging the continuance of both long and long vnto vs. 2. It followeth in your Chapter But all the children of Israel had light where they dwelt Which surely was a very admirable thing the houses of Egyptians and Israelites ioyning as it should séeme one close to another as ours in these daies doo For else why should the blood be striked vpon the doore posts of the Israelites for a signe to the destroying Angell where to kill and where to passe ouer if all the Israelites had dwelt by themselues and had not béene mingled with the Egyptians This minde was Gregory Nyssen of and therefore hee saith Nontantum in Gosen vbi cōmuniter morabantur sed cum inter Aegyptios promiscue etiam habitarent in hoc maximum miraculum Not onely in Gosen where onely Israelites for the most part dwelled but among the Egyptians being mingled and dwelling together the Israelites had light and the Egyptian darknes And heerein was the greatest miracle The good wee may take by this strange worke of GOD is first to learne how able our Heauenly Father is to make a separation betwixt his Children and the Wicked when he executeth wrath and Justice if his good pleasure be so to doo though they be in one field together in one house together and in one bed together yet can bee choose the one and refuse the other Wherefore true is that Saying of the Psalme If his wrath be kindled but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him Feare wee not then in the time of Plague of Warre or other Publique calamitie least we should perish with the wicked hand ouer head but remember this Place and say in your heart with comfort and faith O Lord my GOD and gracious Father I knowe thine able hand to make a separation if thou please in this calamitie betwixt thy poore Lambes and the Goates as thon diddest in that darknes betwixt the Israelites and Egyptians therefore I flie vnto thee in humble acknowledgement of my sinne and for him that had no sinne I begge that if thy good pleasure may bee so thou wouldest vouchsafe to saue mee from this Sword of thine to let the light of thy mercie and louing countenance shine about my dwelling as thy chéerefull light did about the Israelites So shall my soule and heart euer praise Thee and thanke Thee But if otherwise LORD and Father thy Will bee done and not mine onely in the world to come acknowledge mee as I doo not doubt but thou wilt and it shall suffice Secondly let this place be obserued as a very plaine Figure of that which wee sée amongst vs euery day At one house dwelt an Egyptian and it was all darke at the next an Israelite and it was all light so nowe at one house dwelleth a superstitious Recusant or a prophane Atheist and all is darke At the verie next house dwelleth a zealous Professour of the truth who readeth the Scriptures heareth them preached frequenteth the Sacraments and faithfully laboureth that himselfe with his whole Familie may liue according to the Word and héere is all light which shall leade to the light eternall with God and all his hoste when the good houre commeth God strengthen our hearts euermore in the loue of this light and make vs truly thankfull for these lightsome daies Amen 3. The couetousnes of this great Tyrant verse 24 shadowing the greedie mindes of all Persecutors The stoute care of godlie Moses to haue the Lords whole Will performed and not to rest in a part verse 25. 26. The fearefull driuing away of Moses from his presence shewing the rags of Tyrants towardes their end to bee greater and so comforting the godlie that when they sée the like they may knowe the time is not long and remembring vs what a dangerous thing it is to driue away Gods Ministers from vs with diuers other things in the ver 28. and 29. because I haue béeste too long in this Chapttrr I will leaue to your owne Meditation and so end héere CHAP. 11. There is nothing more common both in these Bookes of Moses and other Bookes of Scripture than to set that after which in precise order was to goe before so is it in this Place For what now is said in these first Eight verses of this Chapter by due order should be put before the 28. verse of the former Chapter which if you doo and bring in the 28. verse after those words in the 8. verse And after this I will depart then the 29. verse of the former Chapter will followe well and after that the end of the 8. verse of this Chapter to wit So he went out from Pharaoh very angry c. The chiefe Heads of this Chapter are these three 1. A Denuntiation of a new plague 2. An Admonition to the Israelites what to do 3. The Plague it selfe 1. COncerning the first it is contained as you sée in these wordes Yet will I bring one plague more vpon Pharaoh and Egypt And to make vse to our selues of it you that are acquainted by your priuate reading with the Course of the Scriptures very well knowe the manner of Gods dealing in this matter from the beginning to the end First how milde it was then how by degrées it encreased to sharper and sharper till the deliuerance of his Church and people were effected At the first he appointed Moses and Aaron with the Elders of Israel to goe to Pharaoh and to entreate him mildly and dutifullie saying The Lord God of the Hebrewes hath met with vs WEE PRAY THEE therefore let vs goe three daies iourney into the Wildernes that we may sacrifice vnto the Lord our God But this praying would not serue wherefore the Lord went néerer them by great and powerfull wonders yet by degrées touching them and not with the greatest at the first He caused Moses rod to be turned to a Serpent c. A thing that hurt them not yet in all reason should haue moued them Then he turned their waters into blood which did somewhat touch them After when that preuailed not hee annoyed them
corner of the stréete kill kill God forbid To learne by other mens harmes was euer yet accounted wisedome and therefore let these Egyptian Cries so crie in our eares and our hearts continually as our owne Cries through the mercy of a gracious God may neuer be heard any where 7. But against the children of Israel shall not a Dogge moue his tongue neither against man nor beast that you may knowe how the Lord putteth a difference betweene the Egyptians and Israel A blessed separation by a swéet Father able to kindle in our hearts if we be aliue a burning flame of loue and dutie towards such a God The like wee saw in the plague of moraine and the plague of darknes before the Cattell of the Israelites were safe and they had light wheresoeuer they were So still and so euer if you marke the Scriptures one way or other Betwixt the olde world and his seruant Noe what a difference was there put Betwixt Lot and Sodome how did the Lord distinguish When God sent Ioseph before to prouide for his Father against that Great future famine did hee not put a difference betwixt his owne and others When the Shunammite was so mercifully admonished of the dearth to come and willed to goe soiourne where shee might to preuent the danger and when shee came backe againe so to helpe her to her Land with all the meane profites by such accident of the Kings talke with Gehazi and her fit comming in with her Petition while they were talking who séeth not the finger of a swéete GOD putting a difference betwéene the Israelites and the Egyptians that is betwixt his owne and others In that Great destruction of Hierusalem had he not a little Pella by to saue such as it pleased him to pull out of that fire Let vs then neuer feare we sée he hath care of his owne and what hee will doo he can doo If it be good for vs to escape these worldly woes wee are as sure wee shall as wee are sure wee liue And if otherwise it please him to wrap vs with others in the outward punishment yet shall wee euer be sure to be distinguished from them in the eternall paine and those outward griefes shall be but meanes to leade vs to lasting ioyes O cleaue we then fast vnto him for you sée the difference of being Religious and being prophane of leuing the Word and loathing the exercises of the same And this difference héere will make a fearefull difference in the world to come when you cannot helpe it had you the treasure of all the earth to purchase your ease withall No not one drop of water to coole your scalded tongue shall you be able to get with all that euer you possessed in this world for the loue whereof against all Admonitions you haue lost your selfe for euer 8. Lastly more power againe you sée of this mightie God in the 8. verse where he made the rebellious heart to stoope and to séeke with intreatie what before could not be had with any petition All thy seruants saith Moses shall come downe vnto me and fall before me saying Get thee out and all the people that are at thy feete They shall séeke and sue begge and craue prostrate before him that with spéede they would depart O glorious God that canst thus humble thy foes make them fall before them whom erst they scorned Let it knit vs glue vs vnto thée for euer I am amazed at thy Mercie and I cannot speake what I think Lord encrease our faith it shall suffice and be well with vs. CHAP. 12. The generall Heads of this Chapter are chiefely three The Institution of the Passeouer The Execution of the former plague The Departure of the Israelites out of Egypt 1. OBserue first the words in the second verse This moneth shal be to you the beginning of moneths it shall be to you the first moneth of the yeere And herein remember how diuersly diuers Nations and people haue made the beginning of the yeere Some when the Spring began Some at the Sommer Solstitium or Stay of the Sunne Some at the Winter Stay And some from the Autumne or Haruest time which vsually is reckoned frō the sixt of August The old Romanes as did the Hebrewes began their yéere in March Which order séemeth most agréeable to Nature because all things then begin to reuiue and shewe forth their life vigour In regard whereof some are of opinion that the time of the Creation of all things was then and that the Names of our Moneths September October Nouember December are as if it were said the 7. the 8. the 9. the 10. from March making March the first and so reckoning from thence forward But for other policies the Iewes reckoned also frō September Reade Iosephus in his Antiquities Chap. 4. and Hierome vpon the 3. of Ezechiel c. With vs in England the vsuall Reckoning is frō the 1. day of Ianuary which we call New-yeeres day yet the Merchants amōg vs vsually begin frō the 25. of March So seueral places haue seuerall Customes we must leaue them 2. Touching the Passeouer The Name in Hebrewe is well expressed in English for our vnderstanding when it is called the Passeouer not the passing ouer into the Land of Promise nor the passing ouer the Red Sea whereof sée S. Augustine but the Lords passing ouer or the Angels passing ouer those houses which had the posts striked with the blood Therefore in the 11. verse it is expreslie called the Lords Passeouer and so Leuit. 23. 5. The time of the Institution was before their Deliuerance because things taught in affliction both better sinke in vs and longer are remembred of vs. The Place where it was eaten nowe was in Egypt but after they were come into the Land of Promise setled we reade in Deut. thus Thou mayest not offer the Passeouer within any of the gates which the Lord thy GOD giueth thee But in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his Name there c. Which place being at Hierusalem all resorted thither at this Feast since Hierusalem hath béene destroyed they haue not dared write some to offer else where 3. The manner of this Passeouer with the signification of euery thing is next to be thought of Where you sée first a méeke Creature so was Christ it was a Lambe a harmlesse creature so was Christ a profitable creature by wooll to cloath vs flesh to féede vs so was Christ his righteousnes couereth his flesh féedeth all those that truly beléeue in him That this Paschal Lambe was a figure of Christ remember Iohns words in the Gospel But when they came to Iesus and saw that he was dead alreadie they brake not his legges that it might be fulfilled not a bone of him shall be broken Words written in this Chapter ver 46. of the Paschal Lambe and so Iohn maketh
good although as yet I sée not how because hee is no Changeling in his loue to his Seruants and did beyond all conceite of man deliuer these Israelites from this perill Surely there can be no perplexitie in this world greater than this was if all things be considered and yet all was most well in the end Remember we therefore alwaies the words of Dauid in his Psalmes When I am in heauines I will thinke vpon God when my heart is vexed I will complaine I wil cry vnto God with my voice yea euen to God will I crie with my voice he shall hearken vnto me c. The whole Psalme is comfortable if you reade it 2 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel they are tangled in the Land the Wildernes hath shut them in c. So they were indéede if wee consider the place where they were yet there is no tangling where the Lord will haue a passage But sée you here in your Meditation how when the destruction of the wicked is at hand the Lord in his iustice offereth them some baite or other to pull them on that as here He saith He may winne his honour vpon them they know he is the Lord. So was Ahab drawne to his end with a desire to recouer Ramoth Gilead which once was his the bait allured him the wrath of God flewe him So were Senacharib the Asyrians baited as it were with former successe with their multitude the smallenes of Ezechias his number But how gloriouslie did the Lord deliuer his and destroy them that so boasted Many such Examples may you remember by your selfe all teaching what a sure thing it is to belong to God to haue our trust in him onely For otherwise there will be a time of falling for vs we shall euen runne vpon it gréedily as these men did You may also here think of the number noted by Iosephus who addeth to the 600. Chariots mentioned in the Text ver 7. fiftie thousand Horsemen two hundred thousand footmen more all marching after Gods people with great confidence iolity yet all ouerthrowne in the déepe by a mighty God most easely So great a God is our God and it must euer comfort vs make vs strong Obserue againe their words vttered before they pursued after them Why haue we this done let Israel goe out of our seruice Which sheweth how quickly the wicked repent them of their good but seldom or neuer of their euill For to let them go was good yet they repented but to pursue after them was euill they repented not Many such there be in our daies which often grieue at an houre spent in the Church and neuer of daies yéeres spent in sin But let them looke vpon these Egyptians here be warned in time if God so will The difference of the hosts againe in this place is verie worthie obseruing the one all warriers well appointed the other full of weake women little children The chiefest men without great munition or any exact order militarie to match with them yet the weaker liueth the stronger dieth euer to teach vs to fixe our harts vpō God not to be tied to outward shew For there is no wisedom no counsell nor strength against the Lord. The horse is prepared against the day of battell but saluation is of the Lord. And as the Prophet Esay saith Gather together on heapes O yee people yee shall be broken in pieces and hearken all yee of far Countries gird your selues and you shall be broken in pieces gird your selues you shall be broken in pieces Take counsaile together yet it shall be brought to naught pronounce a decree yet shall it not stand for God is with vs c. Repeating things ouer and ouer that we may be assured alwaies strong in him 3. Againe I sée héere and marke it for my good that when wee are once deliuered out of Egypt then doth the Deuill muster his Chariots Horsemen after vs he wil if he can get leaue He cannot abide to loose his seruants so His we were he hath lost vs and his we must be againe if by all his strength he can possibly gaine vs. A Land that floweth with milke and honey may not be inherited without resistance Out of Egypt wee may be deliuered but from following afflictions we shall not be quite fréed Hue and Crie will be made by Hell after vs we shall be tried as God pleaseth Thinke of that Deuill in the Gospell who when he must néedes depart loose his possession did rend and teare the poore party most cruelly Thinke of those Stories of the Primatiue Church how Nero Domitian Dioclesian all those persecuting Emperours pursued the Christians deliuered from darknes to light What were they all but Sathan Hoast doing then as Pharaoh did here by the mighty hand of a iust reuenging God The Land of Canaan is ours but in our way thither looke for lets When the Deare is hued-in by the Hunters the dogges placed to make a course if hee take his way vpon the Dogges euery man is silent and letteth him goe for that is the way to death and it well pleaseth the Hunters But if hee offer to breake out some other way to escape the Dogges then they crie and beate the hedges to driue him backe againe and if he escape how disconted are they So so in our Deliuerance from Death and Hell doo wee plainly sée it And therefore hoping for the best when God shall sée it fit be prepared alwaies in your selfe for the worst and reckon of it Pharaoh will pursue you 4. When Pharaoh drewe neere the Israelites weresore afraide and cried vnto the Lord. Others said vnto Moses hast thou brought vs out of Egypt to die in the Wildernes c. Philo saith Quatuor tribus in aquis submergi voluisse ne ad Aegypttorum manus peruenirent alias quatuor se tradere Aegyptijs constituisse cum spe veniam impetrandi sed reliquas quatuor scilicet Iuda Leui Ioseph Beniamin vsque ad mortem cum illis pugnare decreuisse That 4. Tribes resolued to drowne themselues in the waters rather than to fall into the Egyptians hands other 4 Tribes determined to submit themselues to the Egyptians in hope of pardon and forgiuenes but the 4 Tribes left after these namely Iuda Leui Ioseph and Beniamin setled themselues to fight as long as they should be able to stand aliue against them Note then héere how affliction trieth what is in vs for such as héere rested vpon God cried you sée vnto him and no doubt hoped of helpe from him well considering that vbi humanum deest consilium ibi Diuinum adest auxilium Where mans Counsaile faileth there Gods helpe is present Others not so grounded setled foulely and sinfully discouered their corruption quarrelled
although it were not of the nature of other Cloudes but a more Diuine thing higher than mans minde is able to comprehend by which in the daie time the heate of the Sunne was tempered and in the night a comfortable light giuen saith Greg. Nyssen writing of the life of Moses The comfort and vse I take from it is this that in new perilles the Lord can haue new remedies at his pleasure Now before vs and now behinde vs and euermore with vs if wee bee with him by a sure trust in his goodnesse blessed be his Name euermore for it The winde which the Lord vsed to cause the Sea to runnebacke was not for any néede of such meanes but that he might shew his power ouer all creatures to vse them commaund them at his wil. So by the water of Iorden he healed Naaman when he could haue healed him without it By clay and spittle he opened eies and diuers such things in the Scriptures when at other times by his only Word he did as much without any meanes at all Then went they through on dry land and the waters stood as a wall vnto them on the right hand and on the left If you aske how they durst aduenture to passe so dangerously seeing the waters might haue gushed together againe and haue ouerwhelmed them The Epistle to the Hebrewes telleth vs That by faith they passed through the Red-sea as by dry land which when the Egyptians had assaied to doo they were swallowed-vp If you looke at the waters on either side you may see the condition of Gods Children in this world beset on the right side with a floud of prosperitie beset on the left side with a floud of aduersitie yet through a true faith walking through both and hurt by neither they arriue on the other side safely when by either of these many others are destroyed pray we then euer for this Faith 8 The Egyptians féele the Lord against them and then would flie but it was too late And let it euer preach vnto our mindes the danger of deferring our conuersion to GOD. For when wée would wée shall not but euen perish and die as here did the Egyptians O what newes in Egypt was this when it came what woe and what weeping what wailing and wringing of hands by wiues for their husbands children for their Fathers and friends for their friends which now were deuoured of the cruell Sea But it is too late Had I wist commeth euer behinde saith the old Prouerbe And therefore a notable Example is this to all degrees one to perswade with an other vnto Religion and the true seruice of God that such fearefull newes may neuer be brought to our friends of vs. For the Lord will not euer beare with our contempt but as here was a heauie Morning when the Sea roaring returned together and they flying and crying in the middest of it so assuredly shall there be either a morning or an euening of miserie vnto them who proudly disdaine to be taught of their God happy are they that thinke of it in time 9 The glorious victorie of the Church here is a thing worthy all due consideration yeelding vs comfort to the worlds end in all our perplexities For how doo they see their enemies destroyed and themselues deliuered how triumph they in Songs of ioy and gladnesse in the next Chapter verse 1. c This is the Word and we must beléeue it these are his promises and we must be strong in them The Church is Christs body therefore it shall not be forsaken It is the house of God therefore it shall not be forsaken He hath bought it with his bloud Acts 20. 28. 1. Pet. 1. 18. therfore it shall not be forsaken It is his spouse Hosea 2. 19. 2. Cor. 11. 2. Apoc. 21. 2. 9. therefore it shal not be forsaken It is built vpon Christ Mat. 16. 18. therfore it shal not be forsaken In a word the Gaâ—es of Hell shall not preuaile against it neither of his kingdome shall there be any end Math. 16. Luke 1. 33. The harmers of his Church shall in their time be punished and the fauourers of it euer blessed I will blesse them that blesse thee saith God to Abraham and curse them that curse thée Sehon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Basan with all the rest of that sort how did they fall before Gods people and were destroied The Great Monaâ—chies of the world the Chaldaean the Persian the Graecian and the Roman which were not obedient to his Truth and fauourers of his flocke where are they On the other side how blessed be the Midwiues that were kinde vnto his people how saued he Rahab and all her familie The Widow of Sarepta lost not her loue to his Prophet neither the Ethiopian in Ieremie nor any other So is his Church right deare vnto him you plainely sée and it is the comfort strong of euery member For the loue of the body draweth a loue of the hand and foote and euery part we see in experience by our owne bodies No part can perish without a great greife to the whole neither the vilest part bee but a little touched without an offence to the very heart What comparison betwixt vs and Christ in our loue and his None none and the more he exceedeth vs the more is our comfort ioy We neuer saide that God wanted a Church before Luther as wee are either foolishly vnderâ—â—ood or maliciosly reported but we know he blesseth not all times alike punishing mans ingratitude often with Cloudes yet euer he hath his people and euer shall haue to the end In regarde of which variable estate the Church is resembled to the Moone which after full hath a wanne and neuer abideth still full It is compared to a ship tosseâ— and tumbled in the Sea and in great perill many times of which you may often thinke with much profit How the Arke of Noeâ—igured â—igured the Church you may reade in the Notes vpon Genesis Chapter 6. And if you desire to peruse the old Fathers these marginall places may direct you Nauis non ex vno ligno constat sed ex diuersis c. A ship is not made of one board saith Epiphanius No more dooth the Church consist of one man or of one sort of men A Ship is narrow at the beginning and then much broader in the middle so the Church at first is small and farre greater in time yea euen spread abroad in the world Narrow and straight is Abel and Sheth little and small in Noâ— and his familâ—e but seuenty Soules came into Egypt yet thousands thousands grew of theÌ„ Narrow was the Ship in Elias time but Achab Iezebel beeing gone it grew broader The Apostles Disciples were but few but when at one Sermon there were added three thousand Soules the Ship you see grew broader And so of those
comfort to his Church touching Christ if you remember That we haue not a high Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sin And thereupon concludeth Let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receaue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede If wée be not in abilitie to doo Strangers any good yet comfortable words shal please both them and God that made this law for them The other law concerning Widowes fatherlesse Orphanes as the Lord made it in great mercie so will he euer punish the breaches with sharpe iustice Affliction saith Salomon is not to be added to the afflicted Widowes fatherlesse children therfore must be pittied comforted helped if neede require séeing they haue lost their head not oppressed and wronged vexed grieued as often they are Now that the Lord wil punish you sée the Text plaine and how O reade it againe for it is fearefull with the sword will he destroy those wringers and crushers that their wiues also may become widowes and their children fatherlesse So verifying the wise Saying By what a man sinneth by that shal he be punished Careful therfore was Iob to auoide this danger and voweth vehemently that he neuer restrained the poore of their desire nor caused the eyes of the widow to faile by long waiting for her request Let this mooue vs and strike vs and euer profit vs. If thou lend money to my people that is to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an Vsurer vnto him ye shall not oppresse him with vsury This matter of vsury is so largely handled by many and so little regarded by moe that I spare my labour in it To allow all that some allow or to condemne as much as * some condemne as yet I sée no reason Many are the cases and intricate are the questions mooued mentioned in this matter Orphanes are left with nothing to bring them vp but a portion of money some in the Vniuersities some in the Country Spend the stocke and it will soone be gone vse it occupy it themselues they cannot So they haue money and want a trade others haue trades and want money Bucer in Cambridge was asked this question and did not dislike of some interchange profitable to the Orphane and yet not opening the way to flat vsury Stran gers likewise and exiles out of their countrey for religion and good causes bring a little money with them for easines of carriage and nothing else themselues happily may not trade in a forraigne land how then shall they their wiues and children liue workmen peraduenture also they are not but of an higher degrée In short therefore we know the end of the cōmandement is loue so far thē as borrowing lending breaketh not that but agréeth with it moderate men may do what is fit for them no scope giuen to the condemned vsurer To méete with one inconuenience to bring many others into the common-wealth was neuer wisedome Wherefore let euerie man search his own heart and well obserue his owne dealings in lending to his neighbour that liueth with him as knowing that nothing is hid frō God but must be accoūted for one day If cōtracts charitie agrée not together but what profiteth you hurteth your neighbour the case is altered I speak of what agréeing with loue is by learned men allowed the same disagréeing from the same is condemned blamed 9 The next law is concerning pawnes and pawne-takers A great trade still in this wringing world And of them thus the Lord speaketh If thou take thy neighbours raiment to pledge thou shalt restore it to him before the Sun go downe for that is his couering onely and this is his garment for his skin wherein shall he sleepe Therefore when he cryeth vnto me I will heare him For I am mercifull The 24. of Deutro is to be referred hither for explication further of the mercie that God requireth in this matter frō all men Mark it euer remember it the nakednesse miserie of the poore body cryeth against thée to the Lord and hée hath vowed to heare All is not gained then that is put in thy purse but only that which is wel put in The other laws of reuerence to Magistrates neither reuiling them nor thinking lightly of them of due and true paying of tythes to the maintenance of Gods truth and Ministers and so forth will come hereafter to be touched againe and therefore no more now of this Chap. CHAP. 23. THis Chapter also as hath béen said goeth on with mo Lawes tending likewise to the exposition of the Morall Law and namely of the 8. and 9. Commandements Touching the procéeding with moe lawes we may make vse of these and the like Sayings Arcesilaus in Laertius did not like that there should be many laws saying Quemadmodum vbi multi medici ibi multi morbi it a vbi permultae lege◠ibi plus vitiorum Like as where there are many Phisitions that are many diseases so where there are very many laws there are moe faults Demonax very vnaduisedly spake against all lawes saying Leges prorsus esse mutiles Vt quibus boni non egerent mali nihilò fierent meliores That lawes were altogether vnprofitable because the good needed them not the bad would not be bettered by them But Chrisostome with a better spirit both approoued goodlaws and would haue thē ALL to be obeied Saying In citharanon satis esse in vno tantum neru◠concentum efficere Vniuersos oportere percuti numerosè decenter ita ad salutem non satis esse vnam Legem vniuersas esse audiendas seruandas To make musicke on a Harpe it is not sufficient to playe on one sting but all must be striken in due measure and proportion so to saluation one Law is not sufficient but all must be wel vnderstood duly kept These laws therefore here following cōtinued by God himselfe seruing by explanation to helpe our vnderstanding consequentlie to direct our practise concerning former lawes are dillgently by vs to be obserued In the two first verses obserue the vertues of a good and vpright iudge and add them to that which was spoken in the 18. Chap. His first vertue is Truth Truth I say in his sentence and iudgment which he must euer carefully labour for by all good waies and meanes Contrary to truth are false tales rumors which therefore here in the first words are forbiddē either to be receaued of the Judge or reported by others Thou shalt not receaue a false tale neither shalt thou put thy hand with the wicked to be a false witnesse The Word signifieth both to receaue and report therefore both forbidden That the Iudge may thus doo he must euer remember Epicharmus his little saying Memēto
tasted when he said Coit caetus cōgregantur omnes et quasi manufacta praecationibus ambiunt Deumorantes Grata haec vis est Deo quodque singulis petentibus negaturus forte fuerit multorū vnanimitati precantium fere tribuit The assembly commeth together and all meeting as it were with an host or band of men they set vpon GOD with their ioined prayers and the Lord accepteth well such force offered vnto him graunting commonly to that one voice of many what he would not haue graunted to some of them if they had bene seuerall Surely as many stickes make a greater fire and many strings a fuller musicke so is the méeting of many in the Church to pray together a fire of great heate an harmonie passing pleasing to the Lord. The Churches are like those Cities of refuge which God appointed among the Israelites whither hee that had offended might flye finde pardon onely those Sanctuaries were for some kinde of faults and the Church is for all kinde so that wée heartely and vnfainedly cry Lord forgiue and what a comfort is this Meditation if you follow it Dooth the husbandman sow onlie for the pleasure hée taketh to sowe or dooth he it to the end he may reape Dooth the Merchant onely aduenture for a pleasure to saile or dooth hée it to gaine and get So so must a Christian Man or Woman goe to the Church not for the pleasure of walking or such like but to get and gaine some spirituall comfort and profit which if wée doo certainely that God that séeth our harts desires and driftes will mercifully and gratiously answere the same to our good contentment Let these things therefore increase our loue to the Church to goe to it to spend the time wel when we are there and to tarrie out the end of all diuine duties there which last point S. Chrisostome exhorteth vnto by much perswasion finding the fault euen then as it séemeth which too too much aboūdeth in our Churches namely to depart away before the end of Prayers and Sermon Medicamentum inquit si tibi adhibeatur nec te sanet an non altero die adhibebis Si incisor arboris vno ictu non incidat an non plures adhibebit Sic tu ingressus Ecclesiam et admissus ad consortium Christi noliexire nisi demittaris nam si exeas tamque fugitiuus reposceris Totum diem in his quae ad corpus spectant insumis et duas horas spiritualibus non vacas Ad theatrum venis et non discedis donec dicatur valete et plaudite et in Ecclesiam ingressus priusquam Diuina mysteria peragantur abis A medicine saith hée if it be applied to thee and helpe thee not the first daye wilt thou not vse it the second daye againe A feller of a tree if he cannot smite it downe at one blowe will hee not smite againe and againe till it fall So then entring into the Church admitted to the cōpany of Christ depart not away till thou be dismissed For if thou do go forth thou shalt bee called for againe as a fugitiue All the whole day thou canst bee content to bestow in things concerning the Bodye and canst thou not bestow two houres vpon spirituall matters To the Theater where the playe is thou wilt come and not depart before the end and out of GODS house wilt thou depart before an end Thus effectuallie did that godlie Father then reprooue this fault and let it mooue vs much Diuers Councilles also laide downe expresse Decrees against it as may bée séene But let this suffice of this matter occasioned by the end and vse of this Sanctuatie which God here would haue built Namely that he might dwell among them 6 The last point is the forme fashion of it which God here expresly cōmandeth should be According to all that he shewed him euen so should he make it and all the instruments of it Afterward often it is repeated according to that patterne which God shewed Moses in the Mountaine verse 40. Wherein wée are most plainelie taught that in the seruice and worship of God our deuises and inuentions must haue no place but carefully and precisely we must euer serue him according to his owne paterne and prescription left vs in his holy Word Much hath the Word of this matter we must be very héedefull of it Heare O Israel saith the Lord the ordinances and lawes which I teach you c. Ye shall put nothing to the Word which I commaund you neither shall you take ought there from Againe ye shall not doo whatsoeuer seemeth good in your owne eyes But to the place which the Lord your God shall choose thither shall you bring all that I commaund you c. Againe Ye shall haue fringes vpon the borders of your garments put vpon the fringes of the borders a ribād of blew silke That whē you looke vpon them ye may remēber all the cōmandements of the Lord to do them and THAT YE SEEKE NOT AFTER YOVR OVVNE HART NOR AFTER YOVR OVVNE EYES c. The punishment of transgressing in this kinde you may reade in many places in the Old and New Testament Hee that breaketh the least of these commandements shall be counted the least in the kingdome of God If any man loue me he wil keepe my Word Then are you my friends if you doo what I commaund you The Apostle condemneth all voluntarie religion to the Colossians the place is worthy looking on Therefore himselfe expresly mentioneth that touching the holy Sacrament he deliuered nothing but what hee had receiued For in vaine in vaine saith he do we worship God teaching for doctrines mens precepts Secondly in that God shewed Moses a patterne we may consider that as a builder before he build a house in a paper vseth to draw the whole plot and forme so God Almightie before the sending of his Son in our flesh which is the builder of the new Testament in the Ceremonies of the law as in a paper or paterne drew and discouered the manner of his worship and mercies and fauours in Christ And as the same builder after he hath finished the worke taketh away and throweth downe all scaffoldes and proppes and stayes vsed before so the Lord soone after the resurrection of Christ hauing ended the happie worke of our saluation tooke away all the Mosaicall policie with these Ceremonies that onely Christ might be looked at and not these not sparing that glorious materiall Temple which if it had stood neuer would or could men haue béene drawen from these shadowes to the bodie and truth of all This matter of the Tabernacle is againe spoken of in the 35. Chapter whither you may turne and reade that with this out of which reading happily this Question may come in your minde why God would haue eyther now suich a sumptuous Tabernacle erected or afterward such a glorious Temple And you may answer thus That because the Heathen
and Gentiles had all things so rich and costly in their Temples therefore it pleased God to match and excéede that beautie least ignorant soules should haue thought him lesse worth being the true and euerlasting God than those Idols and his children and people baser and lesse to be regarded than those Idolaters true Religion worse than false and so haue fallen away to their vtter consusion Which also was some reason why the Lord burdened them with such a multitude of Ceremonies lest they should haue leasure to looke vnto the Gentiles and to deuise new matters in imitation of them as mans curious Nature is too apt to do Ablessed care of humane frailtie and an vnsearchable goodnes to keepe man from falling But a second Question ariseth vpon this whether now vnder the Gospell it should not be so also séeing Temples of Idolaters Idolatry are now also very glorious to the eye The Answer is true No. For as S. Paule teacheth all these Mosaicall Ceremonies were but shadowes of things to come and the Epistle to the Hebrewes plainely saith that the Old Testament was nothing but the shadow of the New which shadowes are vanished the bodie and truth being come as was said a little before For a time thus it pleased God to submit himselfe to man to teach him by these things but it was not the course he intended to continue Since therefore the Iewes had a commandement and Romish Idolaters now haue none since those things represented what now is come and can no longer be represented as future you sée the case is farre differing and He said well that said it Tell me ye Priestes what doth gold in the Church or in Gods worship c Thus could the Satyricall Poet reprehend the excesse of the Gentiles in adorning their Churches Exuperius Bishop of Tolouse a citie of Narbon in France néere the Pyrene mountaines carried the Sacrament in a little wicker basket I meane the bread the wine in a glasse S. Hierom writing to Nepotian inueigh eth also against too much glorie glistering in Churches Saint Ambrose likewise in his Offices lib. 2. cap. 28. And when in the Councill it was argued whether golden or wooden vessels were fit for the Temple Boniface the martyr answered Cum aurei essent Sacerdotes ligneos habuerunt calices nunc lignei Sacerdotes volunt habere aureos calices When the Priestes were golden they had wooden cups but now when the Priestes are wooden they will haue golden cups These things reprooue not what is fit in Churches but condemne rightly all vnnecessarie excesse and superfluity such as is in Popish Churches at this day and was in vse among the Gentiles God is now worshipped in spirit and trueth Iohn 4. 24. Now as an appendix héere I may remember you what Beda saith of these things to wit Cuncta haec quae Dominus sibi a priore populo ad faciendum Sanctuarium materialiter offerri praecepit nos quoque qui spirituales filij Israel hoc est qui imitatores Dei viuentis populi esse desideramus spirituali intelligentia debemus offerre quatenus per huiusmodi oblationes voluntarias ipsi Sanctuarium ei in nobis facere mereamur ipse in medio nostrum habitare hoc est in corde nostro mansionem sibi consecrare dignetur Cui videlicet Aurum offerrimus cum claritate verae sapientiae quae est in fide recta resplendemus Argentum cum ex ore nostro confessio fit ad salutem Aes cum eandem fidem publica praedicatione diuulgare gaudemus Hyacinthum cum sursum corda leuamus Purpuram cum corpus passioni subijcimus Coccum bis tinctum cum gemino hoc est Dei Proximi amore flagramus pilos caprarum cum habitum poenitentiae luctus induimus pelles arietum rubricatas cum ipsos Dominici gregis ductores suo sanguine baptizatos videmus pelles ianthinas cum nos post mortem spiritualia corpora habituros esse speramus Ligna Sittim cum expugnatis peccatorum spinetis munda carne anima Domino soli seruimus Oleum ad luminaria conciunanda cum fructibus charitatis misericordiae refulgemus Aromata vnguentum Thymiamata boni odoris cum opinionem bonae nostrae actionis multis ad exemplum bene viuendi longè latèque diffundimus Lapides onychinos gemmas ad ornandum Ephod cum miracula Sanctorum quibus cogitationes Deo deuotas opera virtutum ornauere digna laude praedicamus atque haec in adiutorium fidei nostrae vbi opus assumimus c. All these things which the Lord commaunded to be materially offered vnto him by the people of Israell to make a Sanctuarie we also which are the spirituall children of Israel that is which desire to be the followers of the people of the liuing God must offer the same vnderstanding thē spiritually so farre as by such vountarie offrings both we may deserue to make a Sanctuarie vnto him in vs and also he may vouchsafe to dwell in the middest of vs that is to consecrate vnto himselfe a mansion place in our hearts For example we offer vnto him Gold when we do shine by the brightnesse of true wisedome which is the right faith Siluer when with the mouth also confession is made to saluation Brasse when we delight to noise abroad the same faith by publike praising of it Blew silke when we lift vp our hearts Purple when we make our bodie subiect to suffering Scarlet when we be inflamed with a two-folde loue that is of God and our Neighbour Fine linnen when we feele or perceiue in our selues the cleannesse of the flesh Goates haire when we put on the habit of penaunce and mourning Rammes skinnes coloured red when we see the guides or rammes of the Lords flocke washed in their bloud The skins of Badgers when we hope that after death we shall haue spirituall bodies The wood Shittim when the thickets and the thornes of sinne being broken through with a cleane bodie and soule we serue the Lord onely Oyle for the light when we be beautified with the fruites of loue mercie Spices for annoynting oyle and for the perfume of sweet sauour when we spread farre and wide the opinion of our well doing to be an example vnto many of well liuing Onix stones stones to adorne the Ephod when we doe publish with due prayse The myracles of Saints wherewith they haue beautified their deuout thoughtes and vetuous deeds And these things for helping our faith when neede is we take to our selues The Arke HAuing passed ouer the Preparation of Ceremonies and shadowes now in the tenth verse beginneth the matter it selfe and first of the Arke They shall also make an Arke of Shittim wood two cubits and a halfe long and and a cubit and a halfe broad and a cubit and a halfe high And thou shalt ouerlay it with pure golde within and without and so
God truly fauoured him againe gaue him more honour and good estimation in the heart of Herod though an euill man than they had whose worldly shew was farre greater For Herod feared Iohn saith the Gospell knowing that hee was a iust man and a holy and reuerenced him and when he heard him hee did many thinges and heard him gladly Would God then men might be moued to séeke honour this way Surely the Lord is the same still and will make them rise vp to you that haue formerly little and too little regarded you aswell as heere he did to Moses if you with Moses keepe fast your foote with him when others wickedly fall away as these vnhappie Israelites had now done 4 In the 14. verse and so to the 18 sée and marke the faithfull heart of a true Gouernour how he prayeth and neuer giueth ouer till the Lord hath yeelded to goe with this people as in former time whereas he had said hee would not do it O force of faithfull prayer It subdueth all things in time yea it pleaseth the Almightie Maker of all worlds masses to be subdued withit In the end it preuaileth though it be long but stil this is mercie not merit no not in Moses himselfe For I will do this also that thou hast said saith God because thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by Name Grace it is therefore and no merit and a blessed grace it is to see and hold it firme against al proud ignorant Merit-mongers 5 Againe Moses said I beseech thee shew me thy glorie c. Hitherto Moses kept himselfe in his desires within the bonds of modestie but now he excéedeth séeking what was neyther lawfull nor profitable for so by the deniall and repulse which GOD gaue him it appeareth Yet was it not any foolish curiositie that mooued Moses but a verie earnest desire to bee further strengthned in his charge Wherefore if to such a minde that might be hurtfull which he so much desired and thought so profitable let it schoole vs and teach vs what we do when in a vaine curiositie of our corrupt nature we search and prie into such things as God hath kept hidden and close from vs. It is a true saying Mitte quod esse nequit quaere quod esse potest Let that alone which cannot be found out and seeke that which may be found out The Secrets of God are to himselfe and reuealed things for vs. He that curiously searcheth his glorie shall iustly be oppressed of his Maiestie To profit and goe forward in knowedge is good but the right way must also be held which is To follow God going before that is to haue an eare to heare where God hath a mouth to speake and not else 6 But concerning this sight thus desired of Moses to speake a little more to an ignorant man the Scripture in that point may séeme contrarie to it selfe For heere it is said There is no man shall see God and liue And Saint Paule that he dwelleth in light not to be attained to whom no man hath seene neither can see Againe To the king immortall inuisible And Iohn No man hath seene God at any time On the other side it is often in Scripture testified that God was not séene of the old Fathers and Patriarches and in the Gospel Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Saint Iohn saith We shall see him as he is Saint Paule Now I know in part but then shall I know euen as I am known To the Ephesians That ye being rooted and grounded in loue May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ c. But to a diligent obseruer of the Scriptures these places are not contrarie Therefore consider with your selfe that Seeing is of two sorts with the outward eye and with the in-ward minde Concerning the outward sight whereby indeed curious and ignorant men would be glad to sée God hardly thinking often times that there is any God when none in this sort can be séene the truth is God cannot be seene For if he could then must he be a bodie if a bodie then to be diuided into parts included in a place and so not infinite and therfore not God Wherefore grosse are those Old Heretikes that gaue to God an humane forme Because the Scriptures speaking after our capacitie giue vnto him the parts of man as féete hands face c. And concerning those visions and apparitions which the Fathers had as Abraham of three going to destroye Sodom c. We answere with S. Augustine that God appeared vnto them yet not in his Nature but in such forme as it pleased him Many saw sed quod Voluntas elegit non quod Natura formauit but what saw they surely what his Will chose not what Nature formed Men saw him when he would in such forme as hee would not in his Nature wherein he laye hid euen then when hee was séene The Diuinitie when it taketh these shapes is not conuerted into these shapes but appeareth vnder them GOD his Nature is simple one and immutable those formes in Scripture were diuers and sundry therefore by the very diuersitie of them We knowe none of them were the true Nature of GOD. Onely in our flesh wee may say GOD was séene after Christ had taken it into the vnitie of his person but that is not the matter now spoken of So touching the first kinde of seeing with bodily eyes we conclude that No man hath or can see God at any time and liue as here GOD himselfe saith in this Text. The second kinde of seeing is by minde wherein wée must distinguish our estate here from that it shal be in the next world For neither by minde whilst wee liue here are wee able to see God as he is The reason Because all our knowledge is by some formes and fashions which wée conceiue in our mind and for the most part floweth from the out-ward senses but God as hath beene said cannot be perceiued by our sēses Therfore neither by our mind cā we cōprehend him as he is And for these words in the Chap. That the Lord spake to Moses face to face as a Māspeaketh vnto his friend they note out a more familiar gratious maner of spéech than before was vouchsafed to any but not any bodily sight of God in substance essence as he is But in the life to come wée shall in far more exellent manner sée GOD yet not simply neither as he is because he is infinite we still finite although changed from our corruption So no way can GOD bée séene as he is of any creature either with his bodily sense or with his minde in this life or that to come Yet such a measure shal be affoorded to vs as no heart can comprehend now the comfort of it Let
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
therefore let the prayer of Dauid bée in our mouth and vttered from our heart O knit mee fast vnto thee that I may feare thy Name Let vs ioyne inward truth to out-ward shew For the Lord loueth trueth in the in-ward parts Absolon Ananias and Saphira Iudas c had their vncleannesie and how ended they 9 The forbidding to eate the fat was a Ceremonie that euen at home in their houses contynued them after a sort in the exercise of Religion For still they remembered the Law and obeyed the same It also as I haue noted before preached vnto them figuratiuely that for God if he so appoint all the swéet pleasures of this world riches honours friends and whatsoeuer else being as the fat pleasing and delightfull are forsaken forborne refused and left A Lesson neuer ynough learned though often repeated so cleane our hearts to this earth and this fatnesse thereof But pray often and pray heartily with Saint Augustine That the Lord would vouchsafe to giue vs what hee requireth and then require what he pleaseth Hée is strong though wée be weake can make vs as contentedly leaue them as euer we receiued and inioyed them 10 The forbidding of them to eate the blood also as before hath béene noted signified vnto them that the Lord abhorreth crueltie in euery Childe of his and will haue them mercifull pitifull gentle c. In the 30. vers The bringing of the Sacrifice with his owne hands and not sending it by others taught humilitie and dutie to God taught that euery one must liue by his owne Faith and not by anothers and may serue vs now to sée how foolish an Error it is in Poperie to giue another his beades to say them ouer for him that day c. The heauing of it vp was a Figure of the lifting vp of Christ vpon the Crosse So was also the lifting vp of the Brasen-Serpent Some haue made it a Figure also of his Exaltation after Death Hell conquered of which the Apostle speaketh when hée saith Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a Name aboue all names that at the Name of IESUS euery knee should bowe c. That is hath highly exalted him and giuen him Authoritie and Power and Rule whereunto All shall bée subiect men women and creatures whatso-euer Little thinking of any earthly scraping with the foote at the Word of Iesus when neither word déed nor thought yéeld him reuerence due to him Popish eleuation of their consecrated Cake was neuer thought-of in this heauing and therefore vainely doe they vse this proofe The shaking of it too and fro foure wayes East West North and South shadowed the spreading of that lifting-vp of Christ that is of Christs death and Passion throughout all the world by the preaching of the Gospell 11 Lastly the brest and the shoulder were the Priests and so they were admonished to bée as Brests and shoulders to the people Brests for counsaile and direction in all their affaires Shoulders to beare-vp the burthen of care and labour of them to vnder goe Crosses and troubles in gouernment for them and for them to rest as it were and leaâ—e vpon in all their woâ—s of heart and agonies of minde whatsoeuer A profitable Meditation for all faithfull Ministers euer thus to bée as the Lord shall inable them to their seuerall Flockes in this world And as worthy a Meditation againe for the people to increase loue and singular loue in their hearts towards their Pastors for their worke sake euen for this vse of them in all their distresses and occasions whatsoeuer A godly Pastor is a brest of swéete comfort in aduersitie and a faithfull Shoulder to leane vppon euer and to support both vs and ours when without him we shall fall fearefully and paraduenture eternally Happie are the people that haue them and God worke in their hearts to make much of them In the 37. verse sée a short Rehearsall of all the sorts These are some of the chiefest things in this Chapter CHAP. VIII IF you turne to the 28. Chapter of Exodus you shall finde the most of this Chapter there explaned and therefore a bréefer touch may serue héere It contayneth the Sacrifices and Ceremonies vsed at the Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes into the Priests Office and fitly followeth vpon the other Chapters because after Sacrifices appointed the next care is for Priests to offer and vse them according to appointment For vse and benefite to our selues First let vs note that this Office of holy Priest-hood was not of man nor from man but the Lord Almightie first instituted and ordained it by his owne expresse commandement then being ordained he confirmed the honour and reputation of it by that great Miracle of the budding of Aarons rodde and he very seuerly and fearefully punished the contempt of it in Corah and his companie whom the earth opening swallowed vp with their Wiues and children and families all their goods Upon Ieroboam also and Vzziah for inâ—hroching vpon it And the Law was sharpe and generall If any stranger whatsoeuer not called to this Office by GOD approach the Altar hee was to dye The Reasons why the Lord thus precisely appointed these Priests and would not leaue it to euery man to performe this Office were these and such like First it was to be knowen that not euery man No not any man but the Man Christ Iesus could appease Gods wrath satisfie his iustice and take away the sinnes of the world reconciling vs to GOD and putting vs in assurance of eternall life This could not be figured out better than by secluding all the whole Hoste of Israel from this Office and choosing but Aaron and his sonnes as Types of Christ this onely able Priest to doe as I haue said and therefore they onely were chosen and so by such ordinance the Maiestie authoritie and if wée may so speake the propriety of Christs Office resembled and shadowed Secondly God was euer the God of order decencie and comelines and therefore in his Church would haue all things done accordingly not induring any to be an inuader of an other mans right an intruder of himselfe into another mans Office and a busie-body out of Rule out of order Certaine men therefore are appointed and they onely shall doe it Others if they meddle being strangers because not called shall dye the death as you heare before Thus hath he also in the New Testament established a Ministerie and giuen some Apostles some Euangelists some Pastors and Doctors for the building-vp of his Church c. Hée also decréed that the contempt of these is the contempt of him and then iudge you first or last what punishment will insue In neither Olde nor New-Testament can we finde the Popish Priest-hood ordained to Sacrifice for the sinnes of quicke and dead For this is to denie the perfection of
trusted too much to Nature and the other to Fortune As a Spiders webbe so is a mans greatnes in this world soone wiped away with a little whiske Often therefore thinke of Saint Iohns words Loue not this world neither the things that are in the world If any man loue this world the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in this world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world And this world passeth away and the lust therof but hee that fulfilleth the Will of GOD abideth for euer 7 But was Aaron hated of God because this fearefull happe fell vpon his Children No no. Therefore learne to stay your hastie nature from iudging rashly and bée not caryed away by a pratling world Euer remember what Crosse is layd héere not vpon a meane man in the Church but vpon him that had the highest place that was a Figure of Christ and accepted of him and meditate of it much with your selfe for your comfort c. 8 Note in the 4. and 5. verses the maner of bury all not in the Hoste but without in the fields prepared and kept for such vse Where was then the superstitious conceite of Churches and Church-yards Their friendes and kins-men cary them foorth to buriall and the custome is still commendable amongst vs. 9 After Moses said vnto Aaron and vnto Eleazar and Ithamar his sonnes vncouer not your heads neither rent your clothes least yee die and lest wrath come vpon all the people but let your brethren all the House of Israell bewayle the burning which the Lord hath kindled In this case it was not lawfull for Aaron and his sonnes to mourne least they should séeme to preferre their carnal affection to God his iust iudgement And it is a great Caueat to all such as desire to gouerne themselues in an acceptable course Of mourning for the dead and the maner of Nations differing in the same more may be said in the 19. Chapter 10 But the people here might mourne that it might euer be learned noted and remembred how néerely and truely the griefe of the Minister should touch a louing and godly people But where where is such a people God forbid but wée should assure our selues there is a portion that doth thus although al that reape the labours aswell as they dee it not And let it bée a faithfull Ministers comfort euer that mee loue him and suffer with him in any griefe of his than hée knoweth off I know what I say and my soule blesseth the Lord for my experience in this poynt My infirmities are many and my weaknesse to doe seruice hath euer béene great I know it I acknowledge it in humilitie before him that knoweth whether I lye or no. Yet hath it béene his good pleasure euer since I was first a Minister to shew himselfe strong in my weaknesse and to giue a gracious blessing to my poore Labours in diuers places that I might well learne it is all one to him to worke with small gifts and with great And touching the thing I spake of I haue found this loue in some for my onely Ministerie sake that I haue béene aduertised by writing of matters much concerning mée and to this day could neuer learne and know who they were The Lord reward it ten thousand folde into their bosomes if they bée liuing and vpon theirs if they be gone to God Thus much breaketh from mée in this place out of a thankfull heart to GOD and to them and for a true comfort to my Brethren in this Land lighting vpon these my weake labours that besides their owne experience they know also mine that howsoeuer all are not kinde and louing where wée liue and labour yet more are our faithfull friends than wée know And therefore let vs goe on through all reports good and bad and through all crosses great and small doe the worke whereunto wée are called and rest vp-vpon him that will neuer faile vs nor let vs fall 11 And they did according to Moses commandement saith the Text. So will the rod of God waken his people and worke obedience For which cause the Lord often layeth it where hée loueth not willing as himselfe saith the death of a sinner but rather that hee may turne and liue 12 Thou shalt not drink wine nor strong drinke thou nor thy sonnes with thee when yee come into the Tabernacle of the Congregation lest yee die This is an Ordinance for euer throughout your Generations That yee may put difference betwixt the holy and the vnholy and betweene the cleane and the vncleane And that yee may teach the Children of Israel all the Statutes which the Lord hath commanded them by the hand of Moses Sobrietie is a vertue fit for all men but especially for Ministers of the Word and Sacraments Thus much in this Law the Lord shadowed and wée may truely learne wine was forbidden them absolutely when their turne came to minister but now that Law bindeth not Yet to Sobrietie with wine and without wine we are euer bound Let a Minister saith the Apostle be no drinker of wine meaning disorderly and vnfitly for otherwise Timothie is exhorted to drinke a little wine for his stomacke-sake and his often infirmities To all men the same Apostle saith againe Bee not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but bee fullfilled with the spirit c. The reason added that thus they might be sound and sincere Interpreters of the Law For the chiefe Office of the Priests was not to kill beastes and offer Sacrifices but to haue knowledge and to teach the people the difference betwixt the true God and false Idolles betwixt holy things and prophane betwixt right prayer and wrong concerning the Law and sinne and grace c. according to the Prophet Malachies Speach The lippes of the Priest shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hostes. But here is no thought in this Law of any proud and Anabaptisticall separation of our selues from the fellowshippe of our Brethren and the vnitie of the Church vnder a colour that wée are holy and others prophane Beware we euer of such Doctrine and such Teachers 13 Then Moses said to Aaron and vnto Eleazar and Ithamar his sonnes that were left Take the Meat-offering c. This is added to comfort and strengthen the shaken hearts of Aaron and his liuing sonnes who might by this strange punishment haue béene driuen into doubt whether euer the Lord would bée pleased that they should meddle againe with the Sacrifices And we sée therein a swéete and gracious God who maketh not his promises voyd to all for the faults of some but only teacheth to beware by other mens harmes Wée must therefore cleaue to our Calling and euen so much
a liuely faith in the promises of God made to penitent sinners for Christ then wée pronounce him according to our Warrant to be forgiuen euen as the Priest did heere him that indéed by Gods mercie to him was now healed of his Leprosie So haue wée the Ministerie of reconciliation committed vnto vs for the comfort of the penitent but challenge not the power to forgiue which belongeth to God onely as that man of sinne doth who in his blasphemous Pardons taketh vppon him to forgiue both Paenam Culpam the punishment and the sinne In regard then of this order and vse of the Ministerie it was that Christ bad the Leper whom hée had cleansed goe shew himselfe to the Priest because till the Priest vpon view said he was cleane he might not bée admitted into the Congregation The Fathers alleage other causes which also may stand with this and with profit be obserued as for that he would haue all honour preserued to the Priests that God had bestowed on them and himselfe be no example of taking any iote away Now to be Iudge was an honour and therefore he will haue it preserued That thus the Priests might bée drawen to beléeue on him and so to bée saued or else to be made inexcusable for their contempt That he might not séeme a breaker of the Lawe as often hée was accused to bée That he might be thankfull to God who had so mercifully healed a thing often promised in sickeneste but seldome performed after recouerie c. Vt doceret ciuiles legitimas rerumpub ordinationes in vnaquaque politia obseruandas esse seque non venisse vt eas abrogaret cum regnum eius nonsit de hoc Mundo That hee might teach the dutie of men to obserue ciuill and lawfull ordinances in euery Common-wealth and that hee was not come to breake them seeing his kingdome is not of this world 3 For Ceremonie further there must be taken for him that was cleansed two sparrowes aliue or little birds cleane that is such as were permitted to be eaten Ceder wood and a skarlet lace and Hyssope And the Priest should command to kill one of the birdes ouer pure water in an earthen vessell After hee must take the liue sparrow with the Cedar-wood and the skarlet lace and the Hyssope and must dip them and the liuing sparrow in the blood of the sparow slayne ouer the pure water And he must sprinkle vpon him that was cleansed of his Leprosie seuen times and cleanse him and then let goe the liue sparow into the broad field c. Eusebius Emissenus in one of his Homelies saith these things might seeme light if they had not beene appointed by him whose least commandement is not light By the two sparrowes therefore saith he the clensed person might be put in minde to offer vnto God both soule and body a liuing sacrifice no more to serue the world and the pleasures of this life but the God of goodnesse and mercie that had clensed him from so great and greiuous a maladie The Cedar-wood being a wood that will not easily corrupt and that hath also a good and pleasing smell might shadow out vnto him also a holy life sweet manners and incorrupt actions how pleasing to God how fit for him that thus was clensed The skarlet lace being red and of the colour of fire might tell him how due from him were hote thoughts of heartie thankefulnesse from a burning heart to God and true loue charitie to all his neighbours The Hyssope growing vsually in the rock how rooted hée ought to be in Christ the sonne of God the true Rocke The sparrow slaine might teach him the necessitie of mortification in the body which in deede is an earthen vessell the killing of it ouer pure water that nothing more worketh this mortification than pure water of Gods word contayned in the Scriptures The liuing sparrow letten flye abroad might shadow the soule liuing vnto righteousnesse through the grace of God and set at libertie to mount aloft when the body is dead Thus Eufebius too curiously and nicely skanneth these things But hauing noted therein the fancies of men otherwise graue and wise and learned I hold it better that we gather but thus much that by the blood of Christ we are truely clensed and set at libertie not otherwise as héere the liue sparrow dipped in the blood of the slayne sparow is set free The seauenfold sprinkling might happely shadow an earnest and continued meditation of Gods goodnesse to him that thus was comforted and not for a bay or two and then no more Surely our thoughts of his mercie vouchsafed to vs are euer too short and transitorie and therefore seauen sprinklings are little ynough to teach vs our dutie herein God for his mercie so sprinkle vs ouer and ouer that wée may euer remember his kinde goodnes towards vs a thousand wayes Saying with the thanfull Prophet to our selues and soules often Praise the Lord O my soule and forget not forget not all his benefites his infinite benefits his sweete benefits his most vnderserued benefits on our parts The Shauing and washing mentioned also shadowed truely vnto him his new life in the obedience of GOD aswell as his perfect and full curing from the Leprosie The care that GOD hath still of the poore in allowing a difference of Offering for them is still to bée noted how often so-euer it commeth that wée may sée his goodnesse and bée soundly rooted in our hope in him bée wée neuer so poore The Oyle as before in this Booke hath béen noted shadowed the holy spirite of God purchased for vs and to vs by Christ and the anoynting of his right care and thumbe c That our eare ought to heare and all our might performe the blessed Will of him that clenseth vs from our soule diseases 4 Now hauing thus spoken of the Ceremonies of clensing men and women hée commeth in the 34. verse to speake of clensing of leprous houses Where remember againe that this kinde of leprosie is vnknowne vnto vs and God make vs thankfull for it But when it was and where it was the Text saith God sent it and it well sheweth that euen the well being of our houses is a mercie and not a little one although we too little thinke of it And if the walles of stone or timber may be thus smitten with such a disease O what can he doe with these bodyes of ours these pampred and dainty bodyes of ours vppon which we spend all our care and cost neuer thinking on the soule till it be too late I say what what can God lay vppon them in the twinkling of an eye if he be angry turne the comfort of his face from vs wherefore meditate of his mercie in giuing health both to body and house and let it neuer be vnthought vpon some-time at least euery day The markes
in prison by his enemies getting leaue to go into the prison to him on a time gaue him her clothes to escape in and shee taking his remained in his place to abide any danger that might ensue rather than hee should be oppressed by his foes Such those worthy women that when the Citie was besieged by Frederick Barbarossa and at last licence giuen to the women that they might depart taking onely such things with them as they could themselues cary in stead of any worldly riches which they inioyed they tooke vpon their backes and vnder their armes their husbands and children parents and kinsfolks to the eternal praise of their vertue and the great astonishment of their enemies that looked on and saw it Vnfaithfulnesse and treacherie to husbands hath left an other report in Stories if I should enter into it But such hatefull things are better forgotten and neuer knowne These gracefull Vertues let all gracious women thinke of and leaue behinde them the like praise Silence againe or little speach what a vertue what a preseruer of peace if a woman be blessed with it The contrary what hurt and bywords hath it wrought Prouerbio dicitur Tres mulieres nundinas facere The Prouerbe saith That three women make a fayre And words are wanting to women as singing is to the Nightingale who is sayd to bée onely a voyce in respect of the sound shée giueth foorth being so little a Birde as verses are wanting to a Poet Figures of speach to an Orator or false arguments to a Sophister that is they abound with them and often superabound Few words in a woman is a great ornament And many a woman holding her peace is better thought of than when shee speaketh Loquitur aut viro aut per virum A woman speaketh either to her husband or by her husband To her husband orderly and necessarily by her husband as vnwilling to tattle much with strangers séeking the praise of a roling tongue and loosing paraduenture the renowne of modestie and wisedom Looke how milke is said to kill the force of Gun-powder so be euer assured that soft words or silence will do to anger betwixt man and wife And let these things worke a loue of little speach not multiplying wordes with your husband especially when hée is mooued and grieued with some other matters bying and reuying and will hée still he still hauing the last word For surely that doth no good The old Paynters if they pictured a woman were euer wont to put vnder her foote a Snayle aswell to remember this vertue of silence to her which is in the Snayle as of carying her house vpon her backe as the Snayle doth Yet such silence is meant as doth not abandon affabilitie and curtesie when there is cause for this also is another great preseruer of loue and amitie in so much that the wise man saith Mulier comis exhilerat maritum cum humaniter illum tractat cor illius reficit ac recreat A gentle and milde woman maketh glad her husband and when she dealeth courteously with him she refresheth and recreateth his very heart Louing speach is a Phisition to the minde to cléere it and cleanse it from much grief Hee that will take birds may not come to them with a staffe saith the old Prouerbe but a sweete sounding pipe is more auailable and thinke you that shee which will haue her husbands liking must vse harsh and bitter words What a power had wise Abigael ouer that fierce anger of valiant Dauid with her soft words and milde speach euen when hee had but death and blood in his heart towards her husband and his familie for the great contempt shewed vnto him Could rough and sower speaches haue so preuailed No no you knowe fire is not quenched with fire but with cold soft water Pax mansuetudo characteres animae piae Peaceablenesse and mildenesse they are the notes markes and prints of a good minde and of a holy Christian soule But this is enough I will goe no further Try me and trust me you shall not repent it Let the weapons of a woman bée either soft words or modest silence with a dropping teare if there bée wrong done and it shall pierce a heart of stéele working such effects as all the hote speach that an vnbridled tongue can vtter shall not bring foorth Wisedome and discretion againe in a wife O powerfull meane to make loue and to doe much good A wise woman saith the Holy Ghost buildeth her house but the foolish destroyeth it with her owne hands By a wise woman her husband is knowen in the gate when hee sitteth with the Elders of the Land Strength and honour is her clothing and in the latter day shee shall reioyce Shee openeth her mouth with wisedome and the law of Grace is in her tongue c. Communitie of things betwixt couples worketh Amitie and Myne and Thyne betwixt them should not bée heard They are Yoke-fellowes and which is much more they are one therefore their diuided goods may not diuide them but what the one hath the other ought to haue and bée ioynt possessours of whatsoeuer God granteth Let not the man deny what is fit to his wife for shée hath a right and let not the wife grudge her husband hers for hee hath a preheminence If you put water into wine and the water bée more yet it is still called wine and euen so the womans portion put to the mans is called his although hers is the greater If vse be common and loue hearty for names and titles of order and custome wise couples will not contend to the quenching of one sparkle of Loue. Lastly an Houswifely care of her Familie and all things belonging thereunto cleanlinesse order and such like as it beautifieth a woman so pleaseth it a man and the effect of it is loue and liking If these be not the contrary followeth For the first wée all know vnlesse a getter without haue a keeper within hée shall bée like one that filleth a vessell at the other end whereof one draweth out as fast as hée putteth in For the second it both delighteth and profiteth things pleasing more that are fresh and well keept and lasting longer being not dayly vsed The third thing order what a praise it is may appeare by the consideration of your graine onely what a thing it were if all sorts should bee put together Wheat Rye Oates Barley Pease Beanes and not euery kinde layde by it selfe It would ouerthrow the vse and good euen of all or else procure a worke to seuer them againe These things then and such like will worke such Amitie Vnitie and Loue betwixt man and wife that the matter of Diuorce shall neuer come in any question no not in thought by any man indued with either pietie or reason Wherefore I haue rather chosen briefly to note them than to speake any thing of
performance of what they promise And those in honestie 〈◊〉 firme vntill they bée either performed or r 〈…〉 ased by him or them to whom they were made Religious Vowes are such as are made to performe thereby some worship to GOD and they are of two sortes either such as are Vere Religiosa Truely religious Or Speciem habent or such as haue a shewe of Religious Vowes Truely Religious are they that bynde to the performance of things commaunded as that in Baptisme named before and in the other Sacrament of the LORDS Supper with such like In Prayer also and Thanksgiuing vnto which vsually Vowes were annexed in Prayer shewing their most earnest desire to obtaine their requests at Gods hand and in thanksgiuing shewing their due féeling of his goodnesse and in regard thereof promising to doe this or that lawfull thing when they should come to the place where Sacrifices onely were to be offered all places as you know béeing not allowed but the place which God did choose from which many Iewes dwelled farre came but at times And as prayers were made in perill of sicknesse of sea of warre and such like so were Vowes Such as haue a shewe of Religious Vowes are those that are deuised for the honouring of God but haue no warrant from him neither indéede are allowed of him And these againe may be said to bée of two sorts For sometimes they are directly against and â—ontrary to the Word as to vow any mans death as they did Pauls in the Acts to vow to call vpon Saints and Creatures in our prayers with such like Sometimes they are not contrary yet not expresly commanded but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indifferent And these things béeing drawen by a vowe from their true nature of indifferencie and made necessarie to saluation and to Gods seruice there is a will-worship dispeasing to God But because this matter of Vowes will come in a more fit place to be spoken of if God please in the Booke of Numbers there 〈◊〉 leaue the orderly Treatise of them to that pl 〈…〉 9 The reference here made to the 〈◊〉 farre it is from establishing any Popish eare-shri 〈…〉 〈…〉 ry childe may perceiue and therefore weake is that doctrine that leaneth vpon such weake grounds I haue else where sufficiently disprooued this error and therefore stand not vpon it here 2. The second part of the Chapter is concerning Tythes which matter hath been also some-what touched before with this people of the Iewes there were three kindes of Tythes One that was yearely giuen to the Leuites of all corne and cattle An other that the Leuites payd to the Priests out of those which they receiued of the people which Tythes were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tythes out of tythes whereof you read Numb 18. 26. Speake also vnto the Leuites and say vnto them when yee shall take of the Children of Israel the Tythes which I haue giuen you of them for your inheritance then shall yee take an heaue offering of that same for the Lord euen the tenth part of the tythe A third that was payed euery third yeare beside the general tythes out of all fruites growen vpon the earth and layd vp to the reliefe of the poore and of the Leuites and strangers which tythes were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poores tythes whereof yo 〈…〉 ead Deutro 14. 28. At the end of the third yeare thou shalt bring foorth all the tythes of thine increase of the same yeare and lay it vp within thv gate c. Read the Marginall Note there in your Bible The like againe in the 26. Chap. The paying of tythes wil tauâ—ht them that life and all the nourishments of life which the â—arth yealdeth are the giftes of a gracious God that ouer and aboue all deseruings powreth his mercies vpon men They maintained the Ministerie relieued the poore c. As hath been sayd and they shadowed Christ the inheritance of the Leuites and as yet of all Ministers and the comfort of all men that depend vpon him The number of Ten is a perfect number and absolute beside which there is no other which is not conteyned in it So is Christ the beginning and end of all And they taught that a part being made holy by dedication to God all the rest should bée holily vsed and neither spent in ryot and sinne nor hoorded vp to make a dearth and famine to the destruction of the poore c. 2 There are spirituall tythes which the godly haue a care euer to giue vnto God by referring all the gifts of body and minde which the Lord had bestowed vpon them to the seruice and glory of his Name Which tythes Pharaoh payd not when hee said Who is the Lord that I should obey him or heare him Neither Asshur when he boasted of his strength and power against God whereof Esay 10. Verse 7 and so on read it I pray you Neither Nabuchadnezzar Antiochus and others that being wormes meate and dust yet insulted ouer God and forgot themselues God kéepe vs out of the companie of them and the ranke with them and God graunt that wée may carefully as wée are able giue the Lord Tythe of our seuerall abilities any way My Brethren the Ministers of his holy Word and Sacraments by teaching and labouring euery way to saue foules and to bring men to the fold of Christ neuer caring what euill men may say of their preaching or writing of the plainenesse of it manner of it or such like but pitching their eyes and hearts vpon God and his people Feede feede feede his Sheepe his Lâ—mbes the price of his Sonnes blood with all their loue strength thinking whilest there is 〈◊〉 how much the prayse of man for curiositie eloquence and affectation shall differ from the praise of GOD when hee shall say O good and faithfull seruant c. What should I adde some men will scorne all admonition yet all neither doe nor will So to fly a pitch here as a man may both fly-vp and pitch in heauen hereafter is an happy thing And I say no more Thus much shall suffice of this Booke called Leuiticus the vse whereof I shewed in the beginning and I hope haue now fully made manifest by the perticulars that haue been handled My poore labour I humbly commend to him that made my heart and knoweth my heart Hée hath blessed and can blesse euery mans indeauours according to his gracious will and pleasure In which had I not rested too well I know these dayes and times what discouragements they yéeld many wayes than in them to haue gone foreward any further but to haue staied with that which I began when things were better taken Yet blessed bée GOD hée hath his portion and Wisedome is iustified of her children The Preacher saith Saint Gregorie should bee like the Smiths burning iron which not onely heateth those that are neare but casteth sparkes farre of The Sunne saith