had numbred the people after God sent him this word and offered him the choise of famine or sword or pestilence he saide I am in a wonderfull streight let vs now fall into the haÌ„d of the Lord for his mercies are great and let mee not fall into the hand of man Who had not rather receiue punishment at his fathers hands of whose loue he is assured then to bee punished with the strokes of an enemy that loueth him not but hateth him to the death Men are proud and cruell fierce ambitious but God is full of compassion and his mercy endureth for euer he knoweth whereof we were made Psal 103.14 Psalme 78 39 he remembreth that we are but dust hee considereth that we are mortall yea a winde that passeth and commeth not againe He will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able to beare Hitherto the Lord hath visited vs with his mercifull and gentle corrections famines sicknesses and strange diseases Let vs behold his gracious dealing toward vs and profit by these fatherly admonitions for if he should deliuer vs into the hands of barbarous and beastly enemies we should soone discerne the difference betweene the louing chasticements of a father and the bloody strokes of an enemy 22 Then they departed from Kadesh and the childreÌ„ of Israel euen al the congregation came vnto Mount Hor. 23 And the Lord spake vnto Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor neere the border of the land of Edom saying 24 Aaron shall be gathered vnto his people for he shall not enter into the Land which I haue giuen vnto the children of Israel because yee rebelled against my commandements at the waters of strife 25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his sonne and charge them to come vnto this Mount 26 And cause Aaron to strip off his garments and thou shalt put them vpon Eleazar his sonne then Aaron shall be gathered vnto his Fathers and shall dye there 27 And Moses did as the Lord had commanded for they went vp vnto Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation 28 And Moses caused Aaron to strip off his garments and he put them vpon Eleazar his son and Aaron dyed there in the toppe of the Mount So Moses and Eleazar came downe from off that Mount 29 And when all the Congregation saw that Aaron was dead all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty dayes Hitherto of the Ambassage of Moses to the King of Edom These words containe the third and last part of the Chapter to wit the death of Aaron after the people were remooued from the borders of the Edomites For albeit the King did so vnkindly deny them any passage yet Moses and the Israelites doe not oppose themselues against them or attempt to breake through by force of Armes multitude of men and dint of sword but passe by their borders peaceably and fetch a compasse about their land True it is those enuious Edomites were worthy to perish and to be vtterly destroyed for their inhumanity yet because the time was not yet come wherein the Lord had prophesied and promised that the elder should serue the yonger Gen. 25 23. therefore the Israelites commit vengeance to the Lord to whom it belongeth Rom. 12 19. Now in these verses we see how God beginneth to execute the former threatning against Moses and Aaron For heere wee are to consider three things First the death of Aaron Secondly the succession of his sonne Thirdly the mourning of the people The father dieth the son succeedeth the people lamenteth the death of the high Priest If Aaron had dyed without any prediction and foretelling of his death all men might haue thought it had fallen out at aduentures and ascribed it wholy to the decaying of strength wasting of nature but being reuealed to Aaron himselfe and manifested to the whole Congregation both the time when and the place where he should die it appeareth that his daies were numbred and his yeeres limited which hee could not passe As then God had determined the death of Aaron and denounced his shutting out of the land of Canaan so that sentence is heere executed vpon him Deut. 34 4 5. the other concerning Moses is reserued vnto his time appointed of God In this place God commanded both of them what to doe euen to ascend vp to the Mountaine and sheweth that Aaron shall die there for his disobedience whose garments must be pulled off and put vpon Eleazar lest by touching of the dead the holy garments should be defiled After this commandement followeth their obedience agreeable to the same they come vp to the Mountain Aaron is stripped Eleazar is cloathed with them Aaron without feare of death or longer desire of life or prayer for life departeth in peace according to the word of God he is gathered to his Fathers Moses and Eleazar descend from the Mountaine Moses Eleazar and the people mourne for Aaron thirty daies Verse 23 24. And the Lord spake vnto Moses and Aaron We see heere according to the former threatning pronounced by the mouth of God verse 12. that Aaron cometh not into the land of Promise but dieth in Mount Hor. We learne heereby Doctriâ— God-thrâ—nings are 〈◊〉 compâ—â—â—â— that the threatnings of God are accomplished Howsoeuer his iudgments are many times deferred and his punnishments prolonged because hee is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would haue all persons come vnto repentance yet in the end all his threatnings shall be verified and fulfilled in their times and seasons Consider this truth in our first parents Ge. 2 17. â— 3 7. God threatned them that if they did eate the forbidden fruite they should die the death we see the effect in them and all their posterity throughout al times and generations Behold other threatnings of God wee shall alwayes reade the execution after the denunciation So when God by the Ministery of Noah a Preacher of righteousnesse 2 Peter 2â— had threatned to destroy the whole world if in an hundred and twenty yeeres they repented not wee see how he brought in the flood vpon the world of the vngodly swept them away from the face of the earth which they had corrupted with their cruell and vncleane conuersation This we see likewise taught vnto vs throughout the bookes of the holy history of Ioshua The man is cursed before the Lord Ioshua 6â— that ryseth vp and buildeth the City Iericho he shall lay the foundation thereof in his eldest sonne and in his yongest sonne shall he set vp the gates of it meaning therby that whosoeuer should attempt to builde this City he should pay for it deerely because what time hee layeth the foundation of the wals his eldest sonne shall dye and when hee setteth vp the gates and hath finished it his yongest sonne shall dye When this threatning seemed quite forgotten and consumed with the rust of time God doeth bring it to passe as we
authority vnto our consciences First God knoweth what is best for vs farre better then we our selues doe We seeke oftentimes to be aloft but God seeth it better for vs to be below we desire to be rich God seeth it better for vs to be poore Had it not bin much better for Hamman that was aduanced to honour to haue sate in the dirt or on the dunghill al the dayes of his life theÌ„ in al the height of his honour to bee hanged on the Gallowes which himselfe had set vp for another Ester 7 10. and so to taste first of the punishment he had deuised Had it not beene better for the rich man to be cloathed with rags in stead of purple robes to eate a dinner of greene hearbs in stead of his delicious fare then after all his pomp and pride to be tormented in hell fire Luc. 16 23. We are oftentimes ignorant of that should doe vs good God is ignorant of nothing We are ready to imbrace that which will do vs hurt it is God that in mercy withholdeth it from vs and vs from it A sicke person longeth greatly for those things which encrease his disease and bring him in danger of death but the learned and expert Physitian will not suffer him to taste of them A childe thinketh he is hardly dealt withall that he is restrained of his desire but his wise and discreet parents are constrained to bridle him of his lust and that for his owne good So dealeth God with vs wee are as sicke persons that must be dieted wee are as little children that must be ouerruled the Lord our God is a louing Father he is a tender Physitian ouer vs who albeit he deny vs that we desire yet he will withhold nothing froÌ„ vs that he knoweth to be good for vs. Secondly we haue this comfortable promise from him that he will neuer faile vs nor Reason 2 forsake vs whether we haue little or much whether we be in prosperity or aduersity It is he that feedeth the fowles of the aire it is he that cloatheth the Lillies of the field much more then are we assured that he will feed vs and cloathe vs who are more of value then all the rest of his Creatures This is the reason vrged by the Apostle Heb. 13 Heb 13.5 6. Be content with those things that ye haue for he hath saide I will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not feare what man can do vnto me Where hee putteth vs in minde of the continuall care of God for vs and that his prouidence watcheth ouer vs which hee opposeth as a buckler against the common tentation that assaulteth vs to wit the feare of beeing quite forsaken of him and left vnto our selues from whence ariseth distrust in our hearts Thirdly nature it selfe is content with a little Reason 3 inasmuch as this is the common condition of all mankinde Princes and people high and low noble and vnnoble it brought vs naked into the world and naked it will earry and conuay vs out of the world according to the saying of Iob Iob 1 21. concerning himselfe Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither the Lord gaue and the Lord hath taken away c. There are two points of mans life his entrance into the world and his departure out of the world there is but little distance as it were a steppe and a stride betweene them For what is our life but a vapour The space that is in the midst which is the time of our life betweene our birth our death hath many differences and diuersities that make vs vnlike one to another some are poore and some rich some haue great aboundance some haue nothing at all But in the point from whence we come and in the point to which we tend we all meete the beginning of our life and the ending of our daies are both alike there is no difference between them Dust returneth vnto dust and earth into the earth againe If a man haue a little iourney to make and a small way to trauaile it is folly and vanity to make great prouision for it as he that hath need but of one pitcher of water shall not deale wisely to go about to draw out a great Riuer So then to desire superfluities is to make open warre against the order of nature This reason is set downe by the Apostle in the place before alledged where the doctrine had his confirmation for hauing shewed that when God granteth vs raiment to cloathe our bodies and giueth vs foode to fill our bellies we ought to be content he annexeth this consideration to strengthen it For we brought nothing into this world and it is certaine we can carry nothing out â—im 6 7. We see men dye daily and led to it as flockes of sheepe and when we haue taken care day and night what to eate what to drinke and what to put on we beare nothing to the earth but a winding sheete to couer our shame and to hide our nakednesse Fourthly let vs consider the contrary fruits Reason 4 Such as haue a resolute purpose to grow rich do referre heereunto all their thoghts words and deeds they so thirst after the treasures of this world that nothing is so sacred and religious which they will make any conscience to violate but they ouerthrow all law of God and man and nourish in them the roote of all euill and fall into a bottomlesse pit of al mischiefes This the Apostle meaneth when hee saith They that will be rich fall into tentation and a snare â—im 6 9. and into many foolish and hurtfull lustes which drowne men in perdition and destruction Such are as poore beasts that are fallen into the snare of the hunter The diuel is a mighty hunter he hath many grins to catch vs and entrap vs walking about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure We are compassed about with the diuell and his angels as with an army of wolues and wilde beasts oppressed with iniuries and ouerborne with violence yet being vnder the protection of our God we cannot faile but bee well counterguarded He hath promised he will haue a care of vs so that the Lyons shall want and suffer hunger and not alwaies be able to finde their prey though they be cruell and rauenous but the faithful man though he haue neither teeth nor pawes nor take any mans goods away by fraud or force from him yet God feedeth him and supplyeth all his wants so that euery one should be pleased with his present estate and meanes of his maintenance how mean soeuer The vses follow which naturally arise froÌ„ Vse 1 hence and those of reproofe shall haue the first place which are of diuers sorts The first reproofe They breake out and transgresse against this principle that are discontented with their present
withered and dry Wands and on euery rodde the name of the Prince of the Tribe being written and Aarons name on that of Leui it fell out that the Rod of Aaron receyued by the Omnipotent power of God a vegetable soule For being layde vp in the Tabernacle of the Congregation one onely night it had vpon it Buds Blossomes and ripe Almonds wherby the power of God was manifested the calling of Aaron confirmed the mouth of the Conspirators stopped the whole Congregation of Israel perswaded to rest themselues vpon the ordinance that God had appointed and setled among them It were almost endlesse to rehearse all the other murmurings against Moses and prouocations against God For when they came to the Mountaine Hor after the death of Aaron Numbers 33. verse 38 who dyed in the first day of the fifth moneth of the fortieth yeare after theyr departure out of Egypt all the people murmured most violently against Moses by reason of the scarsity of water when neyther the punishments by fire from heauen aboue them nor the opening of the earth vnder them nor and swallowing of them vp nor the often and sodaine Pestilences that seized vpon them nor any myracle formerly shewed among them neyther the loue or wrath of God could preuaile any longer with this stubborne and rebellious people then while their bellies were filled and their appetites satisfied Numb 20. but in stead of seeking for helpe and releefe at Gods hands in their necessity when they suffered hunger or thirst or any other want they repined and repented of their estate casting into his teeth who least of all deserued it all their misaduentures And albeit they were entred into the fortieth yeare wherein all trauailes troubles and miseries were to take end and that they were euen in sight of the land promised yet againe they tempted God as obstinately as in former times and neyther trusted his promises nor feared his iudgements nor regarded his miracles Neyther are we to thinke by way of Iustification of our selues or condemnation of Israel that wee are by nature better then they or they a worse people then our selues for it hath alwayes beene the disposition of the common sort to waxe weary of present things and to desire some change and alteration The multitude as Polybius doeth not vnfitly speake is like the sea where a small gale of winde causeth a great Tempest Cicer. pro domo sua ut Demost in orat de faâ—s legat They are changeable and vnconstant and as variable in their opinions as the weather is And so often as I remember the dislike and discontent of this people with such Gouernors in the Church and Commonwealth as God had set ouer them who had they beene changed and others placed in their roome would haue liked them no better I cannot forget a memorable example that fell out among the Campanes in the City of Capua during the second Punicke Warre through a mutiny among the people against their Magistrates as Liuy reporteth Liuy decad 3. Lib. 3. when as the Commons abusing their liberty would needes depose the Senate to which they were maliciously affected and weary to be vnder their gouernment any longer and agreeed to put them to death Pacuuius Calauius the head Magistrate willing to saue them when they had passed sentence vpon one Senatour to haue him executed bad in his stead to choose a good Senator and a righteous At the first all were silent and as still as midnight for default of finding a better Afterward when some odde groome past all shame and reuerence seemed to nominate one to succeede by and by they grew to lowd words and great clamors while some sayde flatly they knew not the man others layde to his charge sundry lewd and naughty vices and others obiected against him basenesse and beggery or else some dishonest kinde of Trade and Occupation whereby he gate his liuing Thus fared they and much worse a great deale when a second or third Senator was named to bee substituted in the roome of others so as it was wel seene that the men bethought themselues better and repented of that they had done already considering how much they fayled and were to seeke when they should appoint another in his place c. And so at length they were content to keepe their olde Senators It is not therefore without cause Decad. 3. lib 4. that the same Historiographer describing the beast of many heads sayth well Haec natura multitudâ—nis est aut seruit humiliter aut superbè dominatur libertatem quae media est nec spernere modicè nec habere sciunt that is See the nature and disposition of the multitude eyther they serue basely or rule proudly Liberty that is the meane betweene them both they haue neither the skill to despise with reason nor the grace to entertaine in measure But to passe ouer these things and to see how Israel passed forward toward the Land of Canaan I cannot omit that Moses omitted nothing before his death that might serue for the good of the people and to shorten their iourney what he might and therefore sent Messengers vnto the Prince of Idumea Numb 20 17. praying him that he might passe with the hoasts of Israel through his Territory into the Land promised to their Fathers which bordered it For this was the nerest way of all other from the citty of Kadesh where Moses then encamped whereas otherwise taking his iourney by the Riuers of Zared Arnon and Iordan which afterward he was constrained to do hee might haue runne into many hazards in the passage of those Riuers with his great Army And albeit Moses vsed many strong and forcible reasons to perswade the Prince of Idumea remembring him that he was of the same race and family with Israel calling him by the amiable name of a Brother they being as sonnes of one Father to wit Isaac inferring thereby that he had more reason to fauor and respect them then he had to affect the Canaanites making a short repetition of Gods blessings bestowed vpon them as also of his purposes and promises concerning them in the time to come assuring him that he would no way offend him or his people neither yet wrong any by military insolency but would restraine his army within the boundes of the common and Kings highwayes paying money for whatsoeuer they vsed yea euen for the water which them selues or their Cattle should drinke Deut. 2 27 28 yet the King not trusting faire words knowing the strength of his owne country rampard with high and sharpe Mountaines and withal suspecting as a naturall wise man that so mighty an army of strangers consisting of more then sixe hundred thousand being once entred into the heart of his countrey it would rest in their owne wils to giue him law and to refuse directions from him and so bee at their owne discretion and disposition whether to abide there or to depart
in his hart knowing that such outrage hapneth not without great iniquity of men and desiring rather to liue quietly and to maintaine peace and concord with all men as farre as it is possible and as much as lyeth in vs as if our hands were tied behind vs from committing any outrage or euill deeds Lastly because the liberty licentiousnesse of Souldiers is many times left free and is without bit and bridle to restraine them it belongeth to Captaines and Gouernors of the hoast to range the common Souldier in good order and military discipline that they breake not out to endamage or destroy those whome they ought aboue all to protect and defend Warre is iudged and esteemed of them to be the time wherin lawes are silent and al things held lawfull that their owne heart lusteth after Hence it commeth to passe that there is such thirsting after goods deflowring of virgines rauishing of wiues slaughter of parents robbing of houses burning of Churches and scorning of religion and all holy things yea making a mocke of Christ our Sauiour So then if seuere discipline be not vsed order taken that the people liuing in peace bee not abused all thinges will be held lawfull beside right and honesty iniuries will be accounted good dealing and all things taken to be common and to belong to him that first can seaze vpon them It is saide of the Centurion in the Gospell that his authority was such ouer them that belonged to his band that none durst oppose themselus against him or resist his charge that hee gaue vnto them saying I am a man also vnder the authority of another Math 8 9. and haue Souldiers vnder me and I say to one goe and he goeth and to another Come and he commeth and to my seruant Do this and he doth it This was a commendation both of the Captaine that so ordered and ruled them that he had them so obedient and seruiceable vnto him and likewise of the Souldiers that would submit themselues vnto his authority and suffer themselues to be gouerned according to the martiall lawes of a well trained garrison But of this point occasion will be offered to speak in this booke afterward chap. 21. ver 28. and chap. 24. verse 20. and chap. 25. ver 17. chap. 31 7. Verse 5 These are the names of the men that shall stand with you of the tribe of Ruben Elizur the sonne of Shedeur c. As this Booke of Moses beareth the title of Numbers so a great part of it is spent in numbering of the people to assure vs that God hath numbred those that are his he keepeth the tale of them none are hidden from him none escape his knowledge Doctrine 2. The Lord knoweth the number the names of all such as belōg to him or sight Wee learne from hence that the Lord knoweth perfectly who they are that are his both what their numbers and what their names are When Israel had corrupted their wayes and set vp idolatry so that Elias thought himselfe left alone what saide the Oracle of God that made answere vnto him 1 King 19 10 18. Rom. 11 3 4. I haue reserued vnto my selfe seauen thousand men which haue not bowed the knee to Baal Where we see the Lord saw not as man seeth hee knew those whom Elias could not know To this end the Prophet saith Psalme 147 5. Psal 147.5 He counteth the number of the stars and calleth them all by their names albeit to man it be incredible and vnpossible that hee should number and name the starres in the firmament yet this to him shall not bee hard much lesse vnpossible Thus sayeth the Lorde also by the Prophet Esay Esay 40 26. Lift vp your eyes on high and behold who hath created these thinges and bringeth out their armies by numbers and calleth them all by names by the greatnesse of his power and mighty strength nothing faileth Heereunto wee may referre that vsuall phrase of speech in the Scripture that the names of the elect are saide to be written in the booke of life which God hath made Exod. 32 32. Psal 69 28. Philip. 4 3. Reuel 20 12. which is a borrowed speech from such records as are kept in a Citie wherein the names of the Freemen and Cittizens in the same are written All these testimonies are so many consents of the Scripture to prooue and confirme this truth namely that the seruants of GOD are knowne to him and approoued of him not onely in generall but specially and particularly so that he is able both to number them and to name them The reasons are not hard to bee gathered Reason 1 First the knowledge of God is so exact and perfect that most secret things are knowne and the smallest are regarded of him What is a lesse matter or of lesse moment then a Sparrow that doeth fall to the ground Or the haires that fall from the head yet euen these are ordered by him and his diuine prouidence ouerswayeth them This Christ our Sauiour putteth in our minds in the tenth chapter of Saint Mathew and the 29 30. verses Are not two Sparrowes solde for a Farthing And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father yea and the haires of your head are numbred If then thinges so small and slight and little regarded of men bee numbred of Almighty GOD much more are wee respected of him And if our verie haires bee numbred much more are our names Secondly Christ Iesus setteth foorth himselfe Reason 2 as the true Sheepheard of his Sheepe A Sheepheard knoweth his owne Sheepe whereof hee hath taken the charge and ouersight Christ is the Sheepheard the Church is the Flocke his word is the staffe whereby hee ruleth and the pastures wherewith he feedeth them and therefore hee knoweth them all by their names A good Sheepeheard oftentimes numbreth his Sheepe and misseth none of them but hee seeketh the lost one So is it with Christ hee is a farre better Sheepeheard and more faithfull then those that haue the guidance and gouernance of such as are but for the belly and the slaughter For he giueth his life for the Sheepe This hee teacheth at large in the tenth Chapter of Saint Iohn and the 2.3 and 11. verses I I am that good Sheepeheard that good Sheepeheard that giueth his life for his Sheepe to him the Porter openeth and the Sheep heare his voice and hee calleth his owne Sheepe by name and leadeth them out Seeing then Christ is a faithfull Sheepeheard hee cannot bee ignorant of our numbers or our names or our natures Thirdly all his people are euermore present Reason 3 with him wheresoeuer they bee yea albeit they bee absent from him yea albeit they haue no beeing Hee seeth them when they are from him hee knoweth them when they are not Nathaniel was seene of Christ Iohn 1 47. and knowne by name beeing farre from him while hee was vnder the Figge-tree
serueth not onely to soften the waxe but to harden the clay Hence it is that many are made worse by the word â—atth 13.15 but that falleth out through their owne corruption not through the nature of the word Hence it is that the Lord saith Make the heart of this people fatte and make their hearts heauy and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and conuert and be healed Esay 6.10 â—say 6.10 Be it therefore that none are commonly worse then common hearers who heare indeed but doe not vnderstand and see indeed but doe not perceiue yet is the word to be preached and published though it be the sauor of death vnto death in those that heare it It is as the raine or snow that falleth from heauen which returneth not thither againe but watereth the earth and maketh it bud and bring forth that it may giue seed to the sower and bread to the eater so is it with the word that goeth forth out of the mouth of God it doth not returne vnto him voide but it accomplisheth that which he pleaseth and prospereth in the thing whereunto he sendeth it Esay 55. â—say 55 10.11 Lastly the wickednesse of euill hearers ought to be no barre against the preaching of the word forasmuch as euill persons are oftentimes wonne by the Gospel Publicans and harlots are brought by it to the kingdome of God Matth. 21.31 â—atth 21.31 Many of these that crucified the Lord of life and put our Sauiour to death were pricked in their hearts and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do Act. 2.37 â—ct 2.37 They gladly receiued the word and were baptized so that in one day there were added to the Church about three thousand soules The like we might say of the Iailour notwithstanding his cruelty and persecution of the Apostles he came to them and said Sirs what must I doe to be saued Act. 16 30. â—ct 16 30. Who preached vnto him faith in Christ by whose Ministry hee was conuerted Shall we then reason as these men doe Hearers are wicked and as bad as others that heare not therefore away with the word out of the Church pull down the chaire of Moses and downe with all preaching let vs haue no more hearing and let the sound of the word be buried for euer O foolish reason O damnable conclusion Nay wee may inferre contrariwise Such as heard long are sinful stil therfore let them heare more cheerefully and let the Minister deale more roundly with them Let them be told and taught that God will take an account of their hearing according to the meanes he hath afforded vnto them that by the word they shall be iudged at the last day and that as much hath beene committed vnto them so much shal be required at their hands againe that they are to heare the voyce of God while it is called to day and are to take heed they neglect not the accepted time and that as Christ hath knocked long at the doores of their hearts so they know not how suddenly he will depart from them Verse 4. And Nadab and Abihu dyed before the Lord c. We haue already declared how God immediately after the ordering of the Armies of the Israelites describeth the tribe of Leui that was exempted and priuiledged out of that muster and multitude and of what family Aaron came Now wee are to shew what became of his sonnes who albeit they were the sonnes of one man yet they neither liued nor dyed after one manner For the two eldest Nadab and Abihu Leuit. 10.4 Num. 26.60 presuming to offer incense to God and to burne it with strange fire were themselues consumed with fire there went a fire from the Lord and deuoured them and they dyed before the Lord with sudden death Thus by the same thing wherein they offered they perished strange fire brought downe a strange iudgement to declare the iustice of God against sinners but of this point we shall haue better occasion to speake farther in the fift Chapter Thus it fel out in the family of Aaron his two sonnes dyed by fire euen they dyed before their father 1 Chron. 24.2 and had no children to whom the Priesthood might descend therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the Priests office When the Leuites did offer sacrifice in the Tabernacle God sent fire from heauen Leuit. 9.24 to consume the sacrifice whereupon he commanded the Priestes that the fire should be kept euermore burning vpon the Altar and neuer be suffered to goe out Leuit. 6.13 Which the Gentiles also obserued by a foolish imitation So then their transgression against God consisted in these two things First they vsed strange fire contrary to the commandement of God whereas they should haue taken it from the Altar Leuit. 1.8 Leuit. 1.8 Secondly they entred into the holy place which was not lawfull for the high Priest himselfe to doe but vnder certaine conditions and at a certaine time Leui. 16.1 2. Leuit. 16.1 2. Exod. 30.10 Exod. 30.10 Heb. 9.7 Heb 9.7 Thus then as they sinned openly so God punished them openly and made them publike examples vnto others that should succeed them and come after them in that office as he speaketh Leuit. 10.3 Then Moses said vnto Aaron This is it that the Lord spake I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified Babingâ—on Leuit ch 10. obser 6. It was but yesterday as it were that Aaron and his sonnes had a famous and a glorious consecration into the greatest and highest dignity vpon earth but these sonnes so lately exalted and honoured now lye destroyed before their fathers face to his ouermuch griefe and anguish not by any ordinary and accustomed death but by fire from heauen for their sins and breach of the Law and commandement of God We learne from hence that Godly parents haue Doctrine 2 oftentimes vngodly and disobedient children Godly parents haue oftentimes vngodly children Such as are reformed themselues haue children vnreformed We see this in Adam the first father he had not onely Abel the righteous who obtained good report that he pleased God but also Caine who was of that euill one and slew his brother 1. Ioh. 3. 1 Ioh. 3.12 Because his owne workes were euill and his brothers good Noah a iust man and perfect in his generations Gen. 6.9 had cursed Ham as well as blessed Shim Gen. 9.26 We see this in Abrahams house the Father of the faithfull who rereceiueth this commendation froÌ„ the mouth of God himselfe Gen. 18. Gen. 18.19 I know him that hee will command his children and his houshold after him that they keepe the way of the Lord to do iustice and iudgement that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham that which hee hath spoken of him yet he had in his
men regard not to plucke vp the wheat with the tares which a good husbandman will not and to pull by vp the rootes wholesome herbes with vnwholesome weeds which a good gardiner will not and to cut off good citizens together with the badde which a good Magistrate will not Lastly in the censure of excommunication there is place left for repentance nay this is the end of euery censure of the Church not to destroy but to amend and reforme so that when the offender returneth againe into the way he holdeth his place that he did before in the Church neither receiueth any hurt or losse or reproch by the fault which he hath confessed and forsaken This is the institution and ordinance of God this he hath appointed of this had Peter experienee after his threefold confession that followed his threefold denyal Of this also had the incestuous person experience when he sorrowed for his fornication for then he was ioyfully receiued againe forasmuch as euen the Angels in heauen reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner Luke 15. But he that being excommunicated is driuen out of his kingdom and seeth it translated to another hath no place left him to recouer his kingdome his repentance commeth too late to doe any good to himselfe The vsurper that hath once inuaded his seate and set himselfe downe in his throne will not easily depart from it and let it goe againe vntill a stronger then he cometh and ouercommeth him he shall neuer attaine to his right againe neither shall finde place for repentance though he seeke it carefully with teares This is to arme Prince against Prince and to set kingdome against kingdom forasmuch as the right owner will neuer giue ouer his right so long as he is able to right his owne cause Thus we haue seene how excommunication is abused in the Church of Rome and that which was by institution from God an wholesome medicine to saue not to condemne to helpe not to hinder to edification not to destruction is now by corruption of man turned vpside downe and the nature of it quite ouerturned The iniury that is offered to none of the lowest ranke is offered vnto Princes who are thereby in worse condition then any of their people A Christian Prince is made in worse condition then an heathen The heire is punished for his fault to whom he is heire the sonne for the father the successour for the predecessour the innocent for the nocent the infant for the aged the childe vnborne for him that is borne and lastly he that repenteth cannot be restored into his place againe so that it is all one to be penitent or impenitent All these iniuries indignities and miseries to which we might adde the shamefull arraigning endighting condemning and burning men for heretickes after their death all these exhorbitant courses proceed from the abuse of this censure and of all who is author but the Pope of Rome who aduanceth himselfe aboue all that is called God â—ss 2.4 and is an vtter enemy to Princes Vse 4 Fourthly seeing such as are incorrigible are to be throwne out of the Church it followeth that all such are to be shunned and their company to be auoided We must haue no fellowship with them lest we be defiled by them If there were that sense of sinne in them that ought to be they should not need to be separated and sequestred from the company of others forasmuch as themselues would be as open Heralds publike cryers against themselues saying with the lepers in the Law I am vncleane I am vncleane Leuit. 13.45 46. But because they haue no feeling of their spirituall leprosie but thrust themselues among the faithfull like to the generation that are pure in their owne eyes although they be not washed from their sinnes it is the duty of all the faithfull to auoide them â—t If any aske the question â—er from what things the excommunicate persons are to be excluded I answere not only from the vse of the Sacraments but from the priuiledges of the Church they must be strange vnto vs and we strange vnto them so that we must not liue and conuerse with them we must haue no society conference and communion with them otherwise then for necessitie and rather then haunt their company if we see them come at one side of the streete wee should go to the other The Apostle speaking of suspension a lower and lesser degree then excommunication maketh two parts of it first â—ss 3.10 he must be noted as Caine was Gen. 4. God set a marke vpon him He meaneth he must be branded as with a marke of shame and ignominy we must not spare his name but put him to all the reproch we can we must set him out in his colours and make it known what he is True it is before the sentence published while they continue in the Church we must as with a cloke couer the multitude of sinnes through loue as Shem and Iapheth did the nakednesse of their father while by priuate admonition they may be wonne but when once they be cast out of the Church we must forbeare them no longer that others may beware and bee warned of them For there is no better meanes to doe them good but this and if this way they will not be reclaimed they can no way be brought into the way It is better in this world to suffer a short reproch for our good then endure euerlasting contempt in the world to come Dan. 12.2 This is one point to be obserued and practised another point is seen in refraining his company that is so made infamous as 1 Cor. 5.9 I wrote vnto you in an Epistle not to keepe company with such fornicators This is fitly and not without cause added to the former For if we be familiar with such a man as with a friend we harden him in his sin and as much as lyeth in vs we keepe him from repentance and so from saluation The vse of shunning and eschewing of him is that he may be ashamed and the end of shaming of him is that he may come to amendment of life and consequently to be saued But when no man auoideth him and abhorreth from his company it is so far from working shame in him that it maketh him thinke well of himselfe Such as delight to be euermore with them are partakers of their sinnes and become as loathsome and shamefull as they Moreouer the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 5.11 Now I haue written vnto you not to keepe company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or couetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one eate not We ought not to receiue him into our houses nor bid him God speede 2 Ioh. 10. but wholly decline from him and shunne him as we would him that hath a plague soare To sit at the Table is a signe of friendship and familiarity as with a
the wound and it is he that must and can heale restore againe The mitigation of the punishment followeth which is restrained to seuen dayes amplified by an vnequall comparison drawne from the lesse to the greater from an earthly father to his children who if hee should shew any the least token of his anger and displeasure to his children they wold be afraid and ashamed for a season to come into his presence how much more then ought she to be ashamed to lift vp her head and to come vnto the hoste among whom the Lord dwelleth and walketh being stricken with his iudgement For by spitting in the face is ment any token of reproch or disgrace 〈◊〉 â—5 8 Therefore she was shut out and separate from the hoste seuen daies during which time the people iourneyed not till that one member as it were cut off were againe recouered restored to the rest of the body Thus much touching the order of the words to the end of the chapter â—â—â—â—rine 〈◊〉 â—rath of 〈◊〉 kindâ—â—â—ainst 〈…〉 â—ers 〈…〉 â— 2 3. 〈…〉 34.7 〈…〉 â— 4 〈…〉 â—9 2 〈…〉 â—1 2 3. First let vs come to the signification of the punishment the wrath of God was kindled Wee learne hereby that the wrath of God is kindled against offenders Deut. 32.22 41 42. The reasons hereof are euident First the nature of God is most pure and holy and hee hateth euill whersoeuer he findeth it Secondly sin maketh a separation betweene God and his people it hideth his face from vs that hee will not heare Thirdly he punisheth sin and executeth iudgement vpon the sinner yea hee spareth none no not his owne children that prouoke him by their sins much lesse others as we see in Adam in Caine in the old world in Sodome and Gomorrha in Pharaoh and the Egyptians and sundry others Vse 1 The vses remaine First we see that anger is not simply to bee condemned in man but the excesse or defect thereof when it is too much or too little It is a naturall affection graffed in man when it is mooued as there is iust cause 〈…〉 â— 5 it is an holy affection noted to bee in Christ he looked angerly vpon them mourning for the hardnes of their hearts And wheÌ„ he saw the buyers and sellers in the Temple the zeale of Gods house did euen eat him vp Now zeal is partly compounded of anger and partly of sorrow and partly of loue So must we be angry and greeued if there be any loue of God in vs at sin whersoeuer we find it Anger indeed for euery trifle or more then there is cause is sinfull as also not to be angry when there is cause But of this see farther chap. 16. Secondly feare to offend him that is a consuming Vse 2 fire Matth. 10.28 and is able to destroy body soul into hell fire Euery one must learne to know what it is that doth offend him It is the breach of his law he is offended by blasphemy by contempt of his word by swearing by idolatry by breach of the Sabboth and such like impieties forbidden in the first Table These sins for the most part men do little thinke vpon and because the lawes of men doe not take hold of them they regard them not one whit wheras God hath most seuerely punished theÌ„ and reuenged the dishonor done to his name The like we might â—ay of adultery drunkennesse malice couetousnesse and such like they are for the most part thought to bee no sins at all and slightly considered off whereas he is alwayes the same his law is alwayes the same his iustice is alwaies the same and his wrath is kindled against the children of disobedience Ephe. 5.6 Eccles 8.11 Psal â—0 21 Let no man make his mercy an occasion of sin neither turne his grace into wantonnes Lastly let vs giue our selues no rest till we Vse 3 be reconciled to God It is a fearefull thing to lie vnder his wrath Be not quiet vntill he be appeased toward vs the sword put vp into his quiuer Prou. 20.2 The wrath of a Prince is compared to the roaring of a lyon he sinneth against his owne soule that prouoketh him much more may this be said of God Vse therfore the means and remedies to call in his anger How Gods anger is to be called in send an ambassage of peace vnto him the procuring of our peace standeth first in seeking aboue all things the fauor and friendship of God When Herod was displeased with the Tyrians and Sidonians they perswaded Blast us the kings chamberlen to stand their friend they desired peace because their country was nourished by the kings countrey We are nourished by God in whom we liue and moue and haue our being and therefore we haue more cause to come to him with one accord and seeke his fauour Secondly in repentance and turning from our euill wayes whereby we prepare our selues to meet him Amos 4.12 Thirdly in prayer and humbling ourselues before him Thus doth Aaron seek peace by stirring vp the spirit of Moses to pray for them and hereby did Moses procure their peace Thus did they stand in the gappe afterward when the hand of God had made a fearefull breach among the people and the pestilence had slain many thousands wherby they made a blessed atonement Num. 16.47 48. Lastly the procuring of our peace consisteth in beleeuing in Christ and laying hold vpon his merits and righteousnesse which was signified by the incense that Aaron offered when he stood betweene the liuing the dead Christ Iesus is our peace-maker who hath broken downe the middle wall of partition betweene vs he hath reconciled vs vnto God so that by him we haue an accesse vnto the Father by faith we are ioyned to him and lay hold vpon him to eternal life Ephe 2.14.16.18 If we be earnest in seeking these meanes of peace we shall be safe for the danger of his wrath is gone and past Psal 2.12 11 And Aaron said vnto Moses Alas my Lord I beseech thee lay not the sin vpon vs wherein we haue done foolishly wherin we haue sinned 12 Let her not be as one dead of whom the flesh is halfe consumed when he commeth out of his mothers wombe Here we see as we noted before that God would not heare the offenders vnreformed speake vnto him neither abide any talking with them but Aaron is faine to goe to Moses to intreat him that by his intreaty and intercession vnto God the punishment of leprosie may be remoued which is amplified by a comparison of likenesse Doctrine God heareth not such as lie in their sinnes Ioh. â— 31 Psa 66.8 that she may not be as one dead whose flesh is halfe consumed We learn hereby that God heareth not their prayers that lie in their sinnes and are not reconciled vnto him Iob 42.7 8. Esay 1.15 Gen. 20.7 The reasons why God heareth them not
sorrow to see men drawn away from the faith and obedience of the Gospel Gal. 4.19 and 5.12 so it giueth great ioy and much comfort to see this zeale and care one of another The Prophet testifieth this Psal 122 12. I was glad when they saide vnto me Let vs go into the house of the Lord c. It would greatly reioyce vs to see a man pull the friend whom we loue out of a pit into which he was fallen but it ought more to cheere vp our hearts to behold a brother drawne out of the pit of hell destruction and made a Citizen of the kingdome of heauen 31 But the men that went vp with him saide We be not able to go vp against the people for they are stronger then we 32 And they brought vp an euill report of the land which they had searched vnto the children of Israel saying The land thorough which wee haue gone c. 33 And there we saw the Gyants the sonnes of Anak c. Here we haue the second report which they make to the people now they pull off their vizard and shew themselues in their colours For after that these turbulent spirits preuaile nothing before the Councell they flie to the people stirring vp the multitude to a tumult and commotion to which purpose they bring vp an euill report of the land as if it yeelded nothing without great labour and extreame paines so that when the inhabitants had spent themselues and wasted their strength yet it was scarse able to maintaine them wherein as Serpents they hisse with two tongues The report of the spies contradicteth it selfe for they falsifie their owne words they confound their owne practise and slander the trueth of God with a lye They belye themselues because they had confessed openly that it was a fruitfull land now their tongues are diuided they auouch that it cannot sufficiently nourish the inhabitants Againe they confound their owne practise for they did cut downe a vine branch with a cluster of Grapes and bare it vpon a staffe betweene two vpon their shoulders Lastly they slander the truth of God who promised vnto their Fathers to giue them a Land flowing with Milke and Hony Exod. 3 8. If then it were barren and vnfruitfull and not able sufficiently yea aboundantly to nourish the inhabitants God had failed of his promise and deceiued the hope and expectation of his people True it is these words are not literally to be taken for there is in them another trope or figure for first a part is taken for the whole so that the meaning is that the land abounded with the best fruites neuerthelesse such are named and expressed as needed least labour and trauel of their owne Againe there is an hyperbolicall or excessiue speech borrowed from the waters of the sea which ofteÌ„ flow out of their banks the meaning whereof is that there should bee great-store and plenty of these and such other necessary and profitable things so that they should haue abundance The commendation whereof is further set downe Deut. 8.8.9 and 11.11.12.14.15 Therefore Ierom is much deceiued Hieron Ep. 129 ad Dardan that vnderstandeth this flowing with milke and hony spiritually and it is true that the word of God is saide to be milke for such as are babes in Christ 1 Cor. 3 2. and learne the first principles of the oracles of God Heb. 5 12. Likewise to bee sweeter then the honie and the hony combe Psal 19 10. neuertheles in this place we must vnderstand it of the land it selfe and the fruitfulnesse of it and so it is saide to be euen while the Canaanites did inhabite it and when the Spies brought with them the commodities of it long before the word of God was published in it Moreouer they make report of great and mighty gyants in comparison of whom they thought themselues as grasse-hoppers Some thinke they are so called because they were tyrants oppressors not in regard of strength of bodye and eminency of stature But such there were both before and after the floode Gen. 6.4 and 14 5. Numb 15 34. Deut. 2 20.21 Amos 1. Deut. 3 11. Iudg. 14.6.19 16 3. 1 Sam. 17 4 2 Sam. 21 19. 1 Chron. 20.4 5 6 7 8. These exceeded the bulkes and bodies of men that are now borne in this withered quarter and winter of the world nature it self and the force of it as it were waxing old We see then how these hollow-hearted spies discourage the people and discouer their hypocrisie for they blow hot and cold almost with one breath and yet they would haue more vnderstood then themselues dare vtter For they say The people are strong but they meane too strong for them they say Their Cities are walled euen vp to heauen Deut. 1 28. but they mean they shall neuer be able to win them by scalado they say There were Gyants in the land but they meane they would bee able to eate them vp as Grashoppers they say The Land did deuoure the inhabitants but they meane that albeit they should haue no enemies yet the Land would in short time consume them They neuer once mention or remember the promise of God but as Infidels distrust and despaire and cause others to distrust and despaire and as Apostataes they slide backe from the couenant of God The doctrine Euil men Doctriâ—â— Hâ—pocriâ— though 〈◊〉 couered 〈◊〉 last vnâ— though they long dissemble and hide the euil and corruption of their hearts yet at last they lay theÌ„selues open and are often contrary to themselues Luke 9 59. and 19 22. and 4 22.29 Mat. 2 8 16. Herod sent and killed the infants of Bethlehem intending thereby to kill Christ whom he pretended to worship and 28 12. False witnesses came and said The Disciples stole him away while we slept But this tale did discredite it selfe The Disciples of Christ were few and vnarmed the watch were many and with weapons And if they were asleepe how knew they the disciples did it Wherefore we shold rather thinke that they do dreame when they are awake then suffer our selues to be perswaded that they were awake when indeede they did dreame So Prou. 26 26. Whose hatred is couered by deceite his wickednesse shall be shewed before the whole congregation Reason 1 For first hypocrisie is like a wound healed outwardly but festering inwardly and therefore at last the corruption cannot but breake out It is a true saying Nemo potest diu personam ferre fictam citò in naturam suam recidunt quibus veritas non subest that is No man can long continue masked in a counterfet behauiour the things that are forced for pretences hauing no ground of truth to stand vpoÌ„ cannot long dissemble their owne natures This is the iudgement of God vpon hypocrisie at the last it wil vncase and vncouer it selfe Force the water against the current at last it will breake out to his proper course like to the bow that being bent
owne glory Exod. 9.6 Rom. 9.17 Exod. 32.11 12. Secondly the seruants of God haue beene so farre carryed with a desire of promoting and preferring of it as that they haue preferred it before their owne life nay before their owne soule and saluation when they haue come in comparison together ◠32.32 ◠9.3 as appeareth in Moses and in Paul Thirdly Gods glory is most deare to himselfe if then we will bee his children tender deare vnto him we must follow his example we must prize that at the highest rate which he prizeth aboue all we must loue that which he loueth 48.11 and that ought to bee most deare vnto vs which is most deare to him Vse 1 The vses This reproueth the most part of the world who neuer set this marke before them to ayme at nor intend the glory of God in their prayers but the fulfilling of their own wils and desires and the satisfying of their owne gaine and profit It is nothing precious vnto them but lesse regarded then their owne names Euery man naturally regardeth himself and magnifieth his owne name but the name of God neuer goeth neere them Ioshua hath relation to such a point as this when he saith speaking of the Canaanites and all that inhabited the land ◠9 They shall cut out our name from the earth and what wilt thou doe vnto thy great name Salomon teacheth in the Prouerbes that a good name is rather to be chosen ◠1 then great riches and louing fauour rather then siluer and gold ◠2. it is better then a precious oyntment but if we speake of the Name of God which is glorious and fearefull Deu. 28.38 it ought to be more deare vnto vs then all the siluer gold then all the Iewels precious stones which worldlings make their heauen and happines Vse 2 Secondly let vs in all distresses and troubles be comforted with this consideration that he will respect his owne glory and therefore the good of his Church For the preseruation of the Church and the aduancement of Gods glory are ioyned together He will neuer forsake those that are his in prosperity or in aduersity because if he should any way faile of his promises he should lose much of his own glory which is vnpossible The Church shall neuer sinke vnder the burden that lyeth sore vpon it It is like the bush that burned which Moses saw in the wildernesse while he fed the sheepe of Iethro his father in law it flamed but it consumed not whereby God declared the low ebbe of the church into which it was brought distressed in Egypt but it should not be destroyed he that dwelled in the bush preserued the same Deu. 33.16 If then the glory of God shall neuer faile the gates of hell cannot preuaile against the Church Lastly we must giue no occasion of causing Vse 3 the name of God which is holy in it selfe to be blasphemed Let vs be no means to make it euill spoken off but labour by all means to be instruments of setting it forth Blessed are such as any way aduance it Euery one should aime at it high and low rich and poore master and seruant husband and wife Matth. 5.16 1 Tim. 6.1 Tit. 2.5 Phil 2.15 Iosh 15.8 2 Sam. 12.14 Rom. 2.24 Verse 17. Verse 18. Euery one may gaine some glory to God how meane soeuer his place how simple soeuer his calling be The Apostle chargeth the Iewes that through thē the Name of God was blasphemed because they had the law and made boast of God they knew his wil and were instructed in the word For as wicked children doe dishonour and discredit their parents 1 Sam. 8.3 so it turneth after a sort to Gods discredit in the world when they which are called the children of God and named by the name of Christ doe liue vnworthily so high and holy a calling There is none that liueth in the Church albeit in the poorest and lowest calling but if hee professe Christ and walke not according to his profession he causeth the Name of God to be euill spoken off the seruant that hath the meanest office if he will be thought religious and haue the Gospel in his mouth and do not performe the duties of his calling with great care and a good conscience hee causeth the Name of God and his doctrine to be blasphemed 1 Tim. 6.1 The higher more eminent any mans place is the more scandal he giueth and the greater occasion of greefe to the godly of hardning to the wicked and of dishonor to God Let a man be as prophane as may be that neither feareth God nor reuerenceth man let him liue in the grossest sinnes that can be committed or named let him bee an open blasphemer a contemner of the word a prophaner of the Sabboth an abuser of the Sacraments and of all good things there is commonly no great matter made of it he is neither reproched no reproued But let one that professeth religion bee suddenly ouertaken thorough infirmity in any sinne or purpose of sin not onely he is taunted and traduced by the prophane multitude but the truth of God and the profession of the trueth nay the God of truth is euill spoken off dishonoured and blasphemed These things ought to goe neere vs euen to the heart and to make vs watchfull ouer our wayes seeing wee haue those that watch ouer vs to see if they can haue ought whereof to accuse vs. 17 And now I beseech thee let the power of my Lord be great according as thou hast spoken saying 18 The Lord is long suffering and of great mercy forgiuing iniquity and transgression and by no meanes clearing the guilty c. In these words we haue the second reason drawen from the consideration of the nature or being of God which is seene by shewing mercy and iudgement both which are in his hand mercy to his owne people iudgement to his enemies This description is taken out of the booke of Exodus chap. 34.6 very comfortable to afflicted and distressed consciences So Ionah 4.2 first he is said to be long suffering then of great mercy and thirdly forgiuing iniquity and transgression If any aske Is he onely mercifull is he not also iust The answer is he wil by no meanes cleare the guilty but will visite the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children But of this latter clause we shall speake afterward verse 33.34 Out of the former Doctrine God is of great patience and much long sufferance note that it is the property of God to be alwayes of great patience much gentlenesse and long-sufferance Hee is of a forbearing nature and slow to anger expecting many dayes the conuersion repentance and recouery of sinners Esay 65.2 Ier. 35.15 and 25.5 Matth. 23.37 We haue many examples hereof in the word of God Gen. 6.3 1 Pet. 3.20 The long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was a preparing So
it far Pro. 22 15. So is it with al those that are stubborne and refractory they esteeme words as winde they neuer lay them to their hearts they must be brought low by strong hand and they must feele the smart of their sinnes before they will be humbled We see this in Pharaoh and his people they had oftentimes heard Moses and Aaron speake vnto them in the Name of the Lord Exod. 5 1 8 1 9 1 13 10 3. But what did all this worke in him but as so many hard strokes vpō the anuill which make it harder so Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go Exo. 8 15 so that God is constrained to enter into iudgement with him and he that would not giue eare to the word was constrained to giue place to the waters for he and his host were drowned in the red sea Thus was it also oftentimes with the Israelites that refused misused the Prophets they euer brought vpon their heads some iudgement or other 33. And your children shall wander in the wildernesse forty yeares and beare your whoredomes vntill your carcases be wasted in the wildernesse 34. After the number of the daies in which ye searched the Land euen forty daies each day for a year shall ye beare your iniquities euen forty years and ye shall know c. In these words Moses farther describeth the sentence of God against these rebels the punishment rested not only vpon their own persons but slowed downe to their children like a violent tempest that first falleth vpon the Mountaines and after descendeth into the vallies Note heere first of all how God dealeth with these mutiners and with their off-spring The spies had bin 40. daies in searching the Land and for their wickednesse they shall wāder 40. yeares in the wildernesse a yeare for a day A dram of sin hath a pound of sorrow A day of pleasure hath a yeare of paine Doctrine Obserue from this Sinne and the punishment of sinne are proportionable Gen. 19 5 24. that in iudging and punishing of sinnes God oftentimes punisheth in proportion so that the iudgement is answerable to the sinne Of what kinde the sinne is of the same kinde is the punishment Gen. 42 21. God sent vpon Sodome a punishment like to the nature of their sin they burned in vnclean and vnnaturall lust one toward another and the Lord sent fire from heauen to burne them vp The people in the wildernesse with their viperous and venemous tongues spake against God and Moses his seruant and the Lord sent venemous and fiery serpents to sting and to bite them Numb 21 5 6. So Dauid sinned greatly in numbring of the people through the pride of his heart and vaine glory in his owne greatnesse God could haue punished him many other waies but he meeteth with him in the same kinde he diminisheth the number of his people exceedingly by the pestilence in whose strength he much trusted The reasons follow First God hath many waies to punish sin Reason 1 yet it pleaseth him to send his punishments according to our sinnes thereby to strike vs with inward remorse and to worke a deeper impression in the conscience For when he punisheth after this manner rather then after any other the iudgement it selfe doth more effectually force the sufferer to acknowledge Gods iustice in plaguing of him in that sort This we see in Adoni-bezek who was serued himselfe as he had serued others he had cut off the thumbes and great toes of threescore and ten kings which gathered their meat vnder his table the Israelites serued him with the same sauce they also cut off his thumbes and his great toes this measure repaied vnto him caused him to say As I haue done so God hath requited me Iudg. 1 7. The punishment presenteth the sinne as it were visibly before his face and when God dealeth thus with a man it oftentimes bringeth him to thinke of those sinnes which otherwise he would neuer haue remembred so that thereby he may iustly acknowledge that it is iustly come vpon him Secondly this maketh men not onely to Reason 2 iustifie God whose iudgements are alwaies iust but maketh thē also to iudge themselues and thereby they oftentimes preuent the more heauy iudgments of God He doth it for their good iudgeth no mā twice 1 Cor. 11 31. if he be wise to iudge himself Thirdly God hath giuen a law Reason 3 by y◠law he requireth a proportionable punishment for sinne Leuit. 24 19. This course will the Lord take who is the supreme Magistrate so often as it pleaseth him albeit he do not tie himselfe to that law Vse 1 This serueth to warrant vs that wee may lawfully expect iudgement from God in proportion vpon men for their sinnes For that which hath bin may be and that which the Lord hath done he will certainely do it againe so that we may promise and perswade our selues that they shall in the end be paid home to the full with due proportion of punishment according to their sinnes In the destruction of Ierusalem we reade that the enemies came vpon them the same day that they put Christ our Sauiour to death euen then I say came the sword vpon them and recompenced them in the same manner by putting them to death How many are there which haue sometimes beene seruants though now they are masters and beene faithlesse to their masters what hath followed haue they escaped nay hath not God met with them in the same manner by giuing to them faithlesse seruants deceiuers purloiners and theeues that haue wasted and spoiled their goods as they in former time did their masters How many in our daies haue bene stubborne and disobedient against their parents in their youth neuer doing them reuerence nor yeelding to them any obedience mocking at their age and other infirmities Haue not these monsters bene punished Yes God hath paid them home with the like and sent them dissolute children disobedient such as grow weary of them and thinke they liue too long minding their patrimony more then regarding their parents How many are there that haue abused and wronged their former wiues and hath not God vsually plagued them in the same sort in giuing them a second into their bosome which hath embraced the bosome of strangers and dealt wickedly and falsely with them 2 Sam. 12 11. Iob 31 9 10. God could haue met with thē by other means and punished them a thousand other waies but it pleaseth him to make his punishments answerable and carrying a likenesse with the sinne for which it is inflicted so that they are punished by that thing by which they haue sinned against God Couetous persons which get their goods by fraud and oppression are themselues or their heires many times oppressed and deceiued and brought to beggery Gluttony surfetting and drunkennesse are oftentimes punished with dropsies and many grosse and corrupt humors distempering their bodies and bringing
he had beene said Thy seruant went no whither 2 Ki. 5 25. Or if they slaÌ„der and belye their masters or any way falsely accuse them as Ziba did Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 16 3. Or if they run away from their masters and will not tarry in their houses like the seruants of Shemei that fled from him 1 King 2 39. Or if they picke and steale from them as Onesimus did from Philemon or any way deale fraudulently falsly with their masters goods which he hath committed to their trust as the vniust steward did with his Lord Lu. 16 5 6 7. Let these look for no better dealing in times to come at the hands of their owne seruants but be well assured that it is iust with God to send them the like false and disobedient seruants as themselues haue beene to their masters Thus then we see how all inferiors shold be encouraged to honour their superiours because God will cause them to be honoured and on the other side be terrified from despising and dishonouring them lest another day he cause them also to be dishonoured Your children shall wander in the wildernesse forty yeares and beare your whoredomes c By whoredome we must vnderstand the punishment of the idolatry and infidelity of their fathers falling from God and ceasing to trust in him For as idolatry so infidelity is spirituall whoredome They were as a wife that had forsaken her husband and broken the couenant of her God So then obserue that according to the number of the daies in which the fathers had searched the Land eueÌ„ forty daies the children must beare their iniquities and wander too and fro forward and backward forty yeares before they should enter into the Land The doctrine from hence is this Doctrine The iudgements and punishments of God God visiteth the sinnes of the father vpon the childreÌ„ deserued and procured by the fathers sinnes and rebellions do oftentimes fal vpon their children and posterity they do not end and ceasse in themselues but descend to their stocke issue that liue after them Exod. 20 5. and 34 7 8. The reasons First because the children of Reason 1 men and their posterity though they be oftentimes infants and haue not vnderstanding to conceiue of sinne yet the same iudgements that belonged to the fathers sinnes shall light vpon them because God would therby shew his anger sore displeasure against their sins in that when it pleaseth him hee will punish those for their sinnes which as yet had committed no sinne at all Rom. 5 14 Gen. 7 4 and 19 25. Secondly touching those that are of ripe Reason 2 years they are of two sorts either wicked so like to their parents and then it is iust with God to bring his iudgements vpon them because he would shew himselfe displeased with their sins or else they are godly not tainted and defiled with them yet neuerthelesse there is other corruption enough in theÌ„ which may lustly worthily call for temporal iudgment Obiect But some haply will obiect that this may seeme to bee quite contrary to other Scriptures as Ezek. 18 4 â—0 where it is said The soule that sinneth shall die the death and againe The sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father neither shall the father beare the iniquity of the son the righteousnes of the righteous shall be vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be vpon him I answer Answer we must marke the occasion of these words The children of Israel tooke vp a taunting prouerb against God and in their afflictions said The fathers haue eaten sowre grapes the childrens teeth are set on edge v 2. that is the fathers haue sinned and the children are punished These were quick-sighted to looke vp but they could not looke downe-ward vpon themselues they could see farther off but were blinde neerer home These were ranke hypocrites who had rather accuse God then themselues and as Adam cast the fault from himselfe vpon his wife Gen. 3 12 so do they from themselues vpon their fathers They neuer thinke of their owne eating of the sowre grapes they thought themselues free froÌ„ any sin that should procure such iudgements but God taketh the sons in the sins of the fathers and then punisheth them for their owne sins taking occasion from their fathers sins Euery mans sin shall be vpon his owne head so that though a wicked father be condemned yet his sonne not treading in his steps shall be saued And though God punisheth temporally for the sin of the father yet he doth not condemn any eternally for the same For as the godlinesse of the father shall nothing helpe the son to eternall life so his wickednes shall not hinder his saluation except he be wicked himselfe and walke in the steps of his wicked father Obiect But it wil peraduenture be said that Dauid sinned in the numbring of the people yet the people were punished many thousands were plagued for his offence 2 Sa. 24 15 17 and he escaped scot-free Loe I haue sinned and I haue done wickedly but these sheepe what haue they done Let thine hand I pray thee be against me and against my fathers house I answer Answer this is a certaine infallible rule that there is no vnrighteousnesse with God who is the Iudge of all the world Deut. 32 4. Lament 3 33 And touching the people though they were free from this sin of Dauid yet they had many other greeuous sins for which God might iustly punish them and God either for some secret or else some open sin had a quarrell against them as is plaine by these words 2 Sam. 24 1. The anger of the Lord was againe kindled against Israel and therefore he moued Dauid against them to say Go number Iudah and Israel It is not said that he moued Dauid against himselfe but against them So then their owne sin was the cause of the kings sin and the kings sin brought this punishment vpon them The cause he cause the cause the thing caused and therefore their sin was the cause of the cause of their punishment It may be they abused the peace plenty giuen vnto them after the three yeares of famine after the foure great battels which they had fought against the Philistims for it is hard to vse Gods blessings wel our corrupt nature being ready to turne good into euill and blessings into curses Deut. 32 6 15. Therefore the people are especially plagued because their sin was the first cause of al which sin he punished with the sin of Dauid God punisheth one with anothâ— and both of theÌ„ with that greeuous pestilence And touching Dauid we cannot say he altogether escaped vnpunished for God by one and the same plague and iudgement striketh many waies and many persons his sword hath many edges and cutteth euery way he vseth no rod that hath not many sharpe twigs nor no whip that hath not many cordes
mastery they wil hardly leaue their hold We shall finde it little better then to wash a Tile or brick and go about in a manner an vnpossible worke they are become a Cart-ropes which are not easily vntwisted Esay 5 18. Or as a threefold cable which is not quickly broken Eccles. 4 12. CoÌ„sider the truth of this in these three things Drunkennesse whoredome and swearing what meanes soeuer are vsed to take these away they are vnprofitable the drunkard will follow it still Pro. 23 35. Such as comit whoredome sildome returne againe and take holde of the paths of life Prou. 2 19. when a man hath once accustomed himselfe to swearing he cannot but sweare at euery word he neuer feareth an oath Custome taketh away feare of sinning where no fear is to offend men are bold to sin when men are growne bold and past shame they haue no sense of sinne You shall heare them sweare ordinarily and horribly and yet they know not of it or at least neuer consider it Rom 2 4. Eph. 4 19. Vse 5 Lastly it behooueth vs to vse all the meanes we can to keepe vs from sinne as wee would do to keepe vs from the pestilence least wee grow secure and senslesse and think our selues in good case when we are neerest to destruction and farthest off from saluation â—nes sancâ— or God 〈◊〉 vs 〈◊〉 The meanes which God sanctifieth as so many preseruatiues to worke in vs a conscience of sinne and to stay vs from falling into the same are many First the ministery of the word I range this in the first place both because of the power of it and because it giueth force vnto the rest God commandeth his Ministers to cry alowd and spare not to preach the doctrine of repentance and to tell the people their sinnes Pro. 1 20 21. and 9 2 33. Ephes 4 11 12. Thus hee sent Ionah to the Niniuites Ionah 3 4. Nathan to Dauid 2 Sam 12 1. and the prophets continually to the Israelites 2 Chronic. 36 14 15 Acts 2 37 38. Secondly the benefites and blessings of God which are many and great daily continuall vpon soule and body hee saueth and preserueth vs in him we liue and mooue who reneweth his mercies to vs euerie morning Psal 68 18 Lam 3 23. be daileth loadeth vs with benefits wonderfully Moses telleth the people that the Lord bestowed so many benefits vpon them that they should loue the Lord with all their hearts and with al their soule Deut. 10 12. That they should cleane vnto him and knit their hearts vnto him Iosh 23 8. and 24 14. 1 Kings 14.7 8. Paul beseecheth the Romanes by the mercies of God to offer vp their bodies as an holy sacrifice vnto God Rom. 12 1. God hath made vs to abound with this argument and hath often spoken vnto vs. Thirdly he hath bestowed vpon vs his own Sonne the greatest blessing in heaueÌ„ or earth for a greater cannot be promised of God or comprehended of vs Rom. 8 32 He spared not his owne Son but deliuered him vp for vs all Ioh. 3 16. He gaue his owne his onely Sonne for vs his enemies euen vnto the death that wee should be reconciled vnto him If the consideration of this and the earnest meditation in it will not mooue vs to repent of sin nothing in the world will put life into our hard hearts Fourthly the corrections and chastisements which are laide vpon vs Psal 89 31 32. Iob 33 16. The Lord openeth the eares of men euen by their corrections which he hath sealed so that we should humble our selues when we feel them Heb. 12 6 11. It is our duty therfore to mourn for sin betimes which wil bring with it comfort in the latter end Luk. 6 21. Blessed are yee that weepe for ye shall laugh This vse did Dauid make of them Psal 119 71. To this wee may ioyne the chastisements of God sent vpon others though we feele them not ourselues for if we see them or heare of them they should be as so many warning peeces to our selues to call vs to repentance Esay 26 9. Fiftly priuate admonitions and exhortations yea reproofes and threatnings of iudgement when the former will not serue Leu. 19 17. Prou. 9 8. Rebuke a wise man and hee will loue thee Math. 18 15. Iames 5 20. Thus he may be wonne by his brother Psal 141 5. Let vs not therefore refuse this meanes but make good vse of it Lastly the inward motions and inspirations of the holy Spirit which he stirreth vp in our hearts as it is saide of Dauid that God caused his owne heart to smite him 2 Sam. 24 10. and Psal 16 7. We haue all of vs at one time or other some good motions and desires put into our mindes let vs make much of them and entertaine them into our soules lest hee withdraw his Spirit from vs and giue vs ouer vnto our selues 40. And they rose vp early in the morning and gate them vp into the top of the Mountaine saying Loe we be heere and will goe vp vnto the place which the Lord hath promised for wee haue sinned 41. And Moses said Wherefore now doe you transgresse the commandement of the Lord but it shall not prosper 42. Goe not vp for the Lord is not among you c. Heere we haue the behauiour of this crooked and peruerse people hearing from the mouth of Moses the minde of God that they must go backe againe by the way of the red sea and shall wander vp and downe fourty yeares in the wildernesse for the false report which the spies had brought vp of the Land and for their own beleeuing of that report Now they will not obey but will needs goe forward though God had commanded them to retire and returne See heere the peruersenesse of our nature as if we had made a generall conspiracy neuer to obey him but to oppose against him whatsoeuer he say so we euermore striue against that we are forbidden They refused before to goe into the Land now they will needs in a Brauado proceede when they are forbidden When they should go forward theÌ„ they will go backward and make them a Captaine to conduct them into Egypt When they should go backward then they will goe forward though they perish for it This is our corrupt nature that which God willeth vs to do we will not do and that which he willeth vs not to do that we will do whereby we see that the lustes of the flesh are enmity against God Againe obserue that when God is not with a people they cannot prosper his presence is the cause of victory 2 Chron. 20 27. If he be gone from vs and goe not foorth with our armies we fall by the sword of the enemy wee cannot stand before them we go out one way and flie before them seuen waies Deut. 28 25. Moreouer we see in the example of this disobedience that God oftentimes punisheth one
7. verse 14. Math. 1. verse 23. Luk. 1 31. The Reasons follow First that so he might Reason 1 worke faith in them that otherwise would not beleeue Thus doth God take away all excuse when he worketh aboue nature as Exod. 4 1. When Moses was sent to the Israelites in Egypt to tell them of their deliuerance that God had heard their grones and sighes had seene al their troubles and miseries he alledged that the people wold not beleeue him nor hearken vnto his voice and therefore did the Lord inable him to turne his rod into a serpent the serpent into his rodde that so they might beleeue that the Lord God of their fathers had appeared vnto him Exod. 4 5. Againe he is willed to put his hand into his bosome and when he pulled it out it was leprous as snow verse 6. and putting his hand into his bosome againe when he pulled it out Behold it was turned again as his other flesh verse 7. Whereupon the Lord saith If they will not beleeue thee nor hearken to the voice of the first signe they wil beleeue the voice of the latter signe verse 8. And if they would not beleeue either the one or the other hee is yet willed to take the water of the Riuer and to poure it vpon the dry land and the water should become blood vpon the dry land Secondly God getteth glory hereby among Reason 2 his children his praise is by it set forth when by nothing else Wee are mooued at strange things Iohn 11 15 45. and taught to beleeue Lazarus was raised from the dead who had lyen in the graue foure dayes ver 39. to shew forth Gods glory verse 40. Math. 9 8. Luke 13 13. and 23 47. So that miracles serue to worke faith in vs and to gaine glory to God The Vses First consider from hence the greatnes and Vse 1 power of God who is to bee compared vnto him Esay 44 24. and 45 5. None of all the creatures be they neuer so excellent in strēgth and glorious in power can do such things therefore nothing can be matched with him let him therefore be preferred aboue all This is the vse vrged by Moses in his song of thāksgiuing after their passing ouer the red sea Exod 15 10 11. and Psal 77.12 13 14. He is the onely author of miracles hee it is onely that properly doth them and no other For a miracle is a worke wrought aboue the strength of nature as we shall shew more largely afterward But no creature can worke aboue the course of nature he onely that is the author of nature must do it Obiect But it may bee obiected that some of the Prophets did raise the dead as Eliah 1 Kin. 17 21 22. and Elisha 2 King 4 34 35. made Iron to swim being an heauy thing to ascend vpward 2 Kings 6 6. commanded fire to come from heauen being a light thing to descend downward 2 Kin. 1 10. healed many incureable diseases 2 Kings 5 10. and wrought many great workes Heb. 11 33 34 35. So did the Apostles raise the dead cleanse the Leapers restore sight to the blind healed the sick cast out diuels and this was their office calling to which they were appointed Math. 10 8. Answer Acts 5 15. 19 12. I answer the gift which they had was the faith of miracles And this was done in this manner God reuealed vnto them by his Spirit that he would worke such and such a miracle when they prayed thereupon either by commanding the euill spirit to depart in the name of Christ or by imposition of hands in other workes they wrought the same They hauing this knowledge by reuelation of the purpose of God beleeued the same and were as the mouth of God and the hand of God being his messengers to signifie what he would do Marke 11 22 23. Heb. 11 33 34. They then had no power of their own it was the diuine power onely that wrought them Obiect But some will say that the diuels can work miracles contrary to nature and therefore it is not proper to God Answer I answer hee can worke wonders but not miracles For though euery miracle be a wonder yet euery wonder is not a miracle He can do things extraordinary or otherwise then the common course of nature but he cannot worke aboue or against nature Thus he caused fire to fall from heauen the winds to blow downe dwelling houses as we see in the history of Iob. Hee also caused blisters and vlcers to arise in his body and without question they were true vlcers as the Scriptures plainly setteth downe and Iob truly felt Iob 2 7 8. Howbeit this he did no otherwise but by the force of nature for he cannot make raine or thunder or lightning or winde or storme or tempest this is the worke of God and commeth from his hand Gen. 7 4. Deut. 11 14. 28 12. 1 Sam. 12 17 18. 1 Kin. 8 35 36. God only sendeth the raine the diuel cannot make it and 17 14. 18 1. 2 Kin. 3 17. Iob 5 10. and 28 26. and 37 23 45. Psalme 105 32. 107 25. 135 7. 147 8. 148 7 8. Ier. 5 24. 10 13. 51 16. Zach. 10 1. Acts 14 17. Iames 5 18. The deuill cannot make the matther whereof the rain is ingendred They then are deceiued that thinke the deuill is able to make raine or haile or snow or vapor or the least flye that flyeth in the aire or the smallest worme that creepeth in the earth Neuerthelesse when the matter of stormes tempests is prepared of God he can gather it and hasten it and make it more terrible and carrie it from place to place from country to country For as hee can assume a body but not make a body so he can vse the winde but not create the winde If stormes and windes might bee raised and framed by the power of satan they might be said to execute his word he might be said to be the father of the raine So then briefly it is safest to hold this as a trueth that God caused the fire but satan brought it vpon Iobs flocke God caused the winde but satan draue it vpon the foure corners of the house For when once they are raised satan hath power by Gods permission to carry and transport them from Region to Region so that when naturally they blow one way he can besides nature turne them another way neuerthelesse he is not able to send winds or raise tempests where none are It may be further said Obiection that the sorcerers of Egypt did bring forth Frogs and turne water into blood and rods into serpents and such like Ex. 7 11 22. 8 7. I answer Answ it may be satan did fetch these frogs and serpents from other places and conuey them in a moment into the presence of Pharaoh and of his Princes for the effecting whereof more
hast and speede were requisite then power and yet neither were wanting to him beeing a spirit Sampson was able by Art and cunning to gather together 300. Foxes in short space that with his foxes and firebrands he might annoy the Philistims Iudg. 15 4. Much more is satan able who may most truly bee called a mightie hunter before the Lord to bring together on a sodain a great number of these Frogs which could not be far to seek in the bogs marishes fens of Egypt Or else this was done in outward shew and appearance onely not in deed and in truth If it be further vrged Obiect that it is expresly written that the sorcerers broght forth Frogs and turned water into blood c. Answer I answer the Scripture often speaketh of things as they appeare and are offered to the sight not as they are in themselues As he that appeared to the witch at Endor is called Samuel yet it is certaine it was not the true Samuel but the diuell in his habit and likenesse 1 Sam. 28 14. Daniel saith ch 9.21 the man Gabriel appeared vnto him because he appeared in the shape of a man whereas he was one of the Angels that stood in the presence of God Luk. 1 19. Exod. 32 1 Nehem. 9 1 Ioseph 〈◊〉 Iuda 〈◊〉 so haue Images oftentimes the names of those whom they represent Thus Iosephus testifieth that the serpents of these Magitians did creepe in the shew likenesse of true serpents And Iustine Martyr one of the most ancient saith Quaest Orthod 16 that they did dazle and deceiue the eyes of the beholders and cast a mist like Iuglers before them 〈◊〉 in cap. 3. 1. ad Ti And Ambrose calleth their fact a counterfeit emulation of that they had seene Moses do before them But howsoeuer this were done whether by a reall transportation or by a deceitfull apparition certaine it is they could not make true serpents true blood true frogs and that for these causes First because it is holden that God only hath power to change and conuert a dead substance into a liuing substance a rod into a serpent Secondly these sorcerers could not doe a lesse thing therefore not possibly the greater They could not by all their power and art preserue themselues from the botches other plagues of Egypt for the boyles blaines seized vpon them that they could not stand before Moses Exod. 9 11. which notwithstanding is more easie then to make or change a creature nay they could not bring forth lice but saide This is the finger of God ◠8 18 19. Thirdly the true serpents of Moses deuoured the other Serpents Exo. 7 12. 〈◊〉 in Exod. From whence Iosephus and Ferus conclude they were no better then images and representations For it is not ordinary that one creature should deuoure another of the same kinde as a serpent a serpent or a Lyon a Lyon And if this were found either wee must imagine that the Magitians serpents and frogs were exceeding little or else it is incredible vnpossible that one creature should receiue into it selfe another creature of equall quantity with preseruation of it selfe Lastly if any such power had bin in the Magitians to make true frogs and serpents they might also by the same power haue remoued those that Moses brought For he that can build vp can also pul downe and it is one and the same art to knit and vnloose nay it is an argument of greater power to make them thē to remoue th◠Now they could not take them away albeit they were annoyed by them but were constrained to intreate Moses to pray for their remouall Exod. 8 8. And if they had bin able to make them they should be more cunning artists and craftesmen then their master I meane the diuell Thus much of the slights iugling tricks of these cousening sorcerers Vse 2 Secondly we must learne to feare God and to obey him he commandeth Nature it giueth place to him who is the God of power and he shall reigne for euer and euer Exo. 15 18. He stopped the mouthes of the Lyons quenched the violence of fire True it is that ordinarily the Lord gouerneth the world by second causes howbeit he is free to vse them or not to vse them and he can change the course of them to the preseruation of the godly and to the destruction of the wicked A singular comfort to all such as belong to him to moue them to cast their care vpon him and to cleaue vnfainedly vnto him with all our hearts by a liuely faith He neuer wanteth meanes to doe vs good or to procure our safety Vpon this foundation did those seruants of God builde that were threatned to be cast into the hot fiery furnace for they considered that the God whom they serued was able to deliuer them and therefore they feared God more then the King Dan. 3 17. And albeit God do not ordinarily in our dayes work myracles yet he hath the hearts of all men in his owne hand and hee turneth them as it pleaseth him and maketh oftentimes our enemies to bee at peace with vs Prou. 16 7. On the other side this serueth for the terrour of the vngodly that God hath infinite waies to worke out their destruction the least of all the creatures once armed by the Creator are of wonderfull force and shall bee sufficient to destroy all his aduersaries This doth Moses teach touching the drying vp of the red sea a worke farre exceeding all the limits of nature Exod. 15 14 15 16. The people shall heare of it and be afraid the Dukes of Edom shall be amazed the mighty men of Moab shall tremble and the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away Now they knew they had not to do with a weake impotent God such as were the gods whom they worshipped but with him that could command sea land and this doth Rahab confesse to the spies whom she receiued into her house Iosh 2 10 11. Let all these therfore know that they must feare him that is able to destroy and to cast both body and soule into hell fire Thirdly we must learne to giue God that Vse 3 which is his owne and due vnto him We must acknowledge him to bee the sole author and worker of all the myracles that haue beene or shall be in the world Neither Saint nor Angel neither Prophet nor Apostle neither Satan the prince of darknesse nor any of the diuels is able to work any myracle it is the prerogatiue royall of God Let vs not stand in feare of the diuell and his angels they cannot of themselues do any thing vnto vs but that which the Lord willeth The common and ignorant sort of men stand pitifully in feare of witches and of their practise as the cheefest plagues of a Parish they confesse they haue bin as glad to please them as their mothers as much afraid to displease them as
and to stand on an heap on the right hand and on the left like mighty mountaines that they did most manifestly see and behold the same with their eies They saw when Moses strake the stony rocke and when the waters gushed out they tasted of them When God bestowed the gifts of tongues vpon the Church they heard the Apostles speak in their owne tongues the wonderfull works of God Act. 2.11 When God would confirme the calling of Moses he cast his rod vppon the ground and it became a serpent his eye saw it or else he could not haue fled from before it Exod. 4.3 Againe at the commandement of God he put forth his hand he touched it and tooke it by the taile and it became a rod in his hand and therefore he must needs see it Psal 106.27 28 29 c. All the miracles wrought in Egypt were sensible Their water was turned into blood the eye saw it the taste discerned it and they could not drinke of it When God sent downe Manna to eat which fell among their tents they tasted of it what it was WheÌ„ Christ turned water into wine at the marriage in Cana the taste of the ruler of the feast discerned it by and by Ioh. 2.9 And the Iewes said vnto Christ What signe shewest thou vnto vs seeing that thou dost these things Ioh. 2.18 The reasons First that it might appeare that God would Reason 1 not deceiue his people he dealeth plainely and openly as he speaketh to Thomas Ioh. 20.27 Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithlesse but faithfull Secondly Reason 2 he holdeth not his in suspense doubting but maketh the truth of his works plaine and manifest When the disciples of Christ were troubled and their thoughts arose in their hearts being sore terrified affrighted supposing they had seene a spirit for he came miraculously among them and stood in the midst of them he saith vnto them Behold my hands and my feete that it is I my selfe handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see me haue Luk. 24.39 The vses remaine From this flourishing of the rod openly Vse 1 shewed we learne what a miracle is to wit a rare worke apparently wrought by the sole omnipotent power of God aboue nature or naturall causes It is no vsuall or ordinary worke but rare and extraordinary and therefore we reade when Christ or his Apostles by him did any miracle the people maruelled and were astonied and amazed and there came a sudden feare vpon them Luk. 7.16 Act. 2.12 Mat. 8.27 and 9.8 and 12.23 We cannot say that repentance or regeneration is a miracle though it be after a sort the raising of a man from death to life and wrought onely in a few mens hearts in comparison of the multitude because it is ordinarily and vsually wrought in all Gods childreÌ„ Again it must be wrought by Gods almighty power as we haue declared already Touching the which we must know that the omnipotent power of God cannot be communicated to any creature whatsoeuer no not to the Angels in heauen For as the Lord saith onely of his wisedome iustice and mercy so also of his power that he will not giue his glory to any other Again Esa 42.8 thogh this power might be communicated to any other yet there is no creature capable of it whether in heauen or earth none I say is able to beare it or comprehend it This is euident in the example of Peter when Christ had wroght a miracle before him and thereby shewed the glory of his power which in some sort he saw hee saide vnto him Depart from me O Lord for I am a sinfull men Luk. 5.8 and Esay 6.2 3 4 5. Lastly a miracle is said to be aboue or against nature Nature neuer had any inclination to worke aboue it selfe and so to bring forth a miracle for that were to confound things naturall and supernaturall When at the passage of the red sea the waters stood on both parts nature had a desire to make the waters runne and flow in their course as before therefore when they stood still as on an heape it was contrary to the nature of them True it is there are many strange and wonderfull works in nature which yet are not aboue nature The adamant we see by experience though we know not by what force will draw yron to it selfe though it be heauy and of it selfe cannot possibly mooue from place to place yet if it bee aboue it it will draw it to it selfe which is strange and admirable yet because it is not rare but vsuall and common and wrought by an inherent force in the stone it selfe albeit to vs vnknowne it cannot be accounted neither doth any man account it a miracle So we know the nature and power of some waters to be such that they turne that which by nature is gold as also any other mettall into an hard stone We see this to be true by experience â— Gerard â—haâ— in end of it â— cap. 166. that whatsoeuer is put into it purposely or falleth into it accidentally is also turned into a very stone as also there is some kind of earth that will turne stakes of wood fastned into it into stone as our best Herbalists do tell vs. No man can shew any sound reason for this why that water or that earth should doe it more then any other water or earth yet doubtlesse there is a reason of it and therfore though it be strange and wonderfull yet it is vsuall or ordinary and according to the nature of the things themselues and consequently no miracle Vse 2 Secondly this condemneth the lying signes and wonders of Satan which are meere illusions and deceits and no true miracles But caÌ„not Satan work wonders strange things hath he no power at all that way yes Neuerthelesse we must vnderstand that the power of Satan is no way equall or answerable to the power of God it is not so great so strong so large it is euery way infinite lesse forasmuch as there can bee no comparison betweene a thing infinite and finite betweene a creature and the creator True it is it is farre greater then the power of men euery way and yet a limited and finite power a natural power not a supernaturall Otherwise woe were it vnto vs for then doubtlesse none could be saued such is his malice and cruelty 〈◊〉 ledge of and â—e came If any aske wherein it consisteth I answer partly in his knowledge and partly in his actions For a as mans knowledge is such are his deeds and therefore as his knowledge is great so are his workes great also Touching his knowledge and vnderstanding hee attaineth to it many wayes First from his owne nature for he is not flesh blood as we are but a spirit and therefore hath by nature such measure
manner we vse to inueigh against the Iewes for crucifying Christ and deliuering vp the Lord of glory into the hands of sinners ◠26 27 we accuse the partiality of Pilate the treachery of Iudas the enuy of the Pharisies the malice of the high Priests the villany of the false witnesses the cruelty of the souldiers the taunts of the passengers and the hard-heartednesse of the whole people But we consider not that the same originall corruption is in vs that was in them by the sway swinge whereof beeing all the sonnes of olde Adam we would haue done as they did if we had liued in those times So when we heare or reade of these murmurings and mutinies of the children of Israel we are commonly wont to reuile them to defie them and to account them the vilest people vnder the heauens But wee must ceasse to wonder at them and learne to confesse our owne corruption of heart and pronenesse to yeeld and fall downe in time of tentation vnlesse we be stayed vp by the mighty hand of God For albeit he be most gracious and merciful vnto vs hedgeth vs round about with many blessings and compasseth vs with riches of grace on euery side yet we forget thē all if any one crosse do any way lie vpon vs. If the Lord touch vs with sicknesse as with his little finger with losses with crosses with pouerty or any misery such is our impatiency that we alwaies dwell vpon the meditation of that want we looke vpon it with our eies we handle it with our hands wee tosse it in our mindes and neuer remember the multitude of his mercies the peace of a good conscience the louing countenance of the Lord the seale of our adoption the assurance of our saluation the sweet taste of his loue shed in our harts by the holy Ghost so that one trouble doth more daunt vs and strike vs to the heart then many blessings can comfort refresh vs. But God taking away outward blessings giueth spirituall to his children doth sweeten the bitternesse of the crosse with inward consolation and doth recompence it with heauenly grace whereby wee gaine more in the spirit then we lose in the flesh Secondly we are taught heereby to pray Vse 2 to God in our troubles to hold vs vp and stay vs with his grace that wee fall not from him For seeing at all times and vpon all occasions of want we are ready to repine and murmure against God who can stand by his owne power or by the strength of his owne free will When a man holdeth fast a staffe in his hand so long it standeth vpright as he reteineth it but if he withdraw his hand neuer so little it falleth Carry vp a stone to the top of a Mountaine so long as thou staiest it there it abideth but if thou leaue it it rowleth down of it own strength euen to the bottome So vnlesse the Lord in our calamities and crosses that befall vs do stay vs by his heauenly hand strengthen vs by his Almighty power we break out into vnthankfulnesse forgetfulnesse impatiency grudging against him This made the Apostle after the reckoning vp of the idolatry fornication murmuring and tempting of Christ to exhort them that He which thinketh he standeth must take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10 12. As then we ought all to take speciall notice knowledge of the corruption of our hearts and behold a liuely and expresse image of our nature in the glasse of this people so it is our duty to call vpon God from whom euery good giuing perfect gift proceedeth to put to his helping hand that we may learne to depend vpon him that we may know how to want and how to abound and in euery condition to submit our selues to his heauenly pleasure For we shall neuer be able by our owne strength to subdue our owne corruptions nor to preuaile ouer our owne lustes nor to ouercome the tentations that oftentimes assaile vs vnlesse wee bee assisted from aboue Vse 3 Lastly our corruption of heart prone to murmure and complaine against God whensoeuer he trieth our faith obedience and patience with any misery warneth vs to seeke all holy meanes remedies Remedies against murmuring and distrust to represse this rage and repining against God which may bee as sure helpes to further vs in this way to furnish vs with strength able to hold vs vp in the day of triall First let vs consider the high prouidence of God ruling all things in heauen or earth and ouerswaying all creatures that nothing falleth out without his will pleasure as our Sauiour teacheth Mat. 10 29.30 For who giueth vs our bodies Who clotheth the Lillies that Salomon in all his glory was not like one of them Who feedeth the yong Rauens that cry vnto him Who sustaineth the wicked that are his enemies Who prouided all things for man in the beginning before he was made created Is it not the Lord whose all the beasts of the forrest are and the beasts on a thousand Mountaines So that the resting of our selues vpon this prouidence that he wil feed and cloathe vs and care for vs must take away the greefe of al our wants that ouerpresseth and oftentimes ouercommeth vs. Againe we must learne the benefit of contentation and to grub vp all distracting and distrustfull cares as noysome weeds out of our hearts bearing with patience and meeknes of spirit whatsoeuer the Lord sendeth This minde was in Iacob when he went farre from his fathers house Gen. 28 20. he did not desire siluer or gold house or lands but onely a competent conuenient liuing If God will be with me and will keepe me in this iourney which I goe and will giue me bread to eate and cloathes to put on then shall the Lord be my God So the Apostle teacheth Godlinesse is great gaine 1 Tim. 6 6 7 8 Phil. 4 11 12.13 if a man be content with that he hath for we brought nothing into the world and it is certaine that wee can carry nothing out therefore when we haue food and rayment let vs therewith be content And in another place I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to bee hungry to abound and to haue want I am able to do all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me Lastly let vs set our affections on things which are aboue Col 3 2. and not on things which are on the earth If we beleeue that God doth forbeare and forgiue vs our sinnes not deale with vs according to our deseruings if he sanctifie vs with his Spirit make our bodies Temples of the holy Ghost if he turne vs to himselfe working our conuersion which is as great a worke as at the first to create vs
see in the booke of Kings 1 Kings 1â— in Hiel the Betheliâ—e according to the word of the Lord which hee spake by Ioshua the sonne of Nun. The like we see in Zachariah when resting in the power of nature and the strength of his owne body he beleeued not the Angel be was striken dumbe and could not speake vnto the people Luke 1 20. A memorable example also we haue in the streight siege of Samaria where a Prince answered the man of God and saide Though the Lord would make Windowes in the heauen could it come so to passe 2 Kings â— 19 20. And hee saide Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not eate thereof and so it came vnto him for the people trod vpon him in the gate and he dyed The Reasons heere of are euident For first Reason the Nature of GOD is true and vnchangeable Heauen and earth shall passe but one iote or tittle of his word shall not passe but shall bee fulfilled This is that which is vrged afterward in this booke Chapter 23.19 1 Sam. 1â— God is not as man that he should lie nor as the son of man that he shold repent Hath he said and shall it not bee done hath he spoken and shal he not accomplish it Seeing therefore God is vnchangeable with whom is no variablenesse or shadow of turning hee will let none of his words fall to the ground he is in one mind and who can turne him yea he doth what his minde desireth Reason 2 Again who can hinder him or say vnto him Why doest thou thus No might no power no policy can withstand him in his workes albeit men rebell neuer so much and resist neuer so mightily against him There is great power in Princes they are able to bring mighty things to passe and to crosse the attempts of others yet sometimes they are crossed and resisted themselues It is not so with the Lord our God 〈◊〉 33. Who is in the heauens and doth whatsoeuer he will He hath the hearts of all euen of Princes in his own hand â—â—b 21 1 as the Riuers of waters he turneth them about as pleaseth him This made the Apostle cry out 〈◊〉 11.33 â—5 â—9 19 O the deepnesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord Or who was his Counsellor Or who hath giuen him first and he shall be recompenced And who hath resisted his will So then whether wee consider the nature of God without change or the weaknesse of man without power wee may safely and truely conclude that all the threatnings which haue bene pronounced and denounced by the mouth of God shal be verified and performed without any altering or diminishing of them Vse 1 Let vs apply this to our selues and gather assuredly from hence the wofull estate of all wicked and vngodly men For seeing he doth not dally with vs or scare vs without cause so that all his threatnings faithfully denounced shall be vndoubtedly accomplished how shal they escape so great condemnation as lyeth at the doore and hangeth ouer their head Howsoeuer therefore they put away the euill day farre from them and liue as if God sate idle in heauen beholding all things but punishing nothing knowing all hearts and thoghts but not regarding the workes of men saying We haue made a couenant with death and with hell we are at agreement 〈…〉 16. though a scourge run ouer and passe thorough it shal not come at vs for wee haue made falshood our refuge and vnder vanity are we hid yet hee that dwelleth in the heauen shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision For what followeth Your couenant with death shal be disanulled and your agreement with hel shal not stand when a scourge shal run ouer and passe through then shal ye be troden down by it This is that which the wise man saith Eccles 8.11 12 13. Because sentence against an euil worke is not speedily executed therefore the heart of the children of men is full set in them to do euill Though a sinner do euil an hundred times and God prolongeth his dayes yet I know that it shal be well with them that feare the Lord but it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes he shall bee like a shadow because he feareth not before GOD. And to the same purpose the Prophet Ezekiel speaketh Chap. 12 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. where the Prophet reprooueth two sorts of persons open deriders of Gods word as if it should neuer be performed and such as prolong the euill daies as if the plagues were for many yeares and should not come in their dayes But God expressely and directly meeteth with them both and bindeth them together in one bundle declaring and making it plaine to their consciences that when he speaketh the word it shall be done and when hee pronounceth a decree it shall stand Thus in all ages of the Church satâ—n preuaileth with the children of disobedience and draweth more to destruction by presumption then he is able to do by desperation Let vs not harden our hearts thorough the deceitfulnesse of sinne Esay 55 6. Let vs seeke the Lord while hee may bee found and cal vpon him while he is neere Secondly let vs ground our faith in the vndoubted Vse 2 performance of those iudgements that are yet to come as that the Lord Iesus at the appointed time will breake the heauens and will come to iudge the quicke and the dead at his appearance and in his Kingdome that the wicked shall rise againe and stand before the barre of Gods throne These things we see not yet accomplished for all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation HeÌ„ce it is that Mockers arise which walke after their lusts and say Where is the promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3 3.4 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noise and the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp Yea When they shal say peace and safety 1 Thess 5 3. then shall come vpon them sodaine destruction as the trauaile vpon a woman with child and they shall not escape Thus the Prophet Malachi prophesieth Behold the day commeth that shall burne as an Ouen and all the proud Malachy 4 1. and all the wicked doers shall be stubble and the day that commeth shall burne them vp and shal leaue them neither roote nor branch Thus then we see a day of iudgement is decreed and determined and remaineth for the appointed time but at last it shall come and not lye though it tarry wait for it shall surely come and not stay Thirdly wee must not be dismayed when Vse
is a wonderfull miracle aboue nature and gaue her power to speake which is a peculiar preheminence of mankind True it is God hath giuen many giftes to the vnreasonable creatures wherein also they excell man yet to none hath he giuen the vse of speech and benefit of language but vnto man onely among all the workes of his hands And as he gaue her the vse of the tongue to speake with mans voyce so he gaue her the benefit of reason to speake with vnderstanding For she discourseth as a reasonable creature and sheweth forth the Art of concluding from many particulars cleering her selfe of present blame by her by-past actions and appealing to him as a witnesse and iudge in that matter Where she reasoneth after this manner If I haue done thee from the first time I came into thy possession hitherto faithfull seruice then am I at this present faultlesse But I haue hitherto serued thee faithfully Therefore I haue not at this present mocked thee The assumption is prooued and confirmed by an humane testimony for she appealeth to Balaam to speake his conscience what he had euer found in her And albeit God stirred vp the Asse to be his schoolemistris wrought a wonder to checke him to his face yet the wretch is not moued at the matter nor stirred vp at the miracle to lay his hand on his mouth and giue glory to God but bursteth with anger threatneth with words and striketh her with a staffe recompenceth euill for good He chafeth and fretteth that the asse had mocked him he considereth the fact of the asse but marketh not his owne fault which was farre worse who had mocked with God For the authority of God is greater ouer man then of man ouer his beast and there is a greater difference and disproportion between the Creator and the creature then is between creature and creature There is greater equality between man beast between the worke the workman betweene the potter and the clay betweene the saw and him that moueth it betweene the Axe and him that heweth with it then is betweene man whose breath is in his nostrils and the eternall God who is euen a consuming fire For euery creature is finite God is infinite between which is no equality or proportion so that the asse deserued not to be smitten of the man but the man deserued to be striken of God as the Angel witnesseth 〈…〉 But how could the Asse speake or how could a bruite beast which is without reason as the Apostle teacheth discourse and conclude Or where learned she the art of Logick which is nothing else but the art of vsing reason teaching to inuent arguments and then dispose them in order with good iudgement This seemeth to minister matter to Atheists and Libertines to deride all Religion and to scoffe at the Scriptures taking occasion at this and other like places For when they heare that an Asse could speake and reason the case with her master they beleeue it no more then one of Esopes Fables or a strange tale out of Ouids Metamorphosis where trees and birds and beasts are made to speake I answere touching our selues that are nourished in the bosome of the Church and bene instructed in the Gospel of Christ and trained vp in the schoole of the Prophets it is sufficient for our faith and staying vp our consciences in the truth to know that which Moses mentioneth verse 28. the Lord opened the mouth of the Asse the which was as easie for him to do as to giue vs reason and reasonable soules at the first For when thou hearest that GOD opened the Asses mouth it is as much as if it had bene said He that is almighty powerfull and al-sufficient did it that is without want or weakenes with whom nothing is vnpossible who sitteth in heauen and doth whatsoeuer he will aboue the course and order of nature And albeit wee haue not any like example in former times nor in the generations afterward of the like worke of God yet whence hath mankinde the vse of speech and vnderstanding but that God gaue it in the creation Wee see sometimes hee denyeth it to some men that are borne deafe and dumbe and cannot speake to the end we should acknowledge speech to be the gift of God rather then of Nature Sometimes also the Lord hath taken away the vse of the tongue for a time as wee see in Zachariah 〈◊〉 1 20 62 and peraduenture also of his eare that he could not heare inasmuch as the people spake not to him when they came together to bee present at the circumcision of his sonne but made signes to him how hee would haue him called As then the Lord denyeth the gift of speaking and depriueth of it where he once hath giuen it who can limite the holy One from bestowing speech framing the tongue of a beast to vtter a voice and communication as with the tongue of a man or to giue to the creature inferiour in nature that which is proper to the superiour For albeit God hath set setled an order in nature yet himselfe is not euer bound vnto it Neither is this miracle in this dumbe beast more marueilous 〈◊〉 11. 〈…〉 then that of Nebucadnezzar he was driuen from the societie of men hee did dwell with beasts hee did eate grasse lâ—ke the Oxe and the Asse his body was wet with the dew of heauen till the haire of his head did grow as Eagles feathers and the nailes of his fingers like birdes clawes and to conclude he wanted all vse of reason and vnderstanding Now the Asse did no more in this place resemble man then this man did resemble a beast as the Asse had reason giuen her so had the King his vnderstanding taken from him being striken by the hand of God with madnes and bereft of common reason and iudgement for it is said afterward that his vnderstanding was restored Besides we see the diuell in the beginning vsed the tongue of the serpent to speake to our first parents August de Gen. ad lit lib. 11. cap. 29. If Satan did this in the serpent shall not the author of Nature be able to doe it in the tongue of the Asse for as the serpent by nature can doe no more but hisse so the Asse can doe no more but bray Shall wee not ascribe so much to God as to the diuell Could the diuell vse the serpents tongue as his instrument and cannot God open the mouth of the Asse to teach a false and ignorant Prophet Or if wee confesse that God can worke miracles why not this among others If not this then neither others Now touching Atheists and Infidels that beleeue not the Scriptures nor the power of God to conuince them that are patrons of Nature but enemies of the God of Nature wee see how in Pies and Popin-iayes hee hath left a certaine resemblance of speech and thereby sheweth forth what hee is able to
and then he learneth with great pleasure little paine for that which a man doth often he doth easily So is it with all Nouices and yong Schollers in the schoole of Christ when first they begin to be trees of righteousnesse set in the garden of God they meete with many hinderances and pull-backes they wrastle with many tentations and encounter with sundrie enemies but when they haue once practised the duties of the first and second Table and entred into the race of Religion they runne swiftly they obey God willingly and follow their calling cheerefully For now they practise all holy duties often and therefore doe them easily and willingly not grudgingly and vntowardly This Salomon teacheth Prou. 14 6. A scorner seeketh wisedome and findeth it not but knowledge is easie to him that will vnderstand And hence it is that Christ our Sauiour exhorteth vs Come vnto me all ye that are weary and heauy laden for I will ease you For my yoake is easy and my burthen light Math. 11 28. So the Apostle Iohn testifieth This is the loue of God that yee keepe his Commandements and his Commandements are not burthenous for all that is born of God ouer commeth this world and this is that victorie that hath ouercome this world euen our Faith 1 Iohn 5.3 4. They haue their transgressions of the law pardoned they haue Christs obedience in fulfilling the law imputed repentance from dead workes is wrought and effected in them All things saith Christ are possible to him that beleeueth Matth. 17 20 according to the saying of Paul Phil. 4 14 I am able to do all things through the help of Christ which strengthneth me Let vs do his wil cheerfully readily willingly For as God loueth a cheerefull giuer so hee loueth a cheerful seruant Let it be meat drink vnto vs to do the will of our heauenly Father and finish his worke appointed vnto vs. CHAP. XXIII 1 And Balaam saide to Balak Build me heere seuen Altars and prepare mee heere seuen Bullockes and seuen Rams 2 And Balak did as Balaam sayde and Balak and Balaam offered vpon euery Altar a Bullock and a Ramme 3 Then Balaam saide vnto Balak Stand by the burnt Offering and I will go if so be that the Lord will come and meete me and whatsoeuer he sheweth me I shall tell thee So he went foorth alone 4 And God met Balaam and he said vnto him I haue prepared seuen Altars and haue offered vpon euery Altar a Bullocke and a Ram. 5 And the Lord put an answer in Balaams mouth and saide Goe againe to Balak and say on this wise 6 So when hee returned vnto him Loe hee stood by his burnt-offering hee and all the Princes of Moab 7 Then he vttered his Parable and saide Balak the King of Moab hath brought me from Aram out of the Mountaines of the East saying Come curse Iacob for my sake come and detest Israel 8 How shall I curse where God hath not cursed Or how shall I detest where the Lord hath not detested 9 For from the top of the Rockes I did see him and from the Hils I did behold him Loe the people shall dwell by themselues and shall not be reckoned among the Nations 10 Who can tell the dust of Iacob and the number of the fourth part of Israel Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his 11 Then Balak saide vnto Balaam What hast thou done vnto me I tooke thee to curse mine enemies and behold thou hast blessed them altogether 12 And he answered and said Must not I take heed to speake that which the Lord hath put in my mouth IN the former Chapter wee haue heard the busie preparing and prouiding of an enchanter and sooth-sayer to weaken and bewitchthe people Now in this Chapter and the Chapter following we see his diuinations deliuered and his sorceries explained vnto vs. For Balaam being gotten and hyred with the wages of vnrighteousnesse he laboureth and sweateth by all meanes to waste and weaken the hoast of Israel but effecteth nothing against them verifying the saying of the wiseman Prou. 21 30. There is no counsell nor wisedome against God who scattereth the purposes and pollicies of the wicked 〈◊〉 diuision 〈◊〉 chapt In this Chapter obserue two principall points to wit two diuellish attempts to destroy the Israelites with Magicall enchantments Touching the first endeuour and practise we are to consider both the facts actions and then the yssue and euents thereof The first action is that Balaam as the master-workman in this businesse commandeth preparations to be made for his diuinations hee must haue seuen Altars builded seuen sacrifices prepared seuen Bullocks and seuen Rams offered seeking to please and appease GOD thereby and to draw him to fauour the Moabites to forsake the Israelites for he knew he could do nothing for the one and against the other vntill he had procured the God of the Israelites to depart from them But heere it is to be obserued that he dealeth wholly by odde numbers â—â—ede nuÌ„ 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of seâ—â— willing all to be done by seuens The number of seuen was alwayes accounted an holy and sacred number and religiously obserued euen from the Creation whereof the Gentiles marked sundry examples in Nature and in the worship of God Besides a certaine diuine force was imagined to be in the odde number and therefore the Sorcerers and Enchanters did for the most part deale with these vneuen numbers This we see in the Poet Virgil Eclog. 8. I twist for thee euen first of all thâ—se threds in number three In colour three fold differing and thrice about these Altars I draw thy liuely counterfeit God ioyes in number odde The like appeareth in another Poet Ouid. Meta. li. 7 14 Ter se conuertit Ter sumptis c. describing the practises of certaine witches as Medea Circe and others Hee bringeth one in speaking thus The Starres alonely faire and bright did in the Welkin shine To which she lifting vp her hands did thrice her selfe incline And thrice with water of the Brooke her haire besprinkled she And gasping thrice she opt her mouth and bowed downe her knee And afterward Loe thrice with Brimstone thrice with Fire and thrice with Water pure She purged Aesons aged corse that stept and slumbred sure The Altars being made as Balaam commanded the King and this Sooth-sayer offer thervpon to God For Nature taught that there is no accesse to God without a sacrifice as God from the beginning of the fall of man trained vp his people in the rudiments of the Law enioyned them this carnall seruice and these carnall ceremonies which now are ceased in asmuch as we haue the consummation and perfection of all in the all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ once offered vpon the Crosse who sitteth for euer at the right hand of God and with that one offering he hath consecrated for euer them that are
to be annointed So then we haue heere in this attribute a testimony of the constancy of God Doctrine God is vnchangeably true in al hi◠waies words and works From hence we learne that God is vnchangable infallible faithfull true in al his waies words and works His decrees are immutable and irreuocable and without shew or shadow of turning This is that which the Lord claimeth and challengeth to himselfe I am the Lord Mal. 3 6. I change not I am God and there is none other God there is nothing like me My counsell shall stand and I will do whatsoeuer I will So the Prophet speaketh in the Psalme 105 7 8 10. He is the Lord our God his iudgements are thorough all the earth he hath alway remembred his couenant and promise that hee made to a thousand generations and since hath confirmed it to Iacob for a Law and to Israel for an euerlasting Couenant To this purpose the Apostle saith The guifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11 29. By all these places we see this truth plainly proued vnto vs that God is vnchangeable in his mercy and goodnes toward his Church and Children Reason 1 The Reasons follow to be considered First he is not like vnto man his wayes are not like mans wayes nor his thoughts like vnto mans thoughts but as farre as Heauen is distant from the Earth so farre are the works of God from ours We know by experience the changeable nature of man of whom the Scripture sayth All men are lyars Psal 116 11. He is ready to say and vnsay to affirme and deny with one breath He is constant to day he changeth to morrow He loueth one day and hateth another The people that receiued Christ with great ioy when he rode to Ierusalem not long after cryed out Crucifie him crucifie him It is not so with God whose mercy endureth for euer he falsifieth not his truth neyther altreth the thing that is gone out of his mouth Hee giueth liberally vnto all Iam. 1.5 and reprocheth no man Reason 2 Secondly his loue and mercy to his people is not changeable as the Moone vnconstant as the winde floating as the sea vncertaine as the weather but stable as the earth that cannot be moued out of his place and stedfast as Mount Sion that remaineth for euer Psal 125.1 This will plainly appeare vnto vs if we consider the similitudes and comparisons whereby it is expressed His loue is like to the Couenant of waters as sure as the promise that he made to Noah that the waters should no more ouerflow the whole earth as the Prophet Esay teacheth chap. 54 7 8 9. Reason 3 Againe his goodnesse is as the ordinance of God that hath set an order for Summer Winter for day and night for seed-time and haruest for cold and heat which shall not bee changed therefore the Lord saith by his Prophet If thou can breake my couenant of the day and my couenant of the night that there should not be day and night in their season then may my couenant be broken with Dauid my seruant Ier. 31 35 and 33 20. Nay his mercy is saide to bee more stable then the Mountaines for they shall remoue and the hils shall fall downe but my mercy shall not depart from thee neither shal the couenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath cōpassion on thee Esay 54 10. We see the loue of mothers is tender full of pitty toward their children who bare thē in her womb brought them into the world nourished them with her breasts and refused no base seruice for theyr good yet the Lord saith Can a woman forget her childe and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe Though they forget yet will not I forget thee Esay 49 15. Seeing therfore that God is not like to the sonnes of men and seeing his louing kindnesse is firmer then the waters of Noah surer then the couenant of the day faster then the foundation of the Mountaines and stronger thē the loue of mothers toward their children we may conclude that the stablenes of his counsels are as the Pillars of the earth that cannot be shaken and the changeablenes of his goodnesse as the standing Rockes that cannot be remoued Now let vs come to the vses of this Doctrine Vse 1 First heereby we learne that God is to be preferred before all creatures They are changeable and subiect to alteration which agreeth not with the nature of God True it is God hath highly honoured and aduanced man aboue the rest of the works of his hands he made him a little inferiour to the Angels crowned him with glory dignity Ps 8 5 Heb. 2 7. he hath made him Ruler ouer the earth put all things in subiection vnder his feet yet he is subiect to mutability and mortality and must returne vnto the earth out of which hee was taken Great is the excellency of the heauens and the stars yet they shall be changed deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God But with God is no change neyther any alteration with the Almighty who remaineth one the same for euer This difference betweene the Creator and the creature betweene God and the works of God the Prophet teacheth Thou Lord hast in the beginning established the Earth Psal 102 with He◠the Heauens are the works of thine hands They shall perish but thou shalt remaine and they all shal waxe old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou fold them vp and they shall be changed but thou art the same thy yeares shal not faile Thus we must magnifie the Lord aboue all creatures that are weake and fraile and acknowledge a great difference betweene the infinite and incomprehensible Maiesty of God subiect to no change at all but remaining the same for euer and the creatures of God subiect to vanity misery Vse 2 Secondly we may from hence assure our selues that God will make vs vnchangeable like himselfe and we may reioyce in the comfort of this his fauour For seeing his nature is vnchangeable and altereth not he will make vs in our measure partakers of immortality when this corruptible shall put on incorruption 1 Cor. 15 53 this weake shall put on power and death be swallowed vp in victory we shall be like the Angels of God nay be transformed into the liuely Image of God to reigne with him in euerlasting glory This is a great comfort vnto vs in these dayes of sorrow to consider that the time will come when our state shall be changed and we continue for euer without change Heere we are subiect to many turnings and returnings but after this life shall be no more place for changing our happines shall be vnchangeable and firmly established with God This the Prophet sets downe Psal 16 12. In thy presence is fulnesse of
2 1 2. Let vs pray heartily for their preseruation life health wealth prosperity and encrease of all honour considering that the prayer of a faithfull man auayleth much if it be feruent Vse 3 Lastly we learne heere to feare them onely for euill doing So long as wee doe well it skilleth not who stand by vs and see vs thogh the eyes of al men be vpon vs. The duty of the Magistrate is to allow approue it to commend and reward it This is it which the Apostle teacheth Magistrates are not to be feared for good workes but for euill wilt thou then be without feare of the power Doe well so shalt thou haue praise of the same but if thou doe euill feare for he beareth not the sword for nought Rom. 13 3. Where wee see they are in regard of their high place a terror to men but it must be to the wicked to the godly they should not bring any terrour This should comfort encourage all the faithfull in well doing the Magistrate is to them as a sanctuary and citty of refuge they should repaire and resort vnto them in time of trouble they are as a buckler to defend them and as an hauen to harbour them from the stormes and tempests that beat vpon them This is practised by the Shunamite who departed out of the land of Israel and soiourned in a strange land during the famine when she returned backe she called vpon the King for her house and for her land So the King appointed her an Eunuch saying Restore thou all that is hers and all the fruites of her lands since the day shee left the land vntill this time 2. Kings 8 3 6. She vsed the ordinance of God as he had commanded and God gaue a blessing vnto his owne ordinance Againe this serueth to terrifie vngodly men let them be restrayned from committing euill if not for conscience yet for feare if not for loue of godlinesse yet for the certainty of punishment that shall fall vpon them Although for a time they may escape yet in the end they shall bee met withall Moreouer it must put all Magistrats and superiors in mind to order the ends of their calling aright True it is there are two sinnewes of a common-wealth which knit the parts together to wit punishment and reward But it is not enough for them to shew mercy and iudgment but they must shew mercy to whom mercy belongeth and iudgement to whom iudgement appertaineth It is the office of the Minister to teach and to reproue to comfort to threaten to raise vp and to cast downe to root vp and to plant but if he comfort the wicked and harden them in their sinnes speake peace to whom the Lord hath not spoken peace and againe if hee threaten iudgment cast downe the heauy hearted and seeke to quench the smoaking flaxe and to breake the bruised reed he is not that wise Scribe which must giue to euery one in the family his portion in due season 2 Tim. 2 13. nor that workeman which needeth not to bee ashamed diuiding the word of truth aright So likewise it is the office of all Magistrates to punish and to reward to correct and to comfort without these no kingdome can flourish no citty can stand no house can continue But it behooueth them to consider who ought to bee the obiect and subiect as well of the one as of the other They must not discountenance the godly and embolden the wicked they must not spare the guilty and oppresse the innocent Their Lawes must not bee as the spiders web to catch the flye and to hold the gnat but let goe greater things and suffer them to escape to breake away from them They must make a difference betweene the cleane and vncleane betweene the holy and prophane He is a bad gardiner that plucketh vp his best plants and choisest hearbes of greatest price and suffereth the thornes thistles to take root and prosper which should bee cut downe and cast into the fire Math. 3 10. Hee is a bad husbandman that plucketh vp the wheat and good corne out of his field which was to bee gathered into the barne when the time of haruest came and suffereth tares and darnell to grow which were fitter to be bound in sheaues and burned Math. 13 29. It is no mercy to spare the life of the wolfe and to shed the blood of the Lambe Heereupon it is that Salomon saith Prou 17 15. He that iustifieth the wicked and hee that condemneth the iust euen they both are abhomination to the Lord. This appeareth in Ahab who solde himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of God and brought destruction vpon his owne head as well by slaying the innocent that should haue beene defended as by sparing the wicked that should haue beene destroyed For when the bloud of Naboth was spilt as water vpon the earth that cannot be gathered it cried to heauen for vengeance And the Lord paid him home to the full in his owne person and in his posterity 1 Kings 21 19 and 22 38. And when he spared Benhadad whom hee ought not to haue spared the Lord said vnto him Because thou hast let goe out of thine hands a man whom I appointed to dye thy life shall go for his life and thy people for his people 1 Kings 20 42. To this purpose wee reade in another place of Prouerbs chap. chap. 24 24. He that saith vnto the wicked Thou art righteous him shall the people curse and the multitude abhorre him Let vs all lay this to our hearts If we haue any in our seuerall gouernments that are godly feare the Name of God let such bee made much of let them finde our helpe and fauour let them bee comforted and encouraged in well doing But on the other side we are not to winke at the wicked but labour to finde them out and to draw them out of their dens where they lurke watching their seasons to pester poyson others remembring alwayes the ends for which God hath lifted vp the heads of all Gouernors aboue their brethren to wit that euill doers should be punished and that such as do well should be commended considering duely diligently that the time will come when they must giue an account to God of the Stewardship committed vnto them Verse 6. And behold one of the children of Israel came and brought vnto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses c. In these words is offered vnto vs an example expressing the nature of sinne where once it is entertained For behold here how they grow in sinne and proceed from euil to worse from a great sinne to a greater At the first they departed out of the hoast of Israel and went to the people of Moab and Midian with whom they coupled themselues so that albeit they sinned yet they had some shame of sinne and made some conscience of committing it opēly amongst their
brethren But they proceed by little and little from step to step and from one degree to another till they feare nothing and are ashamed of nothing Therefore in the example of one man heere set before our eies Moses declares to what impudency shamelesnesse they were come that they brought their harlots into the hoast to despite God to anger Moses to corrupt the people to pollute the worship that was set vp by the commandement of the Lord. For this man who is afterward named as if he had beene absolute in power as he was indeed resolute in will dissolute in his whole life brought his whorish woman in the sight of God in the sight of Moses in the sight of the congregation and in the sight of the Tabernacle to shew that he had filled vp the measure of his sinne Doctrine Euill men proceed by degrees from worse to worse The doctrine arising from hence is this that euill men doe not vsually make any stay in euill but proceede from degree to degree to worse worse The nature of sinne is to draw all such as delight in it and follow after it from one euill to another vntill in the end they become most corrupt and abhominable This is it which the Prophet Ieremy noteth in the people of his time when he sayth Were they ashamed when they committed abhomination Nay they were not ashamed no neither could they haue any shame therefore they shall fall among the slaine when I shall visit them they shall bee cast downe saith the Lord Ier. 6 15. The like we see in the 18. chap. following ver 11 12. Speake to the men of Iudah and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem saying Thus saith the Lord Behold I prepare a plague for you and purpose a thing against you returne you therefore euery one from his euill way and make your wayes your workes good But they said desperatly Surely we will walk after our own imaginations doe euery man after the stubburnes of his wicked hart The truth of this hath bin euidēt in al ages of the Church When the Lord was determined to bring an vniuersall flood vpon the face of the earth for the sinnes of man and had giuen them a time of repentance while his patience endured Gen. 6.12 They ceased not from sin neither repented of their wickednesse saying what haue I done Math. 24 38. But euery one turned to their race as the horse rusheth into the battell For in the time that was limited thē their sin increased our Sauior shewing how they were giuen ouer vnto all loosenesse vntill the flood came and swept them all away This the Prophet Dauid noteth if hee were the penner of that Psalme where hee obserueth the degrees and stayres by which men ascend to the heighth and top of sinne first they beginne to walke in the counsell of the wicked then they proceed to stand in the way of sinners lastly they come to sit downe in the seat of the scornefull Psal 1.1 And this we may further obserue in the faylings of the faithfull and in their fallings into sinne No man becommeth extreamely euil at a sudden nor desperately setled and obstinatly resolued to continue in sin in a moment but as he that will climbe vp to the top of an high tower doth ascend step by step and by little litle so he that maketh no conscience of any sinne but walketh in all prophanenesse with greedinesse commeth to that height by degrees one sinne drawing on another the lesser making way for the greater and the greater obtayning passage for the greatest of all Wee see it in Euah when she fell from God first Gen 3 6. she listned vnto Satan secondly shee made a light resistance to his tentation thirdly shee beganne to doubt waueringly of that which God had deliuered absolutely fourthly shee grew in concupiscence the eye liking the heart lusting and both of them desiring the forbidden fruite lastly she fell to flat apostacy infidelity and rebellion This likewise is set before vs in the example of Peter who getting into the high-Priests hall and thrusting himselfe into euill company hath left vs a strong proofe of his owne weakenesse and of his declining from euill to worse First hee answereth faintly and fearefully that he knew not the man Math. 26 70. A dangerous beginning When hee was further vrged and pressed to answere and that he saw his bare and cold denyall would not be accepted hee thought to goe one step farther hee denyed with an oath that he neuer knew him Yea when they were importunate vpon him and would not suffer him to be in rest he began to curse himselfe and thereby to cast himselfe into the depth of sin into the gates of hel and into the hands of Satan The Reasons follow First sin groweth Reason 1 in the heart as the childe doth in the wombe For as the infant hath his increasings and augmentations from a small beginning vntill hee come to the birth proceeding from one degree and age vnto another as Iob setteth foorth our first creation Thou hast powred me out as milke and turned mee into cruds like cheese thou hast clothed me with skinne and flesh and ioyned me with bones and sinnewes Iob 10 10 11 so is it with a sinner his beginnings are small but the further hee runneth the longer he continueth and the deeper hee plungeth himselfe in sinne the more corrupt and abhominable he becommeth As a spring that ariseth out of the earth is first little and shallow but the further it groweth the more ground it floweth and the more streames come into it the greater the riuer is or as a fire which at the first is a little sparke being nourished becommeth in short time a great flame so is it with sin it is little in growth weake in strength slender in appearance at the beginning but being cherrished and fostered in the soule of the sinner it multiplyeth exceedingly and bringeth foorth many children of the same nature whereof we may truely say Like mother like daughter This is that comparison which the Apostle Iames vseth to expresse the fruitfull nature of all the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse Euery man is tempted when hee is drawne away by his owne concupiscence and is enticed then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth foorth sinne and when sinne is finished it bringeth foorth death Iam. 1 15. VVhere the Apostle sheweth that first a man is tempted to euill then concupiscence conueyeth it after it is in trauaile and bringeth foorth and lastly it doth finish it as a perfect birth This comparison is also vsed by the Prophet Dauid Behold he shall trauaile with wickednesse for he hath conceiued mischiefe but he shall bring forth a lie Psal 7 14. Reason 2 Secondly the wrath of God falleth vpon such as make no conscience to fall into lesser sinnes hee giueth them ouer to a reprobate sence to a slumbring spirit and to hardnesse of heart that
vncleannesse and filthinesse and pursued them into their filthy stewes and brothel-houses where he thrust them both thorough reuenging the dishonour done to God the scandall laide vpon his people A worthy example for all Magistrates to follow to be sharpe seuere in punishing sinne and taking away euill out of the citty of God Thus the plague was stayed and the anger of God turned away after that iustice was executed and so many thousands at one time and for one sinne swept away But heere two questions arise which are to be discussed before we proceede any further the first touching the fact of Phinehas the second touching the number of the dead heere remembred Touching the fact of Phinehas Obiection it may be thus obiected How can it be lawfull in him being a priuate person to exceede rhe bounds and lists of his calling Hee was of the tribe of Leui and of the family of the Priests to whom it belonged not to draw the sword For as the other tribes were not appointed to the seruice of the Altar so the tribe of Leui was not called to the execution of iustice Besides there are generall rules directing all priuate men and generall Lawes restraining them from shedding of blood as he that sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed hee that smiteth with the sword shal be smitten with the sword loue your enemies and doe good to them that hate you The seruant of God must not striue but must be gentle toward all men suffering the euill and instructing them with meekenesse that be contrary minde 2. Tim. 2 25. How then can we iustify this act of Phinehas departing from these holy rules of Gods Religion I answere Answer there is a double kinde of calling an ordinary calling and an extraordiry calling the one necessarily distinguished from the other For God doth oftentimes giue vnto his seruants a new and special vocation and addeth it vnto their former function Hence it is also that some workes are ordinary and some are extraordinary Ordinary workes must be guided and directed by ordinary rules such as those are which wee haue set downe before Extraordinary workes proceede from a special motion of Gods Spirit warranting them and making them albeit going against the common rules lawful cōmendable and necessary Such was the fact of Moses smiting the Egyptian Exod. 2 12 the fact of Samuel hewing Agag in pieces 1. Sam. 15 35 the fact of Eliah slaying the Priests of Baal 1. King 18 4 the fact of the Israelites spoyling the Egyptians and such like Exod. 12 35 who had an inward motion like to the commandement giuen to Abraham to kill his sonne These actions albeit warranted to the doers Luth in Gen. cap. 29. are not to be drawne into example and imitation vnlesse we haue the inspiration of the same Spirit and therefore Christ our Sauiour answereth his Disciples that would haue called fire from heauen to consume the Samaritanes Yee know not of what spirit ye are for the Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens liues but to saue them Luk. 9 55. Now that this fact of Phinehas is of the same nature it appeareth both because the plague ceased by it and Gods wrath kindled against his people was appeased so that the action is both commended rewarded This the Spirit of God teacheth in the Psalme Phinehas stood vp and executed iudgement and the plague was staied and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse from generation to generation for euer Psalm 106 30 which is not so to be vnderstood as if he were iustified before God by this one acte because whosoeuer will bee iust by the Law is bound to keepe the whole law according to the tenour of the law Do this thou shalt liue Gal. 4 12 20. One good worke doth not serue or suffice to make a man perfectly iust and righteous in the sight of God seeing hee that continueth not in all things written in the booke of the law is accursed So then we must know that the Psalmist meaneth that this fact was lawfull and allowed For hauing set down the vengeance that Phinehas tooke vpon this adulterer and the adultresse hee preuenteth the Obiection which might be made Was not this horrible and damnable murther in him who being a priuate man had not the sword of iustice committed vnto him and being one of the Priests of the Lord was to meddle onely in matters belonging vnto God and not in ciuill things who was to draw out the censures of the church not a materiall sword to strike offenders No saith the Prophet it was not murther it was a righteous and commendable acte he beeing stirred vp by Gods Spirit inasmuch as it proceeded from faith and aymed at the glory of the great Name of God Wherefore this place is falsely alledged and peruersly wrested by the Church of Rome to ouerthrow iustification by faith alone and to establish iustification by good works For there is a double iustification one of the worke the other of the person The Prophet speaketh in that place of the iustification of the worke which albeit in the sight of men it might seeme sauage inhumane yet God did accept of it account it as a good and iust work which pleased him being done in faith which purifieth the heart Acts 15 9. He speaketh not of the iustification of his person which was by apprehending the mercy of God in Christ by beleeuing not by doing Thus the Apostle in the fourth chapter to the Romanes verses 4 5. maketh a double kinde of imputation saying To him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauor but by debt but to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is accounted for righteousnesse Thus much of the first question touching the acte of Phinehas whether it were lawfull or vnlawfull whether it were priuate reuenge or publike iustice The second Question is touching the number that dyed in this plague Obiect wherein appeareth some difference and disagreement in outward shew betweene the old Testament and the new For Moses in this place verse 9 sayeth There died foure and twenty thousand But the Apostle Paul alledging this iudgement of God mentioneth onely Three and twenty thousand 1 Cor. 10 8 subtracting one thousand from the former number which Moses added I answer some reconcile these places thus that the Scribes or Penmen fayled in copying out the books of Pauls Epistles which shold haue written foure twenty thousand where they wrote three twenty thousand But this is shifting rather then reconciling cutting the knot with a sword rather then loosing it asunder with the hand inasmuch as all the copies generally with full consent as it were with one voice agree in the former reading Others suppose and surmise that it might bee a slip of memory in the Apostle according to humane infirmity But this answer is worse then the former and these are
forbidden in it selfe that is by the Law of God either expressed or vnderstood which is the Law of Nature And we are to approue the politicall lawes of Princes touching these things prouided that the conscience bee not snared and entangled Heereupon Peter Martyr aduiseth Magistrates that they should take heede that they burthen not the people too much and without waighty cause Beza de repudiiâ— Beza to the same purpose wisheth that all Christian Magistrates would decree this matter for the lawfulnes of such matches as the first Councel of Paris did rather then supra Deum ipsum veteres Leges ciuiles sapere videri that is Then to seeme to bee wiser then God himself and the ancient ciuil lawes in prohibiting these matches which are not prohibited eyther in the law of God or in the law of the Romanes So then where there is a law of the Magistrate in force that forbiddeth them the precept of the Apostle euen in al indifferent things must take place Let euery soul be subiect to the higher power Rom. 13 1. howbeit Christians must be subiect thereunto as to a politicke constitution not to a diuine institution But with vs there is no such positiue Law but the matter is established according to the pure and simple word of God neither is there any offence taken in our land against such matches which is the onely reason why in many places they are forbidden As then we haue shewed before that this degree hath ground and foundation in the word of God so let vs see what is the iudgement and opinion of the learned that if by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery trueth should stand then by a clowde of witnesses speaking as it were with one voyce we may be mooued to giue our consent And albeit no man is to builde his faith vpon men which were to set our house vpon the sand yet after the resting and reposing of our selues vppon the doctrine of the Law and the Prophets it cannot but minister some comfort to see the generall consent in a manner and approbation of such as haue bin great lights of the world worthy instruments of God excellent Preachers of the Gospel firme pillars of the church and constant defenders of the faith Obiect But it will bee obiected That many learned men do condemne this marriage and that there is great variety dissention and diuision among them whereupon ensueth much doubtfulnes and distraction among the simple people that are not able to iudge and discerne betweene the one and the other Answ I answer first touching doubtfulnes there are not many if there be any that enter into marriage of this kinde but they ask the iudgment of others and haue the opinion of moe besides themselues and then touching the learned there are not many that I know of which simply condemne the same among these some alledge Ambrose an ancient Writer and some produce Tremellius among the later Touching Ambrose it cannot bee denied but he holdeth this kinde to be prohibited in the Law For hauing in hand to perswade Paternus not to marry his sonne to his daughters daughter that is Ambros Epist 66. ad Patern the Vnckle to the Neece he bringeth this as a reason that because cousin germans which are a degree farther off then Vnckle and Neece are forbidden therefore that of Vnckle Neece must be holden as prohibited But herein he committeth a double error one in that he taketh the one match to be prohibited which indeed is not the other in that hee conceiueth not that degree to be expresly prohibited which indeed is prohibited It were easie to trace out farther ignorance in this Father otherwise of great desert but to omit that I will oppose against him the authority of Saint Augustine no way inferiour vnto him in well deseruing of the Church of GOD and withstanding Heresies and Heretickes that pestered and poysoned with theyr leuen the purity of the Gospell Both these were verie great Doctors of the Latine Church and both liuing at the selfe same time about foure hundred yeares after Christ For he calleth this kinde of marriage Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 15. Cap. 16. factum licitum A lawfull acte and sayeth Quod fieri per Leges licebat quia id nec diuina prohibuit nondum prohibuerat lex humana that is Which was lawfull to be done by the Lawes because the law of God had not prohibited it neither as yet had the law of man And whereas it was one cause of the prohibition of this kinde for the multiplying of affinities Austine obserueth that the nephewes of the first men in the world might marry their cousin germanes and that they had a religious care that the neerenesse of their kindred being pulled asunder by the degrees of propagation should not go out too far therefore by the band of marriage among cousin germans they endeauoured to binde it vp againe But touching Tremellius the case is not so cleere neither so certaine what his opinion is because hee giueth no note but setteth downe certaine figures whereby some gather that he maketh cousin germans a degree as far off as the vncles wife and therefore therein by Analogy prohibited Howbeit there is great cause to doubt In Leu. cap. 18. whether his iudgement swayed that way forasmuch as we finde the father and the sonne also noted with a like figure as likewise the brother and sister as if they were all in one degree and that in the second degree which I thinke no man will affirme For it is plaine and certaine that the son from the father is in the first degree in the line direct and the brother and sister in the same degree in the line collaterall and therefore it is very doubtfull what his meaning is hauing left no full explication thereof Againe it is as cleere to me as the Sun and I dare boldly auouch that the vncles wife and the cousin german are not both in one degree howsoeuer any man do cypher them with the same figure or another discypher thereupon because then the mother and hir sonne should be holden to be in one degree for the cousin german may be the Aunts sonne which Aunt as from her parent is the first degree and her sonne being the cousin german the second so that the Nephew marrying the Aunt doeth marry her that is in the first degree which is prohibited but marrying her daughter who is his cousin german he marieth in the second degree which is not prohibited expresly and not be holden to bee prohibited by analogy to the Aunt seeing there is no like reason of proportion betweene the first the second or any diuerse degrees in the collaterall lines but alwayes betweene the same degrees So then I holde it for an vngrounded and an vntrue assertion that any degrees are forbidden farther off then cousin germans But suppose these two were plaine and direct against the same as