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
Pharaoh being offered to appoint the time himselfe appointed the next day saying To morrowe rather than presently the Frogges being so vgly and no place frée from them no not the Kings Chamber Who would not haue cryed now now euen forthwith pray that I may be deliuered from this plague rather than to haue stayed till the next day It is answered first that hee still doubted whether it was the Finger of God or an enchauntment and therefore was content to deferre the time to trie whether of it selfe it would passe away and so to discredite Moses and Aaron Such hollowe holes are in Hypocrites hearts when they séeme religious and carefull of Prayer or other good things Secondly héerein he shewed the nature of the wicked who not onely deferre their owne duties from day to day but as much as they can put ouer others also that offer good things vnto them as for example if a Preacher tender his seruice this Sabaoth he is tolde the next will be far more fit and if he come also the next Sabaoth then is either the Maister from home the Gentlewoman sicke the weather too hote or colde or some such thing that be Moses neuer so readie yet Pharaoh is not readie but cras cras to morrowe to morrowe is still the song till the Lord strike and all Morrowes end wee passing away to woe without end for our deferring That Moses taketh his owne time and saith Be it as thou hast said it is to teach him that at all times the Lord is the Lord his myracles no enchauntments but a powerfull working for his owne glory the gracious Deliuerance of his Church 11. Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh and Moses cried vnto the Lord concerning the Frogges c. Why went Moses forth might not hee haue stayed in the Court and haue prayed there God forbid but wee should thinke Courts to be places of prayer for such as haue a censcience in euery place to lift vp hands and heart to God yet would God also the hinderances and impediments so to doo in those places were fewer Surelie great Courtiers are found that a meaner place hath yéelded their hearts more heate to good things than those glistering places haue as sometimes a Country-house and sometimes a darke hole in a close prison Moses cried vnto the Lord saith the Text and prayer doth what neither doores nor lockes nor any strength or wit of man could doo the weapons of Gods children are such and so mightie The word of Crying noteth the vehemencie of Moses prayer against colde formalitie too common in most prayers It noteth not any loudnes of voice although that also be lawfull at times since the same Moses is said to crie in another place when hee spake not a word but from his inward Spirit Ezechias thus cried vnto his God and escaped both a mortall disease and the huge host of the Assyrians But what prayer can doo I hope you knowe and therefore goe no further 12. And the Lord did according to the Saying of Moses Sée the credite that Gods seruants haue with their mercifull God they aske and he giueth without any stop Can you thinke God heareth Moses alone no saith the Psalme God is neere vnto all that call vpon him yea to all all and euer remember it Hee will fulfill the desire of all them that feare him he will heare their crie and will saue them The Lord preserueth all them that loue him but he will destroy all the vngodly Wherefore my mouth shall speake the praise of the Lord and all flesh shall blesse his holy Name for euer and euer Daily experience sheweth the like and therefore as Moses héere euen despised Moses was stronger with his God and by his God than all Egypt to remoue a plague so shall wee euer be more strong than our enemies in what God shall sée vs fit to be enabled Wherefore one Moses is better for a kingdome than many others that are iudged to be of greater vertue c. 13. So the Frogges dyed in the houses in the townes and in the fields And they gathered them together on heapes and the Land stanke of them saith the Text. Had it not béene as easie for the Lord to haue taken them quite away assuredly to the Lord all was one but this was done to shewe the truth of the myracle that they were Frogges indéede no enchauntments thereby to méete with the vnbeléefe of the King and all his Courtiers who either openly in words or secretly in heart thought otherwise And by one meanes or other the Lord shall euer in his good time deliuer his truth from false surmises his faithfull Ministers from false imputations and write the wickednesse of Atheists and carnall men vppon their faces to their confusion Onely be wee patient to tarie his will to like of his way and be we assured we shall both sée his glory and receaue comfort 14. But when Pharaoh sawe that he had rest giuen him he hardned his heart and hearkened not vnto them as the Lord had said Sée the corruption of our nature if God worke not No sooner is the rod off but as the Dogge to his vomite and the Sowe to her myre so wretched man returneth to his olde bias and falleth to his former sinne againe When wee are sicke or distressed any way wee pretend repentance wee pray wee crie wee vowe and what not in shewe But forasmuch as all riseth from feare and not from loue it vanisheth againe as soone as the feare is past and the Deuill returneth with seauen worse than himselfe making our end more odious than euer our beginning was This hath béene touched before but yet euer marke it and feare it your selfe as you haue a care to please God For if you forsake God you can neuer blame God if hee forsake you and if after God hath giuen you rest you become retchlesse as Pharaoh was here then if as hee in the sea so you in eternall woe be drowned for euer you haue your desert and GOD is iust 15. The Frogge is as wee all knowe a foule filthie creature abiding in foule places as bogges and myrie plashes all the day long and at night péeping out with the head aboue the water making a hatefull noise with many others of his sort till the day appeare againe Wherefore Diuines haue thought that by these foule creatures fitlie might be resembled such croking Crues as hiding themselues all the day in an Ale denne or such like place of vncleanenes as soone as night commeth put out their heads and make a hatefull noise against Gouernours and Superiours neighbours and honest persons till all that heare them be wearie of them Which filthie Frogges the Lord assuredly will deale with all in his good time as here he did with these Egyptian Frogges namely kill them destroy them and make the stinch of them knowne to manie Till then let patience and
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
I say of this nature very limmes of Sathan the world hath euer had and still hath too many Now these causes were all naught and therfore this warre ill grounded ill prospered For enuie I haue often touched it but if the Lord also touch not such hearts nothing will serue I say no more now but wishe they woulde earnestly think of the Saying of GODS SPIRIT in the Psalme The vngodly shall see it and gnash his teeth The vngodlie the vngodly be these gnashers And Let him that hath eares to heare heare For that filthy desire of hauing from others still still that their heape may grow infinite I wisse that Heathen Africanus wel remembred who when he should haue ioyned with the Priest in praying for more and more increase to the Romanes answered no no our state is good all readie and aboundantly rich I will therefore rather pray that God will keepe it and maintaine it as it is Surely this man shall rise-vp in Judgment against such vnsatiable mindes and bée a swift witnesse against them The Old Saying is wise enough is enough and enough is as good as a feast Mediocria firma Meane things be firme when great things be fickle In Plutarch is mentioned a reason why the Kings of Sparta reigned so long namely because they were content with their owne limit and desired no more The thirde vice is as bad as either of these namely To be vnquiet And al Books of learning by occasion speake of the blot it made in that worthy Alexander when the Scithian Embassadours trulie tolde him That if there were no men to fight quarrell with all he would fight with the woods and the mountaines and the wilde beasts Such an other was Alcibiades an excellent man many waies but so vnquiet that the Saying grew how Graece was not able to beare two Alcibiades Beware then of these causes of warre and contention and learne by the Rod of GOD vpon Amalech to liue in peace and to let Gods children passe by vs without trouble I could héere with iust honour remember Her late Maiesties most happie gouernment Her blessed contentment with her own not séeking nor desiring the right of others no not taking that which was earnestlie offered vnto Her In regard whereof she renownedly flourished when other enuious gréedy and troublesome natures fel. But I end this Note here 3 And Moses saide vnto Ioshua Chuse vs out men and goe and fight with Amalech wée may obserue in this the antiquitie of Musters and a warrant for them All did not goe heere but some and those chosen out by a Muster and view taken by Ioshua Such vse remaineth still amongst vs and in all gouernments els for it is fit it is necessarie and I would haue all Menne consider well how full of honour and credit it euer was in these cases to bee chosen as contrariewise what a blotte it caried often with it to bee omitted as that either hee was guiltie of some fowle vice or not trusted c. Then woulde not men run away and hide themselues as soone as they heare of a Muster towardes as now a daies they doo Such base mindes and cowardly spirits were not wont to bée in English-men I would it were amended for no friende can heare such a one but with blushing and shame And againe it worketh an other great mischiefe namelie to haue our armies that stand for God and Religion for Prince and Countrie to consist of such a scumme as no blessing can be expected where such instruments are vsed Non recepiebantur olim miliâ—es aliquo publico iudicio damnati non relegatus ad tempus multo minus deportatus in insulam ad bestias damnatus immo nec reus tantum criminis c. Ex quorum foece tameÌ„ nostri exercitus sunt refertissimi In times past saith One They were not taken for Souldiers which were condemned by any publique iudgment or banished for a time or finally or to be cast to the beasts or guiltie of any crime with which froath yet al our armies are ful Obseruauit illud antiqua disciplina militaris vt armapro iustitia et repulsione immicorum hominibus non vitiosis darentur c. Old Militarie Discipline obserued this carefully that armes for iustice and repulsing of enemies should not be giuen to vicious persons c. In Rome when the Empire flourished hée thought himselfe not a man that had not serued in the warres per decennium by the space of tenne yeares And with vs hee thinkes himselfe a Kill-Kowe that neuer sawe hostem aut castra either enemy or campe that can better skill to swagger and sweare in an Ale-house or in a market-towne with long shagged hayre like a birde of Newgate than how to serue among men like a man A foule degenerating from the vertue of our Elders and of our Nation Let it bee vile hereafter to such as taste of Manhood or haue true ENGLISH bloud in their hearts 4 To morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rodde of GOD in my hand namely to praye for so it appeareth he did Where see and Note a religious ioining of godlie Prayer with the meanes of outwarde force This is no newe thinge but as olde as Moses acceptable to GOD and very powerfull euer Asa did thus and he was a godlie king There came out against him the king of Ethiopia or Egypt with an hoste of Ten hundreth Thousand and three hundreth Charets a huge companie And Asa went out before him and vsed both these waies First they set the battaile in arraie withall those things then ioine they prayer also as most requisite And Asa cryed vnto the Lord his God and said Lord it is nothing with thee to helpe with many or with no power helpe vs O Lord our God for we rest on thee and in thy Name are we come out against this multitude O LORD thou art our God let not man preuaile against thee Then the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Iudah and the Ethiopians fled c. Ichoshaphat did thus and prospered his notable Prayer is also expressed Mauritius did thus against the Persians and prospered Our Chronicles tell vs of Oswald the King of Northumberland how he did the like prospered against Cedwall How Ethelred being at prayer and hearing that his brother Alured was shrewdly distressed in the battaile yet went on with his prayer and would not stirre till he had ended that dutie after he went and had a notable victorie and relieued his brother The men of S. Edmondsburie prayed against that cruell Tyrant Swanus and the Lord heard them smote Swanus that hee died roaring and yelling and they were deliuered Edward 3. against the French did thus and prospered Many moe might be recited Wherefore good is that Saying of S. Ambrose to Gratian Nosti fide magis Imperatoris quam virtute militum victoriam queri solere Thou
with our swéete gratious God it is far otherwise of whom the Prophet Hosea speaketh thus Quomodo affligam te Israel aut quomodo puniam te O Ephraim Iusté quidem te delerem sed conuersum est in me cor meum Exarsit comiseratio mea non faciam furorem irae meae quia Deus ego sum et non Homo c. How should I afflict thee O Israel Or how should I punish thee O Ephraim Iustly might I destroy thee but my heart is turned within me my mercie burneth towards thee I will not execute the furie of my wrath because I am God not mā c. Thus thus let vs gather comfort and in all stormes look vnto him and hold fast by him he is the same and no Changling good before good now and good euer Chastise vs he may for our good but forsake vs to our harme he will neuer Fyre tryeth gold affliction the godlie Abraham euen past hope yet beleeued vnder hope and so doo you If the Lord should kill me saith Iob yet will I put my trust in him Aske since the world was made who euer claue fast vnto him and was shaken of by him No saith Christ whom I loue to the end I loue and he that commeth vnto me I neuer cast away God for his Sons sake strengthen our harts in al our waies and giue vs assurance immoueable that he dwelleth with vs according to this promise Amen Amen CHAP. 30. 1. THe Holy-Ghost hauing thus passed ouer the ordinarie Sacraments of the lawe in the 25. and 26 Chapters the obseruations belonging thereunto in the 27. and 28. the Sacrifices in this last 29. Chapter Now in this 30. he layeth down such things as belonged to the Ministring of all the former And by name noteth 5. sorts of holy instruments whereof the first belongeth to Gods seruice the second to the whole Ministerie to wit the money for the maintenance of the Sanctuarie the third is the Lauer the fourth is the holye Oyle the fift is the Incense the manner to make it Touching the Altar of Incense if you marke the Text you shall sée in the first verse the matter of it Sittim wood in the second verse the forme of it thus long thus broad in the third verse the adorning of it it was ouerlaide with gold in the fourth and fift verses the helpes to carry it as rings barres c in the sixt verse the place for it to wit before the vayle neere the Arke in the seauenth and eight verses the vse of it to burne sweete perfume vpon it Morning and Euening in the ninth verse the holinesse of it in that no strange incense might be offered vpon it And lastly in the tenth verse a peculiar reconciliation by sacrifice to be made vpon the hornes of this Altar once in a yeere by blood 2. Concerning the mysterie and meaning of all these thus you may safely meditate of them The Altar of incense was of Wood and couered with gold figuring so Christ in both his Natures the Wood his humanitie the gold his Diuinitie the Deitie yéelding glorie and Maiestie to his Manhood as the gold adorned and beautifyed the Shittim wood You remember an other Altar in the Court of the TABERNACLE whereupon all the Sacrifices were offered and that was of Brasse now this ouerlaide thus with gold and as as it were of gold Both of them shadowed out Christ and this difference of matter happely the difference of his estate when humbled here on earth and when glorified now in Heauen The brasen Altar standing in the Court might note his meane accompt in the World before his passion This golden Altar standing in the Sanctuarie might note his Glorie and Maiestie in Heauen after his ascension For the Sanctuarie is a figure of Heauen The forme of this Altar square significantly represented the firme stabilitie of Christ who cannot bee ouerthrowne The Crowne about it the regall dignitie of Christ and of all those that are ingrafted to him For wee are kings and Priestes in him and by him Peter saith A royall Priesthood c. The hornes of the foure corners the power and force of our heauenly Altar CHRIST dispersed ouer the Worlde to the East West North and South in such as will beléeue in HIM The sweete Incense generally noted all duties and seruices which the people of GOD doo to him by his appointment and warrant and that they smell swéete before him as the Incense and are accepted of him But particularly the Prayers of GODS faithfull for so DAVID in his PSALME expounded it saying Let my prayer come before thee as the Incense and the lifting vp of my hands be as an Euening SACRIFICE And so the Custome noted which was That whilest the Priest was burning this Incense within in the Sanctuarie the people were without at prayer Also in the Reuelation thus you reade That the twentie foure Elders fell downe before the Lambe hauing Harpes and Golden Viols full of odours which are the PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS Againe in the eight Chapter An other Angell stood before the Altar hauing a golden censer and much odours was giuen vnto him that he should offer with the prayers of all Saints vpon the golden ALTAR which is before the throne This resemblance was very fit if you marke it shewed the Nature of true praier For what dooth the smoake of the incense but ascend vpward scatter it selfe abroad in the ayre euery way so shewing that the Faithfull Prayers of true Beléeuers ascend vp to Heauen and the profit of them disperseth it selfe far and wide ouer the World the members of the true CHVRCH praying one for an other through out the Worlde and beeing profited one of another by naturall prayer although they liue in seuerall countries and neuer knowe or see one another The burning of this Incense vpon the ALTAR which was a figure of Christ shadowed out that in Christ and for Christ onely our prayers are of force with God and therefore by him they ought to bee offered to GOD hee himselfe telling vs That No man commeth to the FATHER but by HIM and whatsoeuer we aske the FATHER in his Name we shall receiue it No Saint nor Creature was shadowed by the ALTAR of Incense but Christ therefore let them take heed that will pray to others make others the presēters of their desires to God Againe no strange Incense was to be offered vpon this ALTAR but Prayers either to others than to GOD in the Name of Christ or for vnlawfull and vnfit things are strange Incense and therefore not to bee offered to GOD. The LORD by the Prophets much complained of Incense offered without Faith in those dayes and prayers without faith are as odious Lip-labour much babling by number vpō Beads for to kéepe the reckoning is not incēse that pleaseth God It was forbiden that any man should make
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