Essays in Divinity, Essays · Essay 2
EXODUS C. 1. V. 1.
Now theſe are the Names of the Children of Iſrael which came into Egypt, &c.
IN this book our entrance is a going out: Of Exodusfor Exodus is Excitus. The Meditation upon Gods works is infinite; and whatſoever is ſo, is Circular, and returns into it ſelfe, and is every where beginning and ending, and yet no where either: Which the Jews (the children of God by his firſt ſpouſe the Law, as we are by Grace, his ſecond) expreſſ'd in their round Temples; for God himſelfe is ſo much a Circle, as being every where without any corner, (that is, never hid from our Inquiſition;) yet he is no where any part of a ſtraight line, (that is, may not be directly and preſently beheld and contemplated) but either we muſt ſeek his Image in his works, or his will in his words; which, whether they be plain or darke, are ever true, and guide us aright. For, aſwell the Pillar of Cloud, as that of Fire, did the Office of directing. Yea, oftentimes, where feweſt Expoſitors contribute their helpes, the Spirit of God alone enlightens us beſt; for many lights caſt many ſhadows, and ſince controverted Divinity became an occupation,Controverſies. the Diſtortions and violencing of Scriptures, by Chriſtians themſelves, have wounded the Scriptures more, then the old Philoſophy or Turciſm. So that that is applyable to us, which Seneca ſays of Cſaears murderers, Plures amici quam inimici eum interfecerunt. From which indulgence to our own affections, that ſhould ſomwhat deterr us, which Pliny ſays of the ſame buſineſs, Iiſdem pugionibus quibus Caeſarem interfecerunt, ſibi mortem conſciverunt. For we kill our own ſouls certainly, when we ſeek paſſionately to draw truth into doubt and diſputation.
I do not (I hope) in undertaking the Meditation upon this verſe, incur the fault of them,Shore Texts. who for oſtentation and magnifying their wits, excerpt and tear ſhapeleſs and unſignificant rags of a word or two, from whole ſentences, and make them obey their purpoſe in diſcourſing; The Souldiers would not divide our Saviours garment, though paſt his uſe and his propriety. No garment is ſo neer God as his word: which is ſo much his, as it is he. His fleſh, though dignified with unexpreſſible priviledges, is not ſo near God, as his word: for that is Spiritus Oris. And in the Incarnation, the Act was onelyonly of one Perſon, but the whole Trinity ſpeaks in every word. They therefore which ſtub up theſe ſeverall roots, and mangle them into chips, in making the word of God not ſuch,Literall Senſe. (for the word of God is not the word of God in any other ſenſe then literall (and that alſo is not the literall, which the letter ſeems to preſent, for ſo to diverſe underſtandings there might be diverſe literall ſenſes; but it is called literall, to diſtinguiſh it from the Morall, Allegoricall, and the other ſenſes; and is that which the Holy Ghoſt doth in that place principally intend:) they, I ſay, do what they can this way, to make God, whoſe word it is pretended to be, no God. They which build, muſt take the ſolid ſtone, not the rubbiſh. Of which, though there be none in the word of God, yet often unſincere tranſlations, to juſtifie our perjudices and foreconceived opinions, and the underminings and batteries of Hereticks, and the curious refinings of the Allegoricall Fathers, which have made the Scriptures, which are ſtronge toyles, to catch and deſtroy the bore and bear which devaſt our Lords vineyard, fine cobwebs to catch flies; And of ſtrong gables, by which we might anker in all ſtorms of Diſputation and Perſecution, the threads of ſilkworms, curious vanities and exceſſes (for do not many among us ſtudy even the Scriptures only for ornament?) theſe, I ſay, may ſo bruſe them, and raiſe ſo much duſt, as may blinde our Eyes, and make us ſee nothing, by coveting too much. He which firſt invented the cutting of Marble, had (ſays Pliny) importunum ingenium; a wit that would take no anſwer nor denyal. So have they which break theſe Sentences, importuna ingenia, unſeaſonable and murmuring ſpirits. When God out of his abundance affords them whole Sentences, yea Chapters, rather then not have enough to break to their auditory, they will attempt to feed miraculouſly great Congregations with a loafe or two, and a few fiſhes; that is, with two or three incoherent words of a Sentence. I remember I have read of a General, who, having at laſt carryed a town, yet not meerly by force, but upon this article, That in ſign of ſubjection they ſhould admit him to take away one row of ſtones round about their wall, choſe to take the undermoſt row, by which the whole wall ruined. So do they demoliſh Gods faireſt Temple, his Word, which pick out ſuch ſtones, and deface the integrity of it, ſo much, as neither that which they take, nor that which they leave, is the word of God. In the Temple was admitted no ſound of hammer, nor in the building of this great patriarchal Catholick Church, of which every one of us is a little chappel, ſhould the word be otherwiſe wreſted or broken, but taken intirely as it is offered and preſented. But I do not at this time trangreſs this rule,Of this Text. both becauſe I made not choice of this unperfect ſentence, but proſecute my firſt purpoſe of taking the beginning of every book: and becauſe this verſe is not ſo unperfect, but that radically and virtually it comprehends all the book; which being a hiſtory of Gods miraculous Mercy to his, is beſt intimated or Epitomized in that firſt part, which is inſinuated in this verſe, from how ſmall a number he propagated ſo great a Nation. Upon this confidence, and conſcience of purpoſing good,Unvocall preaching. I proceed in theſe Sermons; for they are ſuch, in the allowance of him whom they have ſtiled reſolutiſſimum et Chriſtianiſſimum Doctorem; Gerſ. de laude Scr. conſid. 1a.for he ſays Scriptor manu praedicat. And that to write books, though one gain and profit temporally by it, yet if the finall reſpect be the glory of God, is latriae veneratio, and more honorable to the Church, then the multiplication of vocal prayers, Imo, quam inſolens Miſſarum inculcatio. Did the Author of that book, the Preacher, make vocal Sermons? Though theſe lack thus much of Sermons, that they have no Auditory, yet as Saint Bernard did almoſt glory, that Okes and Beeches were his Maſters, I ſhall be content that Okes and Beeches be my ſchollers, and witneſſes of my ſolitary Meditations. Therefore,Diviſion. after I ſhal have ſpoken a few words in generall of this book, I will proceed to a neerer conſideration of this verſe; firſt, As it begins to preſent a Regiſter of their Names, whom God appointed to be the foundation of his many great works; And then, As it doth virtually comprehend thoſe particular teſtimonies of Gods love to his people.
In the firſt, we will look Why God is willing, that thoſe through whom God prepares his miracles, ſhould be named. Secondly, why they are in divers places diverſly named. Then, why their number is expreſſed; And why that alſo diverſly, in divers places. And laſtly, whether there bee no Myſtery in their Number, Seventy.
In the ſecond part, wherein out of this verſe radically will ariſe to our conſideration, all his favors to his choſen, expreſſed in this book, we ſhall have occaſion to contemplate Gods Mercy, and that, In bringing them into Egypt, In propagating them there, In delivering them from thence, and in nouriſhing them in the wilderneſs. Secondly his Power, Expreſſed in his many Miracles: Thirdly his Juſtice, in their preſſures in Egypt, and the wilderneſs: And laſtly his Judgments, in affording them a law for their direction.