for Moses being absent but for a few daies the people went a whoring after their owne inventions Into what extreme folly did they runne headlong even to worship a calfe and to give that which was most precious unto them to make an idol and their jewels to make a calfe O Lord Jesus looke upon me and helpe me in this time of danger to my soule how at this time doe the most of this world wherein I live go a whoring after their owne waies as though neither Moses nor any Prophet were amongst thē how have they consumed the land given their jewels to raise up the idol of arrogancy and pride and what doe we else but sit downe to eate and drink and rise up to play and no man mournes for the misery of the land O Lord Jesus strengthen my faith and beliefe in this dangerous Sea wherein are so many rocks and quicksands of Error and Innovations Be thou my Pilot and grant that I may steere a right course towards thee in this sea so covered with the mists and fogges of Heresie and Schisme that by a true faith I may arrive unto the harbour of my hoped for happinesse and with speed send some in the spirit of Moses to us againe and deliver us from the like punishment that fell upon the Israelites for that their sinne and that peace may be in our Land that thy Tabernacle O Lord may be raised up and that we may worship towards it every man with humilitie at the doore of his tent with the children of Israel so humbled and prostrate and that we may doe as they did give our selves to adorne the Ark of the Church wherein is the Arke of the Covenant and reare it up with Moses in the solemnitie of spirituall and divine worship for there is the glory of the Lord and of all God people O Lord let me know that Aarons worship before thee in his robes of holinesse the ornaments of honour the mitre and crowne upon his knees humbly before thy Altar in the Sanctuary being according unto thine owne holy order was more pleasing unto thee then the confusion of such who step up without order or ornament spirituall or corporall into the Church not so much as looking with reverence towards thy place of worship For doubtlesse O Lord thy Sonne and our Saviour the great example of humility did come into this world to teach us humilitie and that by his grace working in us humilitie lowlinesse and devotion should encrease and continue in this world Therefore let me not O Lord with the proud spirituall Pharisees of these times being blasted with boldnesse presume to step into thy house the place of worship but with reverence and in imitation of thy children of Israel who worshipped and wept at the doore of the Sanctuary O Lord the children of Israel though they provoked thee unto anger by their murmuring distrusts and iniquities in their journeys even ten times when I looke into my selfe O Lord I finde and must needs confesse to my owne shame and confusion that in this my pilgrimage I have exceeded them in impietie both in number and degree for indeed my sinnes are numberlesse having murmured exceedingly in my journeys at the crosses of this world as never considering from what hand they came nor how justly I have deserved them I have for most part of my time eaten drunk and rose up to play and thirsted after the flesh-pots and pleasures of this world I have neglected thy service and have not humbled my selfe before the doore of thy Sanctuarie to bewaile my sinnes as I ought to have done the due obedience that I owe to my Superiours and Pastours of thy Church have I neglected following mine owne inventions and opinions and have wandered like a sheepe out of the fold whereby I have fallen into by pathes and crooked waies leaving that good way thou hast appointed and thereby have drawne thy just displeasure upon me O Lord my God standing in this sad and dangerous condition give me grace truely to humble my selfe before thee and as thou didst heare the prayers of Moses thy servant who mediated for thy children of Israel and was mercifull unto them So I doe most humbly beseech thee by the merits of thy Sonne and my Saviour Jesus Christ my Mediatour for his sake be thou mercifull to me and deliver me from finall destruction denounced against me How endlesse O Lord are our impieties when we grow proud and stiffe-necked and how rebellious then doe we grow against thee and thy Ministers whom under thee we should obey O Lord deliver me thy servant from a rebellious spirit and teach me not to spurne against them that thou hast appointed over me with Korah Dathan and Abiram so spitefull against Moses and Aaron thy Ministers nor to cover my rebellious impietie with the specious cloake of holinesse as they did when nothing was in their heart but ambition and desire to rule and to bring that out of order which thou O Lord hadst established in Moses and Aaron How wonderfull are thy judgements O Lord and how unsearchable are thy wayes Let the example of these men and the just and terrible punishment that fell upon them make me feare to breake thy Ordinances or disobey my Governours that thou hast appointed for what are we O Lord in a headlesse government and what mischiefe shall not betide us O Lord preserve me from the fiery stings and punishments of that old serpent which mine iniquities deserve and in these afflictions that I may suffer for my sinnes give me grace to look up towards him that died for me upon the Crosse that by his merits I may be healed and praise thee for thy mercies and live to goe in my pilgrimage by a true obedience unto thee and that I may no more murmur against thee nor be weary of the Manna of thy blessings and O Lord as Moses saw the Land of promise before his death upon the top of the mountaine so good Lord raise up my thoughts before I dye from these earthly things to contemplate the eternity hereafter and give me a taste and faithfull apprehension of that heavenly Countrey which I doe expect that with joy of heart and comfort to my soule I may leave this earthly tabernacle and ascend unto that place of happinesse where Moses and other thy Prophets Apostles Saints and Martyrs sing praise unto thee that sits upon the throne for ever THE HISTORY of Joshua AFter the death of Moses God made choice of Joshua the son of Nun to be his Champion and to goe before the children of Israel and Joshua commanded the Officers to goe unto the Hoste amongst the people and command them to prepare victuals and provision within three dayes to passe over the river Jordane towards the land of Canaan and Joshua spake to the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the halfe tribe of Manasseh saying You and yours are to possesse the land
requite us all the evill which we did to him and they sent a messenger unto Joseph saying Thy father did command before he died saying so shall ye say unto Joseph Forgive I pray thee now the trespasse of thy brethren and their sin for they did unto thee evil and now we pray thee forgive the trespasse of the servants of the God of thy father and Joseph wept when they spake unto him and his brethren also went and fell downe before his face and they said Behold we be thy servants and Joseph said unto them Feare not for I am in the place of God but as for you ye thought evill against me but God meant it unto good to bring to passe as it is this day to save much people alive Now therefore feare you not I will nourish you and your little ones and he comforted them And Joseph dwelt in Egypt he and his fathers house and lived one hundred and ten yeares and saw Ephraims children of the third generation and the children of Machir the sonne of Manasseh were brought up upon Josephs knees And Joseph said unto his brethren I die and God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel saying God will surely visit you and ye shall carry up my bones from hence So Joseph died being one hundred and ten years old and they embalmed him and he was put in a coffin in Egypt and after in the time of Joshua when the children of Israel came over Jordan they brought his bones out of Egypt and buried them in Shechem in a parcell of ground Jacob bought of the sonnes of Hamer the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver and it became the inheritance of the sonnes of Joseph MEDITATIONS Upon the History of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by his brethren O Lord God everlasting which out of thy great mercy to mankind sentest thy onely begotten Sonne Jesus Christ into this world for the redemption of me a sinner and who for my sake was sold unto the Jewes by Judas one of his disciples was crucified for my sinnes and is gone before to the heavenly Canaan to be a Mediator at thy right hand for my sinfull and famishing soule for his sake be thou mercifull unto me that am a sofourner here in this Egypt of the world that the vaine temptations of the flesh may not have power over me but give me the like Chastity that Joseph had Neither let me grow in love with the flesh-pots of voluptuousnesse nor be blinded with the Egyptian darknesse of this world But grant I doe most humbly beseech for his sake my Jesus that was sold and died for my sinnes that I may happily passe this pilgrimage here in this land of Egypt and use my stewardship like blessed Joseph by dealing honestly and truly with all men and where I finde favour and friends as he did make me ever thankfull unto thee for thy mercies therein and to be religiously carefull to discharge that trust which shall be committed unto me like Joseph that it may be with me at my accounting day as it was with the wise steward to know what to doe For blessed is that servant whom the Lord when he cometh shall finde so doing Good Lord give me charity towards my Christian brethren and as concerning them that have done me wrong as Joseph did Take revenge from the soule of thy servant O Lord I beseech thee and give me grace to doe good against evill and to forgive as I desire to be forgiven of thee And blessed Lord after aâ—â— thy blessings and mercies here in this Egypt that thou hast prepared as an earthly comfort for me a sinner make me ready and at thy call to take a happy passeover for my passage towards the celestiall Canaan and in the meane time give me grace to overcome all difficulties and to be obedient to my task-masters and superiours in this vale of triall where the enemies of my soule strive against my intended journey towards the Land of promise Good Lord keep me from hardnesse of heart and the Egyptian plagues and punishments my sinnes have so much deserved grant me O Lord a good and prosperous voyage thorough the Red sea of danger help my hungry and drooping soule feed and strengthen it with the Manna of thy blessed Spirit Good Lord give me grace to subject my selfe to follow and obey my Governours as the Israelites did submit to Moses and Aaron and not to follow mine owne devises and inventions But to obey them that thou hast appointed over me and not to be one of the murmuring Israelites neither Seditious and contentious against Order and Government with Corah Dathan and Abiram But in all things to submit my judgement in the way of my Pilgrimage to the Rules of Jesus Christ and the governors of his holy Church as thou O Lord hast commanded not following my owne fancies nor the suggestions of my spirituall enemy that cloaths himselfe like an Angel of light to deceive and fill my soule full of spirituall pride the sin that cast downe the Angels from heaven from which most dangerous rock O Lord deliver thy servant that puts his trust under the shadow of thy wings of mercy that at last I may come with humblenesse of heart and soule through the wildernesse of this world so full of cares troubles and temptations to the land of promise that heavenly Jerusalem which thou hast prepared for them that love and feare thee and fight a good fight through this desart of danger and diffidence let me not in this passage O Lord leane to the pleasures and plenty of Goshen but obey thy lawes delivered at Mount Sinai and chearfully goe on like a good Israelite in this my passage the which so much concerns my soule so that good Lord by a true faith and confidence in thee with a happy perseverance in the obedience of thy Commandements at last I may arrive amongst them that live and feare thee in that heavenly feast of tabernacles and receive the comfort of that blessed saying Come ye blessed of my Father and in that heavenly and eternal habitation where all teares shall be wiped away and all afflictions and temptations cease sing Halleluiah and praise and honour and glory and worship unto the Lambe that sits upon the throne for ever THE HISTORY of Moses AFter the death of Joseph the children of Israel did increase exceedingly in Egypt and grew very mightily and another King reigning after the death of Pharaoh he was jealous of their greatnesse and strength and therefore set task-masters over them to afflict them with their burdens and to keepe them under in so much as they made their lives bitter with hard bondage by work in morter and brick and all manner of service in the field with much rigour and the King in his jealousie
unto me never to distrust thy mercies and deliverance And though things fall not according to my will and choise as it fell out with him about Rachels let me O 〈◊〉 with Jacob's other seven yeares â—â—tiently waite thy liesure and 〈◊〉 time So for thy heavenly mercies in 〈◊〉 drynesse and coldnesse of my resolâ—â—â—ons and devotions towards thee let mee with patience and prayer waite for that good time when thou shalt enlarge and deliver my soule from this thraldome and bondage of selfe-love and the snares of worldly slavery whereby I may be fitted for my journey to the heavenly Canaan there with joy to meete Isaac and all that rest in the happinesse to see thy presence O God Remove from mee all distrusts of thy promises and providence that common and dangerous rock whereupon this weake Vessell we saile in is so subject to fall upon by the crosse windes and troubled Seas of our unfaithfull constitutions for so it was with Rachel when in the bitterness of her anguish shee said to Jacob give me children or else I dye But O Lord so instruct my heart with such firme hope in thee as all doubts may depart from my weak and stupid sences and open thou the eyes of my understanding clearly to discerne how much thy mercy and goodnesse are unto me beyond my deservings and so by this pious patience I shall in thy good time enjoy the fruit of my hopes as Rachel after did by her issue in Joseph that happie sonne of so good a father the very comfort and preserver of the seed of Israel Good Lord let it enter into my heart to see with admiratioÌ„ wonder how thou diddest performe thy promises unto Abraham by this numerous generation of Jacob. After so many doubts by fleshly weakenesse barrennesse of constitutions and the great difficulties and dangers in the sâ—verall stations journeys perigrinatioÌ„s of Abraham and Isaac and the great opppession of the seed of Jacob in Aegypt and their long and dangerous perigrination to that land of promise how from them to come our Saviour O mercie beyond mans apprehension or deserving whereof they did only hope for and the which wee the sons of the bond-woman now see and so happily enjoy and by the enjoyment of which promise both the seed of Jacob and the Gentiles receive such an unvaluable blessing being such as all the hopes promises to Abraham Isaac and Jacob were but types and the tempoall plenty of the Patriarks in their land of milke and honey and all their deliverances were but shadowes in comparison of the fruits of this hope and the super-aboundant mercy of our redemption from sin and the fulnesse of heavenly grace bestowed upon us by this promised Messias in whom they in hope did rejoyce by whom they and we are made so happy in the enjoyment and fruition Oh the hidden treasure of happiness now so transparent glorious inlighten my soule O Lord that by this blessed enlightning I may see thy wonderfull mercy and my owne misery to put off all worldly love and vaine delight and make sale of all my earthly merchandise to purchase this jewell even the love of thee my Saviour farre more precious then that manna was to to the children of Israel for no earthly love is like in perfect happinesse to this of thine O thou Saviour of the world Good Lord let me continually obey blessed command and holy inspirations and as Jacob by thine appointment returned into Canaan and with expedition tooke his journey with his wives children family and goods So Lord let me breake from the love of this world wherein I am made a slave to sin and so subjected to uncertainties as Jacob was for twenty years with so many changes of his wages And let not the allurements and vain promises of this world detaine mee either for the enjoying the fading profits therein or to stay in the vanities thereof with such hopelesse and helplesse promises as Laban did intend to him But let me with resolution and sincerily follow thy good directions break from such things as may offend thee to the hurt of my soule Deliver me O Lord from the fears and jealousies so subject to the infirmities of flesh and blood from the danger of my enemies as thou did'st Jacob from his brother Esau let thy protection be with me and thy holy Angels to guard me And as Jacob sent his wives children servants and goods in order and came before him with such Presents and directions as might appease the fury of his brother Esau. So O Lord in my progres towards thee by a true faith and humble confidence give me a holy care prudence to send unto thee before-hand my heart and good intentions with my goods of piety and good workes that in mercy thou maist receive me so shall I escape thy judgements so justly due to me for my sins O Lord keep me from a wandring spirit and a loose condition so shall I avoid evill and all occasions of evill Let me not doe like Dinah who went a gadding to see the daughters of Shechem whereby she was entrap'd and brought to solly so shall I avoid sin to my selfe and the punishment of others as it befell to that unhappy Prince and Citie of Shechem And O Lord preserve mee from the like cruelty that was in Simeon and Levi whose revenge was implacable and transcendent being odious in the eyes of their Father and to all good people yet by this terrible judgement teach mee to know thy displeasure against sinne and leave such severe punishments to thy unsearchable judgements O thou my Creator Redeemer Preserver or wonderfull in my creation infinitely good in my redemption and most mercifull in my preservation the great strength guide and directer of Abraham Isaac Jacob in all their passages through the Desarts and Labyrinths of this crooked world which mercies of thine O Lord have beene most bountifully and mercifully extended unto me a most miserable sinner Therefore as they at all times and upon all occasions in their severall stations for thy mercies deliverances unto them did build Altars and offer Sacrifices of thankesgiving unto thee for thy goodnesse and Jacob according to his vow at the beginning of his perigrination where he set up that stone did now at his returne in that very place pay his vows even at Bethel with much solempnity and piety So O Lord let it enter into my heart duly to consider of thy great mercies unto me from time to time let me not cast them behind mee but call them to minde and as Jacob by finding thy mercies did not forget them when he came backe to Bethel but there did performe his duty and promise unto thee so let me alwayes remember thy deliverances unto me and how in my severall distresses I have so seen and found them as they having moved good thoughts and purposes in mee of better living good Lord let not