1. TOuching the birth of Moses, it is no­ted, that both by father and mother he It is a strange kindred that hath none euill ofit. was of the tribe of Leui: and what Le­ui, the sonne of Iacob, did, we reade in Genesis 34. 25. verse. The blemish whereof claue vnto his posteritie af­ter: yet now you sée, God honoureth it with this great honour, that of that Tribe should come this famous Deliuerer of the whole Nati­on from such cruell bondage as now they endured. An honour surelie verie great, and we may well note in it the swéete good­nes of Almightie God, who, though some of a Tribe haue offen­ded him, and left cleauing to their name that blacknes and blot which the rest of their name neuer occasioned, yet is not for e­uer alienated thereby from the whole blood, but extendeth mer­cie and fauour, yea verie high honour to some of them as hee shall thinke good, wiping out by degrées what foule sinne had wiped on too wickedlie. How may men pray then in comfort euer? O Lord, O Lord, remember not the offences of them that haue gone before vs, but let mercie reach, notwithstan­ding their euill, to those that hartilie defied their euill. This ex­ample of God, both good Princes and all good Christians care­fullie follow, not hurting one for another, when like deseruing [Page 16] maketh them not in like sort punishable. Neuerthelesse, some there be, that, forgetting it, maintaine by an euill name of dead­lie feud, as they call it, a damnable reuenge vpon manie, and for many yéeres, against which is the forme of prayer taught vs by Christ, forgiue vs our trespasses, as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs, with many scriptures more.

2. It is said, his mother hid him thrée moneths, and Origen maketh this vse of it, that men be carefull not to doe all things A most wo­full estate of the Church. to be séene of men, but as the scripture teacheth, to shut the dore and to pray in secret, not to let the left hand knowe what the right hand doth: for feare, least, if these male-children be ex­posed to the view of men, with a longing desire to win praise, the Egiptians catch them and cast them into the riuer. But rather thinke you by these words of the wofull estate wherein this people of God then liued. What fulnes of furie was this, so bloodilie to tyrannize ouer new borne Infants, were they neuer so swéete and well fauoured, that their parents must hide them, if they would enioy them but a day? O bittertimes! O wofull mothers, when they saw themselues once conceiued with child! for if it were a man-child, their eies must see the murderers take it, and though it wept vpon father and mother, and lifted vp both little hands and eies in the pittifullest man­ner that it could, therby desiring to be saued from the destroyer, yet could they not help, it must away to the riuer, to the riuer, it must be drowned without all remorse and pitie. Let it worke in our hard hearts some true féeling of our happie fréedome from such miserie, and earnest prayer to the God of mercie, that euer he would continue freedome vnto vs.

3. It is said also the child was faire. What God had appoin­ted him for, you knowe: and now sée, how the Lord gaue, what with men might giue him more grace. Uertue in a faire bodie is more acceptable. And often in children appeareth some signe Valer. Max. lib. 3. cap. 1. of future vertue, wherewith God purposeth to endue them when they are men. Beautie and comlinesse either in men or women is the gift of God, but a greater gift it is to haue grace withall to liue vertuouslie. Sarai, Rebecca, Rachel, among women were verie faire and most vertuous withall. Salomon speaketh of others beautifull also, but not good. Prou. 6. 27. Prou. 11. 22. Ioseph, Saul, Absolon, among men were goodly personages, [Page 17] but Iosephs pietie was more glorious, than all his beautie. Thanke GOD for his mercie in your selfe and your chil­dren: and, to supplie all defects, beséech him in your prayer: you shall finde the comfort and the benefit of it. If fauour be but hard, remember S. Bernard: It is a happie black­nes Foelix nigredo, quae mentis can­dorem habet. in bodie, which is accompanied with a whitenesse in minde. Many haue béene hard fauoured, and yet endued with excellent parts. Philopaemen, a Grecian Captaine Do poenas defor­mitatis meae. Plutarch in ri­ta. verie deformed, excelled most men in Militarie matters. Acsope, very hard fauored, yet most wittie. Socrates, full of imperfections in shape, and yet who more famous for wisedome? Apollo his oracle gaue him preheminence. Thus might I tell you manie Stories: but you sée the Me­ditation sufficientlie, followe it further, as you sée cause. Blessed be God, that euery way giueth vs comfort. Xerxes, Heredotus. lib. 7. that had that huge armie, yet is said to haue béene the good­liest man of them all. Plutarch, in the life of Demetrius saith, hee was so passing in face and countenance, that no Painter or Picture-maker was able to drawe him. Of Scipio Africanus, he saith, that the Barbarians in Spaine stoode amazed at his comlinesse. Suetonius writeth of the goodlie Eie of Augustus Caesar. What an excellent perso­nage Charles the great had, Paulus Aemilius sheweth in his third booke. Maximilian the first had such a Presence & Maiestie, that a stranger is said, among 30. great Prin­ces, to have noted him out, hauing neuer séene him before. But I forget my selfe, out of a desire to giue you occasion to thinke of more.

4. But was onlie the fairenesse of the childe, that made the mother hide him? No, euerie creature thinketh his owne, faire. This therefore is somewhat, but not all, Na­ture had a sway: and yet, aboue all, Gods Spirit telleth vs of another thing, which wee must marke, namely, of faith. For, by faith, saith he, by the Apostle to the Hebrewes, Mo­ses, Heb. 11. 23. when he was borne, was hid thrée moneths by his pa­rents, because they sawe hee was a proper childe, neither [Page 18] feared they the Kings commaundement. Faith beléeued that God would one day release them, and not any longer suffer them so cruellie to be oppressed. In hope therefore of the same, they vsed meanes, hiding him, as they could, and leauing the successe to God. Their eies could not sée any way of safetie, much lesse that way, which after fell out: but their hearts hoped, their soules prayed, and vpon him they fixed both heart and soule, who is Almightie, All­mercifull, All-swéete and kinde: to his distressed seruants then néerest, when he séemeth furthest; then strongest, when hee séemeth weakest; then swéetest, when hee seemeth low­rest; and then vp in wrath to reuenge our wrongs, when the world doth thinke hee hath forgotten vs. Such faith then let vs marke, and pray for, in the euill day: doubt not the Lord, distrust not his helpe, shift along in his holy feare with such lawfull meanes, as you possiblie can: commend the blessing of them to him, and let him euer doe his owne will.

5. But (alas) she could not long keepe him thus. Three moneths she did it by secret hiding: but then, saith the Sto­rie, she could no longer: so cruell were their hearts, and so narrowe was the search, that hee must away, a case more than bitter, as hath beene saide. But what helpe now for this guiltlesse babe? See an excellent woman, An excellent woman. full of faith in her God: when she could no longer hide him, she deuised for him a little arke made of réede, and dawbed it with [...] and pitch, putting the childe in it, and setting it among the bulrushes by the riuer side, appointing her daughter (the childs sister) to watch the same: so commit­ting that thing to her mightie God, which her selfe could not keepe from a bloodie tyrant, neuer yeelding, but in hope still, euen as it were past hope, depended faithfullie and constantly vpon her God for the safetie of her child.

6. And what did the father all this while, that the scrip­ture still mentioneth the mother, saying, shee did, and shee did? Trulie of like all vexed, amazed, and tormented with [Page 19] she woe of it, stoode as a man shiftlesse, not séeing what to doe. The woman enabled by God, is the better man, quic­ker and prompter for deuise in so touching an extremitie: Womens wits haue often great effects in extremitie. shee deuiseth what hee liketh, and shee performeth what God blesseth. In the weaker vessell Gods strength was more séene, and hee doth enable them now and then for that purpose. The knowledge of it must yéeld them a fit re­gard, and men may not euer disdaine to followe them, by whom they sée God sometimes doth worke. Manie men haue béene well aduised by their wiues; and the womans counsell not followed, you reade in Scripture, hath turned sometimes to the mans woe. You remember the particu­lar, Haue not thou to doe with that iustman, with diuers others.

7. The childe thus placed by the water side, and his si­ster watching a farre off, as though she knewe not of it, to sée what would become of her little brother, what falleth out? O depth of Gods mercie and goodnes! downe com­meth that way, to wash her selfe in y^e riuer, Pharaohs daugh­ter, euen this cruell Pharaohs daughter, called of some Thermutis, & walking by the riuer side with her maydes, spies the arke among the bul-rushes, and sent her mayde to fetch it: when shee opened it, behold little Moses in it, and the poore babe wept vpon her, begging by teares (as well as it could) some mercie and pittie against the bloodie lawe of her father. Shée had compassion, and conceaued right­lie, that it was one of the Hebrewes children. By all which, what may we learne, but first, that there is no rocke more sure, nor refuge more comfortable (when mans power faileth) than Gods gracious prouidence? (for there is no temptation so great, whereunto that cannot giue an issue.) Secondly, how able God is, to dispose of men and womens courses, otherwise, than at the beginning they entended? (for this Ladie purposed onelie to walke and wash her, but God had a worke of mercie to doe by her; her purpose was one thing, and the Lords was another.) Often thus [...] [Page 22] Trulie, so often as any man or woman heare their owne name, they are accused of these things, if they be guiltie. A promise so broken, being made to God in the face of the congregation, will trouble the soule sore at the houre of death.

11. Finally, wée sée plainely by this whole discourse, how mans counsell can not hinder that, which God hath determined shall come to passe. For there is no counsell, no wisdome, no strength against the Lord. Moses must liue, and become a Deliuerer to that people, doo Pharaoh what he can. And though many poore infants were cast away to preuent his feare, yet that Infant which must effect what he so feared, is preserued aliue in despight of him, yea nourished vp by his owne daughter, in his owne bosome, to the wonder of all that reade it, to the worlds end. The like you may remewber of Herod and those infants; but this is inough of the first part of this chapter.

The second part.

1. NOw followeth the second part; namelie, of his departure both from Court and Country, which happened when hée was forty yéeres olde, as Stephen Act 7. 23. witnesseth. And, if any maruell, why it was so long? of all the reasons that are alledged, it séemeth best, that, till that time, hée had not his Calling from God to beginne that worke. Hée might consider his owne birth and paren­tage, his great preseruation and education, his Nations misery and bondage, and heartilie pittie them; but, that he was of God appointed to them a Deliuerer, he knew not, till God reuealed it, and God reuealed it not, till now, as it should séeme; for Stephen saith, it came into his minde, when he was thus olde, to visite his brethren; as if hee should say, hée now felt his calling and not before.

2. When he did feele it, and that once the Spirit of God smote his hart, then marke we, how no honours, no [Page 23] pleasures, no riches could kéepe him in the Court any lon­ger, but he rather chose to suffer aduersitie with the peo­ple of God, than to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a season, Heb. 11. 25. esteeming the rebukes of Christ greater riches, than the treasures of Egypt. For he had respect vnto the recom­pence of the reward. A notable example for all Courtiers and men of high place, that they suffer themselues not to be snared w^t any thing incident to their places so, that they may not serue y^e liuing God as they ought. For surely, if ei­ther pleasure or profit draw frō him, it is too dearely bought, Courtiers and great persona­ges. & wil lie heauie vpō their soules one day. Their dissembling there, can neuer profit Gods people, as their open professi­on would doe. But, in steade of profiting, it draweth ma­ny thousands to death with them, who obserue their steppes, and depend vpon them: which will bée laide to their charge in that great daie of the Lord, when Moses shall liue, and they die: Not all the glory they possessed in this world bée­ing able to procure them one droppe of water to coole their tougues.

3. When hee came to his brethren, he saw their bitter seruitude, burdens and slauery out of measure: hée saw ma­ny great abuses offered vnto them, wherewith hée was so farre mooued, that he laide his hands vpon one of the E­gyptians, and siue him. Not so teaching priuate men to doe without authoritie, what he did, warranted by a Cal­ling: but rightly teaching Magistrates, which haue calling to vse their Places to the reliefe of the oppressed, & instruc­ing all men as their Places will warrant them, to helpe their brethren from iust oppressors.

4. But his looking about him on euery side, when he did it, and hiding him that was slaine, argue, as you may thinke, an euill conscience, and prooue in him an vnlawfull act. No indéede, no more than it dooth in other Magistrates, that they execute iustice vpon some earely, or late, or pri­uately, to auoide sedition and tumult. This was in Moses, and in them, a godlie wisedome, prouiding warely, that [Page 24] whiles they endeauour a good, by some indiscréet handling, there grow not an euill. Some feare, if you will, I deny not to haue béene in Moses, when hée did it: & it may truly teach vs the weakenesse that sometimes is in the best seruants of God, in the very warranted works of their law­ful calling, to our comfort, if wée féele the like. And, which is swéete also, that God dooth not [...]ast away obedience per­formed to him with some feare more than it should. Wée are not greater than Moses: and therefore, (praying for strength, and dooing our best, if some vnwished weakenesse shew it selfe) let this example bée remembred.

5. It is saide in the text, that Moses came forth againe the second daie: and thereby all Magistrates may learne constancie and continuance in their care for their people. For it is not inough one day to come and sée how all goeth, as at their first entrance vpō their Office, or otherwise; but euen the second day they should doo the same, and so day by day, as occasion serueth, during the time of their Charge. The want whereof maketh many a one wring, that by more diligence would bée righted and relieued.

6. But how was he requited? Surely finding two striuing together, and admonishing them to cease from such vnbrotherly strife, streight hee was reproached by one of them, in this sort: Who made thee a man of authoritie, & a Iudge ouer vs? Thinkest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? A cléere glasse for all eies to sée in, the re­ward often giuen to good men, when they haue performed some good duties to their brethren. But it may be no dis­couragement: for GOD is in heauen, and will reward all obedience to him, paying home heauily such vnthanke­full receiuers of it.

7. Was this all? no, marke more in these vnkinde Israelites. The death of the Egyptian is brought to Pha­raohs care: so that now Moses, for his zeale and heart to Solent reges a­bundare auribus. Xenophon. relieue his country-man that was abused, must either him­selfe fall into danger, or flie the country to his disgrace. [Page 25] Not onelie therefore the vnthankefulnesse, but the measure of it is to bée obserued, for our good. For many times wée can disgest some ingratitude, but such a measure and such a manner, as is happily offered vnto vs, wée caunot. This example will helpe vs: for sure the measure héere was great, and the manner odious. Againe, for whiblers and pratling pick-thanks, tatlers, and tale-tellars, there may bée a Note of them. You sée what an auncient wéede in the world they bée: they were neuer wanting, nor will bee, while y^e world indureth: neither Princes, nor meaner than Princes can auoide them: there is no newes stirring, but they are carriers of it, and they can greatlie iucrease it in the carriage. No circumstances can make them silent. Ma­ny good men haue smarted by them: and now Moses, yon sée, tasteth of them. Who is hée or shée, that haue not some way by these walking tongues béen wounded? I leaue you to your owne experience of this venome.

8. Whither flyeth Moses then, from this raging storme of Pharaohs displeasure raised vp against him by these prat­lers? Into the land of Midian, saith the text, where the Lord prouided for him. Then marke with your selfe, how alwaies one place or other the Lord hath for his seruants. If Iudaea be dangerous for the childe Iesus, in Egypt he shal find safetie, til y^e time appointed, & so forth read 2. Cor. 4. 8.

9. Whē he was come thither, He sate him down by a wel: a place most like to bring some to him, of whom he might inquire, how he might bestow himselfe. But God knoweth what thoughts the circumstances of his case procured vnto him. His calling he saw, not acknowledged of his country-men: but in steade thereof his life brought in que­stion, and therefore might fall into some doubt of it him­selfe. All his worldly comforts were now departed from him, and he a poore exile in a strange country, not know­ing which waie to turne him. A great change from so high a place as Moses had in Egypt, béeing estéemed the Sonne of Pharoahs daughter: and lesser alterations than [Page 26] this, wée well know, haue giuen good men shrewd plucks: yet reade wée of no discomfort in Moses, which wée must obserue, and be bettered by it. GOD humbleth him in his worldly estate, and bringeth him to this lowe ebbe: yet forsaketh him not, but déerelie loueth him, and hath great honours in store for him againe, when time com­meth. We are likewise the Lords, and wee must bee content, that hee doe with vs his owne good pleasure euer.

The third part.

1. THe thirde part of the chapter followeth: concer­ning his mariage in that land, the manner wher­of you may reade in your chapter, verse. 16. &c. Some blame him as matching with the vnbeléeuing, others ex­cuse him, saying, they were not vnbeléeuers. The scripture is silent, and therefore we neede not to be curious. To ex­cuse the godlie Fathers euer, is more than can be, to make Iethro and his houshold such beléeuers as they ought to be, with whom wée ioine in mariage. How beit happily he was better than thousands there. Theoderet saith, Typus e­rat Is more then hath sound proofe. Christi domini, qui, cum ex Iudeis secundum carnem natus esset, ecclesiam Gentium appelauit sponsam suam. Moses herein was a type of Christ, who, béeing borne of the Jewes ac­cording to the flesh, married himselfe to the Gentiles and Theod. in Ex. cap. 2. ralled them his spouse. But leaue we it as not profitable to vs to scanne what God hath pleased to conceale. And marke the hart of Iethro when he vnderstood how Moses had helped his daughters at the well, very kindly he con­ceiued of that fauour, and chid them for so leauing him, & not bringing him home to eatebread. Surely the Spirit of God dooth not so still in euery place note this kindnesse of hart in requiting loue, but that he excéedingly liketh it, and would haue all his, euer to follow it.

2 Of his wife the Lord gaue him a sonne whose name [Page 27] he called Gershom, adding the reason, because, saith hée, I haue bene a stranger in a strange land. So then, that which many obiect oftentimes to Gods children by way of re­proach, that they are strangers, exiles, and so forth, that, Moses taketh to be no reproach, and therefore giueth the title of it to his sonne for his name. An example to teach vs neuer to bée ashamed either of banishment or any hard estate wherewith God shall exercise vs for his glory, but rather to reioyce in it and comfortably to thinke of it, as Moses doth here. The shame is theirs that reproach vs, the glorie is ours, if we rightly endure it.

3. In processe of time this blody Pharaoh dyeth, saith the Storie, and this is a comfort to the godly, as likewise it should be a warning to all oppressors of them, they shall die and be packing, and shall not continue to deale cruelly. Then shall they receiue the wages of their wickednesse, and they whom they haue wronged shall bée comforted. The rod of the vngodlie lighteth vpon the faithful, as God shall please: but the Lord hath said, it shall not carry vpon them. And what swéeter comfort, but the rod of Gods iu­stice shall both light & lie vnremooueable vpon the vngod­ly that repent not of their euil, and what greater woe? Let them beware then whiles there is time.

4. But when was it, that he dyed? Surely, forty yéeres after Moses fled thence. Moses was fortie when hée fled, and eighty when he came as their Deliuerer. Let it thus profit vs. You remember before, how Moses began to ex­ercise that. Office towards their reliefe, which he was certi­fied God had appointed him vnto, and thought, that they would haue acknowledged it with thanks to God for him. But they most vnkindely requited him, and so endangered him, that he was fame to fly to saue his life. When he so began, God offered them mercy: when they so rewarded him, what followed? Surely, fortie yéeres more the con­tinuance of their bondage and miserie. A singular war­ning to all féeling hearts to beware the reiection of Gods [Page 28] mercy when it is offered. For it euer hath a sure punish­ment, and well worthy. Consider you particularly Gods dealing with your selfe, what hath he offered? what dooth he yet offer you? what haue you done? or, what yet doo you? Be wise, and ponder. Surelie God is kinde to offer, but he is iust to reuēge any wilful contempt of his Offers, with continuance of bitter woe héere, or foreuer.

5. When he was dead, the people cryed to the Lord and sighed, saith the text. Such sobbes in sorrow were due to them that reiected and would not sée what God of­fered them of ease. But O comfort! yet what sée wée a­gaine? Surely, saith the text, God heard them, remembred his couenant, looked vnto them & respected them. Swéet Father, so is it euer with thee, iust to correct, but gratious to giue ouer: not euer offended, but in due time intrea­ted: pitifull, louing, and of endlesse mercie. Many things more might this Chapter yéelde vs, most worthy noting: but, I remember, for whom I write, & I would not make the volume great, that I wish bought & vsed of poore ones; the abler persons may haue many better helpes. A taste of the comfort of Gods word, and the vse thereof, (to incou­rage to the buying of Bibles and reading of them) is the thing I desire to giue: and that is done, by something vpon euery Chapter, though it be not much, fitted, as God inha­bleth mée, for the féeling and comfort of them, for whom I labour. Let this much therefore suiffice vpon this Chapter.

1. TThen, for vse of this Chapter, let vs consider these wordes of the Lord, ver. 3: And I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, by the ver. 3. Name of Almightie God: but by my Name Iehouah was I not knowne vnto them: and vnder­stand the true sence and meaning of them. Wherein wee may not thinke that this name Ie­houah was vnknowne before this time, (for expreslie hee named himselfe thus to Abraham, Gen. 15. 7. and to Iacob, Gen. 28. 13. as also in the 26. ver. 24. where Iacob prayed vnto the Lord by this Name:) But the Lords meaning is, by this kinde of spéech to prefer, by way of comparison, this manifestation of himselfe which now he entended to make, before all others made to the Fathers in former times, be­cause those contained but promises, this should haue the effect and performance of the promises: so as the words are, as if the Lord should haue said; I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, by the name of Almightie God: that is, I gaue them promises which they by faith laide hold on and beléeued, moued with the assurance they had of my Al­mightie power and all-sufficiencie: but by my name Ieho­uah, Iehoua, qui est, et esse facit quod promisit. was I not knowne vnto them: that is, I gaue them not the accomplishment and matter of my promise, as now [Page 72] at this time I will doo to you. For now as my Name Ie­houah signifieth an existence by my selfe, of whō, in whom, by whom, and for whom, whatsoeuer is, is, and hath being: so shall you sée it come to passe in your Deliuerance from this raging Tyrant, and cruell bondage. I will performe what I haue said, and I will now cause it to be, what here­tofore I haue onely said should be. S. Bernard hath a good Saying touching this matter, when hee teacheth vs thus; That the calling of God by seuerall Names, as Father, Maister, or (as here) Almightie, Iehouah, and the like, ari­seth not of any varietie in his Nature, which euer was, and shall be inuariable; but of and from a manifold varietie of affections in vs, according to a diuers profiting, or not profiting of our soules, whereby hee séemeth to be changed with vs that change. So may I profit in the way of God­lines, that his Name toward me may be a Father; and so may I not profit, as his Name may be a Judge, a Reuen­ger mightie and terrible, &c.

2. Let vs obserue these words, ver. 5. I haue heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians verse. 5. keepe in bondage, &c. Are they not swéete and comforta­ble? Miserable man remembreth and heareth his friends when they are in prosperitie, and if aduersitie come vnto them, neither hearing nor séeing then, but a proude, scorne­full, and bitter forgetting. The Lord is not so; but when wee are at the worst, then he remembreth vs, then hee hea­reth our groanes and sighes, and pittying helpeth, to our vnspeakeable comfort. O kinde, O gracious and déere God, still continue this eare of mercie towards thy poore afflicted Seruants, and giue that deliuerance, ease, and fréedome, that euer, euer may bee matter of thy praise to all succéeding learners, how swéete thy nature is. Amen. Amen.

3 Also, I will take you for my people, &c. Behold the ver. 7. end of all deliuerance, and of all benefites receiued from God, euen that wee should be his people, that hee might [Page 73] rule in vs & ouer vs, and his praise be euer in our mouthes. Wherefore sée how carefull wee should be alwaies to an­swere this our Calling, and neuer to be found vnmindfull of such fauours. For, if this plainer manifestation of his goodnes to them, more than to their fathers, was matter to them iustly to stir them vp to thankfull féeling; how much more should his manifestation of himselfe to vs in his owne Sonne, in whom he hath opened all the treasures of mer­cie and louing kindnes, moue vs to an eternall and neuer ceasing care to please him, serue him, honour him, and loue him? And then more perticularly, that hee should accept me, me, for one of his people, O, what can I say for such a loue, but beséech him euer to make me thankfull? Amen, Amen.

4. And I will bring you into the Land which I sware verse. 8. that I would giue to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Iacob, and I will giue it vnto you for a possession: I am the Lord. Swéete & comfortable was this promise, as often as God repeated it: but many were the difficulties that appeared to mens eies against this hope, all which how great so-euer or many, the Lord if you marke it, easeth with this one word, Ego Dominus, I am the Lord. Thereby teaching, that as long as our hearts holde this perswasion of him, that hee is the Lord; so long wee must euer rest assured without fearefull fainting, that hee can performe his pro­mises in mercie made vnto vs, be there neuer such stops and lets in our eyes. What then is thy case? are thy sinnes many, and great? remember he is the Lord, and play not Cains part, to say, they cannot be forgiuen. Are thine ene­mies strong and fierce, and bitterly bent against thée? Hée is the Lord, and therefore can stop and stay them, they shal not hurt thée aboue his pleasure, which shall be no hurt, but profit to thée in the end. Are thine infirmities many? hee can heale them; hee is the Lord. Are thy children vnto­ward, or vnkinde? hee can change them; hee is the Lord. Finally, whatsoeuer gréeueth thée, remember this, and be [Page 74] comforted; hee is the Lord, he shall euer be the Lord, and he shall euer be thy Lord to care for thy woes, and to send thée helpe. Onely beléeue.

5. So Moses tolde the Children of Israel thus, but they hearkened not vnto him. Sée, sée how hard it is, as your verse. 9. Marginall Note saith to shewe true obedience vnder the Crosse. Neither the word of God, nor his miracles, where­with heretofore they iustly haue béene moued, and won­dred, haue now any place with them; but all dulled and deaded with conceiued griefes, they suffer themselues to be caried away beyond the measure that Gods children should euer holde in their aduersitie; which, as it is a very dangerous thing, so ought it carefully to be auoyded. It is often a penaltie that hee layeth vpon the contemners of his Graces, that cleauing altogether to the externall fa­uours and fawnings of this life, they taste not comfort in any affliction; whereas the godly, the more they are pres­sed and nipped by the schooling hand of their God, the more vehemently they sigh vnto God, and looke to his promises with patience and hope. This may teach the Ministers of God, also, not to be cast downe, and discouraged, if their words euer be not hearkened vnto and regarded; since so worthie a man as Moses was in the house of GOD found this measure. I knowe, I knowe the bitternes of it to a heart that hungreth for their good; but wee must bee con­tent, wee are not like to them that haue spoken in vaine to deafe eares before wee were borne. The world will bee the world, crooked and crosse, froward and vnkinde, though wee breake our hearts in labouring to winne to a better course. O, what a thing is it to come out of Egypt? &c.

6. Thē the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying, Goe speake ver. 10. to Pharaoh King of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel goe out of his Land. Before you sawe how he was bid goe to the people, now wee heare him sent to Pharaoh: so is there neuer any time for men of place and publique functi­on to be idle. Euer, euer, there is some seruice for them, [Page 75] and an vse of their care, paines, and labour. Now they must defend the oppressed and wronged, now they must punish the euill dooers, now they must comfort, now they must chide; that euer they may sée and finde honour to bee a burthen and an vnceasing carefulnes. Priuate men also may make vse of it: for, either in flying euill or in doing good there is alwaies a care in good mindes. But I leaue it to your meditation. I note and sée héere the bottomlesse mercie of the Lord, who although he might iustly haue gi­uen ouer to fauour so froward a companie, that would not hearken to his words and messages sent vnto them; yet he doth not, but still continueth to haue mercy vpō them, veri­fying that spéech of the Prophet Dauid; Euen as a Father Psal. 103. pittieth his children, so is the Lord mercifull to his peo­ple. I sée it also héere (not without my good) that when Moses had receiued this discomfort, that the people would not regard his wordes, and might stand in a maze what more to doe, the Lord helpeth him out of this doubt, and sendeth him to Pharaoh. Surely, surely, if the Lord hel­ped vs not in many mazes that this vnkinde world will driue vs into, it would be ill with vs. But blessed be God that yéeldeth both consilium & auxilium, counsell and helpe, when we can doo neither our selues. Let it strengthen vs to call vpon him in all our néedes: if some will not heare vs, he can send vs to others, and his will be done, say wee euer.

7. But Moses spake vnto the Lord, saying, behold the verse. 12. children of Israel harken not vnto me, how then shal Pha­raoh heare me who am of vncircumcised lips? Sée weaknes and wants in the best men still. If Israel will not heare, hee thinketh it cannot be that Pharaoh should heare; and a se­cond stop hee maketh his owne infirmitie of spéech. But what is not GOD able to doo that his pleasure is to haue done? Can hee not make some heare what others would not? the Scripture and our experience are full of exam­ples. The Niniuites, Ionas, 3. the Samaritanes, Iohn, 4. [...] [Page 78] then we may not at our selues so much, and what wee are in our selues and of our selues, as at the calling and Office committed to vs of God, whose power is euer able to make good his gracious Commission vouchsafed to his creature, against all fighters and frowners, striuers and spurners at it. Trusse vp thy loynes therefore (O Ieremiah) saith God to him) and arise, and speake vnto them all that I com­maund Ieremy. 1. 17. thee; be not afraid of their faces, lest I destroy thee before them. For I, behold, I this day haue made thee a defenced Citie, an yron pillar and walles of brasse against 18 the whole Land, against the Kings of Iudah, and against the Princes thereof, against the Priests thereof, and against the people of the Land. For they shall fight against thee, but they shal not preuaile against thee: for I am with thee 17 to deliuer thee, saith the Lord. The Prophet his feare appeareth before in the 6. ver; & now this comfort drawn frō the authoritie & function commited to him, must take away that feare, and giue him strength and courage to doo what the Lord calleth him vnto. The like sée in Ezechiel, when God saith vnto him, Sonne of man, Behold, I haue made Ezech. 3. 8. thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead hard against their foreheads. I haue made thy forehead as the Adamant, and harder than the flint; feare them not there­fore, 9 neither be afraid at their lookes; for they are a rebel­lious house. At this day, the Lord doth giue to his Mini­sters, the power to binde and loose, and hath published this Spéech of vnspeakeable comfort, He that receaueth you, re­ceaueth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me. All which both then and now had and must haue the vse I na­med; euen, to draw men from them selues, and the regard of their owne power, to the consideration of their places and offices vouchsafed of God, and of the strength of him, who is all in all, and hath laid that charge vpon them. Not once did it enter into the Lords thought, to establish hereby a Title to y^e Bishop of Rome, aboue all others to be called Deus in terris, a God on earth, as his owne authentical & al­lowed [Page 79] booke calleth him, saying; Credere Dominum Deum Extrauag. 10. 22 cum inter. in glossa. nostrum Papam non posse statuere pro vt statuit, haereticum cen­seretur. To beleeue that our Lord God the Pope, may not decree as he decreeth, would be iudged heresie. Such an impudent boldnes, as a man would not thinke any should suffer, had not the Spirit of God foretold vs by his blessed Apostle, that the Man of sinne should sit in the temple of 2. Thessa. 2. God, and shew himselfe as if he were God. Whereunto add that good Saying of S. Gregorie, who, writing of An­tichrist, Greg. in Iob. cap. 34. saith thus. Cum sit damnatus homo & nequaquam spiritus, Deum se esse mentitur. Whereas hee is a damned man and not a Spirit, by lying he feigneth himselfe to be God. Also that of Anselmus; Simulabit se religiosum, vt sub Anselm. in. 2. Thes. 1. specie decipiat pietatis; immo se deum esse dicet, & se adorari fa­ciet, atq: regna coelorum promittet. Antichrist shall feigne himselfe to be holy, that hee may deceaue men vnder the colour of holines; yea he shall call himselfe God, and shall cause himselfe to be worshipped, and shall promise the kingdome of Heauen. Thinges which wee all knowe the Pope doth, and no man euer but the Pope. And heare you what a Note Eusebius maketh of this; Hoc est argumentum Euseb. de prepa­rat. lib. 7. eos [...]disse Deum, quod velint seipsos appellari Deos. This is a token that they hate God, because they will haue them­selues called by the name of God. Iraeneus that auncient father saith, Antichristus existens apostata et latro, quasi Deus vult adorari; & cum sit seruus, regem vult se preconiari. An­tichrist being a Runagate and a thiefe, yet will be worship­ped as God; and being but a slaue, yet will be proclaimed and published as a King. But you will imagine they haue some shift for this shame, or else it is too shamefull. Surely, all the shiftes they haue cannot make it otherwise than a most odious insolencie, such as might fully open mennes eyes, who are yet deceiued to discerne the errour of their course in following his law and loue against God, Prince, and Country, as many doo; but that the Lord being an­grie with their contempt of his truth, letteth them still re­maine [Page 80] in their blindnes, as a iust punishment of their fro­wardnes. Their shift is this, they doo not meane he is ab­solutely God, but in some sence or respect. For by their Glosse it is said, Papa nec Deus, nec homo, The Pope is nei­ther God, nor man. And is not this a worthie qualificati­on? Might not all those, who (as vainely as he) haue chal­lenged the Title in like sort, defend it as he now dooth? Proud Antiochus, sometime King of Syria, honou­red Hierony. in Dan. 3. Suetonius in Domitiano. himselfe by the name of God. So the Emperour Do­mitian vsed in his Proclamations, Dominus Deus vester Domitianus. Your Lord God Domitian. So the Empe­rour Caligula called himselfe Deum optimum maximum, & Iouem Latialem. The best and most mighty God, and the Athenaeus lib. 7. great Iupiter of Italy. So Sapores the great King of Per­fia called himselfe Fratrē Solis & Lunae, The brother of the Sunne and the Moone. The péeuish Phisition Menecrates called himselfe Iupiter. Nicagoras made himselfe a paire of wings, and would néedes be called the God Mercurie. Manichaeus the Heretique called himselfe the holy Ghost. The Romaines erected vp an Image in the honour of Si­mon Aug. contra Faustum lib. 13. cap. 17. Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 13. Magus the Sorcerer, with this poesie: Simoni sancto Deo. To the honour of Simon the holy God. And did all these well, if the distinction be added of God absolute, and God not absolute? I thinke not. Yet which of all these were comparaable to the Pope in this arrogant vanitie, considering the knowledge that he either hath, or ought to haue aboue them. Neuerthelesse Pope Nicholas saide, Constat summū Pontificem a pio Principe Constantino Deum Dist. 96. satis e­uidenter. appellatum. It is well knowne, that of the godly Prince Constantine the Pope was called God. So in the Coun­sell of Lateran, this proude Antichrist suffered one of his Parasites to say, Tu es alter Deus in terris. Thou art ano­ther God in earth. Many other such Stories there are which I passe ouer, wishing in my heart, that men would obserue and sée what is so manifest before their eyes: that although the Pope by their distinction be not an absolute [Page 81] God, or an absolute Christ, yet certainly hee is a very ab­solute Antichrist. I end then this Note with that exposition of Alexander of Hales, our wittie Country-man: Scriptu­ra non dicitde Mose, constituite Deum, sed Deum Pharaonis; hoc est, potentem super Pharaonem diuinitus. The Scripture saith not of Moses, I haue made thee God, but I haue made thee Pharaohs God; that is, of power and strength aboue Pharaoh, through the hand of God, which is with thee. Nothing therefore, I say, do Moses words helpe the Pope, to iustifie his blasphemous pride and insolencie.

2. And Aaron thy brother shal be thy Prophet. That is, as he said in y^e 4. Chapter, thy mouth, thy Interpreter, thy Speaker, to vtter that eloquently, or in good words, which thou shalt appoint him. Thy Prophet, saith Theodoret, as if God should haue said, looke how I speake to y^e Prophets, & the Prophets to the people; so shalt thou speake to Aaron, as to thy Prophet, & he vnto the people. Where we sée y^e in­cōprehensible Counsell, & wisedom of God, who, though he could haue giuen to Moses, as well a rowling tongue, as a wise hart: yet he would not, but to y^e one brother giueth one gift, to the other another, that either might haue néede & vse of another, & neither of them be exalted in contempt of the other. This is that which y^e Apostle speaketh, when he saith; Now there are diuersities of gifts, but the same Spirit. For 1. Cor. 12. 4. 8. to one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome, and to another the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit: And to 9. another faith, by the same spirit: to another the gifts of hea­ling, by the same spirit: And to another the operations of 10. great works: and to another, prophecie: & to another, the discerning of Spirits: and to another diuersities of tongues: and to another, the interpretation of tongues. And al these 11. worketh one and the selfe same Spirit, distributing to euery man seuerally as he will. The holy vse whereof wee shall take, if reuerently we estéeme one anothers gifts, enuying none, despising none, carping, cutting, nipping no man, but with an humble heart glorifying God our selues, and beséeching him, that in all our brethren also, together with [Page 82] their seuerall charges, he would glorifie his great Name. A Grace so much the more precious, by how much it is rare, & too rare, in these last daies, wherein the Spirit hath foretold vs, Men shall be louers of themselues, couetous, [...]. Tim. 3. 2. boasters, proud, cursed speakers, disobedient to parents, vnthankfull, vnholy, Without naturall affection, truce­breakers, false accusers, intemperate, fierce, despisers of 3. them that are good, Traytours, headie, high minded, louers of pleasures more than louers of God. 4.

3. Thou shalt speake all that I commaund thee. So will verse, 2. God euer haue his Ministers faithfull, to kéepe nothing backe of his will deliuered to them, for feare, or flatterie of any man; but truly to discharge the credite reposed in them, leauing the successe to him that sent them, and dispo­seth of all hearts at his pleasure. Thus protesteth the A­postle very carefully, we sée, when he tooke his leaue of the Elders of Ephesus, saying; I haue kept back nothing that was profitable: but haue shewed you all the Counsell of Act. 20. 20. God. Thus running our race, wee shall rest one day in e­ternall comfort, deliuered from a bitter world, from euill men, and euil natures, taking alwaies our best endeauours in the worst sense, and rewarding true affection with black enuie, (most vnfit for Christians.)

4. But I will harden Pharaohs heart. Heathens could verse 3. say, A Deo perfecto nihil malum, nihil turpe est. From a per­fect God no euill, nor foule thing commeth. Againe, De­us malorum causa non est, cum bonus sit: God is not the Au­thor of euill, when as he himselfe is good. Therefore, con­cerning this hardning of Pharaoh, some vnderstand it by permission; that is, he suffered him to be hardned; as wee say in the Lords Prayer, Leade vs not into temptation; that is, suffer vs not to be led. Gregory saith, Non duriti­em E [...]thim. in 5. Math. Greg. moral. 31. [...]ap. 12. contulit, sed exigentibus eius meritis, nulla infusa timoris sensibilitate molliuit. Hee did not impose hardnes, but his merits so deseruing, hee softned him not by any infused sense of feare. Augustine saith, God did it ratione poenae, for Aug. de gra. & lib. arbitrio. cap. 20. 21. a punishment. And wee all knowe, the Lord is not tyed [Page 83] to giue his grace to any man, but it is his mercie, it is his loue, and most frée he is to doo with his owne what he will. Rom. 9. 16. 17. 18. The consideration whereof, should euer worke in vs care and zeale, to craue at Gods hands fleshie hearts, which may tremble at his Judgements, and taste his mercy, saying with Samuel, Speake on, Lord, thy Seruant heareth; and with Dauid, O my God, I am content to doo it, yea thy lawe is within my heart. Marke also héere how God fore-tolde them againe, that Pharaoh would not heare them. ver. 4. A thing so bitter to the faithfull Minister of God, as many fore-warnings are néedefull vnto him, to giue him strength against this temptation. O therefore, that wee may euer haue patience, who labour in the word and doctrine! God will doo his will, God ought to doo his will, our dutie is knowne, wee may not prescribe to him: if wee performe what is our part, sweete is our sauour (saith the blessed Apo­stle) as well in them that perish, as in those that are saued: and it is enough. O Lord, let it be enough to euery groa­ning heart of thy true Ministers, wishing and séeking to haue them saued, whō thou hast created, and bought with such a price. Thou canst make it enough, if it please thée to blesse with thy holy Spirit y^e remembrance of it to them that are sliding to impatiencie.

5. Thus warned, and thus armed, these two brethren Moses and Aaron went vnto Pharaoh, and did euen as the ver. 10. Lord had commaunded: and Aaron casteth forth his rod before Pharaoh, and it was turned into a Serpent. The vse of which myracle hath béene tolde before, euen to strike a feare into Pharaohs heart, that hee might the better attend to what was spoken, & to giue him assurance, that, though with his eyes he sawe but the persons of two men, neither glorious, nor terrible in themselues; yet, with them was the power and strength of the Almightie God, whose hand could shiuer him in pieces, if hee rebelled. So standeth it still with Gods Ministers that faithfully doo their dutie to the flockes committed vnto them; and it would be thought [Page 84] 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 Esay. 8. 20. 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 Deut. 13. 1. 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 [Page 85] 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 2. Tim. 3. 8. resist the truth, men of corrupt mindes, reprobate, concer­ning the faith. But they shall preuaile no longer. &c. verse. 9.

7. But how did these Enchaunters kéepe Pharaoh in his blindnes? The Text saith, They did the like: and so a­bated 22 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 [Page 86] 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 Iustinus q. 6. ad Orthodox. Gref. Nyssen. de vita Mosis. Rupertus & Hu­go in Exod. 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 Deut. 13. 1. 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 verse. 12. 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, Iohn. 8. 31. 32. 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 ver. 13. blindnes of some, in the greatest light that may be giuen [Page 87] 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, and able to disperse all duskie cloudes, bringing his glorious truth out, to beare sway againe, at his good pleasure. Simplex & nuda est, sed efficax & magna. It is simple and naked, saith One, but powerfull and strong. Splendet cum obscuratur, & vincit cum opprimitur. It shineth euen when it is darkned, & ouercommeth when it is oppressed.

The 2. part.

THese thinges thus passed ouer, the holy Ghost com­meth to shewe the first of those ten plagues, which the King, and his people tasted of; namely, of the turning of their waters into blood; whereby their fish died, and both verse. 17. &c. man and beast were perplexed. Of this plague there is a Denuntiation. ver. 17. 18. &c. Secondly, an Execution, ver. 22. 23. Thirdly, an Euent, which againe is thrée-fold. 1. A Conuersion of the waters into blood, 2. An Imitation of this myracle by the Enchaunters, who did the like. ver. 25. And lastly, an Encrease of hardnes in Pharaohs heart, when hee had séene all this. ver. 25. 26. Concerning some profitable vse of all which to our selues, thus may we me­ditate and thinke of them.

[Page 88] 1. God telleth Moses, that Pharaoh in the morning 15. will come to the water, to wit, vnto the riuer Nilus, and there he should meete him. Whereby wee sée the truth of the Psalmist his spéech, O Lord, thou hast searched mee out, and knowne me, thou knowest my downe sitting, and mine vprising; yea, thou vnderstandest my thoughts, and that long before, thou art about my bed, and about my pathes, & spiest out all my wayes. What care then should wee haue of our actions, when euery step of ours is thus knowne to God? Hee knoweth, you sée, which way wee will walke in the morning, before euer wee goe out of our houses; and he knoweth all, to goe no further in this mat­ter.

2. Wee sée againe, how the Lord smiteth the waters héere, that the Egyptians might knowe, as also all the 17. world besides, how the Lord our God hath power ouer all his creatures, to giue the vse of them to vs, and to take the vse of them from vs, at his pleasure. Interpreters vpon this place say, Hanc plagam intulit Deus propter pueros [...]u­deorum in aquis immersos, fluuius enim mutatus in sanguinem conqueritur de c [...]de puerorum per eos commissa. This plague GOD brought vpon them for the children which were drowned, and the riuer thus turned into blood, complai­ned to God for that slaughter, saith Theodoret. Origen Theodoret in Exod. Origen in Exod. Aug. de mirae­scripturae. ca. 17. verse. 18. Aug. de mirac. scrip. cap. 7. and Augustine say it was poena culp [...], the punishment of sinne, meaning the drowning of the children. That which is added in the Text, And it shall greeue the Egyptians to drink, Austine saith of it thus, Bibentibus erat exitiū, non bi­bētibus p [...]na, obsitim quā sustinebant. Vnto thē that dranke, it was death, vnto thē that dranke not, it was a great punish­ment, for the thirst which they sustained. Iosephus in like sort, Si bibebant, cōfestim [...]ri dolore corr [...]piebantur▪ & hoc for­san Textus innuit, cū dicit, afflig [...]tur Egipti [...]. If they dranke, Iosephus. 2 an­tiq: cap. 13. by and by they were taken with a bitter griefe; and this peraduenture the Text meaneth, when it saith, It shall greeue the Egyptians to drinke. Philo saith, Hominum siti [Page 89] enectorum magnus numerus ace uatim iacebat in triuijs, non Philo de vita Mosis. sufficientibus domesticis ad sepultu [...]e officia. A great number of men dead with thirst lay by h [...]apes in the streetes and high-wayes, their houshold friends (or seruants) being not enowe to bury them. Such a plague was this turning of their waters into blood.

3. We may further note an encrease of terrour in this myracle, aboue the former of the Serpents. For, as you plainly sée, it was far greater and more [...]efull. And we may thereby learne this good Lesson, [...]at where milder meanes will not serne, God both c [...], and will add shar­per, and heauier. The Serpents before were a faire war­ning; but yet, because they hurt no man, they profited few men. Now therefore he will touch them a little néerer, he will strike the water, which neither man nor beast may want, and so sée if their hearts will yéeld obedience to his will. Thus assuredly dealeth he with men and women at this day, but (peraduenture) it is not marked. He encrea­seth his crosses, from goods to bodie, from body to minde, from ourselues to our children, and still maketh vs abound with more want and woe, in greater and sharper measure, that we may repent and turne, if wee will be perswaded: if not, in the end he can make an end, and finally destroy vs with miserie that shall neuer end. O that wee may haue then wise hearts, to obserue the steps and degrées of Gods dealing with vs, profiting by the lesser, and so preuenting the greater, to his good contentment, and our euerlasting comfort, and safety. Nilus was a riuer wherein they much gloried, receauing by it great riches, and great defence: wherefore, to sée this riuer turned into blood so fearefullie, might well haue smitten their hearts, and made them hum­ble themselues to God; but nothing will humble some men: neither entred all this into Pharaohs heart; which hardnes is euer a fearefull signe, and to be prayed against. Marke it also, how, if we stoope not to God, but continue obstinate, by degrées hee will come to our néerest and dée­rest [Page 90] comforts. Thus, I hope, if you reade this Chapter ouer againe in your Bible, you s [...]e some measure of the vse of it, which is the thing I ayme at, to encourage you to the reading of the Text: and then daylie more and more reading, with godly Prayer, and Meditation, shall yéeld further vse and profit in many things: the holy Scriptures being as a déepe water, wherein the greatest Lyon may swim, and the greatest vessell touch no bottome. Let this much therefore suffice of this Chapter.

1. WHereof to make vse to our in­struction and reformation, let vs consider this gracious Ad­monition in the first verse, vouch­safed to Pharaoh againe. Let my people goe that they may verse. 1. serue mee. Can there any thing be swéeter to the Childe of God, than to marke, how slowe the Lord is to punish, and how desirous of amendment without punishment? O howe may my Soule assure it selfe of mercie, if penitentially I séke it, where such a Nature is? Cannot hee endure to punish Pharaoh, a proude and haughtie rebell against his [Page 91] Diuine will? and will he willingly smite my poore soule, your poore soule, or any poore soule brused and broken with the sense of sinne, and groaning, and sighing for one drop of mercie at his hand? No, no, there is mercy with the Lord, and therefore shall he euer be feared; Hee is slowe Psal. 103. 8. 9. 10 to anger, and of great kindnes. Hee will not alwaies chide, neither keepe his anger for euer. He hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes, nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities. For as high as the Heauen is aboue the Earth, 11. so great is his mercie toward them that feare him. As farre 12. as the East, is from the West, so farre hath hee remooued our sinnes from vs. As a Father hath compassion on his 13 Children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him. For he knoweth whereof we be made: hee remem­breth 14. that we are but dust. Therefore he admonisheth, as wee sée in this place, againe and againe, before hee will let his rod fall vpon very Pharaoh. Who will not hearken then vnto his swéete Uoice, and bee admonished by so lo­uing a Father, so mercifull a God, and so powerfull a Creator? Surely if wee smart, wee must néedes approoue his Justice, for his Mercie is manifest, wee cannot denie it. Yet, yet, saith this gracious God, goe to Pharaoh, and warne him againe, that hee may be wise, and let my peo­ple goe.

2. And if thou wilt not let them goe, saith the Lord, [...]. behold I will smite thy Country with Frogges. Giuing vs héerein againe to obserue, that if Mercie be refused, hee is also iust, and the rod shall fall with stripe after stripe, till either we crie penitently, Peccaui, I haue sinned, or be con­sumed in his wrath, from the face of the earth. Remem­ber that Place of places in Deut. And if this people will Deut. 31. 16. rise vp, and goe a whoring after the Gods of a strange Land, and will forsake me, and breake my couenant which I haue made with them; my wrath will waxe hote against 17 them at that day (O note) and I will forsake them, and will hide my face from them: then they shall be consumed, and [Page 92] many aduersities and tribula [...]ons shall come vpon them: so then they will say, Are [...]t these troubles come vpon me, because God is not w [...]h me? but I will surely hide 1 [...]. my face, &c. A Place ne [...]er to be forgotten, if we desire to feare God. Remember [...]lso among many moe the fit Ex­ample of Haman, that proude enemie to Gods truth, and people, to whom it was thus saide. If thou begin to fall, Hester. 6. 13. thou shalt surely fall. As if they should say, fall vpon fall, and still more and more falling will followe, when God is once angry. Happie, happy then is the heart that féeleth, yéeldeth, turneth, and cleaueth fast vnto the Lord.

3. Marke also, and consider in this place, how the case is altered with Gods people, and their enemies. For till now, we haue heard but of the Israelites afflictions, how still they suffered, and were ill entreated, hauing sore bur­thens laid vpon them, and most bitter griefes daily heaped vnto their hearts. But now we sée a change, they are spa­red, they are comforted, and they are defended, when these dreadfull plagues light vpon their enemies, one after ano­ther. So, so shall the sorrowes of the godly be euer turned into ioy, when the Lord séeth his time, and the fading com­forts of the wicked turned into wéeping, and wofull la­mentation. Your sorrowe, saith our Sauiour Christ, shall Luke, 6, 25. be turned into ioy; and, woe be to them that laugh now, for they shall waile and weepe. Be of good comfort then in your selfe, when you reade this, and profit your heart with this Note or Meditation. The changes of this world are many, but with Gods faithfull people it shall euer be well in the end.

4. It is further to bee obserued in this your Chapter, how the Lord with varietie and vehemencie of words doth amplifie this plague, not onely saying, He will send Frogs (which yet had béene fearefull,) but that the riuers should 2. 3. scrawle full of Frogs, that they should goe vp, and come into the Kings house and into his bed-chamber where hee slept, and vpon his bed, and into the house of his seruants, [Page 93] and vpon his people, and into his ouens, and into his knea­ding troughes, yea saith he, the frogges shall climbe vp vpon thee, and on thy people, and vpon all thy seruants. verse. 4. The like vehemencie doth he vse in that notable chapter, the 28. of Deut. amplifying both sides with many words, and great variety of phrase, full of force and edge, all as­suredly to mooue, and pierce, but it would not be. Thus dealeth hée at this day with his people, he giueth vnto them sometimes Pastors and Teachers, who rightly may bée called Sonnes of thunder, in regard of their [...]arnest and vehement exhortations, threatning, and denouncing Gods wrath and iudgments due to disobedience and st [...]b­bornesse; and euen as Pharaoh here could not be touched, no more will many at this day; no vehemency moueth, but al is one. If the feruent spirite of the Preacher should breake and [...]eare his inwards in péeces, all is one: men snort and fléepe, and goe on in a most damnable dulnesse of minde, till the Lord himselfe start vp, and reuenge his owne contempt vpon them, and their posteritie. The old world would not beléeue the threatned Floud, neither the stobborne Jewes, that the Chaldean King should come vppon them. But when they cryed to their soules, pax, pax, peace, peace, (for all this earnestnesse of Ier. 2. the Preacher) then came sodaine and fearefull destructi­on vpon them, as they deserued. So euer, so euer let vs be sure, first, or last. And therefore make vse of vehemency, when God directeth his Preacher to it.

5. But what an armie is this against such a Prince? Had God neither men, nor Angels to commaund? Yes, yes, it néedeth no proofe: wée know both men, and Angels commaunded by him at his pleasure. But here he would vse neither, déeming it fit to confound the pride of such a conceited king by an host of frogges, rather than by either of the other. So shall the Lord, by contemptible and base things, cast down our high lookes, if we swel against him. Hée would also haue Pharaoh hereby sée how easily hée [Page 94] could destroy him, if he l [...]st, when such heapes of loathsome creatures so soddainly could bee raised to torment him. And the same he would haue all high mindes at this daie sée, making vse thereof vnto humility, before they finde it is too late. For as easily can the Lord now raise vp strange plagues, as then. Varro writeth that a citie in Fraunce was driuen away with this very plague of frogges. A town in Thessaly rooted vp and ouerthrown with moules. A whole land forced to remoue with mice, and many such things haue Stories left to our remembrance. There was a time, when the French disease was not so common, nor our English sweat knowne. That plague of the Phili­stines 1. Sam. 5. 6. with the Emerods in their hinder parts is in Gods Cronicle. That consumption of Herod with lice, and Act. 12. 23. 2. Macab. 9. 9. that fearefull example of Antiochus, they ought both to be marked; but nothing shall profit, except Grace be giuen from aboue. And therefore a féeling heart of flesh, the Lord, for his mercy sake, euer graunt vnto vs.

6. And the Sorcerers did likewise with their sorceries, and brought frogges vp vpon the land of Egypt. Out of Ver. 7. which words, besides y^t which hath 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 Math. 4 Esay. 2 [...]. 2. Ier. 7. 2. 1. King. 22. 11 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 shalbe 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 Collos. 1. 23.in the saith, not moued away from the hope of the Gos­pell, &c,) Saint Peter in like manner admonisheth to be­ware [Page 95] of being plucked away with the error of the wicked, 2. Pet. 3. 17. 2. Pet. 2. 15. 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 iug [...]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 Act. 5. [...]. 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, ver. [...]. 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, If prosperitie will not▪ aduer­sity shall. Psal. [...]8. 34. 2. Maccab. 9. Apoc. 3. [...]. 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, [Page 96] when we sée such things. Not long since this proud Pha­raoh said, WHO IS THE LORD? But now he séeth, and Cap. 5. 2. 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 cōtempts. 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 Dan. 4 22. 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 [Page 97] 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 ver. 9. 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 Pharaoh be­ing offered to appoint the time himselfe, appointed the next day, saying, To morrowe, rather than presently, the [Page 98] Frogges being so vgly, and no place frée from them, no not the Kings Chamber? Who would not haue cryed now now, euen forthwith, pray, that I may be deliuered from this plague, rather than to haue stayed till the next day? It is answered, first, that hee still doubted, whether it was the Finger of God, or an enchauntment: and there­fore was content to deferre the time, to trie whether of it selfe it would passe away, and so to discredite Moses and Aaron. Such hollowe holes are in Hypocrites hearts, when they séeme religious, and carefull of Prayer, or o­ther good things. Secondly, héerein he shewed the nature of the wicked, who not onely deferre their owne duties from day to day, but (as much as they can) put ouer others also, that offer good things vnto them: as for example, if a Preacher tender his seruice this Sabaoth, he is tolde, the next will be far more fit: and, if he come also the next Sa­baoth, then is either the Maister from home, the Gentle­woman sicke, the weather too hote, or colde, or some such thing; that, be Moses neuer so readie, yet Pharaoh is not readie, but cras, cras, to morrowe, to morrowe, is still the song, till the Lord strike, and all Morrowes end, wee pas­sing away to woe without end, for our deferring. That Moses taketh his owne time, and saith, Be it as thou hast said, it is to teach him, that at all times the Lord is the Lord, his myracles no enchauntments, but a powerfull working for his owne glory, & the gracious Deliuerance of his Church.

11. Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: Verse 12. and Moses cried vnto the Lord concerning the Frogges, &c. Why went Moses forth? might not hee haue stayed in the Court, and haue prayed there? God forbid, but wee should thinke Courts to be places of prayer, for such as haue a censcience, in euery place to lift vp hands, and heart to God: yet, would God also, the hinderances and impediments so to doo in those places, were fewer! Sure­lie great Courtiers are found, that a meaner place hath [Page 99] yéelded their hearts more heate to good things, than those glistering places haue, as sometimes a Country-house, and sometimes a darke hole in a close prison. Moses cried vnto the Lord, saith the Text, and prayer doth, what nei­ther doores, nor lockes, nor any strength, or wit of man could doo; the weapons of Gods children are such, and so mightie. The word of Crying noteth the vehemencie of Moses prayer, against colde formalitie, too common in most prayers. It noteth not any loudnes of voice (although that also be lawfull at times) since the same Moses is said Exod. 14. 15. to crie in another place, when hee spake not a word, but from his inward Spirit. Ezechias thus cried vnto his God, and escaped both a mortall disease, and the huge host of the Assyrians. But what prayer can doo, I hope you knowe, and therefore goe no further.

12. And the Lord did according to the Saying of Mo­ses. Verse 13. Sée the credite that Gods seruants haue with their mercifull God: they aske, and he giueth without any stop. Can you thinke, God heareth Moses alone? no, saith the Psalme, God is neere vnto all that call vpon him; yea to Psal. 145. 18. 19. all, all, and euer remember it. Hee will fulfill the desire of all them that feare him; he will heare their crie, and will saue them. The Lord preserueth all them that loue him: 20. 21. but he will destroy all the vngodly. Wherefore, my mouth shall speake the praise of the Lord, and all flesh shall blesse his holy Name for euer and euer. Daily experience shew­eth the like, and therefore as Moses héere (euen despised Moses) was stronger with his God, and by his God, than all Egypt, to remoue a plague; so shall wee euer be more strong than our enemies, in what God shall sée vs fit to be enabled. Wherefore one Moses is better for a kingdome, than many others, that are iudged to be of greater ver­tue, &c.

13. So the Frogges dyed in the houses, in the townes, and in the fields. And they gathered them together on heapes, and the Land stanke of them, saith the Text. Had Verse 13. 14. [Page 100] it not béene as easie for the Lord to haue taken them quite away? assuredly to the Lord all was one: but this was done, to shewe the truth of the myracle, that they were Frogges indéede, & no enchauntments; thereby to méete with the vnbeléefe of the King, and all his Courtiers, who either openly in words, or secretly in heart thought other­wise. And by one meanes, or other, the Lord shall euer, in his good time, deliuer his truth from false surmises, his faithfull Ministers from false imputations, and write the wickednesse of Atheists, and carnall men, vppon their faces to their confusion. Onely be wee patient, to tarie his will, to like of his way, and be we assured, we shall both sée his glory, and receaue comfort.

14. But when Pharaoh sawe that he had rest giuen him, he hardned his heart, and hearkened not vnto them, as the Verse 15. Lord had said. Sée the corruption of our nature, if God worke not. No sooner is the rod off, but as the Dogge to his vomite, and the Sowe to her myre, so wretched man returneth to his olde bias, and falleth to his former sinne againe. When wee are sicke, or distressed any way, wee pretend repentance, wee pray, wee crie, wee vowe, and what not (in shewe?) But forasmuch as all riseth from feare, and not from loue, it vanisheth againe, as soone as the feare is past; and the Deuill returneth with seauen worse than himselfe, making our end more odious, than euer our beginning was. This hath béene touched before, but yet euer marke it, and feare it your selfe, as you haue a care to please God. For if you forsake God, you can ne­uer blame God, if hee forsake you, and if, after God hath giuen you rest, you become retchlesse, as Pharaoh was here; then if, as hee in the sea, so you in eternall woe be drowned for euer, you haue your desert, and GOD is iust.

15. The Frogge is (as wee all knowe) a foule filthie creature, abiding in foule places, as bogges, and myrie plashes all the day long, and at night péeping out with the [Page 101] head aboue the water, making a hatefull noise with many others of his sort, till the day appeare againe. Wherefore Diuines haue thought, that by these foule creatures fitlie might be resembled such croking Crues, as hiding them­selues all the day in an Ale denne, or such like place of vn­cleanenes, as soone as night commeth, put out their heads, and make a hatefull noise against Gouernours and Su­periours, neighbours, and honest persons, till all that heare them be wearie of them. Which filthie Frogges the Lord assuredly will deale with all in his good time, as here he did with these Egyptian Frogges: namely, kill them, destroy them, and make the stinch of them knowne to ma­nie. Till then, let patience and righteous dealing be the ar­mour of the godly, and withall, how many of such vglie creatures this world hath, let it be considered: that there­vpon may arise this fruitfull Meditation, how little cause good men and women haue, to be in loue with this world, to build tabernacles in it, and to say and thinke it is good being heere; but rather to sigh, and wish to be loosed, and to liue there, where the Elect of God, hauing the Harpes of Apoc. 15. 2. 3. God, sing the song of Moses, where they crie Hallelu-iah, Apoc. 19. 1. saluation, and glory, and honour, and power be to the Lord, &c. O difference of places, if we had eyes, or heads, or hearts! God, God, for his Christ sake, giue vs féeling. Amen.

The 3. plague of Lice.

THis is the 3. plague, which the Lord by his mightie po­wer brought vpon this hard hearted King, and his ver. 16. 17. people, sée king thereby their good, but preuailed not. In which also (for our instruction) wee may obserue diuers things. As first, why the Lord did not bring againe vpon them his former plagues, either of Frogges, or bloodie water, letting them rest vpon them till they were stouped; [Page 102] but still bringeth new, & others than the former? Where­vnto wee may answere, that the Lord did this, to shewe, that his power was not tyed to any one thing, but by in­finite wayes able to punish sinners, if they will be stub­borne, more and more, so to feare them, and by them, vs, to the worlds end. Which, happie we, if it doo to amend­ment, that his many, and strange, and dreadfull plagues, may be euer and euer far from vs.

2. We may note that as easie it had béene for the Lord, to haue turned the dust into Lyons, and Beares, and Wolues, both of strange greatnes, and cruell fiercenes; but that rather hee chose to confound pride by weakenes, and a rebelling humour by so base a creature, as at other times often hee vsed to doo. And more it fretteth a high minde, as you may note in Abimelech, who sought of his seruant to slay him, rather than it should be saide, that a Iudg. 9. 54. woman had ouercome him. In vs let it worke thus much, that if such a vile creature may (by God) be made too strong for a Kingdome, what resistance can I, one man, or one woman make against the Lords wrath, if I pull it vpon me by my sinnes, by my proude, haughtie, and carelesse heart? His wrath can arme all the creatures in Heauen, & Earth against me; and yet the least of them is thus farre aboue my power, as you sée héere. Wicked are the words of some prophane mouthes at times, saying, Let vs haue our will now, and wee will shift then. O vaine heart, what shift can it thinke of against such a GOD? Shake and tremble at this dulnes betimes, lest the plague of it shiuer thée in péeces for euermore. The water crusheth Pharaoh, and all his people in the Kingdome; the Earth now also sendeth vermine vpon him, and hee cannot shift against such a vile and contemptible creature. Followe this Meditation in your minde, and let it profit you: for, before the face of his wrath, who can stand? Nahum. 1. 6. verse. 18.

3. Novve the Enchaunters assayed likewise vvith theyr Enchauntments to bring foorth Lice, but they [Page 103] could not. Powerfull then is the Deuill, when God will suffer him; but when God will restraine him, what can he doo? And this to y^e Storie of Iob, to the Storie of y^e heard of Swine in the Gospel, & such other places; & grow we in cō ­fort against this deadly foe of ours. For we sée his weak­nesse, and the bridling hand of God at all times ouer him, when God pleaseth. Feare God, and feare not Sathan; but contemne God, and then shake to thinke of Sathans fierce rage, when once he hath leaue giuen to torment thee.

4. Behold againe a good thing: before, the Inchanters did the like, but here now they cannot for their liues. As then a time there is of triall betwixt contrary opinions, and crossing miracles, that they which are of God may bee knowne: so is there a time, euen a ioyful happy time, when the Lord will cut of that difference and mismaze, that doubting, that iuggling, and deceiptful working, and giue his truth victorie ouer all Inchanters: Iames and Iam­bres 2. Tim. 3. 8. witstood Moses, saith the Apostle, and so did some then, and yet now with vs, resist the truth, Men of corrupt mindes, and reprobat, concerning the faith. But Moses had victory ouer those of his time, & the Apostle saith, the other of his time shal no longer preuaile, their madnes be­ing manifest to all men. Therefore, for them of our time, we may not doubt of like successe against them: onely let vs haue patience (as I often say) till the time come. Waies can he nener want to ouerthrow them, when in such weake creatures, as these were, he is so strong. A séely simple man in the famous Counsel of Nice without Logicke, or Rhetoricke, or any helpe of the Arts, gaue that vaunting Philosopher an ouerthrowe; and gained him from his vanity vnto God; the Storie is knowne, and I passe it ouer. In our times women and children haue foi­led Doctors, y^t euen out of babes & sucklings mouthes, the praise of God might be ordained. In some thing or other shall falshood stil faile, that such as haue eies may sée [Page 104] the truth. Amplify it further as you please, for (God be thanked) there be manie proofes.

5. Then said the Inchanters to Pharaoh, This is the ver. 19. finger of God. Wherein obserue, how the wicked, who, for a time, make shew, as though God were on their side, in Gods good time shall be forced to acknowledge the con­trarie, to his glorie, and the great comfort of his Church, and children. For, what are these wordes other in sence, than (as if they should haue saide) we haue hitherto deluded the eies and senses of the beholders by our inchantments; but now we are no more able to doo so? This which is now done passeth our skill, and albeit the creature be vile and base, yet is the power of God such ouer vs, and our Art, that wee cannot doo the like, but giue him the victorie, and acknowledge our selues sinfull, weake, and wicked men? Thus were Nabuchadnezzar in Daniel, and Antiochus in Dan. 2. 3. 2. Maccab. 9. the Maccabies, drawn to confesse Gods power ouer them, and all their greatnesse. Which certainly is an vnspeake­able comfort to all that depend vppon him in their trou­bles. For what can any man doo against you, against me, or any other, more than this God, (so potent, and puisant) will giue him leaue to doo? and what leaue will he giue him more, than in the end shall turne to our good, for whom he hath not spared, to giue his dearest son to death, that euer we might be assured of him?

6. Yet Pharaohs heart, saith the Text, remained still obstinate, and he hearkened not vnto them, &c. So lay­ing before vs a notable example of the rooted wickednesse in mans heart, béeing left of God vnto itselfe. For, as now you sée, not his own inchanters mooue him any thing at all, though they acknowledge before him the power of God. It maketh mee thinke of some men in our daies, who by no meanes can be wonne to the truth, no not by their owne men, (who sometimes haue erred, as now they do, but in the mercy of God haue receiued light) both speaking, and writing what should profit others. [Page 105] This is a fearefull hardnesse to be prayed against by all that haue a care of their owne saluation.

The fourth plague of Flies.

1. THese things thus passed ouer, the Lord ha­steth ver. 24. to an other plague, séeing the former could not moue: and as Pharaohs malice increased, so sharper and sharper is the Lords hand. For now com­meth a plague most bitter to him, and all his: euen swarmes of very noisom creatures, Flies, Waspes, Hor­nets Canker-wormes, Locusts, Scorpious, and such like; so that now most fearefully they were vexed in euery place. Diuines meditating vpon this plague, haue re­sembled vnto it those cares and thoughts, wherewith worldlie men are vsuallie vexed: for, as the Flies did neuer suffer the Egyptians to sléepe or take any rest; so doo those cares torment all day and night. Others haue re­sembled those bitings and touchings of conscience, which men so grieuouslie often féele, to these Flies; because, as in the one, so in the other, the griefe is greater than can bée expressed. Againe because, as these Flies were a punish­ment, forerunning the deliuerance of Gods people; so these agonies of minde going before, great and Heauenly comfort doth vsually follow. A thing worthy of remem­brance to troubled mindes and full of contentment, if they will holde fast by him, that is alwaies mercifull, and cal­leth vnto him all that trauell, and are heauy laden. O­thers considering the nature of these Flies haue compa­red Tyrants and oppressors of their weaker brethren vn­to them. For, as these Flies sucked-out the Egyptians blood with biting, and stinging and causing, of smart; so doo such cruell men, till they haue gorged themselues with sinlful spoiles of their Christian brethren. There be great Flies, & those be Great men, that tyrannously rule, not shearing, but shauing to the very skinne, if they take [Page 106] not skinne and all. There be lesser Flies, and those be vsu­rers, and other biting binders, who with their Nouerint Vniuersi, make an vniuersall ruine of many a mans estate, & so fetch him in still with the Condition of the Obligati­on, that in the end his Condition is wofull, and his heart breaketh with the bitter griefe of Be it knowne vnto all men. Surelie these are cursed Flies indéede, the suckers of our sap, the bibbers of our blood, the pinchers of our harts, and the stingers, and wringers of our very soules. The Egyptian Flie was nothing like vnto them, but yet, you sée, was a great plague of God sent to punish the sinne of men. But let them remember that these Flyes of Egypt had but a time; God sent them in wrath, and tooke them away in mercie, vppon intreatie. Some Moses, or other shall stande vp; and the Lorde shall sende a strong west-winde, to take these Canker-wormes away, and cast them into the Red-sea, that in our roast they may torment no longer. Philo, the Jewe, in the life of Moses, saith, that because the Egyptians did (as it were) sting the Israelites with many biting and bitter wordes, scoffes and scornes, taunts and iestes; therefore the Lod sent these Flies & Hornets among them, that one thing might be punished with an other. And most cer­taine it is, that such Stingers shall bee punished, as God shal thinke good in his due time.

2. These Flyes were not in the land of Goshen, and that (saith the Text) because God made a seperation. Verse, 22. 23. Wherein we profitably learne, that whensoeuer we are frée from any calamitie, or griefe, which happeneth t [...] o­thers, it is not by our owne vertue or policie, but by that gratious seperation, which the Lord maketh: whose mer­cy and loue that we might more fully sée, he saueth vs from that euill. Wherein how may we runne into perti [...]nlars, since we were borne, and haue had dealings in the world? Others sicklie, we healthie; others wath, [Page 107] we sufficient; others in continuall paine and labour, we in rest, and ease, and comfort; others in prison, we at li­berty; others in blindnesse, wee in light; others sclaundered, wee not touched; others crossed in their children, and friends, wee comforted; others wake, we sléepe; others wéepe, wée sing; and, which is the top and height of all miserie, others are so tempted, that they violently cast themselues away, when we in the meane time féele no temptation. O blessed God, what a seperati­on is this. Let vs euer thinke of it, and be thankeful for it.

3 When Pharaoh and his people were vexed with this Plague, Moses and Aaron, according to his former man­ner were called for, and licence giuen them to goe, and doo sacrifice, but with limitation (in this Land) and when that Ver. 25. would not satisfie Moses (for the reasons mentioned in the twenty sixe verse,) then it is inlarged to the wildernesse Ver. 28. also, but yet againe limitted, (Goe not farre away.) Where we are to mark the fashion, not onelie of worldly Princes, but of all wordlie and earthlie minded men, how they can, vpon vrgent necessitie, be content to tollerate Religion, so it might stil be ioyned with their profit: but if it be once contrary to that, O how bitter then▪ how hard then to endure it, and giue it frée, and louing passage! For these Jewes wholly to depart from Egypt, was not for Pharaohs profit (for from their labours he had great gaine) and therefore by no meanes may they go out of his land, to sacrifice to their God, but in the land he is content to endure them, so he may be fréede from these plagues, that so fearefully God sent vpon his people. Or, if it néedes must be, that they must goe forth of the Land, yet not farre away in any case. Thus was hee, thus are many at this day, and to the worlds end these wretches will not want, who haue their gaine for their God, and no other Religion will euer like, than what may stand with the same, as much as possibly they can procure. Let vs sée it, & marke it, and hate it; for it is not that which can please God. [Page 108] If we be risen with Christ, we must seek the things that Colos. 3. 1. are aboue: and, if we loue any thing more than him, we neuer can enioy him. His kingdome is not of this world; and if our ioy and glorie be in it, we are not his followers. Loue not this world, saith Saint Iohn, neither any thing in 1. Iohn. 2. 15. this world. For, if the loue of the world be in vs, the loue of God is not in vs. That builder of greater barnes for his large commings in, was but a foole, in his eies, who on­ly is wise: and when his soule was taken away, whose were all his toyles and trauels? That purple pampered Glutton went to the Deuill, and with all his worldlie wealth could not procure one drop of water, to coole his scalded tongue. The gaine of Gold makes many loose their soules. The gréedy wretch that for himselfe still spares, doth hoord-up nothing but continuall cares. Her­mocrates, lying at the point of death, bequeathed his goods to none, but himselfe. The fire burneth [...]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. (¶⁋)

1. TOuching the first, the Text saith, Verse. 1. Againe the Lord said vnto Mo­ses, goe to Pharaoh, &c. Di­uers times, you know, hee had sent before, and all in vaine; yet ceaseth not the bottomlesse and incomprehensible mercy of God, still, still, againe and againe to send. This was euer his gratious dealing with misera­ble sinners, and a swéete comfort it is to a troubled minde to thinke of it. The Gospell saith in like sort, He senta­gaine Luke. 20. 9. &c. and againe, other and other seruants to those wic­ked husbandmen, to remember them of his due, and their duetie; At last he sent his owne Sonne vnto them, saying, they will reuerence my Sonne. Againe, to Hierusalem, Luke. 13. 34. how often, how often would I haue gathered thy Chil­dren together, euen as a Hen gathereth her chickens vn­der her wings, and yet would not? O tender Father! what a certaine Seale is this thy goodnesse in these exam­ples, that true Repentance shall neuer be reiected, A sor­rowfull sinner neuer repulsed, a broken and contrite hart neuer despised? Let it profit vs vnto increase of faith, for [Page 125] his sake that dyed for our sinnes. Our owne experience hath taught vs as much, if wee did obserue it. For how long haue wee béene sinners? haue not some of vs béene 20 yéeres, some 30, some 40, and more (all of vs too long) walking the way, that leadeth vnto death? And what haue our sinnes béene? surely great, foule, vglie, odious to God, dangerous to our selues, and offensiue to the world: yet hath the Lord neither swept vs away in his most iust wrath, neither ceased to send Moses againe and againe vnto vs, for our reformation. Should not this infinite goodnes much moue vs, to returne to so swéete a Father? Knowest Rom. 2. 4. thou not (O man) saith the blessed Apostle, that the long suffering of God leadeth thee to repentance? How en­tertained hee the Prodigall Sonne when hee returned? how reioice the Angels in Heauen, ouer one sinner, that repenteth? far be it euer then from vs, euer to resist a God so powerfull to confound vs, and so mercifull to receaue vs.

2. But the Lord saith héere, that he hardened Pharaohs heart, and the hearts of his seruants, how then was the fault in them, that they yéelded not? for answere, let mee aske you another question: whether you thinke it not law­full, that God should punish a sinner, as himselfe liketh? and whether hardnes of heart be not a punishment? if both be true, then might the Lord punish him this way. Yet all men doo not thinke this such a punishment as it is; for, if wee be sicke, wee looke for helpe, if the eye faile, the eare growe dull, or any sense be weakened, we quickly féele it, and readily with for remedie; onely, if our heart growe dull, and our vnderstanding, féeling, and profiting in Gods Schoole be taken from vs, wee are not mooued, neither thinke it goeth ill with vs, preferring the outward sense of body far and far before the light of the minde. But let it be lawfull, you say, with the Lord thus to punish; yet it must néedes excuse the partie so punished: for, how can a man féele, and relent, whose heart God smiteth with hard­nes? [Page 126] no, it excuseth not, because a man may sinne neces­sarily, and yet not constrainedly, but willingly; which con­sent Necessario, non coacte. of will maketh him guiltie: as in common experience, you sée one in a great heate drinke necessarily, in respect of heate; yet not constrainedly, but very willingly. Looke not therefore at Gods secret Decrée, but at mans willing approbation of what is euill. And in this matter remem­ber the modestie, and reuerence of S. Paule, when he saith; O man, who art thou that pleadest with God? shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou Rom. 9. 20. &c. made me thus? &c. O the deepenes of the riches, both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable Rom. 11. 33. are his Iudgements, and his waies past finding out! Re­member also howe S. Augustine imitateth him in this vertue, saying, O man, thou lookest for an aunswere of me, and I also am a man my selfe; therefore let vs both heare him that saith, Who art thou that disputest with GOD? Better is holy ignorance, than rash knowledge, Melior est fide­lis ignorantia, quam temeraria scientia. Seeke thou for merit, thou shalt finde but punishment. O deepenes! reason thou, I will meruaile; dispute thou, I will beleeue: and hee that liketh not of this answere, let him séeke one more learned, but take héede, hee finde not one more presuming.

3. That thou maist declare in the eares of thy sonne, and thy sonnes sonne, what things I haue done in Egypt; Ver. 2. &c. A Notable place to teach vs, as the end of Gods workes and wonders, so the dutie and office of all Chri­stian Parentes and Gouernours: euen to teach their Children and Charge, carefully and zealouslie by them, and in them to knowe the Lord. The like place you haue againe, in Deuteronomie. These wordes, which I com­maund Deut. 6. 6 7. thee this day, shall bee in thine heart. And thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children, and shalt talke of them when thoutariest in thine house, and as thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest downe, and when thou risest vp: &c. Thus is God himselfe the [Page 127] Author of that Catechizing and instructing of youth, in his holy feare, and true Religion, which so much is neg­lected in our daies, and whereunto not onely youth (who knowe not their owne good) are hardly drawne; but euen their elder Parents and Maisters are very vnwilling to haue them drawne. But can the stubborne and headstrong contempt of so holy a Commaundement of him that made vs be euer vnpunished? no, no, it both hath, and euer shall haue his due correction, both in those that should come, and those that should send them, and sée them come, Parents, Maisters, Godfathers, and Godmothers, and the like. Hence it commeth, that children are often disobedient to their Parents, wanton, wilfull, wicked, and in the end die a shamefull death. Parents can get for their Sonnes the Landlords Cloath, thereby to haue countenance and aide in the world; but they neuer cast, nor care to get them Gods holy feare in their hearts, who is Landlord of all Lands, and Lords, thereby to haue both the promise of this life, and of that to come. O blindnes! doo we not sée, how great, and how foule, how grosse, and how sinfull? if we doo, let vs héereafter amend this fault, and assure our selues, that all the countenance in the world is not like his fauour, that made both our posteritie, and the world; ru­leth them, and the world; destroyeth them, and the world. Wherefore he promised it to Abraham, as a thing aboue all the riches of the world, that he would be his God, and the God of his seede, if he walked before him in vpright­nes. Follow this Meditation further in your owne minde, and you shall finde it worke to a carefull course, touching such as are committed to you.

4. How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy selfe be­fore verse. 3. me? These wordes tell vs the drift of all crosses and afflictions in this life; euen to bring downe the swelling pride of our sinfull hearts: that yéelding God what is due to him, we againe from him might reape mercie and good­nes more and more, to our endlesse comfort: for he would [...] [Page 130] the contrary) of the Storie in Genesis; where, for ten righ­teous, Gen. 18. 32. if they could haue bene founde, the whole Citie had bene saued. Houses and whole kingdomes haue bene fauoured for one righteous man dwelling therein, proofes are many both in Scripture & all Stories, Ioseph, Daniel, and such like.

7 This spéech of Pharaohs seruants preuailed so farre, that Moses and Aaron were sent for to Pharaoh, and had Verse 8. an offer made them, to depart, if they would, with some company, but not with all: vnto which Moses answe­red, that they must néedes all goe, Young and old, Sons and Daughters, sheepe and cattell, orels none. Where­in I profit thus, by the graunt of Pharaoh of some to goe, and not all; I obserue the malice of Satan, and his mem­bers, against the Church and the true seruice of God: if they cannot wholly destroy it, hurt it, and hinder it; then in part as farre as they can, they will doo it, euer valuing much, but a little gaine herein. By the answere of Mo­ses, I obserue againe, on the other side, that we must not yéelde an inch to these plottes and fetches of the wicked, but zealously must stand vpon the full obseruance of all Gods Will, according to his commaundement, and not according to the fancies either of others, or of our selues. Where the Lord dispenseth not, wée must not dispense; where al are bound to departe out of Egypt, we must not capitulate, for some to goe, and some to tarrie. Where­of, would God, men in our dais had due consideration: where the Husband goeth to Church, but not the wife; the Father, but not the Sonne; the Seruant, but not the Mai­ster: Moses would not doo thus, in this place, but (know­ing all to be bound) requireth all; leauing vs therein a fearefull assurance, that this playing at halfe stake with the Lord, as it is most odious to him, so most dreadfully by him it will one day be punished.

8. The wordes following in the eleuenth verse. are not to be passed ouer without some profit, Then they were Verse. 11. [Page 131] thrust out from Pharaohs presence; For they notably shew the too common entertainement of Gods messen­gers in this wicked world: namely, to be thrust out, and very vnkindly entreated without any fault. So were the Prophets and Apostles in their times; yea, the great Mai­ster himselfe, when they forcibly caried him toward the top of a mountaine with a purpose violently to haue cast him downe. But let it comfort vs, and shake the hearts of such wicked wretches euer, that the very dust of our féete shall bee a witnesse for vs against them in the great day of iust iudgment, and due reuenge for such sinne. He that receaueth you receaueth me; and he that refuseth, (and thrusteth you out) refuseth, (and thrusteth me out.) Vengeance is mine, and I will repay.

9 By occasion of these Grashoppers, sent in the wrath Verse. 15. The 8. Plague. of God, as a Plague to annoy the Egyptians, couering All the face of the earth (by their multitude) till the land was darke with them, and eating vp all the hearbes of the land, with the fruits of the trees, &c. You may take occasion to remember what you reade of Grashoppers in the Scrip­tures; and you may heare also what others haue saide of them. First, you find in Leuiticus a kinde of Grashopper Leuit. 11. 22. among the cleane beasts, which the Israelites might eat of: whereunto referre that in Mathew of Iohn Baptist, Matth. 3. 4. how his meate was Locusts, that is, Grashoppers, and wilde hony. This kinde of Grashopper, to vs, at this dale, is not well knowne, as neither to others before our time. For Theophilact vpon Math, supposeth Iohns Lo­custs to haue béene hearbes so called, and Euthimius vpon Math, Certaine wilde fruites, such as the wildernesse, wherein Iohn liued, yéelded vnto him. Chrisostome and Athanasius before him were of the same opinion, saith Her­molaus Barbarus. But Saint Hillary thinketh they were Animalia quaedam apta ad comedendum, Certaine liuing creatures good for meate. Thomas Aquinas vpon Ma­thew hath the same wordes. Albertus Magnus vppon Math, That they were not our vsuall Grashoppers; for [Page 132] they (saith hee) are venemous: but they were certaine Birdes in the Wildernes, which vpon similitude of their leaping and hopping (rather than flying) were called Gras­hoppers. Plinie in his Naturall Historie writeth, that Gras­hoppers or Locusts to the Parthians, were most acceptable meat: againe, in another place, y^t a part of Aethiopia liueth onely by Locusts made hard by smoake and salt. But they Fumo & sale duratis. liue not, saith he, aboue 40. yéeres. S. Hierome saith, that the Easterne people & Enhabitants of Libya eate much these Grashoppers: because in the Desert, & hote vastnes of the Wildernes, there are found cloudes of them. Plinie Nubes Locusta­rum. againe writeth of them, that there are of 3. foote long in India. The word also, Locusta, we knowe, is sometimes taken for the fish which we call a Lobster. In the Apoca­lyps you reade, that the bottomlesse pit was opened, and Apoc. 9. 2. out of the same arose a smoake like the smoake of a great fornace. And out of the smoake came Locusts (or Gras­hoppers,) vpon the earth, &c. Where you may consider 3. what is meant by these Locusts, and then the reason of their resemblance. These Locusts prefigured and foretold to the Church of God all that rabble of the Popish Cler­gie, which afterward, in time, couered (as it were) the face of the earth, their Priests, their swarmes of Monkes, Fryers, Nunnes, & other Orders, almost without num­ber. For héere is mention made of a Starre that fell; nowe Starres (in this booke) doo signifie the Angels of the Chur­ches, Apoc. 9. 1. who shine by the light of Heauenly doctrine, and ho­lie life, as starres in the firmament by their brightnes; and who truly may be said to stand, whilest they doo their du­ties; and to fall from Heauen, when (forgetting life, and doctrine) they thinke, speake, and followe earthly things. The Starre therefore, that is héere said to fall from Heauen vnto the earth, was some great Minister in the Church, of such authoritie, and high estimation, as the power a­scribed vnto him plainly teacheth. But who, in all the world, can bee named such a One, sauing the Bishop of [Page 133] Rome? for, by all Stories wee sée, and knowe, that they were excellent men, at the beginning, many of them, yea vnto Constantine the Great, as I remember, 32 succéeded one after another, good, and learned men; holy, and reue­rend Martyrs, for the selfe same truth, which wee at this day holde, and their Successors haue forsaken. From Constantine againe to Gregory the Great about 32 more, good men, though not altogether as the former. For euen now began some declination in the Church, yet not such, but that Gregorie detested the proude Supremacie, which now is challenged, and tolde the Bishop of Constantino­ple (then ambitiouslie séeking for it,) that whosoeuer sought to bee called Vniuersall Bishop was (out of question) the Forerunner of Antichrist. But, when Boniface the Third came, he little passing for Gregorie his opinion, obtained of Phocas, (that bloodie Traytor, who had killed the Em­perour his Maister, his Wife, and Children, and so got to bee Emperour) that Rome might bee the Head of all Ci­ties, and the Bishop there, vniuersall Bishop ouer all. Here then fell the Starre from Heauen to Earth, when it left Heauen, and claue to the Earth, hunting continually for earthly honour since that day, and plotting earthly trou­ble to all Nations. The brightnes of Doctrine, and holy life, which former Bishops of Rome had, and thereby did shine as starres, was now lost: and all idle inuentions of mans sinfull braine brought in to worship God with them, in steade of his owne Commaundements. Great power to hurt retained, hauing not nowe Peters keyes (as they boast,) but the keyes of the bottomlesse pit giuen them, to bring out thence into the Church Doctrines of Deuils, 1. Timoth. 4. 1. 2. 3. darknes, ignorance, superstition, and all wicked abhomi­nations, like soule thicke smoake hiding the brightnes and light of Christ our Sauiour from the eyes of men, euen so strongly, that such smoake is resembled to the smoake of a great fornace, for the strength of it. What grosse lyes, what palpable Fables, haue their Legends, their elder [Page 134] Masse-Bookes, and Primers, printed long since? surely e­uen such, as themselues, at this day, are ashamed of, and leaue out of their new Bookes. Then out of this filthie foggie smoake ascending out of the pit, when it was ope­ned, came the swarmes of Locusts mentioned, Monkes, Fryers, &c. No Papist in the world can shew where (vnder any Starre fallen) there is such a resemblance as vnder their Pope hath béene, and is at this day still: which being the second point I prayed you to marke, now cast your eyes vpon it, and marke it much. First, Grashoppers doo most of their hurt by their mouthes; and so doth Romish Lu­custs by their cursed speaking; teaching, charming, and alluring Christian people from GOD, from Prince, and Countrie, to their damnable opinions, and resolutions. This Spéech of their mouthes maketh mee remember S. Bernards Spéech, Bestia illa cui datum est es loqūens blasphe­mias, & bellum gevere cum sanctis, Petri cathedram occupat tanquam Leo paratus ad praedam. That beast vnto which there is giuen a mouth to speake blasphemies, and to warre with the Saints, possesseth the Chayre of Peter, as a Lyon prepared to his pray. A great Spéech in those dayes, if you marke it.

Secondly, Grashoppers vse to swarme in great abun­dance, whereupon came the Prouerbe, As thicke, as Gras­hoppers. So these Romish Locusts did they not ouer-spread (as it were) the whole earth, when vnder Pope Pius the 2, one order of Fryers (called Minorits) so abounded, & swar­med, that the Maister of the Order offered the Pope, ei­ther against the Turke, or for any other seruice, thirtie Thousand able fighting men, and yet would leaue so ma­nie more? What Swarmes, thinke you, were amongst all the Orders, if one were so great? very fitly therefore did the Similitude of Locusts foretell this rabble, in time, to come into the world.

Thirdly, Grashoppers doo eate-vp & destroy all greene things, and fruites of the earth: And euen so these Anti­christian Ioel. 2. [Page 135] Locusts, Swarmes of Romish Fryers, and such like, left not a greene thing vndeuoured, that is, not a good soyle, and seate in any Land, wherein they clapt not downe themselues, had a house built, and possessed the pleasure, and profit thereof, till God (in mercy to his Church) sent a strong winde, and blew them away.

Fourthly, Grashoppers are said, and written of, to be insatiable, euer hungry, whilest they liue; Locusta enim quasi tota vena est, & ideo insatiabilis; quam diu viuit, sem­per esurit. And were not the Romish Locusts so to (I pray you) in their time, and yet still are, where they haue place? The world, with many wofull complaints, hath left their insatiable deuouring testified to all posterity.

Fiftly, one Grashopper, alone, is very contemptible, and no man feareth him, but (in Swarmes) they are as terrible, on the other side, to a whole Land. Euen so Ro­mish Locusts, Priests, Fryers, and such like, one of any sort, alone, without dread; but beware heapes & Swarmes of them, for by their multitude they haue dared, and wron­ged great Princes.

Sixtly, the Grashoppers leape, and sing, and play all Sommer long: so did these rabble plentifully take their pleasure all the time of their Sommer, liued in idlenes, vp­on other mens labours, singing, and saying; sporting, and playing; and who durst say, nay?

Lastly, Locusta est animal paruulum, inter volatile & reptile medium, pestis tanta, vt ab Ethnicis Deorum ira dica­tur. The Grashopper, saith Chrysostome, neither proper­ly flying, nor creeping, but (as it were) a middle thing be­twixt both, such a plague, that the Heathens haue called it, The wrath of God. So write the Papists or Romish Locusts of their Head the Pope, that he is neither méerely a man, nor absolutely, a God; but a middle creature be­twixt both: and then wee dare add, that hee is such a plague, as truly we may terme, The wrath of God.

Thus might I goe forward in this resemblance, and [Page 136] shew you how fitly the holy Spirite of God foretold of these swarmes, vnder the name of Locustes: but this much sheweth you the way, and you your selfe may think of mo agréements.

Now marke you the wordes in the Reuelation: and as, by this which I haue saide, you haue séene, how like the Popish Clergie is to Grashoppers in some conditions; so (there) shall you see, how like they are to the description of Locustes, (there) made by Saint Iohn; that euery way you may be sure, the Prophecy in the Apocalips noted out these creatures.

First it is said, vnto them was giuen power, as the Scor­pions of the earth haue power. Now we reade, that the Apoc. 9. 3. Scorpion is a flattering beast, and in the middest of his flattery with the sting of his tayle woundeth to death. So were and are these Popish Locustes euer full of flatte­ry, and fawning, and in the middest thereof full of poy­son, striking to death (with their stings of false Doctrine,) as many as they can fasten the same in. Againe, the Scorpions sting (at the first) maketh no great payne, but (after it hath crept abroad, and dispersed his venome in the bodie) it killeth most cruelly, and without remedie; so the stinging perswasions of Romish Locustes appeare not (at first) so dangerous: but (when they haue gotten strength) the partie hardly euer recouereth. The Doctrine of Free iustification in the blood of Christ is hid from Gods peo­ple, and condemned as heresie. All assurance of Gods fauour, all peace of conscience, all ioy in the Holy-Ghost, quite destroyed. Men are sent to séeke ease in the Merite of their owne workes, in Popes Pardons, and Indulgen­ces, in running on pilgrimage to this Idoll, and that; in punishing their bodies by fastings, whippings, and such like inuentions; and yet are they not eased hereby, but torments of conscience (as the venome of these Scorpi­on-like Locustes, which haue stinged them still) remaine bitter, and heauie vpon them. Then must they build [Page 137] Abbeies, giue money for Trentals of Masses; then sing, sing, ring, ring, cast Pardons into the graue, call for the poore, giue almes, and what not? Judge now if this kind of power of these Locustes be not as the power of Scorpi­ons vpon earth, as Saint Iohn speaketh: and be you most assured, that God pointed at them in this Prophetic, that wee might be forewarned, and so forearmed against them.

Secondly, it is saide in the Apocalyps, how to those Apoc. 9. 4. Locustes was commaunded that they should not hurt the grasse of the earth, neither any greene thing, neither any tree, but onely those men which haue not the Scale of God in their fore-heades. And how fitly agréeth this to the Romish Locustes? For there be in the world two sorts of people; one, that wittingly and willingly will run af­ter their own woe, and are bitter professed [...]ies of the Truth, whom God in his Justice, hath reiected & not scaled: y^t other sort, is of them which (not malitiously, but of méere ignorance) go awrie, béeing desirous to doo wel, yet in their simplicity deceaued, and abused by crafty Juglers. The former sort onely are those, whom these Locustes can hurt. The latter (in Gods infinite goodnesse) is exempt, as greene things which he will not haue harmed, and as persōs sealed in their foreheades, which y^e former wanted. A swéete Testimony of the power and mercy of our most gratious Father, who in the very middest of darknesse, & euen when Antichrist is at his height can preserue his cho­sen from any hurt by those swarmes of Locustes, which haue great power giuen them to hurt others. The obser­uing whereof much doth inable vs to answere that scale obiection, Where was your Church before Luther. Sure­ly in the middest of these Locustes, Scorpions and Hornets, yet by the power of an Almighty God preserued from hurt, as you sée heere, these greene things were. But you may thinke, how can this be? Are all those whom these Romish Locustes sting with any false and erronious [Page 138] opinion, cast away and damned? this were hard; and if not, how then is it said, that they shall not haue power to hurt the Elect? The next verse in the Reuelation answe­reth the matter: where (lest any should mistake the word Apoc 9. 5. of hurting,) the holy Ghost sheweth what hee meaneth by it; namely, that they should not kill the Elect, but onely such as were not sealed. Hurt then the Elect may be, or (as it is there) vexed fiue moneths, and their paine shall be as the paine that commeth of a Scorpion, which hath stung a man, but killed they shall not be: that is, finally ouer-throwne and cast away touching eternall life. Grashop­pers come in Aprill, and liue till September; fiue moneths, and then are gone: so may the Elect be afflicted for a time, and hurt in their goods, and bodies, & friends, as Iob was, but September will come, when the Locusts shall away, and their Deliuerance be wrought by a gracious GOD. Thus comforted Paule the Church in his time, saying, As Iannes and Iambres withstoode Moses, so doo these also resist the truth. But (now marke) they shall preuaile no [...]. Tim. 3. 8. longer: for their madnes shall be euident vnto all men as theirs also was. An end therefore will be of all troubles, which these Locusts shall worke vnto the Church and E­lect of God. Fiue moneths is not long (in respect of that e­ternitie which followeth;) and therefore in comfort be wee patient: their time is set, and they shall haue an end. A­gaine, this place may notably assure you, and euery one, that all which died in the time of Poperie, were not cast­away, but that at one time, or other, by one way, or other, the Lord gaue them light, & a holy departure in his truth: and Stories tell vs how still (in the time of darknes) God raised vp some zealous, and able Teachers of their bre­thren, by whose ministerie and helpe many receaued light, and ouercame the power of error. Whereunto agrée the words of Primatius, Illi hic intelliguntur, qui, licet falsis fu­erunt irretiti doctrinis, circa finem tamen vitae compuncti, di­uinam recipiunt veritatem. They heere are vnderstoode, [Page 139] who, though they haue beene abused by false Doctrine, yet in the end of their life hauing remorse, they entertai­ned the Heauenly truth. The words following, (that, in those dayes men shall seeke death, and shall not finde it, Apoc 9. 6. and shall desire to die, and death shall flie from them,) ve­rie effectually shew forth the tortures of conscience, which Popish Doctrine casteth men into, so well knowne by fearefull Examples, as I néede not to stand vpon it. Also the misteries of the Time wherein the Locusts should swarme, fully expressed in Stories, which indéede made many a man and woman wearie of life. The little short time of Quéene Marie her Reigne, how full it was of vex­ation, and griefe, is not, nor cannot be forgotten.

Thirdly, in the place of the Reuelation it is saide, The Apoc. 9 7. forme of the Locusts was like vnto horses prepared vnto battell. And sée how it resembleth Romish Locusts. Hor­ses are proud, so are they; Horses are bolde, and sturdie, fierce, and cruell, not turning backe, but rushing forward; so are they bold, and bloodie, sturdie, and mercilesse, not looking backe by repentance, but rushing forward in hard­nes of heart. Horses are fat, and faire, and full of neigh­ing; so are they. And for being prepared to battell, all Hi­stories shew, what warres they haue caused, and still doo, in the world; themselues being Leaders, Captaines, and Generals in them: whereas wee knowe, that the true Church of God (by the Rule and Example of the Gospell) ought to be a Daughter of peace, not a Mother of debate; A forgiuer of iniuries, not a renenger of her selfe, or a sée­ker of warres. The Tragicall Storie betwixt Frederick the 2, and Gregorie the 9, may serue (in steade of many) to prooue, what warres and treacheries come from Rome. That horrible slaughter betwixt both sides of thirtie thou­sand Math. Paris. pag. 92. (the most Citizens of Rome) whom will it not moue, that readeth it? This Pope was in the daies of Henry the 3, King of England. The open warres proclaimed against the Gréeke Church, shewe much. But I will lay downe [Page 140] the very words of Pandolphus, who wrote, in Italian, the life of this Frederick the 2, that such as haue not the Storie, may sée this point fully; and, I pray you, marke them well. Truly, saith He, when I consider with my selfe, that Christ (whose Vicar the Romaine Bishops boast them­selues Pandolphus his words. to be) said vnto his Disciples, that they should fol­low him, and imitate his Example, as of their Maister and Teacher; and commaunded them farther, that they should not draw the sword, but put the same into the scabbard; and gaue them in precept, that they should not onely for­giue iniuries 7. times, but 70. times 7. times, to those that offended them: And, when I now compare the liues of the Bishops of Rome, how neere they follow him, whose Vi­cars (they say) they are; and consider so many, and so great conspiracies, treasons, rebellions, disloyalties, lyings in waite, and treacherous deuises; so many Legates of the Popes, (being Ecclesiasticall persons, which will needes be called the Sheepheards of Christ his Flocke) to be such Warriours and Captaines of Souldiers in all the parts of Italy, Campania, Apulia, Calabria, (being the Emperours Dominions,) in Picenum, Aemilia, Flaminia, and Lumbar­die, to be sent against him; Also, when with my selfe I meditate the destruction of so many great and famous Cities, the subuersion of such Cōmon-weales, the slaugh­ter of so many men, and the effusion of such Christian blood; Lastly, when I behold so victorious, prosperous, and fortunate Emperours to be, and so many miserable, in­fortunate, & vanquished Popes to be put to flight; I am perswaded with my selfe to thinke and beleeue, that the Iudgements of God are secret, and marueilous, and That to be true that Aeneas Siluius writeth in his Historie of Austria; That there is no great and marueilous clade, no notorious and speciall calamitie (that hath hapned either to the Publique-weale, or else to the Church of GOD) whereof the Bishops of Rome haue not beene the Au­thors. Add vnto this that Notable place in the Prophet [Page 141] Micah, where speaking of Gods true Church, it is saide, they shall breake their swords into Mattocks, and their Micah. 4. 3. speares into [...]ithes, that is, their fierce affections shall (by the power of the word) be mortified, and brotherly loue en­creased, with desire of peace and quietnes. But these men (euen contrarie) breake their Mattocks into swords, and their [...]ithes into speares, being so great, so fierce, so ambi­tions, and common Warriours, as they are. The strange cruelties of Vrban the 5. making bloodie, & great warres vpon many, and bringing them, by force, in subiection to him, I omit. These things shew, how truly this Prophe­cie of the Apocalyps, (concerning Locusts like vnto horses prepared to battell) agréeth to these Romish Locusts, Popes, Cardinals, Legats, Monkes, Fryers, Priests, Iesuites, and such like. Nicholas Machiauel saith, all the ruinous calamities and miserable clades, that either Italy, or whole Christendome hath suffered, haue béene brought in by the Popes of Rome. A faire warning to all Gods people, to know them, and auoide them.

Fourthly, on their heads (were as it were) crownes like Apoc. 9. 7. vnto gold, And these haue Shauen Crownes tokens (as they say) of their Priestly and Kingly dignity. Such Crownes are rightly said by S. Iohn to be like Crownes, not Crownes indeede. Surely, right Notes they are of Romish Locusts, and that may suffice as many as will be warned by any thing.

Fiftly, And their faces were like the faces of men. So Apoc. 9. 7. are these; not terrible in shew, but curteous, kinde, faw­ning, flattering, watching, catching with smooth wiles to effect their purpose. They pretend all good, making men beléeue, that they can bring them to true Blessednes, that they will teach them true Religion, true Deuotion, and giue them Pardon for all sinnes. So in Daniel is it saide, that to Antichrist are giuen the eyes of a man, still there­fore Daniel. 7. 8. marke how these properties hit.

Sixtly, Their haire as the haire of women. So are Apoc. 9. 8. [Page 142] these; they are delicious, and wanton, full of light allure­ments, so trick and trim in silke and sutes of their fashion, that the very Persians may séeme to giue place vnto them, when they are in their Pontificalibus, and gay attire. In a word, nothing may be saide more truly than that their See Aug in Apoc. haire is like the haire of women. Their loose life hath to [...] much proofe.

Seauenthly, But their teeth were as the teeth of Ly­ons. Apoc. 9. 8. So are these; passing cruell, and beyond all the but­chering Tyrants that Stories speake of. No mercie, no bowels, no respect of age, se [...]e, or circumstance, vsually respected of men that haue any remnants of pitie. Their Inquisition, (Oh how mercilesse? their new deuised Tor­ments, (Oh) how strange? Againe, their teeth may bee well said to be like Lyons, because they deuoured, and eate vp such great things. Looke vpon their Abbies, Priories, Nunries, and all Religious Houses; iudge what teeth they had, and when there was not enough to satisfie them (of temporall Lands,) then they preyed vpon the Church, making Impropriations, the venome whereof remaineth yet. So that one way, or other, they were planted & pla­ced, seated and setled in the very fat of the earth: and had they continued still, and not béene limited to fiue mo­neths, who? or what should haue escaped their Lyon-like teeth?

Eightly, They had Habbergions, like to Habbergions of yron. And [...]o haue these, if you well marke them: for, Apoc 9. 9. by these yron Brest-plates are noted two properties, found in the Romish rabble. First, a most obstinate stubborn­nesse and inflexible frowardnesse, not enduring any per­swasion, not yéelding any way, but crying euer, The Church, The Church, I am setled, I am resolued, and, as a Captaine of theirs (an English Apostata) saide once; Heaue at vs whilest you will, and whilest you may, you shall neuer remoue vs. This is to haue an Habbergion, or Brest-plate of yron, or, euen to bee turned into yron. [Page 143] Blessed be God, who hath thus foretolde vs of this striffe con [...]umacie of theirs, to the end we should take no offence, that they are not conuerted vnto the Truth, but stand, and die in their wilfulnes. Secondly, they are defended by that Antichristian power, as it were, by an Habbergion of yron, claiming an impunitie, & immunitie from all se­cular power and authoritie, and hauing (in readines) cur­ses and threats of Excommunication, euen against the Greatest Princes, and against All their Subiects, who shall obey them; whereof many a wofull Tragedie hath followed. Againe, themselues (many of them) haue béene Princes younger Sonnes, Noble-mens younger sonnes, greatly allied and friended, so that (in regard of this po­wer and strength) they might truly be saide to haue Hab­bergions of yron.

Ninthly, The sound of their wings was like the sound of Chariots when many horses runne vnto battell. So Apoc. 9. 9. haue these winges, when they flie aloft by the Names of MOST HOLY FATHERS, MOST BLESSED, MOST EXCELLENT, and such like; themselues giuing out, That they are more blessed, than the holy virgin Mary, because she bare Christ but once, and they make him, and beare him in their hands euery day at the Altar. Thus fly­ing with their light wings of proud Titles, they make such a noise and sound as Chariots drawne by many horses in­to the battell. For, denie any of these things, and how vi­olent, how vehement are they, by Disputations, Excom­munications, Suspentions, and Sentences of death it selfe? Surely, no whéeles of Chariots can flash out fire so, as these men doo, if their flickering wings of flattering Ti­tles be touched. Fitly therefore the words of S. Iohn hit them. Their Scorpion tailes and power to hurt was tou­ched Apoc. 9. 10. before, therefore I omit it now.

The tenth Marke is, Those Locusts haue a King ouer them. And so haue these Romish Locusts their Pope, ac­knowledging no Magistrates authoritie ouer them, but [Page 144] exalting him, and exempting themselues from all others. This King of the Locustes is héere called The Angel of the bottomlesse pit; and in the eleuenth Chapter, The Adoc. 11. 7. Beast that commeth out of the bottomlesse pit. Wordes of weight, to mooue all Popish mindes, if the Lord had not a purpose to destroy them. For they must néedes acknow­ledge, such a King is not worth the following; and, that their Pope is this King, that which hath béene said, and may further be noted, of him, clearely sheweth. For hee that crosseth and crusheth (to his vttermost power) His Doc­trine that came from Heauen, he is the King that commeth out of Hell, in whom S. Hierome saith, the Deuill dwel­leth bodily. But the Pope doth so, as proofe enough will manifest, and Ergo the conclusion followeth as I said. His Name also is folde héere, which giueth againe great light. For albeit the Pope be called Holy Father, and so forth; yet indéede he is a bloodie Destroyer, and so his right Name in Dan. 7. 6. 11. Zach. 11. Apoc. 9. 11. Hebrewe, is Abaddon, and in Greeke, Apollyon, that is, de­stroying. Thus in the Prophecie of the Reuelation hath God, you sée, described a fearefull kinde of Locustes, vnto the consideration whereof, by reason of these Egyptian Lo­custs or Grashoppers we haue slipped, I hope, not with­out some encrease of féeling, how dreadfull their steps be, that continually walke in Romish wayes, and will not be reclaimed by any meanes. Our owne safer iudgement God make vs thankfull for, and continue the blessed helpes of our confirmation in his Truth, euer vnto vs, his holy and Heauenly Word, a fréedome to vse all the profitable exercises thereof, (as Preaching, hearing, reading, wri­ting, praying, conference, and whatsoeuer else) without feare, vnder the swéete smelling gouernment of a gracious Prince, our dread Souereigne. Amen, Amen.

10. Therefore Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in Verse. 16. hast, and saide, I haue sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. And now forgiue me my sinne onely this once, and pray vnto the Lord your God, that he may [Page 145] take away from me this death one [...]. Thus the wic­ked in extremities seeke to Gods Ministers, whom in their heart they hate and cannot abide. But this hy­pocriticall holinesse of this dissembling King we haue di­uers times noted before, and therefore may passe it ouer now. Yet marke the great vehemency of his wordes, and consider in your minde, what a déep sin Hypocrisy is, how disagréeing from the nature of God, who is all Truth and from that blessing in the Gospell, of a pure heart. Moses Matth. 5. 8. Ver. 18. & 19. yéelded againe to pray to God; And, by a mightie strong West-winde the Grashoppers were taken away, and vio­lently cast into the Red-Sea, so that there remained not so-much as one in all the coast of Egypt. But when it was done, Ph [...]h shewed himselfe in his olde colour, and 20. would not let them goe.

The 9. plague.

1. VVHere vpon the Lord spake againe to Mo­ses and said, Stretch out thine hand toward heauen, that there may be vpon the land of Egypt darknes, euen darkenesse that may bee felt. Then Moses stretched-forth his hand toward heauen, and there was a blacke darknesse in the land of Egypt 3. dayes, no man saw an other, neither rose vp from the place where he was, for 3. daies. The manner of this darknes is described, first in these wordes, euen that may bee felt; whereby ei­ther litterally a very vile grosse matter is meant (which indéede might be felt) or at least so thicke foggie and filthy, as was most noisome, & might be saide (as it were) palpa­ble. Secondly, such it was as no man sawe an other, neither role-up from the place where he was, which flit be taken Philo in vita Mosis, Aug. in Exod. litterallie (as is said) was a most strange and fearefull thing▪ and, if figuratiuely, that it disabled them to go to worke abroad, (according to the Psalme, The sunne ari­seth, [Page 146] and man goeth forth to his laboure) euen that way also it was a great plaguè. Thirdly, the time is noted, for the space of three dayes; a great while to be in such a case, as (were wée but one houre in) it would make the strongest natural man shake and be amazed. Fourthly, in the booke of Wisedome it is described by much feare in these wordes. When the vnrighteous thought to haue thy holy people in subiection, they were bound with the Wised. 17. 2. bands of darknes and long night: and being shut vp vn­der the roofe did lye there to escape the euerlasting Pro­uidence. And while they thought to be hid in their darke 3. sinnes they were scattered abroad in the darke couering of forgetfulnesse; fearing horribly and troubled with vi­sions. For the den that hid them kept them not from feare: but the sounds that were about them troubled them, and 4. terrible visions and sorrowfull sights did appeare. No po­wer 5. of the fire might giue light, neither might the cleare flames of the starres lighten the horrible night. Accor­ding whereunto is that in Philo written, Ignem domesticum, quo quotidié vtimur, vel extinctum fuisse turbato aere, vel crassissimis tenebris victum, vt nullum lumen caligo illa admit­teret. That fire and candell was either quite extinguished, or so ouercome with the troubled ayre, that no light could be admitted in that darknes. This then was the fearefull & most fearefull maner of y^t darknes; which maketh me remē ­ber that great darknes, which is said to haue béen in Hispa­niola, when Columbus came thither the second time, about the yéere of Christ 1493: And that which Tullie writeth of to haue béene in Cicilie, vt per biduum homo hominem non agnosceret; that by the space of two daies one man could not knowe another. All should make vs with thankfull hearts acknowledge the Mercie of God in this one bene­fit of Light (amongst infinite moe) that we enioy, and hum­bling our soules vnder him, as the Lord of Light and dark­nes, Life and Death, Hell and Heauen, serue him in re­uerence and feare according to his Wil all the daies of our [Page 147] life. S. Augustine and others goe farther in the Meditati­on of this darknes of Egypt, and say, that it was a signe of the darknes of their mindes then, and a plaine shadowe of their wofull Night of ignorance and blindnes, that is ouer some men in all times, and admitteth no light. For the E­gyptians, it is manifest, that extreame was the fogge in their hearts, when such Wonders wrought no more. Such déepe securitie before punishment, such inflexible obstina­cie, in, and vnder punishment, such high pride after punish­ment, and such a monstrous dissembling of repentance e­uer, (which both deceaueth the beholders, and hurteth the vsers, as One well saith) argued darknes of minde, thicke and blacke, vehemently to be prayed against by all that wish to haue saued soules in that Great day of God. And for vs in these times, and so euer to the worldes end, wee are all to consider, that our Ignorance is darknes in déede, and that very great darknes, so termed by God himselfe, more dangerous than this of Egypt, in that the Soule is héereby destroyed, and by that onely the body was annoy­ed. Whereupon, by this horror in Egypt, wee may take occasion to consider of our selues, and by that (darknes no­ted to be such a plague,) to thinke, whether our darknes be a vertue? The Light of the body is the Eye (saith our Math. 6. 22. 23 Luke. 11. 34. Sauiour Christ:) If then the Eye be single, thy whole bo­die shall be light. But if thine Eye be wicked (or euill) then all thy body shall be darke. Wherefore, if the light that is in thee be darknes, how great is that darknes? Now, as the Eye is to the body, so is the Judgement of the minde to the whole life; and therefore darknes in iudgement, most dangerous. S. Paule in like sort noteth Ignorance by the name and fruite of darknes, when he saith of the Gentiles to the Ephesians, that their vnderstanding was darkned, and Ephes. 4. 18. they strangers from the life of God, through the igno­rance that was in them. And of the Ephesians themselues, Yee were once darknes, but now are yee light in the Lord; Ephe. 5. 8. walke as the children of light. Many other places in the [Page 148] Scripture say the like, terming still and euer Ignorance to be darknes, and noting an inward darknes in man, of his minde, as well as an outward, of his eye. Which may make vs thinke, why God should so speake? and by consi­deration thereof (hee euer speaking most fitly) draw vs to the obseruance of certaine properties, wherein there is a­gréement betwixt inward and outward darknes. First, outward darknes hindereth our eyes from discerning the outward obiects, which by them should bee discerned, and therefore haue their name tenebrae, á tenendo, because they hold the eye from doing his dutie; so doth Ignorance (our inward darknes) hold and hinder our iudgement (which, as an eye, should guide our actions) frō discerning things fit to be done, and fit to be left vndone; whereby, as blinde men, wee fall into many ditches, that is, wee commit and omit, doo and leaue vndone many things contrarie to our duties, both to God and man.

Secondly, outward darknes hindereth our going and walking about our worke, or for our health and comfort. For he that walketh in darknes, cannot tell whither he go­eth, Iohn. 12. 35. saith Christ; and it is true in this sense: so Ignorance (the inward darknes) hindereth our iudgements, our harts and mindes from going and walking through the swéete fields of true Comforts, true knowledge, and Heauenly Meditations; for in this sense also our Sauiours wordes are true; A blinde man (thus) knoweth not whither he go­eth. A darke iudgement and a blinde heart knoweth not, féeleth not, tasteth not the pleasant pathes of knowledge either in matters Humane, or Diuine. Miserable there­fore is this darknes, and a wofull effect of our fall in Adam, to be prayed against, and laboured against, as much as we possibly can, although (whilest we liue) we shall groane vnder part of it, knowing but in part, & seeing but in part, in this life, as the Apostle teacheth vs. 2. Cor. 12. 9.

Thirdly, outward darknes maketh men fall, and that often with great hurt, euen vnto death: so doth inward [Page 149] darknes of the minde make men fall with so much perill, by how much the fall of soule is worse than the fall of bo­dy, and death eternall worse than temporall. Let their way be darke and slipperie, saith Dauid in the Psalme, as a meanes (both the one way, and the other) to bring men to confusion.

Fourthly, outward darknes worketh in some horror and feare, (wee knew it by experience:) euen so doth in-ward darknes, if you obserue either Scripture, or experi­ence. Scripture, when it is said, They shall feare, where no feare is (meaning by the darknes and ignorance of iudge­ment:) Experience in Caine, who (through ignorance) cri­ed with horror and feare, My sinne is greater, than can be forgiuen; and in many deare children of God, who quake and quiuer vnder the taste and touch of sinne, not yet able to reach by the light of minde (because God will exercise them) to the swéetnes, and riches of Gods mercie, reuea­led in his promises. Examples are many, but a secret meditation in your selfe of what you knowe, may best serue.

Fiftly, & lastly, outward darknes in some others (cleane contrarie) worketh boldnes and securitie, and is the deadly bane of modestie and honestie. As, when the man that brea­keth Sirach. 23. 1 [...]. Wedlocke thinketh thus in his heart, Who seeth me? I am compassed about with darknes, the walles couer me, no body seeth me; whō neede I to feare? the most HIGH will not remember my sinnes, &c. So doth inward dark­nes of Judgement and hart (in some men) make boldnes aboue measure to aske, to speake, to defend and publish what were better passed ouer and buried with peace of Church and Common-wealth. They sée not in darknes what they doo, but pleasing themselues in a misse-conceipt for want of true iudgement build vp the Tower of Babell very violently, to their great shame and reproofe, both with God and man. Fitly then you sée (in regard of these properties, and many others) is Ignorance called darknes [Page 150] by the holy Ghost, and thereby wee admonished to pray and labour against it, as a plague of God not vnlike to this of Egypt. Which iustly may occasion your next Me­ditation to be, How it groweth? that wee may the better [...]s [...]he [...] and preuent it. This will likewise appeare by considering the causes of outward darknes, and séeing whe­ther there be not the like of inward darknes. First then, outward darknes (or blindnes of the body) groweth in some by birth, as the blinde man in Iohn healed by our Sauiour Christ, and many daily experiences before our eyes: euen so doth inward darknes growe in vs all from our birth by the fall of Adam, that most excellent light and knowledge (wherein hee was created) being lost by him both to him­selfe, and all his posteritie, vntill the Lord renue vs in knowledge after his image, as he created vs at first accor­ding to the same by knowledge. Colos. 3. 10.

Secondly, outward darknes groweth sometimes by too-much gazing vpon bright and glistering things, as (in experience) we sinde by white snow, white paper, and the like: so doth inward darknes grow also by fixing the minde too-much vpon the glistering glory of this World, the pompes and pleasures that shine in it. Proofe héere of that rich Glutton, that rich Barne-builder in the Gospell, and that Turne-coate Demas of whom S. Paule speaketh, who all were blinde, you plainly sée, with gazing too-much vp­on this tempting World. And how many amongst vs, men and women, be in this sort blinde, he knoweth, who shall iudge both quicke and dead, and who cannot be de­ceaued by any colours. Good it is therefore to take héede betime, and to turne away the eye from so hurtfull an ob­iect, duly and truly considering the nature of it. It is tran­sitorie and abideth not, it is vaine and vile, please it neuer so much; So haue all found it that haue gone before vs, so shall wee finde it, and all that euer shall followe after vs. A Mappe of the world hath Kingdomes and Countries very beautifully set out in it, Cities, Churches, and To­wers [Page 151] described liuely in variable colours; yet all is but Paper, & one drop of water will deface the greatest Prin­ces Pallace in it: So is this World (which men loue so much) in déede very Paper, that is, very vaine and fickle: And that heart which hath furnished it selfe with all these Castles and Towers (through a wicked loue and longing for them,) one Fit of an Ague wil shake and shiuer in such sort, as no pleasure shall remaine of all these things. In the meane time, Religion there is none where this loue is, neither any fellowship with the Almightie. For as hote Sommer-weather maketh our inward heate lesse (by suf­fering it to euaporate,) than Winters-colde doth, which kéepeth it in; so doth this World fawning vpon vs, and the loue of it liuing in vs, eate out all zeale and pietie, lea­uing vs colder within than aduersitie and the want of the world doth. And, Loue God and the world to, we cannot, 1. Iohn. 2. 15. saith S. Iohn. Dauid, clogged with Saule his Armour, said, he could not goe; and therefore put it all off againe: Euen so assuredly can no man march towards Heauen, if his heart be buckled and fastned to this World, till he lay aside that hinderance from him. That Spéech of S. Cy­prian should much be marked in this point, Arridet mun­dus, vt saeuiat; blanditur vt fallat; allicit vt occidat; extollit vt deprimat. Vna haecplacida, solida, firma, & perpetua secu­ritas, si quicquid in rebus humanis sublime & magnum vide­tur occulis ad coelum elatis infra conscientiam tuam iacere, pos­sis gloriari. This cursed world fawneth, that it may bee cruell; flattereth that it may decaue; allureth that it may kill; and lifteth vp, that it may throw downe. Where­fore this onely is sweete, sound, firme, and during securi­tie, if thou canst truly auowe, that whatsoeuer seemeth great and glorious in this world, with thine eyes lifted vp to Heauen thou hast cast and throwne vnder thy heart; so that it shall not presse downe thée, but thou wilt tread vp­pon it in a Religious contempt thereof, by comparison with Heauen and Heauenly ioyes. S. Augustine his [Page 152] Spéech also is worthy remembring; Vnicui (que) tempestas est suacupiditas. Amas Deum? ambulas super mare. Amas se­culum? absorbebitte. Amatores suos vorarenouit, petare non nouit. Euery mans lust (or vehement desire) is as a tempest to him (like vnto that in the Gospell, whereof Peter being afraide, began to sinke.) Louest thou GOD? then thou walkest vpon the Sea, Louest thou the world then thou sinkest, and this Sea will swallow thee vp. The world kno­weth how to deuoure her Louers, but not how to refresh them and doo them good. I might goe farther in this cause of darknes (if it were néedefull,) but this sufficeth, to shew you the way how to meditate further on it.

A Third way whereby outward blindnes groweth is by long being in darknes, as in prison or else where: for (by experience) it is so found often. Euen so, by long cu­stome of walking & liuing in the outward workes of dark­nes, groweth a strong and thicke inward darknes in the heart of man and woman. Proofe héereof Ahab, Manasses, Herod, Iudas, and such like, too many also (in our daies) who hauing long vsed Swearing, Lying, Uncleanenes, &c, are growne so blinde in them, that they neither will leaue them, neither be perswaded they tend so to their de­struction as they doo. These blinde creatures shrinke to heare of this Egyptian darknes: and yet their owne, tenne thousand times worse, they neuer shake at. Let it make vs remember the words of wise Sirach, A man that is accu­stomed Sirach. 23. 15. to opprobrious words, will neuer be reformed all the daies of his life. Why? because Custome of sinning taketh away the sense of sinning, and long aboade in dark­nes maketh starke blinde. Accustome not thy mouth therefore, saith he, to swearing, neither take vp for a Cu­stome the naming of the Holy one. Where still marke the word Custome, Custome, and sée what a strong de­stroyer it is of the sight (the inward sight & light I meane, of our hearts and mindes.)

Fourthly, ouermuch heate may hurt the bodily eyes; as, we all know, the hotedung did Toby his eyes: Euen so [Page 153] ouer hote desires of gaine hurteth the inward light, as we knowe, both by that which hath béene saide touching the world, and by that which S. Paule saith, that they which 1. Tim. 6. 9. will be rich fall into temptations and snares, and into ma­nie foolish and noysome lusts, which drowne men in per­dition and destruction. For the desire of money is the roote of all euill, which (while some lusted after) they er­red from the Faith, and pearced themselues through with many sorrowes. They that will be rich, I say againe, & (I pray you) mark the Apostles words, y^t is, they which haue resolued with themselues, set their hearts vpon it and con­cluded it, that by hab or nab, by one way or other, what­soeuer Vijs & modis. it cost them, they will be rich and haue the wealth they possiblie can attaine to. These, these men with this Will, (this resolued and setled Will) fall into temptations, and so forth. For this is a kinde of pestilent heate within, which as powerfully thrusteth out the inward eye & light of the minde, as euer any outward heate did the eye of the body. And then, the inward eye being out, nothing but darknes is there, & so a falling into all dangerous Cour­ses that may leade to destruction and perdition. Then vsu­rie is no sinne; no, not vsurie vpon vsurie; oppression and deceite be no sinnes, stealth and robberie (if it may be any way coloured) is wisedome, and well; yea, murther and blood bite not. But is the Lord of Heauen pleased with this sinfull Will to be rich, and with these exorbitant wayes? or, is this heate a pleasing heate vnto him, because hee is slowe to wrath and vengeance? no, no, and that shall the end declare both vpon the wealth, and the house, that this dealing is in appointed time. In the meane while we are taught by this place to Timothy, to beware of such a Will, and of such an inward heate as causeth such inward blind­nes. Soone enough, if well enough, say we euer; and for these transitorie things, as wee brought them not into the world, so shall we not carie them out of the world. Bala­am, Gehesi, Iudas, and such like, preach vnto vs to be­ware [Page 154] of goods euill gotten. A darknes then you sée there is within, as well as without; and the more dangerous farre is the inward, because it hideth from vs things of greater consequence than doth the outward. Not to sée credenda, agenda, & cauenda, things to be beleeued, things to be performed, and things to be auoyded, is a horrible darknes. Caine sawe not the first, and Salomons foolish young-man, led as an Oxe to the slaughter, and as a foole Pro 7 7 22. to the stockes, sawe neither the second, nor the third. Wherefore the Lord (in great mercie) hath euer béene carefull to furnish vs with meanes and helpes against it. First, he created vs (as hath béene shewed) with light and knowledge most excellent; he prouided a great Booke (e­uen the Booke of the World, created by him) wherein the inuisible things of him, that is, his eternall power & God-head Rom. 1. 20. might be seene, & much excellent knowledge might be had; And this Booke remaineth still, if wee will reade in it, an enemie to darknes. Of which Booke Clemens Alexandrinus spake, when he said, Creatio mundi Scriptu­ra Strom. 6. Dei; The Creation of the world is Gods Writing. Al­so that Antonie (mentioned in the Storie) vnto whom a Phylosopher comming and asking him, what he did with­out Bookes, he answered, O Philosophe, meus codex est Na­tura Hist. tripaer. lib. 8 creaturarum: qui adest cum voluero, verba (que) mihi rele­git Dei. O Philosopher, mȳ Booke is the Nature of all cre­atures: which Booke is euer present with me when I will, and deliuereth to me the words of God. Héere wee sée the most admirable quantitie of the Sunne and Starres; héere we reade the varietie, the qualities, the motion, and the continuance in order appointed of all Creatures in Heauen, in Earth, and in the Sea; so as no man can be either wearie of reading, or reade without great profit in this Booke. Neuerthelesse, the Lord hath not héere left vs; but as vnto the Starre manifesting the birth of his Math. 1. 2. 5. Sonne, he pleased to add the Scriptures also which witnes­sed more particularly time, place, &c: so hee hath ouer and [Page 155] besides the Booke of the Creation giuen vs another (more excellent by much) to driue from our hearts this damna­ble darknes, and to kéepe vs in light, pleasing to himselfe, and profitable vnto vs. Of this Booke, farre better wee may vse Damihi Magistrum, giue me the Maister, than Cyprian could vse then, of Tertullians workes. For this Booke passeth All Bookes that euer were or shall be, (I meane, the Booke of Gods holy Bible: which Booke, saith Hierome, shall remaine with vs till wee be as the Angels in Heauen. Goe we forward, and consider how also to this Booke he hath added Prophets, Apostles, Euangelists, Pa­stors, and Doctors in all times, to open and expound the Eph. 4. 11 same vnto vs, that by all meanes wee might be enducd with light, loue light, liue in light, and die in light. Add a­gaine the appointing of the Sabaoth day, wherein men Iohn. 5. 39. Luke 16. 16. 29. 32. Deut. 6. 6. 7. 1. Cor. 14. 20. shonld rest from their labours, and hearken to this Booke together with the many precepts giuen to heare, to reade, to search, to know, and vnderstand, & not to be as children, perceauing nothing. Thinke with your selfe often, how the little Infant groweth to strength, able to go by it selfe: is it not by sucking and plucking his Mothers breasts? euen so doth the Childe of God grow to strength of grace, and from grace to grace, by hanging continually vpon these two Breasts, the olde and new Testament. And as all men differ from brute Beasts by reason, & knowledge: so differeth one man from another, by more & more know­ledge in this Booke. Woe to those Teachers then, that lull vs a sléepe, and tell vs that Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion, that giue vs not leaue, either to reade, or pray, or doo any duty, in a tongue that we know, but like those cursed Scribes and Pharises, those hypocrites, shut vp Math. 23. 13. the Kingdome of Heauen before men, neither going in themselues, nor suffering others that would enter, to come in. Let this now spoken, make vs sée their fault, and that miserie so to liue: as also this most swéet blessing of know­ledge now vouchsafed to vs, by y^e mercie of God through [Page 156] the happy gouernment of his Annointed seruant, our déere and dread Souereigne: and sending vp to God our thank­full thoughts both for it, and him, and begging the conti­nuance of both long and long vnto vs.

2. It followeth in your Chapter, But all the children Ver. 23. of Israel had light where they dwelt. Which surely was a very admirable thing, the houses of Egyptians and Is­raelites ioyning (as it should séeme) one close to another, as ours, in these daies, doo. For else why should the blood be striked vpon the doore posts of the Israelites, for a signe to the destroying Angell, where to kill, and where to passe ouer, if all the Israelites had dwelt by themselues, and had not béene mingled with the Egyptians? This minde was Gregory Nyssen of, and therefore hee saith, Nontantum in Gosen, vbi cōmuniter morabantur, sed cum in­ter Aegyptios promiscue etiam habitarent; & in hoc, maxi­mum miraculum. Not onely in Gosen, where onely Israe­lites (for the most part) dwelled, but among the Egypti­ans being mingled and dwelling together, the Israelites had light, and the Egyptian darknes; And heerein was the greatest miracle. The good wee may take, by this strange worke of GOD, is, first to learne, how able our Heauenly Father is to make a separation betwixt his Children and the Wicked, when he executeth wrath and Justice, if his good pleasure be so to doo: though they be in one field together, in one house together, and in one Matr. 24. 40. 41. bed together; yet can bee choose the one, and refuse the other. Wherefore true is that Saying of the Psalme, If his wrath be kindled but a little. Blessed are all they Psal. 2. 12. that put their trust in him. Feare wee not then in the time of Plague, of Warre, or other Publique calamitie, least we should perish with the wicked, hand ouer head: but remember this Place, and say in your heart with comfort and faith; O Lord my GOD, and gracious Fa­ther, I knowe thine able hand to make a separation (if thou please) in this calamitie, betwixt thy poore Lambes, [Page 157] and the Goates, as thon diddest in that darknes betwixt the Israelites and Egyptians: therefore, I flie vnto thee in humble acknowledgement of my sinne, and for him that had no sinne, I begge that (if thy good pleasure may bee so) thou wouldest vouchsafe to saue mee from this Sword of thine, to let the light of thy mercie and louing countenance shine about my dwelling, as thy chéere­full light did about the Israelites. So shall my soule and heart euer praise Thee, and thanke Thee. But if o­therwise, LORD and Father, thy Will bee done, and not mine; onely in the world to come, acknowledge mee, as I doo not doubt but thou wilt, and it shall suf­fice.

Secondly, let this place be obserued, as a very plaine Figure of that, which wee sée amongst vs euery day. At one house dwelt an Egyptian, and it was all darke; at the next an Israelite, and it was all light: so nowe at one house dwelleth a superstitious Recusant, or a pro­phane Atheist, and all is darke; At the verie next house dwelleth a zealous Professour of the truth, who rea­deth the Scriptures, heareth them preached, frequen­teth the Sacraments, and faithfully laboureth that him­selfe with his whole Familie, may liue according to the Word; and héere is all light, which shall leade to the light eternall with God and all his hoste, when the good houre commeth. God strengthen our hearts euermore in the loue of this light, and make vs truly thankfull for these lightsome daies. Amen.

3. The couetousnes of this great Tyrant, verse, 24, Ver. 24. shadowing the greedie mindes of all Persecutors, The stoute care of godlie Moses, to haue the Lords whole Will performed, and not to rest in a part, verse 25. 26. Ver. 25. & 26. The fearefull driuing away of Moses from his presence, shewing the rags of Tyrants towardes their end to bee greater, and so comforting the godlie, that when they sée the like, they may knowe the time is not long; [Page 158] and remembring vs what a dangerous thing it is, to driue away Gods Ministers from vs, with diuers other things, in the ver. 28. and 29. (because I haue béeste too long in verse. 28. & 29. this Chapttrr) I will leaue to your owne Meditation, and so end héere.

1. COncerning the first, it is contai­ned ver. 1. (as you sée) in these wordes: Yet will I bring one plague more vpon Pharaoh and Egypt. And to make vse to our selues of it, you that are acquainted (by your pri­uate reading) with the Course of the Scriptures, very well knowe the manner of Gods dealing in this matter, from the be­ginning to the end. First, how milde it was, then how (by [Page 159] degrées it encreased to sharper and sharper, till the deliue­rance of his Church and people were effected. At the first, he appointed Moses and Aaron with the Elders of Israel, to goe to Pharaoh, and to entreate him mildly and dutiful­lie, saying. The Lord God of the Hebrewes hath met with Chap. 5. 3. vs, WEE PRAY THEE therefore let vs goe three daies iourney into the Wildernes, that we may sacrifice vnto the Lord our God. But this praying would not serue, where­fore the Lord went néerer them, by great and powerfull wonders, yet by degrées touching them, and not with the greatest at the first. He caused Moses rod to be turned to a Serpent, &c. A thing that hurt them not, yet in all rea­son should haue moued them. Then, he turned their wa­ters into blood, which did somewhat touch them. After, when that preuailed not, hee annoyed them with filthie Frogges, and so still, you knowe, by degrées, vntill he had brought 9. fearefull plagues vpon the Land. But as you also know, none of them all would worke the deliuerance of the Church, but still with an hardned heart, as soone as any plague was remoued, Pharaoh returned to his diso­bedience against the Lord. Whereupon at length God came to these words: Yet will I bring one plague more: as if hee should haue saide, notwithstanding that all these former works can preuaile nothing with Pharaoh, yet let him not thinke that he can be too hard for me; for hee shall well finde, that I both can and will be too hard for him, I haue yet one Plague more, which I wil bring vpon him, and that shall so stoope him, that hee shall not onely let my people goe, but shall be most glad of the dispatch of them. Sée we then in these things, for our owne vse, the Course and procéeding which euer (from the beginning) the Lord hath vsed, and euer will vnto the end, as he shall sée occa­sion: euen first in mercy to entreate, and in mildnes (by more gentle meanes) to allure; then in the end, by power and Judgement to compell, when the former course will not serue. In the first age, when the olde world would [Page 160] not bee reformed, but more and more prouoked him to wrath, by taking wiues descended of wicked Parents, more regarding, in a fleshly sensuality, outward beautie, than inward vertue, the Lord saide, His Spirit should no longer striue with man, meaning, with lenitie and gentle­nes, as vnto that time it had done, but now hee would bring vpon them his one plague more, as héere vpon E­gypt, which should be indéede a stooping plague, (as héere this was) and should suffice to crush crooked disobedience, and to pull downe haughtie pride, as was méete; That was, the Great flood, which destroyed man, woman, and Gen. 6. 17. 18. childe, sauing eight persons appointed to be saued. When Sodome and Gomorrha would not [...] warned by any way of mercie and patience, vsed by a gracious God vn­to them many yéeres, then that one plague more of fire and brimstone from Heauen came, and stooped them, and burnt them to ashes, as they deserued. Iezabell had faire Gen. 19. 24. warnings, to amend her life, to loue Religion, to leaue Idolatrie, and to become a better woman both to GOD, and the world, many a yéere before her fall came, (Eliah that worthie Prophet liuing by her, & doing great works to shew that God was with him) yet nothing would serue. Therefore, at the last, came the stooping Plague, and shee was throwne downe at the windowe, where the Dogges 2. Kings. 9. 33. did eate her vp all, sauing the scull, feete, and palmes of her hands. A dreadfull example of Gods wrath vpon a 35. sinner, when milde and mercifull wayes to amend him, will not serue. Manasses, a King of great vngodlines, (as you sée in the Storie) at length was brought, by the stoo­ping plague of yron-fetters, and bondage, to be humbled, 2. Cron. 33. 12 and repent, as was fit for him. What gracious dealing did God first vse towards Nabuchadnezzar in forwarning him by a Dreame, what should be the end of his wicked life, then to prouide Daniel for him, both to expound the same vnto him, and to giue him that good aduise specified in the Text, euen to breake off his sinnes by righteousnes, Dan. 4. 24. [Page 161] and his iniquities by mercy towards the poore, and that Dan. 4. 24. 27. there might be an healing of his error? yet all would not serue: but he went on, and offended God more and more, as you sée in the 27. verse. Wherefore, God brought vp­on him his stooping plague, and draue him from among 29. & 30. men, to haue his dwelling among the beasts of the field, to eate grasse as the Oxen, and to haue his body wet with the dewe of Heauen, till his haire was growne as Eagles feathers, and his nailes like vnto birds clawes. By which one plague more, the Lord, as you knowe, brought him home and humbled him. Let vs come vnto that fearefull example of Hierusalem, [...]he wofullest Storie that euer pen committed to paper. What preaching and teaching had they first vouchsafed vnto them? What Prophets and men of God full of grace & power liued among them? yea, euen the Sonne of God himselfe, Christ Iesus, they had in the flesh to conuerse with them, who both by Doc­trine and miracles most admirable, offered them life and comfort, and laboured to drawe them from their danger; but all would not serue, they killed the Prophets, and sto­ned them, which were sent vnto them, they despised all, and with bloodie hands, crucified the Lord of life himselfe, in a most high contempt of God, and all his offered grace. What remained therefore, but that the Lord should draw­forth his last plague, his one plague more, his stooping plague as héere he did against Pharaoh, and to make such a rebellious people knowe themselues? So hee did, and sent against them Titus the sonne of Vespasian, with the Romaine power, who besieged their Citie at such a time, as the greatest concourse was there, brought them to fa­mine, and such miserie, as neuer befell any people in this world but them, and in the end, vtterly ouerthrew them all, their Citie, and glory, and whatsoeuer had exalted it selfe against God. O miserie! who can reade it, or speake of it with drie eies? When once they began to issue-out, compelled with famine, they were still taken and crucified [Page 162] vpon crosses, and gibbets set vp before the walles, that they which were within might sée them, and giue ouer, but yet they would not. Fiue hundred a day were thus hanged vp, till there were neither trées to be gotten, nor any more space left to set them in. Amongst whom, no doubt, were the children of those that cried against our Sauiour, Crucifie him, crucifie him, his blood be vpon Luke 23 21. Math. 27. 25. vs, and vpon our children. They regarded not God his Sonne, and God regarded not their sonnes, when time came. The number of dead bodies vnburied, and the mul­titude of other miseries was so great, that Titus himselfe shaked at it, and lifting vp his hands to Heauen, cried: O Lord, O Lord this is not my doing, as if hee should haue said, it is thy wrath and Judgement, thy Justice and ven­geance pursuing this people, or else it could neuer be thus. Certaine of them getting meate, for compassion sake, in the Campe of the Enemies, were yet so prosecuted with this anger of God, that when they hoped their liues were in some safety, suddainly in the night, by the bloodie Soul­dier, imagining that sure they had gold and Jewels with­in them, which they had swallowed to conuay them for their vse, were miserably [...]aine, and slit-vp, their bowels raked in, for that which happily was not there, to the num­ber of two thousand in one night, which sore grieued the Generall Titus when he heard of it. There was a desire to knowe the number of dead ca [...]cases, caried out of the Citie, for want of buriall, to be throwne in the Ditches, as dung vpon the earth, but 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 [Page 163] 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, Luke. 23. 28. 29. 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 30. 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 [Page 164] 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 poured­out 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 Psal. 8. 4. man, that thou visitest him? For, thou hast made him little 5. lower than God, and crowned him with glory and wor­ship. Thou hast made him to haue dominion in the works 6. 7. 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 8. 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 2. Sam. 7. 18. 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 [Page 165] vpon me, O Lord, according to thy louing kindnes, and Psal. 51. 1. 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 Gen. 32. 10. 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 Gen. 47. 9. 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, [Page 166] 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 in his life hee be truly humbled. You remember the Fable of the wise Foxe, who would not vi­site the sicke Lion, because he saw not any come out, that went in; Let it profit you much to beware of Hell, from whence you knew neuer any returne, that went thither. Now is the time to thinke of these thinges, the continu­ance in Hell is for euer, and the paine there, is without measure. Better late than neuer to thinke of it. Our Bookes tell vs of a light woman, who spending her time in sinne, desired her wicked Associate to bestowe on her a new Gowne, which when hee did sticke at, shee instantlie answered. Doo I desperately cast away both body and soule for euer to content thée, and doest thou miserably de­nie so small a request to me? I will looke to my selfe héere­after better, and auoide thée, and this wicked life; which if she did, it was a happy deniall made vnto her. But cer­taine it is that God hath many wayes to pull such out of the fire, as hee will haue saued. The like wee reade of a Couetous Father, who raking vp riches very disorderly, suddainly (God purposing mercie towards him) called for his eldest Sonne and for a Chafing-dish of coales requi­ring his Sonne to put his finger in, and to burne it off. At the first he thought his Father had but iested, but per­ceauing in the end his setled resolution, he prayed to be ex­cused hee might not doo it. To whom then earnestly his Father answered, and shal I to make thée a Great man in the world, so heape vp riches by all vnlawfull meanes, that Jam sure eternally to burne both body and soule, and thou not endure the losse of one finger for mee? I will al­ter my Course in time, and consider of that, which héere­after cannot be redressed. Were it true, or were it a ficti­on, to a wise man it carieth a Morrall with it. Swéete is our God if we will returne; and as yet it is day, that wee [Page 167] may returne. Were thy sinnes as red as scarlet, saith Hee, I will make them as white as snow. The sacrifice of God is a troubled Spirit; A broken and contrite heart hee shall neuer despise. Iosia his heart melted, and hee found it so. Ezechias sorrowed, and hee found it so. Peter wept bit­terly, and he found it so. Neuer any sorrowing sinner, but he found it so. God then (in mercie) so stoope vs by his Spi­rit, that his outward Stoopings may euer be far from vs. This example of Pharaoh preacheth vnto vs to be wise.

2. Secondly, consider these words, When hee letteth Ver. 1. you goe, he shall at once chase you hence. That is, hee shall hast you away without any condition, stop, or stay at all. It is euer swéete to the seruants of God, to obserue this mighty power and out-stretched arme ouer all his Enemies, when once he setteth on to doo a thing. As here how he was able not onely to giue his people passage; but to make Pharaoh as glad to rid them away, as euer hee was desirous to hold them. So in Genesis when Abime­lech Gen. 20. 2. had taken Abrahams wife, (supposing shee had béene but his sister) God caused him not onely to restore her 7. 8. without any iniurie, but he was vp very early in the mor­ning, saith the Storie, to see it to be done, that is, hee ha­sted to doo it, and had no rest in his minde till it was done. What comfort then in this God euer? what rest and peace in relying vpon him? what assurance of that end, issue, victorie, and deliuerance that he (in his wisedome) shall knowe to be best for vs, séeing he is thus able? Lord, make vs patient then, willing to tarie thy leasure, and euer con­tented with thy pleasure. For thou canst doo for vs what thou wilt, and when thou wilt, all earthly pride must stoope to thée; and if Ieroboam stretch out his hand against thy 1 Kings. 13 4. 6. Prophet, thou canst make him neuer plucke it backe a­gaine till thy Prophet pray for him. Who hath resisted him, and had peace, (saith Iob?) The Lord of Hosts hath decreed it, and who can disappoint it (saith the Prophet?) God would haue Ioseph exalted, his Brethren storme at [Page 168] it, and practise against it; but all in vaine, when time com­meth it must bee so. Saul grieueth that Dauid is likely to succéede him; but all in vaine, it must be so. The Iewes work against Christ, yet to no end: for the Lords purpose must come topasse. The farther you go in this Meditation, the swéeter shall you finde it.

The 2. part.

1. THe second generall Head of this Chapter (I saide) was an Admonition to the Israelites, what to doo betwéene the Denunciation of another plague, and the Execution of the same; Euen euery man to require of his Ver. 2. neighbour, and euery woman of her neighbour Iewels of siluer, and Iewels of gold; Which they did, and were greatly enriched by them. Concerning which matter re­member with your selfe what was fore-tolde foure hun­dred yeeres agoe to Abraham: namely, That his seede should be strangers in a strange Land so many yeeres; but in the end should come forth with great substance. Now was it fulfilled (as you may sée) in the next Chapter, (So Chap. 12. 36. they spoiled the Egyptians:) Noting by the word of (spoiling) a verie great measure of riches in thinges de­sired. Wee may rightly ground this Comfort vpon it: That be the time neuer so long before he doo it; yet euer in the end GOD will performe what hee hath promised, and neuer faile. Foure hundred yeeres space shall not hinder, but that at last his Truth shall appeare. Applie it then to what most may ease you, and be assured hee is the same. In matter of sinne you haue his promise, As I liue, I will not the death of a sinner, &c. Hee shall neuer breake it, and therefore bee comforted. In matter of want you haue his promise, All these thinges shall be mi­nistred vnto you; And you are better than many Spar­rowes, [Page 179] &c. Rest vpon it, Hee is euer true. In matter of triall you haue his promise, Hee will neuer lay more vpon you than he will make you able to beare. Joy in it, and know, that he cannot lye, his word shall stand, and you shall finde it.

2. But a Question is mooued, whether it was law­full for the Israelites thus to doo, or no? And, whether wee may imitate them and doo the like? whereunto di­uers men make diuers Answeres; and wee may take profit by them all. Basill saith, Haebrei honesta astutia ab Egyptijs mercedem operarum suarum receperunt, qua hacte­nus defraudati fuerunt. The Hebrewes by an honest craft receaued of the Egyptians recompence for their labours, whereof hitherto they had beene defrauded. Which Spéech (without reference to the Commaundement of GOD) cannot well stand. For the Apostles Rule is plaine, That no man oppresse or defraude his brother in 1 Thes. 4. 6. any matter: for the Lord is an Auenger of all such things. To lend is a dutie necessarie, when wee can doo it, and not arbitrarie, as appeareth by the Lawe made for Re­compence in case of hurt done to the thing lent: which would neuer haue béene made, had it béene at our plea­sure. It is also a part of our loue to our Neighbour, and a breach of the Eight Commaundement, to denie, when I may lend. Wherefore, that which Augustine saith of the rich man may bee truly also saide of one that will not lend, Diues ille non damnatur quod aliena tulerit, sed quod egentisua non tribuerit; & ad petenda minima peruenit, qui hic paruanegauit. That rich man was not condemned be­cause hee tooke from others what was not his owne, but because he gaue not to others what was his owne; and he was driuen to aske lesser things, who heere denied little things. But it is withall a dutie againe (on the other side) truly to restore what is borrowed; and kindly to make re­compence for any hurt done. Craft & cunning (in y^e matter of borrowing & lending) I like not to call honest. Iosephus [Page 170] hath another opinion in his Antiquities, namely, that the Egyptians did fréely giue these thinges to the Israelites, partly to be rid of them without any further death, (for they said, we shall die all,) and partly in a remorse, for the Chap. 12 33. passed wrongs which they had done vnto them so long. The first Reason may teach vs to prefer our liues before any worldly trash whatsoeuer; (which yet many among vs will not doo;) but sparing money in meate, in apparell, in physicke, in healthie dwelling, and such like, cast away the maine Chaunce, which is, their life, and loose all. Me­zentius his crueltie is said to haue béene this, To tie a quick man to a dead, till the dead should kill the quicke. And surely it is Sathans crueltie (at this day) to locke some so fast to their dead treasure, that in the end they perish by it, and that eternally. S. Augustines Spéech is too true, Mun­dus clamat, Ego deficiam; Caroclamat, Ego inficiam; Dia­bolus clamat, Ego decipiam; Christus clamat, Ego reficiam, The World crieth, I will faile thee; The Flesh crieth, I will infect thée; the Deuill crieth, I will deceaue thée; Christ crieth, I will refresh thée; and yet for one that will followe Christ, the other thrée shall haue many. The se­cond Reason may drawe vs to the like remorse when euer there shall be the like occasion. For, it was a grace of God in Dauid, that his heart smote him when hee had sinned: And in those Iewes, that they were pricked: In the King, Acts. 2. 37. that he would aske, what had beene done for Mordecai in recompence of his faithfull seruice, then reade of in that Chronicle. Our iniuries are many, and our fauours few, but thankfull requitals please God and man. An aged Maister and Mistris (vnder whom you grewe vp to be a­ble to liue) should not be forgotten when God maketh you rich, and them poore. Among the vertues of Dauid this was not the least, that hee carefully enquired for some of Sauls house, to whom hee might shewe kindnes for Iona­thans sake, &c. The Third opinion in this Question is S. Augustines, whereof I like best, because expresly it mentio­neth [Page 171] the Commaundement of God, which indéede was all in all in this point. Hoc Deus iussit, qui nouerat quid quem (que) pati oportebat, nec Israelitae in hoc furtum fecerunt, sed Deo iubenti ministerium praebuerunt. This God commaunded, who well knewe what was fit for euery man to suffer, nei­ther did the Israelites in this commit any stealth, but yeeld their obedience to God commaunding. To the same end speaketh Nazienzen also. Rapuerunt spolia ab eo, qui dicit, meum est argentum, meum est aurum. They tooke these spoiles by the warrant of him, who saith, siluer is mine, gold is mine. Rupertus saith, mercedem quam illi iniusté de­tinuerunt, hij iustè abstulerunt: The wages which they vn­iustly with-held, these Israelites iustly tooke away. But that could not bee without warrant of Gods Commaun­dement, and therefore that must necessarily be vnderstoode. Which being so, we plainly héere sée (to our comfort) how carefull God is to haue his Children well recompen­ced for either the wrongs which they haue sustained, or the faithfull seruice which they haue performed. The Egyp­tians, when they least thinke of it, shall recompence them héere, and that fully. Iacob was thus regarded also, you knowe, by God for his honest seruice to Laban, when the sheepe brought forth young of party colour, till hee was Gen. 30. 39 45. encreased exceedingly, and had many flockes, Mayd-ser­uants, and Men-seruants, Camels, and Asses. Neither e­uer shall any Seruant, Artificer, or painfull man finde it otherwise, if he walke in his place, as in the sight of God, doing his dutie. God can doo it, God will doo it, and men should be staide with it both from idlenes, and vntruth in their dealings.

3. Another swéete thing we may also sée by this point; namely, how Crosses and losses (by a gracious God) are turned, in time, to his Childrens ioy and gaine. Abraham had no Childe in many yéeres, and to him it was a great griefe; but, in the end hee had one giuen, of whom came the blessing of all Nations, and a multitude like to the [Page 172] Starres of Heauen (for number.) So was griefe turned into ioy to Abraham. Iacob lost his Ioseph, looking vpon his bloodie Coate brought home by his brethren, and O woe of woes! but Iacob had afterwerd his Ioseph againe, with which ioy, the Scripture saith, the Spirit of Iacob re­uiued. Gen. 45. 27. Anna likewise was barren, to her great griefe; but in the end shee had a Samuel, to her vnspeakable ioy. Dauid endured many sharpe showers, but at last hee hath the Crowne, and many comforts. Mordecai his feare, and Quéene Hesters feare, howe ended they with ioy to themselues, and the whole Nation? Tarie then Gods time, & liue in his feare: you sée what a swéet Regarder he is, in time, of his childrens woes.

4. But how came it to passe, that the Egyptians so wil­lingly parted with such thinges, when they were asked? The Text answereth, and telleth you, because the Lord gaue the Israelites fauour in the sight of the Egyptians. Ver. 3. So are all hearts in his hand, and he turneth them euer as he pleaseth for his Childrens comfort. To Abraham, Isa­ack, and Iacob, he wrought fauour in strange places with the Greatest, and with the smallest. Nehemiah found grace with the Great King by His working: Ioseph, Daniel, and Psal. 84. many moe. And, the Lord giueth grace and worship, saith the Psalme, with-holding no good thing from them that liue a godly life. Flatterie and briberie may get fa­ding friends; but when the Lord worketh fauour, the cō ­fort is great, and the fauour is permanent.

5. For our imitation of this Act, the matter is soone an­swered: what they did here, had warrant from him, whose Will is, Regula iustitiae, the Rule of right, and they did well. But such extraordinarie thinges may not be follo­wed, when the like warrant is wanting. Yet in some sort we may learne of them, namely, to borrowe of the Hea­thens, Phylosophers, Oratours, Astronomers, or the like, the best Jewels they haue, and to applie them to the seruice of God, as these Israelites did (afterward) these [Page 173] Egyptian Iewels. For Diuinitie is as a Lady and Quéene Exod. 25. which ought to be serued by all other Sciences, and so, as seruants to her, they to be vsed. Where I remember the Saying of our olde Countey-man Beda, writing vpon the Kings: Turbat acumen legentium, & deficere cogit, qui eosQuid cuius esset simpli­citer confiteba­tur, illud aiebat Tertulliani, illud Cypriani, illud Lactantij, illud Hilarij est. At (que) in hunc modum eruditionis glo­riam declinando eruditissimus habebatur. Hie­rony. de Nepoti­ano.alegendis secularibus libris omnibus modis existimat prohiben­dos, in quibus si qua inuenta sunt vtilia, quasi sua sumere licet. Alioquin Moses & Daniel sapientia & literis Aegyptiorum Chaldeorum (que) non paterentur erudiri, quarum tamen supersti­tiones & delicias horrebant; nec etiam ipse Magister Gentium aliquot versus Poetarum suis vel scripturis, vel dictis indidis­set, Hee troubleth the minde of the Readers, and ma­keth them faint, who thinketh they should be altogether inhibited from reading of humane Writers, in which if there be any profitable things found, a man may take them as his owne. Otherwise, Moses and Daniel should neuer haue suffered themselues to bee instructed in the wisedome of the Egyptians and Caldeans, whose supersti­tions and delights they abhorred: Neither would the Doctor of the Gentiles (Saint Paule) haue interlaced some Verses of the Gentiles either in his writings, or in his spee­ches. More of which matter if you desire to sée, I referre you to S. Augustine, who speaketh at large of it with ma­nie Aug. de doctrina Chr. 2. lib. c. 40. others. Onely let there be no vaine ostentation in the vse of them, but remember euer S. Bernards words, Sunt qui scire volunt, vt sciantur, & vanitas est: Sunt qui scire vo­lunt, vt sciant, & curtositas est: Sunt qui scire volunt, vt lu­crentur, & cupiditas est: Sed sunt qui scire volunt vt edificent, vel edificentur, & charitas est. There are, that desire to knowe, that they may be knowne, and it is vanitie: There are, which desire to knowe, that they may but knowe, and it is curiositie: There are, which desire to knowe, that they may gaine by their knowledge, and it is couetousnes; But there are which desire to knowe, that they may edifie o­thers, or may be edified, and it is Charitie. Thus vsing humane Writers, we shall no more offend, if we rob them [Page 174] of some Iewels, than these Israelites did in spoiling the E­gyptians.

6. Lastly, concerning the words, (that Moses was ve­rie great in the Land of Egypt in the sight of Pharaohs seruants, and in the sight of the people.) They first an­swere the Question, why Pharaoh did not kill Moses? Euen because he durst not, in respect of the opinion helde of him by the multitude, as often is saide in the Gospell, they forbare to doo such things, because they feared the people, besides, the secret ouer-ruling hand of God. A­gaine, they shew how God can make his seruants dread­full, and honoured of as many as he will, notwithstanding any contempts offered them by others. Yea, so he honou­red Moses héere, as Stories say, Pharaohs Daughter was accounted in the number of the Gods, for bringing such a man vp. Thirdly, they shewe, that, as the wicked stand in awe of God often, and outwardly professe affection to him, yet doo not submit themselues to his Will; so (often) are his seruants honoured also of men with an inward conceite of them, that they are honest men, when yet their Doctrine will not be yéelded vnto. So doth God inward­lie imprint their owne damnation in their hearts, making them voide of all excuse, in not obeying them, whom they did approue for Gods grace in them, and with them. Re­member what you reade in the Gospell, of Herod touching Iohn Baptist, namely, that Herod feared Iohn, knowing that he was a iust man and an holy, and reuerenced him, Marke. 9. 20. and when he heard him, hee did many things, and heard him gladly. Many things, saith the Text, not all thinges, for hee would not put away his brothers wife for all the re­uerence he bare to Iohn: and therefore in himselfe he con­demned himselfe by this reuerence, &c.

The 3. Part.

1. THe third generall Head of this Chapter, I saide, was the Plague it selfe denounced, Wherein (first) [Page 175] wee may consider the time; namely, that it was in the night. For at midnight, said God, I will goe forth into Ver. 4. the midst of Egypt, and all the first borne in the Land of Egypt shall die. Why in the night? but that wee might learne how as well in the night as in the day the Lord exe­cuteth both iudgement and mercie. Iudgement, as we sée in Iosua his direction against Ai, whereby their fearefull Iosua. 8. 3. ouerthrow followed: Many thousands of them being de­uoured by the sword, and their Citie consumed with fire: So when they slept, the wrath of God waked and marched towards them spéedily. So againe the fiue Kings in the night God directed his seruant against them, who came Iosua. 10. 9. 10. vpon them suddainly, and destroyed them with a great slaughter. Thou foole, this night shall they take away thy soule, and then whose are all these, &c? Other Kingdomes and Countries about vs what fearefull night-cries they haue had, when we slept in peace, wisedome and thank­fulnes should consider. Then for mercies in like manner you sée the Scriptures. Salomon had that comfortable 1. Kings. 3. 5. conference with God in the night, wherein God graunted him the thing he sought for, appearing to him in a Dreame, and so forth, as you reade there. Daniel in the night found Dan. 2. 19. mercie with God to haue the Kings dreame reuealed vnto him. Peter in the night was deliuered from danger: and Acts. 12. 8. Acts. 16. 25. Paule and Silas in the night singing a Psalme, found the cō ­fort there spoken of. So both iudgement and mercie wake and walke in the night. The vse whereof vnto vs should be euer to stir vs vp both to gee to bed as wee ought, and to vse the night as the godly haue done. For the first take Dauids example, I will lay mee downe and take my rest, Psal. 4. 8. for it is thou Lord onely that makest mee dwell in safetie. And for the second, hee also in many Psalmes may instruct you. For euery night, saith he in one Psalme, wash I my Psal. 6. 6. bed, and water my couch with teares: yea, I make my bed swim with teares, for so will the wordes beare, which Dauid did not for any pusillanimitie, or weakenes: (for [Page 176] you knowe he was a man of a valiant courage:) but one­lie out of a swéete féeling that hee had in his night medita­tion of the great goodnes of GOD towardes him many waies, and his owne too great inabilitie to doo to him a­gaine for the same, as he desired. And what better time can we take to plough-vp the fallowe ground of our hearts before him, and to consider his fauours and our faults, opening euen all our woes and griefes vnto him? that as the night naturally is moist and showrie more than the day; so wee likewise may raine-downe abundance of teares, praying for our sinnes, and thanking him for his goodnes, knowing it as a most assured truth, that no dewe of the night can so glad the earth, as this swéete moisture of thy wet eye in these respects doth please thy God. Good therfore was that Counsaile of a most honourable Father to his Childe, that aboue all other times hee should haue a care in the quiet night to talke with his God. Dauid go­eth Psal. 119. 55. on in another Psalme, and saith, I haue thought vpon the Lord in the night season, and remembred him when I was waking. At midnight will I rise to giue thanks to 62. Psal. 77. 6. Thee, because of thy righteous Iudgements. In the night I commune with mine owne heart, and search out my Spi­rits. With my soule haue I desired thee in the night, saith Esay. 26. 9. the Song of the Faithfull. And all these thinges should be our instruction. In Iob it is said, God giueth songs in the Iob. 35. 10. night, and it is a Place much to be thought on. There­fore I say againe since mercie and iudgement thus stir in the night, the one for his children, the other for his Ene­mies, awake thou that sleepest in most dull securitie, going to thy bed as the Dogge to his kennell, without anie thought either of God, or of Deuill. Full little knowest thou what may happen vnto thée before it be day. It may be with thée as with these first borne, with the fiue Kings, with the Citie Ai, &c. Thy selfe may be dead, thy houses on fire, thy goods spoyled, thy children destroyed, and a thousand wofull miseries vpon thy friends. Wherefore, [Page 177] goe to bed with prayer, awake with prayer, and arise with prayer. Let God and grace be in thy first thoughts, and not anger and wrath, not Shéepe and Oxen, not money and mucke, which shall all perish with thée when God is angrie. We see how the faithfull haue done before vs, and let it suffice in this point concerning the time when this plague was executed.

2. The second thing is the Plague it selfe, which was the death of the first borne. To make vse of it to our selues let vs consider, how great a gréefe it is to haue any childe die; and that to haue the eldest and first borne to die is com­monly a griefe much greater; but yet this was not all the griefe of the Egyptians. For besides the particular griefe of any one, to haue it generall through the whole Land, and not to knowe whether God would there stay, or ex­tend his wrath vpon them all (for they said we all shall die) Exod. 12. 33. this was a thing most full of feare and woe. So by all these circumstances the iudgement was terrible vpon them, and to them, past our féeling and conceite, except the Lord assist our vnderstanding and féeling. But why, will some say, séeing wee all owe a death to God first or last, young and olde, and all degrées? I answere, that death (in it selfe) to any grounded vpon God is neither hurtfull, nor feare­full (yet Nature is Nature when the separation commeth, and wee are allowed to mourne for them that die:) but when death commeth with a circumstance or shewe of Gods anger in manner, or suddainnesse, or such like, then is there not that comfort which we otherwise haue. For Example sake, Lot knewe well his wife must die, but to sée her changed so suddainly and strangely into a pillar of Gen. 19. Salt, was very fearefull and discomfortable both to him and all her friends. Those sonnes of Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, their Father knewe full well must haue a death, but to sée them both together suddainly slaine by a fire frō Leuit. 10. 2. Numb. 16. 32. God, iudge in your heart what griefe it was. Corah, Da­than, ond Abiram must haue died, and no friend of theirs [Page 178] but well knewe it, yet to haue the earth open and swal­lowe them vp with all their families, O what a dreadfull spectacle was it? Add vnto these those Tormentors which died with the flames flashing out of the fierie fornace, Dan. 3. 22. where into they had cast the three seruants of God; those Accusers of Daniel, who were cast into the Lions denne, Dan. 6. 24. and shaken in peeces ere they came to the ground; Anani­as and Saphira his wife suddenly smitten by the hand of Acts. 5, 5. 10. God. This Pharaoh here and so many of his Nobles and people drowned and ouerwhelmed in the Red-sea, were Exod. 14, 26, 17 28. they not all full of woe and griefe to friends, more than if they had died orderly without any such circumstance of Gods anger? Surely they were. And the best Learned are of opinion that Dauid so doubled his crie for Absolon, more in regard of the manner of his death, than of the death 2. Sam. 18, 33. it selfe. For hee died in rebellion against his naturall Fa­ther and King, he was hanged by the haire of his head be­twixt Heauen and Earth in a tree, till his enemies came 9. and stabbed him through againe and againe: There were no signes knowne of his repentance. Which all laid to­gether 14. and considered of a wise Father, made his heart turne and ouerturne within him, crying, O my sonne Ab­solon, my sonne, my sonne Absolon: would God I had died for thee, O Absolon, my sonne, my sonne! Con­clude 33. we therefore that though naturally wee must all die, and there is nothing more sure; yet either the kinde of death, or the suddennes may depriue friends of much com­fort. So was it heere in Egypt for these first borne in eue­rie house.

3. But yet you will not iudge (may some say) all that die a suddaine or extraordinarie death. No indeede. For things reuealed belong to vs, and the Lords secrets ap­pertaine to himselfe. The Lords mercie is restrained neither to time, nor manner: and the Apostle saith, what shall or can separate a man or woman once grafted into Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or Rom. 8. 35. [Page 179] famine, or nakednes, or perill, or sword? No, no. Neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Po­wers, 38. 39. nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature can doo it. No suddain­nes of death then or extraordinarie manner which may happen to the best, either by naturall causes in their bo­dies, or otherwise, as God shall please in his vnsearchable wisedome. But in such cases we are to remember (for our comfort) what Testimonies of Faith & Religion, of vertue and pietie, they gaue in their life time, & to rest vpon those. The Lord is no Changeling, but loueth to the end whom hee once loued, although sodainly they depart, and say no­thing. Neuerthelesse wee entreate the Lord (if it may be his blessed will) to deliuer & saue vs frō sodaine death, and to giue vs spéech, memorie, and hearing to our last breath. Because y^e Last part is all in all of this transitorie life, and In morte non est locus vicissitudi­ni. being once gone cannot be restored againe (as a Carpen­ter can pull downe his house, if hee dislike it, and make it new againe.) Also, because it fareth with vs in this point, as with the Archer, who though he ayme at the marke ne­uer [...]. so right, and draw vp his [...]owe neuer so stedfastly; yet, if his loose be not good, but his hand starteth aside and swar­ueth at the point, he misseth. So we in death (which is our last loose) not guided by Gods holy Spirit, may mar all. And therefore we pray and euer should pray, that till our end, and in our end the Lord would vpholde vs in our strength, and giue vs a gracious departure in him. For, as for that vaine Fable of helpe after death in Purgatorie, it serued to rake vp the fat of the earth to those idle bellies, and to shift away (with faire words and promises) those poore soules that shaked & quaked after all their works, not finding any sufficiencie in them to appease Gods wrath; who could neuer returne being once dead, to tell them they lied in so teaching the people that Masses & Trentalls could helpe after death. But for vs, we know the Scriptures; that, as the tree falleth either towards the North, or to­wards [Page 180] the South, in the place it falleth, there it shall bee. Heauen wee reade of, and Hell wee reade of, but a Third place we finde not. Lazarus was caried into Heauen, and the rich Glutton into Hell. They that haue done well, saith the Catholique Faith, shall goe into life euerlasting; and they that haue done euill, into euerlasting fire. There is no Third place there mentioned to be beléeued, and it is the Catholique Faith, which except euery man kéepe holy and vndefiled, without doubt he shall perish euerlastingly. Let counterfet Catholiques hold what they list, they heare the danger. S. Augustine agréeably héereunto saith, Re­pentance is onely in this life. S. Cyprian also, Hic vel ac­cipimus, vel amittimus vitam aeternam, Heere wee either hold, or loose life eternall, meaning that if wee die well, wee holde it; and if wee die ill, wee loose it, there being no more helpe after death. S. Basil againe pretily saith, Post mercatum solutum nullus negociatur, After the Market is en­ded there is neither buying nor selling; and, when I am dead, the Market is ended with mee. Wherefore, let all our care be to take time while time serueth, to liue well and doo well according to the rule prescribed and not accor­ding to our fancies or any mans inuention, that a good life may haue a good death, in Gods great mercie and good­nes. Then, for the place, leaue it to God, as also the man­ner: and remember well, that from euery Kingdome and Country, from euery Towne and house, yea from all cor­ners and places whatsoeuer, there is a readie way to Hea­uen. To which agréeth that pretie Conference betwixt the Husbandman & the Sayler; wherein the Husbandman asked, whether y^e Saylers father liued, or no? he answered, no. Where died he, said y^e Husbandman? At sea, saith y^e Sai­ler. And where your Grandfather? At sea also. And where your great Grandfather? At sea, still saith the Sailer. Good Lord! (then saith the Husbandman) & do not you feare to go to sea, since so many of your Ancestors died there? I pray you, saith the Sailer, let me likewise know of you, before I [Page 181] answere you, whether your Father liue, or no? and hée an­swered, no. Where then died hee? In his bed, saith the Husbandman. And where your Grandfather, and Great Grandfather? In their beds also, (saith hee) I thanke God. And, good Lord! (then saith the Sayler) are not you also afraide to goe to bed, since so many of your Ancestors died there? So, one Question quit another wittily; and both of them should teach vs, that no place can hurt a set­led Christian; but, as well from Sea as Land, the Lord can giue a gracious passage to his Kingdome, which hea in mercie graunt vs euer.

4. In the death of the first borne Note againe the de­grées of Gods punishments in these plagues. First, hee touched their water, sent them Frogges, Flies, Lice, and such other things, gréeuous indéede, but not so néere them as their goods. Secondly, the Lord touched their goods: A greater plague than the former, yet not so néere them as their owne bodies. Thirdly, therefore hee touched their very bodies by biles and blisters, botches and sores, verie gréeuous & vgly, yet he spared their liues. But now, when all the former would not serue, he commeth to life it selfe, Ver. 5. and smiteth all their first borne, that there was no house wherein was not death, & that of the déerest. What may we then sée but a continual encreasing of Gods wrathfull scourges & rods, as long as wee shall spurne against him, and not obey his holy wil? Let it touch vs and turne vs, a­wake vs and warne vs to take vp betimes. How long we haue followed our owne waies, and cast behinde vs the waies of God, the Lord knoweth well and wee must al­so consider. What crosses and losses haue likewise béene imposed vpon vs hitherto, should bee remembred. For they haue all béene Gods messengers as these plagues were to Pharaoh, to drawe vs to obedience, and if they will not serue, the Lord will write (as some Judges doo) ad grauiora; that is, the Lord wil encrease his wrath, as he did here, till it come to very life it selfe. Which being once [Page 182] lost in his displeasure, the soule also is lost with the body, and both of them sent to during woe for euer. Urge him then no further, as this cursed Pharaoh did, but to day if you will heare his voice, turne vnto him in true amend­ment of life, and hee shall turne vnto you in mercie and loue eternall.

5. Yea Sir, God may happily deale thus with some poore people for example sake, but he will regard the better sort of men and women who are of reputation in the world, and not bring these heauie thinges vpon them. But no (saith your Chapter heere) for this plague must light vp­on all sorts, from the first borne of Pharaoh which sitteth vpon the throne, vnto the first borne of the Maid-seruant that grindeth at the Mill, yea, the Lord will not spare the very beasts. No honours therefore or riches, no friends or strength, no pompe or port in this world may defend from him, but he will smite all degrées, and therefore let all de­grées profit by it. He will bring downe the mightie from their seates, and cast euen Crownes vnto the dust. Golde and Siluer are drosse before him, and nothing can helpe, but a reformed heart. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit, A broken and a contrite heart the Lord shall neuer despise. Trust to this, but bid all earthly Titles stand a­loofe, for they will not serue.

6. Then there shall be a great crie throughout all the Land of Egypt, such as was neuer none like, nor shall be. This is a consequent of Gods Plagues euer wheresoeuer they light, Cries and great Cries, woes and great woes. But shall any good Childe offend his Heauenly Father, till he force him to make him crie? Shall wee not thinke of the daies of truth and peace, till wee heare in euery cor­ner of the stréete, kill, kill? God forbid. To learne by o­ther mens harmes was euer yet accounted wisedome, and therefore let these Egyptian Cries so crie in our eares and our hearts continually, as our owne Cries (through the mercy of a gracious God) may neuer be heard any where.

[Page 183] 7. But against the children of Israel shall not a Dogge moue his tongue, neither against man nor beast, that you may knowe how the Lord putteth a difference betweene the Egyptians and Israel. A blessed separation, by a swéet Father! able to kindle in our hearts, if we be aliue, a bur­ning flame of loue and dutie towards such a God. The like wee saw in the plague of moraine, and the plague of darknes before, the Cattell of the Israelites were safe, and they had light wheresoeuer they were. So still, and so euer, if you marke the Scriptures, one way or other. Betwixt the olde world, and his seruant Noe, what a difference was there put? Betwixt Lot and Sodome, how did the Lord distinguish? When God sent Ioseph before to prouide for his Father against that Great future famine, did hee not put a difference betwixt his owne, and others? When the Shunammite was so mercifully admonished of y^e dearth to come, and willed to goe soiourne where shee might to preuent the danger, and when shee came backe againe so to helpe her to her Land with all the meane profites by such accident of the Kings talke with Gehazi, and her fit 2. Kings, 8. comming in with her Petition while they were talking, who séeth not the finger of a swéete GOD putting a diffe­rence betwéene the Israelites and the Egyptians? that is, betwixt his owne, and others? In that Great destruction of Hierusalem, had he not a little Pella by to saue such as it pleased him to pull out of that fire? Let vs then neuer feare, we sée he hath care of his owne, and what hee will doo, he can doo. If it be good for vs to escape these worldly woes, wee are as sure wee shall, as wee are sure wee liue. And if otherwise it please him to wrap vs with others in the outward punishment, yet shall wee euer be sure to be distinguished from them in the eternall paine; and those outward griefes shall be but meanes to leade vs to lasting ioyes. O cleaue we then fast vnto him, for you sée the dif­ference of being Religious, and being prophane, of leuing the Word, and loathing the exercises of the same. And this [Page 184] difference héere will make a fearefull difference in the world to come, when you cannot helpe it, had you the trea­sure of all the earth to purchase your ease withall. No not one drop of water to coole your scalded tongue, shall you be able to get with all that euer you possessed in this world, for the loue whereof (against all Admonitions) you haue lost your selfe for euer.

8. Lastly, more power againe you sée of this mightie God in the 8. verse, where he made the rebellious heart to stoope, and to séeke with intreatie what before could not be had with any petition. All thy seruants (saith Moses) shall come downe vnto me, and fall before me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that are at thy feete. They shall séeke and sue, begge and craue prostrate before him, that with spéede they would depart. O glorious God, that canst thus humble thy foes & make them fall before them whom erst they scorned. Let it knit vs & glue vs vnto thée for euer. I am amazed at thy Mercie, and I cannot speake what I think. Lord, encrease our faith & it shall suffice, and be well with vs.

1. OBserue first the words in the se­cond ver. 2. verse: This moneth shal be to you the beginning of mo­neths: it shall be to you the first moneth of the yeere. And herein remember how diuersly diuers Nations and people haue made the beginning of the yeere. Some, when the Spring began. Some, at the Sommer Solstitium, or Stay of the Sunne. 8 Calends of Iuly. [Page 185] Some at the Winter Stay. And some from the Autumne 8. Calends of Ian. or Haruest time, which vsually is reckoned frō the sixt of August. The old Romanes (as did y^e Hebrewes) began their yéere in March. Which order séemeth most agréeable to Nature, because all things then begin to reuiue and shewe forth their life & vigour. In regard whereof, some are of o­pinion, that the time of y^e Creation of all things was then, and that the Names of our Moneths, September, October, Nouember, December, are, as if it were said, the 7. the 8. the 9. & the 10. from March, making March the first, and so reckoning from thence forward. But for other policies the Iewes reckoned also frō September: Reade Iosephus in his Antiquities, Chap. 4. and Hierome vpon y^e 3. of Ezechiel, &c. With vs in England the vsuall Reckoning is frō the 1. day of Ianuary which we call New-yeeres day, yet the Mer­chants amōg vs vsually begin frō y^e 25. of March. So seue­ral places haue seuerall Customes, & we must leaue them.

2. Touching the Passeouer. The Name in Hebrewe is well expressed in English for our vnderstanding, when it is called the Passeouer, not the passing ouer into the Land of Promise, nor the passing ouer the Red Sea, where­of sée S. Augustine; but the Lords passing ouer, or the An­gels Aug. tract. 55. in Iohn. passing ouer those houses, which had the posts stri­ked with the blood. Therefore in the 11. verse it is expres­lie called the Lords Passeouer, and so Leuit. 23. 5. The time of the Institution was before their Deliuerance, because ver. 3. things taught in affliction both better sinke in vs, and lon­ger are remembred of vs. The Place where it was eaten nowe was in Egypt, but after they were come into the Land of Promise, & setled, we reade in Deut. thus. Thou Deut. 16. 5. mayest not offer the Passeouer within any of the gates which the Lord thy GOD giueth thee? But in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his Name there, &c. Which place being at Hierusalem all resorted thither at this Feast, & since Hierusalem hath béene destroy­ed, they haue not dared, write some, to offer else where.

[Page 186] 3. The manner of this Passeouer, with the signification of euery thing, is next to be thought of. Where you sée first a méeke Creature, so was Christ; it was a Lambe, a harm­lesse creature, so was Christ; a profitable creature (by wooll to cloath vs, & flesh to féede vs) so was Christ; his righteous­nes couereth & his flesh féedeth all those that truly beléeue in him. That this Paschal Lambe was a figure of Christ, remember Iohns words in y^e Gospel: But when they came to Iesus, and saw that he was dead alreadie, they brake not his legges, that it might be fulfilled, not a bone of him shall be broken. Words written in this Chapter, ver. 46. of the Paschal Lambe: and so Iohn maketh this a fore-shewing of that, and that a true fulfilling of this. In like sort doth S. Paule, when he saith, Our Passeouer is offered vp, speaking of Christ. If the Familie were too little to Ver. 4. eate a whole Lambe, then must they take their neighbours next vnto them to make a fit number. Whereby was no­ted and figured, that Christ is not deuided into diuers hou­ses and families, kingdomes and Countries, but he doth vnite and gather diuers houses and Nations to make one Church, euen as héere many did eate one Lambe. A com­fortable Figure, and worthy often remembrance. Wee may not deuide the Lambe, but we must gather our selues to the Lambe, and that is the true Church, where people are so gathered. Be sure then of the Lambe, and not of the place where the Lambe once was, but now is not; & féede Succession of Place. Succession of Doctrine. vpon this Lambe, in manner prescribed; that is, beléeue in Christ according to the Scriptures, and be sure you are right: other notes may deceaue you, this will not. And if as yet you be not thus gathered, make no longer stay in so dangerous an estate, but be reformed, and blesse God for his Truth.

4. Your Lambe shall be without blemish, saith the next Ver. 5. verse: first, to prefigure the puritie and vnspottednes of Christ frée and cleane from all sinne. And secondly, to teach that a more excellent ransome was to be had to saue man [Page 187] from sinne, than in all mankinde was to be found, which wholly was sinfull. In Apish imitation of which imma­culate puritie our profound Romists take great care that their Cake be whole, round and sound, not bitten, nor bro­ken, but without blemish, as this Paschal Lambe was: gi­uing themselues rather to abolished Ceremonies, than to the teaching of Christ now come, in whom these Ceremo­nies had end. It must be a Male, not a female; thereby figuring the spirituall strength of Christ, according to which the Prophet Esay spake of him before, That hee Esay. 53. 12. should deuide the spoile with the strong, and that great number of Angels about the throne, euen thousand thou­sands, saying, that he is worthie to receaue power, and ri­ches, Apoc. 5. 12. and wisedome, and strength, and honour, and glo­rie, and praise. Thirdly, the Lambe must bee of a yeere olde, thereby to prefigure our Sauiours experience of in­firmities and miseries, which euen a daies continuance in this wretched world yéeldeth both to man and beast, much more a yéere. Of which the Prophet also foretolde, when Espy. 53. 3. he said of Christ, Hee is a man full of sorrowes, and hath experience of infirmities: Surely he hath borne our infir­mities, 4. and caried our sorrowes, &c. Reade ouer the whole Chapter. Whereunto the Apostle agréeth againe, when Heb. 4. 15. he saith, We haue not a High-Priest which cannot be tou­ched with the feeling of our infirmities: but was in all things tempted in like sort, yet without sinne. The com­fort and vse whereof followeth in the next verse. There­fore 16. let vs goe boldly vnto the throne of grace, that wee may receaue mercie, and finde grace to helpe in time of neede. And indéede a Comfort of comforts it is, that in his owne bodie and our true Nature, it pleased him thus to taste our woes. For hee did it onely that wee might be assured of his knowledge and loue, that he both knoweth our case better than we can expresse it; and in his loue to­wards vs, will helpe and succour vs as shall be fit. Fourth­lie, ye shall take it of the Lambes, or of the Kids, saith the [Page 188] Text, To shadowe out how Christ should be taken from amongst the stocke of sinfull men, from whom hee descen­ded without sinne, as appeareth by the Scripture.

5. And you shall keepe it vnto the 14. day of this Mo­neth, Ver. 6. (from the 10. day wherein it was taken.) Whereby Two things chiefely were figured. First, that Christ should not by and by suffer after he was borne, but liue and abide a certaine time in the world, and then die, euen as this Lambe taken vp the 10. day, was not killed till the 14. day. All which, we knowe, was fulfilled accordingly, he being at the time of his Passion about thirty and thrée yéeres olde. Secondly, it both serued to prepare their hearts to the right eating of it, being a Remembrance before their eies those 4. daies before; and also to prefigure vnto vs with what meditation and preparation wee ought euer vnto our liues end, come to the eating of the true Passeouer (whereof this Lambe was but a shadowe) in that holy Sa­crament which is left vnto vs, as a Remembrance of his See Beda in Exod. 11. and Galasius in Ex­od. 12. vpon these words. Radolph. lib. 10. in Leuit. cap. 1. & lib. 16. cap. 2. Passion for mankinde. Other conceipts haue some Wri­ters, which I omit; onely I will remember His words that saith, Decimo quarto die immolabatur, quia tunc pleni­lunium est, & Luna recepta luminis sui plenitudine Sole iam occidente in Oriente consurgit, quia morienti Christo, Sole iu­stitiae, Ecclesia (quae in Luna intelligitur) ad vitam consurgit, &c. The 14. day this Lambe was offered, because then the Moone being at full, and rising in her full light when the Sunne was set, thereby might bee shadowed that the Church (vsuallie signified by the Moone) riseth with light and to light that euer shall endure in great fulnes after the setting of the Sunne, that is, by the death of Christ the true Sunne both of light and life to all that faithfully beléeue in him.

6. It was to be killed at night; and why at night more than any other time? Surely, to note and remember vn­to them alwaies the time of their Deliuerance out of E­gypt, which was in the night. Againe, it might shadowe [Page 189] out the time of Christ his comming in the flesh which was (as it were) in the Euening of the world, that is, in the last times, 1. Cor. 10. In regard whereof (as some haue no­ted) many of his mercies and miracles were shewed vpon men in the Euening or towards Euening as when it is saide in the Gospell, When the Euen was come, they Matt. 8. 16. brought vnto him many that were possessed with Deuils, and hee cast them out, &c. Likewise, in Marke, when Mark. 1. 32. Euen was come, at what time the Sunne setteth they brought to him all that were diseased, and hee healed them. Thus shewing by the time of Euening that he was indéede that health of mankinde, which in the latter time should come.

7. The blood was to be sprinkled and striked vpon Ver. 7. &. 22 Ver. 27. the doore posts with a bunch of Hyssope; that it might be a signe for the Lord to passe ouer their houses by, when he executed wrath vpon the Egyptians. Non quod incor­porea natura huiusmodi signis egeret; sed quia conueniebat, vt per symbolum intelligerent illi prouidentiam Dei &c. Not that God had any neede of such signes; but that by such outward meanes it was comfortable to them to knowe, and be assured of Gods prouidence for their safety, saith Theodoret. And it figutatiuely shewed the effect and ver­tue Quest in Exod. 24. of Christes blood the true paschal Lambe euer to saue from the destroying Angell, as many as should be sprink­led with it, that is, should make particular application of it to themselues. For it is not the blood without sprink­ling will helpe: Christ dying for all sufficientlie, but Sufficientur, non efficatetur. not effectuallie, because all take not holde of the fruite of him.

8. It was to bee eaten rost with fire, not rawe, nor Ver. 7. & 8. boyled or sodden in water. [...]ery aptlie shadowing the bitter passion which our Sauiour should endure, beeing indéede tormented in the most cruell manner they could, Cuius corpus acerbissimis cruciatibus in cruce inassat [...]m ac Galas. in Exod veluti torrefactuus errat: VVhose body was rosted, and [Page 190] (as it were) broyled with bitter cruelties of despite and paine. Also, it must be eaten with vnleauened bread, that such bread might put them euer in remembrance of the sodaine and hastie manner of their deliuerance, when they were forced to carie their dough vnleauened vpon their backes. ver. 34. Againe, because Leauen signifieth both corrupt Doctrine, and corrupt manners, Math. 16. 12. Therfore by vnleauened bread was taught and shadowed that wee must abstaine from both, if wee will be worthie partakers of Christ in the Sacrament. Seauen daies toge­ther to eate such bread, ver. 15. 19. 20. represented vnto them how serious and continued their meditation should be of such a Great mercie, as their Deliuerance was. And if they so of the shadowe, what we of the truth, namely of our Deliuerance from Hell, death, Deuill, and damnati­on? Is a light short and perfunctorie Remembrance of these things once (at Easter) enough for a Christian man or woman? no, no, and therefore carie another care with you, or else be assured, it will be easier for the Iewe than for you in that day.

9. It was to be eaten with sower hearbes, to represent againe the sowernes of the passion of Christ Iesus, whose gripes and touching woes the Euangelists set out in many words: as, that his soule was heauie vnto the death, his cries strong, O Father, Father, if it be possible, let this cup passe from me, his prayer so vehement, his agonie so great, that blood for sweate burst out of his face, and an Angell was sent to comfort him. Were not these sower hearbes? &c. Others thinke they were willed to vse these hearbs to put themselues euer in minde of their sower estate in the Land of Egypt vnder Pharaoh and his Officers, out of all which miserie they were deliuered by a gracious God; ei­ther the one vse, or the other was fit.

10. Nothing must be reserued till the morning; but if ver. 10. any were left, it was to be burned with fire: to shew both literally & mystically, that both they and all true beleeuers [Page 191] should be fully deliuered; they out of Egypt, and both they and all the Faithfull out of sinnes Bondage by y^e true Pas­chal Lambe. Wherefore, as then it should haue béene a gréeuous transgression to reserue part and not wholly to eate it, making a diuision of that which ought to be whole; so now is it as odious, & damnable before God, to receaue the Bread, and not the Cup, as Poperie teacheth to doo; or, to affirme that Christ hath fréed vs from originall sinne, but left vs to our selues to make satisfaction for our other sinnes, partly in this life, and partly in Purgatorie. For this is not to eate the Lambe whole, but to make a diuisi­on, and to reserue part till the morning. Their Apish bur­ning also of their consecrated Hosts (vpon occasion) may héere be thought vpon; and more and more their absurd imitations of these Mosaicall Ceremonies be noted. Praece­pit prius numeros sufficientes ad esum Agni simul imolare pas­cha; docens eos fraternam charitatem & miserecordiam erga pauperes. Iam admonet vt reliquiae carnium comburantur, nec seruentur in posterum diem; hoc pacto compelleus illos accer­sere egenos ad festum communiter celebrandum. Deinde, quód vetat carnium quippiam relinqui in crastinum, sic intelligimus, quód futura vita symbolis non indiget, ipsas enim res tunc in­tuebimur. Hee commaunded before, saith Theodoret, a sufficient number to eate the Passeouer; teaching them thereby brotherly Charitie and mercie to the poore. Now hee admonisheth, that what was left should be burned, and not reserued till the next day; so (as it were) com­pelling them to call the poore and needie to them. A­gaine, in that nothing must be left till the morrowe, wee may vnderstand by it, how in the life to come there shal be no vse of signes, for as much as we shall behold the things thēselues. Now, y^e paschal Lamb, we know, was a signe. &c.

11. They must eate it with their loines girt, their shooes ver. 11. on their feete, their staues in their hands, &c. That is, they must eate it like passengers and trauellers ready to depart: figuring so in shew, that whosoeuer is a right Eater of the [Page 192] true paschal Lambe Christ Iesus by beléeuing on him, hee must not stick downe his staffe in this world, and say in his heart, It is good being here: but he must euer estéeme him selfe as a pilgrime, and stranger; haue his loynes girt, his Luke. 12. 35. shooes on, and his staffe in his hand, readie to depart when the Lord calleth without any looking backe vnto Sodom, and sinfull cleauing to this wicked world, for we haue not heere an abiding Citie. Which how they doo, who make this world their GOD, much more thinking of it both by day & night than they doo of God, would be thought of whi­lest there is time to amend the fault. Surely this kinde of men & women eate not the passeouer as they ought, and therefore their danger is great. Note also (by the way) how He saith, it was the Lords passeouer, when it was but a Signe of his passing ouer, like vnto that Gen. 17. ver. 13. with many more. Whether they sate or stoode, if you aske? I take it to be out of Question, that they stood: but after­ward (when they were deliuered) they sate, as we reade of Christ with his Disciples. To giue a reason wherof, some say, that it was the manner of seruants to stand; of free­men to sit; & therefore they now stood, as a token of their bondage and seruitude in Egypt: but afterward (being de­liuered) they sate in token of their fréedome. Yet I rather thinke that they after sate, because they vsed (after y^e passe­ouer eaten) to take their owne Supper, & to bid the poore to them, thankfully distributing Gods gifts, & reioycing for Gods great mercies to them. We kneele at our eating, and it is the fittest and most séemely manner for vs, offering to God our prayers & thanksgiuing, as we doo. When (in the 12. verse) God said, I will execute iudgement vpon all the Gods of Egypt, S. Hierome reporteth it out of the Hebrew Writers, that in the very same night they departed out of Egypt, Omnia Egypti templa destructa fuisse, sine terrae motu, siue iactu fulminum, All the Temples of Egypt were ouer-throwne, either with earthquakes, or thunderbolts. Sed vl­terius referūt Hebraei, eadē nocte lignea Idola putrefacta fuisse, [Page 193] 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 Ver. 16. 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, w [...]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 y^e 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 y^e Saluation of thē that dresse it: who being created & redéemed as we our selues be, ought not so euermore to be kept at this seruice, as y^t 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 thē, & to drink y^e blood of them most cruelly, [Page 194] 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 2. Sam 23. 16 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 frō 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 ver 21. 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 y^e 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 [Page 195] Minister in his seruice is the contempt of him, and that 1. Sam 8. 7. the very dust of their feete shall stand powerfull before Mat. 10. 40. &c Luk. 10. 11. 16. him against the bodies and soules of these proud despisers, to condemne them & cast them into eternall w [...]. 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, Heb. 13. 17. 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 ver. 25. Lord will giue you, as hee hath promised, then you shall keepe this seruice. And when your children aske you, 26. 27. 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. [Page 196] 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 wisheth a Benefice, forget his dutie when hee hath got it, and suffer his people (the Lords Lambes) to perish by his sloath. Thus doth the Seruant, when hee is become a Maister: and thus doo thousands, who (when they were vnmaried and had little) thought and said, if they had some portion to liue vpon, some reaso­nable & competent estate, O how would they serue God, and doo good things to their power? But all is forgotten, and they are not the same persons, when the Lord (in mer­cie) hath giuen them more cause to serue him, than euer they had. Followe this Meditation farther your selfe, and thinke often in your heart what a swéete killing poy­son Prosperitie is to many a one, and how néedefull this Note of Moses was, That they should Remember their duties to God, when they were come into that pleasant Land of Promise.

15. The Cōmaundement, To teach their children what the Passeouer meant, noteth vnto vs, how the Word & Sa­craments should goe together: not hiding in an vnknowne tongue, & by neglect of preaching, what Gods ordinance is, but plainly & openly, & euer ioyning Doctrine to it, that the people of God may knowe the Lords meaning in his holy Sacraments, & so vse them as they ought, to his glory and their cōfort. Yea, the children you sée should not be brought vp in ignorance, as ours are, to the great prouocation of Gods wrath against vs. But euen when they are young, taught and tolde what a Sacrament is, and what is meant by the Paschal Lambe: for thus would they prooue [Page 197] good seruants of God, when yéeres came on, and the Lord be honoured in our séede when we are dead. Which, whe­ther it can be without a blessing from his hand, both vpon them and whatsoeuer we leaue vnto them, iudge in your owne soule, when you haue considered well how sweete and gracious God is, how many are his promises, & how faithfull he euer is in them. Doo therefore as followeth in this your Chapter of this people; ver. 7. They bowed thē ­selues and worshipped. That is, they thankfully recea­ued the Lords pleasure at Moses mouth, not as the word of man, but (as it was in déede) the Word of God: And they ver. 28. went their way, and did as the Lord commaunded Moses and Aaron. A blessed obedience both in hearing and do­ing, a chéerefull alacritie and readines, such as gladded the heart of Moses, and euer will glad all godly Ministers, Chronicled héere vp in the Booke of God by the direction of God to the lasting praise of them that were so touched and moued to obey. God (in his mercie) make it also pro­fitable to thy soule, good Christian Reader, that thou like­wise (in the Booke of life,) mayst be Chronicled vp for e­uermore. Amen.

The second part.

1. COncerning the death of the first borne, which was ver. 29. the second generall Head noted before to be in this Chapter, that which hath béene spoken before in the De­nunciation may suffice, to which I refer you, praying that héere may be obserued the great care of Almightie God to haue this thing well remembred, when againe he thus re­peateth it with all his Circumstances of time, of persons, their awaking, their crying, their desire to bee rid of the Israelites, their forcing of them away in all hast, &c. Surely Gods works for mankinde in generall, or for any of vs all in particular to be forgotten, must néedes be most displeasing vnto him; when we sée such care as this to pre­serue in his church & children a due Remembrance of them. [Page 198] Theodoret, speaking of these first-borne, saith Cur inter­fecit Theodoret in Exod. 12. 22. primogenita Aegypti? Propterea quòd Israële prmimo­genita Dei Pharaoh nimis durae subiecerat seruituti. Hoc enim ipse Dominus Deus dixit, Filius meus primogenitus Israel, &c. Why did he slay the first borne of Egypt? Euen be­cause Pharaoh had subiected his first borne Israel to too hard and cruell a bondage. For thus speaketh the Lord of Israel, Israel my first-borne Sonne, &c. Againe in this, that the first-borne only dyed both of man and beast, (not the second-borne, nor the third-borne,) wée may with profit well obserue, how the differences of children are knowne to God, who is first? who is second? and who is third? which may yéelde this vse, neuer (for any childe) to goe about with craft and subtilty, or any vnlawfull inuention of man, to thrust himselfe into the place and prerogatiue thereof, which God in his prouidence hath not giuen him, but to abide in the order disposed to him of God; and to trust in his mercy, who so disposed; for feare lest God, who knoweth our order, seuerely punish vs for breaking his order. He could haue made the yongest the eldest (if he had pleased;) & he could haue made the 3. to be the 2. (if he had so liked:) But he hath not done it, and what he doth is euer best, til his owne hand alter the same. A contented minde much pleaseth God: and a working spirit contra­ry to his Will, as much offendeth him. Let it be thought on, for there is too much cause in the world giuen, and sinne is counted Wisedome.

2 This mightie power of God is fearefull, and com­fortable. Fearefull, for that in one night, yea, in one instant, and with one word (as it were) he destroyed so many first-borne in Egypt. Comfortable, because what iudgment soeuer he vseth and executeth against the wicked, yet he can saue his owne in the very middest of death and danger, So that not a haire of their heades shalbe hurt. Thousands may fall on the right hand, and tenne Thousands on their left, yet no harme happen to them. Also this gratious Cle­mency [Page 199] and Mercy in the Lord, is most comfortable, who when he could as easily and as iustly haue destroyed all, yet in his goodnes (that hath neither bottome, nor measure) he taketh but the first-borne, & so gratiously humbleth thē by a few. This is that which y^e Prophet speaketh when he beggeth of y^e Lord, in wrath to remēber Mercy: so noting Habac. 3. 2. his manner and nature euer full of pitty, & long suffering.

3 Then Pharaoh called to Moses and Aaron, saying, get Verse. 31. you hence, &c. That is, he sent his Messengers vnto them to will them to depart: For Moses saw him no more after the departing mentioned in the tenth Chapter, the last verse: And in the eleuenth Chapter, verse eight, you sée Moses foretold that thus his seruants should intreat him to depart. Euer till now Pharaoh had some exceptions ei­ther of their Children, or of their Cattell, &c. But now all are put in, a libertie graunted vnto all, and glad and glad to be deliuered of them. Thus can God with his mighty arme bring downe the proude stomakes of the greatest, and make them yéelde to his Will wholly, not in part. A fruitfull consideration for those that dayly amongst vs vse to limmit their obedience to God; saying either openly, or secretly in their hearts, Herein will I follow my Teacher, and herein I will not. Adul­tery, Murder, and such like, be great sinnes; and I will forbeare them: but for my swearing, my oppressing of my Neighbours, my selling of my Benefices in my gift, my negligence at Church and Sacraments, and such like, yee shall pardon me, I know what is fit as wel as he. Thus did Herod heare Iohn Baptist as I haue noted before, in ma­ny Marke. 6. 20. things, (not in all things;) and namely, not in the mat­ter of Keeping his Brothers wife. Now Herod and Pha­raoh are but bad Exampels for a man to follow, that hath any care of his soule: And therefore (rather) fix your eye vpon that wish of God in Deut. O that there were such a heart in this people to feare me, and to keepe All my com­mandements, All, All alway, that it might goe well with [Page 200] them, and with their seede for euer. This is a better Ex­ample: and he that thus wisheth, hath Heauen in his right hand, to giue it vs if we héede it, and Hell in his left hand, to cast vs into, if we despise it. Follow this meditation by your selfe farther, and beware of restraining and limi­ting your duty to God, but performe all obedience as the Lord shall inable you. And if you faile in any thing, let it be frailety in you, not head-strong boldnesse, for that is dangerous. Remember also how Pharaoh here desi­red to be blessed of these men, who erst were odious in his eies. The same God can pull you downe, and make you as glad of your Pastors prayer for you, as you haue béene contented spitefully and malitiously to oppose your selfe against him. Now is the time to thinke of these things, & so to vse the messenger of God, as he may euer pray for you with an edge, that is, hartily and powerfully..

4 They tooke-vp their dough before it was leauened, Verse. 34. and departed in haste. The Lord knoweth euer what is best, (hast, or leasure) for his children, and so be appointeth. Lot was long before he would get-out of Sodom, and his wife was worse than he. We are all couetous and grée­die of these worldly matters, and too loath to leaue them, when we are called. Wherefore the Lord in his great loue often preuenteth such weakenesse in vs by a suddaine and constrained haste. Be it therefore euer vnto vs as he will, for he is alwaies more carefull of our good than we can be. Other things here mentioned haue bene touched before, and therefore I passe them ouer.

The 3. part.

1. THeir departure now out of Egypt is the 3. general Head of this Chap. concerning which it is said, that They tooke their iourney from Ramases to Succoth, &c. Verse. 37. This is that Rameses which you read of in Genesis 47. ver. 11: Where Ioseph placed his father and his bretheren. [Page 201] The number also is set downe, about six hundered thou­sand men of foote, beside children. A most wonderfull increase from 70. Soules, which were all that came into Egypt. And most effectually it sheweth vs, how able the Lord is to increase his Church, notwithstanding all the malice of man & Deuill whatsoeuer: Gen. 12. 21. Gen. 15. 5. I will multiply thy seede as the sand of the Sea: and we sée the truth of it. A multitude also of sundry sorts of people went with them, following the prosperity hoped for in the Israelites, who (they saw) were not touched with y^e plagues of Egypt: and rightly shadowing what after fell out, and euer will, that Christ shalbe followed of many for the loaues, and his Gospell embraced for the prosperitie and peace that often he vouchsafeth vnto it. Yet (no doubt) some follow it for Religion and Truth sake, &c.

2 Their time of aboad in Egypt is here said to be foure Verse. 40. hundred and thirty yeeres: which how it is to be recko­ned from the Promise, sée Genesis. 15. Actes. 7. 6. Galathi­ans. 3. 17. and see Interpreters, by name Calasius, who reckoneth euery yéere in particular. Note we, and al­waies remember, that so carefull was the Lord of his pro­mise, as, When the 400. and thirty yeeres were expi­red, the selfe same day they departed, euen the selfe same day. Euer it may comfort vs in our spirituall feares and conflicts, that certainely the Lord will neuer faile in any promise, but euen dayes and howers of comfort fit for his Children, as they are knowne to him, so are they obserued of him most mercifully, most gratious­ly, and most precisely. Why then should not I (dust and ashes) tarrie his good leasure in assured hope, and in peace of Soule, waiting for the good houre? but I must needes tye the Lord to my time, and to my will, or els I faint, I fall, I speake or thinke amisse, That the Lord regardeth me not, but hath forgotten me, and forsaken mee, and all that Sathan my sworne-Enemy suggesteth is true. O, doo it not any more, neither [Page 202] euer wrong your gratious Father and déere God so much, who you sée breaketh not with these Israelites one day, but the very selfe same day deliuereth them which was apoin­ted 400. yeares before. God strengthen vs, for his Son sake; for we are weake, but he is faithfull for euermore.

3 Some other circumstances touching the Paschal Verse. 43. &c. Lamb are héere noted in the end of this Chapter, omitted before; namely, That only such as were circumcised might Ver. 44. & 48. eate of it; so figuring, that of the true Passeouer Christ Ie­sus they onely can be partakers, hauing their hearts cir­cumcised and purged by faith, &c. And being circumcised, seruants might eat; shewing that bond and frée are alike accepted of God. That it must be eaten in one house, signi­fied Verse. 46. that out of the Church Christ is not to be found. Not a bone must be broken, which was fulfilled in our Sauiour Christ, as was touched before: yet héere remember The­odorets wordes, Ossa conterunt Agni, qui male intelligentes eloquia Diuina, ad suam impietatem illa detorquere conantur. They may be said to breake the bones of the Lamb, who ill vnderstanding the holie Scriptures, go about to wrest them to their impieties. One Law must be to him that is Verse. 49. borne in the Land, & to the stranger that dwelled among them: which signified, that whosoeuer, vnto the worlds end, will liue in the Church, he must and ought to be go­uerned by the Lawes of y^e Church. Finally, The obedience of the people (héere mentioned) in all things to Moses and Verse. 50. Aaron, teacheth vs the like obedience euer to Magistrate and Minister ouer vs, which the better we performe the more assured may we be that we are true Israelites. Thus may this Chapter profit vs in Gods blessing.

COncerning the first; The Paschall Lamb (as hath béene shewed) was a liuely remembrance of the Lords pas­sing ouer their houses, and not slay­ing their first-borne, as he did the E­gyptians: yet doth God héere againe institute, for an other Remembrance of it, that all the first-borne should be offered to him in sa­crifice. Verse. 1. Which plainely sheweth our dulnes to be so great, that either not at all, or very slightly wée remember the Lords mercies and benefits, vnlesse by sundry meanes we be raised and stirred-vp thereunto. Let vs therefore thinke of our selues as the Lord knoweth vs to be, and rest euer thankefull for this great care of his ouer vs, testified in his sundrie waies and meanes to awake and worke in vs due duties towards him, and vse the same appointed meanes continually and euer, as we are commaunded: otherwise, we condemne both the Lords care, and wisedome: and the punishment at last must néedes be very fearefull. Let it strike all negligent hearers of the Word, all secure and earthly contemners of the Sacraments, all that refuse to read, to conferre, and to doo whatsoeuer els as a meanes that leadeth to the Lord. The Reason which the Lord a­leageth of this Law of the first-borne to be sanctified vnto him, is, because they were his, (for they are mine, saith he.) Which doth not note any reiectiō of the second-borne, [Page 204] or third, from his grace and fauour, or yet tye his mercy and liking euer to the eldest (for we know, He hated Esau, and loued Iacob:) but we are to vnderstand it thus, that albeit all were his indéede, yet these first-borne he challen­ged to be his by a double right; both because he had deli­uered them from bondage and seruitude as the rest, and because he saued them aliue, and slue them not, when he killed all the first-borne in Egypt. I make this vse of it, euen to think with my selfe, That the more God hath done for me, the more titles he hath vnto me, and the more I am his, and ought to be in al the duties and seruices that may flow from either heart or body of so wretched a creature. And if I doo not so thinke, and so striue to shew my selfe, e­uen so many witnesses against me are his sundry mercies to me, and I shalbe destroyed. The ends then of this Law of sanctifying the first-borne vnto the Lord, were these; To be a Remembrance of their deliuerance; To be a witnesse of the Lords right to them, and ouer them, whom he had so gratiously and mightily deliuered (euen as an earthly Lord séeketh a peny or a Rose for an acknowledg­ment of his right, not for any increase of his welth:) That the Priestes might haue hereby a maintenance to liue to preserue doctrine & knowledge among them; That Christ hereby might be liuely shadowed and shewed, who being the first-borne, was offered-vp a holy and sufficient sacri­fice for all our sinnes, &c.

The Law of Redemption of the children, ver. 13. 15. was to mittigate the rigour of the Lawe, if they should haue dyed; and still sheweth, how swéete and mercifull the Lord is. Afterward, the Leuites were taken in their place; and the Redemption of the vncleane beastes tea­cheth vs, that God will haue his due, if not by sacrifi­cing them (because they were vncleane,) yet by a price for them, or by their death. Which all wicked Rob­bers of God in his Tithes and Offerings may make an vse of: and cease so to offend any more, if admoniti­on [Page 205] may finde place with them. Other things haue béene touched before, as the vnleauened bread, the instructing of their children and such like; wherefore I passe them o­uer. The frontlets spoken of in the 16. verse (béeing for Re­membrance) ver. 16. the Iewes afterward abused and had their Philacteries, &c. As our Papists haue sundrie superstiti­ous things about their neckes and armes, to put them in minde of I know not what.

The 2. part.

1 COncerning the way by which GOD led them, you sée héere in the 17. verse what is said; namely, Ver. 17. That God caried them not by the way of the Philistims Country (though it were neerer,) lest any should re­pent when they saw warr, and turne againe to Egypt. Si enim cum longius esset (Numb. 14) regredi voluerunt, quid si tam vicini essent? For if, when they were farther of, they would haue returned (Numb. 14.) what, when they were so neere? (saith Saint Cyril:) wherin behold a most singu­lar Testimonie of Gods fatherly care ouer our infirmi­ties, in not suffering vs to be farther tryed, than in him, and through him we shalbe able to indure, and at the last to ouercome also, according to the most gratious promise specified by the Apostle. 1. Cor. 10. 12. Let a troubled Spirit euer thinke vpon this, and euen féede upon it to the comfort of Soule, as one would féede vpon swéete and pleasing meate, for the good of bodie. Your weakenesse is knowne to God; and (as you sée here) he thinketh before hand what you can beare, and what you cannot; what will lead you to the Land of promise, and what will make you turne backe to Egypt; and had he not strength in store for you in his good time to be giuen you, thereby to ouercome the troubles you now are in, whatsoeuer they are, spirituall or worldly, in such sort as he knoweth to be best; truly hee would haue preuented them, and neuer [Page 206] haue suffered you to fall into them, more then hee would suffer héere the Israelites to passe by the Countrie of the Philistims; for he is not the God of the Israelites alone, but your God and my God also; no respecter of persons, but swéete to all that cleaue vnto him. And therefore since these things are thus now with you, rest in hope, and be chéere­full; there is a good houre comming, assure your selfe, wherein his strength shall appeare and giue you victorie, these things turning to your good, and not to your harme. For, euen as an Eagle fluttereth ouer her birds, stretch­eth out her winges, taketh them and beareth them vpon her wings: so doth the Lord for his people, saith the Song of Moses: and let it comfort you, for God is true. Deut. 32. 11.

Another vse againe I make of this place thus. The Lord héere (I sée) would not suffer them passe by the Phi­listims, lest they should start backe, and so sinne gréeuous­lie againg him. And what if in like sort hee preuent my sinning, and your sinning against him, by taking away from vs such things, as he in his wisedom knoweth would be occasions of euill vnto vs, if we had them, whatsoeuer we thinke, as Riches, friends, power, health of body, peace of minde and such like, is not he therein carefull of vs, and as gracious vnto vs, as héere hee was to these his people, in not suffering them to goe that way, which (though it were néerer) night endanger them? Certainly he is: and therefore pray for eyes to sée it, and a hart to féele it with assurance; be content with your estate, and with his will, the end shall shew you, all this is true.

Why? but could not God haue stayed them from re­turning, although they had gone the néerer way? Cyril answereth, Non Deus omnia operatur vt potest, sed quando (que) Cyril. in Exod. (humano more) pericula fugere illos voluit, id nos facere do­cens, etiam dum apertissimé Deum adiutorem habemus. God doth not worke all things as he can, but sometimes doth Aug. quest. 49. in Exod. vide. eschew perils (after the maner of men) therein teaching vs to doe the like (namely by vsing meanes) euen then when [Page 207] most plainly we haue God our helper.

2. The Children of Israel went vp armed out of the Ver. 18. Land of Egypt, saith the Text. And it may teach vs wa­rinesse and circumspection in our vocatiens; euer recko­ning of the enemie in this our holy march towardes the Land of Promise. Iosephs bones are caried away with Ver. 19. them, according to the oath made vnto him; which may teach vs faithfulnes and truth in the desires of dead men euermore: a thing alwaies of good regard with good men, and too little regarded by many that would be iudged good men. But no shewe of warrant héere for the Popish foole­ries and impieties vsed about their Reliques. For this pro­mise to translate his bones, was taken by Ioseph to shew his Faith in the promise of GOD, touching the Land of Promise to be giuen in time, and it was performed by the Israelites in discharge of truth without any superstition, or Idolatrie, as in Poperie is vsed most offensiuely.

The 3. part.

THe last generall Head is, concerning the signes of di­rection which the Lord vouchsafed them; namely, a Ver. 21. Cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. Whereof the Psalme speaketh, alluding to this Storie, In the day time Psal. 78, 14. he led them with a Cloud, and all the night long with a light of fire. And againe, Hee spread a cloud to be a co­uering, and fire to giue light in the night season. By this Psal. 105. 39. Great miracle shewing that y^e Israelites deliuerance was from himselfe, and by no other meanes vnder Heauen. Secondly, that hee was present with them to defend and saue them from all their enemies. And thirdly, that in like sort hee guideth and protecteth his faithfull, marching out of Egypt towardes the promised Land, through the Wildernes of woe and affliction: which indéede hee still doth by his Word and Sacraments, two guides to vs as [Page 208] these pillars were to them. So necessarie is it after deliue­rance to be guided, that without the one the other will not serue. And if more particularly you wil meditate on them, consider in y^e Cloud, how it not only directeth the way, but is spread, as the Psalme saith, for a couering; namely, a­gainst the heate of the Sunne, sauing them from the vio­lence thereof, and comfortably cooling and refreshing them. Remember also howe the afflictions of this world in the Gospell are noted by the heate of the Sunne. And be you assured in a true Faith, that euen euer, euer, against these heates the Lord, in his good time, will send you defence and comfort. For still you must know that yesterday, and today, and for euer He is the same. Meditate on the Apo­stles Heb. 13. 8. experience, 2. Cor. 1. Blessed be God, euen the Fa­ther of our Lord Iesus Christ, the Father of all mercies, and 2. Cor. 1, 3. the God of all comfort, which comforteth vs in all our tri­bulations, (sée the cooling Cloud) that wee may be able to 4. comfort them which are in any affliction, by the comfort wherewith wee our selues are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in vs, so our consolation 5. aboundeth through Christ, &c. Thus to Paule, thus to you, thus to all assuredly. In the other pillar of fire ob­serue, that (beside direction by going before) it also gaue light vnto them in the night. And thereby learne with a féeling comfort, that whosoeuer followe Christ as their Guide and Leader, they still haue light in others darknes. So saith Hee himselfe, Hee that followeth mee, shall not Iohn. 8. 14. walke in darknes, but shall haue that light of life. In both the one and the other sée a Notable Figure of Christ, in whō there is cooling, & without whom there is scorching heate; in whom there is light, and without whom there is hellish darknes: In the world yee shall haue trouble, but in mee yee shall haue peace. The wordes which followe, (That they might goe both by day and by night) most notablie remember vs, that in trauelling towardes the spirituall Canaan we must not rest, but labour forward continually. [Page 209] The Chiidren of this world are often looking back toward Egypt, and often pitch downe their Tents: so in this Wil­dernes, that they are loath euer to take them vp and to re­moue. But with the Sonnes of God it is not so, but they say with themselues, We haue here no abiding Citie: and fixing both eye & heart on their Heauenly house, they iour­ney on still both day and night in true pietie and obedience: and they are not quiet till they haue attained to the Hauen, & sée their God with his holy company in the highest Hea­uens. Last of all, when it is said, Hee tooke not away the ver. 22. pillar of the Cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night from before the people. Let it euer assure your fearing heart, cooling & comforting, shining and lighting, guiding and directing his little flocke, shall neuer be taken away frō any member thereof, but euer be readie & present with vs both by day & night, to the eternall praise of his goodnes, and vnspeakeable comfort of our soules; blessed againe and againe be his name for it. And thus far of this Chapter.

1. TOuching the first obserue y^e an­tiquitie of writing in verse, and the reason why Moses vsed verse here: euen to continue a longer and better remembrance of so famous a worke of God for his Church: for we all sée by experi­ence, that what is written in verse, both more affecteth, and more sticketh in the memo­rie, than what is written in prose. We must learne also by this Example, euer after mercies and comforts to giue thanks. For the Custome of the Church is the instruction of euery particular man and woman in the Church. The custome wee sée héere, and in other places. What Mel­chisedech did after Abrahams victorie, wee reade in Ge­nesis. Gen. 14. 18. What Deborah and Barak did, wee reade in Iud­ges. Iudg. 5. 2. 1. Sam. 18. 2. What the women sang to Saul and Dauid, we reade in that Storie: as also what was carefully done after that great victorie and deliuerance vouchsafed to Iehosaphat. 2. Chron. 20. 27. 28. [Page 229] A feast was kept euery yéere to remember thankfully Hamans destruction, and the Iewes ioyfull deliuerance. Hester. 9. 17. Iudeth. 16. 1. Iudeths seruice and blessing with God is not forgotten: And, if you goe to Dauids Psalmes, how many of them are Psalmes of thanksgiuing after benefits? Of the cleansed Luk. 17. 15. Luk. 5. 25. Act, 3. 8. Leapers though nine forget yet one is thankfull. The man healed of the palsie taketh vp his bed, & praiseth God. The Creeple healed entred into the Temple, walking, and lea­ping, and praising God. God and man abhorre the con­trarie, and when thou art truly said to be vnthankfull (but euen to man) there is in that one word all euill contained and affirmed of thée. Now, if priuate benefites should be remembred, much more publique which touch so many. Whereforefor both, be euer thanksfull to God as the foun­taine, and to man, as his meanes. Imperfection in this du­tie beséech him to pardon, &c.

2. When was this thanksgiuing made? The Text telleth ver. 1. you in this word THEN, Then sang Moses & the children of Israel. That is, euen presently as soone as they could ga­ther all their companie together on the other side of y^e sea, whither so happily they were brought on drie foote by a mighty God. In the 5, of Iudges you may note it also, THEN sang Deborah & Barak, euen the same day. And surely, to defer, it is alwaies dangerous, so soone are we coo­led and become dull and heauie after the greatest mercies. Doo it therefore whilest thy heart is hot, & thy féeling swéete of his fouour found. Doo it quickly & hartily: and so thou mouest the Lord to more mercy. For gratiarum actio est ad plus dandum inuitatio, Thankfulnes is an inuiting of God to giue more, saith S. Ambrose. Doo what wee can, wee shal be weake, and our best duties be full of wants: but yet spéede will helpe somewhat, and our care in making spéede shall finde mercie for such wants. When dulnesse crept in by carelesse delay, shall be punished.

3. Note w^t your self again the maner of their Song; name­ly, how they being many, yet vse y^e singular number, & say, [Page 228] [...] [Page 229] [...] [Page 230] I will sing: When in a right phrase of spéech they should haue said, we will sing. This plainely teacheth vs that a good forme of giuing thanks is, euery particular person out of his owne feeling to say I, I, good Lord doo yéeld vnto thy Maiestie, my bounden thankes for my selfe and for my brethren, for my selfe and for thy whole Church. And so e­uery one féeling, and euery one thanking, the Lord is prai­sed of all, as his mercie and goodnes reach To all. A con­trarie course it is, to trust to other mens giuing of thanks for me, and to be dull and dumbe my selfe. Dauids words haue another touch, Thou art My God, and I, I will praise Psal. 118. 28. thee, euen My God: therefore I will exalt thee. I, I, againe in mine owne person, and with mine owne heart, and with mine owne tongue, &c.

4. I will sing, that is, not onely in heart will I féele and thinke; but with my voice will I expresse and publish the due praises of such a God. Outward signes shall goe with inward truth: that both outwardly and inwardly I may doo my dutie. As I am glad that men sée his goodnes to me; so thinke I it fit they should also behold my dutie to him. I publish the one, I will not hide the other; I am glad of the one, and farre be it from me to be ashamed of the o­ther. Dauid speaketh of the great Congregation, and, I will sing in the middest of his people.

5. To whom? To the Lord will I sing, who is the foun­taine: not to my selfe and my wit, to my friends and my Fortune, to my bagges & my baggage or any other thing. No Creature with mee shall rob him of his right, but to the Lord will I sing. And why? For hee hath triumphed gloriouslie: the horse and him that rode on him hath Hee ouerthrowne in the Sea: He, He, hath done this for me, for vs, &c. The Lord is my strength and praise, and hee is be­come ver. 2. my saluation. Some put their trust in Chariots, and some in Horsemen; but wee will remember the Lord our God. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh Ier. 17. 5, flesh his arme, and with draweth his heart from the Lord. [...] [Page 235] Thus for men to be a meanes to stirre vp women, and one woman to stirre vp another, Fathers to moue their Chil­dren, Mothers their Daughters, Maisters their Ser­uants, and friends their friends, what a comfort is it where God graunteth it? Their Timbrels & their daunces were according to the manner of those parts, a graue and mo­dest going in order with Songs and signes of ioy; no light nor wanton leaping, neither men and women together, as in the commaundement against Adulterie hath béene shewed. She is called Aarons sister, because Aaron was the elder brother, yet she was Moses sister also.

The 2. part.

1. THese thinges thus ended concerning the Thankes-giuing, from the Red-sea they went into the Wil­dernes of Shur, and in three daies trauell they found no water, afterwards they found some, but it was so bitter they could not drinke it. A newe triall of their Faith and patience: and wee may well Note in it the course of the life of a childe of God in this world: euen to passe from triall to triall: and still to be tried one way or other: That Acts. 14. 22. through many tribulations at length hee may enter into the Kingdome of God: and after many fights receaue that Crowne of righteousnes, which the Lord, the righ­teous Judge, shall giue at that day, vnto all them that so haue finished their course in Faith, and loue his appearing. In those hote Countries the want of water is a greater affliction than else where: and yet great is the want of it any where. But when they had found it, to haue it so bit­ter, was crosse vnto crosse, making Moses wordes true, God tooke vnto him a people by signes and wonders, by warre and might, by a stretched out arme, by great feare, and (nowe marke) BY TEMPTATIONS. Yet should Deut. 4, 34. all haue béene endured patiently, hauing such Tokens of [Page 236] his care for them. But (alas) sée what followeth.

2. Then the people murmured against Moses, saying, ver, 24. what shall we drinke? Who would haue thought it possi­ble so soone after such a glorious Deliuerance for such in­firmitie to shew it selfe againe. But this is man both to God and his Ministers: as soone as any contrarie winde bloweth against him. Truly therefore saide the Lord of vs, That our wickednes is great in the earth, and all the Gen. 6. 5. imaginations of the thoughts of our hearts onely euill continually. Let it strike vs and humble vs, that no man thinke he is supported. For certainly this is our mold to murmure euer when we are displeased. Let the Mini­nister of God obserue this Nature, and be prepared for the like in his people, if occasion serue. Moses was a great man, and full of all iust matter of high reuerence with his Flocke: yet we sée how he is dealt with. As soone as any thing toucheth them, WHY? WHY? and WHAT? WHAT? still flying vpō him with their venomed words of bitter impatiencie: and he must answere for all the tri­als it pleaseth God to lay vpon his Church, or any mem­ber thereof. A fitter course it had béene for a people so taught with passed fauours, to haue assured themselues of future helpes in Gods good time, and with patience and Faith to haue expected the same, assuring themselues that he neuer had done so great things for them to giue them ouer in any néede. This is therefore their great fault: and let it profit vs neuer to offend so: But to looke vpon Da­uid that good Patterne who reasoned soundly and com­fortably, That he which had deliuered him from the Beare and the Lyon, would also saue him from that vncircum­cised Philistime: to looke also vpon S. Paule, who maketh 2. Cor. 1. 10. the same Argument, that God did deliuer him, doth deli­uer him, and héereafter will deliuer him assuredly. This, this is the right way, To remember how many baskets full of broken meate were taken vp: and neuer to feare any want where such a powerfull God is. To remember [Page 237] what God hath done for mee, and to make that an argu­ment both of my prayer and hope, as Dauid doth when he saith, Thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble: Psal. 4. 1. haue mercie vpon me and helpe me. As for murmurings and repinings, faintings & fearings, they offend God, they grieue his Minister, they shame our selues, they offend the Church, and no way can they profit vs, be they neuer so violent & bitter. Blessed Iobs Spéech therefore is a blessed practise for euery good man & woman, If the Lord should Iob. 13 15. kill me, yet will I put my trust in him.

3. What doth poore Moses thus grieued againe with a peruerse People? surely againe he runneth to his God and crieth to him. And this still is the refuge of the poore ver. 25. Minister, and of all those that feare him. Use it and kéepe it, God is not as man, to be wearie; and thou shalt finde the fruite of it, as Moses did againe in this place. For vp­on this his crying the Lord shewed him a Tree, which when hee had cast into the waters they were sweete: and the people dranke of them, with great contentment to their fill. Hath not GOD then an issue for euery temp­tation, if wee would expect it? Are not the Cries of his Seruants heard? and doo not they crie to him when o­thers murmure against him? Marke all these things with your selfe, and be the better; for I passe them ouer with this pointing at them. And for this tree, which being cast into the waters made them sweete, take it for a most Ex­cellent Figure of Iesus Christ our Sauiour, by whom all bitter affliction is made sweete: and the sowre curse of the Lawe condemning all men without him, quite and cleane taken away. For who is able either to endure the crosse or to taste of the Lawe without Christ; yet in him, and by him both are sweete, affliction fitting vs to Gods Kingdome, and the Lawe teaching vs what to doo, and what to flie. Consider of these Marginall Quotations by 1. Tim. 1. 8. Rom. 3. 31. Gala [...]. 5. 14. Ephesi. [...]. 10. 1. Thes 4. 3. your selfe, and add the like vnto them. And touching these bitter waters, marke howe they are a meanes to discouer [Page 238] the hidden bitternes which lay in the hearts of these Mur­murers; and thinke with your selfe, that euen so doth bit­ter aduersitie in many men and women at this day, disclose secrets, and shewe them to haue weakenes, before not knowne, or thought of. Secondly, Note howe in trauel­ling to the Land of Canaan, wee must assuredly passe by Marah, and there wee must make a pitching place for a time, till it shall please God to graunt a Remoue. Bitter, bitter, and very bitter will the waters prooue: but mur­mure we not as these men did: for hee that was so graci­ous as to make them sweete to such Repiners, what will he doo in his good time to vs, if we patiently abide his will: surely he will much more respect vs, and euen boast of our patience to our eternall good; as he did of his seruant Iobs righteousnes. But now for the tree; some aske, whether there were any such vertue in it by Nature to swéeten waters? and if there were, what néede God had to vse any such meanes, séeing with his onely word hee could haue helped them? for answere whereunto, it may first be saide concerning the first, that the Lord hath giuen most excel­lent vertues to his creatures, beastes, hearbes, plants, stones, trées, and such like, thereby to shewe his mightie Arist. hist. ani­mal. Plinie. Aeuan. Zanch. de ope­ribus. Leuinus Lem­nius, &c. power, wisedome, and mercie. As for beasts, their blood, their flesh, their fat, &c, what vertues are in them? for hearbs, some comfort and helpe the braine, some the eyes, some the liuer, some the heart, some one part, some ano­ther, with most rare and souereigne qualities giuen them of GOD for this end. The consideration whereof hath greatly delighted many worthy persons, and caused them both to speake and write of them with great pleasure, Methridates that great King of Pontus, and of one and twentie Kingdomes more, for his wonderfull skill in hearbes, and his souereigne remedie against poyson and contagious diseases, called after his name Methridate, is become in all Bookes and Monuments of learning, re­nowned and famous. Lysimachus Eupator King of Ily­ricum, [Page 239] is said to haue béene most skilfull in hearbs. Arte­misia the wife of Mausolus King of Caria, was an excel­lent Lady for knowledge in hearbes. Marcus Valerius Coruinus, a worthie Romane was so delighted with the studie of hearbs, that he withdrewe himselfe into y^e Coun­trie where he might wholely (as it were) dwell in his Gar­den. But what speake I of these, since we all knowe what is written of Salomon? namely, how he wrote of all Trees from the Cedar which is in Libanon, vnto the Hyssop which springeth out of the wall, that is, from the highest to the lowest: hee wrote of plants and hearbes, besides of beasts, fowles, creeping things and fishes, worthie Bookes no doubt, if it had pleased God to let them continue to this day. The strange vertues of precious stones diuers like­wise Franciscus Rue­us. haue written, whom both with pleasure and profit we may reade. Concerning all which happie qualities Zanch de ope­ribus Dei, &c. vouchsafed to these Creatures, and euen particularly of this wood we now speake of, remember with your selfe that Notable Testimonie of Iesus the sonne of Syrach in his Booke. The Lord, saith he, hath created medicines of Eccles. 38. 4. the earth, and he that is wise, will not abhorre them. Was not the water made sweete with wood, that men might 5. 6. knowe the vertue thereof? So he hath giuen men know­ledge, that he might be glorified in his wondrous works. With such doth he heale men, & taketh away their paines. 7. 8. Why God v­seth meanes. Of such doeth the Apothecarie make a confection, &c. Such vertue therefore was in y^e wood giuen to it by God, who is the God of Nature, and giueth all these things. To the second (why God should vse such meanes, being able with his word to swéeten them?) true Answere may bee made, that although God be able to doo all things by him­selfe, yet chooseth hee often to worke by meanes, and that for our good. As first, that so he might teach vs his Soue­reigne power ouer all Creatures vsing them at his plea­sure, when, and how, he shall best like, and draw vs to the true reuerence & worship of him as Creator, Ruler, Lord, [Page 240] and Gouernour of all the creatures. Secondly, that hee might manifest by this meanes his loue and goodnes to vs much more, when he maketh all his creatures serue to our health, comfort, and good, and so drawe and stir vs vp to true thankfulnes vnto him for it. Thirdly, that he might teach vs thus not to abuse those his creatures, which with so excellent vertues and qualities are created for vs, to doo vs good. Fourthly, that we might learne by this meanes, not to contemne second Causes and meanes, by abusing (through a vaine presumption) the holy Doctrine of his prouidence. For, when God himselfe is pleased to vse these instrumentes, who are wee that wee shoulde re­iect them? and if we doo, what doo we contemne and reiect, but his Ordinance? Lewd and wicked therefore are the Anabaptists: who, as of the soule, so of the body, cast a­way the meanes of health: and yet say, they desire the health of both. S. Augustines words I cannot passe ouer, (fit for them, and fit for vs in this matter) in his whole 29. Chapter of the 7. Booke of the Citie of GOD, shewing howe God vseth second causes in the gouernment of the Of second causes. world, because he hath created them to that purpose. Yet euer he doth not tie himself to these things, but sometimes without them, and euen contrarie to them, hee worketh his will also: that thereby wee might learne, his vsing of them to be without néede, séeing hee can worke without them, if he please. Secondly, that when hee vseth them, it is he that worketh by them, and not they without him; as he giueth light in the Sun, he féedeth vs in our meate, &c. For if without them it be he, much more in them and by them it is he. Thirdly, that wee might sée how many waies he is able to helpe vs, when any thing is wanting vnto vs which is néedefull. And this we may well thinke was the cause héere, why it pleased GOD to shewe this Tree, that they might be ashamed of their impatiencie and mistrust, neuer more so sinning againe; séeing (by one meanes, or other) there is with him euer so readie & easie [Page 241] helpe. Yea this is the cause also why (euen contrary to Na­ture) he worketh often; that neither to Nature we should tie him, despairing of health, wealth, or liberty when we sée no means, or meanes (in reason) working to the contrary; forasmuch as he is stall about all, and can with meanes, & without meanes, agréeably to Nature, & contrary to Na­ture, giue his Name praise, and his children comfort in a moment. Profit wee therefore thus by this Tree she­wed to Moses in extremity to make the waters sweere withall.

4 There he made them an ordinance and a lawe, Ver. 25. &. 26. and there he prouoked them, and said, If thou wilt dili­gently hearken, O Israel, vnto the voice of the Lord thy GOD, and wilt doo that, which is right in his fight, and wilt giue eare vnto his Commaundements, and keepe all his Ordinances; then will I put none of these disea­ses vpon thee, which I brought vpon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. Where the Lord tryed them by want of water, there he also admonished them by his Word, declaring vnto them their inst deseruing of such Plagues and diseases as were inflicted vpon the Egypti­ans: from which they had béene frée hitherto, onely by his frée mercy and goodnesse; and acquainting them that y^e only way for them so to continue still, was to hearken to his Will, and to obey the same; otherwise he being the only Author of health, it could not be so with them. Which word of his, let it informe vs what also is our defence from all euill, certainely euen the same LORD, and none but Hee. The way also to obtaine it the very same that was then, To hearken and to obey not our willes but his, not our wisdomes but his, [...] our lawes but his. This, this shall abide, and [...] and only this. All mans deui­ses, and will worship shall varnth as vile from before him. Consider well of the Psalme, where first is put Ps. 2. 103. 3. Eccles. 3 [...]. forgiuenesse of Sins, and then the healing of all infirmi­ties.

[Page 242] 5. Then came they to Elim where were twelue foun­taines Ver. 27. Hirom. of 12. Disciples, &c. of water and seuenty Palme trees: and they cam­ped there, by the waters. So commeth comfort after sor­row, and plenty after scarcety. For now they haue 12. fountaines of water and goodlie trees to yéelde them coo­ling shadowes for their comfort. And surely the trialls of the Church, or of any particular member therein, shall haue a ioyful end: and though they be neuer so many, yet the Lord deliuereth out of them all. Who would not trust then in such a God, and tarry his time that neuer faileth. God, for his mercy sake, giue vs faith and constant pati­ence,

1. BEfore their murmuring, there is in y^e first verse mention made of another camping, namely in the Wildernesse of Sin, which was the 8. place they had pit­ched in, since their comming out of Egypt. And in the booke of Numbers a particular Re­cord is made of all the places together, as likewise in an Numb. 33. other place of that Booke. That at the commaundement Chap. 9. 18. of the Lord they iournied, and at the commaundement of the Lord they pitched. By all which wée comfortably may sée, that the Tabernacles or Tents of the Church, and euery particular member, are pitched where the Lord [Page 243] will, and taken-vp and remooued when hée will, and whither hée will. For hée it is that gouerneth and gui­deth all these things, euen as hée dooth all other matters in this world, & nothing is done without his Will. The lot is fallen to me (saith the Prophet Dauid) in a faire place: I haue a goodly heritage: Thereby ascribing to the Lord this honour, that by him euery mans portion and place in this world is appointed. He diuided the Land of Canaan, and gaue to euery Tribe that part which by his seruant Iacob he had foretoldlong before. Whi [...]h doctrine may yéelde euery heart patience and peace, to be quiet and con­tented with Gods Will howsoeuer it be. For beggars may be no choosers; and wée are all his beggars that ru­leth these things. Haue I little? it is his Will, and I ought to be pleased. Haue I more? it is more mercy, and God make me thankfull. Thankfull for the one, and thankfull for the other, and euer contented with his Will. My pitching is here, or there, by his prouidence, in a faire house, or a foule; in a rich liuing or a small; in a good countrie, or a bad; in England or in Fraunce: and wheresoeuer, or howsoeuer, it is aboue my merit; and therefore I should bée pleased, and thankfull.

2 The time is named, to wit, the fifteenth daie; to let vs all know that euen so much more detestable was their ingratitude, by how much the remembrance of so great and wonderfull a deliuerance from their enemies was more fresh in me [...]rie, béeing solate. And will it not bée so in vs? Therefore, thus w [...]ulde I haue vs profit by it, euen to thinke in the Morning of our safety by his mercy all the Night: And at Night of our safety all the daye: And still [...] of freshe fauoures; which vnlesse I bee thankefull for, I must née [...]s bée: a great offender, séeing it is not possible to pleade forget­fulnesse in such fresh and newe thinges: Nay, if it were a fault in these Israelites to forget or to be dull in a matter of fiftéene dayesolde, how much greater a fault in the [Page 244] morning to forget to bée thankfull for the nights mercy last before, and but euen now ended: but you sée my drift, follow it further by yourselfe. Surely, surely, fresh fa­uours would haue fresh remembrances and zealous and hearty thankes for them.

3. Their murmuring is next spoken of, and next by Murmuring. vs to bée considered. A foule and grieuious fault euer: but in this people so blessed with happie experiences of care and loue, of might and mercy in their Allsufficient GOD, more [...]nable and more odious than in o­thers. Whereupon the Apostle giueth them for an ex­ample to all people in all ages to learne to auoide this wickednesse, saying, Murmure nor, as some of them 1. Cor. 10. 10. murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Numb. 14. 36. For all these things came vppon them for exam­ples, and were written to admonish vs, vppon whom the ends of the worlde are come. The whole course of Gods sacred Scriptures crieth out of this sin in men and Women, chiefely professing God. For doo al things, saith Phil. 2. 14. y^e same Apostle, without murmuring & reasoning. And S. Peter, Bey [...] harb [...]durs one to an other without murmu­ring. 1. Pet. 49. Wisdom. 1. 10. The care of Ielousie saith Wisdome, heareth all things, & the noise of grudgings shall not be hid. There­fore beware of Murmuring which profiteth nothing; 11. and refraine your [...]onge from slaunder: for there is no word so secret; which shall got for nought, and the mouth that speaketh lies, flayeth the soule. Caine mur­mured, and the Scripture noteth it as his sinne. These Gen. 4. 14. Israelites were grieuous murmurers, sometimes for their labour Exod. 5. 21., sometimes for drink Exod. 16. 25. Exod. 17. 3., sometimes for flesh Exod 16, some­times in distrust to obtaine the Cittie so strongly walled, Num. 13. 31. sometimes for feare to bée killed of their enemies, Numb. 14 2. some­times at GODS iustice vpon their disobedient bre­theren, Num. 16. 42. sometimes for want of dainties, as Figges, Pomegranats Uines, &c. Numb. 20. 3. sometimes, for that they were ouerdoied with Manna [...], and for other like causes: [Page 245] vpon all which the Holy-Ghost setteth a brand of dislike: and so by their sinne admonisheth vs to beware. Miriam murmureth against her brother Moses the Lords faithfull Num. 12. 1. 10 Seruant; and how fearefully was she smitten with a Le­prosie? Let this sinite the heart of euery Christian Reader, and make him consider what may quickly happen to himselfe, if hée bée a murmurer. From the Old Testament come to the New, and obserue as much. The Pharasies murmure at Christ his mercy to poore Publi­cans: there is murmuring for good done on the Sabbath day: For not washing before meate: that such as came late had a penny as wel as those that had borne the heate of the day: that the ointment was powred vpon Christ, and not rather sold, and giuen to the poore: that the Widowes were neglected: and that Mary doth not helpe Martha, but sit and heare Christs words. But still obserue how all these were sinfull and grieuous to God; and what a dili­gent record is made of them and of the seuerall causes; that wee might learne and see no cause to warrant this lewde behauiour. For either all or most of these occasions might haue much saide in defence of them. And therefore these Quotations of Scripture with that of Iude, short and I [...]. ver. 1 [...]. sharpe: These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their owne lustes: whose mouthes speake proude things, hauing mens persons in admiration, because of aduantage, &c. Murmurers and grudgers, and com­plainers, such as mutter, & murmure, and grudge & groan, if all things fall not out to their contentment, such as mis­like their places & callings, Estats and conditions, and are angrie with God if in all things hee please not their hu­mors. If they be restrained of liberty, if they be touched w^t pouerty, if they be pinched with penury, if they be sub­iect to affliction and aduersitie, if they be not in highest pla­ces, & eralted to greatest authority, they [...]ret, they [...]ume, they are offended and discontented with y^e Highest. These are the greedy dogs spoken of by Dauid, which run about [Page 246] the Cittie, and grudge if they bée not satisfied. Irenaeus the auntient Father giueth them a fit name (but a foule Irenaeus lib. 12. cap 12. & 29. Plato de legi­bus lib. 3. [...]. E [...]. [...]. name) calling them or a Piaboli, the Deuils mouthes. And the words of Plato are as fit of vnbridled mouths sending­out iniury both to Heauen and Earth. The end of which mouthes Euripides by the light he had, could well discern, that it would be misery and woe, as indeede it will, trye who list. Circumstances increase this sinne very much; as Who numbreth? against whom? and in what matter? who murmureth? A subiect, a sonne, a friende, to whom much fauour many waies hath béene shewed; A professor of the Gospell, well acquainted with the Word, and vpon whom many eies are cast &c. Against whom? Against Prince, against Parents, against Friends, to whom obe­dience, duty, and loue with al the Testimonies therof are due, and most due; against God, whose Word is in our hands, & in our mouthes, and whose seruants wée would gladly bée estéemed. In what matter? In a small matter, in a trifle; and wherein, or for what, we ought rather giue thankes, in a matter lawfull, tollerable, good, and no way to bée grudged at. These and such like Circum­stances I say make the fault much fouler and greater. Old Writers haue vttered these kinds in these wordes, Est murmuratio contra Deum per displicentiam, contra Prae­latumper inobedientiam, & contra proximū per inuidentiam. There is a murmuring against God by discontentment, a­gainst our superior by disobediēce, & against our Neigh­bour by enuie. But from what fountaine floweth al this filthy water which so offendeth God, so grieueth man, and so infecteth the very aire? Surely either from impatience, or from pride, both bad and very bad fountaines. Of the first that was an example in the Acts of the Apostles about the Widowes of the Graecians: For not able with pati­ence Acts. 6. 1. to endure their conceited griefe, till there might bée declaration made thereof, and order taken accordingly, they fell to secret carping and biting vnfit for the pro­fessors [Page 247] of the Worde: and in that heat touched euen the Apostles themselues with want of care. Of the later, that is a most fearefull example in Numbers of proude Corah and his company, whose pride, enuie & ambition brought them to so strange and dreadfull a death. They grieued that Moses should haue such authority, they thought them selues worthy of some of it, and what they thought fit, not what pleased him, God must doo. Of which kinde of Murmurers and enuiers Saint Gregorie hath a good saying in his Morales, Qui contra suprapositam sibi potesta­tem murmurat, liquet, qúoa [...] umredarguit qui eandem potes­tatem dedit: Who so murmereth against authority set o­uer him, it is manifest, that he reproueth him who gaue the same authority. And vpon the seuenth Psalme, mur­murantes dicuntur intrare in iudicium cum Deo: Murmu­murers are saide to enter into indgment with GOD: They are like, saith An other to a filthy sooyne, who whether hee wake or sleepe is euer grunting. Mur­muratores similes sunt versantibus in gyrum, donec capite & sensibus perturbaris caetera omnia perturbari putant, Murmu­rers are like vnto such as turn roūd about til their heads & senses being turned, they imagin al things to turne round. Pythag. Sednoli aduersus quemquam murmunare, est enim abiecto­rum: But be not thou a murmurer against any man, for it is a base thing, and the quality of a base person. Erratapro­pria magis Democritus. quam aliena reprehendito: Rather reprooue thine owne faults than other mens. Ediscat non murmurare, qui mala patitur, etiam si ignoret curmal patirur: per hoc enim quisquis [...]e iustepati arbitrari potest, quia ab illo iudicatur, cu­ius iudicia nunquā sunt iniusta; And let him that suffereth harme not murmur; although he know not the cause why he suffereth it: because euery man may thinke he suffereth iustly, seeing he is iudged of him, whose iudgments areIsidorus.neuer vniust. A very notable sentence, if you marke it; not allowing this vice in our hardest estate; and when we know not any reason of it. Qui in poenis murmurat fertentis [Page 248] iustitiam accusat: for hee that murmureth at Gods punish­ment, or any iust punishment, accuseth the iustice of him that punisheth. But goe we forward. Felicitie consisteth not in things of this life: therefore wee should not mur­mure for the want of them. Iob blesseth the Name of God Iob. 1. 21. Psal. 70. 4. Psal. 33. 1. &c. Psal. 135. 21. Psal. 23. 4. in his greatest affliction, and murmureth not. Of the God­lie it is often saide, The praise of GOD is euer in their mouthes: Then not murmuring. Murmurers want Da­uids staffe so comfortable to him, therefore we should auoid it. No Artificer can like that his worke bee dispraised of one which hath lesse skill, or euill will: And shall God like to haue his predestination, his prouidence, his iustice and mercie and whatsoeuer is holy, and good to be censured, and grudged at by dust and ashes? No, no. The Wise mans Counsaile is excellent in this behalfe: Hearken vnto me, yee holy children, and bring forth fruite, as the Rose Sirach. 39. 13. that is planted by the brookes of the field, And giue yee a 14. sweete smell as Incense, and bring forth flowers as the Lilly. What is this sweete smell that must be giuen out? Marke what followeth; Sing a song of praise; and blesse the Lord in all his workes. Giue honour vnto his Name, and shew forth his praise with the songs of your lips, and 15. with Harpes, saying after this manner, All the workes of the Lord are exceeding good, and all his commaunde­ments 16. are done in due season. None may say, What is 17. this? wherefore is that? For at time conuenient they shall all be sought out, &c. Reade the whole Place your selfe I pray you. And sée howe far this is from murmuring and grudging. Optimumest pati quod emendare non potes, & De­um, quo authore cunctaproueniunt, sine murmuratione comita­ri, It is best, saith Seneca, to suffer what thou canst not a­mend, and to follow God (from whom, as from a foun­taine, all things doo come) without murmuring. Malus est miles qui imperatorem sequitur gemens, He is a very bad Souldier that followeth his General with grumbling. And certainly he is as bad a Christian, that controuleth God in [Page 249] his works; and thinketh this, or that, might bee better. Some will haue faire weather, and some will haue foule; some wet and some drie; some dearth, and some plentie: who can repeate mens vaine conceites héerein, neuer ca­ring for others, but for themselues: and therein also migh­tily deceaued, because man indéede is not able to compre­hend, what will euer bee best for him. Holcot vpon the Booke of Wisedome telleth a Tale of an Heremit, that ha­uing Lect. 9. sowed pot-hearbs in his Garden, desired faire wea­ther, and foule weather as hee iudged to be best for his hearbs, and so had still graunted of God according to his request, but not one hearb came vp: whereupon he thought, there was a generall failing in all places of such hearbs, till on a time walking to another Heremit not far off, hee saw with him a very excellent crop: Then hee tolde him what he had begged, and obtained, touching the weather, and what effect it had. Whereunto the other Heremit an­swered, Putahas te sapientiorem Deo, & ipse estendit tibi fa­tuitatem tuam, &c. Thou diddest thinke thy selfe wiser than God, and hee hath shewed thee thy folly. I for my crop neuer asked any other weather than GOD should please to send. I would this olde Heremit might teach many in our daies to be lesse wise in their owne conceites, concerning both weather, and other matters: and to re­lie more vpon Gods mercifull prouidence and bottom­lesse wisedome, that hee both knoweth what is best for mans vse, and will accordingly (for his owne goodnes) vouchsafe the same. Then would there not be so many faithlesse feares and doubts amongst vs as are, much lesse any opening of our mouthes against Heauen, as, I feare, is. But let such remember what Seneca writeth of Caesar, who hauing appointed a great Feast for his Nobles and friends of all degrées, and it falling out that the day was so extreame foule as nothing could be done, being highly displeased at it, in extreame madnesse willed all them that had bowes to shoote vp their arrowes at Iupiter in defi­ance [Page 250] of him, for that foule weather. Which when they accordingly did, their arrowes lighting short of Heauen, fell downe vpon their owne heads, and hurt a number of them very sore. Euen so doo our muttering and murmu­ring words, either for this or that which God sendeth, not hurt him but wound our selues both déepely, and dange­rously. Another desire of men is, [...]uer to be in prosperitie, and not to taste of any aduersitie; if they doo, then they murmure, and then they grudge, saying, or thinking the Lord dealeth hardly. But these men forget that if the Physition desire a mans life and health, he restraineth him of many things wished and longed for, and ministreth ma­nie things vnto him bitter and vnpleasant; whereas, if he despaire of the parties well doing, hee suffereth him to eate and drink what he will. They forget that those Cat­tle which the Grasier putteth into his best Pastures and féedeth fat, are vsually appointed to the slaughter. They forget that too much rancknesse hurteth the corne, and too much fruite breaketh the trées. They forget that Christ gaue both a sop and a dipped sop to Iudas, and yet he was a reprobate; the rest (being chosen vessels) had no such thing. A whirle winde caried Elias to Heauen, & so hath affliction many an one. But the Rich Glutton that had all pleasure in his life time, lost his pleasure, and gayned woe for euer. It is not good to haue our wages too soone, but to remember chéerefully, that when the day is ended, then wages will be paid. He that trauelleth in the way against the Sunne, hath the light before him, and the shadowe be­hind him: so haue the wicked prosperitie & comfort heere, none hereafter. But hee that trauelleth with the Sunne hath the shadowe before him, and the light after him: so haue the godly crosses heere and eternall ioy after. Mur­mure not therefore at any wants, neither gréeue if other: be made rich, and the glory of their houses encreased: for as thy shadowe goeth before, so will thy light followe: And as his light is before, so will his shadowe follow most [Page 251] assuredly. Nothing shall he carie with him when he dieth, neither shall his pompe followe him. Qui honoratur in via, in peruentione [...]m [...]abitur, Et quasi per amaena pratain car­cerem Greg. Moral. venit, qui per prosperitatem praesentis vitae ad interitum tendit. Hee that is much honoured in the way, at the end of his iourney is damned. And as it were through a faire pasture he passeth to a prison, who by the prosperitie of this life present goeth to destruction and confusion. It is enough (if any Counsaile may be enough) to banish from vs ali sinfull murmuring either at other mens prosperitie, or at our owne aduersitie. For certainely as your selfe would be more carefull of a childe of yours that you had done little or nothing for, than of one that was prouided for, and had plenty: so is the Lord of Heauen (that kinde Father aboue all Fathers) most carefull of their good, who héere in this life haue had least, and are indéede yet vnpro­uided for. O beléeue it, they shall haue a day, and that a swéete day and a ioyfull. Their turne will come, & though others haue béene scrued before them, yet shall their por­tions at last bee as Beniamins was with Ioseph, greater and better than all the rest. Till then let your want make you as hunger doth y^t Hawke, flie more earnestly at your pray, that is, at Heauen, at God, at Christ, at the life to come with all his ioyes. Pitch your eyes vpon it & your heart also; flie, and flie strongly to that marke, thinking euery day two, til the Lord graunt it. If a traueller haue but a little money left to bring him home, hee trauelleth farther in a day than otherwise hee would: And so doo you by your present wants, take occasion to goe forward faster and faster in a holy course, that you may be at home and take your rest. Away with murmuring and all euill spea­king, [...] for a man is knowne by his speech as mettall is by his ring. And no glasse sheweth more plainely the spots of your face, than your tongue will shewe the spottes of your heart. Let it gréeue you to heare others doo it: for the Lord is not with them: And to be sorie for a bodie, from [Page 252] which the soule is departed, & not for a soule from which Aug. Non sunt inte viscera pie­tatis, si ploras corpus a quo a­nima, & non animam a qua Deus recessit. God is departed, is not pietie, saith S. Augustine. Foolish men speake foolishly, but our spéech should be with a graine of salt. S. Augustine noteth it very well, that S. Iames doth not say None can tame, but no man can tame the tongue, that when it is tamed, wee might knowe it to be a worke of God, and not of man. It is walled in wich two walls, the lips and the teeth, to note a double triall that should be taken of our words before we speake. First, whe­ther it be lawfull; secondly, whether it be expedient that we meane to say. And if both these, then speake on and spare not, all shall bee well. But if either of these want, then kéepe the doore fast, and let not that little member haue his will. The good Abbot sawe both the good, and the difficultie of this, who being vnlearned, and very desi­rous to be instructed, when hee was come to that verse of the Psalme (I saide I will looke to my waies, that I offend not in my tongue) bad Stay there, till hee had learned that lesson, which he feared would be both hard, and long. But happily I am too long also in this point, and therefore I shut vp with this wish, that no tongue may bee like that cursed Bay tree whereon the Prouerb grew, Insana laurus, The contagious bay tree. My meaning is, that no man or woman haue a tongue so venemous to make murmu­ring wheresoeuer it is, as that bay tree would make chi­ding and strife, as long as any iote of it were in ones hand: for you sée the sinne of such a tongue, and let it suf­fice. God séeth, and God heareth, who as Augustine saith, is euery where, and cannot be mocked. But happily you Aug. Deus v­bi (que) est, intra omnia non in­clusus, extra omnia non ex­clusus, supra omnia non ela­tus, infra omnia non depressus. will thinke, why then doth God suffer any murmuring to bee? And I pray you remember Saint Gregorie his Answere, Permittitur murmurati [...] & detractio, vt caue­atur elatio, GOD suffereth murmuring and detraction, that it may keepe downe in men pride and arrogancie. Thus much of this matter of Murmuring, if not too much, of purpose enlarged, because the fault is too generall [Page 253] both in persons murmuring, and in matters murmured at.

4. But did they all murmure without exception? No: but although y^t Text make no exception, yet we may safely think, the Lord had his number among them that did not murmure at all. Yet forasmuch as this number was very small in comparison of the Murmurers, therefore there is no mention made of it, but all in generall are said to mur­mure. And indéede what are the godly but as wheat hid vnder a great heape of chaffe, which doth not appeare so well, till the chaffe be wynowed & blowne away? It was sufficient that the Lord well discerned both, &c.

5. The words of their Murmuring are expressed in the 3. verse, Oh (say they) that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the Land of Egypt, when wee fate by the flesh-pots, when wee ate bread our bellies full! for yee haue brought vs into the Wildernes to kill this whole compa­nie with famine. Words of such impietie, as I knowe not how to begin to speake of them. O impiam et nefandam vo­cem! O wicked and horrible words! (saith a godly Inter­preter) O sinfull and cursed speech! may all that reade it, and taste of GOD say; especially in this people so ac­quainted with Gods mercy, grace, and power, so made famous ouer the world with miracles wrought for them against their enemies. For, what is this which they say? but all one as if they had saide; wee care not for our De­liuerance out of Egypt, and from all the bondage and crueltie against vs and our Children, wee giue GOD no thankes for it, for wee were better so, than thus; O, that hee had let vs alone by the flesh-pots, and come to deliuer vs when wee had sent for him. Such height of vnthankfull contempt who trembleth not to reade, and shaketh not to thinke of in his heart? But let it pro­fit vs; for to that ende the Lord hath Chronicled it in his Booke. First then, let it teache vs and tell vs, yea soundlie settle in vs, howe quicklie these sinfull hearts of ours slippe from their duties, if once anie crosse [Page 254] lay holde on vs, making those mercies and benefits of God vile, and of no account, which at the first when we recea­ued them were most great in our eyes, most welcome and acceptable; we then saying, O, how should we thanke the Lord enough for these thinges! But is this well? Doth the word teach vs thus? or doo wee our selues endure this measure to be measured to vs by those to whom we haue béene good and kinde vnto? No, no: And therefore abhorre it as most odious both to God and man: and looke wee at the Rule which teacheth vs otherwise. Great were the fauours that Iob had receaued from his God: aduersitie commeth, and that (as you know) in a great degrée. Doth Iob vilifie therefore either in tongue or heart those former fauours, and say, O, that God had neuer bestowed them on me? No, you know, but holily and vertuously he em­braceth Gods will, and telleth his repining wife, That since they had in former times receaued good things from God, should not they also receaue euill, when it was his pleasure? Yes, yes: And therefore saith hee, The Lord gaue, and the Lord hath taken: and blessed, blessed be the Name of the Lord euen in taking, as well as giuing, and euer for all thinges that he doth. The Apostles of Christ were exalted by him to the highest dignitie in his Church, it was no doubt a great grace vnto them and very accep­table, but afterward cōmeth persecution, imprisonment, whipping, and many crosses; Doo they then say as these Israelites, (O, that wee had died by the hand of the Lord! O, that wee had neuer beene Apostles!) and so cast the mercies of God in his face for the troubles which follo­wed such fauour? Not so, you sée, but they went away reioycing, that they were made worthy to suffer those Acts, 5. 41. things for so kinde a Lord as had exalted them to that dig­nitie, and giuen vnto them such graces and places as then they had. Let vs looke vpon such Examples as these, and pray to God for strength to followe them. Let vs often remember that good Counsaile of the wise man, My sonne, [Page 255] if thou wilt come into the seruice of GOD, stand fast in Sirach. 2. 1. righteousnes & feare: AND PREPARE THY SOVLE TO TEMPTATION. Settle thy heart, and be patient: bowe downe thine eare and receaue the words of vnder­standing, 2. and shrinke not away when thou art assailed; but waite vpon God patiently. Ioyne thy selfe vnto him, and depart not away, that thou maist be encreased at the last 4. end. Whatsoeuer commeth vnto thee, receaue it patient­lie, and be patient in the change of thine affliction. For as 5. gold and siluer are tried in the fire, euen so are men accep­table in the fornace of aduersitie. And so forth much more; if you will, reade the Place your selfe. Forget not what the Apostles in the Acts did, and said; Who confirmed the Acts. 14. 22. Disciples hearts, and exhorted them to continue in the faith; affirming that wee must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God. There are many such places in Scripture. Away then with those crooked wayes Math. 16. 23, 2. Tim. 3, 12. wherein too many doo walke: and be taught by these Ex­amples what euer to doo. The Gospel is welcome to ma­nie at the first, and they greatly reioyce in it; but when either trouble groweth for it, or they are restrained by it from their accustomed sinnes of swearing, drunkennes, sensualitie, couetousnes, oppression, vsurie, and such like, then they wish they had neuer béene troubled with such preaching, and all Gods mercie is returned to him with great vnthankfulnes, as héere it was of these murmuring Israelites. If authoritie and offices either in Church or Cōmon-wealth be giuen in Gods goodnes to some men, they receaue them ioyfullie, and say they are much bound to God for them: But when such things happen as vsual­lie followe such places, to wit, trouble and charge, lies and slaunders, contumelies and reproaches, with great vn­thankfulnes then they turne both tongues and hearts, and wish they neuer had béene so graced. For Matches and mariages, O, what impietie is in many, many times! cur­sing the parties, and almost cursing God that gaue them [Page 256] such a match: when yet at the beginning all was well, and euerybody pleased. Let all these and all others faulty in like sort looke vpon these murmuring Israelites, and be asha­med of such sinne. For man and wife, let them consider but one thing which GOD hath giuen them in their owne bodies, and sée how it will instruct them. Their two eyes if they goe together and looke both one way, be it vp­ward or downward, to the right hand or to the left, All is well and comely in the face. But if they bée seuered and the one eye looke one way, and the other an other, there is a blemish wée all confesse, and it is not well: So man and Wife who as the two eies are made to looke one way, should neuer bee seuered to goe a sunder, to crosse one an other, to reproach one an other, to shame one an other, to breake-vp house and depart one from another. Sure­ly the blemish is great, and as many as care either for pi­ety or honestie, will consider of it. Secondly, these words of the Israelites may shew vs what is the course of too ma­ny Men and Women in the world another way, euen to pre [...]er the flesh-pots of Egypt before the Land of Canaan, and bellies full of bread before a blessed deliuerance out of cruell bondage, that is, Earth before Heauen, and the ioyes of this world before all that can bee giuen when this life is ended. A miserable and monstrous blindnesse, yet such as no perswasion will preuaile against, it is so setled and rooted in sinfull hearts. Remember what you reade in the 11. of Iohn, when Christ had raised vp Lazarus to life againe, And many that had seen these things beleeued on Ioh. 11 44. 45. 47. 48 him: Then gathered the high Priests a Councill, and said, what shall we doe? If we let this man thus alone, all men wil beleeue in him (now marke) and the Romanes will come & take away both our Place, and Nation. So before Christ they preferre their places, and for the world adieu to Heauen. Such others were those in the Prophet Iere­my, who measured Religion by plenty and scarcitie, iudging that best which brought most profit, and that [Page 257] worst wherein there was any want. The word which thou hast spoken (say they) to vs in the Name of the Lord, we will not heare of thee, But we will doo whatsoeuer 17. thing goeth out of our owne mouth, as to burne incense to the Queene of heauen, and to poure out drinke offe­rings vnto her, as we haue done, both wee and our Fa­thers, our Kings and our Princes, &c. For then had we plentie of victualles and were well, and felt no euill. But 1 [...] since we left off to burne incense to the Queene of Hea­uen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her, wee haue had scarsenesse of all things, and haue beene consu­med by the sword and by famine. But if you reade the rest of the Chapter, you shall see that their Plagues grew because they sinned against the Lord, and would not be ruled by his Word, to worship him, and him one­ly, according to his Word. Such Arguments made the Heathen against the Christians in former times, as wit­nesseth Tertullian, Cyprian, and others; attributing all Tertul. Apolo­get. 51. Si Tybris exundat, si gran­do, si gelu. &c. Cypr. ad Deme­trianum. calamities (that happened) to the Christians: because that they worshipped not the Idols of the Heathens: but they answered euen as Ieremy, that such calamitles fell, be­cause they (the Heathens) would not forsake their Idols, & embrace Gods true Religion, & so indéede they did. Such words, and euen the very selfe same words, vse the Papists against vs, and the Gospell at this day: telling vs often and too often (vnlesse it were truer) how great plenty was in former times when Popery swaied, how many egges forsooth for a penny, and all this geare; grounding an ar­gument thereupon, that therefore that was truth, and this is falshood, euen as Heathenish and Iewish Idolaters did before them. But with Ieremy and the godly Fathers we truely inuert their argument vpon them: that their con­tempt of truth, and foule Idolatry in despite of truth pro­uoketh God to many crosses, and will yet prouoke him further if they continnue without amendment. And touching their pretended plenty when Popery ruled, [Page 257] we say it is a Tale, for as great dearth was then as since. Touching our owne country of which I chiefely speake, let them remember what our Chronicles note in Richard the first his time, how sharpe a scarcity there was by the space of thrée or foure yeares. What a Sommer that was in Edward the 3. his time, called the deere Sommer. In Richard the 2. his time what a dearth, when the people wereforced so to féede vpon fruite to susteine Nature, as that thereby many fell into fluxes, and dyed. How the childrens cries were so pitifull for the want of foode which their Parents had not to giue them, as a stonie heart could not indure to heare. Of Henry the sixth his time, when people were forced to make bread of Fearne rootes. And (to go no further) of Acrone bread in Quéene Maries time. Were there now so many egges a penny, and all cheape, cheap? Yet Poperie swaied in blinded hearts too much. No, no, The calamities which haue béene in places where this Ignorance ruled, haue béene equall or greater than vnder the Gospell, euer, as all Stories tel vs. Hath Rome it selfe neuer béene affected? hath the Pope him­selfe neuer béene taken prisoner? Haue Romish warres euerprospered, or Popish conspiracies had their wished ef­fects? Blessed be the God of Heauen for it, they know the contrary. And that Spanish, Romish, and Diuelish at­tempt in the yéere 1588 yeildeth them matter of wis­dome, (if God so please,) and vs eternall cause of thanks-giuing vnto God for it. Euer praised from our heart roots be the glorious Name of him that so respected vs. But yet this is not the matter; for if they had euer had plenty, and euer scarcity, true Religion is not measured by the belly, by flesh-pots or great leaues, or any outward prosperity or aduersity, but by the Rule which God hath left vs in his holy Scriptures; Therefore although wee could obiect Esay. 8. 20. vnto them the vnspeakeable blessings of God vpon this Land of ours, and thereupon reason as Gamaliel did; yet doo wee not: but throwing our selues downe [Page 258] at his féete, who gaue them all, wée rest our selues vpon his Word: and so both know truth, and hate error, as in mercie he enableth, leauing flesh-pots and all fleshly rea­sons to such doughtie disputers as they are, that stand vp­on such arguments: and to strengthen our hearts against this great sinne héere noted in the Israelites, Weelooke vpon Demas; whose shame liueth in Gods Booke for im­bracing Reade Ba [...]ils Tract. Non ad­haerendum rebus secularibus. Pag. 436. the world, and forsaking Paule. Wée thinke vpon that fearefull crie, One drop of water to coole my tongue: When all the pleasures of the world which eyther he had, or we can haue, coulde not helpe. And as Elias couered his face with his mantle, so do we hide our eies from be­holding this world and the deceipts thereof. Wée assure our selues Saint Hierom said true: Difficile, immo impos­sibile est, vt praesentibus quis & futuris fruatur bonis, vt his ventrem ibi mentem impleat, vt de delitijs transeat ad delitias, vt invtroque seculo primus sit, vt & in coelo & in terra appa­reat gloriosus. It is hard, yea it is impossible that one should enioy both present and future good things, that heere he should fill his belly, and there his minde; that from plea­sure he should passe to pleasure, that in both worldes he should be chiefe, and both in earth and heauen appeare glorious. So wee leaue the fleshpots of Aegypt to all earthly Israelites, and beséech the Lord to bring vs to his kingdome, although it be through many tribulations.

6. Then said the Lord to Moses, behold, I will cause Ver. 4. bread to raine from heauen to you, and the people shall goe out, and gather that which is sufficient for euery day, &c. O Admirable Mercie, and bottomlesse Fountaine of all comfort, and pitie! Will he now rayne bread from hea­uen to these vngratefull Murmurers, who much rather should haue béene destroyed from the face of the earth? Let neuer penitent sinner than despaire of mercie, let ne­uer troubled spirit cast away comfort. For how can the sighes of a groaning heart sorrowing for sinne bée neglec­ted of so swéet a God, when such proud offendours finde [Page 260] mercie? neuer, neuer can it be, assure your selfe. There­fore lay vp this place in your minde, and féeling your selfe grieued either for things committed, or omitted, bée not too much shaken as one out of hope, but with faithfull assurance say chéerefully, O kinde Father, and sweete GOD, doo not cast away thy creature, that crieth, and flieth vnto thy mercy. I am vnworthy full wel I know it, but thy goodnesse hath no bottome, and with ioye I remember it; These murmurers and complainers against thy mercies thou yet shewedst more mercie vnto, and thy poore seruant suing for grace wilt thou cleane reiect? No deare father thy nature is not so, and therefore by this fa­uour to thē, I gather cōfort: & beseech thee to be as thou hast euer been, my kinde, my gratious and louing Lord.

7 And can God raine bread from heauen? why then wée all sée that albeit the fields should faile, and the whole earth grow barren, yet can the Lord nourish his people, Greg. Nazian. calleth these works of God, quae supraleges naturae ac facul­tatem hominum facit, [...], Dei po­rētias: Quas nos mentis intelligē ­tia nequaequam consequi possu­mus. and send foode to al those that trust in him. It is most true, and it is most comfortable, leauing no cause why wée should in any distresse be cast downe too much, seeing the Lord is not tyed to ordinarie meanes, nor our mainte­nance to the fruites of the earth. The 1. King. 17. 4. Rauens shall both finde meate, and bring meate to Elias, if he commaund: and 2. King. 4. 4. a little oyle shall continue running till many vessels be full when he so pleaseth. Infinite is his power, and in­finite are his waies, to comfort them that cleaue to him. Lift vp your thoughts therefore aboue the course of Na­ture when you thinke vpon GOD: and although you haue neither bread nor money, nor the whole land any corne; yet past hope take hold on hope take hold on hope: and leaue God to himselfe. Iacob was prouided for in that extreme Gen. 47. 11. Math. 2. 11. famine, and Gold was brought to Mary and Ioseph from far, when they thought not of it. What the LORD will doo, hee can doo, and on our partes Faith onely is re­quired: that wee may see his Glory and incomprehen­sible mercy.

[Page 261] 8 But why did not God thus comfort his people before they murmurd? Surely because he might open vnto them the hidden corruption of their nature, and so make them sée, & all posterity also, that not merit in them, but mercy in him drew all the fauoures that were shewed to them. And remember euer this vse of affliction, how it is often sent of God to discouer vs, not vnto him who knoweth vs well, but to our selues who dote vpon our worth, and thinke wée are farre otherwise than wee are; yea, and to the worlde also, which many times is deceaued by our golden shew. Stand wée therefore alwaies vpon our watch, when the crosse knocketh at our doores, and know there is a spic ētered & a very tel-tale. He wil looke into vs, draw-out frō vs what is within; our faire looks shal not de­ceiue him: but as we are he wil make vs shew, y^t we may be knowne. How Iob and his Wife differ hée wil describe: Iob. 2. 9 10. Gen. 16 5. Exod. 4. 25. Sarais infirmitie, and Zipporahs waspishnesse against their good husbands he will open; and in one word, hée will tell all. Pray we therfore with Dauid euer, O let my hart be sound in thy statutes, that I be not ashamed. Sound without glosing, faining & haulting; sound without grud­ging and inward complainiug; that from soundnesse wi­thin may flow holinesse without, euen patient comfort in Gods Will, and so no Shame grow where no shamelesse thing is done, &c. The Lord graunt it to vs euer, Amen. The words in the 8. Verse, (your murmurings are not a­gainst Ver. 8. vs, but against the Lord) notably may feare vs frō abusing of Gods Ministers: and conferre with them the words in Samuel, They haue not cast thee away, but they 1. Sam. 8. 7. Luke. 10. 1 [...] haue cast me away: And the words in the Gospell, He that despiseth you, despiseth me.

The 2. part.

[Page 262] In the Morning the dew lay round about the host. And Ver. 13. 14. whē the dew that was fallē was ascended, behold, a smale round thing was vpon the face of the Wildernesse, small as the hoare frost on the earth. And when the children 15. of Israell saw it, they saide one to an other, it is Man, for they wist not what it was. And Moses said vnto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath giuen you to eate. Here is also mention made of Quailes, ver. 13. but wee will respite that for an other place, and consider now onely of Manna: wherein we may obserue many profita­ble and comfortable things.

1. Concerning the Name, it is somewhat obscure as it lieth in our English; They said it was Manna, for they wist not what it was, But the Hebrew maketh it very plaine, wherein it is thus: They said this is Man, that is, as your Mariginall Note hath, a part, a portion, a gift, or meate prepared, for they wist not what it was on the sud­daine, and at first sight, but a thing giuen or prepared for Datum. Paratum. them, that they knew it was. Or (which for my part I like better) They said Mah hu, or Man hu, What is this? [...]? Qnid est hoc? for they knew not what it was.

2 Concerning the manner of the comming of it some question is made, whether it was naturall, or miraculous? They that would haue it naturall, tell vs of the Manna of Arabia, which is sould in our Apothecaries shoppes, and say that out of the earth there issueth and commeth dulcis halitus, a certaine sweet vapoure, which béeing drawne vp by the heate of the Sunne, is purged from his grosse earthlinesse, and made more pure and swéete, then with the cold of the night is hardened, and before Morning fal­leth downe againe vpon the earth like dew or the hoare frost, and so is gathered dried and kept as medecineable for mans bodie. They say that is small and white, so was this; That falleth downe with the dew, so did this; both of them sweete euen as the hony, and happely the substance of both, one, &c. But what of all this? There­fore [Page 263] shall it follow that this was not giuen miraculously to the Israelites? nothing lesse. For as they weare like in some things, so were they also vnlike. This Manna in the shoppes is not so swéete as this, giuen héere, was: it mel­teth not away with the Sunne as this did, neither is it so hard that it néedeth to be brayed in a morter, or ground on a mill as this was to make bread of it. This Manna came not before a certaine time, and houre, appointed by God and foretold by Moses. No change of the aire and alteration of the weather hindered the comming of this Manna, but in Sommer, in Winter, in Frost, in Raine, still still it kept his course: and fell downe euery night a­gainst the morning for the space of fortie yeares together. The abundance of it was aboue any naturall course e­uen inough to suffice for six hundred thousand men beside women and children, so long. The sixt day it was doubled to them, that they might gather both for that day and the next, which was the Sabbaoth: and so rest vpon the Sab­baoth: a very plaine token that all was not naturall. If vpon any day they gathered more than their limmitted proportion, it putrified and rotted, wormes grew in it, and it sauoured ill. But on the sixt day when they ga­thered double, it did not so, but was very swéete and good, till the next day: yea a pot of it was kept in the Arke, sweet and good, long, which would not haue béene so, if all had béene naturall. Againe wheresoeuer the Israelites were, it followed them: and was about their tents, not in other fieldes and places remote from them. Now, they that write of the Arabian Manna sould in shops, say it sprin­geth not out of all earth, and by name, not out of desert places, but out of some certaine places only in Arabia, as wée sée in other matters some kinde of earth yeel­deth a swéeter, a fatter, and better sap than other earth dooth. But this Manna followed the Israelites, whatsoe­uer the earth was: and by name in the wildernesse and de­sert. No way therefore was this Manna altogether na­turall. [Page 264] Lastly, when they came into the Land of Canaan, which was a more excellent earth, presently it failed and came no more. A great miraculous worke therefore of God this Manna thus giuen from Heauen was, and so to be estéemed, that God may haue his due glorie, & we such comfort and instruction as will flowe from it. A tast where­of in this that followeth you may take.

The 3. part.

1. THey are commaunded to goe forth euery morning to gather this Manna, and to make them bread of it: which teacheth vs thus much, that as God doth some­thing for his part towards the nourishing & maintaining of vs, so wil he haue vs likewise againe to doo something for our parts. Hee wil giue Manna in his mercy and good­nes, but we must goe out and gather it: That is, hee wil prouide meate, money, cloath, and all worldly matters for vs, as shall be good for vs, but we must labour in some ho­nest & lawfull vocation, and so come by these things. Idle­nes he will not foster nor abide in any man. Corne he will giue to y^e Husbandman, but (conditionally) that he plough and sowe. Riches hee will giue to the Merchant, but so that he goe to sea and take paines. Whereupon the Hea­thens did say, Dij omnia vendunt laboribus, The Gods sell all things for labour. And for the Scripture, it is plentifull in this point, as hath béene shewed else-where. Man in his innocencie was appointed to dresse the Garden, and not suffered to be idle. Againe, euery man heere was appoin­ted to gather Manna; which néeded not, if God had liked of Ingrossers, to take vp all into a fewe hands, and then to deliuer out to others as they please: but follow this Note farther your selfe, and be bettered by it.

2. How much might euery one gather? euen so much saith the Text, as is sufficient for euery day, ver. 4: that is, [Page 265] they shal prouide for the day & no more. Wherein Note howe carefull the Lord is to haue men depend vpon his prouidence, with chéerefull hope in his goodnes, and not wretchedly and despairefully to mucker vp what shal ne­uer doo them good, nor any peraduenture that they pur­pose it for. Thus is the prayer which our Sauiour taught vs, Our daily bread giue vs for the day. And from distrust­full Luke. 11. 3. feare the whole Scripture driueth vs in euery place. He that féedeth the Sparrowe so small in price, and heareth the young Rauens that call vpon him, He that openeth his hand and filleth all things liuing with plenteousnes, will hee either forsake or forget man or woman trusting in him? No; it is a Hellish thought, and away with it for euer out of your heart. The life is farre more worth than meate; and the body than any rayment. Wee are much better than any fowles, and yet the Lord feedeth them, when they neither sowe, nor reape, nor carie in to anie barnes. Could not God heere haue bidden them gather for many daies, if he had would, and lay vp in store for a deere yeere, as wee vse to speake? yet hee would not, but tieth them to a dayes foode, and for the next day to depend vpon him. He failed them no day, nor euer faileth vs if wee beléeue. Cast your care then chéerefully vpon him, and cleaue fast vnto him, you shal sée his Mercie, you shal sée his Truth, you shal sée your Comfort. If the earth yéeld neither corne, nor grasse, and that for fortie yeeres together: yet can hee nourish you and yours with bread from Heauen, and the daintie flesh of Quailes at his plea­sure. The hard Rocke or the drie tooth shal yéeld drinke for your thirst, at his will. Elias had bread and meate brought him by the wilde Rauen: And the little meale and oyle in the Cruze wasted not till the dearth was past, and so forth as you heard before. These Israelites gar­ments were not worne, nor the shooes of their feete torne in so many yéeres: who then will distrust such a GOD? Hee can doo what hee will doo: and he will doo [Page 266] what is best, be euer assured with ioy. Many a time hath the poore woman had no bread in the morning for her chil­dren, and before night, both bread and money. Goe farther your selfe, for this meditation is most swéete. That man liueth not, or euer shall, who cleauing to God, hath béene forsaken by him.