Eighty Sermons, Christmas · Sermon 5
SERMON V. Preached at Pauls, upon Chriſtmas Day. 1627.
EXOD. 4.13.
O my Lord, ſend I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt ſend.
IT hath been ſuſpitiouſly doubted, more then that, freely diſputed, more then that too, abſolutely denied, that Chriſt was born the five and twentieth of December, that this is Chriſtmas-day: yet for all theſe doubts, and diſputations, and denials, we forbeare not, with the whole Church of God, conſtantly and confidently to celebrate this for his Day. It hath been doubted, and diſputed, and denied too, that this Text, O my Lord, ſend I pray thee, by the hand of him, whom thou wilt ſend, hath any relation to the ſending of the Meſſiah, to the comming of Chriſt, to Chriſtmas-day; yet we forbeare not to wait upon the ancient Fathers, and as they ſaid, to ſay, that Moſes having received a commandement from God, to undertake that great employment of delivering the children of Iſrael from the oppreſſions of Pharaoh in Aegypt, and having excuſed himſelfe by ſome other modeſt and pious pretences, at laſt, when God preſſed the imployment ſtill upon him, he determines all in this, O my Lord, ſend I pray thee, by the hand of him, whom thou wilt ſend, or, (as it is in our Margin) when thou ſhouldeſt ſend. It is a work, next to the great work of the redemption of the whole world, to redeem Iſrael out of Aegypt; And therefore doe both workes at once, put both into one hand, and mitte quem miſſurus es, ſend him, whom I know, thou wilt ſend, him, whom purſuing thine own decree, thou ſhouldeſt ſend, ſend Chriſt, ſend him now, to redeem Iſrael from Aegypt.
Theſe words then (though ſome have made that interpretation of them, and truly, not without a faire apparance, and probability, and veriſimilitude) doe not neceſſarily imply a ſlackneſſe in Moſes zeale, that he deſired not affectionately, and earneſtly the deliverance of his Nation from the preſſures of Aegypt; nor doe they imply any diffidence, or diſtruſt, that God could not, or would not endow him with faculties fit for that imployment; But, as a thoughtfull man, a penſive, a conſiderative man, that ſtands ſtill for a while, with his eyes fixed upon the ground, before his feete, when he caſts up his head, hath preſently, inſtantly the Sun, or the heavens for his object, he ſees not a tree, nor a houſe, nor a ſteeple by the way, but as ſoon as his eye is departed from the earth where it was long fixed, the next thing he ſees is the Sun or the heavens; ſo when Moſes had fixed himſelfe long upon the conſideration of his own inſufficiency for this ſervice, when he tooke his eye from that low peece of ground, Himſelfe, conſidered as he was then, he fell upon no tree, no houſe, no ſteeple, no ſuch conſideration as this, God may endow me, improve me, exalt me, enable me, qualifie me with faculties fit for this ſervice, but his firſt object was that which preſented an infallibility with it, Chriſt Jeſus himſelfe, the Meſſias himſelfe, and the firſt petition that he offers to God is this, O my Lord ſend I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt ſend. For me, as I am, I am altogether unfit; when thou ſhalt be pleaſed to work upon me, thou wilt finde me but ſtone, hard to receive thy holy impreſſions, and then but ſnow, eaſie to melt, and loſe thoſe holy formes again: There muſt be labour laid, and perchance labour loſt upon me; but put the buſineſſe into a ſafe had, and under an infallible inſtrument, and Mitte quem miſſurus es, ſend him whom, I know, thou wilt ſend, him, whom, purſuing thine own decree, thou ſhouldeſt ſend, ſend him, ſend Chriſt now.
As much as Paradiſe exceeded all the places of the earth,Diviſie. doe the Scriptures of God exceed Paradiſe. In the midſt of Paradiſe grew the Tree of knowledge, and the tree of life: In this Paradiſe, the Scripture, every word is both thoſe Trees; there is Life and Knowledge in every word of the Word of God. That Germen Iehovae, as the Prophet Eſay calls Chriſt, that Off-ſpring of Jehova, that Bud, that Bloſſome, that fruit of God himſelfe, the Son of God, the Meſſiah, the Redeemer, Chriſt Jeſus, growes upon every tree in this Paradiſe, the Scripture; for Chriſt was the occaſion before, and is the conſummation after,1 Iohn 5.13. of all Scripture. This have I written (ſayes S. Iohn,) and ſo ſay all the Pen-men of the holy Ghoſt, in all that they have written, This have we written, that ye may know that ye have eternall life. Knowledge and life growes upon every tree in this Paradiſe, upon every word in this Booke, becauſe upon every Tree here, upon every word, grows Chriſt himſelfe, in ſome relation.
From this Branch, this Text, O my Lord ſend, I pray thee by the hand of him, whom thou wilt ſend, we ſhall not ſo much ſtand, to gather here and there an Apple, that is, to conſider ſome particular words of the Text it ſelfe, as endeavour to ſhake the whole tree, that is, the Context, and coherence and dependance of the words: for, ſince all that paſſed between God and Moſes in this affaire, and negotiation, Gods employing of Moſes, and Moſes preſenting his excuſes to God, and Gods taking of all thoſe excuſes, determines in our Text, in our Text is the whole ſtory, virtually and radically implyed; And therefore, by juſt occaſion thereof, we ſhall conſider firſt, That though for the ordinary duties of our callings, ariſing out of the evidence of expreſſe Scriptures, we are allowed no haeſitation, no diſputation, whether we will doe them or no; but they require a preſent, and an exact execution thereof: yet in extraordinary caſes, and in ſuch actions as are not laid upon us, by any former and permanent notification thereof in Scripture, ſuch as was Moſes caſe here, to undertake the deliverance of Iſrael from Egypt; in ſuch caſes, not onelyonly ſome haeſitation, ſome deliberation, ſome conſultation in our ſelves, but ſome expoſtulation with God himſelfe, may be excuſable in us. We ſhall therefore ſee, that Moſes did excuſe himſelf four wayes; And how God was pleaſed to joyn iſſue with him in all foure, and to caſt him, and overcome him in them all: And when we come to conſider his fift, which is rather a Diverſion upon another, then an Excuſe in himſelfe, and yet, is that, which is moſt literally in our Text, O my Lord ſend, I pray thee, by the hand of him, whom thou wilt ſend, becauſe this was a thing which God had reſerved wholly to himſelfe, The ſending of Chriſt: we ſhall ſee, that God would not have been preſſed for that, but, (as it followes immediately, and is alſo a bough of this tree, that is, grows out of this Text) God was angry; But yet (as we ſhall ſee in the due place) it was but ſuch an anger, as ended in an Inſtruction, rather then in an Increpation; and in an Encouragement, rather then in a Deſertion, for he eſtabliſhed Moſes in a reſolution to undertake the worke, by joyning his brother Aaron in commiſſion with him. So then, wee have ſhak'd the tree, that is, reſolv'd and analyz'd the Context, of all which, the Text it ſelfe is the root, and the ſeale. And, as we have preſented to your ſight, we ſhall farther offer to your taſt, and digeſtion, and rumination, theſe particular fruits; Firſt, that ordinary Duties require a preſent execution; Secondly, that in Extraordinary, God allowes a Deliberation, and requires not an implicite, a blind obedience: And in a third place, wee ſhall give you thoſe foure circumſtances, that accompanied, or conſtituted Moſes deliberation, and Gods removing of thoſe foure impediments: And in a fourth …oome, that Conſultation or Diverſion, The ſending of Chriſt: And in that, How God was affected with it, He was angry: angry that Moſes would offer to looke into thoſe things, which he had lockt up in his ſecret counſels, ſuch as that ſending of Chriſt, which he intended: But yet, not angry ſo, as that he left Moſes unſatisfied, or un-accommodated for the maine buſineſſe, but ſetled him in a holy and chearfull readineſſe to obey his commandement. And through all theſe particulars, we ſhall paſſe, with as much clearneſſe, as the waight, and as much ſhortneſſe, as the number will permit.
Firſt then, our firſt Conſideration conſtitutes that Propoſition, Ordinary Duties, Ordinary Duties.ariſing out of the Evidence of Gods Word, require a preſent Execution. There are Duties that binde us ſemper, and Adſemper, as our Caſuiſts ſpeak; we are Alwayes bound to doe them, and bound to doe them Alwayes; that is, Alwayes to produce Actus elicitos, Determinate acts, Succeſſive and Conſecutive acts, conformable to thoſe Duties; whereas in ſome other Duties, we are onelyonly bound to an Habituall diſpoſition, to doe them in ſuch and ſuch neceſſary caſes; And thoſe Actions of the later ſort, fall in Genere Deliberativo, we may conſider Circumſtances, before we fall under a neceſſity of doing them; that is, of doing them Then, or doing them Thus: Of which kind, even thoſe great duties of Praying, and Faſting are; for we are alwayes bound to Pray, and alwayes bound to Faſt; but not bound to faſt alwayes, nor alwayes to pray. But for Actions of the firſt kind, ſuch as are the worſhipping of God, and the not worſhipping of Images; ſuch as are the ſanctifying of Gods Sabbaths, and the not blaſpheming of his Name, which ariſe out of cleare and evident commands of God; they admit no Deliberation, but require a preſent Execution. Therefore as S. Stephen ſaw Chriſt, ſtanding at the right hand of his Father, (a poſture that denotes firſt a readineſſe to ſurvay, and take knowledge of our diſtreſſes, and then a readineſſe to proceed, and come forth to our aſſiſtance) ſo in our Liturgie, in our Service, in the Congregation, we ſtand up at the profeſſion of the Creed, at the rehearſing the Articles of our Faith, thereby to declare to God, and his Church, our readineſſe to ſtand to, and our readineſſe to proceed in that Profeſſion. The commendation which is given of Andrew, and Peter for obeying Chriſts call,Mark 1.18. lyes not ſo much in the Reliquerunt retia, that they left their nets, as in the Protinus reliquerunt, that forthwith, immediately, without farther deliberation, they left their nets, the meanes of their livelyhood, and followed Chriſt. The Lord and his Spirit hath anointed us to preach, Eſay 61.1.ſayes the Prophet Eſay: To preach what? Acceptabilem annum, to preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord. All the yeare long the Lord ſtands with his armes open to embrace you, and all the yeare long we pray you in Chriſts ſtead, that you would be reconciled to God. 2 Cor. 5.20. Pſal. 95.8.But yet, God would faine reduce it to a narrower compaſſe of time, H…die ſi vocem ejus audieritis, that you would heare his voyce to day, and not harden your hearts to day: And to a narrower compaſſe then that, Dabitur in illa hora, ſayes Chriſt,Luk. 12.12. The holy Ghoſt ſhall teach you in that houre: In this houre the holy Ghoſt offers himſelfe unto you: And to a narrower compaſſe then an houre, Beati qui nunc eſuritis, qui nunc fletis, Luk. 6.21.Bleſſed are ye that hunger now, and that mourn now, that put not off years, nor dayes, nor hours, but come to a ſenſe of your ſins, and of the meanes of reconciliation to God, now, this minute. And therefore, when ye reade, Iuſta pondera, juſt weights, and Juſt balances,Levit. 19.36. and juſt meaſures, a juſt Hin, and a juſt Ephah ſhall ye have, I am the Lord your God, Do not you ſay, ſo I will hereafter, I will come to juſt weights and meaſures, and to deale uprightly in the world, as ſoon as I have made a fortune, eſtabliſhed a ſtate, raiſed a competency for wife and children, but yet I muſt doe as other men doe;Levit. 23. when you reade Remember that you keep holy the Sabbath day, (and by the way, remember that God hath called his other holy dayes, and holy convocations, Sabbaths too) remember that you celebrate his Sabbaths by your preſence here, doe not you ſay, ſo I will if I can riſe time enough, if I can dine ſoon enough; when you reade, ſweare not at all, doe not you ſay,Matt. 5.34. no more I would but that I live amongſt men that will not beleeve me without ſwearing, and laugh at me if I did not ſweare; for duties of this kinde, permanent and conſtant duties ariſing out of the evidence of Gods word, ſuch as juſt and true dealing with men, ſuch as keeping Gods Sabbaths, ſuch as not blaſpheming his name, have no latitude about them, no conditions in them; they have no circumſtance, but are all ſubſtance, no apparell, but are all body, no body, but are all ſoule, no matter, but are all forme; They are not in Genere deliberativo, they admit no deliberation, but require an immediate, and an exact execution.
But then, for extraordinary things, things that have not their evidence in the word of God formerly revealed unto us, whether we conſider matters of Doctrine,Extraordinary. and new opinions, or matter of Practiſe, and new commands, from what depth of learning ſoever that new opinion ſeeme to us to riſe, or from heighth of Power ſoever that new-Command ſeeme to fall, it is ſtill in genere deliberativo, ſtill we are allowed, nay ſtill wee are commanded to deliberate,Melch. Canus. to doubt, to conſider, before we execute. As a good Author in the Roman Church, ſayes, Pernicioſius eſt Eccleſiae, It is more dangerous to the Church, to accept an Apocryphall book for Canonicall, then to reject a Canonicall booke for Apocryphall: ſo may it be more dangerous, to doe ſome things, which to a diſtempered man may ſeeme to be commanded by God, then to forbeare ſome things, which are truely commanded by him. God had rather that himſelfe ſhould be ſuſpected, then that a falſe god ſhould be admitted. The eaſineſſe of admitting Revelations, and Viſions, and Apparitions of ſpirits, and Purgatory ſouls in the Roman Church; And then, the overbending, and ſuper-exaltation of zeale, and the captivity to the private ſpirit, which ſome have fallen into, that have not beene content to conſiſt in moderate, and middle wayes in the Reformed Church; this eaſineſſe of admitting imaginary apparitions of ſpirits in the Papiſt, and this eaſineſſe of ſubmitting to the private ſpirit, in the Schiſmatike, hath produced effects equally miſchievous: Melancholy being made the ſeat of Religion on the one ſide,Baſil. by the Papiſt, and Phrenzy on the other ſide, by the Schiſmatick. Multi, prae ſtudio immoderato intendi in contrarium aberrarunt à medio, was the obſervation and the complaint of that Father in his time, and his prophecy of ours; That many times, an over-vehement bending into ſome way of our owne chooſing, does not onelyonly withdraw us from the left hand way, the way of ſuperſtition, and Idolatry, from which wee ſhould all draw, but from the middle way too, in which we ſhould ſtand, and walk. And then,Leo. the danger is thus great, facile in omnia flagitia impulit, quos religione decepit diabolus; As God doth, the devill alſo doth make Zeal and Religion his inſtrument. And in other tentations, the devill is but a ſerpent; but in this, when he makes zeale and religion his inſtrument, he is a Lyon. As long as the devill doth but ſay, Doe this, or thou wilt live a foole, and dye a begger; Doe this, or thou canſt not live in this world, the devill is but a devill, he playes but a devils part, a lyer, a ſeducer; But when the devill comes to ſay, Doe this, or thou canſt not live in the next world, thou canſt not be ſaved, here the devill pretends to be God, here he acts Gods part, and ſo prevails the more powerfully upon us. And then, when men are ſo miſ-tranſported, either in opinions, or in actions, with this private ſpirit, and inordinate zeale, Quibus non poteſt auferre fidem, aufert charitatem, ſayes the ſame Father, Though the devill hath not quenched faith in that man himſelfe, yet he hath quenched that mans charity towards other men; Though that man might be ſaved, in that opinion which he holds, becauſe (perchance) that opinion deſtroyes no fundamentall point, yet his ſalvation is ſhrewdly ſhaked, and endangered, in his uncharitable thinking, that no body can be ſaved that thinks otherwiſe. And as it works thus to an uncharitableneſſe in private, ſo doth it to turbulency, and ſedition in the publique. Of which,Euſebius. we have a pregnant, and an aplyable example in the life of Conſtantine the Emperour; In his time, there aroſe ſome new queſtions, and new opinions in ſome points of Religion; the Emperor writ alike to both parties, thus: De rebus ejuſmodi, nec omnino rogetis, nec rogati reſpondeatis: Doe you move no queſtions, in ſuch things, your ſelves; and if any other doe, yet be not you too forward, to write, ſo much as againſt them. What queſtions doth he meane? That is expreſſed, Quas nulla lex, Canonve Eccleſiaſticus neceſſario praeſcribit; Such queſtions, as are not evidently declared, and more then evidently declared, neceſſarily enjoyned by ſome law, ſome rule, ſome Canon of the Church: Diſturbe not the peace of the Church, upon Inferences, and Conſequences, but deale onelyonly upon thoſe things, which are evidently declared in the Articles, and neceſſarily enjoyned by the Church. And yet, though that Emperor declared himſelfe on neither ſide, nor did any act in favour of either ſide, yet becauſe he did not declare himſelfe on their ſide, thoſe promovers of theſe new opinions, Eo pervenere, (ſayes that Author) ut imagines Imperatoris violarint, They came as far as they could, to violate the perſon of the Emperour, for they violated and defac'd his ſtatues, his images, his pictures, the enſigns of his power and honour; And in this inſolency they continued (ſayes that Author) even after the Emperour had ſilenced both parties; when he, by his expreſſe Edict, had forbidden both ſides to write, the promovers of the new opinions would write. Still ſuch men think, that whatſoeuer they think, is not onelyonly true in it ſelfe, but neceſſary for ſalvation to every man; whereas new opinions, that may vary from the Scriptures; new commands, that may vary from the Church, are ſtill in Genere deliberativo, they admit, they require Deliberation. Blinde and implicite faith ſhall not ſave us in matter of Doctrine, nor blinde and implicite obedience, in matter of practice; neither is there any faith ſo blinde, and implicite, as to beleeve thoſe imaginary apparitions of ſpirits, nor any obedience ſo blinde and implicite, as to obey our owne private ſpirit, and diſtempered zeale. Truly, I ſhould hope better of their ſalvation, who in the firſt darker times, doubted of the Revelations of St. Iohn, then of theirs, who in theſe cleare and evident times, accept, and enjoyne, and magnifie, ſo much as they doe in the Romane Church, the Revelations of St. Brigid: And I ſhould rather accompany them, who out of their charitable moderation, doe beleeve, that ſome Chriſtians, though poſſeſſed with ſome errours, may be ſaved, then them, who out of their paſſionate ſeverity, firſt call every difference from themſelves, an errour; and then every errour, damnable; and doe not onelyonly pronounce, that none that holds any ſuch errour, can bee ſaved, but that no man, though he hold none of thoſe errours himſelfe, can be ſaved, if he think any man can be ſaved, that holds them. And ſo we have done with thoſe two propofitions, which are the walls upon which our whole frame is to be laid; That ordinary duties require a preſent execution, that was our firſt: but extraordinary admit deliberation, that was our ſecond Conſideration; And now our third is, to confider Moſes caſe in particular, as it was an example of both.
As Moſes was an example of the preſent performance of an evident duty,Moſes caſe. we carry you back, to the former chapter, where this roote, this Text is firſt laid, that is, this employment firſt begun to be notified. There ver. 4. God calls Moſes, and he calls him by name,V. 4. and by name twice, Moſes, Moſes. Of this, Moſes could not be ignorant; and therefore he comes to a preſent diſcharge of this duty to a preſent anſwer, ecce adſum, Lord, here I am. This is the advantage of innocence above guiltineſſe; God called Adam in Paradiſe, and he called him by name, and with a particular inquiſition, Adam, ubies? Adam, where art thou? And Adam hid himſelfe; God calls Moſes, and Moſes anſwers. Hee that is uſed to heare God, at home, in his conſcience, and in his eares, at Church; and uſed to anſwer God, in both places, at home in his private meditations, and in publique devotions at Church; he that is uſed to heare, and uſed to anſwer God thus, ſhall be glad to heare him, in his laſt voice, in his Angels Trumpets, and to that voice, Surgite qui dormitis, Ariſe thou that ſleepeſt in the duſt, and ſtand up to Judgement, as he ſhall have inveſted the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt Jeſus, he ſhall anſwer in the very words of Chriſt Jeſus; I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold I am alive, for evermore, Amen. Apoc. 1.18.In this evident duty then, Moſes permitted himſelfe no liberty; God called, and he anſwered inſtantly; He anſwered in action, as well as in words; and, indeed, that is our loudeſt, and moſt muſicall anſwer, to anſwer God, in deed, in action. So Moſes did; He came,V. 5. he haſtned to the place, where God ſpake. It is one good argument of piety, to love the place where God ſpeakes, the houſe of his preſence. But yet Moſes received an inhibition from God there, a ne appropies, Come not too neare, too cloſe to this place. God loves that we ſhould come to him here, in his houſe; but God would not have us preſſe too cloſe upon him here; we muſt not be too familiar, too fellowly, too homely with God, here at home, in his houſe, nor loath to uncover our head, or bow our knee at his name. When God proceeded farther with Moſes, and comes to ſay, deſcendi ut liberem, V. 8.I am come downe to deliver Iſrael from Egypt, (which was the firſt intimation that God gave of that purpoſe) Moſes likes that well enough, oppoſes nothing to that, that God would be pleaſed to thinke of ſome courſe for delivering of Iſrael, and enable ſome Inſtrument for that worke; for that is, for the moſt part Gods deſcending, and his comming down, to put his power inſtrumentally, miniſterially, into the hand of another; Generall things, and remote things doe not much affect us; Moſes ſayes nothing to Gods generall propoſition; That he was come downe to deliver Iſrael, but when God comes to that particular, veni erg… ut mittamte, Come therefore that I may ſend thee, him into Egypt,V. 9, 10. Moſes to Pharaoh, this was a Rock in his Sea, and a Remora upon his Ship, a Hill in his way, and a Snake in his path. Some light, that this was about the time, when Iſrael ſhould be delivered, there was before. Moſes takes knowledge,Gen. 15.16. that God had promiſed Abraham, that after foure generations, they ſhould come back; and the foure generations were come about. Some light, that Moſes ſhould be the man, by whom they ſhould bee delivered, it ſeemes there was before; for upon that hiſtory which is in the ſecond chapter of this booke, that Moſes flew an Egyptian who oppreſſed one of his Countrymen,Exod. 2.13. St. Stephen, Acts 7.25.in his owne Funerall Sermon, ſayes, That Moſes, in that act ſuppoſed, his brethren would have underſtood, how that God, by his hand would deliver them, but they underſtood it not. So that it ſeemes ſome ſuch thing had gone out in voyce, ſome revelation, ſome intimation, ſome emanation of ſome kinde of light there had beene, by which they might have underſtood it, though they did not. But when Moſes remembers now, that that ſucceeded not, that they apprehended not the offer of his ſervice then, and that he was now growne to be eighty yeares old, and that forty of that eighty had been ſpent in an obſcure, in a Shepherds life, and that he muſt now be ſent, not onelyonly to worke upon that people, who ſhewed no forwardneſſe towards him then, and might abſolutely have forgotten him now, but upon Pharaoh himſelfe, this created in Moſes this haeſitation, this deliberation; perchance not without ſome tincture of infirmity, but farre from any degree of impiety; perchance not without ſome expoſtulation with God, but farre from any reluctation againſt God. Conſider Abraham; Abraham the Father of the faithfull; of whom, as the Apoſtle ſayes, that he hoped beyond hope, we may ſay, that he beleeved beyond faith, for, (as he ſayes) he followed God, not knowing whither he led him; Abraham came to another manner of expoſtulation with God,Gen. 18.22. in the behalfe of Sodome; He ſayes to God, wilt thou deſtroy the righteous with the wicked? Abſit, be that farre from thee; and he repeats it Abſit, be that farre from thee; and he pleads it with God, Shall not the Iudge of all the earth doe right? Now as St. Paul ſayes of Eſay, Eſay was bold when he ſaid thus and thus; ſo we may ſay of Abraham, Abraham was bold, when he could conceive ſuch an imagination, that God would deſtroy the righteous with the wicked, or that the Judge of all the earth ſhould not doe right; yet Abraham is not blamed for this. Conſider St. Peters proceeding with Chriſt;Mat. 16.23. he comes to a rebuking of Chriſt, and to a more vehement abſit, Lord be this far from thee, this ſhall not be unto thee, ſpeaking of his going up to Jeruſalem, upon which journey dependeth the whole work of our redemption. And though S. Peter incurred an increpation from Chriſt, yet that which he did, was rooted in love, and piety, though it were mixt with inconſideration. S. Peter went farther then Abraham, but Abraham farthen then Moſes; As therefore that firſt Revelation, which Moſes may ſeeme to have received, when he was forty yeares before this, in Egypt, did not ſo binde him, to a preſent proſecution of that work of their deliverance, but that, upon occaſion he did withdraw himſelfe from Egypt, and continue from thence, in a forty yeares abſence; ſo neither did this intimation, which he received from God now, ſo binde him up, but that hee might piouſly preſent his owne unfitneſſe for that emploiment; for it does not ſo much imply a deniall to undertake the ſervice, as a petition, that God would ſuper-endow him, with parts, and faculties, fit for that ſervice; It is farre from that ſtubborne ſonnes non ibo, I will not goe to work in that Vineyard; But it is onelyonly this, except God doe ſomewhat for me before Lgoe, I ſhall be very unfit to goe: And that any Ambaſſadour may ſay to his Prince, any Miniſter of State to his Maſter, any Meſſenger of God to God himſelfe. And therefore good occaſion of doctrines of edification offering it ſelfe from that conſideration, wee ſhall inſiſt a little, upon each of his excuſes, though they be foure.
His firſt proſpect that he looks upon in himſelf,Quis ego. his firſt object, that by way of objection he makes to God, is himſelf, and his owne unworthineſſe. To conſider others, is but to travaile: to be at home, is to conſider our ſelves: upon others we can looke, but in oblique lines; onelyonly upon our ſelves, in direct. Man is but earth; Tis true; but earth is the center. That man who dwels upon himſelf, who is alwaies converſant in himſelf, reſts in his true center. Man is a celeſtiall creature too, a heavenly creature; and that man that dwels upon himſelfe, that hath his converſation in himſelfe, hath his converſation in heaven, If you weigh any thing in a ſcale, the greater it is, the lower it ſinkes; as you grow greater and greater in the eyes of the world, ſinke lower and lower in your owne. If thou ask thy ſelf Quis ego, what am I? and beeſt able to anſwer thy ſelfe, why now I am a man of title, of honour, of place, of power, of poſſeſſions, a man fit for a Chronicle, a man conſiderable in the Heralds Office, goe to the Heralds Office, the ſpheare and element of Honour, and thou ſhalt finde thoſe men as buſie there, about the conſideration of Funerals, as about the conſideration of Creations; thou ſhalt finde that office to be as well the Grave, as the Cradle of Honour; And thou ſhalt finde in that Office as many Records of attainted families, and eſcheated families, and empoveriſhed and forgotten, and obliterate families, as of families newly erected and preſently celebrated. In what heighth ſoever, any of you that ſit here, ſtand at home, there is ſome other in ſome higher ſtation then yours, that weighs you downe: And he that ſtands in the higheſt of ſubordinate heighths, nay in the higheſt ſupreme heighth in this world, is weighed downe, by that, which is nothing; for what is any Monarch to the whole world? and the whole world is but that; but what? but nothing. What man amongſt us lookes Moſes way, firſt upon himſelfe; perchance enow doe ſo; but who lookes Moſes way, and by Moſes light? firſt upon himſelfe, and in himſelfe, firſt upon his owne inſufficiencies; what man amongſt us, that is named to any place, by the good opinion of others, or that cals upon others, and begs, and buyes their good opinion for that place, begins at Moſes, Quis ego? What am I? where have I ſtudied and practiſed ſufficiently before, that I ſhould fill ſuch or ſuch a place of Judicature? Quis ego? What am I? where have I ſerved, and laboured, and preached in inferiour places of the Church, that I ſhould fill fuch or a ſuch a place of Dignity or prelacy there? Quis ego? What am I? where have I ſeene and encountred, and diſcomfited the enemy, that I ſhould fill ſuch or ſuch a place of Command in an army? There is not an Abraham left to ſay, Pulvis & Cinis, O my Lord, I am but duſt and aſhes; not a Iacob left to ſay, Non ſum dignus, O my Lord I am not worthy of the leaſt of theſe preferments; not a David left to ſay, Canis mortuies, & pulex, O my Lord I am but a dead dog, and a flea; But every man is vapor'd up into ayre; and, as the ayre can, hee thinkes he can fill any place: Every man is under that complicated diſeaſe, and that ridling diſtemper, not to be content with the moſt, and yet to be proud of the leaſt thing hee hath; that when he lookes upon men, he diſpiſes them, becauſe he is ſome kind of Officer, and when he looks upon God, hee murmures at him, becauſe he made him not a King. But if man will not come to his Quis ego? who am I? to a due conſideration of himſelfe, God will come to his Quis tu? who art thou? and to his Amice quomodo intraſti? friend how came you in? To every man that comes in by undue meanes, God ſhall ſay, as firſt to us, in our profeſſion, what hadſt thou to doe, to take my word into thy mouth? ſo to others in theirs, what hadſt thou to doe, to take my ſword into thy hand? OnelyOnly to thoſe who are little in their owne eyes, ſhall God ſay, as Chriſt ſaid to his Church, Noli timere, feare not little flock, for it is your Fathers good pleaſure to give you the Kingdome. It is not called a Kingdome, but the Kingdome; that Kingdome, which alone,Luk. 12.32. is worth all the kingdomes that the devill ſhewed Chriſt, The Kingdome of Heaven. Be but a worme and no man, as David ſpeakes even in the perſon of Chriſt;Pſ. 22.7. finde thy ſelfe troden under foot, and under thine owne foot, that is, depreſſed in thine owne eſtimation, and God ſhall raiſe thee with that ſupportation, Feare not thou worme of Iacob, Eſay 41.14.ye men of Iſrael. Be but wormes and no more, in your owne eyes, and God ſhall make you men, bee but men and no more in your owne eyes, and GOD ſhall make you the men of his Iſrael. This was Moſes way; not a running away from God, but a turning into himſelfe; not a reluctation againſt God, but a conſideration of himſelfe. For, though the lazy mans Quis ego, ſhall not profit him, when he ſhall ſay, what am I? I am but one man, I can doe nothing alone, and ſo leave all reformation un-attempted in his place, becauſe others will …orme nothing in theirs; (for, that which David ſaies,Pſ. 50.18. If thou ſaweſt a thiefe, Currebas, thou didſt riſe and run with him, is not much worſe, then when thou ſeeſt a lazy man, to lye downe and ſleepe with him) Though this mans Quis ego, what am I? ſhall not profit him, for it is but the voice of prevarication, in the ordinary duties of his calling, yet in Moſes caſe, in every undertaking of a new action, this examination, this exinanition of our ſelves is acceptable in the fight of God. And therefore Calvin ſaies juſtly of this particular, in Moſes caſe, Non modo culpa vacare, ſed laude dignum puto, that Moſes in this his proceeding with God, was ſo far from deſerving blame, that hee deſerved much praiſe. And ſo it ſeemes, God himſelfe interpreted it, and accepted it; for firſt, for his way, he gives him that aſſurance, Certainely I will be with thee; V. 12.and then for the end, and the effect too, he directs him thus, when thou haſt brought forth the people out of Egypt (as, certainely this people thou ſhalt bring from thence) then ſhall they ſerve God upon this Mountaine. And further we may not carry the conſideration of Moſes firſt excuſe, ariſing out of the contemplation of his owne inſufficiency, in generall.
The ſecond doubt and difficulty that Moſes makes to himſelfe, and preſents to God,Quod nomeu? V. 13. Euſeb. l. 6. c. 3. is this, that hee was not able to tell them to whom he was ſent, his name that ſent him. When I am come to them, ſaies Moſes to God, and ſhall ſay, thou haſt ſent me, and they ſhall ſay, what is his Name, what ſhall I ſay unto them? In Euſebius his hiſtory, A Tyran, a perſecutor, askes a martyr, Artalus, in the midſt of his torments, in ſcorne and contempt, What is your Gods name? you pretende a neceſſity of worſhipping a new God, your God, but what ſhall we call your God, what is your Gods name? And the Martyr anſwered, Qui plures ſunt, nominibus decernuntur, qui unus eſt, nomine non indiget: You who worſhip many Gods, need many names to diſtinguiſh your Gods by; we, who know but one God, need no other name of God, but God; wee who worſhip the onelyonly true God, need not the ſemi-gods, nor the ſeſqui-gods of the Romane Church; not their ſemi-gods, their halfe-gods, men beatified, but not ſanctified; made private gods, but not publique gods; chamber-gods, but not Church-gods; nor any ſeſqui-god, any that muſt be more then God, and receive appeales from God, and reverſe the decrees of God, which they make the office of the Virgin Mary, whom no man can honour too much, that makes her not God, and they diſhonour moſt, that make her ſo much more. But yet, ſome names, ſome notifications of God, no doubt the Jews had: Moſes ſayes here, that he would tell them, that the God of their Fathers had ſent him; which was a name of ſpecification, and diſtinction of this GOD, from all the gods of the Gentiles. But in this place, Moſes deſires ſuch a name of God, as might not onelyonly intimate to them to whom he was ſent, a great power in that Prince that ſent him, but might alſo intimate a great privacy, and confidence in him that was ſent; A name, by which he might be knowne, to know more of that God, then other men knew; for, nothing advances a buſineſſe more, then when hee that is employed, is beleeved to know the mind, and to have the heart of him, that ſends him. Therefore God gives Moſes a cyphar; God declares to Moſes, his boſome name, his viſcerall name, his radicall, his fundamentall name, the name of his Eſſence, Qui ſum, I am; Goe, and tell them, that he whoſe name is I am, hath ſent thee. It is true, that literally in the Originall, this name is conceived in the future; it is there, Qui ero, I that ſhall be. But this preſent acceptation, I am, hath paſſed through all Tranſlators, and all Commentors, and Fathers, and Councels, and Schooles, and the whole Church of God reſts in it.Piſcator. And I know but one, (who is of the Reformation, and of the moſt rigid ſub-diviſion in the Reformation, and who hath many other ſingularities beſides this) that will needs tranſlate this name, Qui eram, I was. Howſoever, all intend, that this is a name that denotes Eſſence, Beeing: Beeing is the name of God, and of God onelyonly: for, of every other creature, Plato ſaies well, Ejus nomen eſt potius non eſſe; The name of the Creator is, I am, but of every creature rather, I am not, I am nothing. Hee conſiders it, and concludes it, in the beſt, and nobleſt of creatures, Man; for, he, as well as the reſt, plus habet non entis, quam entis; Man hath more privatives, then poſitives in him; Man hath but his owne beeing; Man hath not the beeing of an Angel, nor the beeing of a lyon; God hath all in a kind of eminence more excellently then the kinds themſelves, onelyonly his name is I am. Plato purſues this conſideration uſefully; Habuit ante aeternum non eſſe, Man had an eternall not beeing before; that is, before the creation; for thoſe infinite millions of millions of generations before the Creation, there was a God, whoſe name was I am; but till within theſe ſixe thouſand yeares, Man was not, there was no man. And ſo ſaies Plato, Haberet aeternum non eſſe, … Man had an eternall not beeing before the Creation; ſo he would have another eternall not-being after his diſſolution by death, in ſoule, as well as in body, if God did not preſerve that beeing, which he hath imprinted in both, in both. And jam dum eſt, ſaies he, As man had one eternall not beeing before, and would have another after, ſo for that beeing which he ſeemes to have here now, it is a continuall declination into a not being, becauſe he is in continuall change, and mutation, quae deſinit in non eſſe, as he ſaies well; Every change and mutation bends to a not beeing, becauſe in every change, it comes to a not being that which it was before; onelyonly the name of God is I am.
In which name, God gave Moſes, and does give us who are alſo his Embaſſadors, ſo much knowledge of himſelfe, as that we may tell you, though not what God is, yet, that God is; God, in the notification of this name, ſends us ſufficiently inſtructed, to eſtabliſh you in the aſſurance of an everlaſting, and an ever-ready God, but not to ſcatter you with unneceſſary ſpeculations, and impertinencies concerning this God. He is no fit meſſenger between God and his Church, that knowes not Gods name; that is, how God hath notified, and manifeſted himſelfe to man. God hath manifeſted himſelfe to man in Chriſt; and manifeſted Chriſt in the Scriptures; and manifeſted the Scriptures in the Church; the name of God is the notification of God; how God will be called by man, and that is, the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and how God will be called upon by man, that is, that all our prayers to God be directed in, and through, and by, and for Chriſt Jeſus. If we know the name of God, Qui ſum, I am, that is, beleeve Chriſt Jeſus, whom we worſhip to have been from all eternity, to be God; and then for more particular points, beleeve thoſe Doctrines, quae ſunt, which are, that is, Quae ſunt ubique, & ſemper, as Lyrinenſis ſayes, which have been alwayes beleeved, and alwayes beleeved to have been neceſſary to be beleeved as articles of Faith, through the whole Catholique Church, if we know the name of God thus, we have our Commiſſion, and our qualification in that Goſpell, Goe, and teach all Nations, Mat. 28.19.and baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt; that is the name of God to a Chriſtian, the Trinity. And leaſt that Commiſſion ſo delivered in the generall and fundamentall manner, profeſſing the Trinity, ſhould not ſeem enough, it is repeated and paraphraſed in the verſe following, Teach them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you. Firſt there is a Teaching; good life it ſelf is but a commentary, an expoſition upon our preaching; that which is firſt laid upon us is preaching; and then teach them to obſerve, that is, to practiſe; breed them not in an opinion that ſuch a faith as is without workes is enough; and teach them to obſerve All; For, for matter of practice, He that breakes one Law is guilty of all, and he that thinkes to ſerve God by way of compenſation, that is, to recompenſe God by doing one duty, for the omiſſion of another, ſins even in that, in which he thinkes he ſerves God; and for matter of beleefe, he that beleeves not all, ſolvit Ieſum, as S. Iohn ſpeakes, he takes Jeſus in peeces, and after the Jews have crucified him, he diſſects him, and makes him an Anatomy. We muſt therefore teach all; but then it is but all, which Chriſt hath commanded us; additionall and traditionall doctrines of the Papiſt, ſpeculative and dazling, riddling and entangling perplexities of the Schoole, paſſionate, and uncharitable wranglings of Controverters, theſe fall not in Moſes Commiſſion, nor ours, who participate of his; we are to deliver to you by the Ordinance of God, Preaching, The name of God, that is, how God hath manifeſted himſelf to man, and how God will be called upon by man, That God is your God in Chriſt, if you receive Chriſt in the Scriptures, applyed in the Church. And farther we carry not our conſideration upon this ſecond excuſe of Moſes, in which (as in the former, he conſidered his inſufficiency in the generall) he conſiders it in this, that he had not ſtudied, he had not acquired, he had not ſought the knowledge of thoſe Myſteries which appertained to that calling, implyed in that, that he did not know Gods name.
His third excuſe, which induces a great diſcouragement,Non eloquens. ariſes out of a defect in nature, whereas the former is rather of art, and ſtudy, and conſideration; and to be naturally defective in thoſe faculties, which are eſſentiall and neceſſary to that work, which is under our hand, is a great diſcouragement. Lameneſſe is not alwayes an inſupportable calamity; but for Mephiboſheth to have been hindred by lameneſſe then, when he ſhould have received favour from the King, and ſetled his inheritance, this was a heavy affliction. Lowneſſe of ſtature is no inſupportable thing; but when Zacheus came with ſuch a deſire to ſee Chriſt, then to be diſappointed by reaſon of his lowneſſe, this might affect him. It is not alwayes inſupportable to lack the aſſiſtance of a ſervant, or a friend; But when the Angel hath troubled the water, and made it medicinall for him that is firſt put in and no more, then to have lyen many yeares in expectation, and ſtill to lack a ſervant, or a friend to do that office, this is a miſery. And this was Moſes caſe; God will ſend him upon a ſervice, that conſiſted much in perſwaſion, and good ſpeech, and he ſayes, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor ſince thou haſt ſpoken to thy ſervant. Ver. 10.Where we ſee, there is ſome degree of eloquence required in the delivery of Gods Meſſages. There are not ſo eloquent Bookes in the world, as the Scriptures; neither ſhould a man come to any kinde of handling of them with uncircumciſed lips, as Moſes ſpeaks, or with an extemporall and irreverent, or over-homely and vulgar language.Prov. 16.1. The preparation of the heart is of the Lord, ſayes Solomon; but it is not only that; The preparation of the heart, and the anſwer of the tongue is of the Lord. To conceive good things for the glory of God, and to expreſſe them to the edification of Gods people, is a double bleſſing of God. Therefore does Heſter form and inſtitute her prayer to God ſo,Eſter 14.12. Give me boldneſſe, O Lord of all power; but ſhe extends her prayer farther, And give me eloquent ſpeech in my mouth. And the want of this in a naturall defect, and unreadineſſe of ſpeech diſcouraged Moſes. And when God recompenſes, and ſupplyes this defect in Moſes, he does it but thus, I will be with thy mouth, and I will teach thee what thou ſhalt ſay. Still it is Moſes that muſt ſay it; ſtill Moſes mouth that muſt utter it. Beloved, it is the generall Ordinance of God, of whom, as we have received mercy, we have received the Miniſtery, and it is the particular grace of God that inanimates our labours, and makes them effectuall upon you; All that is not of our planting, nor watring, but of God that gives the increaſe; But yet we muſt labour to get, and labour to improve ſuch learning, and ſuch language, and ſuch other abilities as may beſt become that ſervice; for the naturall want of one of theſe, retarded Moſes from a preſent acceptation of Gods imployment. And ſo truly, ſhould put any man, that puts himſelf, or puts his ſon upon this profeſſion, upon that conſideration, whether he have ſuch naturall parts as will admit acquiſitions, and ſuperedifications fit for that calling. And farther we carry not Moſes third excuſe, raiſed out of a naturall defect, non ſum eloquens, I am not eloquent enough.
The fourth is a ſhrewd diſcouragement:Non credent. In the firſt verſe of this Chapter, He anſwered and ſaid, but behold, they will not beleeve me; when I have told them thy name, how thou haſt manifeſted thy ſelfe to them, and in what name they muſt call upon thee, Behold, they will not beleeve me; And this is the ſaddeſt diſcouragement that can fall upon the Miniſter and Meſſenger of God, not to be beleeved. God found this, and complained of it at firſt,Num. 14.11. Eſay 53.1. John 12.38. Quouſ que non credent? how long will it be ere this people beleeve? they will never beleeve. The Prophet Eſay foreſaw this; Quis credidit? Lord who hath beleeved our report? No man doth, no man will beleeve us. S. Iohn found this prophecy of Eſay fulfilled even then, when Chriſt in perſon was preaching, and working of Miracles; then ſayes that Euangeliſt,Rom. 10.16. was that of Eſay fulfilled, They beleeved not his report. And S. Paul ſaw it performed amongſt the Gentiles, as well as S. Iohn amongſt the Jews, Lord who hath beleeved our report? Chriſt hath ſaid himſelfe, and Chriſt hath bidden us ſay, Qui non crediderit, damnabitur, He that beleeves not, ſhall be damned: And yet, Lord who hath beleeved our report? There cannot fall a ſadder diſcouragement upon the Meſſenger of God, then not to be beleeved.
How loth we finde the bleſſed Fathers of the Primitive Church, to lack company at their Sermons? How earneſtly Leo, in one of his Anniverſary Sermons, complaines of multitudes, and thruſts at Playes, and Masks, and of a thinneſſe, and ſcarcity, and ſolitude at Church? How glad they were to draw men thither? And then how much they endevoured, to hold them in a diſpoſition of hearkning unto them, when they had them? Sometimes with obſerving them with phraſes of humiliation; So Damaſcene profeſſes himſelfe Minimum ſervum Eccleſiae, Damaſcen.the meaneſt and unworthieſt ſervant to that Congregation. So Leo preſents himſelfe,Leo. Auguſt. Ad veſtra paratus obſequia, Ready to doe all obſequious ſervice to that Congregation: And ſo S. Auguſtine, In hoc vobis ſervimus, we ſhall doe this congregation the beſt ſervice, in handling this point thus. Sometimes they did it ſo, by ſubmitting themſelves to the Congregation, in phraſes of humiliation; and ſometimes, by taking knowledge of the pious, and devout behaviour of the congregation, even in their Sermons,Leo. and thanking them for it; As Leo does too, Quod non tacito honoraſtis affectu, That they did countenance that which was ſaid, with a holy murmur, with a religious whiſpering, and with an ocular applauſe, with fixing their eyes upon the Preacher, and with turning their eyes upon one another; for thoſe outward declarations were much, very much in uſe in thoſe times. And though in the exceſſe of ſuch outward declarations,Chryſoſt. S. Chryſoſt: complain of them, Non Theatrum Eccleſia, My maſters, what mean you, the Church is not a Theater, Quae mihi iſtorū plauſuum utilitas? what get I by theſe plaudites, & acclamations? I had rather have one ſoul, then all theſe hands and eyes: yet it is eaſie to obſerve, in the generall proceeding of thoſe bleſſed Fathers, that they had a holy delight to be heard,Auguſt. and to be heard with delight. For, Nemo flectitur, qui moleſtè audit; No man profits by a Sermon, that heares with paine, or wearineſſe. Therefore S. Chryſoſlome awakes his drouzie Auditory with that alarme,Chryſoſt. His quae jam dicuntur, &c. Hearken, I pray you now, ſayes he; for, Non rem vulgarem pollicemur, It is no ordinary matter that I ſhall tell you: and having ſo awakened them, he keeps them awake, with ſuch Doctrines as he thought fitteſt for their edification. And to the ſame purpoſe,Auguſt. S. Auguſtine does not onelyonly profeſſe of himſelfe, Non praetermitto iſtos numeros clauſularum, That he ſtudied at home, to make his language ſweet, and harmonious, and acceptable to Gods people, but he beleeves alſo, that S. Paul himſelfe, and all the Apoſtles, had a delight, and a complacency, and a holy melting of the bowels, when the congregation liked their preaching: The Fathers were glad to be heard, glad to be lik'd, and glad to be underſtood too; for, therefore doth Damaſcen repeat, almoſt verbatim, Damaſe.that great Sermon of his De Imaginibus, a ſecond time, becauſe (as he aſſignes the reaſon) he was not throughly underſtood, in the firſt preaching thereof;Nehem. 8. And therefore doth Ezra extend himſelf ſo far, as to preach from morning (as it is in the Originall, from the light) till noone, that by giving himſelfe that compaſſe, he might carry every point in a clearneſſe, as he went. Now if theſe bleſſed Fathers, theſe Angels of the Church, theſe Archangels of the Primitive Church, were thus affected, if they were not frequented, but neglected for other entertainments; or if they were not hearkned to, when they were heard, but heard perfunctorily, fragmentarily, here and there a rag, a piece of a ſentence; Or if they were not underſtood, becauſe they that heard were ſcattered, and diſtracted with other thoughts, and ſo withdrawne from their obſervation; or if they were not liked, becauſe the Auditory had ſome pre-contracts upon other Preachers, that they liked better; how may we think, that thoſe holy and bleſſed ſpirits were troubled, if they were not beleeved? This deſtroyes and demoliſhes the whole body of our building; this evacuates the whole function of our Miniſtery, if we loſe our credibility; if we may not be beleeved; if the Church conceive a jealouſie, that we preach to ſerve turnes; And therefore vae per quem, and vae per quos; woe unto that man (if any ſuch man there ſhould ever be) that gives juſt occaſion of ſuch a jealouſie, that he preaches to ſerve turnes; And woe to them (who abound every where) who entertaine ſuch jealouſies, where no juſt occaſion is offered, but miſ-interpret the faithfull labours of Gods true ſervants, and think every thing done to ſerve turns, that doth not agree with their diſtemper, in the likeneſſe of zeale. The Fathers were ſorry if they were not heard, if they were not underſtood, if they were not lik'd; But the ſaddeſt diſcouragement of all, is the Non credent, if we be not beleeved. And farther we carry not our Conſideration upon Moſes four excuſes; of which the firſt was, in Contemplation of his own inſufficiency in generall; The ſecond, in that particular, of not having furniſhed himſelfe with additions neceſſary for that ſervice; The third, becauſe he had a defect in naturall faculties; and the laſt, for the indiſpoſition of them, to whom he was to goe.
But then the fift, which is not ſo much an excuſe, as a petition, (O my Lord, Mitte quem miſſurus.ſend I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt ſend) taſts of moſt vehemence, and, as it may ſeem, of ſome paſſion in Moſes. He ſayes firſt, Quis ego? I am not worthy of this employment; That's true; but thou art able to qualifie me for it; and that objection is taken away. Quod nomen? I know not thy name, how thou wilt be called, and how thou wilt be called upon by men; I have not ſtudied that: But thou haſt revealed unto me the knowledge of fundamentall doctrines, neceſſary for ſalvation, and that objection is removed. Non facundus, I am not eloquent, not of ready ſpeech, defective in thoſe naturall faculties; But the ſpirit of eloquence, and the irreſiſtibleneſſe of perſwaſion is in that mouth, in which thou ſpeakeſt: and that excuſe is taken away too. Non credent; I know their ſtubbornneſſe, to whom I goe, they will not beleeve me; But thou haſt put the power of Miracles into my hands, as well as knowledge into my heart; God makes ſometimes a plaine and ſimple mans good life, as powerfull, as the eloquenteſt Sermon. All this I acknowledge, ſayes Moſes; But yet, O Lord, when thou ſhalt have done all this, in me, and in them, made me worthy by thy power, taught me thy Name by thy grace, infuſed a perſwaſibility into them, and a perſwaſiveneſſe into me, by thy Spirit, yet there is One who is to be ſent, One whom I know thou wilt ſend, One, whom, purſuing thine owne Decree, thou ſhouldſt ſend, One, whoſe ſhooe-latchet I ſhall not be worthy to untie then, when thou ſhalt have multiplyed all theſe qualifications upon me, and therefore, O my Lord, ſend, I pray thee, by his hand, ſend him, ſend Chriſt now. So then, with the ancient Fathers, with Iuſtin Martyr, with S. Baſil, with Tertullian, with more, many, very many more, we may ſafely take this to be a ſupplication, That God would be pleaſed to haſten the comming of the Meſſias.
Of our later writers, Calvin departs from the Ancients herein, ſo farre, as to ſay, nimis coacta, it ſeemes ſomewhat a forced, ſomewhat an unnaturall ſenſe, to interpret theſe words of the comming of Chriſt; but he proceeds no farther. But another, of the ſame ſub-diviſion, is, (as he uſes to be) more aſſured, more confident; and he ſaies,Piſcator. eſt omnimoda & praeciſa recuſatio; It is an abſolute refuſall in Moſes, to obey the commandement of God: And that truly, needed not to have beene ſaid. Now, when wee conſider the expoſition in the Roman Church,Toſtat. when their great Biſhop, (I mean their great writing Biſhop) departs from the Ancients, & does not underſtand theſe words of the comming of Chriſt,Pererius. a Jeſuit is ſo bold with that Biſhop, (their order forbids them to be Biſhops, but not to be Controllers over Biſhops) as to tell him, levis objectio, that he departs from a good foundation,Eugubinus. the Fathers, and that upon a light reaſon. And when another Author in that Church proceeds farther, to ſo much vehemence, ſo much violence, as to ſay, that it is not only an incommodious, but a ſuperſtitious ſenſe, to interpret theſe words of the comming of Chriſt,Peterius. Cornelius. two Jeſuits correct him, almoſt in the ſame words, (for in the waies of contumely and defamation, they agree well) and ſay, audacter obſtrepit, he does but ſawcily bark, and kick againſt the ancient Fathers, quibus ipſe, ſaies Pererius, to whom himſelfe is not to be compared, neither for learning in himſelfe, nor for place and dignity in the Church, nor for ſanctity and holineſſe of life in the world. They may bee as bold with one another, as they pleaſe; Indeed they are ſo uſed to uncharitable phraſes towards all others, as ſometimes they cannot ſpare one another. For our part, wee lay no ſuch imputations upon any of our later men, that accept not that ſenſe of theſe words, but yet, we cannot doubt of leave to accompany the Fathers in that Expoſition, that theſe words, O my Lord, ſend I pray thee, by the hand of him, whom thou wilt ſend, are a petition, and not a reluctation againſt God. And that, not as Lyra takes them; Lyra takes them to be a petition, and not a reluctation; but a petition of Moſes, that hee would ſend Aaron; That, if he would ſend any, he ſhould ſend a man of better parts, and abilities, then himſelfe; and this is a rare modeſty, when a man is named for any place, to become ſuter for another to that place; Moſes was the meekeſt man upon earth; but this was not his meaning here. Nor as Rabbi Solomon takes it; hee takes it for a Petition, and no reluctation; but, a Petition, that God would ſend Ioſuah; For, (ſayes that Rabbi) Moſes had had a Revelation, that Ioſuah, and not he, ſhould be the man, that ſhould bring that People into the Land of Promiſe; and therefore, ſince Ioſuah was to have the honour of the action, Moſes would have laid the burden upon him too; but this makes Moſes a more faſhionall, a more particular, a more ſelfe-conſidering man, for his owne eſtimation, then he was. But, with the Ancients, and later devout men, wee piouſly beleeve Moſes in theſe words to have extended his Devotion towards his Nation, and the whole world together,Ferus. as farre, as one of them hath extended the Expoſition; quid prodeſt ex Egypto exire, & in peccatis manere, ſaies he; what ſhall they bee the better, for comming out of the preſſures of Egypt, if they muſt remaine ſtill, under the oppreſſion of a ſinfull conſcience? And that muſt be their caſe, if thou ſend but a Moſes, and not a Chriſt to their ſuccour. Quid Pharaonem eſſugere, & non Diabolum, ſaies he; what ſhall they get, in being delivered from Pharaoh, if they be not delivered from the Devill? Intrare in terram promiſſam, & non in coelum? What preferment is it, to dwell in a good Land, and to bee baniſhed out of heaven? And this will be their caſe, if thou ſend but a Moſes, and not a Chriſt, for their deliverance. He carries it from them, to God himſelfe: Quid unum populum è ſervitute temporali liberare, & totum genus humanum relinquere ſub poteſtate Diaboli? What glory will it bee to thee, O God, who ſtudieſt thine owne glory, to deliver one Nation from a temporall bondage, and leave all Mankinde under everlaſting condemnation? And that muſt be the caſe of all, if thou ſend but a Moſes, and not a Chriſt; Moſes, may, by thine abundant goodneſſe, doe ſome good; but there is one, one appointed to be ſent, that will doe all which Moſes ſhould doe, better then Moſes, and infinitely more then Moſes can doe, or, of himſelfe, ſo much as wiſh to bee done; and therefore ſend him, ſend him now, to doe all together: And ſo theſe words are a Petition, and no Reluctation, though ſome men have taken them ſo; and a Petition for the ſending of Chriſt, and no Aaron, no Ioſuah, no other man; though ſome have taken ſo too.
Yet we doe not deliver Moſes from all infirmity herein;Iratus Deus. Exod. 32.32. no nor from all errour, and miſtaking; no more then wee doe in that other prayer of his, dele me, pardon this people, or blot my name out of thy Booke, where Moſes capitulated too narrrowly, and upon too ſtrict conditions with God. Therefore, in this place, it followes preſently upon this prayer, That God was angry with him. Unſeaſonable prayers, though becauſe they may be rooted in piety, they may be, in ſome ſort, excuſable in him that makes them, yet may be unacceptable to God. S. Auguſt. prayed for a dead Mother, Monica; and S. Ambroſe prayed for a dead Maſter, Theodeſi…s; God forbid wee ſhould condemne Auguſtine or Ambroſe of impiety in doing ſo; But God forbid wee ſhould make Auguſtine or Ambroſe his example, our rule to doe ſo ſtill. This ſending of Chriſt, which Moſes ſolicites here, was de Arcanit Dei; It was one of the ſecrets of his State, and of his government; It was one of his boſome Counſels, and Cabinet Decrees: One of thoſe reſerved caſes, which he had communicated to no man; as the day of Chriſts ſecond comming, his comming to Judgement, is now; which God hath communicated to no man; as the cleare underſtanding of the ſtate of the dead, who are departed this life, God hath imparted to no man; nor ſome circumſtances of time, and place, and perſon in Antichriſt; God hath revealed theſe to no man, not to his whole Church; Theſe are acts of his Regality, and of his Prerogative; and as Princes ſay of their Prerogative, nolumus diſputari, wee will not have it diſputed, nor called into queſtion, ſo for theſe Reſerved caſes, and unrevealed Counſels of God, ſuch as was the firſt comming of Chriſt in Moſes time, and ſuch as is the ſecond comming of Chriſt, now in our time, God would not be importuned. God meant to give the children of Iſrael a King, from the beginning; we preſume hee meant it, becauſe it is the beſt bleſſing of all formes of government: And wee ſee hee meant it, becauſe long before, hee eſtabliſhed Lawes, by which,Deut. 17. they ſhould governe themſelves, in their chuſing their King, and by which, their King ſhould governe them, when he was choſen; yet God was angry, when they importuned him for a King, at ſuch a time, and upon ſuch termes, as he intended not to doe it. But now, becauſe in Moſes caſe, though there were not a preſent obedience, yet there was no diſobedience, the fault being no greater, the anger was not great neither; and therefore we may ſafely ſay with Rupertus, that the iratus fuit, was but non propitius fuit; God was ſo angry, as that hee did not grant, nor accept Moſes petition, nor entertaine any farther diſcourſe with him, concerning the ſending of Chriſt; In Abrahams ſolicitation, in the behalfe of Sodome, it is ſaid, that God went not away, as long as Abraham had any thing to ſay; But here, God was ſo farre angry, as to break off Moſes diſcourſe: But his anger was not ſo much an Increpation, that he had ſaid any thing, as an Inſtruction that hee ſhould ſay no more of Gods unrevealed purpoſes.
Therefore God does not continue his anger, ſo as to diſcontinue his worke.Tamen conſolidat. It was but a Catechiſticall anger, ſuch an anger as S. Bernard begges at Gods hands, Iraſcaris mihi Domine, O Lord, be angry with me, and leave mee not to my ſelfe; thou haſt an anger, that inſtructs in the way; but thou haſt a heavy indignation, that confounds, and exterminates in the end. Therefore our prayer in the Litany, is not, O Lord bee never angry with us; but, O Lord, be not angry with us, for ever. David was a man according to Gods heart; yet, no doubt, but God was angry with David, for the matter of Vriah, as himſelfe calls it. God was not angry with Moſes ſo, as that he gave over his purpoſe of delivering Iſrael, or of delivering Iſrael by him, and him eſtabliſhed in a cheerefull aſſurance to undertake it; for in the ſame breath, in the ſame words,V. 14. in the ſame verſe, wherein his anger is expreſſed, his Benignity, and his Benevolence is expreſſed alſo; for there he ſaies, Is not Aaron thy Brother; I know he can ſpeake well; and alſo, behold, he commeth forth to meet thee: God had laid it ſo, that Moſes ſhould be ſetled this way, by having ſo able a man, and then, a man in whom he might be ſo confident, as a brother, joyned in commiſſion with him. Slide wee in this note by the way; God loves not ſingularity: God bindes us to nothing, that was never ſaid but by one: As God loves Sympathy, God loves Symphony; God loves a compaſſion and fellow-feeling of others miſeries, that is Sympathy, and God loves Harmony, and fellow beleeving of others Doctrines, that is Symphony: No one man alone makes a Church; no one Church alone makes a Catholique Church. Chriſt ſent his owne Diſciples by couples, two and two: And Aquinas ſayes out of his obſervation, Monachus ſolus eſt Daemon ſolitarius: Though naturally a Monk muſt love retiredneſſe, yet a ſingle Monk, a Monk alwaies alone, ſaies he, is plotting ſome ſingular miſchiefe. Deus qui habitat in nobis, etiam nos cuſtodiet ex nobis, is excellently ſaid by that excellent Father:Auguſt. God that dwels in us, will ſuſtaine the building, and repaire the building out of our ſelves; that is, he will make us Tutelar Angels to one another; and a holy, and reverentiall reſpect to one another, in good converſation, ſhall keep us from many ſinfull actions, which we would commit if we were alone. So then, God was not ſo angry, nor angry ſo with Moſes, as that he did not purſue his firſt purpoſe upon him, of ſending him, & ſending him ſo, as might beſt ſpeed, & advance his Negotiation. And therfore, as Moſes praying for Chriſts firſt cōming, which was one of Gods reſerved caſes, and an act of his regality, and Prerogative, though he had not that prayer granted, yet was not left unſatisfied, nor unaccommodated by God, ſo, (which is the end, that wee drive all to) when the calamities; and diſtreſſes of this life oppreſſe us, and we pray for the ſecond comming of Chriſt, in the conſummation of all, in glory, though, becauſe this ſecond comming of Chriſt, is one of Gods Reſerved caſes, and an act of his Regality, and Prerogative, hee doe not grant that, that Chriſt doe not come ſo; yet, in his bleſſed Spirit, he will come to us, in an aſſurance, that when he ſhall come ſo, in judgement, wee in his right, ſhall ſtand upright even in that Judgement: And, if in extraordinary diſtreſſes, wee pray for extraordinary reliefes, though extraordinary helps, and miracles bee Reſerved caſes, and acts of his Regality, and Prerogative; yet, as he remembers his mercies, of old, hee will remember his miracles of old too, (and as his mercies are new every morning, his miracles ſhall bee new every morning too; and all that he did in eighty eight, in the laſt Centutry, he ſhall doe (if we need it) in twenty eight, in this Century;) And though he may be angry with our prayers, as they are but verball prayers, and not accompanied with actions of obedience, yet he will not be angry with us for ever, but re-eſtabliſh at home, zeale to our preſent Religion, and good correſpondence, and affections of all parts to one another, and our power, and our honour, in forraign Nations. Amen.