procure one drop of water to coole his scalded tongue The gaine of Gold makes many loose their soules The gréedy wretch that for himselfe still spares doth hoord-up nothing but continuall cares Hermocrates lying at the point of death bequeathed his goods to none but himselfe The fire burneth â—â—ercer the more it hath and so the worlds wormes The Bées doo flocke to the hony dewe and so these wretches vnto gaine The greatest fish deuoure the smaller frie and so these wretches their weaker brethren In aworde as you neuer sée the Sea without waues so shall you neuer see these wretches without woes And as the cloudes doo hide the Sunnes light so their gréedie hearts repell Gods grace But let this suffice touching some vse of this Chapter ¶ â‹ CHAP. 9. The chiefe heades of this Chapter are these three plagues more The Fifth Plague The Sixth Plague The Seauenth Plague 1. WHereof that we may make like vse as before let vs first note froÌ„ whence any murren of cattell doth come when wee are that way punished in a countrie surely euen from the Lord as we sée héere Not simply froÌ„ Witches and Sorcerers set on by malicious neighbours as we vsually thinke for what can a whole Legion of Deuils doe to one swine without leaue graunted from the Lord you know the place and it ought to be thought vpon God sometimes trieth by this afflictioÌ„ and so teach the Scriptures Cursed shall be the increase of thy kine and the flocke of thy sheepe The beasts and the birdes are consumed for their sin that dwel in the land Euery way theÌ„ it is the Lord euery way therfore we ought to séeke to the Lord not to Witches and Sorcerers 2 But still the Lord spareth the Israelites True and sée the vse of it First God in his Justice this way more tormenteth the mindes of the wicked who for their rebellion against him deserue all punishment so saith the Psalme The wicked shall see this and consume away Secondly the Lord assureth his Chosen in all the world that albeit in lesser matters he trieth them or chasticeth them as hee dooth others yet when his great plagues come of Judgement vnto death and destruction eternall he will surely make a separation to the vnspeakeable Comfort of his owne and to the eternall praise of his mercie The wordes of the Prophet are plaine For a little while haue I forsaken thee but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Againe in the Psalme if his wrath be kindled but a little Blessed are they that put their trust in him Meaning because there is euer as I say a partition betwixt the Lords wrath and his Chosen Good therefore is that prayer of Dauid euer to be in our minde wheresoeuer we are O knit my heart vnto thee Lord that I may feare thy name that I may euer cleaue vnto thee euer be thine and neuer be drawne away from thee by any temptation whatsoeuer 3. And the Lord appointed a time saying To morrowe the Lord shall finish this thing in this Land So that not onely the Judgement and affliction which happeneth is of the Lord but the very time also when it shall begin and when it shall end before which time no malice of man or Deuill can bring it no power of any creature can take it away Tempus prâ—fixit vt non casu factum putent vt certitudinem Diuinâ— virtutis ostenderet cui nemo potest resistere Hee appointed the time saith Theodoret that they might not thinke these things came by chaunce likewise to shew the certaintie of Gods power which no creature can resist Againe the truth of his comminations and threatnings you sée héere when it is said So the Lord did this thing on the morrowe all the Cattell of Egypt died but of the Cattell of the children of Israel died not one Learne therefore to tremble when the Lord threatneth and to feare the Euent for as here so euer he will be true vnlesse heartie Repentance step in betwixt and turne away his wrath from vs. 4. Then Pharaoh sent to sée and found all as hath béene said yet saith the Text the heart of Pharaoh was obstinate and hee did not let the people goe Marke it well and thinke with your selfe whether any Preacher or Teacher can be plainer in words than GOD was héere by works or whether any man can euer bee made to sée a truth by teaching more euidently and manifestly than Pharaoh héere sawe this hand of God smiting Egypt and sparing Israel yet though GOD be the Teacher himselfe and the matter subiect to his eyes without deniall Pharaoh still is obstinate still the same still a striuer against God and his grace How then doo wee wonder that where the Word is preached truth soundly and plainly taught yet all be not reformed and reclaimed froÌ„ their errors Is there any fault in the Word or Teacher are not things plaine how then commeth this to passe but euen as héere it did from the fearefull wrath of GOD hardning such hearts and closing such eyes that they can neither sée féele or vnderstand to saluation All because they haue not a loue to the truth but are hypocrites scorners deriders and such as heare onely for fashion thinking themselues abundantly skilfull when indéede they are most ignorant and when as they may sée the Lord by his Prophet affirming that he will looke vnto none but such as are poore of a contrite spirit and tremble at his words That is humble in their owne eyes receauing the Word with reuerence hungring and thirsting after the same as the Spirituall foode of their soules saying in their hearts as Samuel did Speake on Lord thy seruant heareth Surelie neither true matter nor plaine manner will serue vnlesse God strike a holy stroke within vs by his powerfull Spirit that wee may be moued Therefore as it is a blessing to haue truth tolde vs so is it a double blessing to haue a soft heart giuen vs moued yéelding to the truth Otherwise as you sée in the Smiths shop as many hard blowes laide vpon his Anuile as vpon the Iron hee worketh and yet the Anuile remaineth all one and the Iron turneth to the Smithes desire because in the one there is heate in the other none So in the same Auditorie as manie proofes and reasons are laid open to one as to another and yet one moued and not another S. Augustine saith Non verbis hominis fit vt intelligatur verbum Dei facit Deus vt intelligatis The words of man cannot make man vnderstand God his word but it is God that maketh them to vnderstand Joy therefore in the Lord his mercie towards you when you haue féeling knowe that it is a grace not giuen to all you sée Pharaoh héere and such hath the world many whom no preaching can reforme c. 5.
with earthquakes or thunderbolts Sed vlterius referuÌ„t Hebraei eadeÌ„ nocte lignea Idola putrefacta fuisse metallica resoluta fusa lapidea comminuta But farther also these Hebrewe Writers say that in the same night all the wooden Images were rotten all the mettall Images were dissolued and moulten and all the stone Images broken Which surely were great works and Judgements if they were so 12. And in the first day shall bee an holy assembly also in the seauenth day c. Where we sée the lawfull end and vse of Holy-dayes namely to Remember the mercies and fauours of God and to giue him thankes wâ—e being by our corruption too forgetfull As for that of S. Paule You obserue dayes and times c. It doth not condemne Holy-dayes by lawfull Authoritie ordained for the ends aboue saide but Superstition and confidence in the worke For well knew S. Paule these and the like daies obserued in the law with Gods good liking Wee sée also the Reuerence of such kinde of méetings by the title giuen them of Holy assemblies and How monstrously we abuse them when we make them drunken assemblies cursed assemblies by reason of all kinde of riot abhomination vsed at them A fearefull abuse if our hearts were flesh to féele it fitter for Heathens and Pagans Deuils incarnate than for Christian people that professe God say they looke to be saued by Christ For can we say in our consciences when we come home that we haue kept an Holy assembly vnto the Lord on these daies aske but your selfe that Question and I trust there will much amendment followe of it Marke also how God accepteth dressing of our meate and alloweth it to vs on these daies still considering in his mercie our necessitie But yet so we ought to dresse meate that euer we haue a care of the Saluation of theÌ„ that dresse it who being created redéemed as we our selues be ought not so euermore to be kept at this seruice as that neuer they may heare the word receaue the sacraments praise God in the congregation with his people For that should be to cat the flesh of theÌ„ to drink the blood of them most cruelly yea to burie them in our bellies and for our bodies to destroy their soules for euer Rather remember Dauids refusall to drinke the water that was bought so deere and prouide so that the one being done the other may not be left vndone Which may if they goe to Church by turnes or if your estate be such by hauing exercise of these duties before they begin their worke in the morning or before they dresse supper in the euening This holy Care in you shall greatly please God and be a comfort to your conscience in your place as to the Apostle in his that you are free froÌ„ the blood of your seruants frée I say from the guilt of casting them away for the fleshly féeding of your body 13 Then Moses called all the Elders of Israel and said vnto them Choose out and take you for euery of your housholds a Lambe kill the Passeouer c. What God had spoken to him he now speaketh to the people Sée therefore in it the office authority of the Minister What hee hath receaued that to deliuer calling and requiring his people to come together to heare it if he cannot conueniently haue all then at the least the Elders and Chiefe who both ought to come and to their best abilitie assist him their Pastor and Teacher in any thing belonging to his dutie A fit Remembrance for these daies wherein the best are vsually the worst that is the Heads and guides of a Parish the Gentlemen if there be any the Fréeholders Wealthier sort for who wring and wrong the Minister but these who insult ouer him and browe beate him but these who looke to be lawlesse and without controlement but these Their word must stand not Gods word they must teach and not learne and at a word in stéede of any assistance and concurrence with their Preacher as was here in these Elders with Moses they are the bitterest and sowrest hinderers that the Messenger and Minister of GOD hath But doth not the Lord sée it or doth hee sée it and not regard it No no. Hee shall euer be true in his word and make them one day knowe and féele that the abuse of his Minister in his seruice is the contempt of him and that the very dust of their feete shall stand powerfull before him against the bodies and soules of these proud despisers to condemne them cast them into eternall wâ—â— Therefore good it were for them to take vp betimes and to fellowe the aduise of Gods holy Spirit by the mouth of S. Paule giuen Obey them that haue the ouer-sight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accounts that they may doo it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you But I haue not spoken these things generally for I well knowe vpon my owne knowledge many swéete and comfortable encouragers of their Preachers and Ministers both of Gentlemen and others of the better sort Let them that are faultie amend in Gods feare the other goe forward to their great praise 14. When yee shall come into the Land which the Lord will giue you as hee hath promised then you shall keepe this seruice And when your children aske you what seruice is this you keepe Then you shall say c. If euer a man or woman forget God and dutie it is most to be feared in Prosperitie when they haue obtained what they disired and what with longing lookes they expected or as this Text speaketh when they are come into the Land of Promise And therefore fitly doth Moses héere admonish them to performe this dutie and to beware of the lulling sléepe of forgetfulnes which I wish euery one that readeth this Note to applie to himselfe and make religious vse of For who knoweth not that the heire whilest his Father liueth is often well giuen commeth to the Church fauoureth the Minister distributeth to the poore disliketh bad seruants and ill companie yea both in his heart thinketh and with his mouth speaketh That if Gods will bee to bring him to the Land expected to wit into his Fathers Place surely certainly he will doo thus and so that is very many good things shall flow from him But when God hath giuen him his desire who forgetteth like this man who groweth sluggish and slacke to come to the Church who standeth with the Minister for his due who beateth the poore from his gate who getteth and gathereth Swearers Swaggerers to wrong euery man but this young heire now gotten where hee wished to be If I speake a Truth let some féele it and for His loue that ruleth Heauen and Earth leaue it Thus doth the Scholler that
You sée it you must marke it and to your soule I leaue it 4 Thou shall not curse the deafe neither put a stumbling Blocke before the blinde but shalt feare thy GOD I am the LORD It was euer estéemed a Barbarous erueltie to insult ouer a mans imperfection and the Children of GOD must beware it By the Deafe héere are also meant men and women absent who though they could heare béeing present yet béeing not there they are deafe and heare not Such should not be cursed that is euill spoken of because they are not present to heare and answere GOD you see hateth and forbiddeth this wrong and as many as are Gods will forbeare it for their good Base and bad persons spend their time in carping slaundering and ill reporting as though they were so much better by howe much they make others worse So did Saint Augustine that worthy Father abhorre this vice that ouer his Table where hée dyned hée worte two Verses to tell all them that sate with him if they carped at any person absent that Table was not for them nor they Guests welcome to him By the Blinde are also meant such as are ignorant and vnskilfull in any thing as an ignorant Buyer Learner Trader c. Before whose eyes you may not lay a stumbling Blocke deceyuing them either by False Doctrine Badde Life craftie cunning or the like For as pitifull or more is the blindnesse of minde as the blindnesse of bodie and therefore any way to abuse the one or the other by stumbling blocks is hatefull and damnable 5 Yee shall not doe vniustly in iudgement Thou shalt not fauour the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mightie but thou shalt iudge thy Neighbour iustly A good law against a great euill in the Common-wealth touched before in Exodus whether you may turne and sée the euill Who can be safe in life or limbe in lands or goods if Affection be Iudge Booteth it to be honest or iust or blameles if not Truth but Fancie try me No no. And therefore blessed bée God for Law and Iustice and woe to the Land where Affection ruleth Honestius est cum iudicaueris amare quam cum amaueris iudicare It is farre better to loue when thou hast iudged than to iudge when thou louest Clamat pauper nullus exaudit clamat diues quilibet applaudit The poore man cryeth and no man heareth the rich man cryeth and euery man prayseth and smootheth O heauie Countries case where thus it is Doe the thing that is iust therefore to rich and poore and that shall giue thée peace at the last Honoured men may be for their wealth and feared greatly for their strength but onely iustice is that which getteth loue and a good report with all men that can speake well for any cause and haue not sold their tongues and soules too vnto enuie 6 Thou shalt not walke about with tales among thy people Thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy Neighbour I am the Lord. Both these are branches of murder and in the Commandement sée more of them A great mischiefe in either Kingdome Countrey or House is a babling tale-teller and hée that is wise will beware him It is a shrewde blow that killeth thrée at a blowe and that not in body onely but in soule also The tale-teller killeth himselfe peraduenture twenty more that heare him rashly thereupon condemne the innocent The spirit of God stirreth vp Dauid that Holy man to begge of God that hee would roote out all such deceiptfull lippes and tongues that speake proude things Deceiptfull lippes are those that speake smoothly and thinke wickedly and those also that speake falsly and slanderously of their brethren Both shall be rooted out in time but til then they vexe the soules of those that deserue it not at their hands 7 But what if I bée so wise that I can holde my tongue from speaking euill and yet secretly hate him in my heart Sée what followeth in your Chapter Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but thou shalt plainly rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne Secret hate then is murder of the heart and against the Commandement Use it therefore at your perill and say God either séeth not or regardeth not Your iudgement at last shall teach you hee doth both For this Law is not idle nor any Law Hee giueth to the sonnes of men 8 Thou shalt not auenge saith the next Lawe and why In another place we read For vengeance is mine and I will repay Wrest not Gods sword therefore out of his hand sit not downe in his seate and make thy selfe a God for feare of the ende Well let him goe then I will not auenge but sure I will remember him forgiue I may but neuer forget c. Sée what followeth in the very next words of this Verse Neither shalt thou bee mindfull of a wrong against the children of thy people Remembring then you sée is condemned aswell as auenging and therefore it standeth you vpon both to forgiue and to forget or els the Lord shall forget you out of his Booke of life Nay sée more all this is not yet enough but wée must loue also our Neighbours and that euen as our selues or els we perish For I am the Lord saith the Verse that is one that séeth and hateth and wilâ— smite thée in that strength that thou canst not resist nor indure Foolish Politicke thinke then of pietie and abhorre that poliâ—ie that deuoureth pietie and destroyeth thee Thou canst not liue euer but must die and come vnto iudgement 9 Thou shalt not let thy cattell gender with others of diuers kindes Thou shalt not sowe thy fielde with mingled seede neither shall a garment of diuers things as linnen and woollen come vpon thee God will haue his creatures vsed in their kinde as hée hath created them and his ordinance neither ouerthrowen nor corrrected With diuers seedes they sowe their ground which follow diuers doctrines in Religion And linnen and woollen garments are forbidden either because the Gentiles vsed them to whom God would not haue his people like or to note how hatefull to GOD is a fantasticall head caryed about with toyes and idle deuises He that is a Papist héere and a Protestant there hée that taketh part with both sides in a quarrell or matter worldly as a plea of law or such like you may rightly thinke odious by this Lawe c. 10 Whosoeuer medleth with a woman that is a bondmayd affianced to a husband and not redeemed nor freedome giuen her hee shall be scourged but they shall not dye because shee is not made free c. With God there is no respect of bond or free but in seates of Iustice and execution of punishments there is ought to be great difference because there commeth not so much hurt to the Common-wealth by
it would be thought of though the persons of such Messengers may be thought contemptible yet he that sent them will beare no contempt in the end 6. But Pharaoh by this myracle was made nothing better Therefore euidently it appeareth that albeit signes and myracles be required of some men to satisfie an itching humour to sée newes and vnder a pretense that if they sawe such thinges they would beléeue yet indéede these meanes will not reforme them but euen more and more they become rebellious against the truth as héere was Pharaoh Wherefore the Lord doth not yéeld to the foolish fancies of men in this behalfe but answereth in the Gospel to such humours This adulterous and crooked generation seeketh a signe but none shall be giuen them more than the signe of Ionas the Prophet The consideration whereof should make vs wise and to cease from vaine spéeches as what signe shewe they what myracles worke they with such like And to kéepe in the knowne way To the Law and to the Testimonie that is to the written word of God extant among vs confessed and acknowledged by both sides and if our doctrine and perswasions be according to that then are they assuredly right then is there light in our doings and the Sunne of true vnderstanding shineth vpon vs. For the Word is truth the Word is olde and oldest a lanthorne a rule a guide a teacher not to be excepted against euer This way doth God choose and trie myracles by it if you remember in the 13. of Deut. not admitting of all the wonders in the world if they leade contrarie to this neither reiecting this though there be no daily wonders added to it since the doctrine being the same the signes and wonders alreadie done by Christ and his Apostles mentioned in the Scriptures abundantly serue But how doth Pharaoh shift of this great Signe séeing he is not disposed to yéeld to it surely if you marke it euen in the very same sort that some now a-daies doo who talking of Religion and séeming as if they were willing to be resolued when they heare a reason which they cannot answere in stéede of yéelding say were such and such heere they could answere you c. So playeth Pharaoh hee thinketh of his wise men and learned men whereof Egypt had store and though he cannot tell what to say himselfe to so manifest a Signe yet hee perswadeth himselfe they can and send for them hee will to sée what they can say rather than yéeld to the worke of God They being come as they were blinde themselues mingling with good learning vaine errors of Magicke incantation and inuocation of Spirits so in the iust Judgement of God they became instruments of blindnes vnto Pharaoh to holde him still in disobedience and hardnes of heart against the Lord and his true Messengers A thing worthie marking and due remembrance whilest wee liue to the end we may learne to affect truth better and to giue place to reason in our hearts and soules when it is laide before vs without pinning our selues to other mens sléeues who erring themselues in that which is sought though otherwise happily learned and to be liked can neuer doo any better Office to vs than these Enchaunters did to Pharaoh namely still and still with their iuglings make vs stiffe and stubborne against our God and against our good till we perish in Hell as Pharaoh did in the Red-sea S. Paule therefore rightly naming two of these Enchaunters compareth all false whisperers vnto them saying And as Iannes and Iambres withstoode Moses so doo these also resist the truth men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith But they shall preuaile no longer c. 7. But how did these Enchaunters kéepe Pharaoh in his blindnes The Text saith They did the like and so abated the credite of Aarons myracle Whereupon question is made whether in déede and truth they did the like or onely in shewe by deceauing the sight And answere is giuen by some that if we affirme God in anger Judgement towards Pharaoh to haue changed the rods also of the Enchaunters into true Serpents there is no absurditie but other much better like to say there was a deceauing of sight and whatsoeuer shew they made it was but false and phantasticall Non fuisse veros dracones sed sic apparuisse virtute Daemonis ex aeris transmutatione That they were not true Serpents but so onely seemed to be by the power of the Deuill changing the ayre This then especiallie is to be noted that false signes and wonders can be done by Sathan and his members God so permitting and therefore that wee stand fast in the truth which wee haue learned out of Gods Booke and trie myracles by truth not truth by myracles according to the Rule of God taught vs in his Word For were it neuer so strange and admirable a thing if the drift of it be to leade vs from truth to error the worke is naught the worker is a deceauer Antichrist saith the Apostle shall be powerfull in lying signes and wonders In regard of which Admonition S. Augustine said Contra mirabiliarios cautum me fecit Deus meus c. Against wonder-workers and myraclemongers my God hath made me warie fore-telling mee That in the latter dayes there should be such which if it were possible should deceiue the very Elect. The Schoolemen say héere Moses Aaron fecerunt miraculum Magi autem mirum non miraculum Moses and Aaron did a myracle but the Enchaunters did a meruaile no myracle meaning because what they did was counterfeit But I stand not vpon it It is further most worthie marking héere that Aaron his Rod deuoured their rods for thereby wee are notably taught the end of falshoode and error at the last Truth shall deuoure it in Gods good time for Magna est veritas praeualet Great is truth and preuaileth If you continue in my word saith our blessed Sauiour you shall knowe the truth and the truth shall make you free Yet Pharaoh could not sée but his heart was still hardened euen as in our times wee knowe the fearefull blindnes of some in the greatest light that may be giuen them A wise heart will note this earnestly and neither be moued to such obstinacie nor cease to feare the like iudgement if vnthankfully Gods fauour vouchsafed be passed ouer Much doth God for either man or place when hee graciouslie giueth good Teachers and where such Enchaunters as these are receaued and hearkened vnto what can follow but Pharaohs hard hart to eternall woe Beware beware whilest God giueth you time To day if you will heare his voice harden not your heart How knowe you what iudgement and wrath to morrowe day may bring vpon you Truth may be oppressed for a time God so pleasing either to punish or trie his people but finally suppressed it shall not be God being stronger than all his enemies
béene noted before this meditation may arise how Gods aduersaries séeke often to oppugne the truth by the selfe same meanes whereby he doth teach it As if Scripture be alleaged Sathan will doe the like if the true Prophets vse a signe then will Zidkia make him hornes to and say when went the spirit from me to thée All which God doth suffer to draw vs forward to true and sound knowledge without which wee cannot stand but shal be shaken to and fro with doubts and feares and wauering conceipts most vnfit for beléeuers The wordes of the Apostle calling vpon vs to be stedfast vnmoueable abounding alwaies in the worke of the Lord. Not to he caried about with euery blast of vaine doctrine but to continue grounded and stablished in the saith not moued away from the hope of the Gospell c Saint Peter in like manner admonisheth to beware of being plucked away with the error of the wicked and of falling from stedfastnesse noting those that forsook the right way and followed the way of Balaam Labour we therefore to know how we stand and building vpon the rocke indéede though such iugâ—ing Sorcerers as these arise in the world and Apishly follow that course to subuert which Gods Ministers follow to strengthen yet they shall not shake vs but we patiently abiding a time setled vpon our true grounds the falshood shall appeare at last and all their follies be discouered in the end to the honour of God the glorie of his truth the comfort of his children and the confusion of such Egyptian Jugglers for euer Gamaliel could note it that Theudas had his time yet in the end fell with all his followers That Iudas of Galilie had his time and drew away much people after him but at last hee perished and the people were scattered Let not Gamaliel be wiser than we to obserue good things for his instruction 7 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said pray ye vnto the Lord that he may take away the frogges from me and from my people and I will let the people goe c. Why doth he not make his Wisemen take them away his Inchaunters and Sorcerers that could set a shew of making the like Could they cause frogges to come and not goe Or why doth he not call to his gods and Idols to helpe him to take them away Can none helpe him but Moses and Aaron by praying for him See then how the Lord when he pleaseth is able to force the wicked to the acknowledgment of him and his true Ministers and let it comfort vs in the middest of all contempts either of our God of our faith and religion or of our persons He can bring them downe that looke so coy by touches of bodie pinches in minde losses in goods and infinite waies And if therefore it please him a while to indure their pride we also must endure it and not grieue at it These exampels must be readie in our mindes euer when we sée such things Not long since this proud Pharaoh said WHO IS THE LORD But now he séeth and must confesse that there is no helpe but in this Lord. His Gods are weake and the frogs crawled in despight of them Moses therefore must pray to his God to helpe and take them away And who now but Moses Aaron with Pharaoh Ah wée despised Ministers by the proude worldlings let vs marke it and beare their coÌ„tempts In their extremities they shall acknowledge our callings iustifie our loue and wishe our prayers They shall stoupe they shall stoupe when our God pleaseth and it is inough Remember that great Nabuchadnezar how the Lord stouped him till hée should know that the Lord ruleth Pray pray for vs O Samuel said the stobborne Israelites when God would and so they came to him whom they erst neglected Men and brethren what shall we doe said they béeing touched that before thought much to be aduised by such men Ieroboam sendeth to the Prophet whose doctrine he would not follow and no worse a messenger than his owne wife and in his heart he acknowledgeth that truth is with him The great Turke in these daies will séeke the prayers of Christian-men when yet he fighteth against the truth that they embrace And many which at other times regard them not either going to sea or to battaile or béeing sicke and vexed at home will send and séeke for the prayers and comfort of Gods Ministers And what is this but a signe of Gods Omnipotent hand ouer all Pharaohs whatsoeuer and that he can reuenge our contempts and giue our truth and carefull walking in our places a due regarde and reuerence when he will with them and in them Let the swéetenesse of it ioy vs and make vs possesse our soules in patience Diues that rich glutton shal sée Lazarus right himselfe wrong one day 8 But why dooth Pharaoh now call rather than in the former plague for Moses and Aaron to pray Surely because this plague more nipped him than the former For when the riuers were blood he might haue wine to drinke and by that meanes not finde the smart so much See wee then howbeit other mens harmes should affect vs yet vnlesse the Lord touch our selues we are dull and dead without sense Which certainly maketh God reach vs a blowe many times when otherwise he would spare vs did we make good vse of our Brethrens harmes Applie therefore euer to your selfe Gods doings saying in your heart and why Lord am I not so also Doo not I also offend thée Father of Heauen and God of all mercie make me wise by other mens harmes and thankfull vnto thée that I am so schooled rather than with mine owne woe 9. Sée how readie Moses is to pray for Pharaoh when he biddeth him to appoint the time himselfe of his prayer and let it make vs thinke with our selues whether wee be thus harted to pray readily and willingly for Prince for Country for friends and familie yea let it open vnto vs what I feare is too true that in our liues scarce once we haue béene vpon our knées for any of these but euen goe on in a common course haling and pulling with the world all the wéeke long and on the Holiday goe to the Church rather for fashion than deuotion praying with lips not with heart a fewe words and then spending all the rest of the time either in sléeping or gazing or thinking of matters little belonging to God O that wee may profit by this readines in Moses to pray for such a wicked king Remember the Scriptures where you see how fathers and mothers haue gone to Christ for their children Maisters for their seruants and neighbours for their friends Christ is th 〈…〉 me and why should not we also be the same and Morning and Euening goe vnto God for our selues and ours as héere did Moses for Pharaoh 10. It may be moued for a question why
the number was numberlesse and no way to knowe it certainly but out of one gate the Kéeper had noted to bee caried out A hundred and fiftie thousand dead bodies Which miserable creatures before they died were driuen to eate the Leather of their Shooes the Leather of their Girdles the Leather of their Bucklers and Targets the dung of the Stable and in the end their very Children A stouping plague indéede and neuer to be forgotten of Gods people that heare it but to be vsed as a mighty motiue to stir vp their hearts euer to a due feare of that power that can thus crush them if they will rebell against him Now appeared an vse of our Sauiours words when going to his passion he said Daughters of Hierusalem weepe not for me but for your selues and your Children For behold the daies will come when men shall say Blessed are the barren and the wombes that neuer bare and the paps which neuer gaue sucke Then shall they begin to say to the mountaines Fall on vs and to the hilles Couer vs c which was now verified in a most wofull miserie Let neuer Sinners then prouoke the Lord in this manner but so profit by his easier Crosses laide vpon them and by his long-suffering-patience vouchsafed towardes them as these great and terrible Testimonies of his anger may be euer farre and farre from them For if not assuredly hee is the same still as mightie as euer as iust as euer and he hath his stooping plague remaining for euery man and woman which will rebell Thus haue you séene the Lordes manner in former times Come now to our selues and these times Surely the Lord is all one and his dealings all one euen with vs. For hee first entreateth vs by his Word the mildest way that possibly can be when a man or woman sitting in the Church shall féele God by the Preachers spéech in his or her bosome and yet no man liuing knowe it no not the Preacher himselfe that he hitteth vpon them Then if this doth not serue the Lord commeth néerer and layeth vpon vs his easier Crosses yet greater and greater by degrées Our friends growe vnkinde our Seruants vnfaithfull our Children vndutifull our goods abate and our health changeth to sicknes and griefe And if these also become vnprofitable as too often they are then the Lord goeth to his Quiuer and taketh out a strong arrowe to shoote at vs as The sweating sicknes The deuouring plague or such like which shall at once swéepe the Earth cleane from such rebelling Spirits and stoope vs vnto Hell because vnto Heauen wee would neuer be brought This you haue séene to bee true in some part with your owne eyes and therefore we ought to think of it earnestly for our amendment Happy is the man who taketh his time to turne to his God that he may be saued I reade of One that said hee had but one Booke and the same Booke had but two leaues a white leafe and a red yet could hee neuer reade quite ouer those two leaues though he liued many yeeres reade diligently so much matter was contained in them For in the white leafe hee said were laid downe all the Mercies and fauours of God vouchsafed to mankinde either in generall or particular And in the red leafe all his fearefull Iudgements poured-out vpon sinners which were disobedient and would not be reformed This Booke hath béene in all ages and godlie persons haue had a care to reade in it Dauid looked vpon the White leafe and sawe first such heapes of Mercies towards mankinde ingenerall that he cried Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him and the Sonne of man that thou visitest him For thou hast made him little lower than God and crowned him with glory and worship Thou hast made him to haue dominion in the works of thy hands thou hast put all things vnder his feete All sheepe and oxen yea and the beasts of the field The fowles of the ayre and the fish of the sea with that which passeth through the pathes of the seas Then in particular towards himselfe hee sawe also such Goodnes as that he likewise cried Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought mee hitherto with all the rest that followeth in the Place worthie your reading fullie ouer by your selfe In the Red leafe he reade so manie Judgements of God as that hee prayed Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for no flesh liuing can be iustified in thy sight If thou Lord shalt marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it Haue mercie vpon me O Lord according to thy louing kindnes and according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine miquities Iacob reade in this Booke and séeing in the white leafe Gods gracious goodnes towards him said O Lord ouer this riuer did I come with my staffe and now haue I gotten two bands I am not worthie of the least of all the mercies and all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant In the Red leafe also he saw such griefes as it had pleased God to exercise him with all and tolde the King that his daies had beene but fewe and euill and hee had not attained vnto the yeeres of the life of his Fathers yet was he then a hundred and thirtie yéeres olde Others also haue done the like séeing the infinite fauours of God and these fearefull punishments two and thirtie Thousand destroyed for the golden Calfe to teach men to beware of Idolatrie Threescore and Ten thousand destroyed with the plague for Dauids numbring of the people to teach men to beware of pride and vaine confidence in any Earthly thing Corah Dathan Abiram with their Families swallowed vp aliue with the gaping Earth to teach men to take héede of murmuring against authoritie and that which is the Gospell Binde him hand foote to teach vs that what parts are ioyned in vitio they shall assuredly be ioyned in supplicio Sinne together and be punished together is a Keckning that shall not faile Wherefore since things are thus as well in our daies as in former times what remaineth but that this knowledge humble vs vnder his mighty hand that can euer stoope vs at his pleasure Let vs remember the words of Dauid and vse them as our owne Agnosco iniquitatem c. I knowe mine iniquities and my Sinne is euer before mee Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten mee in thy displeasure c. Let vs remember that good Saying of the Father Non litigando sed flendo Deum vincimus Wee ouercome God not by striuing with him but by weeping before him The stubborne Oake is torne vp by the rootes when the bowing Réede standeth still Neuer can the lower part of the whéele come vpward vnlesse the vpper part goe downward neither euer can a man in his death be glorified vnlesse
persecuting Emperours till godly Constantine came A Ship hath a Gouernor to direct her and so hath the Church her Pilots also And as in the Ship the Pilot may not be blinde that he cannot sée Recks and Promontories dangerous to be touched may not be deafe that he cannot heare the aduise of others may not be vnskilfull in times and seasons with many other things euen so much lesse may the Church Gouernours be such The Mariners in a Ship may not be without hands vnable to row when there is neede no more may Men in the Church be vnfit for the places they possesse In the Ship there are many Offices and yet all care for the Ship so in the Church there are diuersity of administrations and yet al must labour for the Churches sake Some Prophets some Apostles some Euangelists some Pastors and Doctors To one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome and to an other the word of knowledge To one faith to an other the gift of healing c. There be Ships of true men and Ships of Pyrats so there is a Church true and a Church false The false Church falleth when it riseth And the true church riseth when it séemes to fall The true Church endureth nothing strange in the false Church euery thing is strange Remember what you read in the Prophet of Tyrus and make vse of it to this end They haue made all thy ship bords of Firre trees of Shenir they haue brought Cedars from Lebanon to make masts for thee Of the Oakes of Bashan haue they made thine oares The companie of the Asyrians haue made thy banks of Iuorie brought out of the jles of Chittim Fine linnen with broydered worke brought frō Egypt was spread ouer thee to be thy saile blew silke and purple brought frō the Iles of Elishah was thy couering The inhabitants of Zidon and Aruad were thy mariners O Tyrus thy wise-men that were in thee they were the pilots c. Euen so so in the false Church is euery thing strange and far fet For if it come not from Rome it is not for this Church neither any account or vse made of it Strange Doctrines in euery point of Religion strange Ceremonies neuer knowne or vsed of the Apostles beades and bables infinite toyes and trickes of hallowed trash too long to be repeated all as strange as euer was any thing in Tyrus Wherfore as the fal of Tyrus was also strange so shal it be of this church in Gods time This Ship in the Gospell is said to be troubled and it noteth what the Church and euery member thereof in this world is subiect vnto The perils of the Ship are amplified by certaine Circumstances there mentioned as of time that it was night of place that it was in the Sea the midst of the Sea of contrarie windes and of Christs absence all occasions of more trouble and danger For in the night there is darknes the Rocks cannot be so well discerned there is lesse helpe than on the day time stormes and tempestes are vsually greater and many other discommodities In regard whereof the Poet Virgil could say Eripiunt subito nubes coelumque diemque Nautarum ex oculis ponto nox incubat atra Presentemque viris intentant omnia mortem This night naturall may resemble vnto vs a double night where in the Shippe of the Church is much indangered the night of ignorance and the night of sinne Either of them is a great darkenesse and yet little thought of No night so full of perill to a sayling Shippe as either of these to the militant Church Of the first Saint Basil complaineth to his Friend in his Epistle saying Ecclesia sine Pastoribus nauigatio in noote pax nusquam Christus dormit quid non igitur timendum est The sayling heere of the militant Church without Pastors and Teachers is a sayling in the night no light any where Christ is a sleepe and what therefore is not to be feared Of the second night the night of sinne the Scripture euery where it selfe complaineth shewing the distresse of the Church where such darknes abideth In the Psalme Helpe Lord for there is not one godly man left the faithfull are gone from amongst men Euery one talketh of vanitie with his neighbour they flatter with their lips and dissemble in their double heart There is none righteous no not one there is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh after God Their throate is an open Sepulcher they vse their tongues to deceite The poyson of Aspes is vnder their lips Their mouth is full of bitternes and cursing Their feete are swift to shed blood Destruction and calamitie are in their wayes And the way of peace they haue not knowne The feare of God is not before their eyes What a fearefull night now is this vpon the Church yet add vnto this the 3. of Esay and many such other places and iudge if it can goe worse with any ship at Sea in the blackest night than with the Church in such dangerous darknes as this Eusebius speaketh of it and me thinke his words are much to be noted Postquam res nostrae per nimiam libertatem ad mollitiem segnitiem degenerarunt alij alios odio ac contumelijs sunt persecuti tantum non nos ipsos per nos ipsos armis ac telis verborum vbicunque contigit impugnauimus Episcopi in Episcopos irruerunt ac populi contra populos seditiones mouerunt deindé infanda hypocrisis simulatio ad summum vsque malitiae progressa fuit Diuinum iudicium pro more suo senfim ac pedetentim nos inuisere cepit c. After all things amongst vs through too much liberty grewe vnto wantonnes and sloath and euery one with hatred and slaunder persecuted another c. Bishops falling vpon Bishops and people vpon people hypocrisie and dissimulation growing to an height Gods iudgement according as it vseth by little and little visited vs c. Sée this night of the Church which wee speake of and the danger of it The second Circumstance was of place the ship was in the Sea and in the midst of the Sea not néere any Hauen farre from all helpe by land and exposed to the very full power of winde and water A great Circumstance of perill and danger as we all knowe And thus is the ship of the Church said to be when either heresies or schismes abound in it or cruell persecution rageth against it Of the first S. Basil speaketh comparing the troubles of the Church to the surges of the Sea in which the ancient bounds of the Fathers are moued euery foundation and ground of Doctrine shaken by Schismatickes and Heritickes who are as the froth raised by those waues and surges To the second we may referre those raging furies of Nero Domitian and the rest of whom Theodoret writeth thus
béene borne than without care so to sinne Now go we a little farther than this law expresly goeth and iudge in our owne heart if falshood in pledges committed to me by man be thus odious is not vnfaithfulnesse in Gods pledge much more odieus Remember the place to Timothie Custodi depositum That worthy thing which was coÌ„mitted to thee keep through the holy-ghost which dwelleth in vs. What worthy pledge is this but the pure and holy doctrine of the word which I must neuer mingle with mans traditions The manner of teaching it if I be a Teacher must be plaine profitable and to the most edification not to the greatest ostentation Be faithfull in these things therefore for they are pledges lest with vs by God which he wil aske for againe and require an accompt what we haue done with them c. 4 For wanton and licentious life the Lord prouideth saying If a man entice a maid that is not betrothed lie with her he shall endow her and take her to wife But if her father refuse to giue her to him he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins Where you may obserue the seuerity of God the remisnes of man in punishing matters of this kinde For man made his law disiunctiue he shall marry her or giue her dowry But God maketh a copulatiue he shall marrie her and giue her dowrie yet leauing frée the fathers authoritie whether he would so bestow her or no. If the father would bestow her then both must he marrie her and endowe her because he had thus offended with her So God euer regarded parents consents in the placing of their children Yea Nature it selfe saw this equitie in Hermione the maid in Euripides who answered Orestes the sought her to wife that the mariage of her belonged to her father He that will may read S. Ambrose vpon the storie of Rebecca and sée his iudgement of this thing But why was not the maid punished also aswel as the man partly because yeares and sex weaknes of iudgement might be occasion of fall in her but chiefly because such money imposed vpon her must haue come from the parents who were innocent and had griefe inough by the fall of their child Furthermore this is to be remembred here that if the parents would bestow her neuer might he that had abused her put her away by bill of diuorce as other might The Romans did not inforce marriage because the man might be noble the woman meane or contrariwise the woman noble the man mean Wheras the Israelites were all alike noble descended from one the same house the pedegree knowne but iâ— he were rich he lost halfe of his goods if worth little his bodie was punished and he banished which was sharper 5 Of witches your Chapter saith Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue which God would neuer haue laid downe if either there had béene no wiâ—ches or being yet they can do nothing as some haue to their blame affirmed The shiftes they vse to auoide this place are weake and by the best learned reiected God maketh no law in vaine but for more of this matter I refer you to the Commandement In this place saith One God ioyneth this law next after that of inticing young women because many times these witches are iustruments to work them to mens sinful desires The next law against vnnatural lustes with Beasts I passe ouer the fact being more filthy than to be spoken of Death it was by law and death eternall followeth the temporall God and Nature abhorre it and he tasteth neither of God nor Nature that committeth it The eyes of God sée all things and the Justice of God will finde out all things in time 6 He that offereth to any Gods saue vnto the Lord onely shal be slaine The like law you reade in Deut. If there bee found amongst you in any of thy Cities which the Lord thy God giueth the man or woman that hath wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord thy God in transgressing his couenants and hath gone and serued other Gods and worshiped them as the Sun or the Moone or any of the host of heauen which I haue not commanded and if it be told thee and so forth then stone that person to death c. In the 13. Chapter the like death is imposed vpon those that shall perswade draw to this sin So both worker and willer suffered death And indéede shoulde théeues dye for robbing man and not man dye for robbing God Can mans goods be compared with Gods honour No no. Againe if we smeare fealtie to the Prince his enemie Dye wée not worthely To sweare fealtie to the Diuell by Idolatrie is worse to God than that to man Happy were deceaued creatures if any thing would make them wise bring them backe againe to God only only and marke the word 7. Thou shalt not doo iniurie to a stranger neither opresse him forye were strangers in Egypt Ye shall not trouble any widowe nor fatherlesse childe For if thou vexe or trouble such and so he call and crie vnto mee I will surclie heare his crie Then shal my wrath be kindled and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shal be widowes and your children fatherlesse Our state in this world is not tyed to any place but God at his pleasure may remooue vs euen when we thinke least therefore the Lord would haue them then and all men still favourable to strangers Experiences of euill past and expectances of future if God so please to haue it must make men forbeare those discourtesies to strangers that otherwise mans corruption will offer By the law of Nations it was euer forbidden and sharpely punished to violate the trust that a poore stranger hath in vs when he liueth with vs and vnder vs. The Athenians were good the Lacedemonians were bad and so praised and dispraised in Bookes to this day The next Chapter verse 9. teacheth this matter againe and often is it beaten vpon by God that they may remember it Hippias in Plato saith By Nature euery like is cozen to his like and surely it is a great knot among men likenesse either of wit manners iudgment or fortune c. Which Plutarch also witnesseth when he saith Senis lingua suanissima est seni puer puero mulier mulieri iucunda est Et aegrotus afficitur calamitate aegrotantis aruÌ„nosus socio calamitatum suam sententiam a scribit The speech of an old man pleaseth an other old man a childe conteÌ„teth a childe and a woman a woman One sicke body feeleth the paine of an other and pittieth it So do fellowes in affliction talke together and expresse each to other their mindes Wherefore God vseth for his reason here that they also haue bene Strangers in Egypt It pleaseth the good Spirit of God to vse this
say vnto them For their hearts he will touch their eares he will bore or open and they shall see with their eyes heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts to eternall life But how they must come to God in the Cloud couered with it c. that is in the humanitie of Christ whereof this Cloud was a figure For wâ—thout him there is no accesse to God and by him we come and that boldly He is become flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone Search without him be oppressed of Maiestie search by him be comforted with mercy Kisse the Sonne and feare not The sight of the glorie of the Lord was like consuming fire on the top of the mouÌ„taine in the eyes of the children of Israell saith your Chapter but to them whom he drew to him he appeared as a pleasant Saphir vers 10. Certainly euen so to carnal men and to such as are his called by his holy Spirit there is a great difference of him the one seeing but feare and trembling the other séeing féeling and tasting ioy swéetnes comfort and gladnes aboue that which mans pen can lay downe or his narrow heart once conceiue Lastly Moses was in the Mount fortie daies and fortie nights without meat or drinke when as God could haue dispatched him in a moment All to giue authoritie to him and his lawe as hath béene said that the people might sée in his long abstinence the diuine power of God and so euer estéeme of the thing wherein they saw no earthly course held Let it teach vs still and euer to reuerence Gods ministers to whom he hath reuealed his will for our good They are now his meanes as then Moses was and by his word he hath graced them as here he did Moses by these miracles He that heareth you saith hée heareth mee and he that despiseth you despiseth mee Thus much briefely of this Chapter CHAP. 25. GOds holy Spirit hauing from the beginning of this Booke vnto the twentie Chapter laid downe such things as went before the lawe in the twentie Chapter he entered to declare the lawes and first laid downe the Morall law theÌ„ the Iudiciall lawes Chapters 21. 22. and 23. Now by a transition and way made Chapter 24 in this 25. Chapter he beginneth with the Ceremoniall lawes and so continueth vnto the 31. Chapter Which Ceremoniall lawes were eyther common and touched all whereof hée speaketh in this Booke or particular concerning onely the Leuites whereof in the next Booke called Leuiticus by reason of those lawes In this Chapter first there is a preparation to the appointing of Ceremonies euen vnto the tenth verse and then a prescription of them thence forward to the thirtie Chapter In the preparation you may note these heads 1 A Commaundement that the people should offer 2 What they should offer 3 With what heart and minde 4 To what vse and purpose 5 To what vse should the Sanctuarie serue viz. that God might dwell there 6 Of what fashion it should be viz. Like the patterne that Moses saw c. 1 The commaundement to offer is expressed in these words Then the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Speake vnto the children of Israell that they receiue an offering for me of euery man c. The vse and profit whereof to vs may be this First to obserue how although the Lord haue no neede of any mans goods whatsoeuer it is that wée possesse in this world because the whole earth is his and all that is in it yet his pleasure is sometimes to séeke these things and so to make men as it were his helpers in such workes as he will haue done that thereby hee may euen honour his creature with a great fauour and take occasion vpon our readie willing performance of what he séeketh to heape more and more fauours vpon vs. Remember with your selfe the 50. Psalme I will take no Bullocke out of thine house nor Goates out of thy folds For all the beastes of the forrest are mine and so are the cattell vpon a thousand hilles I know all the fowles vpon the mountaines and the wilde beastes of the field are in mysight If I be hungrie I will not tell thee for the whole world is mine and all that is therein Remember the 16. Psalme My goods are nothing vnto thee c. Whensoeuer therefore He séeketh it it is for our good and not for his neede which being well weighed may make vs more quicke and readie to giue As for example could not he relieue a poore man himselfe or make of poore rich all the honors in the world being disposed by him yet you sée he will not but sendeth him to you and others for a morsell of bread and meat that you being his instruments he may take occasion to reward you So in all other workes of charitie and pietie wherein your purse is vsed surely if he had not a purpose to benefit you hee would passe you ouer and do the thing without you Hurt not your selfe then a pound by sparing a pennie A second profit may be this to note that as this material Sanctuary figured out the spirituall temple which the Lord hath in our bodies and mindes 1. Cor. 6. 19 so this offering to that noted what should be the dutie of Gods seruants euer to this euen to bestowe part of such thinges as God blesseth them withall of riches and goods towards the maintenance of this spirituall temple erected within vs and among vs by the preaching of his word the admininistration of his Sacraments all other offices of the Ministerie to the saluation of our soules and all our children seruants or neighbours that liue with vs and are by Almightie God committed to our charge For as then they had grieuously sinned if they denied God an offering to that so shall we if we be wanting to this Thirdly that our goods are not ours to wast at our wils but God looketh to bee honoured with them imployed to good purposes Lastly in séeking this offering to erect an externall worship of his holy Name among theÌ„ we sée learn that God will be worshipped outwardly also with our bodies aswel as inwardly with our spirits for they are both the Lords 2 Touching the things to be offered as Golde Siluer brasse Blew silke and purple skarlet fine linnen Goates haire c thus you profit by them First in the varietie and the seuerall kindes you sée shadowed out vnto you the difference of spirituall giftes and graces giuen by God to men for the building vp of his spirtual Temple or Sanctuarie in our hearts whereof remember the Apostles words in diuers places of his Epistles as to the Romanes when he saith Seeing then that we haue gifts which are diuers according to the grace which is giueÌ„ vnto vs whether we haue prophesie let vs prophesie according to the proportion of fayth Or an
figuratiuely the puritie of the Church cleansed in Christ and how carefull euery member of the same must be to kéepe himselfe pure and cleane as the Lord shall strengthen him The goodly rich furniture and ornamentes shadowed out as hath béene saide the rich gifts and Graces of God powred vpon his Church and the blessed estate of it vnder Christ Of which sée a description in the Prophet Esay most notable O thou afflicted and tossed with tempest that hast no comfort behold I will lay thy stones with the Carbuncle and laye thy foundations with Saphires And I will make thy windowes with Emerandes and thy gates shining stones and all thy borders of pleasant stones And all thy children shal be taught of the Lord c. 4 The three distinct Rooms they haue applied to three kindes or measures of righteousnes thus There was an outward Court and that may represent the first step to God when a man vseth the outward Ceremonies and actions cōmanded as then of sacrificing washing and so forth now of cōming to church hearing c. Those be good things but yet a man is not gotten into the Church only into the outward Court he is gottē there remaineth For euill men may doo these outward matters Then there was an inward place called the Holy place a third within that againe called the Holyest of all So they say there is a second degree of righteousnesse or a second step to God when a man dooth these outward things hartely truly vnfeignedly And a third step when by so dooing his hart is opened and he beléeueth in him that redéemed him and for euer holdeth fast by him And now is he gotten into both the Holy place and the most holy of all Into the Holy place in possession that is to be a true and sound member of Christ his Church and into the most holy of all by hope and in expectation because after this life is ended he passeth into the presence of God in heauen and there liueth for euer 5 By the vaile men haue noted how the obscurity of those Kites and Ceremonies was figured and that the time of full Reuelatiō was not yet come in which things should be most plaine as when Christ came they were Those Types and shadowes being open in him to whom they all caried their meaning Also they noted in it how reuerently we must speak and heare of the Maiestie of God of his Word of his holy exercises whatsoeuer belongeth to Religion And lastly by the rending of the vayle frō the top to the bottome when Christ suffered plainely was shewed that then that kinde of teaching the Church by such figures was ended and they also were ended The body and truth was come had finished all things Now intending to poure out his Spirit more aboundantly and to teach more plainly whatsoeuer belonged to eternal cōfort Read S. Peters Sermon in the 2. of the Acts when the Holy-ghost fell vpon them ignorant men déemed thē drunke Thus may we profit by this Chap. leaue many particulars which idle men haue béene too busie with abounding with vnquiet thoughts and itching loue of nouelties Still still carry this in your minde how God loueth a place of publike méeting for holy exercises and to haue al his come thither vpon daies and times appointed and euer loue you the Church and be not drawen from it CHAP. 27. THis Chapter also goeth forwarde with the description of the Tabernacle and namelie of those pointes which in the former Chapter were not mentioned as the Altar of burnt offerings the Court of the Tabernacle and the Lampes continuallie burning Concerning the Altar how it was made for matter height length and breadth the Text is plaine and you may there read it in the first 8. v. For the vse to vs wée may note two things First that it was a figure of Christ as the Apostle to the Heb. expoundeth it and secondly that the Altars vsed in Popery are not warranted by this example But that the Primatiue Church vsed Communiō tables as we now doo of boords and wood not Altars as they doo of stone Origen was about 2. hundred yéeres after Christ he saith that Celsus obiected it as a fault to the Christians that they had neither Images nor Churches nor Altars Arnobius after him saith the same of the Heathens Accusatis nos quod nec Templa habeamus nec aras nec imagines You accuse vs for that we haue neither Churches nor Altars nor Images Gershon saith that Siluester first caused stone◠Altars to be made and willed that no man should consecrate at a wooden Altar but himselfe and his successors there Belike then the former ages knew not that profound reason that Altars must be of stone quia Petra erat Christus because the Rock was Christ as Durandus after deuised Upō this occasion in some places stone Altars were vsed for steddinesse continuance wooden tables hauing béene before vsed but I say in some places not in all For S. Augustine saith that in his time in Aphrica they were made of wood For the Donatists saith he brake in sūder the Altar-boords Againe the Deacons dutie was to remooue the Altar Chrysostome calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy board S. Augustine men sā Domini the table of the Lord. Athanasius men sam ligneam the table of wood Yet was this Cōmunion table called an Altar not that it was so but onely by allusion metaphorically as Christ is called au Altar or our hearts be called Altars c. Marke with your selfe therefore the newnesse of this point for stone Altars in comparison of our auntient vse of Cōmunion tables let Popery his parts fall truth and sound antiquitie be regarded 2 Touching the hornes of the Altar spoken of they litterally serued to kéepe vp the sacrifice from falling of and figuratiuely noted strength so that to binde the sacrifice to the hornes of the Altar was to giue themselues wholly with a strong faith and onely to rest and trust and stay vppon him to tye al carnall affections fast also to the Altars hornes by subduing and making them captiue to God This Altar was in one place the Sacrifice in one place noting how Christ should onely once and in one place offer vp himselfe for al mankinde 3 Concerning the lampes as little doo they warrant Popish tapers and candles as the Altars before did their Altars And Christians vsed no such follies and apish imitations of things abrogated and seruing only for the time For we doo not light candles at noon day saith S. Hierom but in the night wee vse lights as a comfort against darknesse The same saith Augustin Eusebius others whose Testimonies are often vsed And Lactantius asketh whether they be wel in their wits or no that offer candles and lightes to the Author and giuer of all light
such Incense as this in the lawe was and that also shadowed that no creature is to be prayed vnto but this honor reserued only to God Euery Morning and Euening this Incense was offered vp that so might bee shadowed the continuall vse and exercise of prayer both when wee rise and when wee goe to rest The Apostle therefore commandeth true CHRISTIANS to pray continually Thinke with your selfe I pray you as you reade this Note what fearefull negligence is in this behalfe and for your owne part neuer be guilty in it but let the Lord smell your swéete odours Morning and Euening at least sent vp to him which many wayes he assureth you are to him acceptable and to your selfe most profitable Last of all Note it that this Altar of inceÌ„se was once in a yeere sprinkled with the blood of the expiatorie sacrifice to signifie so that no prayer auaileth any thing with God vnlesse he or she that prayeth be reconciled to God in the blood of his Sonne Iesus Christ the true sacrifice of reconciliation So haue you this figure of the lawe euery way leading your prayers to God only in the Name and mediation of his Sonne Christ and all other waies and meanes condemned which if you be the Lords shall so sinke in your hart as all the Inchanters of Egypt shal not remooue you from yemaner of praying You may follow the meditatioÌ„ further if you please 3 Afterward the Lord spake vnto Moses saying when thou takest the summe of the children of Israel after their number then they shall giue euery man a redemption of his life c. Unto the seuenteenth verse This is the second part or point of this Chapter concerning a Tribute raised vpon the people of Israell toward the maintetenance of the Tabernacle and what belonged thereunto and diuers things wee may obserue in it First that to number people in a Land is lawfull And if you thinke of Dauid why he was plagued for so dooing surely it was not for that he numbred the people but because he did it in a pride and confidence in mans strength which indéede is very odious before God all victory and prosperitie resting in the helpe of God and not in man or horse or any humane meanes These are things men may vse not trusting in them but in the Lord but to slip from the Lord in any measure or degrée to a confidence and vaine hope in these is most sinfull The Hebrewes say Dauid offeÌ„ded because he numbred the people and tooke not this Tribute here spoken of according to the lawe But the former opinion is more like Among the Romanes we read one Seruius â—ullus first ordained this mustering or numbering of the people that so he might know the number of able men for the warres the worth of them in worldly estate and so impose a Tribute accordingly with other such ends and vses But here neither wealth nor other such ends were respected rather obedience was aimed at and that they should professe themselues thus Gods people him their King and themselues his tributaries and so be strongly comforted euer in his protection and defence of them whose power no worldly Princes could match It was also a redemption of their liues or a matter expiatorie to them that there should be no plague among them when they were numbred How often this was is not mentioned whether euery yeare or euerie fiue yeare as it was in Rome How Moses numbred you may reade in the Booke of Numbers at large From tweÌ„ty yeares olde and vpward they were numbred and what they gaue you reade in the Text. That the poore payde as much as the rich and the rich no more than the poore it is worthy noting It was a personall tribute imposed to testifie obedience to God and therefore equally was payde to signifie that God is no respecter of persons but the poore are as déere and acceptable vnto him dooing his will as the rich we are all wholly the Lords the price of our redemption is one the precious blood of the immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus In worldly matters the rich may go before vs but in matters belonging vnto God his seruice and worship we ought to be as forward as the rich c. Againe here may you thinke what an acceptable thing to God it is to preserue the Ministerie to giue to the Church on the contrary side how odious to spoile the Ministery to take from the Church what men women of better harts than we haue gaue to the Church You sée how this was not posted ouer to Princes and great men only but euen priuate men also must ioyne in this For if he be borne to inherite Heauen he must thinke himselfe borne to maintaine the meanes that leade vs vnto Heauen Our shéepe and cattle we prouide for because they labour for vs and féede vs what hearts then should wée haue to sée them comfortably maintained that labour for vs in a far higher sort féede vs with a much better foode They draw body and soule out of the pit of death and leade them both to eternall comfort Of this tribute againe was the question mooued in Christ his time For the Romanes hauing conquered tooke this tribute to themselues which was here appointed for God and this offended much the Iews but Christ knowing these legall types were ended by his comming bad them giue Caesar that which was his God that which was his Himself also paying for himself Peter 4 This Lauer spoken of in the next place wherein the Priestes washed their hands and feet when they went to performe their office plainly resembled how with vnwashen hands we ought not to medle with holy things that is with prophane hearts tongues or mindes as they doo that reade the Scriptures not to guide their liues but to maintaine table-discourses with vnholy tongs speake most vnholy and false things drawing the Scriptures to their iudgments not framing their iudgments according to the Scripture The Pharisies were great washers of the out-side and still left the in-side very foule Such washers still the world is full of But as Christ rebuked that superstitious folly in them so hee will iudge sharpely this hypocriticall mockery in vs. These washings againe in the law had a â—urther reach béeing vsed in Faith euen vnto the inward washing of the spirit whereof they were true Sacraments to the beléeuers So you sée by Dauid in his Psalme Wash me O Lord and I shall be cleane that is inwardly inwardly O Lord by thy blessed Spirit from my foule transgression and fall So you may sée by the Prophet Esay 1. 16. 17. Wash you make you cleane how it followeth take you away the euill works from before mine eyes cease to doo euill Learne to doo well seeke iudgment relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the Widow This washing was shadowed by the other and wrought by Gods holy
Spirit as verely in all true beléeuers as they truly were partakers and vsers of outward washings So the 15. Psalme also v. 1. Lord who shall dwel in thy Tabernacle euen he that is thus washed and made cleane Read it ouer your selfe 5. In the 23. v. it followeth thus Take vnto thee principall spices of the most pure myrrhe so much of sweete Cynamon so much c. Thou shalt make hereof the holy anointing oyle euen a most precious oyntment wherewith all things appertaining to the Tabernacle were anointed and the Priestes ver 25. c. No man might vse this for his priuate vse c. This holy and most excellent oyle was a figure of the Holy Ghost without whom nothing is pure nor swéet All things were anointed therefore Priest Arke Table Candelsticke c. to teach that all the exercises of Religion are vtterly vnprofitable without the inward working of the Holy Ghost in our harts by whoÌ„ only we are made partakers of Christ his holines Priuate vses it might not serue vnto nor be for strangers to maintain the reputatioÌ„ of it to kéep vnder the proud desires of corrupt minds The note in your margin coÌ„cerning straÌ„ gers may be looked on Of the perfume the like is saide and happie were men if all these could make them sée how things belonging to Gods seruice ought not to be transferred to priuate vses The Romish Church hath taken vpon her still dooth to imitate this ointment perfume and therefore their Priests shewe that they are rather Priestes of the law than Ministers of the Gospell and by continuing these Ceremonies of the law they as much as they can labour to teach that Christ the end of these Ceremonies is not yet come What a stirre they make in imitatioÌ„ of this oyle who is able to repeat without laughter The mitred Bishop he charmes the oyle with certaine words whispered and muttered ouer it then he breatheth vpon it with his vnswéet breath Twelue Priests stand by readie which one after one come and breath into the cup where the oyle is Then the Bishop addeth more Charming prayers and maketh mention of Moses and Aaron of Dauid Kings Prophets and Martys desiring that this Chrisme or ointment when it is made may haue power to coÌ„fer vpoÌ„ men such gifts as they in their times were partakers of With the oyle he mingleth a quantity of balme and then prayeth againe At length a Deacon taketh away the cloth that couered the cup then bowing himselfe he saith All hayle holy Chrisme thrée times ouer lifting his voice higher and higher he kisseth the lipp of the cup the like doo the 12. Priestes in a row one after another and then it is a goodly ointment as they say Now where haue they learned in Gods book these toies let it be noted for our good they are wholly apishe in all their dooings setling their own deuises as holy matters for Gods people c. In their perfumes censers they are as childish againe and will not sée it But let this suffice of this Chap. CHAP. 31. 1. THe Lord hauing thus appointed a Tabernacle to be made it pleaseth him now to giue gifts to men to be able to work and make these goodly thinges appointed to be made And this vse I would make of it to learne that he which thus prouided for the building of his earthly Tabernacle assuredly will neuer be carelesse of raising vp the spirituall only let vs be carefull to prouide that they may haue a cheerefull maintenaÌ„ce that worke this spirituall work as they had that wrought this earthly worke 2 In that the Lord saith he had called by name Bezaleel it may comfortably assure vs that such a care hath the Lord of vs as euen our very Names are knoweÌ„ vnto him He knew the Citie called Damascus he knew the stréete in it which was called Streight he knew the house the rooms vpper nether the furniture c. He knew Ananias Name SimoÌ„ the Tanners Name and here Bezaleel his Name We accompt it a great matter to be known by Name to the King here on earth how much more should we ioy to be known so particularly to the King of Heauen He that best knoweth what is true comfort nameth this by the Prophet Esay saying Feare not Iacob for I haue called thee by thy Name thou art mine The like in Cyrus Chap. 45. v. 4. and in other places Reioyce that your Names are written in Heauen saith the Gospell 3 In that God saith he had filled these workmen with the Spirit of God in wisdom and vnderstanding and in knowledge and in workmanship it plainly sheweth that handy-crafts are the works of Gods Spirit therefore ought to be duely estéemed In the Prouerbs of Salomon it is said The Lord hath made both these euen the eare to heare the eye to see meaning that both in Gouernours and Crafts-men Wisedome and skill to doo the worke well is of the LORD Thanks are to be giuen to this gratious GOD for raising vp in all ages such Men. And their cunning workes consequently may bee vsed so that pride and vanity be abandoned Nay note the words againe in the Text and you may sée that not only the first gift in these things is of the LORD but all increase and going-forward in the same For the LORD saith it is of HIM that they shal be able TO FINDEOVT CVRIOVS WORKES that is to deuise more and more daylye 4 Notwithstanding keepe ye my SABBATH c A place neuer to be forgotten touching the LORDS care of the SABBATH for he will not haue his owne worke medled withall on that daye O what can we thinke of our workes His Tabernacle-builder must be forbidden and our buildings must go on Reade and féele that place in Ieremie with a tender heart If the SABBATH bee kept Kings and Princes shall enter in at the gates c. that is the Gouernment shall stand and flourish if not the LORD will kindle a fire in the gates thereof and it shall deuoure the places of Ierusalem and it shall not bee quenched that is the LORD will ouerthrow all with a very fearefull destruction Hee is the same nowe that then and his glorie as déere to him Let it mooue vs. 5 When the Lord had made an end of communing with Moses he gaue him two Tables of stone writteÌ„ with the FINGER of GOD. By which name of the FINGER OF GOD Saint Augustine saith the holy-Ghost was signified Neque enim Deus forma corporis definitus est nec sic in illo membra et digiti cogitandi sunt quemadmodum videmus in nobis sed quiaper Spiritum Sanctum dona Dei sanctis sic diuiduntur vt â—uÌ„ diuersa possint non tamen discedaÌ„t a concordia charitatis in digitis enim maxime apparet quaedam diuisio non tamen ab vnitatepraescisio Siue propterea siue propter
in this matter The third part 1 THen Moses prayed and said O Lord c. Heere héere then sée A faithful Magistrate A faithfull Minister A true Shepeheard ouer his people coÌ„mitted to him of God Who knoweth what iudgements godly Gouernours turne away by their earnest intercession to God for their people We sée this place we read what Hester did and the mercie of God is plaine for their sakes It should worke in vs all loue and obedience and dutie to them and make vs day and night pray for the continuance of them Treasons and treacheries raylings and reuilings slaunders and defamations wrongs and iniuries any way are not fit requitals of such good receiued by them and for them This prayer of Moses if you marke it is most vehement as comming from a mooued heart and vseth vehement and vrging arguments vnto God As first of his fauour all waies extended to them vers 11. Secondly of his glorie which would be obscured by the Aâ—gyptians lewd speaches if he destroyed them ver 12. Thirdly of his promises made vnto their fathers Abraham Isaac and Israel the trueth whereof might not be violated vers 13. with which the Lord moued in mercie stayeth as you see Such Reasons serue euen at this day and may be vsed to the Lord in our prayers Hee hath béene good to vs infinite waies and we may intreat him by these passed fauours to vouchsafe future and to stay his wrath which we haue deserued Nothing more commonâ—with Dauid in euerie Psalme if you marke it Againe euen by our punishment the enemie will be proud and speake euill they will call both himselfe and his truth into question and ecclipse his glorie to the vttermost His promises also we haue most richly and therefore in all these respects we may craue pardon and doing of it heartely with true repentance and purpose to amend he is the same God still and we shall finde fauour 2 Upon this earnest praier the Lord saith the text v. 14. changed his minde from the euill which he threatned to doe vnto his people with which comfort Moses came away and drawing neere the host he first heard the noyce of singing vers 18. for they were making merrie about their new God then comming nearer he saw the Calfe and the dancing vers 19. But then although he were the meekest man in the world yet his wrath waxed hote and he cast the Tables out of his hands and brake them in peeces beneath the mountaine Which breaking of the first Tables allegorically shewed that the law of God lighting vpon our vnregenerated nature is brokeÌ„ as it were and by the meanes of our inabilitie cannot iustifie vs. But the second written tables are put in the Arke that is when God by his Spirit worketh in vs we are regenerated and the law is obeyed of vs though not fully yet in measure this imperfect obedience is made perfect by Christ Aug. Magno etiam mysteris figurata est iteratio Testamenti noui qucniam vetus erat abolendum constituendum nouum Quaest 144. By a great mysterie the abrogating of the olde Testament by the comming of the new was figured But vnderstand Augustine rightly Then he tooke the Calfe which they had made and burned it in the fire and ground it to powder and strowed it vpon the water and made the children of Israel drinke of it vers 20. Partly to despight them and partly that they should haue no occasion to remember it After he rebuked Aaron vers 21. And if Aaron now elect High priest a Figure of Christ be so sharply rebuked of Moses surely great men must be reprooued and it is a cursed doctrine that though the Pope should carrie thousands of soules to hell yet no man may say Sir why do you thus Secondly in matters concerning the glorie of God we must rebuke euen our néere ones as others no place for affection After that he called for such as would reuenge this wrong done to the Lord vers 26. and the sonnes of Leui gathering to him he bad euerie man put his sword by his side goe to and fro from gate to gate through the host slay euerie man his brother euerie man his companioÌ„ euerie man his neighbour vers 27. so that there fell of the people the same day about three thousand men vers 28. This was the zeale of his heart to the glorie of God it must be a glasse for vs to look in whilst we liue in this world The Lord hath placed the commaundements in the Decalogue the petitions in the Lords prayer which concern his honor before those which coÌ„cerne our selues to teach vs that we ought to prefer his glorie before all worldly things yea euen life it selfe if they come in Question together Thus did Shadrach Meshach and Abednego thus did Daniel when he he opened his window and made his prayer to God notwithstanding that cruell law thus did the Mother and her seuen sonnes in the Machabees thus did Elias Phinees Dauid and others Thus did not olde Heli and therefore the Lord smote him Mine eyes gush out with teares saith the holy Prophet because men keepe not thy law And doe not I hate them that hate thee and am grieued with them that rise against thee Yea I hate them right sore euen as though they were mine enemies He that loueth Father or mother more than mee is not worthie of mee And he that loueth Sonne or Daughter more than mee is not worthie of mee c. 3 And when the Morning came Moses said vnto the people yee haue committed a grieuous crime but now I will goe vp to the Lord if I may pacifie him for your sinne Moses therefore went againe vnto the Lord and said Oh this people haue sinned a great sinne and haue made them gods of Gold Therefore now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercie shall appeare but if thou wilt not I pray thee rase me out of the booke which thou hast written When Moses had fought on Gods part with the sword now he striueth for the people with his prayer so both true to God in a holy zeale and carefull of his people in the bowels of loue was this holy man this faithfull Gouernour and leader of this multitude Anotable example for all Magistrates and all Ministers euer to follow But heere is more than I said in the former Note For here is a preferring of Gods Glorie before euen life and comfort eternall which is farre more than this temporall life and all the ioyes of it So shall you sée in Saint Paule to the Romanes and what a measure of Gods holy Spirit it was consider you Farre are we from this that preferre euerie small profit and pleasure before this glorie of God and yet say we hope to be saued as well as they A true féeling of our owne iniquitie herein may much amend vs hereafter and God for
Gouernment is of God and God in Gouernours and is honoured greatly euer was and will be 9 Keepe diligently that which I commaund thee this daye and beholde I will cast out before thee the Amorites c. Who subdueth enemies casteth them out God and God onely man is but by his meanes and preuaileth and faileth as the Lord will Why dooth God subdue That wée may keepe and keepe diligently what he commandeth doo this and prosper as shall be good euer doo it not and vaine shall all strength bée when the Lords patience is expired and Iustice taken in hand Publikely and priuately this is true thinke of it 9 Take heede thou make no compact with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest lest they be the cause of thy ruine among you It séemeth cruel if the inhabitaÌ„ts would yeeld and submit themselues not to receiue them But learne here and euer that God is the true line of mercie and where he condemneth beware pittie For that is to condemne him and to exalt thy selfe aboue him in mercie Because saith the Prophet to Benhadad thou hast let him go whom I appointed to die thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people Lest saith this Text they be the cause of thy ruine False Religion you sée in the end worketh destruction and how then is it policie how better for a Common-wealth as some Romish Catholiks vainly haue written Thirdly Thou shalt ouerthrow their Altars c. Then no tolleration to be had of two Religions in one GouernmeÌ„t If the Lord be God he must be worshipped but if Baal be he he must be worshipped solely and only not GOD and Baal both Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue God is a ielous God and will not giue his glorie to another Dauid a Prince truly religious saith Their offerings of blood will not I offer neither make mention of their names within my lips Princes destroying Idolatrie and purging the Church are renowned in Scripture with a blessed memorie Salomon for his mingling was plagued Valentinian sought of Ambrose a Church in Millan for the Arrians and Ambrose denyed it c. But by whom are the Altars to be broken downe By the Magistrate onely or by priuate men also and by euery one that is zealous Surelie publike things by publike persons in authoritie Constantine Theodosius and such like But for priuate things priuate men may doo them as Iacob purged his owne house of his Wiues Idols And the Councill coÌ„demneth Maisters that will suffer in their houses images and not take them away Priuate men to meddle with publike things is dangerous Paul came to Athens and found an Altar yet he threw it not down The Councill decreed that he which beeing not a Magistrate should breake downe an Image and be slaine in the fact should not be numbred among Martyrs Theodoret maketh mention of Auda a Bishop who ouerthrew Pyreum Persarum and saith thus that a priuate man ouerthrewe this I praise it not c. Extraordinary instincts God hath giuen but let men take heede they be not deceiued Gideon had Gods instinct euery motion to such matters must not be such a warrant Ambrose defendeth the Bishop that burned the Iewish Synagogue and reckoneth one among Martyrs which in the time of Iulian threw downe an Altar and was condemned Our owne times haue yeelded some examples But you see all are not of one minde Therefore beware of false spirits that will rashly write of reformation without tarrying for the Magistrate So euery man may bee a Magistrate and the swéete societie of man with man turned to blood and slaughter Some yet are too milde and they tell vs Idolatrie must first bee taken out of the heart by true teaching c. They say well that true teaching goeth before but what then Therefore is the Magistrates worke excluded No. For are not the sinnes against the second Table also to be taken out of the hart by teaching and yet I hope the magistrate may concurre with teaching and punish theeues and murderers and adulterers c Much more in the first Table touching Gods honour and seruice 10 Mariage with thâ—se Idolaters is forbidden and I wish it marked I haue els where touched it and the curse of God is often so great vpon such matches as I wonder at the presumptuous prouoking of Gods wrath that I sée in many A Recusants liuing is respected and bodie and soule destroyed for euer The father wilfull throweth his déere childe away and neuer thinketh of the iudgment he shall haue with God at his fearefull daye for the same I know where I am and I stay God in mercie worke féeling and true repentance Tertullian perswadeth Christian Widowes to take heede of these mariages Salomon was ouerthrowne by them c. 11 When Moses came downe from the mountaine Aaron and all the children of Israel looked vpon him and behold the skin of his face shone bright and they were afraide to come neere him Diuers and sundrie causes might cause the Lord thus to change Moses face First to assure him by this outward token that his prayers were accepted and Gods fauour againe restored to the people Secondly that thus the lawe written in the two Tables now the second time and Moses also the Minister of the law might receiue authoritie and dutifull regard with the people Thirdly that it might note Moses to shine with heauenly knowledge and Wisdome instructed by the Lord for the good of the people Fourthly to note that Ministers faces that is their outward actions and words which appeare to men should glister shine So let your light shine that meÌ„ may see your good works c. Fiftly to shadow that the law which Moses now represented is onely bright and shining in the face that is outwardly for the righteousnesse of them that obserue the lawe for outward actions is onely a seeming iustice shining before men who looke no further than to the out-ward apparance but before God who séeth the heart and reines it is none Whereas the righteousnesse of Christ is all glorious within and without Sixtly to teach that the law lightneth the conscience which is as the face of the in-ward man making it sée and know sinne but the minde it lightneth not wich any faith to saue from sinnes Christ onely dooing that by his holy Spirit c. Therefore the people feare and dare not approach the lawe euer striking a terrour into the harts of them that behold their sins in it and by it Moses himselfe saith your Chapter knew not of this glorie of his face And modest men are not carried away with knowledge of their own gifts but are as it were ignorant of them Socrates when all men iudged him most learned yet of himselfe held this both thought and spéech That he knew nothing And in matter of our almes
withall or indure This fire comming first from Heauen and thus preserued still preached vnto them by figure that aswell did their Sacrifices and seruices duly performed according to the Law please God as that did when first God sent his fire from Heauen to consume it in token of approbation which surely was a great comfort to their consciences and a mightie proppe to fainting fearing weake Faith This fire thus mayntayned and kept with all care and not suffered euer to goe out taught them and still may teach vs to be carefull to kéepe in the fire of Gods holy spirit that it neuer die nor go out within vs. The fire is kept in with wood with breath or blowing and with ashes so is Gods Spirit kept in that holy and happy fire by honest life as by wood by true sighes of vnfained repentance as by breath or blowing and by méeke humilitie as by soft ashes O that we may haue care to kéepe it in what should I say This continued fire taught then and though it be now gone and abrogated may still teach vs now to be carefull to kéepe in amongst vs the fire of Gods Word the true preaching of his Truth to the saluation of our soules Foolish men foolishly will imitate this Law by maintening of lights and Lampes candels and tapers to burne continually but let vs care to preserue this Lampe and Light of Gods Gospell amongst vs that it goe not out and God shall be pleased We and ours bettered in his blessing It had bene a hainous sinne then to suffer the fire of the Altar to goe foorth and can wée thinke it is no sinne now by taking away the maintenance to serue our gréedy couetousnesse to put out this fire from amongst vs and all Gods people about vs GOD make Patrons thinke of it and giue them conscience before there be no more time for mercie Fitly is the Preaching of the Gospell shadowed by the fire vpon the Altar consuming the Burnt-offering For the fire hath these properties it shineth and giueth light it heateth it consumeth it tryeth so the Preaching of the Gospell Thy Word is a Lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my path S. Peter calleth it a Candle in a darke place and many Scriptures teach the shining light of it The heate in like sort Did not our hearts burne within vs whilest he talked with vs and opened the Scriptures The fire kindled and I spake with my tongue saith the Psalme and as fire it pleased the Holy Spirit to appeare at Pentecost to shew this fruite of effect of the Word preached by their mouthes it heateth the heart to all good life and maketh vs zealous of good workes The drosse of our corruption by degrées it washeth the stubble of our fancies it burneth-vp and consumeth so that we abhorre the sinnes we haue bene pleased with and hate the remembrance of euill passed Lastly it tryeth Doctrine and seuereth Truth from error it tryeth men and discouereth Hypocrites All worthy Motiues to make vs carefull to preserue this fire perpetually amongst vs whilest we liue and in a holy zeale to prouide for it also when we are dead So shall we liue béeing dead Nay so shall we assuredly neuer die but with immortall soules and neuer dying tongues praise his Name that liueth foreuer and will haue vs with him This is the Ceremonie of the fire 6 The next Ceremonie is concerning the Ashes of the Burnt-offering wherin your Chapter saith thus ver 10. And the Priest shal put on his linnen-garment shall put on his linnen breeches vpō his flesh take away the ashes when the fire hath consumed the Burnt-offering vpon the Altar he shall put them beside the Altar c to the 14. vers First concerning these linnen-breeches you sée the Law for them to be made Exod. 28. 42. with the Reason of the same modestie and comelinesse in their Ministrie This putting-off their garments figured that bareing of our Sauiour Christ when hée suffered from his Garments so that as the Priest héere layd aside the clothes he ware and put his linnen-breeches about his nakednesse euen so was the Lord Iesus stripped out of all his clothes and onely with his nakednesse couered nayled vpon the Crosse for our sake Some haue said also that this laying aside of their garments shadowedout that laying aside as it were of his Diuinitie whilest in his humanitie hée truely suffered vpon the Crosse Not that euer there was any reall seperation betwixt his Natures that being impossible but because his God-head did as it were hide it selfe by not shewing his Power that the decréed Saluation of man by the meanes also decréed might be effected The carying the ashes foorth without the Hoste notably figured-out the suffering and buriall of Christ with-out the Citie of Hierusalem which was performed The ashes were to be put in a cleane place not prophaned or abused or carelesly cast away so to note that although Christ his body should dye and be as ashes in the conceite of men yet should that body reuiue againe and must not be putrified but put in a cleane place euen a newe Tombe wherein neuer any man lay before c. 7 In the 14. verse and so to the 19. The Ceremonies of the Meat-offering are more fully set down thā they were before in the second Chapter That the remnant should be the Priests was before said but it was not layde-downe how Aaron and his sonnes should vse this remnant Wherefore now it is further added That they should eate it vers 16. But how It shall be eaten without Leauen in the holy Place in the court of the Tabernacle The Males onely might eat it and not women c. What Leauen vsually in Scripture signifieth you haue heard before Namely corrupt doctrine and bad life with either which the Lord would not haue his Priestes stained In the holy Place onely and not else-where must they eate it to signifie that onely in the Church is the benefit of Christ to be had and not out of the Church The branch beareth not fruite but in the Uine and the Uine is onely in the Uine-yard This Church is not a building of lyme and stone but a societie of Christian people among whom the Gospell is truly preached the Sacraments duely and rightly administred and who with one consent firmely beléeue that they haue remission of sinnes and life euerlasting not by the merits of mans righteousnesse but by and for the merites and righteousnes of the Lord Iesus onely To be in the Church therfore is not to be in the place of Lyme and stone built to méete in but to be one of this number that holdeth and beléeueth as all Patriarks and Prophets Apostles and Martyrs and all the faithfull Elect of God euer haue done from the beginning of man and hereafter shall doe to the ende of the world who all as
trusted too much to Nature and the other to Fortune As a Spiders webbe so is a mans greatnes in this world soone wiped away with a little whiske Often therefore thinke of Saint Iohns words Loue not this world neither the things that are in the world If any man loue this world the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in this world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world And this world passeth away and the lust therof but hee that fulfilleth the Will of GOD abideth for euer 7 But was Aaron hated of God because this fearefull happe fell vpon his Children No no. Therefore learne to stay your hastie nature from iudging rashly and bée not caryed away by a pratling world Euer remember what Crosse is layd héere not vpon a meane man in the Church but vpon him that had the highest place that was a Figure of Christ and accepted of him and meditate of it much with your selfe for your comfort c. 8 Note in the 4. and 5. verses the maner of bury all not in the Hoste but without in the fields prepared and kept for such vse Where was then the superstitious conceite of Churches and Church-yards Their friendes and kins-men cary them foorth to buriall and the custome is still commendable amongst vs. 9 After Moses said vnto Aaron and vnto Eleazar and Ithamar his sonnes vncouer not your heads neither rent your clothes least yee die and lest wrath come vpon all the people but let your brethren all the House of Israell bewayle the burning which the Lord hath kindled In this case it was not lawfull for Aaron and his sonnes to mourne least they should séeme to preferre their carnal affection to God his iust iudgement And it is a great Caueat to all such as desire to gouerne themselues in an acceptable course Of mourning for the dead and the maner of Nations differing in the same more may be said in the 19. Chapter 10 But the people here might mourne that it might euer be learned noted and remembred how néerely and truely the griefe of the Minister should touch a louing and godly people But where where is such a people God forbid but wée should assure our selues there is a portion that doth thus although al that reape the labours aswell as they dee it not And let it bée a faithfull Ministers comfort euer that mee loue him and suffer with him in any griefe of his than hée knoweth off I know what I say and my soule blesseth the Lord for my experience in this poynt My infirmities are many and my weaknesse to doe seruice hath euer béene great I know it I acknowledge it in humilitie before him that knoweth whether I lye or no. Yet hath it béene his good pleasure euer since I was first a Minister to shew himselfe strong in my weaknesse and to giue a gracious blessing to my poore Labours in diuers places that I might well learne it is all one to him to worke with small gifts and with great And touching the thing I spake of I haue found this loue in some for my onely Ministerie sake that I haue béene aduertised by writing of matters much concerning mée and to this day could neuer learne and know who they were The Lord reward it ten thousand folde into their bosomes if they bée liuing and vpon theirs if they be gone to God Thus much breaketh from mée in this place out of a thankfull heart to GOD and to them and for a true comfort to my Brethren in this Land lighting vpon these my weake labours that besides their owne experience they know also mine that howsoeuer all are not kinde and louing where wée liue and labour yet more are our faithfull friends than wée know And therefore let vs goe on through all reports good and bad and through all crosses great and small doe the worke whereunto wée are called and rest vp-vpon him that will neuer faile vs nor let vs fall 11 And they did according to Moses commandement saith the Text. So will the rod of God waken his people and worke obedience For which cause the Lord often layeth it where hée loueth not willing as himselfe saith the death of a sinner but rather that hee may turne and liue 12 Thou shalt not drink wine nor strong drinke thou nor thy sonnes with thee when yee come into the Tabernacle of the Congregation lest yee die This is an Ordinance for euer throughout your Generations That yee may put difference betwixt the holy and the vnholy and betweene the cleane and the vncleane And that yee may teach the Children of Israel all the Statutes which the Lord hath commanded them by the hand of Moses Sobrietie is a vertue fit for all men but especially for Ministers of the Word and Sacraments Thus much in this Law the Lord shadowed and wée may truely learne wine was forbidden them absolutely when their turne came to minister but now that Law bindeth not Yet to Sobrietie with wine and without wine we are euer bound Let a Minister saith the Apostle be no drinker of wine meaning disorderly and vnfitly for otherwise Timothie is exhorted to drinke a little wine for his stomacke-sake and his often infirmities To all men the same Apostle saith againe Bee not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but bee fullfilled with the spirit c. The reason added that thus they might be sound and sincere Interpreters of the Law For the chiefe Office of the Priests was not to kill beastes and offer Sacrifices but to haue knowledge and to teach the people the difference betwixt the true God and false Idolles betwixt holy things and prophane betwixt right prayer and wrong concerning the Law and sinne and grace c. according to the Prophet Malachies Speach The lippes of the Priest shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hostes. But here is no thought in this Law of any proud and Anabaptisticall separation of our selues from the fellowshippe of our Brethren and the vnitie of the Church vnder a colour that wée are holy and others prophane Beware we euer of such Doctrine and such Teachers 13 Then Moses said to Aaron and vnto Eleazar and Ithamar his sonnes that were left Take the Meat-offering c. This is added to comfort and strengthen the shaken hearts of Aaron and his liuing sonnes who might by this strange punishment haue béene driuen into doubt whether euer the Lord would bée pleased that they should meddle againe with the Sacrifices And we sée therein a swéete and gracious God who maketh not his promises voyd to all for the faults of some but only teacheth to beware by other mens harmes Wée must therefore cleaue to our Calling and euen so much
as the Dogge that returneth to his vomit Or the Swine that walloweth in the myre that is wickedly filthily and beastly This taught Irenaeus many yeares agoe and both for his antiquitie and worthinesse let vs marke his words They that haue the Pledge of the Spirit saith hée and serue the concupiscence of the flesh but subiect themselues to the Spirit and reasonably behaue themselues in all things rightly of the Apostle are called spirituall because the Spirit of GOD dwelleth in them And they that cast away the Counsaile of the Spirit and serue the pleasures of the flesh liuing vnreasonably and vnbridledly following their sinfull desires hauing no working of the Spirit but liuing as dogges or swine rightly hee calleth carnall because they sauour of nothing but the flesh And the Prophets for the selfe same cause compared them to bruite and vnreasonable beasts as to fed-Horses neighing after their Neighbours wiues c. Dauid also in the Psalme Man being in honour hath no vnderstanding but is compared to the beasts that perish c. Now all these things are done Figuratiuely to note cleane and vncleane persons as before For they that haue a true Faith and a good life by meditating in the Word are such as diuide the hoofe and chew the cudde and they are cleane Such doe neither or but the one are vncleane as hee that beleeueth in GOD but liueth not well or hee that liueth in an outward honestie but beleeueth nor rightly hee also that doth neither liue well nor beleeue well all these are vncleane The Iewes saith this Father may be sayd in some sort to chewe the cudde because they read the Scriptures but they diuide not the hoofe because they beleeue not in the Sonne of GOD Christ Iesus as well as in the Father To this effect Irenaeus Others haue by cleane beasts parting the hoofe noted the true Teachers of the Word which diuide the same aright the Lawe and the Gospell Praecepts and promises c. They againe say others may be well called cleane diuiding the hoofe who doe not beléeue in great or in grosse but discerne and distinguish things as Christ and Moses Nature and Grace Truth and falshood c. Not beleeuing euery spirit but trying the Spirits whether they be of God or no. Things may not bée taken euer litterally And againe we may not be too bold with Mysteries and Allegories leauing the letter but a true wisedome is to be prayed for and vsed in both Hee that is spirituall saith the Apostle discerneth all things That for diuiding and be wise vnto Sobrietie that for beeing too busie in deuising Mysteries For chewing the Cudde They may bée said to doe it and so to be cleane who meditate of that they heare and learne out of Gods Booke and often repeating it in their mindes ponder it in their heart as is said of the blessed Virgin A thing much commended in the Scripture as in the first Psalme Blessed is that man that meditateth in the Law of God day and night Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my hart be alway acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength my Redemer Isaac went out to meditate c. Commended also by the Fathers Meditatio Dei dulcis est To meditate of God is a sweete thing Saith Saint Augustine Meditatione pericula agnoscimus oratione euadimus And by meditation saith Saint Bernard Wee know perils by prayer we auoyd them 2 Your Chapter nameth many particulars which were but curiositie to stand on A few may be touched for example sake The Cony was vncleane because hee cheweth the cudde and diuideth not the hoofe And by this some haue thought were figured out such men and women as lay vp their treasures in earth because the Conies digge and scrape and make their berryes in the earth whereas the Scripture teacheth vs not to doe thus but to lay vp our treasures in Heauen where no theefe no moth c. These men and women are vncleane and God will haue none of them 3 The Hare was also vncleane for the same cause because hee cheweth the cudde but diuideth not the hoofe The Hare is a very fearefull creature and therefore by him figured out fearefull men and women despayring of grace and shrinking from God fearing crosses and losses and forsaking Faith Such persons are vncleane and excluded out of the Kingdome of GOD. Read Apoc. chap. 21. But the fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhominable and murtherers and whore-mongers and forcerers and Idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and Brimstone which is the second death 4 The Swyne was vncleane beause hee parteth the hoofe but cheweth not the cudde and of their flesh they might not eate nor touch their carkeise c. Tertullian saith Herein was figured such vncleane persons as bee good for nothing but to be slaine For if you consider what a creature the Swyne is Hee neuer looketh vp to Heauen but hath his mouth euer in the earth and myre caring for nothing but his belly Hee serueth not to ride vpon as doth the horse to till the ground as doth the Oxe to giue milke as doth the Cowe to cloath vs with his fléece as doth the Sheepe to watch by night for vs as doth the Dogge and so foorth but he is onely nourished for the knife and his death hath vse his life hath none Such ought not men and women to bée and if any be such they are vncleane God would admonish the Iewes by this Figure and still we may learne by it to be no Swyne no Hogge no filthy myrie creatures wallowing in sinne and vncleanes without regard and féeling louing the earth and looking euer on the earth rooting in it all the day and féeding the belly with all gréedinesse nourished onely to the slaughter and profiting no way whilest we liue A profitable meditation for Gods children that they may so continue and a profitable remembrance to others not yet called that they may become his children A good caueat to rich Cormorants in this world who neuer profite any till they dye with all the wealth they haue A knife therefore for the Hogge that wée may haue Puddings and death for such Wretches that the Common-wealth may haue vse of their bagges 5 From the Land Your Chapter commeth to the Water and so from the beastes to the Fishes therin vers 9. shewing what was cleane and what vncleane what might be eaten and what might not But Fishes in particular are not named as the beastes were the Fowles afterward are because the most part was vnknowen to Iewes hauing little vse or none of Fish and few Waters or none but Iordan for Fresh-fish Sea-fish was sold néerer the East and came not to the Iewes much where they were By the markes therefore God describeth them and saith Whatsoeuer hath finnes and skales in the Waters
But yet God knoweth them and â—ee is iust if they amend not No gaudie gallants can deceiue him but his eyes pierce through all Maskes and colours whatsoeuer Allegorically some haue saide these things in the Leaper shadowed the state and case of all wicked men and women As the rent clothes that they are vile and odious before God his bare-head that in Christ their head they haue no portion but are depriued of him his lippes or mouth couered that such gracelesse persons cannot open their mouthes before God in any praier to be heard his shutting out of the Campe that such are to bée excommunicate from the number of the faithfull and are depriued of the heauenly inheritance c. Sée more the 22. Chapter 6 In the 47. ver you read of the Leprosie of garments c. Which kinde of contagion and infection the Lord in his infinite mercie hath made vs ignorant of The washing commaunded here of such garments admonished them and in them still vs that our dutie is to abstaine from all vncleannesse and to purge our selues from all pollution both of body and spirit If garments may haue such things layd vppon them by God how much more our flesh and our bodyes and therefore againe thinke with all thankfull thoughts of the blessing of health and of the meanes vouchsafed of God for health as Prayer Physitions Chirurgions Hearbs and Medicines many whereof the wise Syrach speaketh in his 38. Chap. reade it often and with feeling One sight of your face in a glasse as the Lord could smite it in a moment would make you féele and sée what God doth for you in giuing health and fréedome from such strange sores c. 7 Much more might bée noted in this Chapter but it is fitter for Physitions and therefore I passe it ouer Onely I will remember a Question mooued whether for any such fearefull infections a man and wife may bée diuorced and leauing all large discourse which they that are fit may haue in many Writers I answere bréefly that more causes of diuorce than wée read in Scripture wée may not presume to make and that is but in the case of Adulterye This excepted the Rule standeth firme Whom God hath ioyned together let no man put asunder Secondly it were a kinde of bitter crueltie to adde such affliction to the afflicted so sore alreadie as to take husband from wife or wife from husband who mutually should comfort each other in all extremites and crossing woes of this changing world and with that condition haue béen ioyned and plighted their troth one to the other that in sicknesse as well as health they would cleaue together forsaking all others till the death of one of them But then againe on the other side as cruell and inconvenient it were to bynde the partie cleane to company and due beneuolence with the infected For this were euident danger to the cleane and to the seede that should come of them in that case and so consequently to the Common-wealth also by the spreading of such a fearefull maladie in it Wherefore the middle-way is best for all parties Namely that the knot of Mariage remaine vnbroken and the partie cleane performe all Offices of helpe and comfort to the vncleane sauing coniunction of bodyes that the partie infected sée how hée is called of God vnto Chastity during this case of his and therefore by Dyet by Watching and Prayer and all good meanes indeuour to kéepe his body vnder from such desires laying his sinnes to his heart for which this much more is due vnto him although happily imposed vppon him not for his sinne but for his tryall and the glorie of God and yet taking a true and comfortable hold vpon his God whose mercie hath neither bottome nor measure and who hath promised most graciously that hée will neuer lay more vpon any childe of his than hee shall be able to beare but will giue an yssue to the temptation and tryall that he may beare it Thus God hath his time to heale as well as to stricke to comfort aswell as to afflict and to wipe all teares away aswell as to cause them any way Looke vp then to him and euer trust in him Say with Iob in a holy chéerefulnesse If the Lord shall kill mee I will not shrinke from him With Heli and Dauid It is hee it is hee let him doe his good pleasure His correction hath an ende but his loue shall neuer haue an ende if I submit my selfe and bée patient Let friends also be full of comfort to such a one and not by the least looke word or action adde griefe vnto griefe God will sée it and reward it CHAP. XIIII NOw that it is most true God hath a time to heale as well as to strike and to comfort aswell as to grieue behold your selfe in this Chapter where you shall read that many thus afflicted were in God his goodnesse healed againe and restored both to their houses in the host and their places in the Tabernacle as sound as euer they were The Ceremonies of this restitution are here also appointed both to the one place and the other whereof let vs labour to make some good vse to our selues 1 Hee was brought vnto the Priest as to him that must iudge whether hee was cleane or no and why the Priest was so appoynted to be Iudge you had the reason in the beginning of the former Chapter But where must hee be brought vnto the Priest into the Campe Congregation where the Priest was No but the Priest saith the Text shall goe out of the Campe and consider him So is it still the dutie of all faithfull Ministers to goe to the sicke to sée them and consider their estate toward God ministring comfort to them in due season whilest their hearing is good their vnderstanding good and their memorie good For when these things are decayed we labour often to little purpose And would God both they that are sicke had more care often to send for their Ministers to them in due time and the Ministers when they know it to goe and with all care and diligence to labour with them whilest time serueth For it is too late for both parties when Death hath stricken his strooke 2 If the Priest thus comming to him found him cleane then did hée so pronounce him to be and appoint him to offer his guift c. But except hée were cleane the Priest durst not pronounce him cleane Thus remayned the glory of his health to God that had giuen it and to the Church the vse of the Ministerie both for order and comfort Sée héerein the manner of our Absolution reteyned in the true Church of Christ and practised Wee doe not heale the sinner from his spirituall disease of soule by forgiuing his sinne as the Priest here healed not the reall disease of the body by making him sound but when wee sée heartie repentance and