Works of Joseph Hall, Book 5 – Dedication 35

Works of Joseph Hall · Book 5 – Dedication 35

p. 883Contemplations. THE FIFTH BOOKE.

The waters of Marah.

ISRAEL was not more loth to come to the Red Sea, then to part from it. How ſoone can God turne the horrour of any euill into pleaſure! One ſhore reſounded with ſhriekes of feare; the other with Timbrels, and Dances; and Songs of Deliuerance. EueryEvery maine affliction is our Red Sea, which while it threats to ſwallow, preſerues vsus: At laſt, our Songs ſhall be lowder then our cryes. The Iſraelitiſh Dames, whē they ſaw their danger, thought they might hauehave left their Timbrels behinde them; how vnprofitable a burden ſeemed thoſe inſtruments of Muſick! yet now they liue to renue that forgotten Minſtralſie, and Dancing, which their bondage had ſo long diſcontinued: and well might thoſe feet dance vponupon the ſhore, which had walked thorow the Sea. The Land of Goſhen was not ſo bountifull to them, as theſe Waters. That afforded them a ſeruile life: This gaue them at once freedome, victorie, riches; beſtowing vponupon them the remainder of that wealth, which the Aegyptians had but lent. It was a pleaſure to ſee the floating carkaſes of their Aduerſaries; and eueryevery day offers them new booties: It is no maruell then if their hearts were tyed to theſe bankes. If we finde but a little pleaſure in our life, wee are ready to dote vponupon it. EueryEvery ſmall contentment glues our affections to that we like: And if here our imperfect delights hold vsus ſo faſt, that we would not be looſed; how forcible ſhall thoſe infinite ioyes be aboue, when our ſoules are once poſſeſſed of them!

Yet if the place had pleaſ'd them more, it is no maruell they were willing to follow Moſes; that they durſt follow him in the Wilderneſſe, whom they followed through the Sea: It is a great confirmation to any people, when they hauehave ſeene the hand of God with their guide. O Sauiour, which haſt vndertaken to cary me from the ſpirituall Aegypt, to the Land of Promiſe; How faithfull, how powerfull hauehave I found thee? How feareleſly ſhould I truſt thee? how cheerefully ſhould I follow thee through contempt, pouerty, death it ſelfe! Maſter, if it be thou, bid vsus come vntounto thee.

Immediately before, they had complained of too much water: now they go 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 p. 884dry and duſtie Land, and no Water. Extremities 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 euill touches vponupon the meane, ſo much help it yeelds towards patience; EueryEvery degree of ſorrow is a preparation to the next: but when we paſſe to extreames without the meane, we want the benefit of 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 maymed at leaſt. Theſe headlong euils, as they are the foreſt, ſo they muſt be moſt prouided for; as on the contrary, a ſudden aduancement from a low condition to the height of Honour, is moſt hard to manage. No man can maruell how that Tyrant blinded his Captiues, when he heares that he brought them immediately, out of a darke dungeon, into Roomes that vvere made bright and glorious. Wee are not worthy to know, for what wee are reſerued: no euill can amate vsus, if we can ouercome ſudden extremities.

The long deferring 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 inifinding, would be precious when they were found: Yet behold, they are croſſed, not onelyonly in their deſires, but in their hopes; for after three dayes trauell, the firſt Fountaines they finde are bitter Waters. If theſe Wels had not runne pure Gall, they could not hauehave ſo much complained. Long thirſt will make bitter Waters ſweet; yet ſuch were theſe Springs, that the Iſraelites did not ſo much like their moiſture, as abhorre their reliſh. I ſee the firſt handſell that God giues them in their voyage to the Land of Promiſe; Thirſt and bitterneſſe. Satan giues vsus pleaſant entrances into his wayes, and reſerues the bitterneſſe for the end: God inuites vsus to our worſt at firſt; and ſweetens our concluſion with pleaſure.

The ſame God, that would not lead Iſrael through the Philiſtims Land, leſt they ſhould ſhrinke at the ſight of Warre, now leads them through the Wilderneſſe, and feares not to try their patience with bitter potions. If hee had not loued them, the Aegyptian Furnace or Sword had preuented their thirſt, or that Sea whereof their Enemies drunke dead; and yet ſee how hee dyets them. Neuer any hauehave had ſo bitter draughts vponupon Earth as thoſe be 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 giuegive vsus 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 hauehave children, but ſuch as they prefer barrenneſſe. They had ſaid before, Oh that wee had water! now, Oh that we had good water! It is good ſo to deſire bleſsings from God, that we may be the better for inioying them; ſo to craue water, that it may not be ſawced with bitterneſſe.

Now, theſe fond Iſraelites in ſtead of praying, murmur; in ſtead of praying to God, murmur againſt Moſes. What hath the righteous done? Hee made not either the Wilderneſſe dry, or the Waters bitter; Yea (if his conduct were the matter) what one foot went he before them without God? The Pillar led them, and not he; yet Moſes is murmured at. It is the hard condition of authoritie, that when the multitude fare well, they applaud themſelues; when ill, they repine againſt their Gouernours. Who can hope to be free, if Moſes eſcape not? Neuer any Prince ſo merited of a people. Hee thruſt himſelfe vponupon the Pikes of Pharaohs tyrannie. Hee brought them from a bondage worſe then death. His Rod diuided the Sea, and ſhared life to them, death to their Purſuers. Who would not hauehave thought theſe men, ſo obliged to Moſes, that no death could hauehave 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, when God receiues this meaſure from vsus. One yeere of Famine, One Summer of Peſtilence, One Moone of vnſeaſonable p. 885weather, makes vsus ouer-looke all the bleſsings of God; and more to mutine at the ſenſe of our euill, then to praiſe him for our varieties of good: whereas fauours well beſtowed, leaue vsus both mindfull and confident; and will not ſuffer vsus either to forget or diſtruſt. O God, I hauehave made an ill vſe of thy mercies, if I hauehave not learned to be content with thy corrections.

Moſes was in the ſame want of water with them, in the ſame diſtaſte of bitterneſſe, and yet they ſay to Moſes, What ſhall we drinke? If they had ſeene him furniſhed with full veſſels of ſweet water, and themſelues put ouer to this vnſauoury liquor, enuie might hauehave giuen ſome colour to this mutiny: but now their Leaders common miſerie, might hauehave freed him from their murmurs. They held it one piece of the late Egyptian tyrannie, that a taske was required of them, which the Impoſers knew they could not performe; to make Bricke when they had no Straw; Yet they ſay to Moſes, What ſhall we drinke? Themſelues are growne Exactors, and are ready to menace more then ſtripes, if they hauehave not their ends, without meanes. Moſes tooke not vponupon him their prouiſion, but their deliuerance: and yet, as if he had been the common Victualer of the Campe, they aske, What ſhall wee drinke? When want meets with impatient minds, it tranſports them to fury; EueryEvery thing diſquiets, and nothing ſatisfies them.

What courſe doth Moſes now take? That which they ſhould hauehave 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 looke 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 wee muſt put into, in all our ill vveather. It is to thee, O God, that wee muſt powre out our hearts, which onelyonly canſt make our bitter waters ſweet.

Might not that Rod, which tooke away the liquid nature from the waters, and made them ſolid; hauehave alſo taken away the bitter qualitie from theſe waters, and made them ſweet: ſince to flow is naturall vntounto the water; to bee bitter is but accidentall. Moſes durſt not imploy his Rod without a Precept; he knew the power came from the Commandement. We may not preſume on likelihoods, but depend vponupon warrants; therefore Moſes doth not lift vp his Rod to the Waters, but his hand and voice to God.

The hand of faith neuer knocked at heauen in vaine: No ſooner hath Moſes ſhewed his grieuance, then God ſhewes him the remedie: yet an vnlikely one, that it might be miraculous. He that made the waters, could hauehave giuen them any ſauour: How eaſie is it for him that made the matter, to alter the qualitie! It is not more hard to take away, then to giuegive. Who doubts but the ſame hand that created them, might hauehave immediately changed them? Yet that Almightie power will doe it by meanes. A piece of wood muſt ſweeten the waters: What relation hath wood to water; or that which hath no ſauour, to the redreſſe of bitterneſſe? Yet here is no more poſsibilitie of failing, then proportion to the ſucceſſe. All things are ſubiect to the command of their Maker; He that made all of nothing, can make eueryevery thing of any: There is ſo much power in eueryevery creature, as he will pleaſe to giuegive. It is the praiſe of Omnipotencie to worke 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 ſhewed them their whole iourney; wherein they ſhould taſte of much bitterneſſe: but at laſt through the mercy 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 vnſauourie ſoules are ſweetned by the graces of his Spirit. 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.

p. 886Of the Quayles and Manna.

THe thirſt of Iſrael is well quenched: for beſides the change of the waters 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 from a fruition of all comforts, or a not deſiring of ſome which we hauehave not. Now, wee are neuer ſo bare, as not to hauehave ſome benefits; neuer ſo full, as not to want ſomething, yea as not to be full of wants. God hath much ado with vsus; either we lacke health, or quietneſſe, or children, or vvealth, or company, or ourſelues in all theſe. It is a vvonder theſe men found not fault with the want of ſweet to their Quailes, or with their old cloathes, or their ſolitarie way. Nature is moderate in her deſires; but conceit is vnſatiable. Yet who can deny hunger to be a ſore vexation? Before, they were forbidden ſowre bread; but now what leauen is to ſowre as want? When meanes hold out, it is eaſie to be content. Whiles their dough, and other eates laſted, vvhiles they vvere gathering of the Dates of Elim, vve heare no newes of them. Who cannot pray for his dayly bread when he hath it in his cup-bord? But when our owne prouiſion failes vsus, then not to diſtruſt the prouiſion of God, is a noble tryall of faith. They ſhould hauehave ſaid; He that ſtopt the mouth of the Sea, that it could not deuoure vsus, can as eaſily ſtop the mouth of our ſtomacks: It was no eaſier matter to kill the firſt-borne of Aegypt, by his immediate hand, then to preſerue vsus; He that commanded the Sea to ſtand ſtill and guard vsus, can as eaſily command the earth to nouriſh vsus: He that made the Rod a Serpent, can as well make theſe ſtones, bread: He that brought armies of Frogs and Caterpillers to Aegypt, can as well bring vvhole drifts of birds and beaſts to the deſart: He that ſweetened the waters vvith Wood, can aswell refreſh our bodies, vvith the fruits of the earth. Why doe we not wait on him, whom vve hauehave found ſo powerfull? Now they ſet the mercy and louelove of God vponupon a wrong laſte; vvhiles they meaſure it onelyonly by their preſent ſenſe. Nature is ioc…d and cheerefull, vvhiles it proſpereth: let God vvithdraw his hand; no ſight, no truſt. Thoſe can praiſe him vvith Timbrels for a preſent fauour, that cannot depend vponupon him, in the vvant of meanes for a future. We all are neuer vveary of receiuing, ſoone weary of attending.

The other mutiny, vvas of ſome few male-contents, perhaps thoſe ſtrangers, which fought their owne protection vnderunder the vving of Iſrael; this, of the whole troope. 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 caries 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, commonneſſe may plead for fauour; vvith God at pleads for iudgement. Many hands draw the Cable with more violence, then few: The leproſie of the whole body is more loathſome, then that of a part.

But vvhat doe theſe mutiners ſay? Oh that wee had dyed by the hand of the Lord! And whoſe hand vvas this, O ye fond Iſraelites if yee muſt periſh by famine? God caried you forth; God reſtrained his creatures from you: and vvhile you are ready to dye this ye ſay; On that we had dyed by the hand of the Lord!

It is the folly of men, that in immediate iudgements they can ſee Gods hand; not in thoſe, whoſe ſecond cauſes are ſenſible: whereas God holds himſelfe equally intereſſed in all: challenging that there is no euill in the City, but from him. It is but one hand, and many inſtruments, that God ſtrikes vsus 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, we ſee not him that is inuiſible.

p. 887And when would they hauehave vviſht to die? When wee ſate by the fleſh-pots of Aegypt: Alas, what good vvould their fleſh pots hauehave 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 from them? Our greateſt pleaſures are but paines in their loſſe. EueryEvery minde affects that which is like it ſelfe. Carnall minds are for the fleſh-pots of Aegypt, though bought with ſeruitude; ſpirituall are for the preſence of God, though redeemed with famine; and would rather die in Gods preſence, then liue without him in the ſight of delicate of full diſhes.

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

But what? can no fleſh-pots ſerue but thoſe of Aegypt? I am deceiued, if that Land affoorded them any fleſh-pots ſaue their owne: Their Landlords of Aegypt held it abomination to eate of their diſhes, or to kill that which they did eate. In thoſe times then they did eate of their owne; and why not now? They had droues of cattell in the Wilderneſſe: vvhy did they not take of them? Surely, if they would hauehave beene as good husbands of their cattell, as they were of their dough, they might hauehave had enough to eate without need of murmuring: for if their back-burden of dough laſted for a monethmonth; their heards might hauehave ſerued them many yeares. All grudging is odious; but moſt, when our hands are full. To whine in the midſt of abundance, is a ſhamefull vnthankfulneſſe.

When a man would hauehave looked that the anger of God ſhould hauehave appeared in fire: now behold, his glory appeares in a Cloud. Oh the exceeding long-ſuffering of God, that heares their murmurings! and as if he had beene bound to content them, in ſtead of puniſhing, pleaſes them; as a kinde mother would deale with a crabid child, who rather ſtils him with the breſt, then cals for the rod. One would hauehave thought, that the fight of the cloud of God ſhould hauehave diſpel'd the cloud of their diſtruſt; and this glory of God ſhould hauehave made them aſham'd of themſelues, and afraid of him: Yet I doe not heare them once ſay, What a mighty and gracious God hauehave we diſtruſted? Nothing will content an impotent minde, but fruition. When an heart is hardned with any paſſion, it will endure much, ere it will yeeld to relent.

Their eyes ſaw the cloud; their eares heard the promiſe, the performance is ſpeedie and anſwerable. Needs muſt they be conuinced, when they ſaw God as glorious in his worke, as in his preſence; when they ſaw his word iuſtified by his act. God tels them afore-hand what hee will doe, that their expectation might ſtay their hearts. He doth that which he fore-told, that they might learne to truſt him, ere he performe. They deſired meat, and receiue Quailes; they deſired bread, and hauehave Manna. If they had had of the courſeſt fleſh, and of the baſeſt Pulſe, hunger would hauehave made it dainty: But now God will pamper their famine; and giues them meat of Kings, and Bread of Angels. What a world of Quailes were but ſufficient to ſerue ſix hundred thouſand perſons? They were all ſtrong, all hungry; neither could they bee ſatisfied with ſingle Fowles: What a Table hath God prepared in the Deſart, for abundance, for delicacie? Neuer Prince was ſo ſerued in his greateſt pompe, as theſe rebellious Iſraelites in the Wilderneſſe. God loues to ouer-deſerue of men; and to exceed not onelyonly their ſinnes; but their very deſires in mercy. How good ſhall wee finde him to thoſe that pleaſe him, ſince he is ſo gracious to offenders! If the moſt graceleſſe Iſraelites be fed with Quailes and Manna; Oh, what goodneſſe is that hee hath laid vp for them that louelove him! As on the contrary, If the Righteous ſcarce be ſaued, where will the Sinners appeare? Oh God, thou canſt, thou wilt make this difference. Howſoeuer with vsus men, the moſt crabbed and ſtubborne oftentimes fare the beſt; the Righteous p. 888Iudge of the world frames his remuneration as he finds vsus: And if his mercy ſometimes prouoke the worſt to repentance by his temporall fauours, yet he euer reſerues ſo much greater reward for the Righteous, as eternitie 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 Quailes came to the Deſart. Needs muſt they come whom GOD brings. His hand is in all the motions of his meaneſt Creatures. Not onelyonly wee, but they mooue in him. As not many Quailes, ſo not one Sparrow falls without him: How much more are the actions of his beſt creature, Man, directed by his prouidence? How aſhamed might theſe Iſraelites hauehave 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 Houſe keeper of the world, when hee ſees how hee can furniſh his tables at pleaſure? Is he growne now careleſſe, or we faith leſſe rather? Why doe wee not repoſe vponupon his mercy? Rather then we ſhall want, when we truſt him, he will fetch Quailes from all the coaſts of heauen to our boord. Oh Lord, thy hand is not ſhortned to giuegive: let not ours bee ſhortned, or ſhu… receiuing.

Eliahs ſeruitors, the Rauens, brought him his full ſeruice of bread, and fleſh at once; each morning and euening. But theſe Iſraelites hauehave their fleſh at euen, and their bread in the morning. Good reaſon there ſhould be a difference. Eliahs table was vponupon Gods direct appointment; the Iſraelites vponupon their mutiny: Although God will relieue them with prouiſion, yet he will puniſh their impatience with delay; ſo ſhall they know themſelues his people, that they ſhall finde they were murmurers. Not onelyonly 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 hauehave fleſh, bread after. When they hauehave fleſh, yet they muſt ſtay a time ere they can hauehave a full meale; vnleſſe they would eate their meat breadleſſe, and their bread dry. God will be waited on; and will giuegive, the conſummation of his bleſſings at this leaſure. In the euening of our life, we hauehave the firſt pledges of his fauour: but in the morning of our reſurrection, muſt we looke for our perfect ſacietie of the true Manna, the bread of life.

Now the Iſraelites ſped well with their Quailes; they did eate and digeſt, and proſper: not long after, they hauehave Quailes with a vengeance; the meat was pleaſant, but the ſauce was fearfull. They let downe the Quailes at their mouth, but they came out at their noſtrils. How much better had it been to hauehave died 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, is death, whoſe firſt act found remiſsion: Relapſes are deſperate, where the ſickneſſe it ſelfe is not. With vsus 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 vsus for a ſinning-ſtock, to prouoke him how we will. It is more mercy then he owes vsus, if he forbeare vsus once; it is his iuſtice to plague vsus 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 finde Quailes in a Wilderneſſe was vnuſuall; but for bread to come downe from Heauen was yet more. They had ſeene Quailes 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 below, this fell down from aboue; neither did it euer raine bread till now; Yet ſo did this heauenly ſhowre fall, that it is confined to the campe of Iſrael. A miracle in the quantitie: That eueryevery morning ſhould fall enough to fill ſo many hundred thouſand mouthes and mawes. A miracle in the compoſition; That it is ſweet like hony-cakes, round like p. 889Corianders, tranſparent as dew. A miracle in 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, and would reach them as well as feed them) it fell double in the euen of the Sabbath, and on the Sabbath fell not. A miracle in the putrefaction and preſeruation; That it was full of wormes, when it was kept beyond the due houre for diſtruſt: full of ſweetneſſe, when it was kept a day longer for religion; Yea many Ages, in the Arke, for a monument of the power and mercy of the Giuer. A miracle in the continuance and ceaſing; That this ſhowre of bread followed their Campe in all their remoueals, till they came to taſte of the bread of Canaan; and then withdrew it ſelfe, as if it ſhould hauehave ſaid: Ye need no miracles, now ye hauehave meanes.

They had the Types; we hauehave the ſubſtance. In this wilderneſſe of the World, the true Manna is rained vponupon the tents of our hearts. Hee that ſent the Manna, was the Manna, which he ſent: He hath ſaid, I am the Manna that came downe from heauen; Behold, their whole meales were ſacramentall: EueryEvery morſell they did eate, was ſpirituall. We eate ſtill of their Manna: ſtill he comes downe from heauen. Hee hath ſubſtance enough for worlds of ſoules; yet onelyonly is to be found in the liſts of the true Church; He hath more ſweetneſſe then the hony, and the hony-combe. Happy are we if we can find him ſo ſweet as he is.

The ſame hand that rained Manna vponupon their tents, could hauehave rained it into their mouths, or laps. God loues we ſhould take paines for our ſpirituall food. Little would it hauehave auailed 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 wee bring it not home, and make it ours by faith, we are no whit the better. If the worke done, and meanes vſed, had beene enough to giuegive life, no Iſraelite had dyed: Their bellies were full of that bread, whereof one crumme giues life: yet they dyed many of them in diſpleaſure. As in naturall, ſo in ſpirituall things, wee may not truſt to meanes: The carcaſſe of the Sacrament cannot giuegive life, but the ſoule of it; which is the thing repreſented. I ſee each man gather, and take his iuſt meaſure out of the common heape; We muſt be induſtrious, and helpefull each to other: but when we hauehave done, Chriſt is not partiall. If our ſanctification differ, yet our iuſtification is equall in all.

He that gaue a Gomer to each, could hauehave giuen an Ephah: As eaſily could hee hauehave rained downe enough for a monethmonth, or a yeare at once, as for a day. God delights to hauehave vsus liue in a continual dependance vponupon his prouidence, and each day renue the acts of our faith and thankfullneſſe. 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 he ſhould hauehave ſpent vponupon his ſupper? He ſhall know, that euen the bread that came downe from heauen, can corrupt: The Manna was from aboue; the wormes and ſtinke from his diffidence. Nothing is ſo ſoueraigne, which being peruerted, may not annoy inſtead of benefiting vsus.

Yet I ſee ſome difference betweene the true & typicall Manna; God neuer meant that the ſhadow and the body ſhould agree in all things. The outward Manna reſerued, was poiſon: the ſpirituall Manna is to vsus, as it was to the Arke; not good, vnleſſe it be kept perpetually. If we keepe it, it ſhall keepe vsus from putrefaction. The outward Manna fell not at all on the Sabbath: The ſpirituall Manna (tho it ball…s no day) yet it fals double on Gods day: and if we gather it not then; we famiſh. In that true Sabbath of our glorious reſt, we ſhall for euer feed of that Manna which we hauehave gathered in this euen of our life.

p. 890Of the Rocke of Rephidim.

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

All Iſrael murmured when they wanted bread, meat, water; and yet all Iſrael departed from the wilderneſſe of Sin to Rephidim, at Gods command. The very worſt men will obey God in ſomething; none but the good, in all: Hee is rarely deſperate, that makes an vniuerſall oppoſition to God. It is an vnſound praiſe that is giuen a man, for one good action: It may bee ſafely ſaid of the very Deuils themſelues, that they doe ſomething well: They know and beleeue, and tremble. If we follow God, and murmur, it is all one, as if we had ſtayd behind.

Thoſe diſtruſt his prouidence in their neceſſity, that are ready to follow his guidance in their welfare. It is an harder matter to endure an extreame want, then to obey an hard commandement. Sufferings are greater tryals, then actions: How many hauehave we ſeene ieopard their liues, with cheerfull reſolution, which cannot endure in cold blood to loſe a limbe with patience! But God will hauehave his throughly tryed, he puts them to both: and if we cannot endure both to follow him from Sin, and to thirſt in Rephidim, we are not found Iſraelites.

God led them, on purpoſe to this drie Rephidim: He could as well hauehave conducted them to another Elim, to conuenient waterings: Or hee that giues the waters of all their channels, could as well hauehave deriued them to meet Iſrael: But God doth purpoſely cary them to thirſt. Is it not for neceſſity, that we fare ill, but out of choyce: It were all one with God to giuegive vsus health, as ſickneſſe; abundance as pouerty. The treaſurie of his riches hath more ſtore then his creature can be capable of; we ſhould not complaine, if it were not good for vsus to want.

This ſhould hauehave beene a contentment able to quench any thirſt: God hath led vsus hither; If Moſes out of ignorance had miſguided vsus, or we chanceably falne vponupon theſe dry deſarts, 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 mercifull a God, hath drawne vsus into his want; and ſhall not he as eaſily find the way out? It is the Lord, let him doe what he will. There can be no more forceable motiue to patience, then the acknowledgment of a diuine hand that ſtrikes vsus. It is fearefull to be in the hand of an aduerſarie; but who would not be confident of a Father? Yet in our fraile humanity, choler may tranſport a man from remembrance of nature; but when wee feele our ſelues vnderunder the diſcipline of a wiſe God, that can temper our afflictions to our ſtrength, to our benefit; who would not rather murmur at himſelfe, that hee ſhould ſwerue towards impatience? Yet theſe ſturdy Iſraelites wilfully murmur: and will not hauehave their thirſt quenched with faith, but with water. GiueGive vsus water.

Nooked to heare when they would hauehave entreated Moſes to pray for them: but in ſtead of entreating, they contend, and in ſtead of prayers, I find commands: GiueGive vsus water. If they had gone to God without Moſes, I ſhould hauehave praiſed their faith: but p. 891now they goe to Moſes without God, I hate their ſtubborne faithleſneſſe. To ſeeke to the ſecond meanes, vvith neglect of the firſt, is the fruit of a falſe faith.

The anſwer of Moſes is like himſelfe, milde and ſweet; Why contend ye with mee? 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 God that tempted them by want, they ſhould tempt him by murmuring. In the one, hee would hauehave them ſee their wrong; in the other their danger. As the act came not from him, but from God; ſo he puts it off to God, from himſelfe: Why tempt yee the Lord? The oppoſition which is made to the inſtruments of God, redounds euer to his perſon. He holds himſelfe ſmitten through the ſides of his Miniſters: So hath God incorporated theſe reſpects, that our ſubtilty cannot diuide them.

But what temptation is this? Is the Lord among vsus or no? Infidelitie is crafty, and yet fooliſh; Craftie in her inſinuations, fooliſh in her conceits. They imply, If we were ſure the Lord were with vsus, we would not diſtruſt; They conceiue doubts of his pr ſence, after ſuch confirmations. What could God doe more, to make them know hi… preſent, vnleſſe eueryevery moment ſhould hauehave renued miracles? The plagues of Aegypt, and the diuiſion of the Sea were ſo famous, that the very Innes of Iericho rang of them. Their waters were lately ſweetned; the Quailes were yet in their teeth; their Manna was yet in their eye; yea, they ſaw God in the Pillar of the Cloud, and yet they ſay, Is the Lord amongst vsus? No argument is enough to an incredulous heart; not ſenſe, not experience. How much better was that faith of Thomas, that would beleeue his eyes and hands, though his care he would not? Oh the deepe infidelitie of theſe Iſraelites, that ſaw and beleeued not!

And how will they know if God be amongſt them? As if hee could not bee with them, and they be a thirſt: either God muſt humour carnall minds, or be diſtruſted: If they proſper (though it be with wickedneſſe) God is with them; If they be thwarted in their owne deſignes; ſtraight, Is God with vsus? 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 he had been in them, they had not mutined. They can thinke him abſent in their want, and cannot ſee him abſent in their ſinne: and yet wickedneſſe, not affliction, argues him gone; Yea, then is he moſt preſent, when he moſt chaſtiſes.

Who would not hauehave looked, that this anſwer of Moſes ſhould hauehave appeaſed their fury? As what can ſtill him that will not be quiet to thinke he hath God for his Aduerſarie? 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 anſwer: and ſmoothly omitting, what they could not except againſt. They will not heare of tempting God? they maintaine their ſtrife with Moſes, both with words and ſtones. How malicious, how headdy is impatience! The act was Gods, they caſt it vponupon Moſes, Wherefore haſt thou brought vsus? The act of God was mercifull, they make it cruell, To kill vsus and our children: As if God and Moſes meant nothing but their ruine; who intended nothing but their life and libertie. Fooliſh men! What needed this iourney to death? Were they not as obnoxious to God in Aegypt? Could not God by Moſes as eaſily hauehave killed them in Aegypt, or in the Sea, as their enemies? Impatience is full of miſconſtruction; If it be poſſible to find out any gloſſe to corrupt the Text of Gods actions, they ſhall be ſure not to ſcape vntainted.

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

Moſes perceiued rage, not in the tongues only, but in the hands of the Iſraelites. Yet a while longer and they will ſtone me. Euen the Leader of Gods people, feared death; and ſinned not in fearing. Life is worthy to be deare to all: eſpecially to him, whom publike p. 892charge 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 vsus the more importunately to God. Some man would hauehave thought of flight; Moſes flyes to his Prayers; and that not for reuenge, but for helpe. Who but Moſes would not hauehave ſaid; This twice they hauehave mutined, and beene pardoned; and now againe thou ſeeſt, 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, he ſeekes 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 towards the Rocke: None but the Elders might ſee him ſtrike it. Their vnbeleefe made them vnworthy of this priuiledge. It is no ſmall fauor of God, to make vsus witneſſes of his great Workes; That he crucifies his Sonne before vsus; that he fetches the water of Life, out of the true Rocke, in our ſight, is an high prerogatiue; If his rigour would hauehave taken it, our infidelity had equally excluded vsus, whom now his mercy hath receiued.

Moſes muſt take his Rod; God could hauehave done it by his will, without a word, or by his word, without the Rod; but he will doe by meanes, that which he can as eaſily doe without. There was 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 be expected out of themſelues.

It doth not ſuffice God to name the Rod, without a deſcription; (Whereby thou ſmoteſt the Riuer:) Wherefore? but to ſtrengthen the faith of Moſes, that he might well expect this wonder from that, which he had tried to be miraculous. How could he but firmely beleeue, that the ſame meanes which turned the waters into blood, and turned the ſea into a wall, could as well turne the ſtone into water? Nothing more raiſes vp the hart in preſent affiance, then the recognition of fauors, or wonders paſſed. Behold the ſame Rod that brought plagues to the Aegyptians, brings deliuerances to Iſrael. By the ſame meanes can God ſaue and condemne: like as the ſame ſword defends and kils.

That power, which turned the wings of the Quailes to the wilderneſſe, turned the courſe of the water through the Rocke: He might (if he had pleaſed) hauehave cauſed a Sping to well out of the plaine earth; but he will now fetch it out of the ſtone, to conuince and ſhame their infidelity.

What is more hard and dry then the Rocke? What more moiſt and ſupple then water? That they might be aſhamed to thinke, they diſtruſted leſt God could bring them water out of the Clouds or Springs, the very Rocke ſhall yeeld it.

And now, vnleſſe their hearts had beene more rockie then this ſtone, they could not but hauehave reſolued into teares, for this diffidence.

I wonder to ſee theſe Iſraelites fed with Sacraments: Their bread was ſacramentall, whereof they communicated eueryevery day: leſt any man ſhould complaine of frequence, the Iſraelites receiued daily; and now their drinke was ſacramentall, that the ancient Church may giuegive no warrant of a dry Communion.

Twice therefore hath the Rocke yeelded them water of refreſhing; to ſignifie that the true ſpirituall Rocke yeelds it alwayes. The Rocke that followed them was Chriſt: Out of thy ſide, O Sauiour, iſſued that bloody ſtreame, whereby the thirſt of all beleeuers is comfortably quenched: Let vsus but thirſt; not with repining, but with faith; this Rocke of thine ſhall abundantly flow forth to our ſoules, and follow vsus, till this water be changed into that new wine, which we ſhall drinke with thee in thy Fathers Kingdome.

p. 893The 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 choice of rods to whip vsus 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 be contending with their beſt friends, ſhould hauehave worke enough, of contending with enemies.

In their paſſage out of Aegypt, God would not lead them the neereſt way, by the Philiſtims Land, leſt they ſhould repent at the ſight of warre; now they both ſee, and feele it. He knowes how to make the fitteſt choyce of the times of euill; and withholds that one while, which he ſends another, not without a iuſt reaſon, why he ſends, and with-holds it: And though to vsus, they come euer (as wee thinke) vnſeaſonably, and at ſome times more vnfitly, then others; yet he that ſends them knowes their opportunities.

Who would not hauehave thought, a worſe time could neuer hauehave been pickt for Iſraels warre, then now? In the feebleneſſe of their troopes, 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 chuſe for our ſelues.

To be ſicke, and dye in the ſtrength of youth, in the minority of children: To be pinched with pouerty, or miſcariage of children in our age, how harſhly vnſeaſonable it ſeemes! But the infinite wiſdome, that orders our euents, knowes how to order our times. Vnleſſe we will be ſhameleſſe vnbeleeuers, O Lord, we muſt truſt thee with our ſelues and our ſeaſons, and know, that not that which we deſire, but that, which thou haſt appointed, is the fitted time for our ſufferings.

Amalek was Eſaus grand-child; and theſe Iſraelites, the Sons of Iacob. The abode of Amalek was not ſo farre from Aegypt, but they might well heare what became of their Couſins of Iſrael; and now, doubtleſſe out of enuy watcht their opportunity of reuenge for their old grudge. Malice is commonly hereditarie, and runs 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 vponupon no other grounds, then the quarrels of their Fore-fathers. To wreake our malice vponupon poſteritie, is at the beſt, but the humour of an Amalekite.

How cowardly, and how craftie was this Skirmiſh of Amalek! They doe not bid them battell in termes of Warre, but without all noiſe of warning, come ſtealing vponupon the hindmoſt, and fall vponupon the weake, and ſcattred 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 Aduerſarie; but much more of our ſpirituall enemie; by how much his hatred is deeper. Behold, this Amalek lyes in ambuſh to hinder our paſſage vntounto our Land of Promiſe; and ſubtilly takes all aduantages of our weakneſſes. We cannot be wiſe, or ſafe, if we ſtay behind 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 vsus; it matters not whether thou goe againſt him, or not; or if thou goe, whether alone or with company; or if accompanied, whether with many or few, ſtrong or weake; Or if ſtrong men, whether they doe fight or no; I will pray on the Hill: but, Chooſe vsus out men and goe fight.

p. 894Then onelyonly can we pray with hope, when we hauehave done our beſt. And though the meanes cannot effect that, which wee deſire; yet God will hauehave and vſe the likelyeſt 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 water out of the Rocke, another ſhall fetch bitterneſſe out of the water: But in thoſe proiects, which we make for our owne purpoſes, we muſt chooſe thoſe helpes, which promiſe moſt efficacie. In vaine ſhall Moſes bee vponupon the Hill, if Ioſhua be not in the Valley. Prayer without meanes, is a mockery of God.

Here are two ſhadowes of one ſubſtance; The ſame Chriſt in Ioſhua fights againſt our ſpirituall Amalek, and in Moſes ſpreads out his Armes vponupon the hill; and in both, conquers. And why doth he climb vp the hill rather, then pray in the valley? Perhaps that hee might hauehave the more freedome 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 choyce muſt be made of thoſe places, which may be moſt helpe to our deuotion: Perhaps, that he might be in the eye of Iſrael.

The preſence and ſight of the Leader giues heart to the people: neither doth any thing more moue the multitude, then example. A publike perſon cannot hide himſelfe in the Valley: but yet it becomes him beſt to ſhew himſelfe vponupon 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 proprietie 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 eueryevery mans, now it is the Lauer of Regeneration. It is both vniuſt and vnſafe, to hold thoſe things common wherein God hath a peculiaritie.

At other times, vponupon occaſion of the plagues, and of the Quailes, and of the Rocke, he was commanded to take the Rod in his hand; now he 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 vsus from the Aegyptian, Why not now from the Amalekite? There is the Rod which turned waters to blood, and brought varieties of plagues on Aegypt, Why not now on Amalek?

Nothing can more hearten our faith, then the view of the monuments of Gods fauour: if euer we hauehave found any word, or act of God cordiall to vsus, it is good to fetch it forth oft to the eye. The renewing of our ſenſe, and remembrance, makes eueryevery gift of God perpetually beneficiall.

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

Not as a Standard-bearer ſo much as a ſuppliant, doth Moſes lift vp his hand: The geſture of the body ſhould both expreſſe and further the piety of the ſoule. This fleſh of ours is not a good ſeruant, vnleſſe it helpe vsus in the beſt offices: The God of Spirits doth moſt reſpect the ſoule of our deuotion; yet, it is both vnmannerly and irreligious, to be miſgeſtured in our Prayers. The careleſſe and vncomely cariage of the body helpes both to ſignifie, and make a prophane ſoule.

The hand, and the Rod of Moſes neuer moued in vaine; Though the Rod did not ſtrike Amalek, as it had done the Rocke: yet it ſmote Heauen, and fetcht downe victorie. 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, and Iſrael riſes, with his hand raiſed. Oh the wondrous power of the prayers of faith! All heauenly fauours are deriued to vsus from this p. 895channell of grace: To theſe are wee beholden for our peace, preſeruations, and all the rich mercies of God, which we enioy. We could not want, if we could aske.

EueryEvery mans hand would not hauehave done this; but the hand of a Moſes. A faithleſſe man may as well hold his hand and tongue ſtill; hee may babble, but prayes not; hee prayes ineffectually, and receiues not: OnelyOnly the prayer of the Righteous auayleth much; and onelyonly 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 prophanes the name of God, in ſtead of adoring it.

But how iuſtly is the feruencie of the prayer added to the righteouſneſſe of the perſon? When Moſes hand ſlackned, Amalek preuailed. No Moſes can hauehave his hand euer vp; It is a title proper to God, that his hands are ſtretched out ſtill: whether to mercy, or vengeance. Our infirmitie will not ſuffer any long intention, either of bodie or minde. Long prayers can hardly maintaine their vigour; as in tall bodies the ſpirits are diffuſed. The ſtrongeſt hand will languiſh, with long entending: And when our deuotion tyres, it is ſeene in the ſucceſſe; then ſtraight our Amalek preuailes. Spirituall wickedneſſes are maſtered by vehement prayer and by heartleſneſſe in prayer, ouercome vsus.

Moſes had two helpes, 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 vsus to reſpect our owne infirmities. In caſes of our neceſſity, hee regards not the poſture of body, but the affections of the ſoule.

Doubtleſſe Aaron and Hur did not onelyonly 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 helpe one another in our prayers; and to excite our mutuall deuotions. No Chriſtian may 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 vponupon 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 be written. Many other miracles had God done before; not one, directly commanded to bee recorded: The other were onelyonly for the wonder; this for the imitation of Gods people. In things that muſt liue by report, euerie tongue addes, or detracts ſomething; The word once written is both inalterable and permanent.

As God is carefull to maintaine the glory of his miraculous victory: ſo is Moſes deſirous to ſecond him; God by a booke, and Moſes by an Altar, and a name. God commands to enroule it in parchment; Moſes regiſters it in the ſtones of his Altar; which he raiſes not onelyonly 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 vsus men to abhorre ingratitude in ſmall fauors. How much leſſe can that Fountaine of goodneſſe abide to be laded at with vnthankfull hands? O God, we cannot but confeſſe our deliuerances: where are our Altars? where are our Sacrifices? where is our Iehouaniſsi? I doe not more wonder at thy power in preſeruing vsus, then at thy mercy, which is not weary of caſting away fauours vponupon the ingratefull.

p. 896Of the Law.

IT is but about ſeuen weekes, ſince Iſrael came out of Aegypt: In which ſpace God had cheriſhed their faith by fiue ſeuerall wonders: yet now he thinks it time to giuegive them Statutes from heauen, as wel as bread. The Manna and water from the Rocke (which was Chriſt in the Goſpell) were giuen before the Law. The Sacraments of Grace, before the legall Couenant. The grace of God preuenteth our obedience; Therefore ſhould we keepe the Law of God, becauſe we hauehave a Sauiour. Oh the mercy of our God! which before we ſee what we are bound to doe, ſhewes vsus our remedy, if wee doe it not: How can our faith diſanull 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 fleſhly tables, were now (as thoſe which were carued in ſome barkes) almoſt growne out; he ſaw it time to write them in dead tables, whoſe hardnes ſhould not bee capable of alteration: He knew, that the ſtone would be more faithfull then our hearts.

Oh maruellous accordance betwixt the two Teſtaments! In the very time of their deliuerie, there is the ſame agreement, which is in the ſubſtance. The ancient Iewes kept our Feaſts; and we ſtill keepe theirs. The Feaſt of the Paſſeouer is the time of Chriſts reſurrection, then did he paſſe from vnderunder the bondage of Death. Chriſt is our Paſſeouer, 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 vponupon the Diſciples in fiery tongues, for the propagation of the Goſpell. That other was in fire and ſmoke, obſcuritie was mingled with terror; This was in fire without ſmoke, befitting the light and cleerneſſe 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 hauehave impoſed vponupon them a Law perforce; They were his creatures, and he could require nothing but iuſtice. It had beene but equall, that they ſhould bee compelled to obey their Maker; yet that God which loues to doe all things ſweetly, giues the law of iuſtice in mercy, and wil not imperiouſly command, but craues our aſſent for that, which it were rebellion not to doe.

How gentle ſhould be the proceeding of fellow creatures, who hauehave an equalitie of being, with an inequality of condition; when their infinite Maker requeſts, where hee might conſtraine! God wil make no couenant with the vnwilling; How much leſſe the couenant of Grace, which ſtands all vponupon louelove? If we ſtay till God offer violence to our wil, or to vsus, againſt our will, we ſhal die ſtrangers from him. The Church is the Spouſe of Chriſt; he will enioy her louelove by a willing contract, not by a rauiſhment. The obſtinate hauehave nothing to doe with God; The title of all Conuerts, is, A willing people.

Then Iſrael inclined to God, it was from God; he enquires after his owne gifts in vsus, 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 mercies 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 prepared to heare 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 word of a command expected ſuch readineſſe; what ſhall the word of promiſe, the promiſe of Chriſt and ſaluation?

p. 897The Moraine of Aegypt was not ſo infectious as their vices; the contagion of theſe ſtucke ſtill by Iſrael: 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, they muſt now bee 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 therefore wee muſt be alwayes holy: ſo moſt, when wee preſent our ſelues to the holy eyes of our Creator. We waſh our hands eueryevery day; but when we are to ſit with ſome great perſon, we ſcowre them with balls. And if wee muſt be ſo ſanctified, onelyonly to receiue the Law, how holy muſt we be to receiue the grace promiſed in the Goſpell?

Neither muſt themſelues onelyonly he cleanſed, but their very cloathes: Their garments ſmelt of Aegypt, euen they muſt be waſhed: Neither can cloathes be capable of ſinne, nor can water cleanſe from ſinnes; The danger was neither in their garments, nor their skin; yet they muſt be waſhed, that they might learne by their cloathes, with what ſoules to appeare before their God. Thoſe garments muſt bee waſhed, which ſhould neuer waxe old, that now they might begin their age in purity; as thoſe vvhichwhich 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 vvithin we may be cleanly: but little would neatneſſe of veſtures auaile vsus vvith a filthy ſoule. The God of ſpirits lookes to the inner man; and challenges the purity of that part which reſembles himſelfe: Cleanſe your hands ye ſinners, and purge your hearts ye double-minded.

Yet euen vvhen they vvere waſhed, and ſanctified, they may not touch the Mount; not onelyonly vvith their feet; but, not with their eyes: The ſmoake keepes it from their eyes; the markes from their feet. Not only men that had ſome impurity at their beſt, are reſtrained, but euen beaſts, which are not capable of any vnholineſſe. Thoſe beaſts which muſt touch his Altars, yet might not touch his hill: And if a beaſt touch it, hee muſt die: yet ſo, as no hands may touch that, which hath touched the Hill. Vnreaſonableneſſe might ſeeme to be an excuſe in theſe creatures: that therefore which is death to a beaſt, muſt needs be capital to them, whoſe reaſon ſhould guide them to auoid preſumption. Thoſe Iſraelites which ſaw God eueryevery day in the pillar of fire, & 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 walkes of their obedience: yet he takes ſtate vponupon him in his ordinances; and will be trembled at, in his Word and Iudgements.

I ſee the difference of Gods cariage to men in the Law, and in the Goſpel: There the very Hill where he appeared, may not be touched of the pureſt Iſraelite; Here the hem of his garment is touched by the woman, that had the flux of blood; yea, his very face was touched with the lips of Iudas. There the very earth vvas prohibited them, on which he deſcended: Here, his very body and blood is profered to our touch and taſte. Oh the maruellous kindneſſe of our God! How vnthankfull are we, if we 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 be no better acquainted with God, then they, which in their greateſt familiaritie, vvere commanded aloofe.

God was euer wonderfull in his workes, and fearfull in his iudgements: but hee 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 eares of the Iſraelites; as if God meant to ſhew them by this, how fearfull 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 voice of God out-ſpeaking the Trumpet of the Angell: The Cloud enwrapping, the ſmoake aſcending, 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 Sodom, there was fire raining without clouds; but here was fire, ſmoake, clouds, thunder, earthquakes, and whatſoeuer p. 898might worke more aſtoniſhment, then euer was in any vengeance inflicted.

And if the Law vvere thus giuen, how ſhall it be required? If ſuch were the Proclamation of Gods Statutes, what ſhall the Seſſions bee? I ſee and tremble at the reſemblance. The Trumpet of the Angell called vntounto the one: The voice of an Archangell, the Trumpet of God, ſhall ſummon vsus to the other, To the one, Moſes (that climbed vp that Hill, and alone ſaw it) ſayes, God came with ten thouſands of his Saints; In the other, thouſand thouſands ſhall miniſter to him, and ten thouſand thouſands ſhal ſtand before him. In the one, Mount Sinai onelyonly was on a flame; all the World ſhall be ſo, in the other. In the one there was fire, ſmoake, thunder and lightning: In the other a fiery ſtreame ſhall iſſue from him, wherewith the heauens ſhall be diſſolued, and the Elements ſhall melt away vvith a noiſe. Oh God, how powerfull art thou to inflict vengeance vponupon ſinners, who didſt thus forbid ſinne! and if thou vvert ſo terrible a Lawgiuer, vvhat a Iudge ſhalt thou appeare? What ſhall become of the breakers of ſo fierie a Law? Oh vvhere ſhall thoſe appeare, that are guilty of the tranſgreſſing that law, vvhoſe very deliuery vvas little leſſe then death? If our God ſhould exact his Law, but in the ſame rigour wherein he gaue it, ſinne could not quite the coſt: But now the fire vvherein it was deliuered; was but terrifying; the fire wherein it ſhall bee required, is conſuming. Happy are thoſe that are from vnderunder the terrours of that Law, which was giuen in fire, and in fire ſhall be required.

God would hauehave Iſrael ſee, that they had not to do with ſome impotent Commander, that is faine to publiſh his Lawes without noyſe, in dead paper; which can more eaſily enioyne, then puniſh; or deſcry, then execute; and therefore, before hee giues them a Law, he ſhewes them that he can command Heauen, Earth, Fire, Ayre, in reuenge of the breach of the Law; That they could not but thinke it deadly to diſpleaſe ſuch a Law-giuer, or violate ſuch dreadfull ſtatutes; that they might ſee all the Elements, examples of that obedience, which they ſhould yeeld vntounto their Maker.

This fire wherein the Law was giuen, is ſtill in it; and will neuer out: Hence are thoſe terrours which it flaſhes in eueryevery conſcience, that hath felt remorſe of ſinne. EueryEvery 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, he could finde out their cloſeſt ſinnes, hee deliuers his Law in the light of fire, from out of the ſmoake: That they might ſee, what is due to their ſinnes, they ſee fire aboue, to repreſent the fire that ſhould be below them: That they might know he could waken their ſecuritie, the Thunder, and louder voice of GOD ſpeakes to their hearts. That they might ſee what their hearts ſhould doe, the Earth quakes vnderunder them. That they might ſee they could not ſhift their appearance, the Angels call them together. Oh royall Law, and mighty Law-giuer! How could they think of hauing any other God, that had ſuch proofes of this? How could they think of making any reſemblance of him, whom they ſaw could not be ſeene; and whom they ſaw in not being ſeene, infinite? How could they thinke of daring to profane his Name, vvhom they heard to name himſelfe, with that voice, Iehoua? How could they thinke of ſtanding vvith him for a day, whom they ſaw to command that heauen, vvhichwhich makes and meaſures day? How could they thinke of diſobeying his Deputies, whom they ſaw ſo able to reuenge? How could they thinke of killing, when they were halfe dead with the feare of him, that could kill both body and ſoule? How could they think of the flames of luſt, that ſaw ſuch fires of vengeance? How could they thinke of ſtealing from others, that ſaw whoſe the heauen and the earth was to diſpoſe of at his pleaſure? How could they thinke of ſpeaking falſely, that heard God ſpeake in ſo fearfull a tone? How could they thinke of coueting others goods, that ſaw how vveake and vncertaine right they had to their owne? Yea to vsus, vvas this Law ſo deliuered; to vsus in them: neither had there beene 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 forfeiture; how ſhould vvee feare thee (O Lord) that canſt caſt body and ſoule into hell!

p. 893Of the Golden Calfe.

IT was not much aboue a monethmonth, ſince Iſrael made their couenant with God; ſince they trembled to heare him ſay, Thou ſhalt hauehave no other Gods but me; ſince they ſaw Moſes part from them, and climbe vp the Hill to God: and now they ſay, Make vsus Gods, we know not what is become of this Moſes. Oh, ye mad Iſraelites, hauehave ye ſo ſoon forgotten that fire, and thunder, which you heard and ſaw? Is that ſmoake vaniſhed out of your minde, as ſoone as out of your ſight? Could your hearts ceaſe to tremble with the earth? Can yee in the very ſight of Sinai, call for other Gods? And for Moſes; was it not for your ſakes, that he thruſt himſelfe into the midſt of that ſmoake and fire, which ye feared to ſee afar off? Was he not now gone after ſo many ſudden embaſſages, to be your Lieger with God? If ye had ſeene him take his heeles, and runne away from you into the wilderneſſe, what could ye hauehave ſaid, or done more? Behold, our better Moſes was with vsus a while vponupon earth: he is now aſcended into the Mount of Heauen, to mediate for vsus; ſhall we now thinke of another Sauiour? Shall we not hold it our happineſſe, that he is for our ſakes aboue?

And what if your Moſes had been gone for euer? Muſt yee therefore hauehave gods made? If ye had ſaid, Chooſe vsus another Gouernour, it had beene a wicked and vnthankfull motion; ye were too vnworthy of a Moſes, that could ſo ſoone forget him: but to ſay, Make vsus Gods, was abſurdly impious. Moſes was not your God, but your Gouernour: Neither was the preſence of God tyed to Moſes: You ſaw God ſtill, when he was gone, in his pillar, and in his Manna; and yet ye ſay, Make vsus Gods: EueryEvery word is full of ſenſeleſſe wickedneſſe. How many gods would you hauehave? Or what gods are thoſe that can be made? Or (what euer the Idolatrous Aegyptians did) with what face can ye, after ſo many miraculous obligations, ſpeake of another God? Had the voice of God ſcarce done thundring in your eares? Did you ſo lately heare and ſee him to be an infinite God? Did ye quake to heare him ſay out of the midſt of the flames, I am Iehouah thy God: Thou ſhalt hauehave no Gods but mee? Did yee acknowledge God your Maker; and doe ye now ſpeake of making of gods? If yee had ſaid, Make vsus another man to goe before vsus, it had been an impoſſible ſuit. Aaron might helpe to marre you, and himſelfe; He could not make one haire of a man: and doe ye ſay, Make vsus Gods? And what ſhould thoſe gods doe? Goe before you. How could they go before you, that cannot ſtand alone? your helpe makes them to ſtand, and yet they muſt conduct you. Oh the impatient ingratitude of carnall minds! Oh the ſottiſhneſſe of Idolatry! Who would not hauehave ſaid, Moſes is not with vsus; but he is with God for vsus? He ſtayes 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 vsus hauehave deſerued, not to be reiected: Or, if God will keepe him from vsus; hee that withholds him, can ſupply him: He that ſent him, can lead vsus without him; His fire and Cloud is all-ſufficient; God hath ſaid, and done enough for vsus, to make vsus truſt him: We will, we can hauehave no other God; we care not for any other guide. But behold, here 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 beene loſt at once, they ſay, Make vsus Gods. Naturall men muſt hauehave God at their bent: and if hee come not at a call, he is caſt off, and they take themſelues to their owne ſhifts: like as the Chinois whip their gods, when they anſwer them not; Whereas his holy ones wait long, and ſeeke him; and not onelyonly in their ſinking, but from the bottome of the deepes, call vponupon him; and though he kill them, will truſt in him.

p. 900Superſtition 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 hee, that is the Image of God, fall downe to the Images of creatures? How could our forefathers hauehave ſo doted vponupon ſtockes and ſtones, if they had beene themſelues? As the Syrians were firſt blinded, and then led into the midſt of Samaria: ſo are the Idolaters firſt bereaued of their wits and common ſenſe, and afterwards are caried brutiſhly into all palpable impiety.

Who would not hauehave been aſhamed to heare this anſwer from the brother of Moſes, Plucke off your Earings? He ſhould hauehave ſaid, Plucke this Idolatrous thought out of your hearts: and now in ſtead of chiding, he ſoothes them. And as if he had been no kin to Moſes, he helpes to lead them backe againe from God, to Aegypt. The people importuned him, perhaps with threats. Hee that had waded thorow all the menaces of Pharaoh; doth he now ſhrinke at the threats of his owne? Moſes is not afraid of the terrors of God: His faith that caried him thorow the water, led him vp to the fire of Gods preſence; whiles his brother Aaron feares the faces of thoſe men, which he lately ſaw pale with the feare of their glorious Law-giuer. As if hee that forbade other gods, could not hauehave maintained his owne act, and agent, againſt men. Sudden feares, when they hauehave poſſeſſed weake minds, lead them to ſhamefull errours. Importunitie or violence may leſſen, but they cannot excuſe a fault. Wherefore was he a Gouernor, but to depreſſe their diſordered motions? Facility of yeelding to a ſinne, or wooing it with our voluntarie ſuit, is an higher ſtaire of euill: but, euen at laſt to be won to ſinne, is damnable. It is good to reſiſt any onſet of ſinne; but one condeſcent loſes all the thankes of our oppoſition. What will it auaile a man, that others are plagued for ſolliciting him, whiles he ſmarteth for 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 allowed to climbe 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 monethmonth, cals for their earings, makes the grauen Image of a Calfe, erects an Altar, conſecrates a day to it, cals it their God, and weepes not, to ſee them dance before it. It is a miſerable thing, when Gouernours humour the people in their ſinnes; and in ſtead of making vp the breach, enlarge it. Sinne will take heart by the approbation of the meaneſt looker on; but if authoritie once ſecond it, it growes impudent: As contrarily, where the publike gouernment oppoſes euill, (though it be vnderunder-hand practiſed, not without feare) there is life in that ſtate.

Aaron might hauehave learned better counſell of his brothers example: When they came to him with ſtones in their hands, and ſaid, GiueGive vsus water, he ranne as roundly to God, with prayers in his mouth; So ſhould Aaron hauehave done, when they ſaid, GiueGive vsus gods: but he weakely runnes to their earings, that which ſhould be made their god: not to the True God, which they had, and forſooke. Who can promiſe to himſelfe freedome from groſſe infirmities, when he that went vp into the Mount, comes down, and doth that in the valley, which he heard forbidden in the Hill?

I ſee yet, and wonder at the mercy of that God, which had iuſtly called himſelfe iealous. This very 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: He that had melted, and carued out the Calfe for a god, muſt ſacrifice Calues and Rams, and Bullocks vntounto the True God: He that conſecrated a day to the Idol, is himſelfe conſecrated to him, which was diſhonored by the Idol. The groſeſt of all ſinnes cannot prejudice the calling of God; Yea, as the light is beſt ſeene in darkneſſe, the mercy of God is moſt magnified in our vnworthineſſe.

What a difference God puts betweene perſons, and ſinnes! While ſo many thouſand Iſraelites were ſlaine, and that had ſtomackfully deſired the Idol; Aaron that in weakneſſe condeſcended, is both pardoned the fact, and afterwards laden with honour from God. Let no man take heart to ſinne, from mercy: He that can purpoſe to ſinne p. 901vponupon the knowledge of Gods 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: Aegyptian iewels 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 beat 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 hauehave their eares bare that they might fill their eyes. No gold is too deare for their Idol; each man is content to ſpoyle their wiues and children, of that whereof they ſpoyled the Aegyptians.

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 giuegive 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 giuegive gold to the falſe ſeruice of God; we, to take away gold from the true: How doe we ſee men prodigall 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 Aegypt, and now they ſet it vp in their eyes. Still doth Aegypt hurt them: Seruitude was the leaſt euill, that Iſrael receiues from Aegypt; for that ſent them ſtill 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 ſinnes, to which the eye and care is inured: Not out of louelove, but cuſtome, we fall into ſome offences.

The Iſraelites wrought ſo long in the furnaces of the Aegyptian bricke, that they hauehave brought forth a molten Calfe. The blacke Calfe with the white ſpots, which they ſaw worſhipped in Aegypt, hath ſtolne their hearts: And they, which before would hauehave beene at the Aegyptian fleſh-pots, would now be at their deuotions. How many hauehave falne into a faſhion of ſwearing, ſcoffing, drinking, out of the vſuall practice of others; as thoſe that liue in an ill ayre, are infected with diſeaſes! A man may paſſe thorow Aethiopia vnchanged: but he cannot dwell there, and not be diſcoloured.

Their ſin was bad enough, let not our vncharitableneſſe make it worſe: No man may thinke they hauehave 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 Aegypt, three moneths agoe. This were to make them more beaſts then that Calfe, which this Image repreſented: Or if they ſhould hauehave been ſo inſenſate, can we thinke that Aaron could be thus deſperately mad? The Image and the Holy-day were both, to one Deity: To morrow is the Holyday of the Lord your God. It was 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 onelyonly 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 hauehave preuented, as redreſſed it. He knew ere Moſes came vp, what Iſrael would doe, ere he came downe: like as he knew, the two Tables would be broken, ere he gaue them. God moſt wiſely permits, and ordaines ſinne to his owne ends, without our excuſe: And though he could eaſily by his owne hands remedy euils; yet he will doe it by meanes, both ordinary, and ſubordinate. It is not for vsus to looke for an immediate redreſſe from God, when we hauehave a Moſes, by whom it may bee wrought: Since God himſelfe expects this from man, why ſhould man expect it from God?

Now might Moſes hauehave found a time to hauehave beene euen with Iſrael for all their p. 902vnthankfulneſſe, and mutinous inſurrections; Let mee alone: I will conſume them, and make thee a mighty Nation. Moſes ſhould not neede to ſollicite God for reuenge; God ſollicits him, in a ſort, for leaue to reuenge. Who would look for ſuch a word from God to Man, Let me alone? As yet Moſes had ſaid nothing; Before hee opens his mouth, God preuents his importunitie: as fore-ſeeing that holy violence, which the requeſts of Moſes would offer to him. Moſes ſtood trembling before the Maieſtie of his Maker; and yet heares him ſay, Let me alone. The mercy of our God hath, as it were, obliged his power, to the faith of men: The feruent prayers of the faithfull, hold the hands of the Almighty. As I finde it ſaid afterwards of Chriſt, That hee could doe no miracles there, becauſe of their vnbeliefe: So now, I heare God (as if he could not do execution vponupon Iſrael, becauſe of Moſes's faith) ſay, Let me alone, that I may conſume them.

We all naturally affect propriety, and like our owne ſo much better, as it is freer from partners. EueryEvery 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 hauehave 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 was voluntarily tendred vntounto Moſes! Whence are our depopulations, and incloſures, but for that men cannot abide either fellowes, or neighbours? But how graciouſly doth Moſes ſtriue with 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 hauehave beene more moued. The more a man can leaue himſelfe behind him, and aſpire to a care of communitie, 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! He ſaw they could be content to be merry, and happy without him; he would not be happy without them. They had profeſſed to hauehave forgotten him: he ſlacks not to ſue for them. He that will euer hope for good himſelfe, muſt returne good for euill vntounto others.

Yet was it not Iſrael ſo much that Moſes reſpected, as God in Iſrael. Hee was thrifty and iealous for his Maker; and would not hauehave 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 Iſrael could hauehave periſhed without diſhonor to God, perhaps his hatred to their Idolatry, would hauehave ouercome his naturall louelove, and he had let God alone. Now ſo tender is he ouer the name of God, that he would rather hauehave Iſrael ſcape with a ſin, then Gods 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 vponupon Iſrael; a people ſo miraculouſly fetcht from Egypt, whom the Sea gaue way to; whom heauen fed; whom the Rocke watred; whom the fire and cloud guarded, which heard the audible voice of God: Hee knew withall, how readie the world would bee to miſconſtrue, and how the Heathens would bee ready to caſt imputations of leuity, or impotence vponupon God; and therefore ſayes, 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 wel-fare, nor feares the miſeries of others, but with reſpect to God, in both. If God had not giuen Moſes this care of his glory, he could not hauehave had it: and now his goodneſſe takes it ſo kindly, as if himſelfe had receiued a fauour from his creature; and for a reward of the grace hee had wrought, promiſes not to doe that which hee 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 hauehave bin vniuſt. Shall God care for the tongues of men; the holy God, for the tongues of Infidels? The very Iſraelites, now they were from vnderunder the hands of Egypt, cared 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 hauehave been the worſe for him; would hee hauehave permitted it? But, O God, how dainty art thou of thine honour, that thou canſt not endure the worſt of men ſhould hauehave any colour to taint it! What doe wee men ſtand p. 903vponupon our iuſtice, and innocence, with neglect of all vniuſt cenſures; when that infinite God, whom no cenſures can reach, will not abide, that the very Egyptians ſhould falſely taxe his power and mercy? Wiſe men muſt care, not onelyonly to deſerue well, but to heare well, and to wipe off, not onelyonly crimes, but cenſures.

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

That which hee hath dictated to his ſeruants the Prophets, challenges iuſt honour from vsus; how doth that deſerue veneration, which his owne hand wrote immediately!

Prophecies and Euangelicall diſcourſes he hath written by others; neuer did hee write any thing himſelfe, but theſe Tables of the Law: neither did he euer ſpeake 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 was the fault greater, of defacing it. What King holds it leſſe then rebellion, to teare his writing, and blemiſh his Seale? At the firſt, he ingraued his Image in the table of mans heart; Adam blurred the Image, but (through Gods mercy) ſaued the Tablet. Now hee writes his will in the Tables of ſtone, Moſes breaks the Tables, and defaced the writing: if they had been giuen him for himſelfe, the Author, the matter had deſerued, 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 hauehave been broken: But now they were giuen for all Iſrael, for all mankinde. He was but the meſſenger, not the owner. Howſoeuer therefore, Iſrael had deſerued, by breaking this Couenant with God, to hauehave this Monument of Gods Couenant with 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 hee faile the truſt of that God, whoſe pledge he receiued with awe, and reuerence? He that expoſtulated with God, to hauehave Iſrael liue and proſper, why would he deface the rule of their life, in the keeping whereof they ſhould proſper? I ſee, that forty dayes talke with God cannot bereaue a man of paſſionate infirmitie: He that was the meekeſt vponupon earth, in a ſudden indignation abandons that, which in cold blood hee would hauehave held faſter then his life: He forgets the Law written, when hee 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 Iſrael, then hee honoured the Tables of ſtone, wherein God had ingrauen his Commandements; and more longed to deface the Idol, then he cared to preſerue the Tables. Yet that God, which ſo ſharply reuenged the breach of one Law, vponupon the Iſraelites, checks not Moſes for breaking both the Tables of the Law. The Law of God is ſpirituall; the internall breach of one Law, is ſo hainous, that in compariſon of it, God ſcarce counts the breaking of the outward Tables, a breach of the Law. The goodneſſe 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: He burnes and ſtamps the Calfe to powder, and giues it Iſrael to drinke; that they might hauehave it in their guts, in ſtead of their eyes: How he haſteth to deſtroy the Idol, wherein they ſinned! that, as an Idoll is nothing, ſo it might be brought to nothing; and Atomes and duſt is neereſt to nothing: that in ſtead of going before Iſrael, it might paſſe thorow them; ſo as the next day they might finde their god in their excrements; To the iuſt ſhame of Iſrael, when they ſhould ſee p. 904their new god cannot defend himſelfe, from being either nothing, or worſe.

Who can but wonder, to ſee a multitude of ſo many hundred thouſands (when Moſes came running downe the Hill) to turne their eyes from their god, to him; And on a ſudden, in ſtead of worſhipping their Idoll, to batter it in pieces, in the very height of the noueltie? In ſtead of building Altars, and kindling fires to it, to kindle an hotter 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 weepe before it? There was neuer a more ſtiffe-necked people: Yet I doe not heare any one man of them ſay, He is but one man; We are many; how eaſily may we deſtroy him, rather then hee our god? If his brother durſt not reſiſt our motion in making it: Why will we ſuffer him to dare reſiſt the keeping of it? It is our act; and wee will maintaine it. Here was none of this; but an humble obeyſance to the 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 ouer-runne with out-rage. Sinne hath a guiltineſſe in it ſelfe, that when 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 ſinne cannot be expiated without blood. Behold, that meeke ſpirit, which in his plea with God, would rather periſh himſelfe, 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: He had been cruell to all, if ſome had not found him cruell. They are mercileſſe hands, which are not ſometimes imbrued in blood: There is no leſſe charitie, then iuſtice, in puniſhing ſinners with death; God delights no leſſe in a killing mercy, then in a pitifull iuſtice: Some tender hearts would be ready to cenſure the rigour of Moſes. Might not Iſrael hauehave repented and liued? Or if they muſt dye, muſt their brethrens hand be vponupon them? Or, if their throats muſt be cut by their brethren, ſhall it be done in the very heat of their ſinne? But they muſt learne a difference betwixt pity, and fondneſſe; mercy, and vniuſtice. Moſes had an heart as ſoft as theirs, but more hot; as pitifull, but wiſer. He was a good Phyſician, and ſaw that Iſrael could not liue, vnleſſe he bled: hee therefore lets out this corrupt blood, to ſaue the whole body. There cannot bee a better ſacrifice to God, then the blood of Malefactors: and this firſt ſacrifice ſo pleaſed God in the hands of the Leuites, that he would hauehave 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 SIXTH BOOKE.

The Ʋayle of Moſes.

Nadab and Abihu.

Aaron and Miriam.

The Searchers of Canaan.

Corah's Conſpiracie.

BY IOS. HALL, D. of Diuinitie, and Deaue of WORCESTER.

TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, THOMAS, LORD VISCOVNT FENTON, CAPTAINE OF THE ROYALL GVARD; ONE OF HIS MAIESTIES MOST HONOVRABLE PRIVY COVNSELLORS;

ONE OF THE HAPPY RESCVERS OF THE DEARE LIFE OF OVR GRACIOVS SOVERAIGNE LORD; A WORTHY PATTERNE OF ALL TRVE HONOR; I. H. DEDICATES THIS PART OF HIS MEDITATIONS; AND WISHETH ALL INCREASE OF GRACE AND HAPPINESSE.