Works of Joseph Hall, Part 5 – Dedication 34
Of the plagues of Aegypt.
IT is too much honour for fleſh and blood to receiue a meſſage from heauen, yet here God ſends a meſſage to man, and is repulſed: well may God aske, Who is man that I ſhould regard him? but for man to aske, Who is the Lord? is a proud and bold blaſphemy. Thus wyld is Nature at the firſt, but are God hauehave done with Pharaoh, he will be knowne of him, he will make himſelfe knowne by him, to all the world. God might hauehave ſwept him away ſuddenly. How vnworthy is he of life, who with the ſame breath that he receiues, denies the Gi…er of it! But he would hauehave him conuinced, ere hee were puniſhed; Firſt therefore he workes miracles before him, then vponupon him. Pharaoh was now, from a ſtaffe of protection & ſuſtentation to Gods people; turned to a Serpent that ſtung there to death; God ſhewes himſelfe in this reall Embleme; doing that ſuddenly before him, which Satan had wrought in him by leiſure; And now when he crawles, and winds, and hiſſes, threatning perill to Iſrael; he ſhewes him how in an inſtant he can turne him into a ſenſleſſe ſticke, and make him if not vſefull, yet fearleſſe: The ſame God which wrought this, giues Satan leaue to imitate it; the firſt plague that hee meant to inflict vponupon Pharaoh, is deluſion: God can be content the Deuill ſhould winne himſelfe credit; where he meanes to iudge; and holds the honour of a miracle well loſt, to harden an enemy: Yet to ſhew that his miracle was of power, the others of permiſſion; Moſes his Serpent deuours theirs: how eaſily might the Aegyptians hauehave thought, that hee which cauſed their Serpent not to bee, could hauehave kept it from being: and that they which could not keepe their Serpent from deuouring, could not ſecure them from being conſumed! but wiſe thoughts enter not into thoſe that muſt periſh. Al Gods iudgements ſtands ready, and wait but till they be called for. They need but a watch-word to be giuen them: No ſooner is the rod lift vp, but they are gone forth into the world, preſently the waters run into blood, the Frogs & Lice crawle about, & all the other troops of God come ruſhing in vponupon his aduerſaries: All creatures conſpire to reuenge the iniuries of God. If the Aegyptians looke vpward, there they hauehave Thunder, Lightning, Hayle, Tempeſts; one while no light at all, another while ſuch fearfull flaſhes as had more terror then darknes. If they look vnderunder them, there they ſee their waters changed into blood, their earth ſwarming with Frogs & Graſhoppers: if about them, one while the Flies till their eyes and eares; another while they ſee their fruits deſtroyed, their cattell dying, their children dead. If, laſtly, they looke vponupon themſelues, they ſee themſelues lothſome with Lice, painfull and deformed with Scabs, Biles, and Botches.
Firſt, God begins his iudgements with waters. As the riuer of Nilus was to Aegypt, in ſtead of heauen, to moiſten and fatten the earth; ſo their confidence was more in it then in heauen; Men are ſure to be puniſht moſt and ſooneſt, in that which they make a corriuall with God. They had before defiled the riuers with the blood of innocents; and now it appeares to them, in his owne colour. The waters will no longer keep their counſell: Neuer any man delighted in blood, which had not enough of it ere his end: they ſhed but ſome few ſtreames, and now behold, whoſe riuers of blood: Neither was this more a monument of their ſlaughter paſt, then an image of their future deſtruction. They were afterward ouer-whelmed in the Red Sea, and now beforehand they ſee the Riuers red with blood. How dependant and ſeruile is the life of man, that cannot either want one Element, or endure it corrupted! It is hard to ſay whether there were more horror, or annoyance in this plague. They complaine of thirſt, and yet doubt whether they ſhould dye, or quench it with blood. Their fiſh (the chiefe part of their ſuſtenance) dyes with infection, and infecteth more by being dead. The ſtench of both is ready to poiſon the inhabitants; yet Pharaohs curioſity caries him away quite from the ſenſe of the iudgement: he had rather ſend for his Magicians to worke feats, then to humble himſelfe vnderunder God for the remoueall of this plague; and God plagues his curioſity with deceit, thoſe whom he truſts, ſhall vndoe him with preuailing; the glory of a ſecond miracle ſhall bee obſcured by a falſe imitation, for a greater glory to God in the ſequell.
The rod is lift vp again, Behold, that Nilus which they had before adored, was neuer ſo beneficiall as it is now troubleſome; yeelding them not onelyonly a dead, but a liuing annoyance: It neuer did ſo ſtore them with Fiſh, as now it plagues them with Frogs; whatſoeuer any man makes his god, beſides the true one, ſhall be once his tormenter. Thoſe lothſome creatures leaue their owne element, to puniſh them which rebelliouſly detained Iſrael from their owne. No Bed, no Table can be free from them, their daintie Ladies cannot keepe them out of their boſomes; neither can the Aegyptians ſooner open their mouthes, then they are ready to creepe into their throats; as if they would tell them, that they came on purpoſe to reuenge the wrongs of their Maker: yet euen this wonder alſo is Satan allowed to imitate. Who can maruell to ſee the beſt vertues counterfaited by wicked men, when hee ſees the Deuill emulating the miraculous power of God? The feats that Satan playes may harden, but cannot benefit. He that hath leaue to bring Frogs, hath neither leaue, nor power, to take them away, nor to take away the ſtench from them. To bring them, was but to adde to the iudgement; to remoue them was an act of mercy. God doth commonly vſe Satan in executing of iudgement, neuer in the workes of mercy to men.
Yet euen by thus much is Pharaoh hardned, & the Sorcerers growne inſolent. When the deuill and his agents are in the height of their pride, God ſhames them in a trifle. The rod is lift vp: the very duſt receiues life: Lice abound euerywhere, and make no difference betwixt Beggers and Princes. Though Pharaoh and his Courtiers abhorred to ſee themſelues louzy, yet they hoped this miracle would be more eaſily imitable: but now the greater poſſibility, the greater foyle. How are the great wonder-mongers of Aegypt abaſhed, that they can neither make Lice of their owne, nor deliuer themſelues from the Lice that are made! Thoſe that could make Serpent and Frogs, could not either make or kill Lice; to ſhew them that thoſe Frogs and Serpents were not their own workmanſhip. Now Pharaoh muſt needs ſee how impotent a deuil he ſerued that could not make that vermine which eueryevery day riſes voluntarily out of corruption. Iannes and Iambres cannot now make thoſe Lice (ſo much as by deluſion) which at another time they cānot chuſe but produce vnknowing, & which now they cannot auoid. That ſpirit which is powerfull to execute the greateſt things when he is bidden, is vnable to doe the leaſt when he is reſtrained. Now theſe corriuals of Moſes can ſay, This is the finger of God. Ye fooliſh inchanters, was Gods finger in the Lice, not in the Frogs, not in the Blood, not in the Serpent? And why was it rather in the leſſe, then in the greater? Becauſe ye did imitate the other, not theſe. As if the ſame finger of God had not beene before in your imitation, which was now in your reſtraint: As if yee could hauehave failed in theſe, if ye had not beene onelyonly permitted the other. Whiles wicked minds hauehave their full ſcope, they neuer look vp aboue themſelues; but when once God croſſes them in their proceedings, their want of ſucceſſe teaches them to giuegive God his owne. All theſe plagues perhaps had more horror then paine in them. The Frogs creep vponupon their clothes, the Lice vponupon their skins: but thoſe ſtinging Hornets which ſucceed them, ſhall wound and kill. The water was anoyed with the firſt plague, the earth with the ſecond and third; this fourth fils the ayre, and beſides corruption brings ſmart. And that they may ſee this winged army comes from an angry God (not either from nature, or chance) euen the very Flies ſhal make a difference betwixt Aegypt and Goſhen. He gaue them their being, ſets them their ſtint. They can no more ſting an Iſraelite, then fauor an Aegyptian. The very wings of Flies are directed by a prouidence, and doe acknowledge their limits. Now Pharaoh finds how impoſſible it is for him to ſtand out with God, ſince all his power cannot reſcue him from Lice and Flyes.
And now his heart begins to thaw a little: Goe, doe ſacrifice to your God in this Land; or (ſince that will not be accepted.) Goe into the wilderneſſe, but not far: but how ſoone it knits againe! Good thoughts make but a thorow fare of carnall hearts, they can neuer ſettle there: yea, his very miſgiuing hardens him the more: that now neither the murren of his cattell, nor the botches of his ſeruants can ſtir him a whit. He ſaw his cattle ſtrucke dead with a ſudden contagion; hee ſaw his Sorcerers (after their conteſtation with Gods meſſengers) ſtrucke with a ſcab in their very faces, and yet his heart is not ſtrucke. Who would thinke it poſſible that any ſoule could be ſecure in the middeſt of ſuch variety, and frequence of iudgements? Theſe very plagues hauehave not more wonder in them, then their ſucceſſe hath. To what an height of obduration will ſin lead a man, and of all ſins, incredulity? Amidſt all theſe ſtorms Pharaoh ſleepeth, till the voice of Gods mighty thunders, and hayle mixed with fire, rouzed him vp a little.
Now as betwixt ſleeping and waking, he ſtarts vp, and ſayes, God is righteous, I am wicked, Moſes pray for vsus, and preſently layes downe his head againe. God hath no ſooner done thundering, then he hath done fearing. Al this while you neuer find him carefull to preuent any one euill, but deſirous ſtill to ſhift it off, when hee feeles it; neuer holds conſtant to any good motion; neuer prayes for himſelfe, but careleſly wils Moſes and Aaron to pray for him; neuer yeelds God his whole demand, but higgleth and dodgeth, like ſome hard chapman, that would get a releaſe with the cheapeſt: Firſt, They ſhal not goe; then, Goe and ſacrifice, but in Aegypt; next, Goe ſacrifice in the wildernes, but not far off; after, Goe ye that are men; then, Goe you and your children onelyonly; at laſt, Goe all ſaue your ſheepe and cattle. Whereſoeuer meere Nature is, ſhe is ſtill improuident of future good, ſenſible of preſent euill, inconſtant in good purpoſes, vnable, through vnacquaintance, and vnwilling to ſpeake for her ſelfe, niggardly in her grants, and vncheerfull. The plague of the Graſhoppers ſtartled him a little; and the more through the importunity of his ſeruants: for when hee conſidered the fiſh deſtroyed with the firſt blow, the cattle with the fift, the corne with the ſeuenth, the fruit and leaues with this eighth, and nothing now left him, but a bare fruitleſſe earth to liue vponupon (and that, couered ouer with Locuſts) neceſſity droue him to relent for an aduantage: Forgiue me this once; take from me this death onelyonly.
But as conſtrained repentance is euer ſhort and vnſound; the Weſt wind, together with the Graſhoppers, blowes away his remorſe; & now is he ready for another iudgement. As the Graſhoppers tooke away the ſight of the earth from him, ſo now a groſſe darkneſſe takes away the ſight of heauen too: other darkneſſes were but priuatiue, this was reall and ſenſible. The Aegyptians thought this night long, (how could they chuſe when it was ſix in one?) and ſo much the more, for that no man could riſe to talk with other, but was neceſſarily confined to his owne thoughts: One thinkes the fault in his owne eyes, which he rubs oftentimes in vaine: Others think, that the Sunne is loſt out of the Firmament, and is now withdrawn for euer: Others, that all things are returning to their firſt confuſion: all think themſelues miſerable, paſt remedy, and wiſh (whatſoeuer had befalne them) that they might hauehave had but light enough to ſee themſelues die.
Now Pharaoh proues like to ſome beaſts that grow mad with baiting: grace often reſiſted, turnes to deſperateneſſe, Get thee from me, looke thou ſee my face no more; whenſoeuer thou commeſt in my ſight, thou ſhalt dye. As if Moſes could not plague him as well in abſence: as if he that could not take away the Lice, Flyes, Frogs, Graſhoppers, could at his pleaſure take away the life of Moſes, that procured them. What is this but to run vponupon the iudgements, and run away from the remedies? Euermore when Gods meſſengers are abandoned, deſtruction is neere. Moſes will ſee him no more, till he ſee him dead vponupon the ſands; but God will now viſit him more then euer: The fearfulleſt plagues God ſtill reſerues for the vpſhot: All the former do but make way for the laſt. Pharaoh may exclude Moſes and Aaron, but Gods Angell hee cannot exclude: In ſenſible meſſengers are vſed, when the viſible are debarred.
Now God begins to call for the blood they owed him: In one night eueryevery houſe hath a carkaſſe in it, and (which is more grieuous) of their firſt borne, and (which is yet more fearfull) in an inſtant. No man could comfort other; eueryevery man was too full of his owne ſorrow, helping rather to make the noiſe of the lamentation more doleful, and aſtoniſhing. How ſoone hath God changed the note of this tyrannicall people! Aegypt was neuer ſo ſtubborne in denying paſſage to Iſrael, as now importunate to entreat it: Pharaoh did not more force them to ſtay before, then now to depart: whom lately they would not permit, now they hire to go. Their rich Iewels of ſiluer and gold were not too deare for them, whom they hated; how much rather had they to ſend them away wealthy, then to hauehave them ſtay to be their Executors? Their louelove to themſelues obtained of them the enriching of their enemies; and now they are glad to pay them well for their old worke, and their preſent iourney: Gods people had ſtayed like Slaues, they goe away like Conquerors, with the ſpoile of thoſe that hated them; armed for ſecurity, and wealthy for maintenance.
Old Iacobs ſeuenty ſoules which he brought downe into Aegypt, in ſpight of their bondage and blood-ſhed, goe forth ſix hundred thouſand men; beſides children. The world is well mended with Iſrael, ſince he went with his ſtaffe and his ſcrip ouer Iordan. Tyranny is too weake, where God bids, Increaſe and multiply. I know not where elſe the good herbe ouer-growes the weeds; the Church out-ſtrips the World. I feare if they had liued in eaſe and delicacie, they had not beene ſo ſtrong, ſo numerous. Neuer any true Iſraelite loſt by his affliction. Not onelyonly for the action, but the time, Pharaohs choice meets with Gods: That very night, when the hundred and thirty yeares were expired, Iſrael is gone, Pharaoh neither can, nor can will to keepe them any longer; yet in this, not fulfilling Gods will, but his owne. How ſweetly doth God diſpoſe of all ſecond cauſes, that whiles they doe their owne will, they doe his!
The Iſraelites are equally glad of this haſte. Who would not be ready to goe, yea to flye out of bondage? They hauehave what they wiſhed; it was no ſtaying for a ſecond inuitation. The loſſe of an opportunity is many times vnrecouerable: the louelove of their liberty made the burden of their dough light: who knew whether the variable mind of Pharaoh might returne to a deniall, and (after all his ſtubbornneſſe) repent of his obedience? It is fooliſh to hazard where there is certainty of good offers, and vncertainty of continuance. They goe therefore; and the ſame God that fetcht them out, is both their guide and protector. How carefully doth he chuſe their way! not the neerer, but the ſafer. He would not hauehave his people ſo ſuddenly change from bondage to war.
It is the wondrous mercy of God, that he hath reſpect, as to his owne glory, ſo to our infirmities. He intends them warres hereafter, but after ſome longer breathing, and more preparation; his goodneſſe ſo orders all, that euils are not ready for vsus, till we be ready for them. And as he chuſes, ſo he guides their way. That they might not erre in that ſandy and vntracted wilderneſſe, himſelfe goes before them: who could but follow cheerfully, when he ſees God lead him? He that led the wiſe men by a Star, leads Iſrael by a Cloud: That was an higher obiect, therefore he giues them an higher and more heauenly conduct; This was more earthly, therefore he contents himſelfe with a lower repreſentation of his preſence; A pillar of cloud and fire: A pillar for firmnes; of cloud and fire for viſibility and vſe. The greater light extinguiſhes the leſſe; therefore in the day he ſhewes them not fire, but a cloud: In the night nothing is ſeene without light; therefore he ſhewes them not the cloud, but fire: The cloud ſhelters them from heat by day; the fire digeſts the rawneſſe of the night. The ſame God is both a cloud and a fire to his children, euer putting himſelfe into thoſe formes of gracious reſpects, that may beſt fit their neceſſities.
As good motions are long ere they can enter into hard hearts, ſo they ſeldome continue long. No ſooner were the backs of Iſrael turned to depart, then Pharaohs heart and face is turned after them, to fetch them backe againe. It vexes him to ſee ſo great a command, ſo much wealth, caſt away in one night; which now he reſolues to redeem, though with more plagues. The ſame ambition and couetouſneſſe that made him weare out ſo many iudgements, will not leaue him, till it hauehave wrought out his full deſtruction. All Gods vengeances hauehave their end; the finall perdition of his enemies, which they cannot reſt til they hauehave attained: Pharaoh therefore & his Aegyptians wil needs go fetch their bane. They well knew that Iſrael was fitter to ſerue then to fight; weary with their ſeruitude, not trained vp to war, not furniſhed with prouiſion for… field: Themſelues Captaines and Souldiers by profeſſion, furniſhed with horſes, and Chariots of warre. They gaue themſelues therefore the victory beforehand, and Iſrael either for ſpoile or bondage: yea, the weake Iſraelites gaue vp themſelues for dead, and already are talking of their graues. They ſee the Sea before them; behind them the Aegyptians: they know not whether is more mercileſſe, and are ſtricken with the feare of both. O God, how couldeſt thou forbeare ſo diſtruſtfull a people! They had ſeene all thy wonders in Aegypt and in their Goſhen; they ſaw euen now thy pillar before them, and yet they did more feare Aegypt then beleeue thee. Thy patience it no leſſe miracle then thy deliuerance. But in ſtead of remouing from them, the cloudy pillar remoues behind them, and ſtands betwixt the Iſraelites and Aegyptians: as if God would hauehave ſaid, They ſhall firſt ouercome me, O Iſrael, ere they touch thee. Wonder did now iuſtly ſtriue with feare in the Iſraelites, when they ſaw the cloud remoue behind them, and the ſea remoue before them. They were not vſed to ſuch bulwarkes. God ſtood behind them in the cloud; the ſea reared them vp wals on both ſides them. That which they feared would be their deſtruction, protected them: how eaſily can God make the cruelleſt of his creatures both our friends and patrons.
Yet here was faith mixed with vnbeleefe. Hee was a bold Iſraelite that ſet the firſt foot into the channell of the Sea: and eueryevery ſtep that they ſet in that moiſt way, was a new exerciſe of their faith. Pharaoh ſees all this, and wonders; yet hath not the wit or grace to thinke (though the pillar tels him ſo much) that God made a difference betwixt him and Iſrael. He is offended with the Sea, for giuing way to his enemies, and yet ſees not why he may not truſt it as well as they. He might well hauehave thought, that he which gaue light in Goſhen, when there was darkneſſe in Aegypt, could as well diſtinguiſh in the Sea: but he cannot now either conſider, or feare: it is his time to periſh. God makes him faire way, and lets him run ſmoothly on, till he be come to the midſt of the Sea; not one waue may riſe vp againſt him, to wet ſo much as the houſe of his horſe. Extraordinary fauours to wicked men, are the forerunners of their ruine.
Now when God ſees the Aegyptians too far to returne, he finds time to ſtrike them with their laſt terror: they know not why, but they would returne too late. Thoſe Chariots in which they truſted now faile them, as hauing done ſeruice enough, to carie them into perdition. God purſues them, and they cannot flye from him. Wicked men make equall haſte, both to ſin, and from iudgement: but they ſhall one day finde, that it is not more eaſie to run into ſin, then impoſſible to run away from iudgement: the ſea will ſhew them, that it regards the Rod of Moſes, not the Scepter of Pharaoh; and now (as glad to hauehave got the enemies of God at ſuch an aduantage) ſhuts her mouth vponupon them, and ſwallowes them vp in her waues, and after ſhee hath made ſport with them a while, caſts them vponupon her ſands, for a ſpectacle of triumph to their aduerſaries.
What a ſight was this to the Iſraelites, when they were now ſafe on the ſhore, to ſee their enemies come floating after them vponupon the billowes, and to find among the carkaſſes vponupon the ſands, their knowne oppreſſors, which now they can tread vponupon with inſultation! They did not cry more loud before, then now they ſing. Not their faith, but their ſenſe, teaches them now to magnifie that God after their deliuerance, whom they hardly truſted for their deliuerance.
Contemplations VPONUPON THE PRINCIPALL PASSAGES OF THE Holy Storie.
The ſecond Volume IN FOVRE BOOKES.
By I.H. D.D.
LONDON, Printed for THO: PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and Iohn Haviland.
1625.
TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE, CHARLES, PRINCE OF GREAT BRITAINE.
Moſt excellent PRINCE:
ACcording to the true dutie of a ſeruant, J entended all my Contemplations to your now-glorious Brother, of ſweet and ſorrowfull memorie. The firſt part whereof, as it was the laſt Booke, that euer was dedicated to that deare, and immortall name of his: ſo it was the laſt, that was turned ouer by his gracious hand.
Now, ſince it pleaſed the GOD of ſpirits to call him from theſe poore Contemplations of ours, to the bleſſed Contemplation of himſelfe, to ſee him as Hee is, to ſee as hee is ſeene; to whom is this ſequell of my labours due, but to your Highneſſe, the heire of his Honor, and Vertues? EueryEvery yeare of my ſhort pilgrimage, is like to adde ſomething to this Worke; which in regard of the ſubiect, is ſcarce finite: The whole doth not onelyonly craue your Highneſſes Patronage, but promiſes to requite your Princely acceptation, with many ſacred examples, and rules, both for pietie, and wiſdome; towards the decking vp of this flouriſhing ſpring of your Age; in the hopes whereof, not onelyonly we liue, but be that is dead, liues ſtill in you: And if any piece of theſe endeuours, come ſhort of my deſires, J ſhall ſupply the reſt with my prayers: which ſhall neuer be wanting to the God of Princes, that your happy proceedings may make glad the Church of God, and your ſelfe in either World, glorious.
Your Highneſſes in all humble deuotion, and faithfull obſeruance, IOS. HALL.
Contemplations. THE FIFTH BOOKE.
The Waters of Marah.
The Quailes and Manna.
The Rocke of Rephidim.
The Foyle of Amalek, Or
The hand of Moſes lift vp.
The Law.
The Golden Calfe.
BY IOS. HALL, D. of Diuinitie, and Deane of WORCESTER.
LONDON, Printed for THOMAS PAVIER, MILES FLESHER, and John Haviland. 1624.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, HENRY, EARLE OF HVNTINGDON LORD HASTINGS, BOTERAVX, MOLINES & MOILES, HIS MAIESTIES LIEVTENANT IN THE COVNTY OF LEICESTER;
A BOVNTIFVLL FAVOVRER OF ALL GOOD LEARNING, A NOBLE PRECEDENT OF VERTVE, THE FIRST PATRONE OF MY POORE STVDIES:
J. H. DEDICATES THIS PIECE OF HIS LABORS, AND WISHETH ALL HONOVR AND HAPPINESSE.