CONTEMPLATIONS. THE FIFT BOOKE.
The waters of Marah.

ISRAEL was not more loath to come to the red Sea, then to part from it. How soon can God turne the horror of any euill into pleasure? One shore [Page 2] resounded with shrieks of feare; the other with timbrels, and dan­ces, and songs of deliuerance. E­uery maine affliction is our red Sea, which whiles it threats to swallow, preserues vs: At last our songs shall be lowder then our cries. The Israelitish Dames, when they saw their danger, thought they might haue left their tim­brels behinde them; how vnpro­fitable a burden seemed those in­struments of Musicke? yet now they liue to renue that forgotten minstralsie, and dancing, which their bondage had so long dis­continued: and well might those feet dance vpon the shore, which had walked through the Sea. The Land of Goshen was not so boun­tifull to them, as these wa­ters. [Page 3] That affoorded them a ser­uile life: This gaue them at once freedome, victory, riches; be­stowing vpon them the remain­der of that wealth, which the E­gyptians had but lent. It was a pleasure to see the floating car­casses of their aduersaries; and e­uery day offers them new booties; It is no maruell then if their hearts were tied to these banks. If wee finde but a little pleasure in our life, we are ready to dote vpon it. Euery small contentment glewes our affections to that we like: And if heere our imperfect delights hold vs so fast, that we would not be loosed; how forceable shall those infinite ioyes bee aboue, when our soules are once posses­sed of them?

[Page 4] Yet if the place had pleas'd them more, it is no maruell they were willing to follow Moses; that they durst followe him in the wil­dernesse, whom they followed through the Sea: It is a great con­firmation to any people, when they haue seene the hand of God with their guide▪ O Sauior which hast vndertaken to carry me from the spirituall Egypt, to the Land of promise; how faithfull, how powerfull, haue I found thee? How fearlesly should I trust thee? how cheerefully should I follow thee through contempt, pouer­tie, death it selfe? Maister, if it be thou, bidde vs come vnto thee.

[Page 5] Immediately before, they had complained of too much water: now they goe three dayes with­out. Thus God meant to punish their infidelitie, with the defect of that whose abundance made them to distrust. Before, they saw all water, no land; now all dry, and dusty land, and no water. Ex­treamities are the best tryals of men: As in bodies, those that can beare sudden changes of heats and cold without complaint, are the strongest. So much as an euil touches vpon the mean, so much help it yeelds towards patience; Euery degree of sorrow is a pre­paration to the next: but when wee passe to extreames without the meane, we want the benefit of [Page 6] recollection; and must trust to our present strength. To come from all things to nothing, is not a descent but a downfall; and it is a rare strength and constancy, not to be maimed at least. These headlong euils, as they are the so­rest, so they must be most proui­ded for; as on the contrary a sud­den aduancement frō a low con­dition to the height of honour, is most hard to menage. No man can maruell how that tyrant blin­ded his captiues, when he heares that hee brought them immedi­atlie, out of a darke dungeon, in­to rooms that were made bright, and glorious. We are not worthy to knowe, fot what wee are reser­ued; no euill can amate vs, if we can ouercom sudden extremities.

[Page 7] The long differring of a good (though tedious) yet makes it the better, when it comes. Well did the Israelites hope that the waters which were so long in finding, would be precious when they were found: Yet behold they are crossed, not only in their de­sires, but in their hopes; for af­ter three dayes trauell, the first fountaines they finde are bitter waters. If these wells had not run pure gall, they could not haue so much complained. Long thirst wil make bitter waters sweete; yet such were these springs, that the Israelites did not so mnch like their moisture, as abhor their re­lish. I see the first handsell that God giues them in their voyage [Page 8] to the Land of promise; Thirst, and bitternesse. Satan giues vs pleasant entrances into his waies, and reserues the bitternes for the end [...] ▪ God [...]nures vs to our worst at first; and sweetens our conclu­sion with pleasure.

The same GOD, that would not lead Israel through the Phi­listines Land, least they should shrinke at the sight of warre, now leads them through the Wilder­nesse, and feares not to trie their patience with bitter potions. If hee had not loued them, the E­gyptian fornace or sword had preuented their thirst, or that Sea wherof their enimies drunk dead; and yet see how hee diets them. Neuer any haue had so bitter [Page 9] draughts vpon earth as those hee loues best: The palate is an ill iudge of the fauours of God. O my Sauiour, thou didst drinke a more bitter cup from the hands of thy Father, then that which thou refusedst of the Iewes, or then that which I can drinke from thee.

Before, they could not drinke if they would; now they might and would not. God can giue vs blessings with such a tang, that the fruition shall not much differ from the want: So, many a one hath riches, not grace to vse them; many haue children, but such, as they preferre barrennes. They had said before, Oh that we had any water; now, Oh that wee [Page 10] had good water. It is good so to desire blessings from God, that wee may be the better for inioy­ing them; so to craue water, that it may not be sauced w ^th bitternes.

Now these fond Israelites in steed of praying, murmur; in steed of praying to God, mur­mur against Moses. What hath the righteous done? He made not ei­ther the Wildernesse dry, or the waters bitter; Yea (if his con­duct were the matter) what one foot went hee before them with­out God? The piller led them, and not hee; yet Moses is mur­mur'd at. It is the hard condition of authoritie, that when the mul­titude fare well, they applaud themselues; when ill, they repine [Page 11] against their gouernours. Who can hope to be free, if Moses e­scape not? Neuer any Prince so merited of a people. He thrust himselfe vpon the pikes of Pha­raohs tyranny. He brought them from a bondage worse then death. His rod diuided the Sea, and sha­red life to them, death to their pursuers. VVho vvould not haue thought these men, so obliged to Moses, that no death could haue opened their mouthes, or raised their hands against him? Yet now, the first occasion of want makes them rebell: No benefit can stop the mouth of Impatience. If our turne be not serued for the present, former fauours are either forgotten, or contemned. No maruell if we deale so with men, [Page 12] when God receiues this measure from vs. One yeare of famine, One summer of pestilence, One moone of vnseasonable weather, makes vs ouer-look all the bles­sings of God; & more to mutine at the sense of our euill, then to praise him for our varieties of good: whereas, fauours well be­stowed leaue vs both mindfull and confident; and will not suffer vs either to forget or distrust. O God, I haue made an ill vse of thy mercies, if I haue not learned to be content with thy corrections.

Moses was in the same want of water with them, in the same dis­ [...]aste of bitternes, and yet they say to Moses, What shal we drink? If they had seene him furnished [Page 13] with full vessels of sweete water, and themselues put ouer to this vnsauory liquor; enuy might haue giuen some colour to this mutinie: but now their leaders common misery, might haue freed him from their murmurs. They helde it one peece of the late Egyptian tyranny, that a task was required of them, which the imposers knew they could not performe; to make brick when they had no straw [...]; Yet they say to Moses, what shall wee drink? Themselues are grown exactors, and are ready to menace more then stripes, if they haue not their ends, without means: Moses took not vpon him their prouision, but their deliuerance: and yet, as if he had been the common victu­aler [Page 14] of the Camp, they aske, what shall we drink? When want meets with impatient mindes, it trans­ports them to fury; Euery thing disquiets, and nothing satisfies them.

What course doth Moses now take? That which they should haue done, and did not; They cryed not more feruently to him, then he to God: If he were their leader, God was his. That which they vniustly required of him, he iustly requires of God, that could doe it; He knew whence to look for redresse of all complaints; this was not his charge, but his Makers, which was able to main­taine his owne act. I see and ac­knowledge the harbour, that we [Page 15] must put into, in all our ill wea­ther. It is to thee, O God, that we must poure out our hearts, which onely canst make our bitter wa­ters sweet.

Might not that rod which took away the liquid nature from the waters, and made them solid; haue also taken away the bitter quality from these waters, and made them sweet? since to flowe is naturall vnto the water; to be bitter is but accidentall. Moses durst not imploy his rod without a precept; hee knew the power came from the commandement. Wee may not presume on likely­hoods, but depend vpon war­rants; therefore Moses doth not lift vp his rodde to the waters, [Page 16] but his hand and voyce to GOD.

The hand of faith neuer knocked at heauen in vaine: No sooner hath Moses shewd his grie­uance, then God shews him the remedie: yet an vnlikely one, that it might be miraculous. He that made the waters, could haue giuen them any sauor: How easie is it for him that made the mat­ter, to alter the quality? It is not more hard to take away, then to giue. Who doubts but the same hand that created them, might haue immediatly changed them? Yet that almighty power will doe it by meanes. A peece of wood must sweeten the waters: What relation hath wood to wa­ter; [Page 17] or that which hath no sauour; to the redresse of bitternes? Yet here is no more possibility of fai­ling, then proportion to the suc­cesse: All things are subiect to the commaund of their Maker; He that made all of nothing, can make euery thing of any thing: There is so much power in euery creature, as he wil please to giue. It is the praise of omnipotencie to work by improbabilities; Eli­sha with salt, Moses with wood, shall sweeten the bitter waters; Let no man despise the meanes, when he knowes the author.

God taught his people by actions, as well as words. This entrance shewd them their whole iourney; wherein they should [Page 18] taste of much bitternesse: but at last through the mercy of GOD, sweetned with comfort. Or did it not represent themselues ra­ther, in the iourney? in the foun­taines of whose hearts, were the bitter waters of manifold corrup­tions, yet their vnsauory soules are sweetned by the graces of his Spirite. O blessed Sauiour: the wood of thy Crosse, that is, the application of thy sufferings, is enough to sweeten a whole sea of bitternesse. I care not how vn­pleasant a potion I finde in this wildernesse, if the power and be­nefit of thy precious death may season it to my soule.

The Quayles, and Manna.

THe thirst of Israel is wel quenched: for besides the change of the wa­te [...]s of Marah, their station is changed to Elim; where were twelue fountaines, for their twelue Tribes; and now they complaine, as fast, of hunger.

Contentation is a rare blessing; because it arises either frō a frui­tion of all comforts, or a not desi­ring of some which wee haue not. Now, we are neuer so bare, as not to haue some benefits; neuer so [Page 20] full as not to want something, yea as not to be full of wants. God hath much adoe with vs: Either wee lack health, or quietnes, or children, or wealth, or company, or our selues in all these. It is a woonder these men found not fault vvith the vvant of [...] their quayles, or vvith their olde clothes, or their solitarie way Nature is moderate in [...] de­sires: but conceit is vnsatiable. Yet vvho can deny [...] be a sore vexation? Before [...] they vvere forbidden sowre bread; but now vvhat [...]eauen is so [...]wr as want? When meane [...] hold out, it is easie to be [...]. Whiles their dough, and other c [...]es la­sted, vvhiles they vvere gathe­ring of the dates of Elim, vvee [Page 21] heare no newes of them. Who cannot pray for his daily bread, vvhen he hath it in his cup-bord? But vvhen our owne prouision failes vs, then not to distrust the prouision of God, is a noble try­all of faith. They should haue said; He that stopt the mouth of the sea, that it could not deuoure vs, can as easily stop the mouth of our stomacks; It was no easier matter to kill the first borne of E­gypt, by his immediate hand, then to preserue vs: Hee that commanded the Sea to stand still and gard vs, can as easily com­maund the earth to nourish vs: He that made the rod a serpent, can as well make these stones, bread: Hee that brought armies of frogs and caterpillers to E­gypt, [Page 22] can as well bring whole drifts of birds and beasts, to the desert: He that sweetned the wa­ters with wood, can aswell refresh our bodies, with the fruits of the earth. Why doe we not wait on him whom wee haue found so powerful? Now they set the mer­cy and loue of GOD vpon a wrong last; whiles they measure it onely by their present sense. Nature is iocond and cheereful, whiles it prospereth: let God withdraw his hand; no sight, no trust. Those can praise him with timbrels for a present fauor, that cannot depend vpon him, in the want of meanes for a future. Wee all are neuer weary of receiuing, soone weary of attending.

[Page 23] The other mutiny, was of some few male-contents, perhaps those strangers, which sought their owne protection vnder the wing of Israel; this, of the whole troup. Not that none were free: Caleb, Ioshua, Moses, Aaron, Mi­riam were not yet tainted: vsual­ly God measures the state of any Church, or country by the most; The greater part carries both the name and censure. Sinnes are so much greater, as they are more vniuersall: so farre is euill from being extenuated by the multi­tude of the guilty, that nothing can more aggrauate it. With men, commonness may plead for fauour; with God it pleads for iudgement. Many hands drawe [Page 24] the cable with more violence, then fewe: The leprosie of the whole body is more loathsome then that of a part.

But what doe these mutiners say? Oh that we had died by the hand of the Lord. And whose hand was this, O yee fond Israe­lites, if ye must perish by famine? God carried you forth; God re­strain'd his creatures from you: and while you are ready to die thus; ye say, Oh that we had dy­ed by the hand of the Lord.

It is the folly of men, that in immediate iudgement they can see Gods hand: not in those, whose second causes are sensible; whereas God holds himselfe e­qually [Page 25] interessed in all: challen­ging that there is no euill in the citie, but from him. It is but one hand, and many instruments, that God strikes vs with: The water may not lose the name, though it come by chanels and pipes from the spring. It is our faithles­nesse, that in visible meanes, wee see not him that is invisible.

And vvhen would they haue wisht to die? When we sate by the flesh-pots of Egypt: Alas, what good would their flesh-pots haue done them, in their death? If they might sustaine their life, yet what could they auaile them in dying? For if they were vnpleasant, what comfort was it, to see them? If pleasant, what comfort to part [Page 26] from them? Our greatest plea­sures are but paines in their losse. Euery minde affects that which is like it selfe. Carnall minds are for the flesh-pots of Egypt, though bought with seruitude; spirituall are for the presence of GOD, though redeemed with famine: and vvould rather die in Gods presence, then liue without him, in the sight of delicate or full dishes.

They loued their liues well e­nough: I heard how they shrie­ked, when they were in danger of the Egyptians; yet now they say, Oh that we had died: Not, oh that wee might liue by the flesh-pots; but oh that wee had dyed. Although life be naturally [Page 27] sweete, yet a little discontent­ment makes vs weary. It is a base cowardlinesse, so soone as euer wee are called from the garrison to the field, to thinke of running away. Then is our fortitude wor­thy of praise, when we can indure to be miserable.

But vvhat? can no flesh-pots serue but those of Egypt? I am deceiued, if that Land affoorded them any flesh-pots saue their owne: Their Landlords of Egypt held it abhomination to eate of of their dishes, or to kill that vvhich they did eate. In those times then they did eate of their owne; and why not now? They had droues of cattell in the Wil­dernes; why did they not take of [Page 28] them? Surely if they would haue been as good husbands of their cattell, as they vvere of their dough, they might haue had e­nough to eate without need of murmuring: for if their back-bur­den of dough lasted for a mo­neth; their heards might haue ser­ued them many yeares. All grud­ging is odious; but most▪ when our handes are full. To whine in the midst of abundance, is a shamefull vnthankfulnesse.

When a man would haue loo­ked that the anger of GOD should haue appeared in fire; now beholde his glory appears in a cloud. Oh the exceeding long suffering of God, that hears their murmurings; and as if hee had [Page 29] been bound to content them, in steed of punishing, pleases them; as a kinde mother would deale with a rabid childe, who rather stils him vvith the brest, then cals for the [...]odde. One would haue thought that the sight of the cloud of God should haue dif [...]pell'd the cloud of their distrust; and this glory of GOD should haue made them asham'd of themselues, and afraide of him: Yet I doe not heare them once say, What a mighty and gracious God haue wee distrusted? No­thing will content an impotent mind, but fruition. When an heart is hardned with any passion, it will indure much, ere it will yeeld to relent.

[Page 32] vp for them that loue him! As on the contrary, if the righteous scarce be saued, where will the sinners appeare? Oh God thou canst, thou wilt make this diste­rence. Howsoeuer with vs men the most crabbed and stubborne oftentimes fare the best; the righteous Iudge of the vvorld frames his remunerations as hee findes vs▪ And if his mercy some­times prouoke the worst to re­pentance by his temporall fa­uours, yet hee euer reserues so much greater rewarde for the righteous, as eternity is beyond time, and heauen aboue earth.

It was not of any naturall in­stinct, but from the ouer-ruling power of their Creator, that these [Page 33] Quayles came to the desert. Needs must they come vvhom God brings. His hand is in all the motions of his meanest crea­tures. Not onely wee, but they mooue in him. As not many Quayles, so not one Sparrow fals without him: How much more are the actions of his best crea­ture, Man, directed by his proui­dence? Hovv ashamed might these Israelites haue been, to see these creatures so obedient to their Creator, as to come and of­fer themselues to their slaughter; whiles they went so repiningly to his seruice, and their owne pre­ferment? Who can distrust the prouision of the great house­keeper of the world, when he sees how hee can furnish his tables at [Page 34] pleasure. Is he growne now care­lesse, or we faithless rather? Why doe we not repose vpon his mer­cy? Rather then wee shall vvant, when vvee trust him, hee vvill fetch Quayles from all the coasts of heauen to our boord. Oh Lord thy hand is not shortned to giue: let not ours be shortened, or shut in receiuing.

Eliahs seruitors the Rauens brought him his full seruice of bread, and flesh at once; each morning & euening. But these Is­raelites haue their flesh at eeuen, and their bread in the morning: Good reason there should bee a difference. Eliahs table was vp­on Gods direct appointment; The Israelites vpon their mutiny: [Page 35] Although God will relieue them with prouision, yet he will punish their impatience with delay; so shall they knowe themselues his people, that they shall finde they were murmurers. Not onely in the matter, but in the order, God answers their grudging; First they complaine of the want of flesh-pots, then of bread. In the first place therefore they haue flesh, bread after. When they haue flesh, yet they must stay a time, ere they can haue a full meale; vnles they would eat their meat bread­lesse, and their bread dry. GOD will be wayted on; and will giue the consummation of his blessings at his owne leasure. In the eue­ning of our life, we haue the first pledges of his fauour: but in the [Page 36] morning of our resurrection, must wee looke for our perfect satiety of the true Manna, the bread of life.

Now the Israelites sped well with their Quayles; They did eat, and digest, and prosper: not long after they haue Quayles vvith a vengeance; the meat was plea­sant, but the sauce was fearefull. They let downe the Quayles at their mouth, but they came out at their nostrils. How much better had it been to haue dyed of hun­ger, through the chastisement of God, then of the plague of God, with the flesh betwixt their teeth? Behold they perish of the same disease then, whereof they now recouer. The same sinne repea­ted [Page 37] is death, whose first act found remission: Relapses are desperat, where the sicknesse it selfe is not. With vs men, once, goes away with a warning, the second act is but whipping, the third is death. It is a mortall thing to abuse the lenity of God; we should be pre­sumptuously mad, to hope that God will stand vs for a sinning-stock to prouoke him how wee wil. It is more mercy then he owes vs, if he forbear vs once; it is his iustice to plague vs the second time: We may thanke our selues, if we will not be warned.

Their meat was strange, but nothing so much as their bread. To find Quayles in a Wilderness was vnusual; but for bread to com [Page 38] downe from heauen vvas yet more. They had seene Quayles before (though not in such num­ber): Manna was neuer seene till now. From this day till their set­ling in Canaan, God wrought a perpetuall miracle in this food. A miracle in the place: Other bread rises vp from belowe, this fell downe from aboue; neither did it euer raine bread till now; Yet so did this heauenly shower fall, that it is confined to the Camp of Israell. A miracle in the quantitie; that euery morning should fall enough to fill so many hundred thousand mouthes and mawes. A miracle in the compo­sition; that it was sweet like hony­cakes, round like corianders, transparent as deaw. A miracle in [Page 39] the qualitie; that it melted by one heat, by another hardened. A mi­racle in the difference of the fall; that (as if it knew times, & would teach them, as well as feed them) it fell double in the eeuen of the Sabaoth, and on the Sabaoth fell not. A miracle in the putrefacti­on and preseruation; that it was full of wormes when it was kept beyond the due hour for distrust: full of sweetnes when it was kept a day longer for religion; Yea many Ages, in the Ark, for a mo­nument of the power and mercy of the giuer. A miracle in the con­tinuance and ceasing; That this showre of bread follow'd their camp in all their remoualls, till they came to taste of the bread of Canaan; and then withdrew it [Page 40] selfe, as if it should haue said: Yee need no miracles, now ye haue meanes. They had the Types; wee haue the substance. In this Wildernes of the world, the true Manna is rained vpon the tents of our hearts. Hee that sent the Manna, was the Manna, which he sent: Hee hath said, I am the Manna that came downe from heauen. Beholde their whole meales were sacramentall: Euery morsell they did eat, was spiritu­all. We eat still of their Manna: still he coms down from heauen. Hee hath substance enough for worlds of soules; yet onely is to be found in the lists of the true Church: He hath more sweetnes then the hony, and the hony­combe. Happie are vvee if [Page 41] wee can finde him, so sweete as hee is.

The same hand that ray­ned Manna vppon their tents, could haue rayned it into their mouthes, or laps. God loues we should take paines for our spiri­tuall food. Little would it haue auayled them, that the Manna lay about their tents, if they had not gone forth and gathered it, bea­ten it, bak't it: Let saluation be neuer so plentifull, if we bring it not home, and make it ours by faith, wee are no whit the better. If the worke done, and meanes vsed, had beene enough to giue life, no Israelite had dyed: Their bellies vvere full of that bread, whereof one crum giues life: yet [Page 42] they dyed many of them in dis­pleasure. As in naturall, so in spi­rituall things, we may not trust to meanes: The carcasse of the Sa­crament cannot giue life, but the soule of it; which is the thing re­presented. I see each man gather, & take his iust measure out of the common heap; Wee must be in­dustrious, and helpfull each to o­ther: but when wee haue done, Christ is not partial. If our sancti­fication differ, yet our iustificati­on is equall in all.

Hee that gaue a Gomer to each, could haue giuen an E­phah: As easily could hee haue rayned downe enough for a mo­neth, or a yeare at once, as for a day. God delights to haue vs [Page 43] liue in a continuall dependance vpon his prouidence, and each day renew the acts of our faith and thankfulnesse. But what a co­uetous Israelite was that, which in a foolish distrust would be sparing the charges of God; and reser­uing that for morning which hee should haue spent vpon his sup­per? Hee shall knowe, that euen the bread that came downe from heauen, can corrupt: The Man­na was from aboue, the wormes and stink from his diffidence. No­thing is so soueraine, which being peruerted, may not annoy in stead of benefiting vs.

Yet I see some difference be­twixt the true and typicall Man­na; God neuer meant that the [Page 44] shadow and the body should a­gree in all things. The outward Manna reserued was poyson: the spirituall Manna is to vs, as it was to the Arke; not good, vnlesse it be kept perpetually. If wee keep it, it shall keep vs from putrefacti­on. The outward Manna fell not at all, on the Sabaoth: The spiri­tuall Manna (though it balks no day) yet it falls double on Gods day: and if we gather it not then, we famish. In that true Sabaoth of our glorious rest, we shal for euer feed of that Manna, which wee haue gathered in this eeuen of our life.

The Ro [...]k of Rephidim.

BEfore, Israel thirsted and was satisfied; af­ter that, they hungred and were filled; novv they thirst againe. They haue bread and meat, but want drink: It is a maruell if God doe not e­uermore hold vs short of some­thing, because he would keep vs still in exercise. Wee should for­get at whose cost wee liue, if wee wanted nothing. Still God ob­serues a vicissitude of euill, and good; and the same euils that we [Page 46] haue passed, returne vpon vs in their courses. Crosses are not of the nature of those diseases, which they say a man can haue but once. Their first seisure doth but make way for their reentry. None but our last enemy comes once for all; and I knowe not, if that: for euen in liuing, wee die daily. So must we take our leaues of all afflictions, that wee reserue a lodging for them, and expect their returne.

All Israel murmured vvhen they wanted bread, meat, water; and yet all Israel departed from the Wildernesse of Sin to Re­phidin at Gods command. The very worst men will obey God in something; none but the good in [Page 47] all: Hee is rarely desperate that makes an vniuersal opposition to God. It is an vnsound praise that is giuen a man, for one good action: It may be safely said of the very diuels themselues, that they doe something well: They know, & beleeue, and tremble. If we follow God and murmur, it is all one, as if wee had staid be­hinde.

Those distrust his prouidence in their necessitie, that are ready to follow his guidance in their welfare. It is an harder matter to indure an extreame want, then to obey an hard commaundement. Suffrings are greater tryals, then actions: How many haue we seen ieopard their liues, with cheere­full [Page 48] resolution, which cannot in­dure in cold blood to lose a lim with patience. Because God wil haue his throughly tryed, he puts them to both: and if wee cannot indure both to follow him from Sin, and to thirst in Rephidim, we are not sound Israelites.

God led them, on purpose, to this dry Rephidim: Hee could as well haue conducted them to an­other Elim, to conuenient wa­terings: Or he that giues the wa­ters of all their chanels, could as well haue deriued them to meet Israel: But God doth purposely carry them to thirst. It is not for necessitie, that we fare ill, but out of choyse: It were all one vvith God to giue vs health, as sicknes; [Page 49] abundance as pouerty. The trea­sury of his riches hath more store then his creature can be capable of; we could not complaine, if it vvere not good for vs to want.

This should haue been a con­tentment able to quench anie thirst: GOD hath led vs hither; If Moses out of ignorance had misguided vs, or we chanceably falne vppon these drie deserts, though this were no remedy of our griefe, yet it might be some ground of our complaint. But now the counsell of so wise and merciful a God, hath drawne vs into this want; and shal not he as easily finde the way out? It is the Lord, let him doe what hee will. There can be no more forceable [Page 50] motiue to patience then the ac­knowledgement of a diuine hand that strikes vs. It is fearefull to be in the hand of an aduersary; but who would not be confident of a father? Yet in our fraile humani­tie, choler may transport a man from remembrance of nature; but when wee feele our selues vnder the discipline of a wise God, that can temper our afflictions to our strength, to our benefit; vvho vvoulde not rather murmur at himselfe, that hee should swerue towards impatience? Yet these sturdy Israelites wilfully murmur: & will not haue their thirst quen­ched with faith, but with water. Giue vs water.

I looked to heare when they [Page 51] would haue intreated Moses to pray for them; but in stead of in­treating they contend, and in stead of prayers I find commands. Giue vs water. If they had gone to God without Moses, I should haue praysed their faith: but now they goe to Moses. vvithout God, I hate their stubborne faithlesnes. To seeke to the second meanes vvith neglect of the first, is the fruit of a false faith.

The answere of Moses is like himselfe, milde, and sweet; Why contend ye with me? Why tempt ye the Lord? In the first expostu­lation, condemning them of in­iustice; since not he, but the Lord had afflicted them. In the second, of presumption; that since it was [Page 52] GOD▪ that tempted them, by want, they should tempt him by murmuring. In the one, he would haue them see their wrong; in the other, their danger. As the act came not from him, but from God; so hee puts it off to God, from himselfe. VVhy tempt yee the Lord? The opposition which is made to the instruments of God, redounds euer to his per­son. Hee holds himselfe smitten through the sides of his ministers: So hath God incorporated these respects, that our subtlety can­not diuide them.

But what temptation is this? Is the Lord among vs, or no? In­fidelity is crafty, and yet foolish; Crafty in her insinuations, foo­lish [Page 53] in her conceits. They imply, If wee were sure the Lord were with vs wee would not distrust; They conceiue doubts of his pre­sence, after such confirmations. What could God doe more, to make them knowe him present, vnless euery moment should haue renued miracles? The plagues of Egypt, and the diuision of the Sea were so famous, that the ve­ry Innes of Iericho rang of them. Their waters were lately sweet­ned; the Quayles were yet in their teeth; the Manna was yet in their eye; yea they saw God, in the piller of the cloud, and yet they say, Is the Lord amongst vs? No argument is enough to an in­credulous heart; not reason, not sense, not experience. How much [Page 54] better was that faith of Thomas, that would belieue his eyes and hands, though his eares he would not? Oh the deep infidelitie of these Israelites, that saw, and be­lieued not!

And how will they knowe if God be amongst them? As if he could not be with them, and they be athirst: Either God must hu­mour carnall minds, or be distru­sted: If they prosper (though it be with wickednes) God is with them; If they be thwarted in their owne designes, straight, Is God with vs? It was the way to put God from them, to distrust, and murmure. If he had not been with them, they had not liued; If hee had been in them, they had not [Page 55] mutined. They can thinke him absent in their want, and cannot see him absent in their sin: and yet wickednesse, not affliction, ar­gues him gone; Yet then is hee most present, vvhen hee most chastises.

Who would not haue looked, that this answere of Moses should haue appeased their fury: As vvhat can still him that will not be quiet to thinke he hath God for his aduersary? But, as if they would wilfully warre against hea­uen, they proceed; yet with no lesse craft, then violence; ben­ding their exception to one part of the answere: and smoothly o­mitting, what they could not ex­cept against. They will not heare [Page 56] of tempting God; they maintain their strife with Moses, both with words, and stones: How maliti­ous, how heady is impatience? The act was Gods, they cast it vpon Moses: Wherefore hast thou brought vs? The act of God was mercifull, they make it cruell; To kill vs and our children: As if GOD and Moses meant nothing but their ruine; vvho intended nothing, but their life and liber­ty. Foolish men! What needed this iourney to death? Were they not as obnoxious to God, in E­gypt? Could not God by Moses as easily haue killed them in E­gypt, or in the Sea, as their ene­mies? Impatience is full of mis­construction; If it be possible to find out any glosse to corrupt the [Page 57] text of Gods actions, they shall be sure not to scape vntainted.

It was no expostulating with an vnreasonable multitude; Mo­ses runnes straight to him, that was able at once to quench their thirst, and their fury: What shall I doe to this people? It is the best way, to trust God with his owne causes: when men will be inter­medling with his affaires, they vn­doe themselues in vaine. We shal find difficulties in all great enter­prises; If we be sure, we haue be­gun them from God, we may se­curely cast all euents vppon his prouidence, which knowes how to dispose, and how to end them.

Moses perceiued rage, not in [Page 58] the tongues onely, but in the hands of the Israelites. Yet a while longer and they will stone mee. Euen the leader of Gods peo­ple, feared death; and sinned not in fearing. Life is worthy to be deare to all: especially to him, vvhome publique charge hath made necessary: Meere feare is not sinfull; It is impotence and distrust that accompany it, which make it euill. How well is that feare bestowed, that sends vs the more importunately to GOD! Some man would haue thought of flight; Moses flyes to his pray­ers; and that not for reuenge, but for help. Who but Moses would not haue saide; This twise they haue mutined, and beene pardo­ned; and now againe, thou seest, [Page 59] O Lord, how madly they rebell; and how bloodily they intend a­gainst me; preserue me, I beseech thee, and plague them. I heare none of this: but imitating the long suffering of his God, hee seeks to God, for them, which sought to kill him, for the quar­rell of God.

Neither is God sooner sought, then found: All Israel might see Moses goe towardes the rocke: None but the Elders might see him strike it: Their vnbeleefe made them vnworthy of this pri­uiledge. It is no small fauour of God, to make vs witnesses of his great works; That he crucifies his Son before vs; that hee serches the water of life, out of the true [Page 60] rock, in our sight, is an hie pre­rogatiue; If his rigour vvould haue taken it, our infidelitie had equally excluded vs, whom now his mercy hath receiued.

Moses must take his rod; God could haue done it by his vvill, without a word; or by his word▪ without the rod; but hee will doe by meanes, that which hee can as easily doe without. There vvas no vertue in the rod; none in the stroke, but all in the command of God. Meanes must be vsed, and yet their efficacie must bee ex­pected, out of themselues.

It doth not suffice GOD to name the rod, without a descrip­tion; ( Whereby thou smotest the [Page 61] riuer:) Wherfore? but to streng­then the faith of Moses, that hee might well expect this wonder from that, which he had tryed to be miraculous. How could hee but firmly beleeue, that the same meanes which turned the waters into blood, and turned the Sea into a wall, could as vvell turne the stone into vvater? Nothing more rayses vp the heart in pre­sent affiance, then the recogni­tion of fauours, or vvoonders passed. Behold the same rodde that brought plagues to the E­gyptians, brings deliuerances to [...]. By the same meanes can God saue and condemne: Like as the same sword defends and kil [...]s.

[Page 62] That power, which turned the wings of the Quayles to the Wil­dernes, turned the course of the water through the rocke: Hee might (if he had pleased) haue caused a spring to well out of the plaine earth; but hee will now fetch it out of the stone, to con­uince and shame their infidelitie. What is more hard and dry then the rock? What more moist, and supple then vvater? That they might be ashamed to thinke, they distrusted least God could bring them water out of the cloudes, or springs, the very rock shall yeeld it. And now, vnlesse their hearts had beene more rockie, then this stone, they could not but haue resolued into teares, for this dif­fidence.

[Page 63] I wonder to see these Israelites fed with Sacraments: Their bread was Sacramentall, whereof they communicated euery day: least any man should complaine of fre­quence, the Israelites receiued daily; and now their drinke was Sacramentall, that the ancient Church may giue no warrant of a dry Communion. Twise there­fore hath the rock yeelded them water of refreshing; to signifie, that the true spirituall rock yeelds it alwayes. The rocke that fol­lowed them was Christ: Out of thy side, O Sauiour, issued that bloody stream, wherby the thirst of all beleeuers is comfortably quenched: Let vs but thirst; not with repining, but with faith; this [Page 64] rocke of thine shall abundantly flow forth to our soules, and fol­low vs, till this water be changed into that new wine, vvhich wee shall drinke vvith thee in thy Fathers King­dome.

The Foyle of Amalek: or The hand of Moses, lift vp.

NO sooner is Israels thirst slaked, then God hath an Amale­kite ready to assault them. The Almighty hath choise of rods, to whip vs with; and will not be content with one tryall. They would needs be quarrelling with Moses, without a cause; and now, God sends the Amalekites to quarrell with them. It is iust with God, that they, which would bee contending vvith their best [Page 66] friends shold haue work enough, of contending with enemies.

In their passage out of Egypt, God vvould not lead them the nearest vvay, by the Philistims Land, least they should repent at the sight of warre; now they both see, and feele it. He knowes how to make the fittest choise of the times of euill: and withholds that one while, which hee sends ano­ther, not vvithout a iust reason, why he sends, and withholds it: And though to vs, they come euer (as we thinke) vnseasona­bly, and at sometimes more vn­fitly, then others; yet hee that sends them, knowes their op­portunities. VVho vvould not haue thought, a worse time could [Page 67] neuer haue beene pickt for Isra­els warre, then now; In the fee­blenesse of their troupes, when they were wearied, thirsty, vn­weaponed; Yet now, must the A­malekites doe that, which before the Philistims might not doe: We are not worthy, not able to choose for our selues. To be sicke, and dy in the strength of youth, in the minoritie of children: To bee pinched with pouerty, or miscar­riage of children in our age, how harshly vnseasonable it seemes? But the infinite wisedom, that or­ders our euents, knowes how to order our times. Vnlesse wee will bee shamelesse vnbeleeuers, O Lord, we must trust thee with our selues and our seasons, and know, that not that which we desire, but [Page 68] that, which thou hast appointed, is the fittest time for our suffe­rings.

Amalek was Esaues grandchild; and these Israelites, the Sons of Iacob. The abode of Amalek was not so farre from Egypt, but they might well heare what became of their cozens of Israel; and now, doubtlesse, out of enuie watcht their opportunitie of reuenge for their old grudge. Malice is com­monly hereditary, and runnes in the blood; and (as we vse to say of runnet) the older it is, the stronger. Hence is that foolish hostilitie, which some men vn­iustly nourish vppon no other grounds, then the quarrels of their forefathers. To wreak ou [...] [Page 69] malice vpon posteritie, is at the best but the humour of an Ama­lekite.

How cowardly, and how craf­ty was this skirmish of Amalek? They doe not bid them battel in faire tearms of warre, but without all noise of warning, come stea­ling vpon the hindmost; and fall vpon the weake, and scattered remnants of Israel. There is no looking for fauour at the hands of malice: The worst that either force or fraud can doe, must be expected of an aduersary; but much more of our spirituall ene­mie; by how much his hatred is deeper. Behold, this Amalek lie [...] in ambush to hinder our passage vnto our Land of promise and [Page 70] subtilly takes all aduantages of our weaknesses. Wee cannot be wise, or safe, if we stay behinde our colours; and strengthen not those parts, where is most perill of opposition.

I doe not heare Moses say to his Ioshua: Amalek is come vp a­gainst vs; it matters not whether thou goe against him, or not; or if thou go, whether alone or with companie; or if accompanied, vvhether vvith manie or few, strong or weake; Or if strong men, vvhether they fight or no: I vvill pray on the hill; but, Choose vs out men, and goe fight: Then onely can vvee pray with hope, vvhen wee haue done our best. And though the meanes cannot [Page 71] effect that, which wee desire; yet God will haue and vse the likeli­est meanes on our part, to effect it. Where it comes immediately from the charge of GOD, any meanes are effectuall; One stick of wood shall fetch vvater out of the rock, another shall fetch bit­ternesse out of the water: But in those proiects, which vve make for our owne purposes, vve must choose those helps, vvhich pro­mise most efficacy. In vaine shall Moses be vpon the hill, if Ioshua be not in the vally. Prayer with­out meanes, is a mockerie of GOD.

Here are two shadowes of one substance; The same Christ in Ioshua fights against our spirituall [Page 72] Amalek, and in Moses spreads out his armes vpon the hill; and in both, conquers. And why doth he climbe vp the hill rather, then pray in the valley? Perhaps that he might haue the more freedom to his thoughts; which, following the sense, are so much more hea­uenly, as the eye sees more of heauen? Though vertue lies not in the place, yet choise must be made of those places, which may be most helpe to our deuotion: Perhaps, that hee might be in the eye of Israel. The presence and sight of the leader giues heart to the people: neither dooth any thing more moue the multitude, then example. A publique per­son cannot hide himselfe in the valley: but yet it becomes him [Page 73] best to shew himselfe vppon the hill.

The hand of Moses must be raised, but not emptie; neither is it his owne rod that he holds, but Gods. In the first meeting of God with Moses, the rod was Moseses; it is like, for the vse of his trade: now the propriety is altered; God hath so wrought by it, that now he challenges it; and Moses dare not call it his owne. Those things which it pleases God to vse for his owne seruice, are now changed in their condition. The bread of the Sacrament was once the Ba­kers, now it is Gods: the water was once euery mans, now it is the Laver of Regeneration. It is both vniust, and vnsafe to hold [Page 74] those things common vvherein God hath a peculiarity.

At other times, vpon occasi­on of the plagues, and of the Quayles, and of the rock, he was commanded to take the rodde in his hand; now hee doth it vnbid­den: He doth it not now for mi­raculous operation, but for in­couragement. For when the Is­raelites should cast vp their eyes to the hill, and see Moses, and his rod (the man, and the meanes that had wrought so powerfully for them) they could not but take heart to themselues, and thinke, There is the man that deliuered vs from the Egyptian, Why not now from the Amalekite? There is the rod, which turned waters to [Page 75] blood, and brought varieties of plagues on Egypt, Why not now on Amaleck? Nothing can more hearten our faith, then the view of the monuments of Gods fa­uour: If euer wee haue found any word, or act of God cordial to vs, it is good to fetch it forth oft to the eye. The renuing of our sense, and remembrance, makes euery gift of God perpetually beneficiall.

If Moses had receiued a com­mand, that rod which fetcht wa­ter from the rock, could as well haue fetcht the blood of the A­malekites out of their bodies: God will not worke miracles al­wayes; neither must wee expect them vnbidden.

[Page 76] Not as a standerd-bearer so much, as a suppliant dooth Moses lift vp his hand: The gesture of the body should both expresse, & further the piety of the soul. This flesh of ours, is not a good seruant, vnlesse it help vs in the best of­fices: The God of spirits dooth most respect the soule of our de­uotion; yet, it is both vnman­nerly, and irreligious, to be mis­gestured in our prayers. The carelesse and vncomely carri­age of the body helps both to signifie, and make a profane soule.

The hand, & the rod of Moses neuer moued in vaine; Though [Page 77] the rod did not strike Amalek, as it had done the rock: yet it smote heauen, and fetcht downe vi­ctory. And that the Israelites might see, the hand of Moses had a greater stroke in the fight, then all theirs, The successe must rise and fall with it: Amalek rose, and Israel fell, with his hand falling: Amalek fell, & Israel rises, with his hand raysed; Oh the wondrous power of the prayers of faith! All heauenly fauours are deriued to vs from this chanell of grace: To these are wee beholden for our peace, preseruations, and all the rich mercies of GOD, vvhich vve enioie. VVe could not vvant, if wee could aske.

[Page 78] Euery mans hand would not haue done this; but the hand of a Moses. A faithlesse man may as well holde his hand, and tongue still; hee may babble, but prayes not; he prayes ineffectually, and receiues not: Onely the prayer of the righteous auaileth much; and onely the beleeuer, is righ­teous. There can be no merit, no recompence answerable to a good mans prayer; for heauen, and the eare of God is open to him: but the formall deuotions of an ignorant, and faithlesse man, are not worth that crust of bread which hee askes: Yea, it is pre­sumption in himselfe; how should it be beneficiall to others? it pro­fanes the name of God, in stead of adorning it.

[Page 79] But how iustly is the feruency of the prayer added to the righ­teousnes of the person? When Moses hand slackned, Amalek preuayled. No Moses can haue his hand euer vp; It is a title pro­per to God, that his hands are stretched out still: whether to mercy, or vengeance. Our infir­mity will not suffer any long in­tention, either of body, or mind. Long prayers can hardly main­taine their vigour; as in tall bo­dies the spirits are diffused. The strongest hand will languish, with long extending: And when our deuotion tyres, it is seene in the successe; then straight our A­malek pruayles. Spirituall vvic­kednesses are maistered by vehe­ment [Page 80] prayer; and by heartlesnes in prayer, ouercome vs.

Moses had two helps, A stone to sit on, and an hand to raise his: And his sitting, and holpen hand is no whit lesse effectuall. Euen in our prayers will God al­low vs to respect our owne infir­mities. In cases of our necessity, he regards not the posture of bo­dy, but the affections of the soule. Doubtlesse Aaron and Hur, did not onely raise their hands, but their minds, with his: The more cords, the easier draught. Aaron was brother to Moses: there can­not be a more brotherly office, then to help one another in our praiers; and to excite our mutu­all deuotions. No Christian may [Page 81] thinke it enough to pray alone; Hee is no true Israelite, that will not be ready to lift vp the weary hands of Gods Saints.

All Israel saw this: or if they were so intent vpon the slaugh­ter, and spoyle, that they obser­ued it not, they might heare it af­ter, from Aaron, and Hur: yet this contents not God; It must bee written. Many other miracles had God done before; not one, di­rectly commanded to be recor­ded: The other were onely for the wonder; this for the imitati­on of Gods people. In things that must liue by report, euery tongue addes or detracts some­thing; The word once written is both inalterable, & permanent.

[Page 82] As God is carefull to main­taine the glory of his miraculous victory: so is Moses desirous to second him; God by a book, and Moses by an altar, and a name. God commaunds to enroll it in parchment; Moses registers it in the stones of his altar; which hee raises not onely for future me­mory, but for present vse. That hand which was weary of lifting vp, straight offers a sacrifice of praise to God: How well it be­comes the iust to be thankfull! E­uen very nature teacheth vs men to abhor ingratitude in small fa­uours. How much lesse can that fountaine of goodnes abide to be laded at with vnthankfull hands? O God we cānot but confess our [Page 83] deliuerances: where are our a­tars? where are our sacrifices? where is our Iehouah-nissi? I doe not more wonder at thy power in preseruing vs, then at thy mercy, which is not weary of cast­ing away fauours vpon the ingratefull.

The Law.

IT is but about seuen weekes, since Israell came out of Egypt: In which space God had cherished their faith by fiue seuerall woonders; yet now hee thinkes it time to giue them sta­tutes from heauen, as well as bread. The Manna and water from the rock (which was Christ in the Gospell) were giuen be­fore the Law. The Sacraments of grace before the legall couenant. The grace of GOD preuenteth [Page 85] our obedience; Therfore should we keep the law of God, because wee haue a Sauiour. Oh the mer­cy of our God! which before wee see, what wee are bound to doe, showes vs our remedy, if we doe it not: How can our faith disannul the Law, when it was before it? It may helpe to fulfill that, which shall be: it cannot frustrate that which was not. The letters, which GOD had written in our fleshy tables, were now (as those which are carued in some barks) almost growne out; hee saw it time to write them in dead Tables, whose hardnes should not be capable of alteration: Hee knew, that the stone would bee more faithfull then our hearts.

[Page 86] Oh maruellous accordance betwixt the two Testaments; In the very time of their deliuery, there is the same agreement, which is in the substance. The ancient Iewes kept our feasts; and we still keep theirs. The feast of the Passe-ouer is the time of Christs resurrection; then did hee passe from vnder the bondage of Death. Christ is our Passe-ouer; the spotlesse Lambe, whereof not a bone must be broken. The very day, wherein God came down in fire and thunder to deliuer the Law, Euen the same day came al­so the Holy-ghost downe vpon the disciples in fiery tongues, for the propagation of the Gospell. That other was in fire & smoke, [Page 87] obscuritie was mingled with ter­rour; This was in fire without smoke, befitting the light and clearnesse of the Gospell: Fire, not in flashes, but in tongues; not to terrifie, but to instruct. The promulgation of the Law makes way for the Law of the Gospell; No man receiues the Holy-ghost, but he which hath felt the terrours of Sinai.

God might haue imposed vp­on them a law perforce; They were his creatures, and he could require nothing but iustice. It had been but equall that they should be compelled to obey their Ma­ker; yet that God which loues to doe all things sweetly, giues the law of iustice in mercy; and will [Page 88] not imperiously command, but craues our assent for that, which it were rebellion not to doe.

How gentle should bee the proceeding of fellow-creatures who haue an equality of being, with an inequality of condition; when their infinite Maker re­quests, where he might constrain. GOD will make no couenant with the vnwilling; How much less the couenant of grace, which stands all vpon loue? If wee stay til God offer violence to our wil, or to vs, against our will, wee shall dy strangers from him. The Church is the spouse of Christ; hee will inioy her loue by a wil­ling contract, not by a rauish­ment: The obstinate haue no­thing [Page 89] to doe with God; The title of all conuerts, is, a willing peo­ple.

That Israel inclined to God, it was from God; hee inquires af­ter his owne gifts in vs, for our capacity of more. They had not receiued the Law, vnlesse they had first receiued a disposition fit to be commanded. As there was an inclination to heare, so there must be a preparation for hearing. Gods iustice had before prepared his Israelites, by hun­ger, thirst, feare of enemies; his mercy had prepared them by de­liuerances, by prouisions of wa­ter, meat, bread: and yet besides all the sight of God in his mira­cles, they must be three dayes [Page 90] prepared to hear him. When our soules are at the best, our approch to God requires particular ad­dresses: And if three dayes were little enough to prepare them to receiue the Law; how is all our life short enough, to prepare for the reckoning of our obseruing it? And if the vvord of a com­maund expected such readines, what shall the word of promise, the promise of Christ and salua­tion?

The moraine of Egypt was not so infectious as their vices; the contagion of these stuck still by Israell: All the water of the red Sea, and of Marah, and that which gushed out of the rocke, had not washed it off. From these, [Page 91] they must now be sanctified. As sinne is alwayes dangerous; so most, when we bring it into Gods sight: It enuenometh both our persons and seruices, and turnes our good into euill. As therfore we must be alwaies holy: so most, when wee present our selues to the holy eyes of our Creator. Wee wash our hands euery day: but when wee are to sit with some great person, wee scoure them with balles. And if wee must be so sanctified, onely to receiue the Law, how holy must we be to re­ceiue the grace promised in the Gospell?

Neither must themselues on­ly bee cleansed, but their very clothes: Their garments smelt [Page 92] of Egypt, euen they must be wa­shed: Neither can clothes be ca­pable of sinne, nor can water cleanse from sinne: The danger was neither in their garments, nor their skin; yet they must be washed, that they might learne by their clothes, with what soules to appear before their God. Those garments must be washed, which should neuer waxe old, that now they might begin their age in pu­rity; as those which were in more danger of being foule, then bare. It is fit that our reuerence to Gods presence should appeare in our very garments; that both without and within wee may be cleanly: but little would neat­nesse of vestures auaile vs with a filthy soule. The God of spirits [Page 93] looks to the inner man, and chal­lenges the purity of that part which resembles himselfe: Cleanse your hands yee sinners, and purge your hearts ye double minded.

Yet euen whē they were washed, and sanctified, they may not touch the mount; not onely with their feet, but, not with their eies: The smoke keeps it from their eyes; the marks from their feet. Not only men that had some impuri­ty at their best, are restrained, but euen beasts which are not capa­ble of any vnholines. Those beasts which must touch his altars, yet might not touch his hill: And if a beast touch it, he must die: yet so, as no hands may touch that, which hath touched the hill. Vn­reasonablenes [Page 94] might seem to be an excuse in these creatures: that therfore which is death to a beast, must needs be capitall to them, whose reason should guide them to auoid presumption. Those Is­raelites which saw God euery day in the piller of fire, and the cloud, must not come neere him in the mount. God loues at once fami­liarity and feare: Familiarity in our conuersation, and feare in his commands. Hee loues to be ac­quainted with men, in the walks of their obedience: yet hee takes state vpon him in his ordinances; and will be trembled at, in his word and iudgements.

I see the difference of Gods carriage to men in the Law, and [Page 95] in the Gospell: There, the very hill where he appeared, may not be touched of the purest Israelite; Here, the hemme of his garment is touched by the woman, that had the fluxe of blood; yea, his very face was touched with the lippes of Iudas. There the very earth was prohibited them, on which hee descended: Here, his very body and blood is profe­red to our touch and taste. Oh the maruellous kindnes of our God! How vnthankfull are wee, if wee doe not acknowledge this mercy aboue his ancient people! They were his owne; yet stran­gers in comparison of our liber­tie. It is our shame and sinne, if in these meanes of intirenesse we bee no better acquainted vvith [Page 96] God, then they, vvhich in their greatest familiarity, were com­manded aloof.

God was euer wonderfull in his workes, and fearefull in his iudgements: but he was neuer so terrible in the execution of his will, as now in the promulgation of it. Here was nothing, but a maiesticall terrour in the eyes, in the ears of the Israelites; as if God meant to shew them by this, how fearful he could be. Here was the lightning darted in their eyes, the thunders roaring in their eares, the trumpet of GOD drowning the thunder-claps, the voyce of God out-speaking the trumpet of the Angel: The cloud enwrapping, the smoke ascen­ding, [Page 97] the fire flaming, the mount trembling, Moses climbing and quaking, palenesse and death in the face of Israel, vprore in the Elements, and all the glory of heauen turned into terrour. In the destruction of the first World, there were clouds, without fire: In the destruction of Sodome, there was fire raining without clouds; but here was fire, smoke, clouds, thunder, earthquakes, and what­soeuer might worke more asto­nishment, then euer was in any vengeance inflicted.

And if the Law were thus gi­uen, how shall it be required? If such vvere the proclamation of Gods statutes, what shall the ses­sions be? I see and tremble at the [Page 98] resemblance. The Trumpet of the Angell call'd vnto the one: The voyce of an Archangell, the Trumpet of God shall summon vs to the other. To the one, Mo­ses (that climbd vp that hill, and alone saw it) saies, God came with tenne thousands of his Saints; In the other, thousand thousands shall minister to him, and tenne thousand thousands shall stand before him. In the one, mount Sinai only was on a flame; all the world shall be so, in the other. In the one there was fire, smoke, thunder and lightning: In the o­ther, a fiery stream shall issue from him, wherewith the heauens shall be dissolued, and the Elements shall melt away with a noise. Oh God, how powerfull art thou to [Page 99] inflict vengeance vpon sinners, who didst thus forbid sinne? and if thou wert so terrible a Law­giuer, what a Iudge shalt thou ap­peare? What shall become of the breakers of so fiery a Law? Oh where shall those appeare, that are guiltie of the transgressing that Law, whose very deliuery was little lesse then death? If our God should exact his Law, but in the same rigour wherein hee gaue it, sinne could not quite the cost: But now the fire wherein it was deliuered was but terrifying; the fire wherein it shall be required, is consuming. Happy are those that are from vnder the terrours of that Law, which was giuen in fire, and in fire shall be required.

[Page 100] God would haue Israel see, that they had not to doe vvith some impotent commander, that is faine to publish his Lawes with­out noise, in dead paper; which can more easily inioyne, then pu­nish; or descry, then execute; and therefore, before he giues them a Law, he showes them that hee can command heauen, earth, fire, aire, in reuenge of the breach of the Law; That they could not but think it deadly to displease such a Lawgiuer, or violate such dread­full statutes; That they might see all the Elements, examples of that obedience, which they shold yeeld vnto their Maker.

This fire, wherein the Law was [Page 101] giuen, is still in it; and will neuer out: Hence are those terrours vvhich it flashes in euery consci­ence, that hath felt remorse of sinne. Euery mans heart is a Si­nai, and resembles to him both heauen and hell. The sting of death is sinne: and the strength of sinne, is the Law.

That they might see, hee could finde out their closest sinnes, hee deliuers his Law in the light of fire, from out of the smoke: That they might see, vvhat is due to their sinnes, they see fire aboue, to represent the fire that should be belowe them: That they might knowe he could waken their se­curity, the thunder, and louder voyce of GOD speaks to their [Page 102] hearts. That they might see what their hearts should doe, the earth quakes vnder them. That they might see they could not shift their appearance, the Angels call them together. Oh royall Law, & mighty Lawgiuer! How could they thinke of hauing any other God, that had such proofes of this? How could they think of making any resenblance of him, vvhom they saw could not be seene, and vvhom they saw, in not being seene, infinite? How could they thinke of daring to profane his name, vvhom they heard to name himself, with that voyce, Iehouah? How could they thinke of stan­ding vvith him for a day, vvhom they saw to command that hea­uen, vvhich makes and measures [Page 103] day? How could they thinke of disobeying his deputies, vvhom they saw so able to reuenge? How could they think of killing, when they vvere halfe dead vvith the feare of him, that could kill both body and soule? How could they thinke of the flames of lust, that saw such fires of vengeance? How could they think of stealing from others, that saw vvhose the hea­uen and earth vvas to dispose of at his pleasure? How could they thinke of speaking falsly, that heard God speak in so fearefull a tone? How could they thinke of coueting others goods, that saw how weake and vncertaine right they had to their owne? Yea to vs, was this Law so deliuered; to vs in them: neither had there bin [Page 104] such state in the promulgation of it, if God had not intended it for Eternity. We men, that so feare the breach of humane Lawes for some small mulcts of forfaiture; how should we fear thee (O Lord) that canst cast body and soule into hell!

The Golden Calfe.

IT was not much a­boue a moneth, since Israel made their coue­nāt w ^th God; since they trembled to heare him say, Thou shalt haue no other Gods, but mee; Since they saw Moses part from them, and climbe vppe the hill to God: and now they say, Make vs Gods; we knowe not what is be­com of this Moses. Oh, ye mad Isra­elites, haue yee so soon forgotten that fire, and thunder which you heard and saw? Is that smoke va­nished [Page 106] out of your minde, as soon as out of your sight? Could your hearts cease to tremble with the earth? Can yee in the very sight of Sinai, cal for other Gods? And, for Moses; was it not for your sakes, that he thrust himselfe into the midst of that smoke and fire, which yee feared to see afar off? Was hee not now gone, after so many sudden embassages, to be your lieger with God? If yee had seene him take his heeles, and run away from you into the Wilder­nesse, what could ye haue said, or done more? Behold, our better Moses vvas with vs awhile vpon earth: hee is now ascended into the mount of heauen, to mediate for vs; shall we now thinke of an­other Sauiour? shall vve not hold [Page 107] it our happines that hee is for our sakes aboue?

And what if your Moses had beene gone for euer? Must yee therefore haue Gods made? If yee had said, Choose vs another gouernour, it had been a wicked and vnthankfull motion; ye were too vnwoorthy of a Moses, that could so soon forget him: but to say, Make vs Gods, was absurdly impious▪ Moses vvas not your God, but your gouernour: Nei­ther was the presence of God tyed to Moses: You saw God still, when hee was gone, in his pillar, and in his Manna; and yet ye say, Make vs Gods: Euery word is full of senselesse wickednesse. How many Gods vvould you haue? [Page 108] Or what Gods are those that can be made? Or (what euer the I­dolatrous Egyptians did) with vvhat face can yee, after so many miraculous obligations, speak of another God? Had the voyce of God scarce done thundering in your eares? Did ye so lately heare & see him to be an infinite God? Did ye quake to hear him say out of the midst of the flames, I am IEHOVAH, the GOD: thou shalt haue no goddes but mee? Did yee acknowledge GOD your Maker, and doe yee now speake of making of gods? If ye had said, Make vs another man to goe be­fore vs, it had been an impossible suite. Aaron might help to marre you, and himselfe; He could not make one hayre of a man: and do [Page 109] ye say, Make vs Gods? And what should those Gods doe? Go before you. How could they go before you, that cannot stand alone? your help makes them to stand, & yet they must conduct you. Oh the impatient ingratitude of carnall minds! Oh the sottishnes of Ido­latry! Who would not haue said: Moses is not with vs; but he is with God for vs: Hee staies long: He that called him, withholds him: His delay is for our sakes, as well as his ascent. Though we see him not, we will hope for him▪ His fa­uours to vs haue deserued, not to be reiected: Or, if God will keep him frō vs; he that withholds him, can supply him: He that sent him, can lead vs without him; His fire & cloud is alsufficient; God hath [Page 110] said and done enough for vs, to make vs trust him: We will, wee can haue no other God; wee care not for any other guide. But be­hold, heere none of this: Moses stayes but some fiue and thirty dayes, and now hee is forgotten, and is become but, This Moses: Yea God is forgotten with him; and: as if God and Moses had been lost at once, they say, Make vs Gods. Naturall men must haue God at their bent: and if he come not at a call, hee is cast off; and they take themselues to their owne shifts: like as the Chinois whip their God [...] when they an­swere them not; Whereas, his ho­ly ones wait long, and seek him; and not only in their sinking, but from the bottom of the deeps, [Page 111] call vpon him; and though hee kill them, will trust in him.

Superstition besots the minds of men, and blinds the eye of reason; and first makes them not men, ere it makes them Idolaters. How else could he, that is the i­mage of God, fall downe to the images of creatures? How could our forefathers haue so doted vpon stocks and stones, if they had been themselues? As the Sy­rians were first blinded, and then led into the midst of Samaria: so are Idolaters first bereaued of their wits and common sense, and afterwards are carryed brutishly into all palpable impietie.

Who would not haue beene a­shamed [Page 112] to heare this answer from the brother of Moses; Pluck off your Earings? Hee should haue said, Pluck this Idolatrous thought out of your hearts: and now in stead of chiding, he soothes them. And, as if hee had been no kin to Moses, he helps to lead them back againe from God, to Egypt. The people importun'd him, perhaps with threats. He that had waded through all the menaces of Pha­raoh, doth hee now shrinke at the threats of his owne? Moses is not afraide of the terrors of GOD: His faith that carryed him throgh the water, led him vp to the fire of Gods presence; whiles his brother Aaron feares the faces of those men, which hee lately saw pale with the feare of their glori­ous [Page 113] Law-giuer. As if hee that forbad other Gods, could not haue maintained his owne act, and agent, against men. Sudden feares when they haue possessed weak minds, lead them to shame­full errors. Importunitie or vi­olence may lessen, but they can­not excuse a fault. Wherfore was hee a gouernour, but to represse their disordered motions? Faci­lity of yeelding to a sinne, or woo­ing it with our voluntary suit, is an hyer stayre of euill: but, euen at last to be wonne to sin, is dam­nable. It is good to resist any on­set of sinne; but one condescent loses all the thanks of our oppo­sition. What will it auaile a man, that others are plagued for solici­ting him, whiles hee smarteth for [Page 114] yeelding; if both be in hell, what ease is it to him, that another is deeper in the pit?

What now did Aaron? Behold, he that alone was allow'd to climb vp the trembling and fiery hill of Sinai, with Moses, and heard God say, Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image, for I am a iealous God (as if hee meant particularly to preuent this act) within one moneth, calls for their earings, makes the grauen image of a Calfe; erects an altar, consecrates a day to it, calls it their God, and weeps not, to see them daunce before it. It is a miserable thing, vvhen gouernours humour the people in their sins, and in stead of making vp the breach, enlarge [Page 115] it. Sinne will take heart by the ap­probation of the meanest looker on; but if authority once second it, it growes impudent: As con­trarily, where the publique go­uernment opposes euill, (though it be vnder hand practised, not without feare) there is life in that state.

Aaron might haue learned bet­ter counsel of his brothers exam­ple: When they came to him with stones in their hands, and said, Giue vs water, hee ran as roundly to God, with praiers in his mouth; So should Aaron haue done, when they said, Giue vs Gods: but hee weakly runnes to their earings, that, which should be made their God; not to the true God, which [Page 116] they had and forsook. Who can promise to himselfe freedome from grosse infirmities, when hee that went vppe into the mount, comes downe, and doth that in the valley, which he heard forbid­den in the hill?

I see yet, and wonder at the mercy of that God, w ^ch had iustly called himselfe iealous. This ve­rie Aaron, whose infirmity had yeelded to so foule an idolatry; is after chosen by God, to be a Priest to himselfe: Hee that had set vp an altar to the Calfe, must serue at the altar of God: Hee that had melted, and carued out the Calfe for a god, must sacrifice calues and rams, and bullocks vnto the true God: He that con­secrated [Page 117] a day to the Idoll, is him­selfe consecrated to him which vvas dishonoured by the Idoll. The grossest of all sinnes cannot preiudice the calling of GOD; Yea, as the light is best seene in darknesse, the mercy of God is most magnified in our vnwoor­thinesse.

What a difference God puts between persons, and sins! While so many thousand Israelites were slaine, that had stomachfully de­sired the Idoll; Aaron that in weaknesse condescended, is both pardoned the fact, and afterwards laden with honour from GOD. Let no man take heart to sin from mercy: Hee that can purpose to sin vpon the knowledge of Gods [Page 118] mercy in the remission of infirmi­ties, presumes, and makes him­selfe a wilfull offender. It is no comfort to the wilfull, that there is remission to the weake and pe­nitent.

The earings are pluckt off: Egyptian Iewells are fit for an i­dolatrous vse. This very gold was contagious. It had been bet­ter the Israelites had neuer bor­rowed these ornaments, then that they should pay them back to the Idolatry of their first owners. What cost the superstitious Israe­lites are content to be at for this lewd deuotion? The riches, and pride of their outward habite are they willing to part with, to their molten god; as glad to haue their [Page 119] eares bare, that they might fill their eyes. No gold is too deare for their Idoll; each man is con­tent to spoyle his wiues and chil­dren of that whereof they spoiled the Egyptians.

Where are those worldlings, that cannot abide to be at any cost for their religion; which could be content to doe GOD chargelesse seruice? These very Israelites that were ready to giue gold, not out of their purses, but from their very eares, to mis-de­uotion, shall once condemne them. O sacriledge succeeding to superstition! Of old they were ready to giue gold to the false seruice of God; we to take away gold from the true: How doe [Page 120] we see men prodigal to their lusts and ambitions, and we hate not to be niggards to God?

This gold is now growne to a Calfe; Let no man thinke that forme came forth casually, out of the melted earings. This shape was intended by the Israelites, and perfected by Aaron: They brought this God in their hearts with them out of Egypt, and now they set it vp in their eyes. Still doth Egypt hurt them: Seruitude was the least euill, that Israel re­ceiues from Egypt; for that sent them stil to the true God, but this Idolatrous example led them to a false. The very sight of euill is dangerous: and it is hard for the heart not to runne into those sins [Page 121] to which the eye and eare is inu­red: Not out of loue, but custom, we fall into some offences.

The Israelites wrought so long in the furnaces of the Egyptians brick, that they haue brought foorth a molten Calfe. The black Calfe with the white spots, which they saw worshipped in E­gypt, hath stolne their hearts: And they, which before vvould haue beene at the Egyptian flesh­pots, would now be at their de­uotions. How many haue falne into a fashion of swearing, scof­fing, drinking, out of the vsuall practise of others; as those that liue in an ill aire are infected with diseases! A man may passe through Aethiopia vnchaunged: [Page 122] but hee cannot dwell there, and not be discoloured.

Their sinne was bad enough, let not our vncharitablenes make it worse: No man may think they haue so put off humanity, and sense, with their religion, as to thinke that Calfe, a God; or that this Idoll which they saw yester­day made, did bring them out of Egypt, three moneths agoe. This were to make them more beasts then that Calfe, which this image represented: Or if they should haue been so insensate, can wee thinke that Aaron could be thus desperately mad? The image, and the holy-day were both, to one Deity: Tomorrow is the holy­day of the Lord your God. It was [Page 123] the true God they meant to wor­ship in the Calfe: and yet at best, this Idolatry is shamefull. It is no maruell if this foule sinne seeke pretences; yet no excuse can hide the shame of such a face. Gods iealousie is not stirred onely by the riuality of a false God, but of a false worship: Nothing is more dangerous then to mint Gods seruices in our owne braine.

God sends downe Moses to re­medy this sinne. He could as ea­sily haue preuented, as redressed it. He knew, ere Moses came vp, what Israel would doe, ere hee came downe: like as he knew, the two Tables would be broken, ere he gaue them. God most wisely permits, and ordinates sinne to [Page 124] his owne ends, without our ex­cuse: And though he could easi­ly by his owne hands remedy e­uills; yet he will doe it, by means, both ordinary, and subordinate. It is not for vs to looke for an im­mediate redresse from GOD, when we haue a Moses, by whom it may be wrought: Since God himselfe expects this from man, why should man expect it from God?

Now might Moses haue found a time to haue been eeuen with Israell, for all their vnthankful­nes, and mutinous insurrections. Let me alone: I will consume them, and make thee a mighty Nation. Moses should not need to solicite God for reuenge; God solicites [Page 125] him, in a sort, for leaue to re­uenge: Who would look for such a word frō god to man, Let me alone? As yet Moses had said nothing; Before he opens his mouth, God preuents his importunity; as fore­seeing that holy violence, which the requests of Moses would offer to him. Moses stood trembling be­fore the maiesty of his Maker; & yet heares him say, Let me alones The mercy of our God, hath [...] were obliged his power, to the faith of men: The feruent pray­ers of the faithfull, hold the hands of the Almightie. As I finde it said afterwardes of Christ, that hee could doe no miracles there, be­cause of their vnbeliefe: So now I heare GOD (as if hee could not doe execution vppon Israel [Page 126] because of Moseses faith) say, Let mee alone that I may consume them.

Wee all naturally affect pro­prietie; and like our owne so much better, as it is freer from partners. Euery one would be glad to say, with that proud one, I am, and there is none beside me: So much the more sweetly would this message haue sounded to nature, I will consume them, and make of thee a mighty Nation. How many indeuour that (not with­out danger of curses and vprore) which vvas voluntarily tendred vnto Moses! Whence are our de­populations, and inclosures, but for that men cannot abide either fellowes, or neighbours? But how gratiously doth Moses striue with [Page 127] GOD against his owne prefer­ment? If God had threatned, I will consume thee, and make of them a mighty Nation, I doubt whether he could haue beene more mo­ued. The more a man can leaue himselfe behinde him, and aspire to a care of community, the more spirituall he is. Nothing makes a man so good a patriot, as reli­gion.

Oh the sweet disposition of Moses; fit for him that should bee familiar with God! hee saw they could be content to be merry, and happy without him; he would not bee happy vvithout them. They had professed to haue for­gotten him: hee slacks not to sue for them. He that will euer hope [Page 128] for good himselfe, must returne good for euill vnto others.

Yet was it not Israel so much that Moses respected, as God in Israell. He was thrifty and iealous for his Maker; and would not haue him lose the glory of his mighty deliuerances; nor would abide a pretence for any Egypti­an dogge, to barke against the powerfull worke of God; Where­fore shall the Egyptians say? If Is­raell could haue perished with­out dishonour to God, perhaps his hatred to their Idolatry would haue ouercome his naturall loue, and he had let God alone: Now so tender is hee ouer the name of God, that hee would rather haue Israel scape with a sin, then Gods [Page 129] glory should be blemished in the opinions of men, by a iust iudge­ment. He saw that the eyes and tongues of all the world were in­tent vppon Israel; a people so miraculously fetcht from Egypt, vvhome the Sea gaue vvay too; whom heauen fedde; whom the rock watred; whom the fire and cloud garded, which heard the audible voyce of God: He knew vvithall, how ready the vvorld would bee to misconstrue, and how the heathens would be rea­die to cast imputations of leuity, or impotence vpon GOD, and therefore saies, What will the E­gyptians say? Happy is that man, which can make Gods glory the scope of all his actions, and de­sires; neither cares for his owne [Page 130] welfare, nor fears the miseries of others, but with respect to God, in both. If God had not giuen Moses this care of his glory, hee could not haue had it: And now his goodnes takes it so kindly, as if himselfe had receiued a fauour from his creature; and for a re­warde of the grace hee hadde wrought, promises not to doe that, which he threatned.

But what needs God to care for the speech of the Egyptians; men, infidels? And if they had beene good, yet their censure should haue beene vniust. Shall God care for the tongues of men; the holy God, for the tongues of infidels? The very Israelites now they were from vnder the hands [Page 131] of Egypt, car'd not for their words; and shall the GOD of heauen regard that which is not worth the regard of men? Their tongues could not walke against God, but from himselfe; and if it could haue beene the worse for him, would he haue permitted it? But, O God, how dainty art thou of thine honour! that thou canst not indure the vvorst of men should haue any colour to taint it. What doe we men stand vpon our iustice, and innocence, with neglect of all vniust censures; when that infinite God, whom no censures can reach, wil not abide, that the very Egyptians should falsly taxe his power and mercy? Wise men must care not onely to deserue well, but to heare well: [Page 132] and to wipe off, not onely crimes, but censures.

There was neuer so pretious a monument, as the Tables writ­ten with Gods owne hand. If we see but the stone vvhich Iacobs head rested on; or, on which the foot of Christ did once tread; we looke vpon it with more then ordinary respect: With what eye should wee haue beheld this stone, which was hewed, and writ­ten with the very finger of God? Any manuscript scroll written by the hand of a famous man is laid vp amongst our iewels; What place then should we haue giuen to the hand-writing of the Al­mighty?

[Page 133] That which hee hath dictated to his seruants the Prophets, chal­lenges iust honour from vs; how dooth that deserue veneration, which his owne hand wrote im­mediately?

Prophecies and Euangelicall discourses hee hath written by o­thers; neuer did hee write any thing himselfe, but these Tables of the Law: neither did hee euer speak any thing audibly to whole mankinde, but it; The hand, the stone, the Law were all his. By how much more precious this re­cord was, by so much vvas the fault greater, of defacing it. What King holds it lesse then re­bellion to teare his writing, and blemish his seale?

[Page 134] At the first, hee ingraued his image in the Table of mans hart; Adam blurr'd the image, but (through Gods mercy) sav'd the Tablet. Now he writes his will in the Tables of stone, Moses breakes the Tables, and defac't the writing. If they had beene giuen him for himselfe, the au­thor, the matter, had deserv'd, that as they were written in stone, for permanency; So they should be kept for euer: and as they were euerlasting in vse, so they should bee in preseruation. Had they been written in clay, they could but haue been broken: But now they were giuen for all Israell, for all mankind. He was but the mes­senger, not the owner. Howsoe­uer [Page 135] therefore Israell had deser­ued by breaking this Couenant with GOD, to haue this monu­ment of Gods Couenant vvith them, broken by the same hand that wrote it: Yet how durst Mo­ses thus carelesly cast away the treasure of all the world; and by his hands vndoe that, which was with such cost and care, done by his Creator? How durst he faile the trust of that GOD, whose pledge he receiued with awe, and reuerence? Hee that expostula­ted with God, to haue Israel liue and prosper, why would hee de­face the rule of their life, in the keeping wherof they should pros­per? I see that forty dayes talk with God cannot bereaue a man of passionate infirmity: Hee that [Page 136] was the meekest vpon earth, in a sudden indignation abandons that, which in colde blood hee would haue held faster, then his life: He forgets the Law written, when he saw it broken; His zeale for GOD hath transported him from himselfe, and his duty to the charge of God: Hee more hates the golden Calfe, wherein hee saw ingrauen the Idolatry of Israell, then hee honor'd the Ta­bles of stone, wherein God had ingrauen his commandements: and more longed to deface the Idol, then hee cared to preserue the Tables. Yet that God, which so sharply reuenged the breach of one Law, vpon the Israelites, checks not Moses for breaking both the Tables of the Law. [Page 137] The Law of God is spirituall; the internall breach of one Law is so haynous, that in comparison of it God scarce counts the breaking of the outward Tables, a breach of the Law. The goodnes of God winks at the errours of honest zeale; and so loues the strength of good affections, that it passeth o­uer their infirmities: How high­ly God doth esteeme a well go­uerned zeale; vvhen his mercy crownes it with all the faults?

The Tables had not offended: the Calfe had, and Israel in it. Mo­ses takes reuenge on both: Hee burnes and stamps the Calfe to powder, and giues it Israel to drinke; that they might haue it in their guts, in stead of their eies: [Page 138] How he hasteth to destroy the I­doll wherein they sinned? that, as an Idoll is nothing, so it might be brought to nothing; and A­tomes and dust is nearest to no­thing: that in stead of going be­fore Israel, it might passe through them; so as the next day they might finde their God in their excrements; To the iust shame of Israel, when they should see their new God cannot defend himselfe, from being either no­thing, or worse.

Who can but wonder to see a multitude of so many hundred thousands (whē Moses came run­ning down the [...]ill) to turne their eies frō their god, to him; And on a sudden, in stead of worshipping [Page 139] their Idol, to batter it in pieces, in the very height of the nouelty? In stead of building altars, & kin­dling fires to it, to kindle an ho­ter fire, then that, wherewith it was melted, to consume it; In stead of dancing before it, to ab­horre and deface it; in stead of singing, to weep before it? There was neuer a more stiffe-necked people: Yet I doe not heare any one man of them say; Hee is but one man; We are many; how ea­sily may we destroy him, rather then he our god? If his brother durst not resist our motion in making it: Why will wee suffer him to dare resist the keeping of it? It is our act; and we will main­taine it. Here was none of this; but an humble obeysance to the [Page 140] basest and bloodiest reuenge that Moses shall impose. God hath set such an impression of Maiestie in the face of lawfull authoritie, that wickednesse is confounded in it selfe to behold it. If from hence visible powers were not more feared then the inuisible God, the world would be ouer­runne vvith outrage. Sinne hath such a guiltinesse in it selfe, that vvhen it is seasonably checked, it puls in his head, and seekes rather an hiding place, then a fort.

The Idoll is not capable of a further reuenge: It is not enough, vnlesse the Idolaters smart: The gold was good, if the Israelites had not beene euill: So great a [Page 141] sinne cannot be expiated vvith­out blood. Behold, that meeke spirite, vvhich in his plea vvith GOD vvould rather perish himself, then Israel should perish, armes the Leuites against their brethren, and reioyces to see thousands of the Israelites bleed, and blesses their executioners.

It was the mercy of Moses that made him cruell: Hee had beene cruell to all, if some had not found him cruell. They are mer­cilesse hands which are not some­times embrued in blood: There is no lesse charitie then iustice in punishing sinners vvith death; GOD delights no lesse in a kil­ling mercy, then in a pittifull iu­stice: Some tender hearts would [Page 140] [...] [Page 141] [...] [Page 142] bee ready to censure the rigor of Moses. Might not Israell haue re­pented & liued? Or, if they must die, must their brethrens hand be vpon them? Or if their throates must bee cut by their brethren, shall it be done in the very heat of their sinne? But they must learne a difference betwixt pitty, and fondnesse; mercy, and vniustice. Moses, had an hart as soft as theirs, but more hote; as pittiful, but wi­ser. Hee was a good Physician, and saw that Israel could not liue, vnlesse he bled: he therefore lets out this corrupt bloud, to saue the whole body. There cannot be a better sacrifice to God, then the bloud of malefactors: and this first sacrifice so pleased GOD in the hands of the Leuites, that hee [Page 143] would haue none but them, sacri­fice to him for euer. The blood of the Idolatrous Israelites clea­red that tribe from the blood of the innocent Si­chemites.

CONTEMPLATIONS. THE SIXT BOOKE.
The Vayle of Moses.

IT is a woonder, that neither Mo­ses nor any Israe­lite gathered vp the shiuers of the former Tables: Euery sheard of that stone, and euery letter of [Page 150] that writing had beene a relique woorth laying vppe: but hee well saw how headlong the peo­ple vvere to superstition; and how vnsafe it were, to feede that disposition in them.

The same zeale that burnt the Calfe to ashes, concealed the ru­ines of this Monument: Holy things besides their vse, chal­lenge no further respect. The breaking of the Tables did as good as blot out all the writing: and the vvriting defaced, left no vertue in the stone, no reue­rence to it.

If GOD had not been friends with Israell, hee had not renued [Page 151] his Law. As the Israelites were wilfullie blinde if they did not see GODs anger in the Ta­bles broken: so could they not but holde it a good signe of grace that GOD gaue them his Testimonies. There was nothing wherein Israel out-stripped all the rest of the world more, then in this priuiledge; the pledge of his couenant, the Law written with GODs owne hand. Oh what a fauour then is it, vvhere GOD bestowes his Gospell vpon any Nation? That was but a killing letter: this is the power of God to saluation.

Neuer is GOD throughlie displeased vvith any people, where that continues. For, like as those vvhich purposed loue, [Page 152] vvhen they fall off, call for their tokens backe againe: So vvhen GOD beginnes once perfectlie to mislike, the first thing hee withdrawes, is his Gos­pell.

Israel recouers this fauor, but with an abatement; Heaw thee two Tables. God made the first Ta­bles: The matter, the forme, was his; now, Moses must heaw the next: As God created the first man after his owne image; but that once defaced, Adam begat Cain after his owne: Or as the first Temple razed, a second was built; yet so farre short, that the Israelites wept at the sight of it, The first workes of God, are still the purest: those that hee secon­darily [Page 153] vvorkes by vs, decline in their perfection. It was reason, that though God had forgiuen Israel, they should still finde, they had sinned. They might see the foot-steps of displeasure, in the differences of the agent. When GOD had tolde Moses before, I will not go before Israel, but my Angel shall lead them; Moses so noted the difference, that hee re­sted not, till God himselfe vnder­tooke their conduct: So might the Israelites haue noted some re­mainders of offence, whiles in stead of that which his owne hand did formerly make, he saith now, Heaw thee; And yet these second Tables are kept reuerently in the Arke, when the other lay moul­dred in shiuers vpon Sinai; Like [Page 154] as the repayred image of God in our regeneration is preserued, perfited, and laid vp at last, safe in heauen; whereas the first image of our created innocence, is quite defaced: So the second Temple had the glory of Christs exhibiti­on, tho meaner in frame. The mer­ciful respects of God are not tyed to glorious out-sides; or the in­ward woorthinesse of things, or persons: Hee hath chosen the weake and simple to confound the wise, and mighty.

Yet God did this vvorke by Moses; Moses heawed, and God wrote: Our true Moses repayres that Law of GOD which wee in our nature had broken; Hee reuiues it for vs, and it is accep­ted [Page 155] of GOD no lesse then if the first characters of his Lavv had beene still entire. Wee can giue nothing but the Table: it is GOD that must write in it. Our hearts are but a bare-board, till GOD by his finger ingraue his Law in them; Yea, Lord, we are a rough quarrie; heaw thou vs out, and square vs fit for thee, to write vpon.

Well may wee maruell, to see Moses, after this ouersight, ad­mitted to this charge again: Who of vs would not haue said, Your care indeede deserues trust; you did so carefully keepe the first Tables, that it would doe well to trust you with such another bur­den.

[Page 156] It was good for Moses, that hee had to doe with GOD, not with men: The GOD of mercy will not impute the slippes of our in­firmity, to the preiudice of our faithfulnes. Hee that after the misse-answere of the one talent, would not trust the euill seruant with a second, because hee saw a wilfull neglect; will trust Moses with his second Law, because hee saw fidelitie in the worst errour of his zeale. Our charity must learne, as to forgiue, so to be­leeue vvhere vvee haue beene deceiued: Not that wee should wilfully beguile our selues in an vniust credulity, but that wee should search diligentlie into [Page 157] the disposition of persons, and grounds of their actions; per­haps none maie bee so sure, as they that haue once disappointed vs. Yea Moses brake the first; therefore hee must heaw the se­cond: If GOD had broken them, hee would haue repay­red them; The amends must bee where the fault was. Both GOD, and his Church looke for a satisfaction, in that where­in wee haue offended.

It was not long since Moses his former fast of fortie dayes: When he then came down from the hill, his first question vvas not for meate: and now going vppe againe to Sinai, hee takes [Page 158] not any repast with him: That GOD which sent the Quayles to the host of Israel, and Man­na from heauen, coulde haue fedde him with dainties: Hee goes vppe confidently in a se­cure trust of GODs prouisi­on. There is no life to that of faith; Man liues not by bread onely: The vision of GOD did not onely sate, but feast him. VVhat a blessed satiety shall there bee, when wee shall see him as hee is; and hee shall bee all in all to vs; since this verie frayle mortalitie of Mo­ses▪ vvas sustained, and comfor­ted, but with representations of his presence.

[Page 159] I see Moses the receiuer of the Lavv, Elias the restorer of the Lavv, CHRIST the ful­filler of the olde Law, and au­thour of the nevv, all fasting fortie dayes: and these three great fasters I finde together glorious in Mount Tabor. Ab­stinence merits not; For Reli­gion consists not in the bellie, either full or emptie: what are meates, or drinkes to the king­dome of God, vvhich is like him­selfe, spirituall? But it prepares best for good dutyes. Full bel­lies are fitter for rest: not the bo­dy, so much as the soule, is more actiue with emptines; Hence so­lemne prayer takes euer fasting to attend it, and so much the ra­ther [Page 160] speeds in heauen, when it is so accompanied. It is good so to diet the body, that the soule may be fatned.

When Moses came downe be­fore, his eyes sparkled with an­ger; and his face was beth inter­changeably pale, and red with indignation: now it is bright with glorie. Before, there were the flames of fury in it; now the beames of Maiestie. Moses had before spoken with GOD; why did not his face shine before? I cannot lay the cause vpon the inward trouble of his passions, for this brightnes was externall. Whither shall we impute it but to his more intirenesse with God?

[Page 161] The more familiar acquain­tance wee haue with GOD, the more doe wee partake of him. Hee that passes by the fire, may haue some gleames of heat: but hee that stands by it hath his co­lour chaunged. It is not possi­ble a man should haue any long conference with GOD, and bee no whit affected. Wee are strangers from GOD, it is no woonder if our faces bee earth­lie; but hee that settes himselfe apart to GOD, shall finde a kinde of maiestie, and awfull re­spect put vpon him, in the minds of others.

How did the heart of Mo­ses [Page 162] shine with illumination when his face was thus lightsome? And if the flesh of Moses in this base composition, so shined by con­uersing with GOD fortie dayes in Sinai; What shall our glory bee, when clothed with incor­ruptible bodies we shall conuerse with him for euer, in the highest heauen?

Now his face onely shone: af­terwardes the three disciples saw all his bodie shining. The na­ture of a glorified body, the clea­rer vision, the immediate pre­sence of that fountaine of glory, challenge a farre greater resplen­dence to our faces, then his. O GOD, wee are content that our faces bee blemished awhile [Page 163] vvith contempt, and blubbred vvith teares; how can wee but shine vvith Moses, vvhen wee shall see thee more then Mo­ses?

The brightnesse of Moseses face reflected not vpon his owne eyes: Hee shone bright and knew not of it: Hee saw Gods face glorious, hee did not thinke others had so seene his. How manie haue excellent graces, and perceiue them not? Our owne sense is an ill iudge of GODs fauours to vs; Those that stand by, can conuince vs in that which vvee denie to our selues. Heere belowe, it is enough, if wee can shine in the eyes of others; a­boue, wee shall shine, and knowe [Page 164] it. At this instant, Moses sees himselfe shine: then, hee nee­ded not. GOD meant not that hee should more esteeme himselfe, but that hee should be more honoured of the Israelites: That other glorie shall be for our owne happinesse, and therefore requires our knowledge.

They that did but stand still, to see anger in his face; ranne a­way to see glory in it: Before, they had desired that God would not speake to them any more but by Moses; and now that GOD doth but looke vpon them in Mo­ses, they are afraide; and yet there was not more difference betwixt the voyces, then the fa­ces of GOD and Moses. This [Page 165] should haue drawen Israel to Mo­ses so much the more, to haue seene this impression of Diuinity in his face.

That which should haue com­forted, affrights them: Yea Aaron himselfe, that before went vppe into the mount to see and speake with God, now is afraide to see him that had seene GOD: Such a feare there is in guiltinesse, such confidence in innocencie. When the soule is once cleared from sinne, it shall runne to that glorie, with ioy, the least glimpse whereof now appalles it, and sends it awaie in terrour. Howe could the Israelites now choose but thinke; How shall vvee abide to looke GOD [Page 166] in the face, since our eyes are dazeled with the face of Moses? And well may wee still argue, If the image of GOD, which hee hath sette in the fleshy forehead of authoritie daunt vs; how shall wee stand before the dreadful tri­bunall of heauen?

Moses maruels to see Israell runne away from their guide, as from their enemy; and lookes backe to see if hee could dis­cerne anie new cause of feare; & not conceiuing how his milde face could affray them, calls them to stay, and retire. Oh my peo­ple, vvhome doo you flee? It is for your sakes, that I ascen­ded, stayd, came downe: Be­hold, here are no armed Leuites [Page 167] to strike you, no Amalekites, no Egyptians to pursue you, no fires and thunders to dismay you. I haue not that rodde of GOD in my hand, which you haue seen to command the Elements: or if I had; so farre am I from pur­posing any rigour against you, that I now lately haue appeased God towards you; and lo, heere the pledges of his reconciliation. God sends me to you for good; & doe you runne from your best friend? Whither will ye goe from me; or without mee? Stay, and hear the charge of that God, from whom ye cannot flee.

They perceiue his voyce the same, though his face were chan­ged, and are perswaded to stay, [Page 168] and returne and heare him, vvhome they dare not see; and now after manie doubtfull pa­ses approching nearer, dare tell him hee was growne too glo­rious.

Good Moses, finding that they durst not looke vpon the sunne of his face, cloudes it vvith a vayle: Choosing rather to hide the worke of God in him, then to want opportunitie of reuealing GODs will, to his people: I doe not heare him stand vppon tearmes of reputation; If there be glorie in my face, God put it there; hee would not haue pla­ced it so conspicuously, if hee had meant it should be hid: Hide yee your faces rather, which are [Page 169] blemished with your sin; and look not that I should wrong God and my selfe, to seeme lesse happy, in fauour of your weakenesse. But without all selfe-respects, he mo­destly hides his glorified face; and cares not their eyes should pierce so farre, as to his skin, on condition, that his wordes may pierce into their eares. It is good for a man sometimes to hide his graces; Some talents are best im­proued by being laid vp: Moses had more glory by his vayle, then by his face. Christian modesty teaches a wise man, not to expose himselfe to the fayrest show, and to liue at the vtmost pitch of his strength.

There is many a rich stone [Page 170] laide vp in the bowels of earth; many a faire pearle laide vp in the bosome of the Sea, that ne­uer was seene, nor neuer shal be. There is many a goodly starre, which because of height comes not within our account: How did out true Moses with the vayle of his flesh, hide the glorie of his Deity, and put on vilenesse, besides the laying aside of Ma­iesty; and shut vp his great and Diuine Miracles, with, See you tell no man. How farre are those spirits from this, which care one­ly to be seene; and wish onely to dazle others eyes with admi­ration, not caring for vnknowne riches? But those yet more, vvhich desire to seeme aboue themselues, whether in parts, or [Page 171] graces; vvhose vayle is fayrer then their skinne. Modest faces shall shine through their vayles, when the vain-glorious shall be­wray their shame, through their couering.

That GOD, which gaue his Law in smoke, deliuered it a­gaine, through the vayle of Mo­ses. Israel coulde not looke to the ende of that, which should be abolished; for the same cause had GOD a vayle vppon his owne face, which hidde his pre­sence in the holy of holies. Now as the vayle of GOD did rend, when hee said, It is finished; so the vayle of Moses was then pul­led off: Wee clearely see Christ, the ende of the Law; Our Ioshua [Page 172] that succeeded Moses, speakes to vs bare-faced: what a shame is it there should be a vayle vpon our hearts, when there is none on his face?

When Moses went to speake with GOD, hee pull'd off his vayle; It was good reason hee should present to GOD, that face which hee had made: There had beene more neede of his vayle, to hide the glorious face of GOD from him, then to hide his from GOD: but his faith and thankfulnesse, serue for both these vses. Hypocrites are con­trary to Moses; hee show'd his worst to men, his best to GOD; they show their best to men, their worst to GOD: but GOD sees [Page 173] both their vayle, and their face; & I knowe not, whether he more hates their vayle of dissimu­lation, or their face of wickednesse.

Nadab and Abihu.

THat GOD, vvhich show'd himself to men in fire, when he deli­uered his Law; would haue men present their sacrifices to him in fire; And this fire hee would haue his owne: that there might be a iust circulation in this creature; as the water sends vp those vapours, which it receiues, downe againe in raine. Herevp­on it was, that fire came downe from God, vnto the altar: That as the charge of the sacrifice was [Page 175] deliuered in fire and smoke; so God might signifie the accepta­tion of it, in the like fashion wher­in it was commanded. The Baa­lites might lay ready their bul­lock vpon the wood, and water in their trench: but they might sooner fetch the blood out of their bodyes, and destroy themselues, then one flash out of heauen to consume the sacrifice. That di­uell, which can fetch downe fire from heauen, either maliciously, or to no purpose; (altho hee a­bound with fire; and did as fer­uently desire this fire in emulati­on to God, as euer hee desired mitigation of his owne) yet now, hee could no more kindle a fire for the Idolatrous sacrifice, then quench the flames of his owne [Page 176] torment. Herein God approoues himselfe onely woorthy to be sa­crificed vnto, that he creates the fire for his owne seruice; where­as the impotent Idols of the hea­then, must fetch fire from their neighbours kitchen; and them­selues are fit matter for their bor­rowed fire.

The Israelits (that were led too much with sense) if they had seen the bullock consumed with a fire fetcht from a common hearth, could neuer haue acknowledged what relation the sacrifice had to GOD; had neuer perceiued that God took notice of the sacrifice: but now they see the fire cōming out, from the presence of God, they are conuinced both of the [Page 177] power and acceptation of the Al­mighty; They are at once ama­zed, and satisfied to see the same God answer by fire, which before had spoken by fire: God doth no lesse approue our Euangelical sa­crifices, then theirs vnder the law; But as our sacrifices are spirituall, so are the signes of his acceptati­on; Faith is our guide, as sense was theirs. Yea euen still, doth God testify his approbation by sensible euidences: when by a liuely faith, and feruent zeale, our harts are consecrated to GOD, then doth his heauenly fire come downe vpon our sacrifices; Then are they holy, liuing, acceptable. This flame, that GOD kindled, was not as som momentany bon­fire, for a suddaine, and short [Page 178] Triumph, nor as a domesticall fyre, to goe out with the day; but is giuen for a perpetuitie, & nei­ther must die, nor be quenched. God, as he is himself, eternal; so he loues permanency, & constancie of grace in vs: If we be but a flash and away, God regards vs not; all promises are to perseuerance. Sure, it is but an elementary fyre, that goes out; that which is cele­stiall, continues: it was but some presumptuous heat in vs, that de­cayes vpon euery occasion.

But hee that miraculously sent down this fyre, at first, will not re­nue the miracle euery day, by a like supply; it began immediatly from God, it must bee nourished by meanes. Fuell must maintaine that fyre, which came from hea­uen; [Page 179] God wil not worke miracles euery day: if he haue kindled his spirit in vs, we may not expect he shall euery day begin again; wee haue the fuell of the word and sa­craments, praiers, & meditations, which must keep it in for euer. It is frō God that these helps can nou­rish his graces in vs; like as euery flame of our materiall fyre, hath a concourse of prouidence; but we may not expect new infusions: ra­ther know, that God expects of vs an improuement of those habitu­all graces we haue receiued.

Whiles the people with fear and ioy see God lighting his own fire, fire from heauen, the two sons of Aaron, in a careless presumption, will be seruing him with a cōmon [Page 180] flame; As if hee might not haue leaue to choose the formes of his own worship. If this had bin done some ages after, when the memo­ry of the originall of this heauen­ly fire had bin worne out, it might haue bin excused with ignorance: but now, when God had newlie sent his fire from aboue, newly commaunded the continuance of it; either to let it go out, or whiles it still flamed, to fetch profane coales to Gods altar, could sauor of no lesse then presumption, and sacriledge: when wee bring zeale without knowledge, misconceits of faith, carnall affections, the deuises of our will-worship, su­perstitious deuotions into Gods seruice; wee bring common fire to his altar; these flames were ne­uer [Page 181] of his kindling; He hates both altar, fire, priest & sacrifice. And now behold; the same fire vvhich consumed the sacrifice before, consumes the sacrificers. It vvas the signe of his acceptation in consuming the beast; but whiles it destroyed men, the fearfull signe of his displeasure. By the same meanes can GOD bewray both loue, & hatred. We would haue pleaded for Nadab and Abthu; They are but yong men, the sons of Aaron, not yet warme in their function; let both age, & bloud, and inexperience excuse them, as yet. No pretences, no priuiled­ges can beare off a sin with God: Men think either to patronize, or mitigate euils, by their fained rea­sons. That no man may hope the [Page 182] plea either of birth, or of youth, or of the first commission of euil, may challenge pardon. I see heer young men, sonnes of the Ruler of Israel, for the first offence strooke dead.

Yea, this made God the more to stomach, and the rather to re­uenge this impietie, because the sons of Aaron did it. God had both pardoned & graced their father, he had honored thē; of the thou­sands of Israel, culling them out for his altar: and now, as their fa­ther set vp a false God, so they bring false fire vnto the true God. If the sonnes of Infidels liue god­lesly, they doe their kinde; their punishment shall be (though iust) yet lesse: but if the children of [Page 183] religious parents, after all Chri­stian nourture, shall shame their Education, GOD takes it more haynously, and reuenges it more sharply. The more bonds of du­ty, the more plagues of neglect.

If from the agents, we looke to the act it selfe; set aside the origi­nall descent, & vvhat difference vvas there betwixt these fyres? Both lookt alike, heated alike, a­scended alike, consumed alike: Both were fedde with the same materiall wood, both vanished in­to smoake; There was no diffe­rence, but in the commandement of God. If God had inioyned ordi­nary fyre, they had sinned to look for celestiall; now he commaun­ded onely the fire which hee sent: [Page 184] they sinned in sending vp incense, in that fire, which he commaun­ded not. It is a dangerous thing in the seruice of God to decline from his owne institutions; vvee haue to do with a power which is wise to prescribe his own worship, iust to require what he hath pre­scribed, powerfull to reuenge that which he hath not required.

If God had strooke them with some leprosie in their forehead, as he did their Aunt Miriam, soon after, or with some palsy, or lin­gering consumption, the punish­ment had been grieuous: but he, whose iudgments are euer iust, sometimes secret, saw fire the fit­test reuenge, for a sin of fire; his owne fire, fittest to punish strange [Page 185] fire; A suddaine iudgement, fitte for a present, and exemplary sin; Hee saw, that if hee had winkt at this, his seruice had been exposed to profanation. It is wisedome in Gouernours to take sinne at the first bound; and so to reuenge it, that their punishments may bee preuentions. Speed of death, is not alwaies a iudgement; sudden­nes, as it is euer iustly suspicable, so then certainely argues anger, when it findes vs in an act of sin. Leasure of repentance is an argu­ment of fauour: when God giues a man lawe, it implyes that hee would not haue iudgement sur­prise him.

Doubtlesse Aaron lookt some­what heauily on this sad spectacle; [Page 186] It could not but appall him, to see his two sonnes dead before him, dead in displeasure, dead sudden­ly, dead by the immediat hand of God. And now hee could repent him of his new honor, to see it suc­ceed so ill, with the sonnes of his loines; neither could he chuse, but see himself striken in them. But his brother Moses, that had learned not to knowe either nephews, or brother, when they stood in his way to God, wisely turned his eies from the dead carcasses of his sonnes, to his respect of the li­uing GOD; My Brother, this euent is fearefull, but iust; These vvere thy sonnes, but they sin­ned; it vvas not for GOD, it is not for thee, to looke so much who they were, as what they did. [Page 187] It was their honor and thine, that they were chosen to minister be­fore the Lord: Hee that called them, iustly required their sancti­fication, and obedience. If they haue profaned God, and them­selues; can thy naturall affection so miscary thee, that thou coul­dest wish their impunity, with the blemish of thy Maker? Our sons are not ours, if they disobey our Father: to pitty their misery, is to partake of their sinne; If thou grudge at their iudgement, take heed least the same fyre of GOD come forth vpon this strange fyre of nature. Showe now whether thou more louest GOD, or thy sonnes; Show whether thou be a better father, or a sonne.

[Page 188] Aaron, weighing these things, holds his peace, not out of an a­mazement, or fullennesse, but out of patient and humble submissi­on; and seeing Gods pleasure, & their desert, is content to forget, that he had sons. He might haue had a silent tongue, and a clamo­rous hart; There is no voice low­der in the eares of GOD, then a a speechless repining of the soule. Heat is more intended with kee­ping in; but Aarons silence was no lesse inward: Hee knew how little hee should get by brauling with GOD. If hee breathed out discontentment, hee saw GOD could speake fire to him againe; And therefore he quietly submits to the will of God; and held his peace, because the Lord had done [Page 189] it. There is no greater proofe of grace, then to smart patiently; & humbly and contentedly to rest the hart in the iustice, & wisdome of Gods proceeding; and to be so far from chiding, that we dispute not. Nature is froward; and tho she well knowes wee meddle not with our match, when wee striue with our Maker, yet she pricks vs forward to this idle quarrell; and bids vs with Iobs wife, Curse and die. If God either chide, or smite, (as seruants are charged to their Maisters) we may not answere a­gaine; when Gods hand is on our backe, our hand must bee on our mouth: else, as mothers do their children, God shall whippe vs so much the more for crying.

[Page 190] It is hard for a stander by, in this case to distinguish betwixt hard­hartednes, and pietie. There Aa­ron sees his sons ly; hee may nei­ther put his hand to them, to bury them, nor shed a teare for theyr death. Neuer parent can haue iu­ster cause of mourning, then to see his sons dead in their sinne; if prepared, and penitent, yet vvho can but sorrow for their end: but to part with children, to the dan­ger of a second death, is woorthy of more then teares. Yet Aaron must learne so farre to denie na­ture, that hee must more magnify the iustice of GOD, then lament the iudgement. Those vvhom GOD hath called to his imme­diat seruice, must knowe that hee will not allow them the common [Page 191] passions, and cares of others. No­thing is more naturall then sor­row for the death of our owne: if euer griefe bee seasonable, it be­coms a funerall. And if Nadab & Abihu had died in their beds, this fauour had been allowed them, the sorow of their father and bre­thren: for when GOD forbids solemne mourning to his Priests, ouer the dead, he excepts the ca­ses of this neerenesse of bloud. Now all Israel may mourne for these two; onely the father and brethren may not. God is iealous, least their sorow should seeme to countenance the sinne, which he had punished: euen the fearfullest acts of GOD must bee applau­ded by the heauiest hearts of the faithfull.

[Page 192] That which the father & bro­ther may not doe, the cozens are commanded: Dead carcasses are not for the presence of GOD; His iustice was showne sufficient­ly in killing them: They are now fit for the graue, not the sanctua­rie: Neither are they carried out naked, but in their coats. It was an vnusuall sight for Israell to see a linnen Ephod vpon the beere; The iudgement vvas so much more remarkable, because they had the badge of their calling vp­on their backs. Nothing is either more pleasing vnto God, or more cōmodious to men, then that whē hee hath executed iudgement, it should be seene and wondred at; for therefore he strikes some, that he may warne all.

Aaron and Miriam.

THe Israelites are staied seuen daies in the stati­on of Hazzeroth, for the punishment of Mi­riam. The sinnes of the Gouer­nors are a iust stop to the people; all of them smart in one; all must stay the leasure of Miriams reco­uery. Whosoeuer seeks the Land of Promise, shall finde many lets; Amalek, Og, Sehon, & the Kings of Canaan meet with Israel: these re­sisted, but hindred not their pas­sage; their sinnes only staie them [Page 194] from remoouing. Afflictions are not crosses to vs, in the way to heauen, in comparison to our sinnes.

What is this I see? Is not this Aaron, that was brother in nature, and by office ioynt-commissio­ner with Moses? Is not this Aaron, that made his brother an interces­sor for him, to God, in the case of his Idolatry? Is not this Aaron, that climbd vp the hill of Sinai, with Moses? Is not this Aaron, whom the mouth and hand of Moses consecrated an high Priest vnto GOD? Is not this Miri­am, the elder sister of Moses? Is not this Miriam, that ledde the triumph of the vvomen, & sung gloriously to the Lord? Is not [Page 195] this Miriam, which laid her bro­ther Moses in the Reedes, and fetcht her Mother to bee his Nurse? Both, Prophets of GOD; both, the flesh and bloud of Mo­ses: And dooth this Aaron re­pine at the honour of him, which gaue himselfe that honour, and saued his life? Dooth this Miri­am repine at the prosperitie of him vvhose life shee saued? Who vvould not haue thought, this should haue beene their glorie, to haue seene the glorie of their owne Brother? What could haue bin a greater comfort to Miriam, then to think; How happily▪ doth hee now sit at the steine of Israel, vvhom I saued from perishing in aboat of bulrushes! It is to mee, that Israel owes this commander; [Page 194] [...] [Page 195] [...] [Page 196] But now enuy hath so blinded their eyes, that they can neither see this priuiledge of nature, nor the honour of Gods choice. Mi­riam and Aaron, are in mutiny a­gainst Moses. Who is so holy that sinnes not? what sinne is so vnna­turall, that the best can avoide without God? But what weaknes soeuer may pleade for Miriam, who can but grieue to see Aaron at the end of so many sinnes? Of late, I saw him caruing the molten Image, and consecrating an altar to a false GOD: now I see him seconding an vnkinde mutinie a­gainst his brother: Both sinnes finde him accessarie, neither prin­cipall. It was not in the power of the legall priesthood to perform, or promise innocencie to her mi­nisters: [Page 197] It was necessary we shold haue another high Priest, vvhich could not be tainted. That King of righteousnes, was of another order; Hee being without sinne, hath fully satisfied for the sins of men. Whom can it now offend, to see the blemishes of the Euange­lical priesthood, when Gods fyrst high priest is thus miscaried?

Who can looke for loue & pro­sperity at once, when holy, and meeke Moses finds enmity in his own flesh & bloud? Rather then we shall want, A mans enemies shal be those of his own house. Authori­tie cannot faile of opposition, if it be neuer so mildly swayed: that common make-bate will rather raise it out of our owne bosome; [Page 198] To doe well, and heare ill, is princely.

The Midianitish wife of Moses, cost him deare. Before, shee ha­zarded his life; now, the fauour of his people: Vnequall matches are sildom prosperous. Although now, this scandall was only taken: Enuy was not wife enough to chuse a ground of the quarrell. Whether some secret & emulato­rie brawles passed between Zip­porah and Miriam, (as many times these sparks of priuate brawles, grow into a perilous & common flame) or whether now that Ie­thro & his family was ioyned with Israel, there vvere surmises of transporting the gouernment to strangers; or whether this vnfit [Page 199] choice of Moses, is now raised vp to disparage Gods gifts in him; E­uen in sight, the exceptions were friuolous: Emulation is curious; and out of the best person, or act, will raise something to cauil at.

Seditions do not euer look the same way they mooue; Wise men can easily distinguish betwixt the visor of actions, and the face. The wife of Moses is mentioned, his superiority is shot at. Pride is lightly the ground of all sedition. Which of their faces shined like Moses? Yea, let him but haue drawen his vaile, which of them durst look on his face? Which of them had fasted twise 40. dayes? Which of them ascended vp to the roppe of Sinai, and vvas hid [Page 200] with smoake, and fire? Which of them receiued the Law twise in two seuerall tables, from Gods own hand? And yet they dare say, Hath God spoken onely by Moses? They do not deny Moses his ho­nour, but they challenge a part with him: and as they were the el­der in nature, so they would be e­quall in dignity, equall in admini­stration. According to her name, Miriam would bee exalted. And yet how vnfit were they? One, a woman, whom her sex debarred from rule; the other a Priest, whom his office sequestred from earthly gouernment. Selfe-loue makes men vnreasonable, and teaches them to turne the glasse, to see themselues bigger, others lesse then they are. It is an hard [Page 201] thing for a man, willingly and gladly to see his equalls lifted o­uer his head, in worth and opini­on. Nothing wil more try a mans grace, then questions of emulati­on. That man hath true light, which can be content to be a can­dle before the sun of others.

As no wrong can escape God; so least of all those which are of­fred to Princes: He that made the eare, needs no intelligence of our tongues. Wee haue to doe with a GOD, that is light of hearing; wee cannot whisper any euill so secretly, that hee should not cry out of noyse; and what need wee any further euidence, vvhen our Iudge is our witnesse?

[Page 202] Without any delation of Mo­ses, GOD heares, and challenges them. Because he was meek, ther­fore he complained not: Because he was meek, & complained not, therefore the Lord struck in for him, the more. The lesse a man striues for himselfe, the more is GOD his Champion. It is the honour of great persons, to vn­dertake the patronage of their clients: How much more vvill GOD reuenge his Elect, which cry to him, day and night? Hee that said, I seeke not mine owne glorie, addes, But there is one that seekes it, and iudges. GOD takes his part euer, that fights not for himselfe.

[Page 203] No man could haue giuen more proofes of his courage, then Moses. Hee slew the Egyp­tian; Hee confronted Pharaoh in his ovvne Court; Hee beat the Midianite Shepheards; Hee feared not the troopes of Egypt; Hee durst looke GOD in the face, amiddst all the terrours of Sinai: and yet that Spirit, vvhich made, and knevv his heart▪ sayes, Hee vvas the mil­dest man vpon earth. Mildnesse and Fortitude may vvell lodge together in one breast; to cor­rect the misconceits of those men, that thinke none valiant, but those that are fierce, and cruell.

[Page 204] No sooner is the word out of Miriams mouth, then the word of Gods reproofe meets it; How he bestirres him, and will be at once seene and heard, when the name of Moses is in question! Moses was zealously careful for Gods glory, & now God is zealous for his. The remuneratiōs of the almighty, are infinitely gracious; Hee cannot want honour, and patronage, that seekes the honour of his Maker. The ready way to true glorie, is goodnesse.

GOD might haue spoken so loud, that heauen & earth should haue heard it; so as they should not haue needed to come foorth for audience: but now, he calls them out to the barre, that they [Page 205] may be seene to heare. It did not content him, to chide them with­in doores; the shame of their fault had beene lesse in a priuate rebuke: but the scandall of their repining was publique. Where the sinne is not afraid of the light, God loues not the reproofe shold be smothered.

They had depressed Moses, GOD aduaunces him; They had equalled themselues to Mo­ses, God preferres him to them. Their plea was, that God had spo­ken by them, as well as Moses: Gods reply is, That hee hath in a more entire fashion spoken to Moses, then them. GOD spake to the best of them, but either in their dreame, sleeping; or in [Page 206] vision, waking. But to Moses, hee spake with more inward illumi­nation; with more liuely repre­sentation: To others, as a stran­ger; to Moses, as a friend. GOD had neuer so much magnified Moses to them, but for their en­uie. Wee cannot deuise to plea­sure Gods seruants, so much as by despighting them.

God was angry when he chode them, but more angry when hee departed. The withdrawing of his presence, is the presence of his wrath. Whiles he staies to re­proue, there is fauour in his dis­pleasure; but when he leaues ey­ther man, or Church, there is no hope, but of vengeance. The finall absence of GOD, is hell it selfe. [Page 207] When hee forsakes vs (tho for a time) it is an introduction to his vtmost iudgement. It was time to looke for a iudgement, when God departed: so soone as hee is gone frō the eies of Miriam, the leprosy appears in her face: her foul tong is punished with a foul face. Since she would acknowledge no diffe­rence betwixt her selfe, and her brother Moses, euery Israelite now sees his face glorious, hers le­prous. Deformity is a fit cure of Pride. Because the venom of her tongue, wold haue eaten into the reputation of her brother, there­fore a poysonous infection eates into her flesh. Now both Mo­ses, and Miriam, neede to vveare a vayle: the one to hide his glo­ry; the other, her deformity. That [Page 208] Midianite, Zipporah, vvhom shee scorned, was beautifull in respect of her.

Miriam was striken, Aaron esca­ped: both sinned; his priesthood could not rescue him; the great­nesse of his dignitie, did but adde to the haynousnes of his sinne: his repentance freed him; Alas, my Lord, I beseech thee, lay not this sin vpon vs, which we haue foo­lishly committed. I wonder not to see Aaron free, while I see him penitent; This very confession sa­ued him before, from bleeding for Idolatry, which now preserues him from leprosie, for his enui­ous repining. The vniuersall an­tidote for all the iudgements of God, is our humble repentance.

[Page 209] Yea, his sad deprecation pre­uayled, both to to cleare himselfe and recouer Miriam; The bro­ther sues for himselfe and his si­ster, to that brother, whom they both emulated, for pardon from himselfe, and that God which was offended in him. Where now is that equalitie which was preten­ded? Beholde hee that so lately made his brother his fellow, now makes him, his God: Lay not this sinne vpon vs; Let her not be as one dead: As if Moses had imposed this plague, and could remoue it. Neuer any oppo­sed the seruants of GOD, but one time or other they haue been constrained to confesse a superi­ority.

[Page 210] Miriam would haue wounded Moses with her tongue; Moses would heale her, with his O Lord heale her now: The wrong is the greater, because his sister did it. He doth not say, I sought not her shame, she sought mine; if God haue reuenged it, I haue no reason to looke on her, as a sister, who lookt at mee, as an aduersarie: But, as if her leprosie were his; Hee cryes out for her cure. O admirable meeknesse of Moses! His people the Iewes rebelled against him; GOD profers re­uenge; Hee would rather die, then they should perish: His Sister rebells against him; GOD workes his reuenge: Hee will not giue GOD peace, till she [Page 211] bee recured. Beholde a woor­thy and noble patterne for vs to followe. How farre are they from this disposition, who are not onely content GOD should re­uenge; but are ready to preuent GODs reuenge with their own?

GODs Loue to Moses suffers him not to obtaine presently his sute for Miriam; His good nature to his Sister, made him pray a­gainst himselfe. If the iudgement had beene at once inflicted, and remoued, there had beene no ex­ample of terrour for others: God either denies or differs the graunt of our requests, for our good; It were wide for vs, if our suites should be euer heard. It was fit for all parts, Miriam should con­tinue [Page 212] some-while leprous. There is no policy in a sudden remouall of iust punishment: vnlesse the raine so fall that it lie, and soke in­to the earth, it profits nothing. If the iudgements of God should be onely as passengers, and not soiourners at least, they would be no whit regarded.

The Searchers of Canaan.

I Can but woonder at the counsell of God; If the Israelites hadde gone on to Canaan, without inquiry, their confidence had possessed it: now they send to espy the Land, sixe hundred thousand of them neuer liued to see it: And yet I see GOD in­ioyning them to send; but inioy­ning it, vppon their instance. Some things GOD allowes, in iudgement; Their importunitie, and distrust extorted from God [Page 214] this occasion of their ouerthrow. That which the Lord mooues vn­to, prospers; but that which we mooue him to, first, seldome suc­ceedeth. VVhat needed they doubt of the goodnesse of that Land, which God tolde them did flowe with milke and hony? What needed they to doubt of obtai­ning that, which God promised to giue? When we will send forth our senses to be our scouts in the matters of faith, and rather dare trust men, then God, we are wor­thy to be deceiued.

The basest sort of men are commonlie held fit enough for intelligencers; but Moses, to make sure work, chooseth forth the best of Israel, such as were like to be [Page 215] most iudicious in their inquirie; and most credible in their report. Those that ruled Israel at home, could best descry for thē abroad; What should direct the body but the head? Men can iudge but by appearance; It is for him onely that sees the euent, ere hee ap­point the meanes, not to be de­ceiued. It had beene better for Israel to haue sent the offal of the multitude: By how lesse the cre­dit of their persons is, by so much lesse is the danger of seducement. The errour of the mighty is ar­med with authority, and in a sort commaunds assent; whether in good or euill, greatnes hath e­uer a traine to followe it at the heeles.

[Page 216] Forty dayes they spent in this search; and this cowardly vnbe­leefe in the search, shall cost them forty yeeres delay of the frui­tion. Who can abide to see the rulers of Israel so basely timo­rous? They commend the Land, the fruit commends it selfe, and yet they plead difficulty: Wee be not able to goe vp. Their shoul­ders are laden with the grapes; and yet their hearts are ouerlaid with vnbeliefe: It is an vnwoor­thy thing to plead hardnes of at­chieuing, where the benefit will more then requite the indeuour. Our Land of Promise is aboue; we knowe the fruit therof is sweet and glorious; the passage difficult. The giantly sonnes of Anak (the [Page 217] powers of darknesse) stand in our way: If wee sit downe and com­plaine, we shall once knowe, that without shall be the fearefull.

See the idle pleas of distrust; We are not able: They are stronger. Could not God inable them? was he not stronger then their giants? Had he not promised to displace the Canaanites, to settle them in their stead? How much more ea­sie is it for vs to spy their weak­nes, then for them to espy the strength of their aduersaries: When wee measure our spirituall successe by our owne power, we are vanquished, before we fight: Hee that would ouercome, must neither look vpon his owne arme, nor the arme of his enemy, but [Page 218] the mouth, and hand of him, that hath promised, and can performe. Who are we flesh and blood, with our breath in our nostrills, that we should fight with Principali­ties, powers, spirituall wickednes­ses in heauenly places? The match is too vnequall; wee are not like grashoppers, to these giants; when we compare our selues with them, how can we but despaire? when wee compare them with God, how can we be discoura­ged? Hee that hath brought vs into this fielde, hath promised vs victory. GOD knew their strength, ere hee offered to com­mit vs.

Well might they haue thought, Were not the Amalekites stron­ger [Page 219] then we? were not they ar­med, we naked? Did not the on­ly hand of Moses, by lifting vp, beat them downe? were not the Egyptians no lesse our maisters? Did not Death come running af­ter vs in their chariots? Did wee not leaue these buryed in the sea, the other vnburied in the Wilder­nesse? Whence had the Anakims their strength, but from him, that bids vs goe vp against them? Why haue the bodies of our forefa­thers taken possession of their He­bron, but for vs? But now, their feare hath not left them so much reason as to compare their aduer­saries with others, but onely with themselues: Doubtlesse these gi­ants were mighty, but their feare hath stretched them out some cu­bits, [Page 220] beyond their stature. Di­strust makes our dangers greater, and our helps lesse then they are, and forecasts euer woorse, then shall be; and if euills be possible, it makes them certaine.

Amongst those twelue messen­gers, whom our second Moses sent through the Land of Promise, there was but one Iudas; But a­mongst those twelue, which the former Moses addressed through the same Land, there is but one Caleb: and yet those were chosen out of the meanest; these, out of the heads of Israel. As there is no societie free from some corrupti­on: so it is hard, if in a community of men, there be not some faith­fulnesse.

[Page 221] We shall wrong GOD, if we feare least good causes shall bee quite forsaken; He knowes how to serue himselfe of the best, if the fewest; And could as easily be at­tended with a multitude, if he did not seeke his owne glory, in vn­likelihoods.

Ioshua was silent, and wisely spared his tongue for a further aduantage; Onely Caleb spake: I doe not heare him say, Who am I to striue with a multitude? What can Ioshua and I doe against ten rulers? It is better to sit stil, then to rise & fal: But he resolues to swim against this streame, and will ei­ther drawe friends to the truth, or enemies vpon himselfe.

[Page 222] True Christian fortitude tea­ches vs not to regard the num­ber, or quality of the opponents, but the equitie of the cause; and cares not to stand alone, & chal­lenge all commers: and if it could be opposed by as many worlds, as men, it may be ouerborne, but it cannot be daunted: Whereas popularitie carryes weak minds, and teaches them the safety of er­ring with a multitude.

Caleb saw the giantly Anakims, and the walled citties, as well as the rest; and yet he saies, Let vs go vp and possesse it: As if it were no more, but to go, and see, and con­quer. Faith is couragious, and makes nothing of those dangers, wherewith others are quayled.

[Page 223] It is very materiall with what eyes we looke vpon all obiects. Feare doth not more multiply e­uills, then faith diminisheth them; which is therefore bold, because either it sees not, or contemnes that terrour, which feare repre­sents to the weake. There is none so valiant, as the beleeuer.

It had beene happy for Israel, if Calebs counsell had beene as ef­fectuall, as good: But how easily haue these rulers discouraged a faint-hearted people? In stead of lifting vp their ensignes, and mar­ching towards Canaan; They sit them down, & lift vp their voice, and cry; The roddes of their E­gyptian task-maisters had neuer [Page 224] beene so fit for them, as now, for crying. They had cause indeed to weep for the sinne of their in­fidelity: but now they weep forfeare of those enemies they saw not. I feare if there had beene ten Calebs to perswade, and but two faint spies to discourage them; those two cowards would haue preuailed against those tenne so­licitors: How much more, now ten oppose, & but two incourage? An easie Rhetorick drawes vs to the worse part; yea it is hard not to runne downe the hill. The fa­ction of euill is so much stronger in our nature, then that of Good, that euery least motion preuailes for the one; scarce any suite for the other.

[Page 225] Now is Moses in danger of lo­sing all the cost; and care, that e­uer he bestowed vpon Israel: His people are already gone backe to Egypt, in their hearts; and their bodies are returning. Oh yee rebellious Hebrewes, where shall GOD haue you at last? Did euer Moses promise to bring you to a fruitfull Land, without inha­bitants? To giue you a rich coun­try, without resistance? Are not the graues of Canaan as good, as those of Egypt? What can ye but die at the hands of the Anakims? Can yee hope for lesse from the Egyptians? What madnes is this, to wish to die for feare of death: Is there lesse hope from your ene­mies, that shall be, when ye goe [Page 226] vnder strong, and expert leaders, then from the enemies that were, when yee shall returne maister­lesse? Can those cruell Egypti­ans so soone haue forgotten the blood of their fathers, children, brothers, husbands, which pe­rished in pursuing you? Had ye rather trust the mercy of knowne enemies, then the promise of a faithfull GOD? Which way will yee returne? Who shall diuide the Sea for you? Who shall fetch you water out of the Rocke? Or can ye hope that the Manna of of GOD will follow you, while yee runne from him? Feeble mindes, vvhen they meete vvith crosses they lookt not for, repent of their good beginnings, and wish any difficulty rather then [Page 227] that they finde: How many haue pulld backe their foote from the narrowe vvaie, for the troubles of a good pro­fession?

It had beene time for the Is­raelites to haue fallen downe on their faces, before Moses and Aaron, and to haue saide; Yee ledde vs through the Sea; make way for vs into Canaan; Those giants are strong, but not so strong, as the Rocke of Rephi­dim; yee stroke that, and it yeelded; If they bee tall, the piller of GOD is hyer then they: when wee looke on our selues, wee see cause of feare; but when wee consider the mira­culous power of you our leaders, [Page 228] wee cannot but contemne those men of measures. Leaue vs not therefore, but goe before vs in your directions, goe to GOD for vs in your prayers. But now contrarily, Moses and Aaron fall on their faces to them; And sue to them, that they vvould bee content to be conducted. Had they beene suffered to de­part, they had perished; Moses and his few had beene victori­ous: And yet, as if hee could not bee happy without them, hee falles on his face to them, that they would stay. We haue neuer so much neede to be im­portun'd, as in those things, whose benefit should make vs most im­portunate. The sweetnesse of GODs Law, and our promi­sed [Page 229] glory is such, as should draw all hearts after it; And yet if wee did not sue to men (as for life) that they vvould bee reconci­led to GOD, and be saued, I doubt vvhether they vvould obtaine; yea, it vvere vvell, if our suite were sufficient to pre­uaile.

Though Moses and Aaron in­treat vpon their faces, and Ioshua and Caleb perswade, and rend their garments, yet they mooue nothing: The obstinate multi­tude, growne more violent with opposing, is readie to returne them stones, for their prayers. Such hath been euer the thanks of fidelity, and truth; Crossed wickednesse prooues desperate; [Page 230] and in stead of yeelding, seekes for reuenge. Nothing is so hate­full to a resolute sinner, as good counsell: Wee are become ene­mies to the vvorld, because wee tell them truth.

That GOD which was inuisi­bly present, whiles they sinned; when they haue sinned, showes himselfe glorious. They might haue seene him before, that they should not sinne; Now they can­not choose but see him, in the height of their sinne. They saw before, the piller of his ordina­rie presence: now they see him vnusually terrible; that they may with shame and horror, confesse him able to defend, able to re­uenge. The helpe of GOD▪ vses [Page 231] to show it selfe in extremity. Hee that can preuent euills, conceales his aid, till danger be ripe; And then, hee is as fearefull as before he seemed conniuent.

Corah's Conspiracy.

THe tears of Israel were scarce drie, since the smart of their last mu­tinie, and now they be­ginne another. The multitude is like a raging Sea; full of vnquiet billows of discontentment; wher­of one rises, in the fall of another. They saw God did but threaten, and therefore are they bolde to sinne: It was now hie time, they should knowe what it is, for God to bee angry. There was neuer such a reuenge taken of Israel; [Page 233] neuer any, better deserued. When lesser warnings will not serue, God lookes into his quiuer for deadly arrowes. In the meane time what a weary life did Moses lead, in these continuall successi­ons of conspiracies? What did he gaine by this troublesome go­uernment, but daunger and de­spight? Who but he would not haue wisht himself rather with the sheepe of Iethro, then with these wolues of Israel? But, as he durst not quit his hooke, without the calling of God, so now hee dare not his scepter; except he be dis­missed by him that call'd him, no troubles, no oppositions can driue him from his place: Wee are too weake, if wee suffer men to chase vs frō that station, where God hath set vs.

[Page 234] I see the Leuites, not long since, drawing their swords for GOD and Moses, against the rest of Israel; and that fact winnes them, both praise and blessing: Now, they are the forwardest in the rebellion against Moses and Aaron, men of their owne Tribe. There is no assurance of a man, for one act: whom one Sinne cannot fasten vpon, another may. Yea the same sinne may finde a repulse one while, from the same hand, which another time giues it entertainment: and that yeel­dance loses the thank of all the former resistance. It is no praise to haue done once well, vnlesse we continue.

[Page 235] Outward priuiledges of blood can auaile nothing, against a par­ticular calling of GOD: These Reubenites had the right of the naturall primogeniture; yet doe they vainely challenge preemi­nence, where GOD hath sub­iected them. If all ciuill honour flowe from the King, how much more from the GOD of Kings? His hand exalts the poore, and casts down the mighty from their throne. The man that will be lifting vp himselfe, in the pride of his heart, from vnder the foot of God, is iustly troden in the dust.

Moses is the Prince of Isra­ell; Aaron the Priest: Moses was milde; Aaron popular, yet [Page 236] both are conspired against: Their places are no lesse brothers, then their persons. Both are opposed at once; Hee that is a traytor to the Church, is a traytor to the King. Any superiority is a marke of Enuy. Had Moses, and Aaron beene but fellowes with the Israe­lites, none had been better belo­ued; their dispositions were such, as must needs haue forced fauor, from the indifferent: now they were aduanced, their malice is not inferior to their honor. High tow­ers must looke for lightnings; we offer not to vndermine but those wals, which we cannot scale. Na­ture in euery man is both enui­ous, and disdainful; & neuer loues to honor another, but where it may be an honor to it selfe.

[Page 237] There cannot be conceiued an honor lesse worth emulation, then this principality of Israel; A peo­ple that could giue nothing; a people that had nothing, but in hope; a people whom their lea­der was faine to feed with bread, and water; which paid him no tri­bute, but of ill wordes; whose command was nothing but a bur­den: and yet this dignity was an eye-sore to these Leuites and these Rubenites; Ye take too much vpon you, yee Sons of Leui.

And this challenge (though thus vnseasonable) hath drawen in, two hundred and fifty Cap­taines of Israel. What wonder is [Page 238] it, that the tenne rulers pre­uayled so much with the multi­tude to disswade them from Ca­naan; when three traytors pre­uayled thus with 250. rulers, famous in the Congregation▪ and men of renowne? One man may kindle such a fire, as all the vvorld cannot quench: One plague-sore may infect a whole kingdome: The infection of euill is much worse then the act.

It is not like, these leaders of Israell could erre without follow­ers: He is a mean man that drawes not some Clients, after him. It hath bin euer a dangerous policy of Satan, To assault the best: hee knowes that the multitude (as we say of Bees) wil follow their mai­ster.

[Page 239] Nothing can bee more plea­sing to the vulgar sort, then to heare their gouernours taxed, and themselues flattered. All the Congregation is holy; Euery one of them; Wherefore lift yee vp your selues? Euery word is a falshood. For Moses deiected himself ( Who am I?) GOD lifted him vp, o­uer Israel: And so was Israel holy, as Moses was ambitious. What holinesse was there in so much in­fidelity, feare, Idolatry, mutinie, disobedience? What could make them vncleane, if this were holi­nesse? They had scarce wip't their mouthes, or washt their hands, since their last obstinacy: and yet these pick-thanks, say, All Israell is holy.

[Page 240] I would neuer desire a better proofe of a false teacher, then flat­tery: True meaning neede not vphold it selfe by soothing. There is nothing easier, then to per­swade men well of themselues; when a mans self-loue meets with anothers flattery, it is an hy praise that will not be belieued. It was more out of opposition, then be­liefe, that these men plead the ho­lines of Israel. Violent aduersa­ries, to vphold a side, will maine­taine those things, they belieue not.

Moses argues not for himselfe, but appeales to GOD; neither speakes for his owne right, but his brother Aarons: He knew, that [Page 241] Gods immediate seruice vvas woorthy to bee more precious, then his gouernment: That, his Princedome serued but to the glory of his Maister. Good Magi­strates are more tender, ouer Gods honour, then their owne; and are more sensible of the wrongs offred to religion, then to themselues.

It is safest to trust God with his owne causes. If Aaron had beene chosen, by Israel, Moses would haue sheltred him vnder their au­thoritie: Now that GOD did im­mediatly appoint him, his patro­nage is sought, whose the electi­on was. We may easily fault in the menaging of diuine affaires; and so our want of successe, cannot [Page 242] want sin; He knowes how to vse, how to blesse his own meanes.

As there was a difference be­twixt the people, and Leuites, so betwixt the Leuites, and Priests. The GOD of order, loues to haue our degrees kept. Whiles the Leuites would be looking vp to the Priests, Moses sends downe their eyes, to the people. The way not to repine at those aboue vs, is to looke at those below vs. There is no better remedy for ambition, then to cast vp our for­mer receyts, and to compare them with our deseruings, and to conferre our owne estate with in­feriours: So shall wee finde cause to be thankfull, that wee are a­boue any, rather then of enuie, [Page 243] that any is aboue vs.

Moses hath chid the sonnes of Leui, for mutining against Aa­ron; and so much the more, be­cause they were of his own Tribe: now, hee sends for the Reube­nites, vvhich rose against him­selfe. They come not, and their message is worse, then their ab­sence. Moses is accused of iniu­stice, crueltie, falshood, trea­cherie, vsurpation; and Egypt it selfe must bee commended, ra­ther then Moses shall vvant re­proche. Innocencie is no shel­ter from ill tongues; Malice neuer regards hovv true any ac­cusation is, but hovv spight­full.

[Page 244] Now it was time for Moses to be angry. They durst not haue been thus bold, if they had not seen his mildnesse. Lenity is ill bestowed vpon stubburne natures: It is an iniurious senselesnesse, not to feel the wounds of our reputation. It well appeares he is angry, when he prayes against them. He was dis­pleased before; but when he was most bitter against them, hee still pray'd for them: but now, hee bends his very prayers against them. Looke not to their offering. There can be no greater reuenge, then the imprecation of the righ­teous; There can bee no greater iudgement, then Gods reiection of our seruices. With vs men, what more argues dislike of the per­son, then the turning back of his [Page 245] present? What will GOD ac­cept from vs, if not prayers?

The innocence of Moses calls for reuenge on his Aduersaries. If hee had wronged them in his gouernment, in vaine should hee haue looked to Gods hand, for right. Our sinnes exclude vs from Gods protection; whereas vp­rightnesse challenges, and findes his patronage. An asse taken, had made him vncapable of fauour. Corrupt Gouernours, lose the comfort of their owne brest, and the tuition of God.

The same tongue that prayed against the Conspirators, prayes for the people. As lewd men thinke to carry it with number; [Page 246] Corah had so farre preuailed, that hee had drawne the multitude to his side. GOD, the auenger of treasons, would haue consumed them all, at once: Moses and Aa­ron, pray for their rebels. Al­though they were vvoorthy of death, and nothing but death could stoppe their mouthes; yet their mercifull Leaders vvill not buy their owne peace, with the losse of such enemies. Oh rare and imitable mercy! The people rise vp against their Gouernors; Their Gouernours fall on their faces to God, for the people: So far are they from plotting re­uenge, that they will not indure God should reuenge for them.

Moses knew wel enough, that all [Page 247] those Israelites must perish in the Wildernesse; GOD had vow'd it, for their former insurrection: yet how earnestly doth hee sue to GOD, not to consume them at once! The very respite of e­uills, is a fauour next to the re­moueall.

Corah kindled the fire; the two hundred and fiftie Captaines brought sticks to it; All Israel warm'd thēselues by it; onely the incendiaries perish. Now doe the Israelites owe their life to them, whose death they intended. God, & Moses knowe to distinguish be­twixt the heads of a faction, & the train: though neither be faultless, yet the one is plagued, the other forgiuen. Gods vengeance when [Page 248] it is at the hotest, makes differēces of men. Get you away from about the Tabernacles of Corah. Euer be­fore common iudgements, there is a separation. In the vniuersall iudgement of all the earth, the Iudge himselfe will separate: in these particular executions, wee must separate our selues. The so­cietie of wicked men, especially in their sinnes, is mortally dange­rous: whiles wee will not be par­ted, how can we complaine if we be enwrapped in their condem­nation? Our very company sins with them; why should wee not smart with them also?

Moses had well hoped, that when these rebels should see all the Israelites runne from them, as [Page 249] from monsters, and looking af­frightedly vpon their Tents, and should heare that fearfull procla­clamation of vengeance, against them, (howsoeuer they did be­fore, set a face on their conspira­cie; yet now) their hearts would haue misgiuen. But loe, these bold Traytors stand impudently staring in the doore of their tents, as if they would out-face the re­uenge of GOD; As if Moses had neuer wrought miracle before them; As if no one Israelite had euer bledde for rebelling. Those that shall perish, are blinded. Pride and infidelity obdures the hart, and makes euen cowards fearelesse.

So soone as the innocent are [Page 250] seuered, the guilty perish: the earth cleaues, and swallowes vp the rebels. This element was not vsed to such morsels: It deuoures the carcasses of men; but bodies informed with liuing soules, ne­uer before. To haue seene them struck dead vpon the earth, had been fearfull: but to see the earth at once their executioner, and graue, was more horrible. Ney­ther the Sea, nor the Earth, are fit to giue passage; The sea is moist and flowing, and will not be di­uided, for the continuitie of it; The earth is dry and massie, and will neither yeeld naturally, nor meet againe, when it hath yeel­ded; yet the waters did cleaue to giue way vnto Israel, for their pre­seruation; the earth did cleaue, [Page 251] to giue vvay to the Conspira­tors, in iudgement: Both Sea, and Earth, did shut their iawes againe vpon the aduersaries of GOD.

There vvas more vvonder in this latter. It was a maruell that the vvaters opened: it vvas no wonder that they shutte againe; for, the retyring and flowing, was naturall. It was no lesse mar­uell, that the earth opened; but more maruell that it did shutte againe, because it had no na­turall disposition to meet, when it vvas diuided. Now might Is­rael see, they had to doe with a GOD, that could reuenge with ease.

[Page 252] There were two sorts of Tray­tors: the earth swallowed vp the one the fire, the other. All the e­lements agree to serue the venge­ance of their Maker. Nadab and Abihu, brought fit persons, but vnfit fire to GOD; These Le­uites bring the right fire, but vn­warranted persons, before him: Fire from GOD consumes both. It is a dangerous thing to vsurpe sacred functions. The ministery will not grace the man; The man may disgrace the ministery.

The common people were not so fast gathered to Corahs flat­tering perswasion before, as now they ran from the sight, and feare of his iudgment. I maruell not, [Page 253] if they could not trust that earth, whereon they stood, whiles they knew their harts had bin false. It is a madnesse to runne away from punish­ment, and not from sin.

CONTEMPLATIONS. THE SEVENTH BOOKE.
Aarons Censer and Rod.

WHen shall we see an end of these murmurings, & these iudgmēts? Because these men rose vp a­gainst Moses and Aaron, therefore GOD consumed them; and be­cause [Page 258] [...] [Page 259] [...] [Page 260] God consumed them, ther­fore the people rise vp against Moses and Aaron: and now be­cause the people thus murmur, God hath againe begun to con­sume them. What a circle is here of sinnes, and iudgements? Wrath is gone out from God: Moses is quick-sighted, and spies it at the setting out. By how much more faithfull, and familiar we are with God, so much earlier doe we dis­cerne his iudgements; As those which are well acquainted with men, knowe by their lookes and gestures that, which strangers vn­derstand but by their actions; As finer tempers are more sensible of the changes of weather. Hence the Seers of God haue euer from their watch-tower descryed the [Page 261] iudgements of God afarre off. If another man had seene from Carmel a cloud of a hand breadth he could not haue tolde Ahab, he should be wet. It is enough for Gods messengers, out of their acquaintance with their maisters proceedings, to foresee punish­ment: No maruell if those see it not, which are wilfully sinfull: wee men reueale not our secret purposes either to enemies or strangers; all their fauour is to feele the plague ere they can es­pie it.

Moses though hee were great with God, yet he takes not vpon him this reconciliation; he may aduise Aaron what to doe, him­selfe vndertakes not to act it: It [Page 262] is the worke of the Priesthood, to make an atonement for the peo­ple: Aaron was first his brothers tongue to Pharaoh; now he is the peoples tongue to God: He on­ly must offer vp the incense of the publique prayers to God. Who would not thinke it a small thing to hold a Censer in his hand? yet if any other had done it, hee had fallen with the dead, and not stood betwixt the liuing and dead; in stead of the smoke ascending, the fire had descended vppon him: And shall there be lesse vse, or lesse regard of the Euangeli­call ministery, then the Legall? When the world hath powred out all his contempt, we are they, that must reconcile men to God; and without vs, they perish.

[Page 263] I knowe not whether more to maruell at the courage, or mer­cy of Aaron: His mercy, that hee vvould yet saue so rebellious a people; his courage, that hee would saue them, with so great a danger of himselfe. For, as one that would part a fray, he thrusts himselfe vnder the strokes of God; and puts it to the choise of the reuenger, whether hee will smite him, or forbeare the rest; He stands boldly betwixt the li­uing and the dead, as one that wil eyther die vvith them, or haue them liue vvith him; the sight of fourteene hundred carcasses dismayd him not; hee that be­fore feared the threats of the people, novv feares not the [Page 264] strokes of GOD: It is not for Gods ministers, to stand vpon their owne perils, in the common causes of the Church: Their pray­ers must oppose the iudgements of the Almighty; When the fire of Gods anger is kindled, their Censers must smoke with fire frō the altar. Euery Christian must pray for the remouall of venge­ance: how much more they, whom God hath appointed to mediate for his people. Euerie mans mouth is his owne: but they are the mouthes of all.

Had Aaron thrust in himselfe with empty hands, I doubt whe­ther he hadde preuailed; now his Censer was his protection; When wee come vvith suppli­cations [Page 265] in our handes, vvee neede not feare the strokes of GOD. We haue leaue to resist the diuine iudgements by our prayers, with fauour and successe: So soone as the incense of Aaron ascended vp vnto God, he smelt a sauour of rest; hee will rather spare the offenders, then strike their intercessor. How hardly can any people miscarry, that haue faithfull ministers to sue for their safetie? Nothing but the smoke of heartie prayers can cleanse the ayre from the plagues of God.

If Aarons sacrifice were thus accepted; how much more shall the hy-priest of the new Testa­ment, by interposing himselfe to the wrath of his father, deli­uer [Page 266] the offenders from death? The plague was entred vpon all the sonnes of men: O Sauiour, thou stood'st betwixt the liuing, and the dead, that all which be­leeue in thee, should not perish. Aaron offered and was not stri­ken; but thou, O Redeemer, wouldst offer and be strooke, that by thy stripes wee might be hea­led: So stood'st thou betwixt the dead and liuing, that thou wert both aliue and dead; and all this, that wee, when wee were dead, might liue for euer.

Nothing more troubled Isra­ell, then a feare least the two bre­thren should cunningly ingrosse the gouernment to themselues. If they hadde done so, what wise [Page 267] men would haue enuied them an office so little worth, so deare­ly purchased? But because this conceit was euer apt to stirre them to rebellion, and to hinder the benefit of this holy souerain­tie; therefore God hath indeuor'd nothing more, then to let them see that these officers, whom they so much enuied, were of his owne proper institution: They hadde scarce shut their eyes since they saw the confusion of those two hundred and fifty vsurping sacri­ficers; and Aarons effectuall inter­cession for staying the plague of Israell. In the one, the execution of GODs vengeance vpon the competitors of Aaron, for his sake. In the other, the forbearance of vengeance vpon the people [Page 268] for Aarons mediation, might haue challenged their voluntary acknowledgement of his iust cal­ling from God; If there had been in them either awe, or thankful­nes, they could not haue doub­ted of his lawfull supremacy. How could they choose but ar­gue thus. Why would God so fearefully haue destroyed the ri­ualls that durst contest with Aa­ron, if hee would haue allowed him any equall? Wherefore serue those plates of the Altar, which wee see made of those vsurped Censers, but to warne all poste­ritie of such presumption? Why should God cease striking, whiles Aaron interposed betwixt the li­uing and the dead, if he were but as one of vs? Which of vs if wee [Page 269] had stood in the plague, had not added to the heap? Incredulous mindes will not bee perswaded with any euidence. These two brothers had liued asunder for­ty yeers; GOD makes them both meet in one office of deliuering Israel. One halfe of the miracles were wrought by Aaron; he stroke with the rodde, whiles it brought those plagues on Egypt. The Israelites heard GOD call him vppe by name, to mount Si­nai; They saw him anointed from GOD: and (least they should thinke this a set match be­twixt the brethren) they saw the earth opening, the fire issuing from GOD vpon their emulous opposites: they saw his smoke a sufficient antidote for the plague [Page 270] of GOD; and yet still Aarons calling is questioned. Nothing is more naturall to euery man, then vnbeleefe; but the earth neuer yeelded a people so strongly in­credulous, as these; and after so many thousand generations their children doe inherit their obsti­nacy; still doe they oppose the true high-priest, the anointed of GOD: sixteene hundred yeers desolation hath not drawen from them to confesse him whom God hath chosen.

How desirous was GOD to giue satisfaction euen to the ob­stinate! There is nothing more materiall, then that men should be assured their spirituall guides haue their commission and cal­ling [Page 271] from GOD: The vvant whereof is a preiudice to our suc­cesse. It should not be so: but the corruption of men will not not receiue good, but from due messengers.

Before, GOD wrought mira­cles in the rod of Moses; now, in the rodde of Aaron. As Pharaoh might see himselfe in Moseses rod; who of a rodde of defence and protection was turned into a ve­nomous serpent: So Israel might see themselues, in the rod of Aa­ron. Euery Tribe and euery Isra­elite was, of himselfe, as a sere stick, without life, without sap; and if any one of them had pow­er to liue, and flourish, he must ac­knowledge it from the immedi­ate power, and gift of God.

[Page 272] Before Gods calling all men are alike: Euery name is alike written in their rod; there is no difference in the letters, in the wood; neither the characters of Aaron are fayrer, nor the staffe more precious; It is the choise of God that makes the distinction: So it is in our calling of Christi­anity; All are equally deuoid of the possibility of grace, all equal­ly liuelesse; by nature we all are sonnes of wrath: If we be now better then others, who separa­ted vs? We are all crab-stocks in this orchard of God, hee may graffe what fruit he pleases, vpon vs; onely the grace and effectuall calling of God makes the diffe­rence.

[Page 273] These twelue heads of Israel, would neuer haue written their names in their rods, but in hope they might be chosen to this dig­nitie. What an honour was this Priesthood, whereof all the Prin­ces of Israel are ambitious? If they had not thought it an high preferment, they had neuer so much enuyed the office of Aaron. What shall wee thinke of this change? Is the Euangelicall mi­nistration of lesse worth then the Leuiticall? Whiles the Testament is better, is the seruice worse? How is it that the great thinke themselues too good for this im­ployment? How is it, that vnder the Gospell, men are disparaged with that, which honoured them [Page 274] vnder the Law; that their ambiti­on, and our scorne, meete in one subiect.

These twelue rods are not laid vp in the seuerall cabinets of their owners, but are brought forth, & layd before the Lord. It is fitte God should make choyce of his owne attendants. Euen wee men hold it iniurious, to haue seruants obtruded vpon vs, by others: ne­uer shall that man haue comfort in his ministery, whom God hath not chosen. The great Comman­der of the world, hath set euerie man in his station; To one hee hath said, Stand thou in this tower and watch; To another▪ Make thou good these Trenches; To a third, Digge thou in this Mine. [Page 275] Hee that giues, and knowes our abilities, can best sette vs on worke.

This rod was the pastorall staffe of Aaron, the great Shepheard of Israel. God testifies his approba­tion of his charge, by the fruit. That a rod cut off from the tree, should blossome, it was strange; but that in one night, it should beare buds, blossoms, fruit, & that both ripe and hard, it was highlie miraculous. The same power that reuiues the dead plants of winter, in the Spring, doth it heere with­out earth, without time, without sunne; that Israel might see and grant, it was no reason, his choyce should be limited, whose power is vnlimited.

[Page 276] Fruitfulnesse is the best argument of the calling of GOD: Not on­ly all the plants of his setting, but the very boughes cut off from the body of them, will flourish. And that there may not want a succes­sion of increase, heere are fruite, blossoms, buds; both proofe and hope, inseparably mixed.

It could not but bee a great comfort vnto Aaron, to see his rodde thus miraculously flouri­shing, to see this wonderfull Te­stimony of Gods fauour, and E­lection: Sure hee could not but thinke; Who am I, O GOD, that thou shouldest thus choose mee out of all the Tribes of Israel? My weakenesse hath been more wor­thy of thy rodde of correction, [Page 277] then my rod hath beene worthy of these blossoms. How hast thou magnified mee, in the sight of all thy people? How able art thou to vphold my imbecillitie with the rodde of thy support? how a­ble to defend me with the rodde of thy power, who hast thus brought fruite out of the saplesse rod of my profession? That ser­uant of GOD is worthy to faint, that holds it not a sufficient en­couragement, to see the euident proofes of his Maisters fauour.

Commonly, those fruites which are soone ripe, soone wither; but these almonds of Aarons rod, are not more early, then lasting: the same hand which brought them out before their time, preserued [Page 278] them, beyond their time; and for perpetuall memory, both rod and fruit must be kept in the Arke of God. The tables of Moses, the rod of Aaron, the Manna of God, are monumēts fit for so holy a shrine. The doctrine, sacraments, & go­uernmēt of Gods people, are pre­cious to him, & must be so to mē. All times shall see & wonder, how his anciēt Church was fed, taught, ruled. Moses his rod did great mi­racles, yet I find it not in the Ark. The rod of Aaron hath this priui­ledge, because it caried the mira­cle stil in it selfe; whereas the won­ders of that other rod were pas­sed. Those monuments wold God haue continued in his church, w ^ch cary in them the most manifest e­uidences of that w ^ch they import.

[Page 279] The same God, which by many transient demonstrations had ap­proued the calling of Aaron to Is­rael, will now haue a permanent memoriall of their conviction; that whensoeuer they should see this relique, they should be asha­med of their presumption, & infi­delity. The name of Aaron vvas not more plainly written in that rod, then the sinne of Israel was in the fruit of it; and how much Isra­el findes their rebellion beaten with this rod, appears in their pre­sent relenting, & complaint; Be­hold, we are dead, wee perish. God knowes how to pull downe the biggest stomach, and can extort glory to his own Name, from the most obstinate gainsayers.

The Brasen Serpent.

SEauen times alreadie hath Israel mutin'd a­gainst Moses, and sea­uen times hath eyther been threatned, or punished; yet now they fal to it afresh. As a tea­stie man findes occasion to chafe at euery trifle: so this disconten­ted people, either finde or make all things troublesome. One while they haue no water; then bitter; One while no God; then one too many; One while no bread; then bread enough, but too light; One [Page 281] while, they will not abide their Gouernours; then they cannot a­bide their losse. Aaron and Miri­am were neuer so grudged aliue, as they are bewailed dead. Be­fore, they wanted onions, gar­like, flesh-pots; now they vvant figges, vines, pomgranats, corne. And as rabid children, that cry for euery thing they can think of, are whipped by their wise mo­ther: So God iustly serues these fond Israelites.

It was first their way that makes them repine; They were faine to goe round about Idumea; The iourney was long and trouble­some. They had sent intreaties to Edom for licence of passage the next way, reasonably, submislie: [Page 282] It was churlishly deny'd them. E­sau liues still in his posteritie; Ia­cob in Israel: The combat which they began in Rebeccaes bellie, is not yet ended. Amalek, vvhich was one limme of Esau, followes them at the heels; The Edomite, which was another, meets them in the face; So long as there is a World, there will bee oppositi­on to the chosen of God. They may come at their perill; The way had beene neerer, but bloo­die; they dare not goe it, and yet complaine of length.

If they were afrayde to pur­chase their resting place vvith warre, how much lesse would they their passage? What should GOD doe with impatient men? [Page 283] They will not goe the nearest way, and yet complaine to goe about. He that will passe to the promised Land, must neither stande vppon length of way, nor difficultie. Euery way hath his inconueniences: the nearest hath more danger, the farthest hath more paine; Either, or both must be ouercome, if euer wee will enter the rest of God.

Aaron and Miriam, were now past the danger of their mu [...]i­nyes; for want of another match, they ioyne GOD vvith Mo­ses, in their murmurings: Tho they had not mentioned him, they could not seuer him in their insurrection; For, in the causes of his own seruants, he challenges, [Page 284] euen when he is not challenged. What will become of thee, O Is­rael, when thou makest thy Ma­ker thine enemy? Impatience is the cozen to Frensie: this causes men not to care vpon whom they runne, so they may breathe out some reuenge. How oft haue we heard men that haue bin displea­sed by others, teare the Name of their Maker in peeces? Hee that will iudge, and can confound, is fetcht into the quarrell vvithout cause. But if to striue with a migh­ty man be vnwise, & vnsafe, what shall it be to striue with the migh­tie GOD?

As an angry childe casts away that which is giuen him, because he hath not that he would: so do [Page 285] these foolish Israelites; their bread is light, and their water vnsatisfy­ing, because their way displeased them. Was euer people fed with such bread, or water? Twise hath the very Rock yielded them wa­ter, and euery day the heauen af­fords them bread. Did any one soule amongst them miscary, ei­ther for hunger, or thirst? But no bread will downe with them, saue that which the earth yeelds; no water but from the naturall Wells, or Riuers. Vnlesse nature may be allowed to bee her owne caruer, shee is neuer contented.

Manna had no fault, but that it was too good, and too frequent: the pulse of Egypt had been fit­ter for these course mouthes: [Page 286] This heauenly bread was vnspea­kably delicious; it tasted like wa­fers of hony, and yet euen this Angels foode is contemned. Hee that is full, despiseth an Hony-comb. How sweet, and delicate is the Gospel! Not only the Fathers of the old Testament, but the An­gels desired to looke into the glo­rious mysteries of it, and yet wee are cloyed. This supernaturall foode is too light: the bread-corne of our humane reason, and pro­found discourse, would better content vs.

Moses will not reuenge this wrong; God will: yet will he not deale with them himselfe, but hee sends the fiery serpents to answer for him; How fitly? They had ca­ried [Page 287] themselues like serpents to their gouernors: how oft had they stung Moses, and Aaron, neare to death? If the serpent bite when he is not charmed, no better is a slaunderer. Now these venomous Adders reuenge it; vvhich are therefore called fiery, because their poyson scalded to death; God hath an hand in the annoy­ance, and hurt of the basest crea­ture; how much less can the sting of an ill tongue, or the malice of an ill spirit, strike vs without him? Whiles they were in Goshen, the frogs, lice, caterpillers spared thē, and plagued the Egyptians; now they are rebellious in the desert, the serpents finde thē out, & sting thē to death. He that brought the quailes thither to feed thē, fetches [Page 288] these Serpents thither to punish them. While we are at warres with God, we can looke for no peace with his creatures: Euery thing reioyces to execute the venge­ance of his Maker. The stones of the field wil not be in league with vs, while we are not in league with GOD.

These men, when the spies had tolde them newes of the giants of Canaan, a little before had wished, Would GOD we were dead in this Wildernesse: Now GOD hath heard their praiers; what with the plague, what with the serpents, many thousands of them dyed. The ill wishes of our impatience are many times heard; As those good things are not granted vs, [Page 289] which we pray for, without care; so those euils which we pray for, and would not haue, are oft gran­ted. The eares of God are not onely open to the prayers of faith, but to the imprecations of infide­lity. It is daungerous wishing euill to our selues, or ours; It is iust with GOD to take vs at our word, and to effect that, which our lippes speake against our heart.

Before, God hath euer consul­ted with Moses; and threatned, ere he punisht: now hee strikes, and sayes nothing. The anger is so much more, by how much lesse notifyed. When God is not heard before he is felt, (as in hewing of wood, the blowe is not heard, till [Page 290] the axe be seen to haue strooke) it is a fearefull signe of displea­sure: It is with God, as with vs men, that still reuenges are euer most dangerous. Till now, all was well enough with Israel, and yet they grudged; Those that will complaine without a cause, shall haue cause to complain for som­thing. Discontented humors sel­dome scape vnpunished; but re­ceiue that most iustly wherat they repined vniustly.

Now the people are glad to seeke to Moses vnbidden. Euer heeretofore, they haue beene wont to be sued too, and intreated for without their owne intreaty; Now, their misery makes them im­portunate: There neede no soli­citor, [Page 291] vvhere there is sense of smart. It were pittie, men should want affliction; since it sends them to their prayers, and confessions. All the perswasiōs of Moses could not doe that which the serpents haue done for him. O GOD; thou seest how necessary it is wee should be stung sometimes: else we should runne vvilde, and ne­uer come to a sound humilia­tion; vvee should neuer seeke thee, if thy hand did not finde vs out.

They had spoken against God, and Moses; And now they hum­bly speake to Moses, that hee would pray to GOD for them. He that so oft prayd for them vn­bidden, cannot but much more [Page 292] doe it requested; and now ob­taines the meanes of their cure. It was equally in the power of God, to remoue the serpents; and to heale their stinging; To haue cured the Israelites by his word, and by his signe: But he findes it best for his people (to exercise their faith) that the serpents may bite, and their bitings may inue­nome, and that this venome may indanger the Israelites; and that they, thus affected, may seeke to him for remedy; and seeking may find it, from such means, as should haue no power, but in significati­on; That while their bodies were cured by the signe, their soules might be confirmed, by the mat­ter signified. A serpent of brasse could no more heale, then sting [Page 293] them. What remedy could their eyes giue to their legs? Or what could a serpent of cold brasse pre­uaile against a liuing and fiery ser­pent? In this troublesome desert, we are all stung by that fiery and old Serpent; O Sauiour, it is to thee, we must looke, and be cu­red; It is thou that wert their pas­chall Lamb, their Manna, their Rock, their Serpent. To all pur­poses dost thou vary thy selfe to thy Church, that wee may finde thee euery-where: Thou art for our nourishment, refreshing, cure; as hereafter, so euen now, all in all.

This serpent which was appoin­ted for cure to Israell, at last stings them to death, by idolatrous a­buse: What poyson there is in I­dolatry, [Page 294] that makes euen Anti­tidotes deadly! As Moses there­fore raised this serpent, so Ezekias pulld it down: God commanded the raysing of it, God approv'd the demolishing of it. Supersti­tious vse can marre the very in­stitutions of God: how much more the most wise and wel-grounded deui­ses of men?

Balaam.

MOab and Midian hadde bin all this while stan­ders by, & lookers on; If they had not seene the patterne of their owne ruine, in these neighbours; it had neuer troubled them, to see the Kings of the Amorites, and Bashan to fall before Israell. Had not the Is­raelites camped in the Plaines of Moab, their victories had beene no eye-sore to Balac. Wicked men neuer care to obserue Gods iudgements, till themselues bee [Page 296] touched; The fire of a neighbours house would not so affect vs, if it were not with the danger of our owne; Secure minds neuer star­tle, till God come home to their very senses.

Balac and his Moabites had wit enough to feare, not witte e­nough to preuent iudgement: They see an enemy in their bor­ders, and yet take no right course for their safety. Who would not haue looked, that they should haue come to Israel, vvith conditions of peace? Or, Why did they not thinke; Either Israels GOD is stronger, then ours, or hee is not. If he be not, why are wee afraide of him? If hee be, Why doe we not serue him? The same hand which [Page 297] giues them victory, can giue vs protection. Carnal men, that are secure of the vengeance of God, ere it doe come, are mastered with it, when it dooth come; and not knowing which way to turn them, run forth at the wrong doore.

The Midianites ioyne with the Moabites, in consultation, in acti­on against Israel. One would haue thought, they should haue looked for fauour from Moses, for Iethroes sake; which was both a Prince of their Country, and fa­ther in law to Moses; and either now, or not long before, was with Israel in the Wildernesse. Neither is it like, but that Moses hauing found fortie yeeres harbour a­mongst them, would haue beene [Page 398] (what hee might) inclinable to fauourable treaties, with them: but now, they are so fast lin­ked to Moab, that they will ei­ther sinke, or swimme together; Intirenesse vvith vvicked con­sorts is one of the strongest chaynes of Hell, and bindes vs to a participation both of sin, and punishment: An easie occasion wil knit wicked hearts together, in conspiracy against the Church of God.

Their errand is diuelish ( Come, curse Israel:) That which Satan could not doe by the swords of Og, and Sehon, he will now try to effect, by the tongue of Ba­laam. If either strength, or poli­cy would preuaile against Gods Church, it could not stand. And [Page 299] why should not we be as industri­ous to promote the glory of God, and bend both our hands & heads to the causes of the Almighty? When all helps faile Moab, the Ma­gician is sought too. It is a signe of a desperate cause, to make Satan either our counsellor, or our re­fuge.

Why did they not send to Ba­laam to blesse themselues rather, then to curse Israel? It had beene more easie to be defended from the hurt of their enemies, then to haue their enemies laid open to be hurt by them. Pride and ma­lice did not care so much for safe­tie, as for conquest: It would not content them to escape Israel, if Israel may escape them; It was not [Page 300] thank-worthy, to saue their owne blood, if they did not spill the blood of others; As if their owne prosperitie had beene nothing, if Israell also prospered. If there bee one proiect worse then an­other, a wicked heart will finde it out. Nothing but destruction wil content the malicious.

I knowe not whether Balaam were more famous, or Balac more confident. If the King had not beene perswaded of the strength of his charme, hee had not sent so farre, and payd so deare, for it; now hee trusts more to his in­chauntment, then to the forces of Moab, and Midian: and (as if heauen, and earth vvere in the power of a charmers tongue) hee [Page 301] saith, Hee that thou blessest, is blessed; and hee whom thou cur­sest, is cursed: Magick, through the permission of God, is power­full; for, whatsoeuer the Diuell can doe, the Magician may doe: but, it is madnes to thinke ey­ther of them omnipotent. If ey­ther the curses of men, or the in­deuours of the powers of dark­nesse, should bee effectuall, all would be Hell. No, Balac: So short is the power of thy Balaam, that neither thou, nor thy Pro­phet himselfe, can auoide that curse, which thou would'st haue brought vpon Israel. Had Balaam been a true Prophet of God, this bold assurance had been but iust; Both those ancient Seers, and the Prophets of the Gospell haue the [Page 302] ratification of God in heauen, to their sentences on earth. Why haue we less care of the blessings, and lesse feare of the curses and censures of Gods ministers? Who would not rather haue Elishaes guard, then both the Kings of Israel, and Assyria? Hee him­selfe as hee hadde the Ange­licall chariots and horsemen a­bout him, so was hee the chariots and horsemen of Israel: Why should our faith bee lesse strong, then superstition? Or why should GODs agents haue lesse vertue then Satans?

I should wonder to heare God speake with a false Prophet, if I did not knowe it hath beene [Page 303] no rare thing with him (as with men) to bestowe wordes, euen where he will not bestowe fauour. Pharaoh, Abimelech, Nebuchadnez­zar, receiue visions from GOD: neither can I think this strange, when I heare GOD speaking to Satan, in a question no lesse fami­liar, then this of Balaam; Whence comst thou Satan. Not the sound of the voice of GOD, but the matter which hee speakes, argues loue: He may speake to an ene­my; hee speakes peace to none, but his owne. It is a vaine brag, GOD hath spoken to mee? So may he do to reprobates, or Di­uels: but what said he? Did he say to my soule, I am thy saluation; Hath he indented with me that he will be my God, & I shall be his? [Page 304] I cannot heare this voyce and not liue.

God heard all the consultati­on, and message of these Moa­bites; These messengers could not haue mooued their foote, or their tongue, but in him: and yet he which asked Adam, where he was, asks Balaam, What men are these? I haue euer seene, that God loues to take occasion of procee­ding with vs, from our selues, ra­ther then from his owne imme­diate prescience. Hence it is, that we lay open our wants, and con­fesse our sins, to him, that knowes both, better then our owne harts, Because he wil deale with vs from our owne mouthes.

[Page 305] The preuention of GOD, for­bids both his iourney, and his curse. And what if he had beene suffred to goe and curse? What corne had this winde shaken when God meant to blesse them? How many Bulls haue bellowed out execrations against this Church of God? What are we the worse? Yea, I doubt if wee had beene so much blessed, had not those Ba­laamitish curses been spent vpon vs. Hee that knowes what waste winde the causeless curses of wic­ked men are, yet will not haue Balaam curse Israel; because hee will not allow Balac so much in­couragement, in his opposition, as the conceit of this helpe. Or perhaps, if Balac thought this Sor­cerer a true Prophet, God would [Page 306] not haue his name, so much, as in the opinion of the heathen, scan­dalized, in vsurping it to a pur­pose, which he meant not should succeed.

The hand of God is in the re­straint of many euills, vvhich we neuer knew to be towards vs. The Israelites sate still in their Tents, they little thought what mischiefe was brewing against them: with­out euer making them of counsel, God crosses the designes of their enemies. He that keepeth Israel, is both a sure, and a secret friend. The reward of the diuination, had easily commaunded the iourney, and curse of the couetous Pro­phet, if GOD had not stayed him. How oft are wicked men [Page 307] curbed by a diuine hand, euen in those sinnes, which their heart stands to? It is no thanke to lewd men that their wickednesse is not prosperous. VVhence is it that the vvorld is not ouer-runne vvith euill, but from this; that men cannot bee so ill as they would?

The first entertainment of this message, vvould make a stranger thinke Balaam wise, and honest: Hee will not giue a suddaine an­swere, but craues leasure to con­sult with GOD; and promises to returne the answere hee shall receiue. Who would not say, This man is free from rashnesse, from partialitie? Dissimulation is craf­ty, & able to deceiue thousands: [Page 308] The words are good: when hee comes to action, the fraude be­wrayes it selfe: For, both hee in­sinuates his own forwardnes, and casts the blame of the prohibiti­on, vpon God, & (which is worse) deliuers but halfe his answere: he saies indeed, GOD refuses to giue me leaue to goe: He saies not, as it was, Hee charges mee not to curse them, for they are blessed. So did Balaam deny, as one that wisht to bee sent for againe. Perhaps a peremptory refusall had hinde­red his further solicitation. Con­cealement of some truths, is som­times as faulty, as a deniall. True fidelitie is not niggardly in her re­lations.

Where wickednes meets with [Page 309] power, it thinks to commaund all the world, and takes great scorne of any repulse. So little is. Balac discouraged with one refusal, that hee sends so much the stronger message; Mo Princes, and more honourable. Oh that we could be so importunate for our good, as wicked men are for the compas­sing of their own designes! A de­niall doth but whet the desires of vehement sutors. Why are wee faint in spirituall things, when we are not denyed, but delayed?

Those which are themselues transported with vanity, and am­bition, thinke that no heart hath power to resist these offers. Ba­lacs Princes thought they had strook it dead, when they had [Page 310] once mentioned promotion to great honour. Selfe-loue makes them think they cannot be slaues, whiles others may be free; & that all the world would be gladde to runne on madding after their bait. Nature thinks it impossi­ble to contemne honour and vvealth; and because too many soules are thus taken, cannot be­lieue that any would escape. But let carnall harts knowe there are those, that can spitte the world in the face, and say, Thy gold and sil­uer perish with thee: and that in comparison of a good cōscience, can tread vnder foot his best pro­fers, like shadowes, as they are; & that can do, as Balaam said.

How near, truth, and falshood [Page 311] can lodge together? Heere was pietie in the lips, and couetousnes in the hart. Who can any more regard good words, that heares Balaam speak so like a Saint? An house-full of gold and siluer may not peruert his tongue; his hart is won with lesse: for if he had not already swallowed the reward, & found it sweet, why did he againe solicit GOD, in that which was peremptorilie denyed him? If his minde had not been bribed alreadie, vvhy did hee stay the messengers? vvhy did hee ex­pect a change in GOD? Why was hee vvilling to feede them vvith hope of successe, which had fedde him vvith hope of recompence? One prohibition is enough for a good man.

[Page 312] Whiles the delay of GOD doth but hold vs in suspense, importu­nity is holy and seasonable: but when once he giues a resolute de­niall, it is profane saucinesse to so­licit him. When we aske what wee are bidden, our suites are not more vehement, then welcome: but when wee beg prohibited sa­uours, our presumption is trou­blesome, and abhominable: No good hart will indure to be twise forbidden.

Yet this importunitie hath ob­tained a permission; but, a per­mission, worse then a denyall. I heard GOD say before, Goe not, nor curse them; Now he saies, Go, but curse not. Anone, hee is angry that he did goe. Why did he per­mit [Page 313] that, which hee forbad, if hee be angry for doing that which he permitted? Some things God per­mits with an indignation; not for that he giues leaue to the act, but that he giues a man ouer to his sin in the act: this sufferance implies not fauor, but iudgement: so did GOD bid Balaam to go, as Sa­lomon bids the young man follow the waies of his owne heart. It is one thing to like, another thing to suffer; Moses neuer approou'd those legall diuorces, yet he tole­rated them: GOD neuer liked Balaams iourney, yet hee displea­sedly giues way to it: as if he said; Well, since thou art so hote, set on this iourney, be gone. And thus Balaam tooke it: else, when GOD after professed his displeasure for [Page 314] the iourney, it had been a readie answer, Thou commaundedst mee: but heerin his confession argues his guilt. Balaams suit, and Israels Quayles, had both one fashion of grant, in anger. How much bet­ter is it, to haue gracious denyals, then angry yieldings?

A small perswasion hartens the willing: It booted not to bid the couetous Prophet hasten to his way. Now hee makes himselfe sure of successe: His corrupt hart tells him, that as God had relen­ted in his licence to goe, so hee might perhaps, in his licence to curse; and he saw how this curse might blesse him with abundance of wealth: he rose vp early there­fore & sadled his asse. The night [Page 315] seemed long to his forwardnesse. Couetous men neede neither clock nor bell to awaken them: their desires make them restlesse. Oh that we could, with as much eagernesse seeke the true riches, which only can make vs happy!

We that see onely the out-side of Balaam, may maruell, why hee that permitted him to goe; after­ward opposes his going: but GOD that savv his heart, per­ceiued vvhat corrupt affections carryed him: hee saw, that his couetous desires, and vvicked hopes, grew the stronger, the nearer hee came to his end: An Angell is therefore sent to with­hold the hastie Sorcerer. Our in­ward disposition, is the life of [Page 316] our actions; according to that, doth the God of spirits iudge vs, whiles men censure according to our externall motions. To goe at all, when GOD had com­maunded to stay, was presump­tuous: but to goe with desire to curse, made the act doubly sinful, and fetcht an Angel to resist it. It is one of the woorthy imploy­ments of good Angels, to make secret opposition to euill designs: Many a wicked act haue they hin­dered, without the knowledge of the agent. It is all one with the Al­mighty, to worke by spirits, and men; It is therefore our glorie to be thus set on worke: to stop the course of euill, either by disswasi­on, or violence, is an Angelicall seruice.

[Page 317] In what danger are wicked men, that haue Gods Angels their opposites? The diuell moo­ued him to go; a good Angel re­sists him. If an heauenly Spirit stand in the way of a Sorcerers sinne, how much more ready are all those spirituall powers, to stop the miscariages of Gods deare children? How oft had wee fallen yet more, if these gardians had not vpheld vs, whether by remo­uing occasions, or by casting in good instincts? As our good in­deuors are oft hindred by Satan; so are our euill, by good Angels: else, were not our protection e­quall to our danger; & we could neither stand, nor rise.

It had beene as easie for the [Page 318] Angell to strike Balaam, as to stand in his way; and to haue fol­low'd him in his starting aside, as to stoppe him in a narrow path: But euen the good Angels haue their stints, in their executions. GOD had some-what more to doe with the tongue of Balaam, and therefore hee will not haue him slaine, but withstood: and so withstood, that he shall passe. It is not so much glory to GOD to take away wicked men, as to vse their euill to his owne ho­lie purposes. How soone could the Commaunder of heauen, and earth, ridde the world of badde members? But so should he lose the prayse of working good by euill instruments. It sufficeth that the Angels of GOD resist their [Page 319] actions, while their persons con­tinue.

That no man may maruell to see Balaam haue visions from God, and vtter prophecies from him; his very asse hath his eyes opened, to see the Angel, which his Maister could not; and his mouth opened to speake more reasonably thē his Maister. There is no beast deserues so much won­der, as this of Balaam, whose com­mon sense is aduanced aboue the reason of his rider; so as for the time, the Prophet is brutish, & the beast propheticall. Who can but stand amazed at the eye, at the tongue of this silly creature? For so dull a sight it was much to see a bodilie obiect, that were not too [Page 320] apparant; but to see that spirit, which his rider discerned not, was farre beyond nature. To heare a voice come from that mouth, which was vsed onely to bragge, it was strange, and vncouth: but to heare a beast, whose nature is noted for incapacity, to out-rea­son his Maister, a professed Pro­phet, is in the very height of mi­racles: Yet, can no heart stick at these, that considers the dispensa­tion of the Almighty, in both. Our eye could no more see a beast, then a beast can see an Angel, if he had not giuen this power to it. How easie is it for him that made the eye of man & beast, to dim, or inlighten it at his pleasure? And if his power can make the very stones to speake, [Page 321] how much more a creature of sense? That euill spirit spake in the serpent to our first Parents; Why is it more that a spirit should speak in the mouth of a beast? How or­dinarily did the heathen receiue their Oracles out of stones, and trees? Doe not wee our selues teach birds to speake those senten­ces they vnderstand not? We may wonder, we cannot distrust, when we compare the act with the au­thor; which can as easily create a voyce▪ without a body, as a body without a voyce. Who now can heerafter plead his simplicity, and dulnes of apprehending spiritual things, when he sees how God ex­alts the eyes of a beast, to see a spirit? Who can be proud of see­ing visions, since an Angel ap­peared [Page 322] to a beast; neither was his skin better after it, then others of his kinde? Who can complaine of his owne rudenesse, and inabi­lity to reply in a good cause, when the very beast is inabled by God, to conuince his maister? There is no mouth, into which GOD cannot put words: and how oft dooth he choose the weake, and vnwise, to confound the learned, and mighty?

What had it beene better for the asse to see the Angell; if hee had rushed still vpon his sword? Euills were as good not seene, as not auoyded; But now hee de­clines the way, and saues his bur­den. It were happy for peruerse sinners, if they could learne of [Page 323] this beast, to run away from fore­seene iudgements. The reuen­ging Angel stands before vs; and though we knowe we shall as sure die, as sinne: yet we haue not the witte, or grace to giue backe; though it bee with the hurt of a foot, to saue the body; with the paine of the body, to saue the soule.

I see, what fury and stripes the impotent Prophet bestowes vpon this poore beast, because hee will not goe on; yet, if he had gone on, himselfe had perished. How oft doe we wish those things, the not obtaining whereof is mercy? We grudge to be staid in the way to death, & fly vpon those which oppose our perdition.

[Page 324] I doe not (as who would not expect) see Balaams haire stand vpright, nor himselfe alighting, and appalled at this monster of miracles: But, as if no new thing had happened, he returnes words to the beast, full of anger, voyde of admiration; Whether his trade of sorcering had so inured him to receiue voyces from his fami­liars, in shape of beasts, that this euent seemed not strange to him; Or, whether his rage, and coue­tousnes had so transported him, that hee had no leasure to ob­serue the vnnaturall vnusualnes of the euent. Some men make nothing of those things, which o­uercome others with horror, and astonishment.

[Page 325] I heare the Angel of GOD taking notice of the cruelty of Balaam to his beast: His first vvordes to the vnmercifull Pro­phet, are in expostulating of this wrong. Wee little thinke it; but God shal call vs to an account, for the vnkinde and cruell vsages of his poor mute creatures: He hath made vs Lords, not tyrants; ow­ners, not tormentors: hee that hath giuen vs leaue to kill them, for our vse, hath not giuen vs leaue to abuse them, at our pleasure; they are so our drudges, that they are our fellowes by creation. It was a signe the Magician would easily wish to strike Israell vvith a curse, vvhen hee vvished a sworde to strike his harmelesse [Page 326] beast. It is ill falling into those hands, whome beasts finde vn­mercifull.

Notwithstanding these rubs, Balaam goes on, and is not a­fraide to ride on that beast, whose voyce he hath heard: And now, postes are sped to Balac, with the newes of so welcome a guest: Hee that sent Princes, to fetch him, comes himselfe on the way, to meet him; Although hee can say ( Am not I able to promote thee) yet hee giues this high respect to him as his better, from whome hee expected the pro­motion of himselfe, and his peo­ple. Oh the honour that hath beene formerlie done by hea­thens, to them that haue borne [Page 327] but the face of Prophets: I shame, and grieue to compare the times and men: Onely, O GOD, bee thou mercifull to the contempt of thy seruants.

As if nothing needed but the presence of Balaam, the super­stitious King (out of the ioy of his hope) feasts his gods, his Prophet, his Princes; and on the morrowe, carryes him vppe to the high-places of his Idol. Who can doubt whether Balaam were a false Prophet, that sees him sacrificing in the mount of Baal? Had he bin from the true God, he would rather haue said, Pull me downe these altars of Baal, then, Builde me heere seuen others: The very place conuinces him [Page 328] of falshood, and Idolatry: And why seuen altars? What needs all this pompe? When the true God neuer required but one at once, as himselfe is one; why doth the false Prophet call for no lesse then seuen? As if GOD stood vpon numbers? As if the Almighty would haue his power either di­uided, or limited? Here is no­thing but a glorious, and magni­ficent pretence of deuotion. It hath beene euer seene, that the false worshippers of GOD haue made more pompous showes, and fairer flourishes of their piety, and religion, then the true.

Now when Balaam sees his se­uen bulloks, and seuen rams smo­king vpon his seuen altars, he goes [Page 329] vp higher into the mount (as som counterfair Moses) to receiue the answere of God: But will GOD meet with a sorcerer? wil he make a Prophet of a Magician? O man, who shall prescribe God what in­struments to vse? he knowes how to imploy, not onely Saints, and Angels, but wicked men, beasts, Diuels, to his owne glory: Hee that put words into the mouth of the Asse, puts wordes into the mouth of Balaam: The words doe but passe from him; They are not polluted, because they are not his; as the Trunk, through which a man speakes, is not the more e­loquent for the speech, that is vt­tred through it. What a notable proclamation had the Infidels wanted of Gods fauor, to his peo­ple, [Page 330] if Balaams tongue had not beene vsed. How many shall once say, Lord we haue prophecied in thy name, that shall heare Verely I knowe you not?

What madnes is this in Bala­am? He that found himselfe con­stant in soliciting, thinks to finde GOD not constant in denying; and, as if that infinite Deity were not the same euery where, hopes to change successe, with places. Neither is that bolde forehead a­shamed, to importune God a­gaine in that, wherein his owne mouth had testified an assurance of deniall. The reward was in one of his eyes; the reuenging An­gel in the other: I know not whe­ther (for the time) hee more lo­ued [Page 331] the bribe, or feared the An­gel. And whiles hee is in this di­straction, his tongue blesses a­gainst his heart, and his heart cur­ses against his tongue. It angers him that he dare not speake what he would; and now at last rather then lose his hopes, he resolues to speake vvorse then curses. The feare of GODs iudgement in a worldly heart, is at length o­uer come vvith the loue of gain.

PHINEAS.

BAlaam pretended an hast homeward: but he lingred so long, that he left his bones in Midi­am. How iustly did he perish with the sword of Israel, whose tongue had insensibly slain so many thou­sands of them? As it is vsually said of the Diuell, that he goes a­way in a stench; so may it truely be saide of this Prophet of his: According to the fashion of all hypocrites, his words were good, his actions abhominable: Hee [Page 333] would not curse, but hee would aduise; and his counsell is worse, then a curse: For his curse had hurt none but himselfe; his coun­sell cost the blood of 24000. Israelites. Hee that hath heard God speake by Balaam, would not looke for the Diuell, in the same mouth. And, if GOD himselfe hadde not witnessed against him, who could beleeue that the same tongue which vttered so diuine prophecies, should vtter so villa­nous and cursed aduise? Hypo­crisie gaines this of men, that it may doe euill, vnsuspected: But now, he that heard what he spake in Balacs eare, hath bewrayd, and condemned his counsell, and himselfe.

[Page 334] This policie was fetcht from the bottome of hell; It is not for lack of desire, that I curse not Israel; thou doest not more wish their destruction, then I doe thy wealth, and honour: But so long as they holde firme with GOD, there is no sorcery a­gainst Iacob; withdrawe GOD from them, and they shall fall a­lone, & curse themselues; Drawe them into sinne, and thou shalt withdrawe GOD from them. There is no sinne more plausible, then wantonness; One fornication shal drawe in another, and both shall fetch the anger of God after them; send your fairest women into their tents, their sight shall drawe them to lust; their lust to [Page 335] folly; their folly to Idolatry; and now God shal curse them for thee, vnasked. Where Balaam did speak well, there was neuer any Pro­phet spake more diuinely; where he spake ill, there was neuer any diuell spake more desperately: Ill counsell seldome succeedeth not; Good seed falls often out of the way, and roots not; but the tares neuer light amisse: This pro­iect of the wicked Magician, was too prosperous. The daughters of Moab come into the tents of Israel; and haue captiued those, whō the Amorites & Amalekites could not resist. Our first mother Eue be­queathed this dowry to her daughters, that they should be our help­ers to sin; the weaker sex is the strō ­ger, in this cōquest: Had the Moa­bites [Page 336] sent their subtilest Counsel­lors, to perswade the Israelites, to their Idol-sacrifices: they had beene repelled with scorne; but now the beauty of their women is ouer-eloquent, and succesfull. That which in the first World be­trayd the sonnes of GOD; hath now ensnared Gods people; It had beene happy for Israel if Ba­laam had vsed any charmes, but these. As it is the vse of God to fetch glory to himselfe out of the worst actions of Satan; so it is the guise of that euill one (through the iust permission of the Almigh­ty) to raise aduantage to himself, from the fayrest peeces of the work-manship of God: No one means hath so much inriched hel, as beautifull faces.

[Page 337] All Idols are abominable: but this of Baal-Peor, was, besides the superstition of it, beastlie; Neither did Baal euer put on a forme, of so much shame, as this; yet very Israelites are drawne to adore it. When lust hath blinded the eyes, it carries a man whither it lists; euen beyond all differen­ces of sinne. A man besotted with filthy desires, is fitte for any vil­lany.

Sin is no lesse crafty, then satan himselfe; giue him but roome in the eye, and he will soone be pos­sessed of body and soule. These Israelites, first saw the faces of these Moabites, and Midianites: then they grew to like their pre­sence; from thence, to take plea­sure [Page 338] in their feasts: From their bords, they are drawne to their beddes; from their beds, to their Idols; and now they are ioyned to Baal-Peor, and separated from GOD. Bodily fornication is the way to spirituall: If we haue made Idols of flesh, it is iust to be gi­uen vp to Idols of wood, and stones. If wee haue not grace to resist the beginnings of sin, where shall wee stay? If our foot slippe into the mouth of hell, it is a mi­racle to stop ere wee come to the bottom.

Well might God be angry, to see his people goe a whoring in this double fornication; neither doth hee smother his wrath, but himselfe strikes with his plague, [Page 339] and biddes Moses strike with the sword. Hee strikes the body, and bids Moses strike the head. It had beene as easie for him to plague the Rulers, as the vulgar: & one would thinke, these should bee more properly reserued, for his immediate hand; but these, hee leaues to the sword of humane authority, that he might win awe to his owne ordinances. As the sinnes of great men are exempla­ry, so are their punishments. No­thing procures so much credit to gouernment, as strict & impartial executions of great and noble of­fendors. Those whom their sins haue embased, deserue no fauor in the punishment: As God knows no honor, no royalty in matter of sinne, no more may his deputyes. [Page 340] Contrarily, conniuence at the outrages of the mighty, cuts the sinewes of any State; neither doth any thing make good lawes more contemptible, then the making difference of offenders; that small sacriledges should bee punished, when great ones ride in triumph. If good ordinations turne once to Spyders webs, which are broken through, by the bigger Flyes, no hand will feare to sweepe them downe.

GOD was angry; Moses and all good Israelites grieued; the heads hanged vppe; the people plagued: yet behold, one of the Princes of Israel feares not to braue God, and his Ministers, in that sinne, which hee sees so grie­uously [Page 341] reuenged in others. I can neuer wonder enough at the im­pudence of this Israelite. Heere is fornication, an odious crime, and that, of an Israelite, whose name challenges holinesse; yea, of a Prince of Israel, whose practice is a rule to inferiors; and that, with a woman of Midian, with whom, euen a chaste contract had beene vnlawfull; and that, with con­tempt of all gouernment; & that, in the face of Moses, and all Israel; and that in a time of mourning, & iudgement, for that same offence. Those that haue once passed the bounds of modesty, soone grow shamelesse in their sinnes. Whiles sin hides it selfe in corners, there is yet hope; for, where there is shame, there is a possibilitie of [Page 342] grace: but when once it dare look vpon the sunne, and send chal­lenges to authority, the case is de­sperate, and ripe for iudgement.

This great Simeonite, thought hee might sinne by priuiledge; He goes, as if he said, Who dares controll mee? His nobility hath raysed him aboue the reach of correction. Commonly, the sins of the mightie are not without presumption: and therfore their vengeance is no lesse, then their securitie; and their punishment is so much greater, as their conceit of impunity is greater. All Israel saw this bold lewdnesse of Zimri: but their harts, & eyes were so full of griefe, that they had not roome enough for indignation.

[Page 343] Phineas lookt on with the rest, but with other affections. When hee saw this defiance bidden to God; and this insultation vpon the sorrow of his people, that whiles they were wringing their hands, a proud miscreant durst out-face their humiliation, with his wicked dalliance; his heart boyles with a desire of an holy re­uenge: and now that hand, which was vsed to acenser, & sacrificing knife, takes vp his Iaueline, and with one stroke ioynes these two bodyes in their death, vvhich were ioyned in their sinne; and in the very flagrance of their lust, makes a new way for their soules, to their own place. O noble & he­roicall courage of Phineas! which as it was rewarded of GOD, [Page 344] so is woorthy to bee admired of men. Hee doth not stand casting of scruples: Who am I to do this? The sonne of the high Priest; My place is all for peace, and mercie; It is for mee to sacrifice, and pray for the sin of the people, not to sa­crifice any of the people, for their sin. My duty calls mee to appease the anger of GOD, what I may, not to reuenge the sins of men; to pray for their conuersion, not to work the confusion of any sin­ner: and who are these? Is not the one a great Prince in Israel, the other a Princesse of Midian? Can the death of two so famous per­sons goe vnreuenged? Or if it be safe, and fit, why doth my Vncle Moses rather shed his owne tears, then their bloud? I will mourne [Page 345] with the rest, let them reuenge whom it concerneth. But the zeale of God hath barred out all weake deliberations; and hee holds it now both his duty, and his glory, to be an executioner of so shame­lesse a payre of offenders.

God loues this heate of zeale, in all the carriages of his seruants: And if it transport vs too far, hee pardoneth the errours of our fer­uencie, rather then the indifferen­cies of luke warmnesse. As these two were more beasts, then any that euer he sacrificed; so the shed­ding of their bloud, was the ac­ceptablest sacrifice, that euer hee offied vnto GOD: for both all Israel is freed from the plague, & all his posterity haue the priest­hood, [Page 346] entayled to them, so long as the Iewes were a people. Next to our prayers, there is no better sa­crifice, then the bloud of malefac­tors; not as it is theirs, but as it is shed by authority. Gouernors are faulty of those sinnes they punish not. There can be no better sight in any State, then to see a male­factor at the gallowes. It is not e­nough for vs, to stand gazing vp­on the wickednesse of the times, (yea altho with teares) vnlesse wee endeuour to redresse it: e­specially publique persons carry not their Iauelin in their hand for nought.

Euery one is ready to aske Phi­neas for his commission: and those that are willing to salue vp the act, [Page 347] plead extraordinary instinct from God; who (no doubt) would not haue accepted, that which him­selfe wrought not. But what need I runne so farre for this warrant, when I heare GOD say to Moses, Hang vp all the Heads of Israel; and Moses say to the vnder-Ru­lers, Euery one slay his men, that are ioyned to Baal-Peor. Euery Israe­lite is now made a Magistrate, for this execution; and why not Phi­neas, amongst the rest? Dooth his Priesthood exempt him from the bloud of sinners? How then doth Samuel heaw Agag in peeces? Euen those may make a carcasse, w ^ch may not touch it. And if Leui got the Priesthood, by shedding the blood of Idolaters; why may it not stand with that Priesthood, to [Page 348] spill the bloud of a fornicator, and Idolater? Ordinary iustice will beare out Phineas in this act; It is not for euery man to challenge this office, which this double pro­clamation allowed to Phineas. All that priuate persons can doe, is either to lift vppe their hands to heauen, for redresse of sin; or to lift vp their hands against the sin, not against the person. Who made thee a Iudge, is a lawful question, if it meet with a person vnwarran­ted.

Now the sinne is punished, the plague ceaseth. The reuenge of God, sets out euer after the sinne; but if the reuenge of men (which commonly comes later) can o­uertake it, GOD giues ouer the [Page 349] chase. How oft hath the infliction of a lesse punishment, auoyded a greater. There are none so good friends to the State, as courage­ous and impartiall ministers of iu­stice. These are the reconcilers of God, and the people, more, then the prayers of them that sit still, and do no­thing.

The death of Moses.

AFter many painfull, and perilous enterprises, now is Moses drawing to his rest. Hee hath brought his Israelites from Egypt, through the Sea, and wildernesse, within the sight of their promised Land; & now himselfe must take possession of that Land, whereof Canaan was but a type. When wee haue done that wee came for, it is time for vs to be gone; This earth is onely made for action, not for fruition; The seruices of Gods [Page 351] children should be ill rewarded, if they must stay heere alwaies. Let no man thinke much, that those are fetcht away which are faith­full to GOD; They should not change, if it were not to their preferment. It is our folly that we would haue good men liue for e­uer, and account it an hard mea­sure that they vvere. Hee that lends them to the vvorld, owes them a better turne, then this earth can pay them. It vvere iniurious to wish, that goodnesse should hinder any man from glorie. So is the death of Gods Saints precious, that it is cer­taine.

Moses must go vp to mount Ne­bo, and die. The time, the place, [Page 352] and euery circumstance of his dissolution, is determined. That one dies in the field, another in his bed, another in the water; one in a forraine nation, another in his owne, is fore-decreed in hea­uen. And, tho we heare it not vo­cally, yet God hath call'd euerie man, by his name, and saith; Die thou there. One man seemes to die casually; another, by an in­expected violence: both fall by a destiny; and all is set downe to vs by an eternall decree. Hee that brought vs into the world, wil ca­ry vs out, according to his owne purposes.

Moses must ascend vp to the hil, to die. Hee receiued his charge for Israel, vpon the hill of Sinai; [Page 353] And now hee deliuers vppe his charge, on the hill of Nebo: His brother Aaron dyed on one hill; hee, on another. As Christ was transfigur'd on an hill: so, was this excellent type of his; Neither doubt I, but that these hills were types to them, of that heauen, whither they were aspiring. It is the goodnes of our God, that hee will not haue his children die any where, but where they may see the Land of Promise before them; neither can they depart vvithout much comfort, to haue seene it: Contrarily, a vvicked man that looks downe, and sees hell before him, how can he choose but finde more horror in the ende of death, then in the way?

[Page 354] How familiarly doth Moses hear of his end! It is no more betwixt God, and Moses, but Goe vp, and die; If hee had inuited him to a meale, it could not haue beene in a more sociable compellation: No otherwise then he said to his other Prophet, Vp and eate: It is neither harsh, nor newes to Gods children, to hear, or think of their departure; To them death hath lost his horror, through acquain­tance: Those faces which at first sight seemed ill fauoured, by oft viewing, growe out of dislike: They haue so oft thought, and re­solued of the necessity, & of the issue of their dissolution, that they cannot holde it either strange, or vnwelcome: Hee that hath hadde [Page 355] such entire conuersation vvith GOD, cannot feare to goe to him. Those that knowe him not, or knowe that hee will not knowe them, no maruell if they tremble.

This is no small fauour; that God warnes Moses of his end: He that hadde so oft made Moses of counsell, what hee meant to doe with Israel, would not now doe ought with himselfe, without his knowledge. Expectation of any maine euent is a great aduantage to a wise heart; If the fiery chariot had fetcht away Elias, vnlookt for, we shold haue doubted of the fa­uor of his transportation: It is a to­kē of iudgemēt, to come as a theef in the night. God forewarns one [Page 356] by sicknes, another by age, ano­ther by his secret instincts, to pre­pare for their end: If our hearts be not now in a readinesse, we are worthy to be surprized.

But what is this I heare? Dis­pleasure mixed with loue? & that to so faithfull a seruant as Moses? He must but see the Land of Pro­mise, he shall not tread vpon it; because he once, long agoe, sin­ned in distrusting. Death, tho it were to him an entrance into glo­ry, yet shal be also a chastisement of his infidelity: How many no­ble proofes had Moses giuen of his courage & strength of faith? How many gracious seruices had hee done to his Maister? Yet for one act of distrust, he must be gathe­red [Page 357] to his Fathers. All our obe­diences cannot beare out one sin against God; How vainely shall we hope to make amends to God for our former trespasses, by our better behauior, when Moses hath this one sin laid in his dish after so many and worthy testimonies of his fidelity? When wee haue for­gotten our sinnes, yet GOD re­members them, and (altho not in anger, yet) he calls for our arera­ges. Alas, what shall become of them, with whom God hath tenne thousand greater quarrels; That amongst many millions of sinnes, haue scattered some fewe acts of formal seruices? If Moses must die [...]he first death, for one fault; how [...]hall they escape the second for [...]inning alwayes? Euen where God [Page 358] loues, hee will not winke at sinne; and if he do not punish, yet he wil chastice: How much lesse can it stand with that eternall iustice to let wilfull sinners escape iudge­ment?

It might haue beene iust vvith God, to haue reserued the cause to himselfe; and in a generality, to haue tolde Moses, that his sin must shorten his iourney: but it is more of mercy, then iustice, that his children shall knowe why they smart; That GOD may at once both iustifie himselfe, and humble them, for their particu­lar offences: Those to whom hee meanes vengeance, haue not the sight of their sinnes, till they be past repentance. Complaine not that God vpbraides thee with thy [Page 359] old sins, whosoeuer thou art: but knowe, it is an argument of loue; whereas concealement is a fearful signe of a secret dislike frō God.

But what was that noted sinne vvhich deserues this late expro­bration, and shall carry so sharpe a chastisement? Israel murmur'd for water; God bids Moses take the rod in his hand, and speake to the rock to giue water; Moses in stead of speaking, and striking the rock with his voyce, strikes it with the rod; Heere was his sinne; An ouer-reaching of his commission; A fearefulnes and distrust of the effect; The rod, hee knew, was approued for miracles; hee knew not how powerful his voice might be; therfore he did not speak, but [Page 360] strike, and he stroke twise for fai­ling; And now, after these many yeeres, he is striken for it, of God; It is a dangerous thing in diuine matters, to goe beyond our war­rant: Those sinnes which seeme triuiall to men, are hainous in the account of God; Any thing that sauors of infidelity displeases him more, then some other crimes of morality. Yet the mouing of the rod was but a diuerse thing from the moouing of the tongue, it was not contrary; He did not forbid the one, but hee commanded the other: This was but acrosse the streame, not against it; where shal they appeare whose whole cour­ses are quite contrary to the com­mandements of God?

[Page 361] Vpon the act done, God passed the sentence of restrayning Moses with the rest, from the promised Land; now he performes it: Since that time, Moses had many fauors from God: All which could not reuerse this decreed castigation; That euerlasting rule is grounded vpon the very essence of God; I am Iehouah, I change not. Our purposes are as our selues, fickle, & incertaine; His are certain, and immutable: some things which he reueales, he alters; nothing that he hath decreed. Besides the soule of Moses (to the glory whereof God principally intended this change) I finde him carefull of two things: His Successor, and his Body: Mo­ses moues for the one; the other [Page 362] God doth, vnasked: Hee was so tender ouer the welfare of Israel, in his life; would not slaken his care, in death: Hee takes no thought for himself (for he knew how gainfull an exchange he must make.) All his care is for his charge. Some enuious natures de­sire to be missed, when they must goe; and wish that the weaknes, or want of a successour, may be the foyle of their memory, & honor: Moses is in a contrary disposition, It sufficeth him not to finde con­tentment in his owne happinesse, vnlesse he may haue an assurance, that Israel shall prosper after him. Carnall mindes are all for them­selues, and make vse of gouern­ment, only for their owne aduan­tages; But good hearts look euer to [Page 363] the future good of the Church a­boue their own, against their own.

Moses did well to show his good affection to his people; but in his silence God wold haue prouided for his owne: Hee that call'd him from the sheep of Iethro, will not want a gouernour for his chosen, to succeed him; God hath fitted him, whom he will choose. Who can be more meet, then he whose name, whose experience, whose graces might supply, yea reuiue Moses to the people? He that sear­ched the Land before, was fittest to guide Israel into it; Hee that vvas indued vvith the spirite of GOD, was the fittest deputie for GOD: He that abode still in the Tabernacle of Ohel-moed, as [Page 364] Gods attendant, was fittest to be sent forth from him, as his lieute­nant: But, oh the vnsearchable counsell of the Almighty! Aged Caleb, and all the Princes of Isra­el are past ouer; and Ioshua the seruant of Moses, is chosen to suc­ceed his maister; The eye of God is not blinded either with gifts, or with blood, or with beauty, or with strength: but as in his eternall e­lections, so in his temporary, hee will haue mercie, on vvhom hee will.

And well doth Ioshua succeed Moses; The very acts of God of olde were allegories: where the Law ends, there the Sauiour be­gins; we may see the Land of P [...]o­mise in the Law; Onely Iesus the [Page 365] mediatour of the new Testament can bring vs into it. So was he a seruant of the Law, that hee sup­plies all the defects of the Law, to vs: Hee hath taken possession of the promised Land for vs; he shall carry vs from this Wildernes, to our rest.

It is no small happinesse to any State, when their gouernors are chosen by worthiness; and such elections are euer from GOD; whereas the intrusions of bribery, and vniust fauour, or violence, as they make the common-wealth miserable, so they come from him, which is the author of con­fusion: Woe be to that State that suffers it; woe be to that person that workes it; for both of them [Page 366] haue sold themselues; the one to seruitude, the other to sin.

I doe not heare Moses repine at Gods choise; and grudge that this scepter of his is not hereditary; but he willingly layes hands vpon his seruant, to consecrate him for his successour. Ioshua was a good man, yet hee had some sparks of Enuy; for when Eldad and Medad prophecied, he stomacht it; ( My Lord Moses forbid them.) He that would not abide two of the El­ders of Israel to prophecie; how would he haue allow'd his seruant to sit in his throne? What an ex­ample of meeknesse (besides all the rest) doth hee here see in this last act of his maister, who with­out all murmuring resignes his [Page 367] chaire of state to his Page? It is all one to a gratious heart, whom GOD will please to aduance: Emulation, and discontentment are the affections of carnal minds. Humilitie goes euer with regene­ration; vvhich teaches a man to thinke (vvhat euer honour bee put vpon others) I haue more then I am worthy of.

The same GOD that by the hands of his Angels carryed vp the soule of Moses, to his glory; doth also by the hand of his An­gels, carry his body downe into the vally of Moab, to his sepul­ture; Those hands which had ta­ken the Law from him, those eyes that had seene his presence, those [Page 368] lips that had conferred so oft with him, that face that did so shine with the beames of his glory, may not be neglected, when the soule is gone: He that tooke charge of his birth, and preseruation in the reeds; takes charge of his carri­age out of the world: The care of GOD ceaseth not ouer his owne, either in death or after it. How iustly doe wee take care of the comely burials of our friends; when God himselfe giues vs this example?

If the ministery of man hadde beene vsed in this graue of Moses; the place might haue bin knowne to the Israelites; but GOD pur­posely cōceales this treasure both from Men, and Diuels; that so he [Page 369] might both crosse their curiosity, and preuent their superstition. If God had loued the adoration of his seruants reliques; Hee could neuer haue had a fitter oportuni­tie, for this deuotion, then in the bodie of Moses. It is folly to place religion in those things, vvhich God hides on purpose, from vs; It is not the property of the Al­mighty to restraine vs from good.

Yet, that diuine hand which lockt vp this treasure, and kept the key of it, brought it foorth af­terwards, glorious. In the transfi­guration, this body which was hid in the valley of Moab, appea­red in the hill of Tabor; that wee may knowe, these bodies of ours, are not lost, but layd vp; and shal [Page 370] as sure be raised in glory, as they are layd downe in corruption. Wee knowe, that when hee shall appeare, wee shall also ap­peare with him in glory.

CONTEMPLATIONS. THE EIGHT BOOKE.
RAHAB.

IOshua was one of those twelue sear­chers which were sent to viewe the Land of Canaan; yet now hee addresses two Spyes, for a more particular suruey: [Page 376] Those twelue were onely to in­quire of the generall condition of the people, and Land; these two, to finde out the best entrance in­to the next part of the Countrey, and into their greatest City. Io­shua himselfe was full of Gods spi­rit, and had the Oracle of GOD ready for his direction: yet now hee goes not to the propitiatorie for consultation, but to the spyes. Except where ordinary meanes faile vs, it is no appealing the im­mediat help of GOD; we may not seeke to the posterne, but where the common gate is shutte. It was promised Ioshua, that hee should lead Israel into the promi­sed Land; yet he knew it vvas vn­safe to presume. The condition of his prouident care was included [Page 377] in that assurance of successe. Hea­uen is promised to vs; but not to our carelesnesse, infidelity, diso­bedience. Hee that hath set this blessed inheritance before vs, pre­supposes our wisedome, faith, ho­linesse.

Either force, or policy, are fit to be vsed vnto Canaanites. He that would be happy in this spirituall warfare, must knowe where the strength of his enemy lyeth; and must frame his gard, according to the others assault. It is a great ad­uantage to a Christian, to know the fashion of Satans onsets, that he may the more easily compose himselfe to resist. Many a soule hath miscaried, through the ig­norance of his enemie, which had [Page 378] not perished, if it had well known that the weaknes of Satan stands in our faith.

The Spyes can finde no other lodging, but Rahabs house. Shee was a victualer by profession, and (as those persons and trades, by reason of the commonnesse of en­tertainement were amongst the Iewes, infamous, by name, and note) she was Rahab the harlot; I will not thinke shee professed fil­thinesse: onely her publique trade (through the corruption of those times) hath cast vpon her this name of reproach; yea, rather will I admire her fayth, then make excuses for her calling. How ma­ny women in Israel (now Miri­am was dead) haue giuen such [Page 379] proofes of their knowledge, and faith? How noble is that confes­sion, which shee makes of the power and truth of GOD? Yea, I see heere, not onely a disciple of GOD, but a Prophetesse. Or, if shee had once been publique, as her house was; now she is a chaste and worthy conuert; and so ap­proued her selfe for honest, and wise behauior, that she is thought worthy to be the great grand mo­ther of Dauids Father: and the holy line of the Messias, is not ashamed to admitte her into that happie pede-gree. The mercy of our GOD dooth not mea­sure vs, by what wee were; It would bee wide with the best of vs, if the eye of God should looke backward to our former estate; [Page 380] there hee should see Abraham an Idolater; Paul a persecutor; Ma­nasses a necromancer; Mary Mag­dalen a curtizan; and the best, vile enough to be ashamed of him­selfe. Who can despaire of mer­cy, that sees euen Rahab fetcht into the bloud of Israel, and line of Christ?

If Rahab had receiued these Spyes, but as vnknown passen­gers, with respect to their mony, and not to their errand, it had been no prayse: for in such cases, the thanke is rather to the guest, then to the host: but now, shee knew their purpose; shee knew that the harbor of them, was the danger of her owne life: and yet, shee hazards this entertainement. [Page 381] Either faith or friendship, are ne­uer tryed, but in extremities. To show countenance to the messen­gers of God, whiles the publique face of the State smiles vpō them, is but a curtesie of course; but to hide our own liues, in theirs, when they are persecuted, is an act, that lookes for a reward. These times need not our fauour; we knowe not what may come: Alas! how likely is it they wold shelter them in danger, which respect them not in prosperity?

All intelligences of State come first to the Court; It most con­cernes Princes to harken after the affayres of each other. If this poore In-holder knew of the Sea dryed vp before Israel, and of the [Page 382] discomfiture of Og & Sebon. Sure­ly this rumor was stale with the King of Iericho; he had heard it, and feared: And yet, in stead of sending Ambassadors for peace▪ he sends Pursuiuants, for the spies▪ The spirit of Rahab melted with that same report, where-with the King of Iericho was hardened▪ All make not one vse of the mes­sages, of the proceedings of GOD.

The King sends to tell her, what shee knew; shee had not hidde them, if shee had not known their errand. I knowe not whether first to wonder at the gracious proui­sion of God, for the spyes; or at the strong faith, w ^ch he hath wrought in the hart of a weak woman: two [Page 383] strangers, Israelites, Spyes; and noted for all these, in a forraine, [...]n an hostile Land, haue a safe har­ [...]our prouided thē, euen amongst their enemies; In Iericho, at the very Court-gate, against the pro­clamation of a King, against the [...]ndeuours of the people. Where cannot the GOD of heauen ei­ther finde, or rayse vp friends to his owne causes, and seruants?

Who could haue hoped for such faith in Rahab? which con­temned her life for the present, that shee might saue it for the future; neglected her own King and Countrey for strangers, vvhich shee neuer saw; and more feared the destruction of that Citie, before it knevv that it [Page 384] had an aduersary, then the dis­pleasure of her King, in the mor­tall reuenge of that, which he wold haue accounted trechery. Shee brings them vp to the roofe of her house, and hides them with stalks of Flax: That plant which vvas made to hide the body, from na­kednesse and shame, now, is vsed to hide the spyes from death. Ne­uer could these stalks haue beene improued so well with all her hus­wifry, after they were bruised, as now before they were fitted to her wheele: Of these she hath wo­uen an euerlasting web, both of life and propagation. And now her tongue hides them no lesse, then her hand: her charitie was good, her excuse was not good. Euill may not bee done, that good [Page 385] may come of it; wee may doe any thing but sinne, for promoting a good cause: And if not in so main occasions; how shall God take it, that wee are not dainty of false­hoods in tryfles?

No man will looke that these Spies could take any sound sleep, in these beds of stalks; It is enough for them that they liue, though they rest not. And now, vvhen they heare Rahab comming vp the stayres, doubtlesse they loo­ked for an executioner: but be­hold, shee comes vp with a mes­sage better then their sleepe; ad­ding to their protection, aduise for their future safety; whereto shee makes way by a faithful report of Gods former wonders, and the [Page 386] present disposition of her people; and by wise capitulations for the life, & security of her familie. The newes of Gods miraculous pro­ceedings for Israel, haue made her resolue of their successe, and the ruines of Iericho. Then one­ly doe we make a right vse of the works of God, whē by his iudge­ments vpon others, wee are war­ned to auoyde our owne. Hee in­tends his acts for precedents of iustice.

The parents, and brethren of Rahab take their rest; They are not troubled with the feare and care of the succese of Israel; but securely goe with the current of the present condition: Shee wat­ches for them all, and breakes her [Page 387] midnight sleepe, to preuent their last. One wise and faithfull person does well in an house; where all are careless, there is no comfort, but in perishing together. It had bin an ill nature in Rahab, if shee had been content to be saued a­lone: that her loue might bee a match to her faith, she couenants for all her family; and so returnes life to those, of whom shee re­ceiued it. Both the bond of na­ture, and of grace, will dravv all ours, to the participation of the same good, with our selues.

It had bin neuer the better for the Spies, if after this nights lodg­ing, they had beene turned out of doores to the hazard of the way: For so the pursuers had [Page 388] light vpon thē, & preuented their returne with their death. Rahabs counsel therefore was better then her harbor; which sent them (no doubt, with victualls in their hands) to seek safety in the moun­taines, till the heat of that search were past. He that hath giuen vs charge of our liues, will not suf­fer vs to cast them vpon wilful ad­uentures: Had not these Spyes hid themselues in those desert hills, Israel had wanted directors for their enterprises. There is no­thing more expedient for the Church, then that some of Gods faithfull messengers should with­draw themselues, and giue way to persecutions. Courage in those that must die, is not a greater ad­uantage to the Gospell, then a [Page 389] prudent retyring of those, which may suruiue, to maintaine & pro­pagate it.

It was a iust & resonable trans­action betwixt them; that her life should be saued by them, which had saued theirs; They owe no lesse to her, to whom they were not so much guests, as prisoners: And now they passe, not their promise onely, but their oath. They were strangers to Rahab, and for ought shee knew, might haue been godlesse: yet she dares trust her life, vpon their oath. So sacred and inviolable hath this bond euer beene, that an hea­then vvoman thought her selfe secure, vpon the oath of an Is­raelite.

[Page 390] Neither is shee more confident of their oath taken, then they are carefull both of taking, and per­forming it. So farre are they from desiring to salue vp any breach of promise, by equiuocation, that they explaine all conditions; and would preuent all possibilities of violation. All Rahabs familie, must be gathered into her house; and that redde cord, which was an instrument of their deliuerie, must be a signe of hers. Behold, this is the sauing colour: The de­stroying Angel sees the doore cheekes of the Israelites sprink­led with redde, and passes them ouer. The Warriours of Israel see the window of Rahab dyed with redde, and saue her familie, from the common destruction. [Page 391] If our soules haue this tincture of the precious blood of our Saui­our, vpon our doores, or win­dowes, wee are safe.

But if any one of the brethren of Rahab, shall flye from this redde flagge, and roue about the Citie, and not containe him­selfe vnder that roofe, which hid the Spyes, it is in vaine for him to tell the auengers, that he is Rahabs brother: That title will not saue him, in the street; with­in doores it will. If wee will vvander out of the limits, that GOD hath sette vs, wee cast our selues out of his protection; wee cannot challenge the bene­fit of his gracious preseruation, & our most precious redemption, [Page 392] when we fly out, into the by-waies of our owne hearts; Not for in­nocence, but for safety and har­bour, the Church is that house of Rahab, which is saued, vvhen all Iericho shall perish. Whiles wee keepe vs in the lists-thereof, wee cannot miscary, through mis-opi­nion: but when once we run out of it, let vs looke for iudgement from GOD, and error in our owne iudge­ment.

Iordan diuided.

THe two Spyes retur­ned, with newes of the victory that should be. I do not hear them say, The Land is vnpeopled; or the people are vnfurnished vvith armes; vnskilfull of the discipline of warre; but, ( They faint because of vs, therefore their Land is ours.) Either successe, or discomfiture, begins euer at the hart. A mans inward disposition dooth more then presage the euent. As a man rayses vp his owne heart, before [Page 394] his fall; and depresses it, before his glory: so God rayses it vp, be­fore his exaltation; and casts it downe, before his ruine. It is no otherwise, in our spirituall con­flicts: If Satan see vs once faint, he giues himselfe the day. There is no way to safety, but that our harts be the last that shall yield. That vvhich the heathens attri­buted to Fortune, we may iustlie to the hand of GOD; That he speedeth those that are forward. All the ground that we lose, is gi­uen to our aduersaries.

This newes is brought but ouer night; Ioshua is on his way by mor­ning, and preuents the sunne for hast. Delayes, whether in the bu­sinesse of God, or our owne, are [Page 395] hatefull and preiudiciall. Many a one loses the Land of Promise, by lingring: if wee neglect Gods time, it is iust with him, to crosse vs in ours.

Ioshua hastens till hee haue brought Israel to the verge of the promised Land: Nothing parts thē now, but the riuer of Iordan. There hee stayes a time; that the Israelites might feed themselues a while, with the sight of that, which they shold afterwards inioy. That which they had bin fortie yeers in seeking, may not be seized vpon, too suddenly: God loues to giue vs cooles, & heats in our desires; and will so allay our ioyes, that their fruition hurt vs not. Hee knowes, that as it is in meates, [Page 396] the long forbearance wherof cau­ses a surfet, when we come to full­feed: so it fares in the contemners of the mind; therefore hee feeds vs, not with the dish, but with the spoone; and will haue vs, neither cloyed, nor famished. If the mer­cie of GOD haue brought vs within sight of heauen, let vs be content to pause a-while, and and vpon the banks of Iordan, fit our selues for our entrance.

Now that Israel is brought to the brimme of Canaan, the clowd is vanished, which ledde them all the way: And as soone as they haue but crossed lordan, the Manna ceaseth, which nourisht them all the way. The clowd & Manna were for their passage, [Page 397] not for their rest; for the Wil­dernesse, not for Canaan. It were as easie for GOD to worke mi­racles alwayes; but hee knowes, that custome were the way to make them no miracles. He goes by-waies, but till he haue brought vs into the rode; and then, hee referres vs to his ordinarie pro­ceedings. That Israelite should haue been very foolish, that would still haue said; I will not stirre, till I see the clowd; I will not eat, vn­lesse I may haue that food of An­gels. Wherefore serues the Ark, but for their direction? Where­fore serues the Wheat of Cana­an, but for bread? So fond is that Christian, that will still de­pend vpon expectation of mira­cles, after the fulnesse of Gods [Page 398] kingdome. If God beare vs in his armes, when we are children, yet when we are well grown, he looks we should go on our owne feet. it is enough, that hee vpholds vs, tho hee cary vs not.

He that hitherto had gone be­fore them in the clowd, doth now goe before them, in the Ark; the same guide, in two diuerse signes of his presence. The clowd was for Moses, the Arke for Ioshuas time: the clowd was fit for Moses; the Law offred vs Christ, but enwrapped in many obscurities. If he were seene in the clowd, hee was heard from the couer of the Arke. Why was it the Ark of the Testimonie, but because it wit­nessed both his presence, & loue? [Page 399] And within it, were his Word, the Law; and his Sacrament, the Man­na. Who can wish a better guide, then the God of heauen, in his word, and Sacraments? Who can know the way into the Land of Promise, so well, as hee that owes it? And what meanes can better direct vs thither, then those of his institution?

That Arke which before was as the heart, is now as the head: It was in the midst of Israel, whiles they camped in the desert; now when the clowd is remooued, it is in the front of the Army; That as before they depended vpon it for life, so now, they should for direction. It must go before them, on the shoulders of the sonnes of [Page 400] Leui; they must follow it, but with­in sight, not within breathing. The Leuites may not touch the Ark, but onely the barres: The Israe­lites may not approach neerer then a thousand pases to it. What awfull respects doth GOD require to bee giuen vnto the testimonies of his presence? Vz­zah payd deere for touching it; the men of Bethshemesh, for loo­king into it. It is a dangerous thing to bee too bold with the ordinances of GOD. Tho the Israelites were sanctified, yet they might not come neere either the mount of Sinai, when the law was deliuered; or the Ark of the co­uenant, wherein the law was writ­ten. How fearfull shall their estate be, that come with vnhallowed [Page 401] hearts and hands to the word of the Gospell, and the true Manna of the Euangelicall Sacrament? As we vse to say of the Court and of fire; so may we of these diuine institutions, we freeze if wee be farre off from them; and if we be more neere then befits vs, wee burne. Vnder the Law, we might looke at Christ aloof; now vnder the Gospell, we may come neare him: He calls vs to him; yea hee enters into vs.

Neither was it onely for reue­rence, that the Arke must be not stumbled at, but wayted on, a far; but also for conuenience, both of sight, and passage: Those things that are neare vs, tho they be lesse, fill our eye; Neither could so ma­ny [Page 402] thousand eyes see the same obiect, vpon a leuell, but by di­stance: It would not content God, that one Israelite should tell an­other, Now the Arke goes, now it turnes, now it stands; but hee would haue euery one his owne witnesse. What can bee so com­fortable to a good heart, as to see the pledges of GODs pre­sence, and fauour? To heare of the louing kindnesses of God, is pleasant; but to behold, and feele the euidences of his mercy, is vn­speakably delectable: Hence the Saints of GOD, not contenting themselues with faith, haue still prayd for sight, and fruition, and mourned when they haue wanted it. What an happy prospect hath GOD set before vs of Christ [Page 403] Iesus crucified before vs, and of­fred vnto vs?

Ere God will worke a miracle before Israel, they haue charge to be sanctified. There is an holi­nes required, to make vs either patients, or beholders of the great works of God: how much more when wee should be actors in his sacred seruices? There is more vse of sanctification, when we must present something to God, then when he must doe ought to vs.

The same power that diuided the red Sea before Moses, diuides Iordan before Ioshua; that they might see the Arke no lesse ef­fectuall, then the cloud; and the hand of GOD, as present with [Page 404] Ioshua, to bring them into Cana­an, as it was with Moses, to bring them out of Egypt: The bea­rers of the Arke hadde neede bee faithfull; they must first set their foote into the streames of Iorden, and beleeue that it will giue waie; The same faith that ledde Peter vppon the vvater, must carrie them into it. There can be no Christian without be­leefe in GOD; but those that are neare to GOD, in his im­mediate seruices, must goe be­fore others no lesse in beleeuing, then they doe in example.

The vvaters knowe their ma­ker: That Iordan, vvhich flow­ed vvith full streams, when Christ [Page 405] went into it, to bee baptized; now giues way, vvhen the same GOD must passe through it in state: Then there was vse of his water, now of his sand. I hear of no newes of any rodde to strike the vvaters; the presence of the Arke of the Lord GOD, the Lord of all the World, is signe enough to these vvaues; vvhich now, as, if a sinew were broken, runs backe to both issues, and dare not so much, as wet the feet of the Priests, that bore it; What ayleth thee O Sea, that thou fledst, and thou Iordan that thou wert driuen back? ye moun­taines that yee leaped like rams, and ye little hills like lambs? The earth trembled at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the [Page 406] God of Iacob. How obseruant are all the creatures to the God that made them? How glorious a GOD doe we serue; whom all the powers of the heauens and Elements are willinglie sub­iect vnto; and gladlie take that nature which hee pleases to giue them? Hee could haue made Iordan like some solide paue­ment of crystall, for the Isra­elites feet to haue trode vppon; but this worke had not beene so magnificent. Euery strong frost congeales the water, in a natu­rall course: but for the riuer to stand still, and runne on heapes, and to be made a liquid wall for the passage of Gods people, is, for nature to run out of it selfe, to do homage to her Creator: Now [Page 407] must the Israelites needs thinke; How can the Canaanites stand out against vs, when the Seas and riuers giue vs way? With what ioy did they now trample vp­on the drie channell of Iordan, whiles they might see the drie deserts ouercome, the promi­sed Land before them, the ve­ry vvaters so glad of them, that they ranne backe to welcome them into Canaan? The pas­sages into our promised Land are troublesome and perilous; and, euen at last, offer them­selues to vs the maine hinderan­ces of our saluation; which, after all our hopes, threaten to defeat vs: for what will it auayle vs to haue passed a Wildernesse, if the waues of Iordan should swallow [Page 408] vs vppe; But the same hand that hath made the waie hard, hath made it sure: Hee that made the Wildernesse comfor­table, will make Iordan dry; hee will maister all difficulties for vs: and those things, vvhich vvee most feared, will he make most soueraine, and beneficiall to vs. O GOD, as wee haue trust­ed thee with the beginning, so vvill vvee vvith the finishing of our glorie. Faithfull art thou that hast promised, vvhich wilt also doe it.

Hee that ledde them about, in fortie yeers iourney, through the Wildernesse, yet now leades them the nearest cut to Iericho; [Page 409] Hee will not so much, as seeke for a ford for their passage; but diuides the waters. What a sight was this to their heathen aduer­saries, to see the waters make both a lane, and a wall for Isra­ell? Their heartes could not choose, but bee broken, to see the streames broken off for a waie to their enemies. I doe not see Ioshua hasting through this channell, as if hee feared, least the tide of Iordan should returne; but as knowing that watery wall stronger, then the walls of Iericho, hee pases slow­lie: And least this miracle should passe away with themselues, hee commaunds twelue stones to be taken out of the channell of Ior­dan, by twelue selected men, [Page 410] from euery Tribe; which shall be pitched in Gilgal; and twelue other stones, to be set in the midst of Iordan, where the feet of the Priests had stood, with the Arke; That so both land & water might testifie the miraculous way of Is­rael, whiles it should be saide of the one; These stones were fetcht out of the pauement of Iordan; of the other, There did the Arke rest whiles wee walked dry-shod, through the deepes of Iordan: Of the one, Iordan was once as dry as this Gilgal; Of the other, Those waues which drowne these stones, had so drowned vs, if the power of the Almighty had not restrai­ned them. Many a great worke had God done for Israel, which was now forgotten: Ioshua ther­fore [Page 411] will haue Monuments of GODs mercy, that future Ages might be both witnesses, and applauders of the great works of their GOD.

The Siege of Iericho.

IOshua begins his wars with the Circumcisi­on and Passeouer; He knew that the way to keep the blood of his people from shedding; was to let out that paga­nish blood of their vncircumcisiō. The person must be in fauour, ere the worke can hope to prosper: His predecessor Moses had like to haue beene slaine for neglect of this Sacrament, when hee went to call the people out of Egypt: he iustly feares his owne safety, if [Page 413] now hee omit it, when they are brought into Canaan: wee haue no right of inheritance in the spi­rituall Canaan, the Church of God, till wee haue receiued the Sacrament of our matriculation: So soone as our couenants are re­nued with our Creator, wee may well looke for the vision of God, for the assurance of victory.

What sure worke did the King of Iericho thinke hee had made! he blocked vp the passages, bar­red vppe the gates, defended the walls, and did enough to keepe out a common enemy: If wee could doe but this to our spiritu­all aduersaries, it were as impos­sible for vs to be surprised, as for Iericho to be safe. Me thinkes I [Page 414] see how they called their councell of warre; debated of all meanes of defence; gathered their forces, trained their soldiours, set strong gards to the gates, and walls; and now would perswade one ano­ther, that vnlesse Israel could fly into their city, the siege was vaine. Vaine worldlings think their ram­pires and Barricadoes can keepe out the vengeance of God; Their blindnesse suffers them to looke no further then the meanes: The supreme hand of the Almighty comes not within the compasse of their feares. Euery carnall heart is a Iericho shut vp; GOD sets downe before it, and displayes mercy and iudgement, in sight of the walls thereof; It hardens it selfe in a wilfull securitie; and [Page 415] saith, Tush, I shall neuer bee moo­ued.

Yet their courage & fear fight together within their walls, with­in their bosoms: Their courage tells them of their owne strength; their feare suggests the miracu­lous successe of this (as they could not but thinke) inchanted gene­ration; and now whiles they haue shut out their enemy, they haue shut in their owne terrour. The most secure hart in the world hath some flashes of feare; for it cannot but sometimes looke out of it selfe, and see vvhat it would not. Ra­hab had notified that their hearts fainted: and yet now, their fa­ces bewray nothing but resolu­tion. I knowe not vvhether the [Page 416] heart, or the face of an hypocrite be more false; and as each of them seeks to beguile the other, so both of them agree to deceiue the be­holders: In the midst of laughter, their heart is heauy; who would not thinke him merry that laughs? Yet their reioycing is but in the face: vvho vvould not thinke a blasphemer, or profane man re­solutely carelesse? If thou hadst a vvindowe into his heart, thou shouldst see him tormented with horrors of conscience.

Now the Israelites see those wal­led cities, & towers whose height was reported to reach to heauen; the same wherof had so affrighted them, ere they saw them, and were ready doubtlesse to say, in [Page 417] their distrust, which way shall wee scale these inuincible fortificati­ons? what ladders, what engines shall wee vse to so great a worke? GOD preuents their infidelity; Beholde I haue giuen Iericho into thine hand. If their walls had their foundations laid in the center of the earth; If the battlements had beene so high built, that an Egle could not soare ouer them; this is enough, I haue giuen it thee: For, on whose earth haue they raised these castles? Out of whose treasure did they digge those piles of stone? Whence had they their strength, and time to build? Can not he that gaue, recall his owne? O yee fooles of Iericho; what if your walls bee strong, your men valiant, your leaders skilfull, your [Page 418] King wise; when God hath said, I haue giuen thee the City: What can swords or speares doe against the Lord of hostes? Without him meanes can doe nothing: how much lesse against him? How vain and idle is that reckoning, where­in God is left out? Had the cap­taine of the Lords host drawne his sword for Iericho, the gates might haue beene opened; Israel could no more haue entred, then they can now bee kept from en­tring, when the walls were falne. What courses soeuer wee take for our safety, it is good making GOD of our side: Neither men, nor diuels can hurt vs against him; neither men nor Angels can secure vs from him.

[Page 419] There was neuer so strange a siege as this of Iericho: Heere vvas no mount raised, no sword drawen, no engine planted, no pioners vndermining; Here were trumpets sounded, but no ene­my seene; Heere were armed men, but no stroke giuen: They must walke and not fight; seuen seuerall dayes must they pase a­bout the walles, which they may not once looke ouer, to see what was within. Doubtlesse these in­habitants of Iericho made them­selues merry with this sight: When they had stood sixe dayes vppon their walles, and beheld none but a walking enemy; vvhat (saie they) could Israel find no walk to breath them with, but about our [Page 420] walls? Haue they not traueled e­nough in their forty yeeres pilgri­mage, but they must stretch their limmes in this circle? surely if their eies were engines, our walls could not stand: wee see they are good foot-men; but when shall we trie their hands? What, doo these vaine men thinke Iericho will be wonne with looking at? Or, doe they onely come to count how many pases it is about our City? If this bee their manner of siege, wee shall haue no great cause to feare the sword of Israel. Wicked men thinke GOD in iest, when hee is preparing for their iudge­ment. The Almighty hath waies and counsells of his owne; vtter­lie vnlike to ours: which because our reason cannot reach, we are [Page 421] ready to condemne of foolish­nesse and impossibilitie. With vs, there is no way to victorie but fighting; and the strongest carryes the spoile: GOD can giue victory to the feet, as well as to the hands; and, when hee will, makes weaknesse no disad­uantage. What should we doe but follow GOD through by­wayes, and knowe, that he will in spight of nature lead vs to our ende?

All the men of war must com­passe the City; yet it was not the presence of the great warriours of Israel that threw downe the walls of Iericho. Those foundations were not so slightly laide; as that they could not indure ey­ther [Page 422] a looke, or a march, or a batterie: It was the Ark of God vvhose presence demolished the walles of that wicked Citie. The same power that droue backe the waters of Iordan before, and af­terwardes laide Dagon on the floore, cast downe all those forts. The Priests beare on their shoul­ders that mighty engine of God, before which those walles, if they had been of molten brasse, could not stand. Those spirituall wic­kednesses, yea those gates of hell, vvhich to nature are vt­terlie inuincible, by the power of the worde of GOD (which hee hath committed to the car­riage of his weake seruants) are ouerthrowne, and triumphed o­uer. Thy Arke, O GOD, hath [Page 423] beene long amongst vs; howe is it that the walles of our cor­ruptions stand still vnruined. It hath gone before vs; his Priests haue carryed it, wee haue not followed it, our hearts haue not attended vppon it; and there­fore, how mighty soeuer it is in it selfe; yet to vs, it hath not beene so powerfull, as it vvould.

Seuen dayes together they walkt this round; They made this therfore their Sabaoth-daies iour­ny; and who knowes whether the last, and longest walke, which brought victory to Israel, were not on this day? Not long be­fore an Israelit is stoned to death, for but gathering a few sticks, [Page 424] that daie: Nowe all the host of Israel must walke about the walls of a large and populous Ci­ty, and yet doe not violate the day. Gods precept is the rule of the iustice, and holines of all our actions: Or was it, for that reuenge vpon Gods enemies is an holy worke, and such, as God vouch­safes to priueledge with his owne day? Or, because when wee haue vndertaken the exploits of God, hee vvill abide no intermissi­on, till wee haue fulfilled them; Hee allowes vs to breathe, not to breake off, till wee haue fi­nished.

It had beene as easie for God, to haue giuen this successe to their first daies walke, yea to their [Page 425] first pase, or their first sight of Ie­richo; yet hee will not giue it, vntill the end of their seuen daies toyle: It is the pleasure of God to holde vs both in worke, and in exeectation; And though hee require our continuall indeuours for the subduing of our corrup­tions, during the sixe dayes of our life, yet wee shall neuer find it perfectly effected, till the ve­rie euening of our last day: In the meane time, it must content vs, that wee are in our vvalke, and that these walles cannot stand, vvhen wee come to the measure, and number of our perfection. A good heart grones vnder the sense of his infirmities, faine vvould bee rid of them, and striues and prayes; but when [Page 426] hee hath all done; vntill the ende of the seuenth day, it can­not be: If a stone or two moul­der off from these walles, in the meane time, that is all; but the foundations will not bee remoo­ued, till then.

When wee heare of so great a designe as the miraculous win­ning of a mightie Cittie, who vvould not looke for some glo­rious meanes to worke it? when vvee heare that the Arke of GOD must besiege Iericho, vvho would not looke for some royall equipage? But beholde heere, seuen Priests must goe before it, with seuen trumpets of rammes hornes. The Israelites had trumpets of siluer, vvhich [Page 427] GOD had appointed for the vse of assembling, and dissoluing the Congregation, for warre, and for peace. Now I doe not heare them called for; but in steade thereof, Trumpets of rams hornes; base for the matter, and not loud for sound; the short­nesse and equall measure of those instruments could not afford, ei­ther shrilnes of noyse, or varie­ty. How meane and homely are those meanes vvhich GOD commonly vses in the most glo­rious workes? No doubt, the Citizens of Iericho, answered this dull alarum of theirs, from their walles, vvith other instruments of lowder report, and more mar­tiall ostentation; and the vulgar Israelites thought; vvee haue [Page 428] as clear, and as costly trumpets as theirs; yet no man dares offer to sound the better, when the worse are commaunded: If wee finde the ordinances of GOD poore and weake; let it content vs that they are of his owne choosing, and such as whereby he will so much more honour him­selfe, as they in themselues are more inglorious: not the out­side, but the efficacy is it, that God cares for.

No ramme of iron could haue beene so forceable for battery, as these rams-hornes: For when they sounded long, and were seconded vvith the shout of the Israelites, all the walles of Ieri­cho fell downe at once: They [Page 429] made the heauen ring vvith their shout: but the ruine of those walles drowned their voice, and gaue a pleasant kinde of hor­rour to the Israelites: The earth shooke vnder them, with the fall; but the hearts of the inhabitants shooke yet more: many of them doubtlesse were slaine with those walles, wherein they had trust­ed: A man might see death in the faces of all the rest, that re­mayned; who now being halfe dead vvith astonishment, ex­pected the other halfe from the sword of their enemies; They had now, neither meanes, nor will to resist; for if onely one breach hadde beene made (as it vses in other sieges) for the entrance of the enemie; per­haps [Page 430] new supplies of defendants might haue made it vp with their carcasses: but now, that at once, Iericho is turned to a plaine fielde, euerie Israelite vvithout resistance might runne to the next bootie; and the throats of their enemies seemed to in­uite their swordes, to a dis­patch.

If but one Israelite had knockt at the gates of Iericho, it might haue beene thought their hand had helped to the victory: Now, that GOD may haue all the glorie, without the show of any riuall, yea of any meanes, they doe but walke and shout, and the walles giue way. Hee can­not abide to part vvith any ho­nour, [Page 431] from himselfe: As hee dooth all things, so hee would be acknowledged.

They shout all at once. It is the presence of Gods Arke and our conioyned prayers, that are effectuall to the beating downe of wickednesse. They may not shout till they be bidden. If wee will be vnseasonable in our good actions, wee may hurt, and not benefit our selues.

Euerie liuing thing in Ieri­cho, man, woman, childe, cat­tel, must dy: Our follie would thinke this mercilesse; but there can bee no mercy in iniustice; and nothing but iniustice, in not fulfilling the charge of GOD: [Page 432] The death of malefactors, the condemnation of wicked men, seeme harsh to vs; but wee must learne of GOD, that there is a punishing mercy. Cursed be that mercy, that opposes the GOD of mercy.

Yet was not Ioshua so intent vpon the slaughter, as not to be mindfull of Gods part, and Ra­habs: First, he giues charge (vn­der a curse) of reseruing all the treasure for God; Then of pre­seruing the family of Rahab. Those two Spyes, that receiued life from her, now returne it to her, and hers: They call at the window with the red cord; and send vp newes of life to her, the same way which they receiued [Page 433] theirs. Her house is no part of Ie­richo; neither may fire be sette to any building of that Citie, till Ra­hab & her family be set safe with­out the host. The actions of our faith and charitie will be sure to pay vs, if late, yet surely. Now Rahab findes what it is to belieue GOD; whiles out of an impure idolatrous Citie, she is transplan­ted into the Church of God, and made a mother of a royall, and holy poste­ritie.

Achan.

WHen the walls of Ieri­cho were fallen, Ioshua charged the Israelites but with two precepts; Of sparing. Rahabs house; and of abstaining frō that treasure, which was anathematized to GOD; & one of them is broken: As in the entrance to Paradise, but one tree was forbidden, and that was ea­ten of. GOD hath prouided for our weaknesse in the paucitie of commaunds: but our innocencie [...] stands not so much in hauing few [...] [Page 435] precepts, as in keeping those wee haue. So much more guiltie are we in the breach of one, as we are more fauoured in the number.

They needed no commaund to spare no liuing thing in Ieri­cho: but to spare the treasure, no commaund was enough. Impar­tialitie of execution is easier to performe, then contempt of these worldly things; because wee are more prone to couet for our selues, then to pitty others. Had Ioshua bidden to saue the men, & diuide the treasure, his charge had been more plausible, then now to kill the men, and saue the treasure: or, if they must kill, earthly mindes would more glad­ly shed their enemies bloud, for a [Page 436] booty, then out of obedience, for the glory of their Maker. But now, it is good reason, since God threw downe those walls, and not they; that both the bloud of that wicked Citie should be spilt to him, not to their owne reuenge; and that the treasure should bee reserued for his vse, not for theirs. VVho but a miscreant can grudge, that GOD should serue himselfe of his owne? I can­not blame the rest of Israel, if they were well pleased with these con­ditions; onely one Achan, trou­bles the peace, and his sinne is imputed to Israel: the innocence of so many thousand Israelites, is not so forceable to excuse his one sinne, as his one sinne is to taint all Israel.

[Page 437] A lewd man is a pernicious creature: That hee damnes his ovvne soule, is the least part of his mischiefe; hee commonlie drawes vengeance vpon a thou­sand, either by the desert of his sinne, or by the infection. VVho vvould not haue hoped, that the same GOD, vvhich for tenne righteous men would haue spared fiue vvicked Cit­ties, should not haue been con­tent to drovvne one sinne, in the obedience of so many righ­teous? But so venomous is sinne, (especiallie, vvhen it lights a­mong GODs people) that one [...]ramme of it is able to infect the [...]hole mass of Israel.

[Page 438] Oh righteous people of Isra­el, that had but one Achan! How had their late circumcision cut a­way the vncleane foreskin of their disobedience? How had the blood of their Paschall Lambe scoured their soules from couetous de­sires? The world was well men­ded with them, since their stub­burne murmurings, in the desert. Since the death of Moses, and the gouernment of Ioshua, I doe not finde them in any disorder. After that the Law hath brought vs vn­der the conduct of the true Iesus▪ our sinnes are more rare, and our liues more conscionable. Whiles we are vnder the Law, wee do no [...] so keepe it, as when wee are deli­uered from it: our Christian free­dome, is more holy then our ser­uitude. [Page 439] Then haue the Sacraments of God their due effect, when their receit purgeth vs from our old sinnes, and makes our conuersa­tion cleane, and spirituall.

Little did Iosua know that there was any sacriledge committed by Israel: that sinne is not halfe cun­ning enough, that hath not lear­ned secrecy. Ioshua was a vigilant Leader, yet some sins will escape him: Onely that eye which is e­uery where, findes vs out in our close wickednesse. It is no blame to authority, that some sinnes are secretly committed: The holiest congregation, or family, may be blemisht with some malefactors: It is iust blame, that open sinnes are not punished; we shall wrong [Page 440] gouernment, if wee shall expect the reach of it should be infinite. Hee therefore, which if hee had knowne the offence, would haue sent vp prayers, and teares to GOD, now sends Spyes for a further discouery of Ai; They returne, with newes of the weak­nesse of their aduersaries: and (as contemning their paucitie) per­swade Ioshua, that a vving of Is­rael is enough to ouershadow this Citie of Ai. The Israelites were so fleshed vvith their for­mer victorie, that now they think no walls, or men can stand be­fore them. Good successe lifts vppe the heart vvith too much confidence; and vvhiles it dis­swades men from dooing their best, oft-times disappoynts them. [Page 441] With God, the meanes can neuer be too weake; without him, neuer strong enough.

It is not good to contemne an impotent enemy. In this second battell the Israelites are beaten: It was not the fewness of their as­saylants that ouerthrew them, but the sin that lay lurking at home. If all the host of Israel, had sette vpon this poore village of Ai, [...]hey had beene all equally dis­comfited: the wedge of Achan did more fight against them, then [...]ll the swords of the Canaanites. The victories of GOD go not by strength, but by innocence.

Doubtlesse these men of Ai, in­sulted in this foyle of Israel, and [Page 442] said; Loe these are the men, from whose presence the waters of Ior­dan ran back, now they run as fast away from ours: These are they, before whom the walls of Iericho fell downe; now they are fallen as fast before vs; & all their neigh­bours tooke heart from this victo­ry. Wherein I doubt not, but be­sides the punishment of Israels sin, God intended the further obdu­ration of the Canaanites: Like as some skilfull player loses on pur­pose, at the beginning of the game, to draw on the more abet­ments. The newes of their ouer­throw spred as far as the fame of their speed; and euery Cittie of Canaan could say, Why not wee, as well as Ai?

[Page 443] But good Ioshua, that succee­ded Moses, no lesse in the care of Gods glory, then in his gouern­ment, is much deiected with this euent. Hee rends his clothes, falls on his face, casts dust vpon his head, and (as if he had learned of his Maister, how to expostulate with GOD) sayes, What wilt thou doe to thy mighty Name?

That Ioshua might see, GOD tooke no pleasure to let the Israe­lites lie dead vpon the earth, be­fore their enemies; himselfe is tax­ed, for but lying all day, vpon his face, before the Arke. All his ex­postulations are answered in one word, Get thee vp, Israel hath sin­ned. I doe not heare God say, Ly still, and moure for the sinne of [Page 444] Israel. It is to no purpose to pray against punishment, while the sin continues. And though GOD loues to be sued to; yet hee holds our requests vnseasonable, till there be care had of satisfaction. When we haue risen, and redres­sed sinne, then may we fall down for pardon.

Victorie is in the free hand of God, to dispose where hee will; and no man can maruell that the dice of Warre run euer with ha­zard, on both sides: so as GOD needed not to haue giuen any o­ther reason of this discomfiture of Israel, but his owne pleasure: yet Ioshua must now know, that Israel, which before preuailed for their faith, is beaten for their sin. When [Page 445] we are crossed in iust, and holie quarrells, we may well think there is some secret euil vnrepented of, which GOD would punish in vs; which, tho we see not, yet hee so hates, that he will rather be want­ing to his owne cause, then not reuenge it. When we goe about any enterprise of God, it is good to see that our hearts bee cleare from any pollution of sinne; and when wee are thwarted in our hopes, it is our best course to ransack our selues, and to search for some sinne hid from vs in our bosome, but open to the view of GOD.

The oracle of God, which told him a great offence was com­mitted, yet reueales not the [Page 446] person: It had beene as easie for him, to haue named the man, as the crime. Neither dooth Ioshua request it; but referres that disco­uery to such a meanes; as where­by the offender (finding himselfe singled out by the lot) might bee most conuinced. Achan thought he might haue lyen as close in all that throng of Israel, as the wedge of Gold lay in his Tent. The same hope of secrecie which mooued him to sinne, mooued him to con­fidence in his sin: but now, when he saw the lot fall vpon his Tribe, hee began to start a little; when vpon his family, hee beganne to change countenance; when vpon his houshold, to tremble and fear; when vpon his person, to be vtter­ly confounded in himselfe. Foo­lish [Page 447] men thinke to run away with their priuie sinnes; and say, Tush, no eye shall see me: but whē they think themselues safest, God pulls them out with shame. The man that hath escaped iustice, and now is lying downe in death, vvould thinke; My shame shall neuer be disclosed: but, before men and Angels shall hee bee brought on the scaffold, and finde confusion, as sure, as late.

What needed any other eui­dence, when GOD had accused Achan? Yet Ioshua will haue the sinne out of his mouth, in whose hart it was hatched; My sonne, I beseech thee, giue glory to GOD. Whom God had conuinced as a malefactor, Ioshua beseeches as a [Page 448] son. Some hote spirit would haue said; Thou wretched traytor, how hast thou pilfred from thy GOD, and shedde the bloud of so many Israelites, and caused the host of Israel to show their backs, with dishonour, to the heathens: now shall wee fetch this sin out: of thee with tortures; and plague thee with a condigne death. But like the disciple of him▪ whose seruant he was, he meekly intreates that, which hee might haue extorted by violence, ( My son, I beseech thee). Sweetnes of compellation, is a great help towards the good entertainment of an admonition: roughnes and rigor, many times hardens those harts, which meek­nesse would haue melted to re­pentance: whether wee sue, o [...] [Page 449] conuince, or reproue, little good is gotten by bitternesse. Detesta­tion of the sinne, may well stand with fauour to the person: And these two, not distinguished, cause great wrong, either in our chari­ty, or iustice; for, either wee vn­charitably hate the creature of GOD, or vniustly affect the euil of men. Subiects are, as they are called, sonnes to the Magistrate: All Israel was not onely of the fa­mily, but, as of the loynes of Io­shua; such must be the correcti­ons, such the prouisions of Go­uernours, as for their children; as againe, the obedience and loue of subiects must be filiall.

GOD had glorified himselfe sufficiently, in finding out the [Page 450] wickednesse of Achan; neither need he honor from men, much lesse from sinners; They can dis­honor him by their iniquities: but what recompence can they giue him, for their wrongs? yet Ioshua sayes, My sonne, giue glory to God; Israel should now see, that the tongue of Achan did iustifie God in his lot. The confession of our sinnes doth no lesse honour God, then his glory is blemished by their commission. Who would not be glad to redeem the honor of his Redeemer, with his owne shame?

The lot of God, and the milde words of Ioshua, won Achan to ac­cuse himself, ingenuously, impar­tially: a storm perhaps would not [Page 451] haue done that, which a sunshine hath done. If Achan had come in vncalled, and before any question made, out of an honest remorse, had brought in this sacrilegious booty, & cast himselfe and it, at the foot of Ioshua; doubtless, Israel had prospered, & his sin had caried a­way pardon: now, he hath gotten thus much thanke, that he is not a desperat sinner. GOD will once wring frō the conscience of wic­ked men their owne inditements; They haue not more carefullie hid their sin, then they shall one day freely proclaime their owne shame.

Achans confession, tho it were [...]ate, yet was it free, and full: For hee doth not onely acknow­ledge [Page 452] the act, but the ground [...] his sin; I saw, and coueted, and too [...] The eye betrayed the heart; an [...] that, the hand; and now all con­spire in the offence. If we list n [...] to flatter our selues, this hath b [...] the order of our crimes: Euill [...] vniforme; and beginning at th [...] senses, takes the inmost fort [...] the soule, and then armes o [...] owne outward forces, against v [...] This shall once be the lasciuio [...] mans song, I saw, and coueted, tooke: This the thieues; this th [...] idolaters; this the gluttons an [...] drunkards: All these receiue the death by their eye. But, oh fo [...]lish Achan! with what eyes did thou look vpon that spoile, whi [...] thy fellowes saw, and contemned Why couldest thou not before, [Page 453] well as now, see shame hid vnder [...]hat gay Babylonish garment? and [...]n heape of stones couered with [...]hose shekels of siluer? The ouer­ [...]rizing, & ouer-desiring of these [...]arthly things, caries vs into all mischiefe; and hides vs from the [...]ght of Gods iudgements: who­soeuer admires the glory of me­ [...]alls, or of gay clothes, or honor, [...]annot be innocent.

Well might Ioshua haue pro­ [...]eeded to the execution of him, whom GOD, and his own mouth [...]ccused: but, as one that thought [...]o euidence could be too strong [...] a case, that was capitall; hee [...]ends to see, whether there was [...]s much truth in the confession, as [...]ere was falshood in the stealth.

[Page 454] Magistrates and Iudges, must pase slowly, & sure, in the punishment of offenders. Presumptions are not ground enough for the sen­tence of death; no, not in some cases, the confessions of the guil­tie: It is no warrant for the Law to wrong a man, that hee hath before wronged himselfe. There is lesse ill in sparing an offen­der, then in punishing the inno­cent.

Who wold not haue expected, since the confession of Achan was ingenuous, and his pillage still found entyre, that his life should haue beene pardoned? But heere was, Confesse, and dye: He had been too long sick of this disease, to bee recouered. Had his con­fession [Page 455] beene speedy, and free, it had saued him. How dangerous it is, to suffer sin to lye fretting in­to the soule! vvhich if it vvere washt off betimes with our repen­tance, could not kill vs. In mortall offences, the course of humane iustice is not stayd by our peni­tence: It is wel for our soules that we haue repented; but the lawes of men take not notice of our sor­row. I knowe not whether the death, or the teares of a malefac­tor, be a better sight: The censures of the Church are wip't off with vveeping, not the penalties of lawes.

Neither is Achan alone cald foorth to death, but all his fa­milie, all his substance. The [Page 456] actor alone doth not smart with sacriledge; all that concerns him is enwrapped, in the iudgement. Those that defile their hands with holy goods, are enemies to their owne flesh, & blood. Gods first reuenges are so much the more fearefull, because they must be exem­plary.

The Gibeonites.

THe newes of Israels victory had flowne o­uer all the mountains, and vallyes of Cana­an; & yet those heathenish Kings, and people, are mustered toge­ther against them. They might haue seene themselues in Iericho, and Ai; and haue wel perceiued, it was not an arme of flesh, that they must resist; yet they gather their forces, and say, Tush, wee shall speed better. It is madnesse in a man, not to be warned; but [Page 458] to runne vpon the poynt of those iudgements, wherewith hee sees others miscary; and not to be­lieue, till he cannot recouer. Our assent is purchased too late, when we haue ouer-stayd preuention; & trust to that experience, which we cannot liue to redeeme.

Only the Hiuites are wiser then their fellowes, & will rather yield and liue. Their intelligence was not diuerse from the rest; all had equally heard of the miraculous conduct, and successe of Israel: But their resolution was diuerse. As Rahab saued her family, in the midst of Iericho: so these foure Citties preserued them­selues, in the midst of Canaan; and both of them, by belieuing [Page 459] vvhat GOD vvould doo. The efficacie of GODs maruailous works, is not in the acts them­selues, but in our apprehension; some are ouer-come with those motiues, which others haue con­temned for weake.

Had these Gibeonites ioyned with the forces of all their neigh­bours, they had perished in their common slaughter; If they had not gone a way by themselues, death had mette them; It may haue more pleasure, it cannot haue so much safety, to follow the multitude. If examples may lead vs, the greatest part shuts out God, vpon earth, and is exclu­ded from GOD elswhere. Some fevv poore Hiuites yeeld to the [Page 460] Church of GOD, and escape the condemnation of the world. It is very like, their neighbours flou­ted at this base submission of the Gibeonites; & out of their tearms of honor, scorned to beg life of an enemy, whiles they were out of the compasse of mercy: but when the bodies of these proud Iebu­sites and Perizzites lay strawed vpon the earth, and the Gibeo­nites suruiued, whether was more woorthy of scorne, and insulta­tion?

If the Gibeonites had stayed till Israel had besieged their Cit­ties, their yieldance had beene fruitlesse; now they make an ear­ly peace, and are preserued. There is no wisedome in staying till a [Page 461] iudgement come home to vs; the onely way to auoid it, is to meet it halfe way. There is the same re­medy of warre, and of danger: To prouoke an enemy in his own borders, is the best stay of inuasi­on; and to solicite God betimes in a manifest danger, is the best antidote for death.

I commend their wisedom in seeking peace; I doe not com­mend their falshood, in the man­ner of seeking it: who can looke for any better of Pagans? But as the faith of Rahab is so rewarded, that her lye is not punished: so the fraude of these Gibeonites, is not an equall match to their be­liefe; since the name of the Lord GOD of Israel, brought them [Page 462] to this suit of peace.

Nothing is found fitter to de­ceiue Gods people, then a coun­terfeit copy of age. Heer are old sacks, old bottles, old shooes, old garments, old bread. The Israe­lites that had worne one suit for­tie yeeres, seemed new-clad in comparison of them. It is no new policie, that satan would beguile vs with a vaine colour of antiqui­tie, clothing falshood in ragges. Errours are neuer the elder, for their patching: Corruption can doe the same that time vvould doe; vvee may make age, as well as suffer it. These Gibeo­nites did teare their bottles, and shooes, and clothes, and made them naught, that they might [Page 463] seeme old: so doe the false pa­trons of new errours. If wee be caught with this Gibeonitish stra­tagem, it is a signe wee haue not consulted with GOD.

The sentence of death vvas gone out against all the inha­bitants of Canaan. These Hi­uites acknowledge the truth, and iudgements of GOD, and yet seeke to escape by a league with Israel. The generall denuncia­tions of the vengeance of God, enwrappe all sinners; Yet may vvee not despayre of mercie. If the secret counsell of the Al­mightie had not designed these men to life, Ioshua could not haue beene deceiued, vvith their league. In the generalitie [Page 464] there is no hope: Let vs come in the old ragges of our vilenesse, to the true Ioshua, & make our truce with him; we may liue, yea, wee shall liue. Some of the Israelites suspect the fraude; and notwith­standing all their old garments, and prouisions, can say, It may be thou dwellest among vs. If Ioshua had continued this doubt, the Gibeonites had torne their bot­tles in vaine. In cases and persons vnknowne, it is safe not to be too credulous: Charitie it selfe will allow suspicion, where wee haue seene no cause to trust.

If these Hiuites had not put on new faces, with their old clothes, they had surely changed counte­naunce, when they heard this ar­gument [Page 465] of the Israelites, ( It may [...]e thou dwellest amongst vs; how [...]en can I make a league with thee?) They had perhaps hoped, their [...]bmission would not haue been [...]fused, where-soeuer they had [...]welt: but, lest their neighbour­ [...]ood might be a preiudice, they [...]ome disguised; and now heare, [...]at their nearnesse of abode was [...] vnremoueable barre of peace. [...] was quarrell enough, that they [...]re Canaanites; God had for­ [...]dden both the league, and the [...] of the natiue inhabitants. Hee [...]at calls himselfe the GOD of [...]ace, proclaimes himselfe the [...]d of hostes: and not to fight [...]here he hath commaunded, is to [...]ak the peace with God, whiles [...] nourish it with men. Conten­tion [Page 466] with brethren, is not mo [...] hatefull to him, then leagues wi [...] idolaters. The condition that h [...] hath set to our peace, is our possi [...]bilitie, and our power. That fall not within the possibility of ou [...] power, which wee cannot do [...] lawfully.

What a smooth tale did the [...] Gibeonites tell for themselues? [...] the remoteness of their Country the motiues of their iourney; [...] consultation of their Elders; th [...] ageing of their prouisions in th [...] way: that it might seem not on [...]lie safe, but deserued on the parts, that they should bee a [...]mitted to a peace, so far sough [...] & purchased with so much toy [...] and importunitie. Their cloth [...] [Page 467] and their tongues agreed toge­ther; and both disagree from the truth: Deceit is euer light­lie wrapped vp in plausibilitie of vvords; as faire faces oft times hide much vnchastitie. But this guile spedde the better, because it vvas cladde vvith much plain­nesse: For vvho vvould haue suspected, that clouted shooes, and ragged coates could haue couered so much subtiltie? The case seemed so cleare, that the Israelites thought it needlesse to consult vvith the mouth of the Lord. Their ovvne eyes and eares vvere called onelie to counsell; and now their cre­dulitie hath drawne them into inconuenience.

[Page 468] There is no way to conuince these Gibeonitish pretences of antiquitie, but to haue recourse to the oracle of GOD. Had this been aduised with, none of these false ragges had shamed the Church of God: whether in our practise, or iudgement, this di­rection cannot faile vs; whereas, what we take vp on the words of men, proues euer either light, or false wares.

The facilitie of Israel had ledde them into a league, to an oath, for the safety of the Gibeonites: and now within three dayes they finde both their neighborhood and de­ceit. Those old shooes of theirs, would easily hold to cary them back to their home. The march [Page 469] of a great Army, is easy: yet with­in three dayes the Israelites were before their Cities. Ioshua might now haue taken aduantage of their owne words, to dissolue his league; and haue said; Yee are come from a farre Country, these Citties are neare; These are not therfore the people, to whom we are ingaged by our promise, and oath: And if these Citties bee yours, yet ye are not your selues. Ere-while, yee were strangers; now ye are Hiuites, borne and dwelling in the midst of Canaan: wee will therefore destroy these Citties neare hand, and doe you saue your people a farre off. It would seeme very questionable, Whether Ioshua needed to hold himselfe bound to this oath; for [Page 470] fraudulent conuentions oblige not; and Israel had put in a di­rect caueat of their vicinity: yet dare not Ioshua, and the Prin­ces trust to shifts, for the eluding their oath; but must faithfully per­forme, what they haue rashly pro­mised.

Ioshuas heart was cleare from any intention of a league with a Canaanite, when hee gaue his oath to these disguised strangers: yet hee durst neither repeale it himselfe, neither doe I hear him sue to Eleazar the high Priest, to dispense vvith it; but takes himselfe tyed, to the very strict words of his oath; not to his own purposes. His tongue had bound his heart and hands: so as nei­ther [Page 471] might stirre; lest while hee vvas curious of fulfilling the will of GOD, hee should violate the oath of GOD. And if these Gibeonites hadde not knowne these holie bonds indissoluble, they neither had beene so im­portunate to obtaine their vow, nor durst haue trusted it beeing obtayned. If either dispensation with oathes, or equiuocation in oathes, had beene known in the world, or at least approoued, these Gibeonites had not liued, and Israel had slaine them without sin: Either Israel wanted skill; or our reseruers, honestie.

The multitude of Israel, when they came to the walls of these foure exempted Cities, itched to [Page 472] be at the spoile: Not out of a de­sire to fulfill Gods commaunde­ment, but to enrich themselues, would they haue falne vpon these Hiuites; They thought all lost that fell besides their fingers. The wealthy Cittie of Iericho, was first altogether interdicted them; the walls & houses either fell, or must be burnt; the men and cattell kil­led; the goods and treasure con­fiscate to GOD. Achans bootie showes that Cittie was both rich, and proud: yet Israel might be no whit the better for them, carying away nothing but empty victory; and now foure other Cities must be exempted from their pillage. Many an enuious looke did Israel therefore cast vpon these walls; & many bitter words did they cast [Page 473] out against their Princes, the ene­mies of their gaine; whether for swearing, or for that they would not forsweare: But how-soeuer, the Princes might haue said in a returne to their fraud; We swore indeed to you, but not the peo­ple: yet, if any Israelite had but pulled downe one stone from their walls, or shed one droope of Gibeonitish blood; hee had no lesse plagued all Israel for periu­ry, then Achan had before plagued them, for sacriledge. The sequel showes how GOD would haue taken it: For, when three hundred yeeres after, Saul (perhaps for­getting the vow of his fore-fa­thers) slew some of these Gibeo­nites, althogh out of a wel-meant zeale; all Israel smarted for the [Page 474] fact, with a three yeares famine, and that in Dauids raigne: who receiued this oracle from God, It is for Saul, and for his bloudie house, because he slew the Gibeonites. Neither could this wrong be ex­piated, but by the blood of Sauls seuen sonnes, hanged vp at the very Court-gates of their father.

Ioshua and the Princes had pro­mised them life; they promised them not libertie: no couenaunt was past against their seruitude. It was iust therefore with the Ru­lers of Israel, to make slauery the price both of their liues, and their deceit. The Israelites had them­selues been drudges, if the Gibe­onites had not beguiled them, and liued. The old ragges therefore [Page 478] wherewith they came disguised, must now be their best suites, and their life must bee toylesomlie spent in heawing of wood, and drawing of water, for all Israel. How deare is life to our nature, that men can be content to pur­chase it with seruitude? It is the wisdom of Gods children to make good vse of their ouer-sights. The rash oath of Israel, prooues their aduantage: Euen wicked men gaine by the out-side of good actions: Good men make a benefit of their sinnes.